top

Key & Compass presents:
Napier's Cache
by Vivienne Dunstan

Napier's Cache is a Glulx interactive fiction story written with Inform 7 and is © 2020 by Vivienne Dunstan. An incomplete version of this game was an entry in Introcomp 2018 where it earned an Honorable Mention. The full version was entered in the Main Festival of Spring Thing 2020.

Scotland, 1594. John Napier is a famed scholar, alchemist, and occultist recently hired by Robert Logan of Restalrig to find a treasure hidden in Fast Castle. In this story, you play as Napier's assistant. Success will bring rich rewards. Failure is too terrifying to contemplate.

This solution is by David Welbourn, and is based on Release 1 Full Version of the story.

SPOILERS AHEAD. Reading a walkthrough prematurely can sometimes diminish one's enjoyment of an interactive fiction story. Please make an honest effort to play the story before reading this walkthrough.


Maps

Map 1: Napier's home, Gartness Castle

Library Workshop Bedroom Servants'Area u u u d d d (to restof castle)

After you find the last item on your list, there's a cut scene where you and Napier travel to Fast Castle. The story continues in the dining room.


Map 2: Logan's home, Fast Castle

d DiningRoom LivingQuarters SleepingArea GuardRoom Kitchen Courtyard CastlePromotory (privatequarters) Cellar (away fromcastle) u u

When you deliver the bird to Napier in the cellar, there's an cut scene where Napier consults Logan. The story continues with you, Napier, and Ralph traveling to the cave under Fast Castle in the rowing boat.


Map 3: Cave under Fast Castle

d (three turns) u Crevice Back ofthe Cave LargeCavernousChamber EasternCranny WesternWall Enteringthe Cave CaveEntrance In theRowingBoat

Walkthrough

Summary. This story is a series of scenes, and you cannot make this story unwinnable:

  1. In Gartness Castle, find everything listed on the note.
  2. In the Dining Room, you have very reduced agency. Bow when told to, and clean up the wine when told to. Otherwise, do nothing but examine or wait.
  3. In Fast Castle, find and give to Napier the ornate box, a jar of oil, and the black bird in turn when he asks for them.
  4. In the cave, find the treasure and give it to Napier.

> SPACE

Workshop

> x me. x trousers. x shirt. x note.

> x desk. x lure. take it. x papers.

> x chair. x rug. x window. (Crystal ball is there.)

> x ball. take it. (You move it to the desk.)

> x cupboard. open it. x box. take box. (You move it to the desk.)

> close cupboard.

> u.

Library

> x books. search books. (Grimoire found.)

> x grimoire. take it.

> d.

Workshop

> put grimoire on desk. d.

Bedroom

> x bed. look under bed. (Chest found.)

> x chest. take chest. (You'll leave it here for now.)

> d.

Servants' Area

The bird is attacking the maid.

> x maid. x bird.

> wave lure. (The bird comes to you.)

Once you've found everything, Napier arrives. Days later, you both arrive at Fast Castle and meet Robert Logan.

> SPACE

Dining Room

In this scene, you'll be mostly looking at things or just waiting. But do act when ordered to!

> x Logan. x Bothwell. x candles.

You are introduced as Napier's apprentice. The scene will not continue until you bow.

> bow.

> x table.

Napier knocks over his wine glass. The scene will not continue until you've cleaned the wine.

> x table. (You see a napkin that wasn't there before.)

> take napkin. clean wine.

Logan tells Napier to find his missing fortune, hidden in the castle a century ago.

> x napkin. x glass. x chairs. x plates.

> SPACE

The hunt begins the next day. A servant, Ralph, has a lantern while you drag Napier's chest.

Cellar

> x Ralph. ask Ralph about cellar. x bottles.

Napier calls for his alchemical kit.

> open chest. take box. give box to Napier.

Napier gives you a glass jar and orders you to fetch some oil.

> follow Ralphoru.

Kitchen

Ralph bids you wait here and takes the jar east.

> x table. x hearth. x pots.

Ralph returns, hands you the jar of oil, then leaves.

> x jar. d.

Cellar

> give jar to Napier.

Now Napier hands you the lure and orders you to fetch his bird from his room.

> u.

Kitchen

During this errand, let's take all the time we want to explore and talk to whomever we find. You don't need to chat up anyone, but why miss this opportunity?

> x cook. x flour. x apron. x dough.

> ask cook about cook. ask cook about castle.

> ask cook about kitchen. ask cook about Logan.

> ask cook about Napier. ask cook about Bothwell.

> ask cook about Ralph. ask cook about treasure.

> w.

Guard Room

> x path. x small guard. x tall guard.

Chat up the small guard; the tall guard doesn't talk at all:

> ask small guard about castle. ask him about himself.

> ask him about tall guard. ask him about Ralph.

> ask him about cook. ask him about Logan.

> ask him about Bothwell.

> e.

Kitchen

> ask cook about guards.

> e. e.

Castle Promontory

> x Geordie. x pipe. x sea.

> ask Geordie about sea. ask him about castle.

> ask him about cook. ask him about Ralph.

> ask him about Logan. ask him about treasure.

> w. n. e.

Sleeping Area

> x bed. wave lure. (You now carry the bird.)

> w.

Living Quarters

A ginger cat now blocks the courtyard exit.

> x cat. shout at cat. e.

Sleeping Area

> drop bird. w. s. w.

Kitchen

> ask cook about cat. (She gives you some meat.)

> x meat.

> e. n. e.

Sleeping Area

> wave lure. w.

Living Quarters

> give meat to cat. (It accepts and you escape to...)

Courtyard

> w. d.

Cellar

> give bird to Napier.

Napier says the treasure must be below the cellar.

> SPACE

In the Rowing Boat

Do anything for three turns:

> x sea. x boat. listen.

Cave Entrance

Napier hands you a lantern and orders you to explore.

> x lantern. n. w.

Western Wall

This is a dead end.

> x wall. climb wall. (Can't.)

> e. n.

Large Cavernous Chamber

> x rubble. e.

Eastern Cranny

This is another dead end.

> x rocks. x wall. climb wall. (Can't.)

> w.

Large Cavernous Chamber

> move rubble. n.

Back of the Cave

Note you must make two attempts to climb this wall the first time.

> x wall. u. u.

Crevice

> x shelf. (Can't reach far enough.)

> d. s. s. s.

Cave Entrance

You need either the staff or the oar now.

> n. n. n. u.

Crevice

> x shelf. (With staff or oar, you obtain a silver box.)

> x box.

> d. s. s. s.

Cave Entrance

> give box to Napier. SPACESPACE

You are happy at your success and to leave Fast Castle and its frightening owner.

*** The End ***


Extras

Characters

Nobles:

Servants:

Animals:


Credits

This is the response to CREDITS:

Inform 7 is the work of Graham Nelson.

Many thanks to my testers for the game: Chris Selmys, Jason Guest, Jennifer Schmidt (bikibird), Marnix van den Bos, Martin Dunstan, mathbrush, Mike Carletta, Mike Spivey, Nick Marsh and Stian Rødven Eide.

Thanks also to Victor Ojuel, for encouraging me to write this game in the first place.


Inventory


Thank You to my Patreon supporters

This walkthrough was funded via Patreon with