In this fantasy game, you play as Bartholomew, a final year student at a magical boarding school. It's time for your final exam, but you were too lazy to study and you've forgotten all your spells. Can you pass your exam anyway?
This solution is by David Welbourn, and is based on Version 1.0.2 (2022 IFComp) of the game.
SPOILERS AHEAD. Reading a walkthrough prematurely can sometimes diminish one's enjoyment of an interactive fiction game. Please make an honest effort to play the game before reading this walkthrough.
In the Dining hall, ENTER LARGE PAINTING to arrive at Entrance hall. (The small painting is too scary to enter.)
In the South corridor, ENTER PAINTING to arrive at the Girls' dormitory.
In the Even souther corridor, ENTER PAINTING to arrive at Outside the school.
In the Ground floor classroom, ENTER PAINTING to arrive at Dark cave.
In the Second floor east corridor, ENTER PAINTING to arrive at School yard.
In the Dark cave, ENTER PAINTING (on the painted rock) to arrive at Outside the school.
Map 2: Outside the school
When you can see invisible things, the "Invisible forest?" is just the "Forest".
Walkthrough
Note:
I was unable to LOAD or RESTORE any of my save-positions while playing this game. This might be a problem with just my machine, but it certainly made testing this game much more difficult than it should have taken.
Oh, and there's no UNDO either. However, the exam jinn reverses time whenever you make a fatal mistake, which is almost as good, yes?
Exam room
> x me. x Mirlena. talk to Mirlena.
>> 1.(say you sat in back)
>> 1.(+1. ask about exam)
>> 2.(ask about herself)
>> 2.(ask about school)
>> 2.(ask about teachers)
>> 3.(ask about anyone else)
>> 4.(stop asking about school)
>> 3.(ask about ghost)
>> 4.(ask about summoning ghost)
>> 4.(ask about Nung)
>> 5.(bye)
> i. x parchment. read parchment.
> x book. read book.(+2)
> spells. x unlock. x unsummon. x sleep.
> x jinn. talk to jinn.
>> 1.(ask about exam jinns)
>> 2.(ask how to call it: you learn the call exam jinn spell.)
>> 2.(bye)
> open cupboard. x berry. take berry.(+1)
> read sign. x desk. x chair.
> open door.(locked)
> cast unlock on door.(+1; Achievement: Cast your first spell.)
> n.
West corridor
> read sign.("Exam in progress, silence please!")
> n.
Dining hall
> x spoon. take spoon.(+1)
> x paintings.
> x small painting.(of eye)
> x large painting.(of gargoyle)
> n.
Kitchen
> x Rotter. open cupboards.(Rotter stops you.)
> x teacup. x honey.
> take cup.(Rotter stops you; only for teachers!)
> s. s. s.
Exam room
> talk to Mirlena.
>> 5.(ask about tea)
>> 6.(bye)
> n. n. n.
Kitchen
> talk to Rotter.
>> 1.(ask about himself)
>> 2.(ask about looking around)
>> 3.(ask about teacup)
>> 4.(say Mirlena wants tea)
>> 5.(bye)
> take cup.(+1)
> take honey.(+1)
> s. s. s.
Exam room
> give cup to Mirlena.
> n. e.
East corridor
> n.(doors locked)
> s.
South corridor
> x painting.(of girls' dorm)
> read sign.("Potions Classroom")
> e.
Potions classroom
> read pamphlet.(+1: need spoon and cauldron for brewing)
> x cupboard. read sign.("Potion supplies")
> open cupboard.(locked)
> w. s.
Even souther corridor
> x painting.(of school)
> e.
Ground floor classroom
> x painting.(of treasure chest)
> x blackboard. x desks. x chairs.
> x cupboard. read plaque.("magical components")
> open cupboard. x berry. take berry.(+1)
> w. w.
Library
> x Heather. x glasses. x desk. x books.
> talk to Heather.
