Key & Compass presents:
The Wizard's Apprentice
by Alex Freeman

• Walkthrough
• Extras
  • Characters, Credits, Endings, Inventory, Score
• Thank You to my Patreon supporters
• Support me on Ko-Fi
• External links:
  • This game at IFDB, IFWiki, and ifwizz.
  • Tweet about this walkthrough on Twitter.

Walkthrough

• Note: After the soup's made, it's too dark to visit the Witch's Hut.

(pre-game menu)

> 1 (for new game)

The Dungeon Cell, in the chains

> help. (This tells you some of the special verbs you'll need to know.)

> x me. i. x list. read list.

> x chains. spells.

> cast rust on chains. (You need your wand to cast spells.)

> x table. x wand. x floor. x slab.

> kick slab. (+5; you now have the wand.)

> cast rust on chains. (+1)

> look. x steps. x door. x bars.

> cast rust on bars. (Fail: they're rust-proof.)

> cast metal on door. cast rust on lock. (No: you might rust it shut.)

> x lock. x key.

> put list under door. put wand in keyhole. (+2)

You automatically retrieve the list and key, unlock the door and enter the kitchen.

The Kitchen

> x bowl. x beef. x knife. x spoon.

> x dishes. open cabinet. x spices.

> take bowl. take knife. take spoon.

> x table. x chairs.

> e.

The Library

> x chair. x chandelier. x shelves. x books.

> n.

The Study

> x book. x ball. x candle. x Gwydion. x mirror.

> cast metal on wizard.

> w. (Gwydion blocks you from entering his bedroom.)

> cast invisibility on me.

> w. (He still stops you!)

I see no way to guess this bit:

> wave wand. (+9; the mirror vanishes, revealing a passage east and down.)

> e.

The Laboratory

> x book. (You learn about the dispel potion.)

> read book. (For all the details.)

> x torches. x shelves. x root. x spittle, x water. x juice.

> x metal bar. (Ah, it's a magnet.)

> x instruments.

> take all from shelves.

> make potion. (+1; textdump!)

> x potion.

> w. s. w. w.

The Welcome Hall

> x rug. move rug.

> w.

Forest Path

> x lake. cast metal spell on lake. (There's something there.)

> cast freeze on lake. (+3)

> enter lake.

> cut ice with knife. (+3)

> x hole. reach in hole. (Rod is too deep.)

> put magnet in hole. (+2)

> x rod. wave rod.

> out. n.

Witch's Hut

> x witch.

> ask witch about paprika. (She wants a scroll in exchange.)

> x cauldron. ask witch about cauldron.

> x bed. x cabinet.

> s. e. e. e. n.

The Study

> give rod to wizard. (+1)

> ask wizard about scroll. (Must not give it to her.)

> ask wizard about rod.

> ask wizard about potion.

> xyzzy. plugh.

Note that "fold list" doesn't work. This game is into using the "make" command instead.

> make plane. (+7; from the list.)

> x aeroplane.

> throw plane at wizard. (+3; he's partly distracted.)

> rub ball. (+4; the ball is deactivated.)

Gwydion starts re-enchanting the crystal ball. He's fully distracted.

> w.

Gwydion's Bedroom

If you enter here before rubbing the crystal ball, Gwydion ends your apprenticeship.

> x bed. look under bed. x quilt. x pillow.

> x rug. move rug. x window.

> x dresser. open drawers. x clothes. close drawers.

> x closet. open it. x scroll. take it.

> e.

The Study

> take list.

> s. w. w. w. n.

Witch's Hut

> give scroll to witch. (+1; you get paprika.)

> x paprika.

> s. e. e.

The Kitchen

> make soup. (+1)

You make the soup. Gwydion eats it, but back in his bedroom, he turns into a toad!

Gwydion's Bedroom

CAUTION: You hear a cackle from the study. Your next three turns are critical and leave no room for error:

> cast invisibility on me. (+3)

> e.

The Study

The witch casts a spell at you!