>> 1.(ask about book)
>> 2.(ask about magical books: see "Intermediate Magic")
>> 3.(ask about creatures: see "Magical Creatures")
>> 4.(ask about school: see "School History")
>> 5.(ask about herself)
>> 6.(ask about tea)
>> 7.(bye)
> cast sleep on Heather.(+1)
> read school history.(+1)
> read intermediate magic.(+2)
> read magical creatures.(+1)
> x enter. x find. x light.
> e. n. n. e.
Great staircase
> x ghost. x Nung. x hat.
> talk to Nung.
>> 1.(ask about ghost)
>> 2.(ask about hurrying up)
>> 2.(ask about himself)
>> 3.(bye)
> d.
Dungeons
> cast light.(+1)
> x sandheap. take sand.
> w.
Winecellar
> cast light.
> x shelves. x box. x flashlight.
> e. s.
Catacombs
> cast light.
> x skeleton. x chain. x ring. x wrist.
> n. u.
Great staircase
> cast unsummon on ghost.(+5; Achievement: Finish Act I!)
> w. n.
School yard
A cat may be here; it wanders a bit. Feel free to to pet it if you like.
> x cat. pet cat.
> x house. x hut. x path. x bushes.
> x school. x decorations.
> ne.
Caretaker's hut
> x whiteboard.(It's magnetic.)
> talk to Nung.
>> 1.(ask about hut)
>> 2.(ask if human)
>> 2.(ask about bark people)
>> 3.(ask about time at school)
>> 4.(ask about white board)
>> 5.(ask about magnets)
>> 6.(bye)
> look behind board. take magnet.(+1)
> x magnet.
> sw. nw.
Herb house
> x Liz. x tape. x podium.
> x plants. x pots. x trees. x bushes.
> talk to Liz.
>> 1.(ask about importance of herbs)
>> 2.(ask about herself)
>> 3.(ask about scissors)
>> 4.(ask why herb house is closed)
>> 4.(ask for herbs)
>> 1.(ask for red berry: you get one)
>> 4.(ask for herbs)
>> 1.(ask for black berry: you get one)
>> 5.(bye)
> ne.
Backyard
> x rock. read sign.("Shallowdeep Lake, 300m")
> look under rock.(see rock hammer)
> x hammer. take hammer.(+1)
> hit rock with hammer.(+1)
> take small rock. x small rock.
> cast find on small rock.(+5; get magic rock)
> x magic rock.
> n.
Shore of Shallowdeep Lake
> x lake. x pier. x rope. pull rope.
> x boots. look in boots.("E.W.")
> take boots.(can't untie the knot)
> s. s. ne.
Caretaker's hut
> talk to Nung.
>> 6.(ask about lake)
>> 1.(ask about mermaids)
>> 2.(ask why lake)
>> 3.(ask if lake used)
>> 4.(stop asking about lake)
>> 7.(bye)
> sw. s. e. u.
Second floor landing
> x sign. read north sign.("Boy's Dormitory")
> read golden sign.("Teacher's Lounge")
> s.(A voice and force stops you.)
> n.
Boys' dormitory
> x Thomas. x cauldron.
> take cauldron.(Thomas stops you; it's his.)
> talk to Thomas.
>> 1.(ask about himself)
>> 2.(tell about yourself)
>> 1.(ask about cauldron)
>> 1.(ask for cauldron)
>> 1.(suggest trade: he wants his lost boots)
>> 2.(ask about going home)
>> 2.(ask about exams)
>> 3.(ask if he likes the school)
>> 3.(bye)
> x sofa. x fireplace. x table. x carpet. x tapestry.
> s. w.
Second floor east corridor
> x statues. x painting.(of yard)
> x door. read sign.("Spellcasting classroom")
> s.(Voice and force stop you.)
> n.
Second floor classroom
> x desks. x board. x cupboard.
> read plaque.("Study material")
> open cupboard.(locked)
> cast unlock on cupboard.(It unlocks.)
Since you know where to get red berries, the game no longer requires them for this spell.
> open cupboard. x rune book.
> take rune book. read rune book.(+1)
> s. w.
Second floor west corridor
> x large door. read metal sign.("Bathroom")
> x smaller door.(no sign)
> x window.(magic glass)
> s.
Cleaning closet
> x junk. search junk. x fan. take fan.
> n. n.
Bathroom
> x mirror. x sink. x toilet.
> x plant. search plant. take scissors.(+1)
> x scissors. x soap. take soap.(+1)
> s. e. e. d. w. s. e.
Potions classroom
> cast unlock on cupboard.(+1)
> open cupboard. x potions book. take potions book.
> read potions book.(+2; learn two potion recipes)
> x bubble. x see.
> x mortar. take mortar.(+1)
> w. n. e. d.
Dungeon
Just in case you want to cast unsummon again.
> take sand. w.
Winecellar
The weird thing about the flashlight is that when you try to open the flashlight, the game says you don't need to do that, just take the battery. But if you try to take the battery first, the game doesn't understand what you're trying to do. So you do have to open the flashlight first!
> break box with hammer.(fail)
> break box with magic rock.(+1; the lid breaks)
> take flashlight. open flashlight.
> take battery.(+1)
> x battery. put battery in fan.(+1)
> e. s.
Catacombs
I honestly don't know why you can't just take a bone from the skeleton or how you know that a bone is lost somewhere.
> cast find on skeleton.(+1; you get a small bone)
> x bone.
> crush bone with mortar.(+1; you get bonedust)
> n. u. w. n. n. n.
Shore of Shallowdeep Lake
> cut rope.(using the scissors)
> take rope.(+1)
> take boots.(+1)
> cast find on boots.(+1; get red boots)
> x red boots.
> s. sw.
Herb house
> give scissors to Liz.(+1; Achievement: You tried to return the lost scissors!)
> talk to Liz.
>> 3.(ask for herbs)
>> 3.(ask for blue mushroom)
>> 3.(ask for herbs)
>> 4.(ask for vinegar: go ask Rotter)
>> 4.(bye)
> x mushroom.
> se. s. e. u. n.
Boys' dormitory
> give red boots to Thomas.(+2)
> take cauldron.(+2; Achievement: Borrowed the cauldron!)
> s. w. w.
Second floor west corridor
You can brew the exploding bubbles potion anywhere as long as you have the spoon, cauldron, soap, and blue mushroom. But if you want to survive it, you also need the fan with the battery in it.
> brew bubbles. x bubbles.
> turn on fan.(+5; Achievement: Finish Act II!)
Unfortunately, the cauldron melts.
> x pewter. turn off fan.
> break window with magic rock.(+2)
> tie rope to window.(+1. You can now go out or down from here.)
> d.(+5; Achievement: Escape the school building!)
West side of the school building
> x rose. cut rose.(can't)
> s.
Outside the school
> x signpost. x post box. open box.
Note: The letter isn't here until Act III begins.
> x letter.(for Professor Coldrun)
> take letter.(+1)
With the letter in hand, you're now allowed to enter the teacher's lounge:
> n. u. e. e. s.
Teacher's lounge
> x sofas. x armchairs. x table.
> x fireplace. x panels. x carpets.
> x Advanced. read Advanced.(+2; learn two spells)
> x transfigure. x summon vampire.
> x newspapers.
> look under newspapers. take magnifying glass.(+1)
> x glass.
> n. d. w. w. w.
Entrance hall
> x statues. read plaques. x gargoyle.
> x doors. open doors.(can't)
Here's the second way to escape the school:
> look under gargoyle.(You see magical runes.)
> break runes with hammer.(+5; Achievement: Escape the school building!)
Time to use that "enter painting" spell, now that you have the magnifying glass:
> e. e. s.
South corridor
> enter painting.(You arrive at...)
Girls' dormitory
> x curtains. x bedsheet. x table. x bed.
> x mirror. take mirror.
> n. e. d. w. s. s. e.
Ground floor classroom
> enter painting.
Dark cave
> x painted rock.(has picture of the school on it)
> x moss rocks. x water. x chest.
> cast unlock on chest. open chest.
> x ducat. take ducat.(+1)
> enter painting.(You return to...)
Outside the school
> se.
Road to Dark Meadow
> x village. se.
Outside Dark Meadow
> x sign.("Wizarding School")
> x garden. x lettuce. take lettuce.(+1)
> s.
Dark Meadow center
> x fountain. x statue. x necklace.
> take necklace.(+1)
> wear necklace.
> x signs.("Closed for the summer")
> x store. e.
Magical supplies store
> x Smith. x counter. x shelves.
> talk to Smith.
>> 1.(say doing exam)
>> 1.(ask about shelves)
>> 2.(ask about merchandise)
>> 2.(ask about business)
>> 3.(ask about village)
>> 1.(ask about villagers)
>> 2.(ask about village history)
>> 3.(stop asking about village)
>> 4.(ask about cauldrons)
>> 1.(offer ducat)
>> 5.(ask about garlic)
>> 6.(bye)
> give ducat to Smith.(+2; she summons a cauldron)
> take cauldron.
> w. n. nw. nw.
Outside the school
> in. e. n. n.
Kitchen
The honey satchel is back here. Vinegar isn't available until Act III.
> take honey.
> talk to Rotter.
>> 4.(ask for BLT: he needs lettuce)
>> 5.(ask for vinegar: +1, he gives some)
>> 6.(bye)
> give lettuce to Rotter.(+1; you get a BLT sandwich)
> x BLT. x vinegar.
> s. s. e. n. nw.
Herb house
> talk to Liz.
>> 3.(ask for herbs)
>> 3.(ask for green berry: she gives one)
>> 3.(ask for herbs)
>> 5.(ask for moss: visit Eleanor Which in the invisible forest)
>> 5.(bye)
> se. s. w. w. out.
Outside the school
> brew see.(+2; gain a dark green potion)
> take cauldron. x potion.
> w. w.
Invisible forest? / Forest
> drink potion.(+1; the forest appears)
> x trees. x leaves. x hut.
> in.
Witch Hut
> x Which. talk to Which.
>> 1.(ask for moss)
>> 1.(ask about trade: she wants her boots back)
>> 2.(bye)
> give boots to Which.(+2; you get night moss)
> x moss.
Time to find that cat.
> out. e. e. in. e. e. n.
School yard
I'm assuming the cat is here. If it's not here, it can be in the back yard, in the herb house, in the caretaker's hut, or on the lake shore. If necessary, look for it or wait for it to show up.
> cast transfigure on cat.(It is now a green troll.)
> give BLT to troll.(+5; Achievement: Survive the troll!)
The troll is now harmless, but you can still put it to sleep, which I believe is the second way of dealing with it.
> cast sleep on troll.(The troll now sleeps.)
> cast summon vampire.
> s.(+5. Vampire tries to attack you, but the garlic repels it and it leaves. Achievement: Survive the vampire! Achievement: You know that real strength lies in garlic!)
I assume casting unsummon on the vampire is the other way of dealing with it.
> read parchment.(all tasks done)
Return to the exam room:
> s. w. s.
Exam room
> talk to Mirlena.
>> 1(tell about completed tasks)
Achievement: Finish Act III! Achievement: Become a licensed wizard! Achievement: Finish the game without hints!
THE END
Congratulations on getting your Wizarding Certificate!
Thank you for playing Lazy Wizard's Guide!
Extras
Achievements
There are 13 possible achievements.
The 8 "hidden" achievements are:
Cast your first spell
Borrowed the cauldron
Escape the school building (Method 1: Break runes with hammer. (Method 2: Climb down rope from window.)
Survive the troll (Method 1: Give it a BLT then walk away. Method 2: Put it to sleep.)
Survive the vampire (Method 2: Wear garlic. Method 2: Cast unsummon on vampire.)
You know that real strength lies in garlic
You tried to return the lost scissors
and one more achievement to unlock.
The 5 achievements unlocked from the beginning are:
Finish Act I
Finish Act II
Finish Act III
Become a licensed wizard
Finish the game without hints
I have no idea what the missing achievement is. I couldn't find any mermaids. Drinking the tea isn't it. Giving the cauldron back to Thomas isn't it.
Characters
Professor Mirlena is in the exam room and adminstering your exam. Her name is probably a variant of "Merlin". She likes tea.
An exam jinn is in the exam room after you first talk to Mirlena. Talk to the jinn to learn the call jinn spell or get hints. It also helps you in emergency situations, rewinding time before you made a fatal mistake.
Mr Ord Nung is the caretaker, a bark person, and over a hundred years old. He cleans up the accidents that students make. Find him first at the grand staircase, then later in his hut in the yard. (Sorry, but I don't understand the significance of his name.)
A cat is wandering about between the back yard and school yard.
Ms Liz M Herba is in the herb house and takes care of all the herbs. Ask her for any plant ingredients you need for your spells. She's also missing her scissors. If you say her last name first, "Herba, Liz M", it sounds like "herbalism".
Rotter Frotter is the kitchen gnome. He's grumpy and doesn't like students in his kitchen.
Heather Rosewood is the librarian. She's friendly, but because you're doing your exam, she won't lend you any books.
Thomas is student in the boys' dorm. He has a cauldron, he lost his boots, he finished his exams, and he's getting ready to go home.
Mrs Smith is the owner/operator of the magical supplies store in the village of Dark Meadow. She keeps her stock in a warehouse and summons inventory to her as needed.
Eleanor Which has a hut in the invisible forest She's willing to trade some night moss for her old boots back.
A troll can be created by transfiguring the cat. Trolls love bat-lettuce-termite sandwiches, and they're also vulnerable to the sleep spell.
The dead and the undead:
A scary ghost is haunting the great staircase. You should unsummon it.
A vampire can be summoned with the appropriate spell, and unfortunately, you must summon a vampire to pass your exam. Vampires hate garlic.
A skeleton is chained to the wall in the catacombs. You never learn who it was or why the school leaves it there.
Mentioned:
Mermaids live in the Shallowdeep Lake.
The Widow Bradford grows garlic and leaves garlic necklaces all over the village.
Professor Coldrun is the potions teacher. The letter is for him. His name sounds like "cauldron".
A former headmaster gifted the school with a magic gargoyle.
Other students and teachers have left the school for the holidays. Likewise, the other wizards and witches of Dark Meadow have closed their shops until the students are back.
Credits
This is the response to CREDITS:
Lazy Wizard's Guide
Version: 1.0.2 (2022 IFComp)
An adventure game by Lenard Gunda <email redacted>
Interactive Storyteller Engine (ISE) v1.5.0, (c) 2019-2022 by Lenard Gunda
A warm and big thank you goes out to the people who tested the game (in alphabetical order).
- Andy Joel
- Jesse Ryhänen
- Jussi Paalanen
- Lauri Kotilainen
- Mike Russo
- Tamas Gunda
Inventory
Ingredients
a red berry. It's in the cupboard in the exam room.
a letter. It's in the post box outside the school when Act II ends. Act II ends after you've finished tasks 2 and 3 and you've found a way to get outside the school.
The letter is for Professor Coldrun. Therefore, while holding the letter, you can enter the teacher's lounge where the Advanced Magic Book and magnifying glass are.
Other items
a large metal spoon. It's on the table in the dining hall.
First, try to take the cup, to learn that tea is only for teachers. In the exam room, talk to Mirlena and ask her if she'd like some tea. After she tells you, yes, she would like some, return to Rotter, and tell him that Professor Mirlena wants some tea. Now he lets you take the cup.
When you have the teacup, take the honey sachet from it. Give the tea without the honey to Mirlena.
a size 10 standard pewter cauldron. One cauldron is in the boys' dormitory; another can be bought in the magical supplies store.
The cauldron in the dorm belongs to Thomas. Give the red boots to Thomas. Now you can take his cauldron.
In the store, you can buy a cauldron with the golden ducat. Talk to Mrs Smith first and learn that you can use the ducat, then give the ducat to her. She conjures the cauldron onto her counter.
A cauldron is required when brewing any potions. However, note that a successful brewing of the exploding bubbles potion melts your cauldron, so you must obtain the second cauldron to brew the see invisibility potion. Unfortunately, you cannot brew the see invisibility potion first because its ingredients are only available in act III, but act III doesn't start until you brew the bubble potion.
gardening scissors. Find them by searching the giant plant in the bathroom.
In the herb house, talk to Liz until she tells you she lost her scissors. Try to give the scissors to her. She thanks you, but lets you keep them for now.
At the lake shore, pull the rope to find the old boots. Cut the rope with the scissors. Now you can take both the rope and old boots.
a battery-powered fan. It's in the cleaning closet.
After brewing the exploding bubbles potion, turn the fan on to blow the dangerous bubbles away from you.
a rock hammer. It's underneath the huge rock in the back yard.
In the back yard, break the huge rock with the hammer. A small rock falls off.
In the entrance hall, after looking under the gargoyle, break the magical runes with the hammer. Now you can leave the school building.
a small rock. Create it by hitting the huge rock in the back yard with the rock hammer.
Cast find on the small rock to obtain a magic rock. (You know there's a lost magic rock by reading the exam parchment.)
a rope. It's tied to the pier on the shore of Shallowdeep Lake. Pull the rope to find the old boots, then cut the rope with the scissors to free them both.
In the second floor west corridor, after breaking the window with the magic rock, tie the rope to the window. Now you can go down the rope to escape the school building.
old boots. They're tied to the rope; pull the rope out of the lake to find them. You can cut the rope with the scissors to free them.
Examine the old boots; they have "E.W." on them.
Talk to Thomas in the boys' dorm until you learn that he lost his boots. Cast find on the old boots to obtain the red leather boots.
In the witch hut, talk to Eleanor Which until you learn she wants her boots. Give the old boots to her. She gives some night moss to you.
red leather boots. Acquire them by casting find on the old boots. (You probably need to talk to Thomas first, though, to know he lost his boots.)
In the boys' dorm, give the red boots to Thomas. Now you can take his cauldron.
a magic rock. Acquire it by casting find on the small rock.
Note that finding the magic rock is one of the tasks on your exam parchment.
In the library, read "School History" to learn that the windows in the school are reinforced with magic and can only be broken with magic rocks.
In the winecellar, break the emergency box with the magic rock. Now you can take the flashlight.
In the second floor west corridor, break the window with the magic rock. Now you can tie the rope to the window.
a marble mortar. It's inside the locked cupboard in the potions classroom.
some lettuce. It's growing in a garden outside Dark Meadow. Examine the garden to see it there.
First, in the library, read "Magical Creatures" to learn that trolls like BLT sandwiches. Go to the kitchen and ask Rotter about making a BLT sandwich. He says he's out of lettuce. Now give the lettuce to Rotter; he makes and gives you the BLT sandwich.
a garlic necklace. It's worn by the statue of a wizard in the fountain at Dark Meadow center.
Wear it to protect yourself from the vampire you must summon; see summon vampire spell.
a flashlight. It's in the emergency box in the winecellar. Hit the box with the magic rock to break box's lid.
Take the battery from the flashlight and put it in the fan.
a golden ducat. It's in the locked treasure chest in the dark cave.
You can buy a cauldron in the magical supplies store with a ducat, but you should talk to Mrs Smith about cauldrons first, then give her the ducat. She conjures a cauldron onto her counter.
Make sure you have a working fan before brewing this potion. After brewing the potion, turn on the fan to save yourself. Unfortunately, this potion destroys your cauldron. Why is this potion on the exam?
Learn it by reading "Intermediate Magic" in the library.
You can enter most of the paintings in the school except the small painting in the dining hall. There's also a painting in the dark cave you must enter to escape the cave.
light spell. Light up a dark place.
No material requirements.
Learn it by reading "Intermediate Magic" in the library.
Cast light in the dungeons, winecellar, and catacombs.
see invisibility potion recipe. Makes a see invisibility potion; see green potion.