> duck. (+5; the witch becomes a toad!)

> x toad. w.

Gwydion's Bedroom

> x toad. pour potion on toad. (+1)

Gwydion thanks you, asks you to put the witch-toad into the dungeon, and says he'll expect you at breakfast tomorrow morning.

In a total of several turns, you have achieved a score of 52 points out of a possible 52. That is 100%.
This gives you the rank of an ace apprentice!

Extras

Characters

• Gwydion the wizard is in The Study. He's good.
• The witch is initially in the Witch's Hut. She's bad.

Credits

From the response to CREDITS:

The Wizard's Apprentice
by Alex Freeman

Developed with TADS, the Text Adventure Development System, developed by Mike Roberts

Special thanks to:

• Devi Acharya
• Benjamin Pennington
• Brooks Reeves
• Joshua Danchik
• Luke Knutson
• Nicholas Ventimiglia

for beta-testing the game

Endings

The game will end in failure if Gwydion ends your apprenticeship:

• if you attempt to enter his bedroom after throwing the aeroplane at him and not distracting him any further.

The game will end in failure if the witch turns you into a toad:

• if you don't turn yourself invisible right away after discovering Gwydion is a toad,
• if you don't leave the bedroom when the witch enters,
• if you don't duck when the witch tries to turn you into a toad in the study,
• if you foolishly pour the dispel potion on the witch-toad.

The game will end in victory if you pour the dispel potion on the Gwydion-toad after the witch has turned herself into a toad too.

Inventory

• a task list. You're carrying it.
• Examine and read it.
• To get the dungeon key, put the task list under the door then put the wand in the keyhole.
• You can fold the task list into an parchment aeroplane, but note that the command is make plane.
• an oak wand. It's on the table in the dungeon cell, out of reach.
• Kick the slab in the floor to get the wand to fall off the table and roll to you.
• You need the wand when casting any spells.
• To get the dungeon key, put the task list under the door then put the wand in the keyhole.
• Waving the wand in the study makes the mirror vanish or reappear. The mirror hides a secret passage to the laboratory.
• You'll need the wand when making the dispel potion.
• a dungeon key. It's in the lock on the far side of the dungeon cell door.
• To get the dungeon key, put the task list under the door then put the wand in the keyhole.
• You'll automatically use the key to unlock the cell door, take back your wand and task list, and leave the cell.
• a clay bowl. It's on the kitchen counter.
• You'll need the bowl when making the dispel potion.
• You'll need the bowl when making soup in the kitchen.
• some salted beef. It's on the kitchen counter.
• You'll need the beef nearby when making soup in the kitchen.
• a knife. It's in the kitchen rack.
• When the lake is frozen, stand on the ice and cut the ice with the knife.
• a wooden spoon. It's in the kitchen rack.
• You'll need the spoon when making the dispel potion.
• You'll need the spoon when making soup in the kitchen.
• a black rod. It's in the middle of the lake, by the forest path.
• To get the rod, first freeze the lake. Now get on the ice, cut the ice with the knife, then put the magnet in the hole.
• Give the rod to Gwydion in his study.
• Note: You won't even try to make soup until the rod is returned first.
• Note: This rod is a homage to a similar rod in Zork.
• a mandrake root, an eye of newt, some toad spittle, a jar of water, and some nightshade juice. These are all on the shelves in the laboratory.
• In the lab, read the magic book, take everything from the shelves and make dispel potion. You'll need the bowl, spoon, and wand as well. Congratulations, you now have a dispel potion.
• a metal bar. It's on the shelves in the laboratory.
• Examine it: one end is painted red. It's a magnet!
• At forest path, after freezing the lake and cutting a hole in the ice, put the magnet in the hole to obtain Gwydion's no-longer-missing black rod.
• a dispel potion. You'll make this in the laboratory.
• In the lab, read the magic book, take everything from the shelves and make dispel potion. You'll need the bowl, spoon, and wand as well. Congratulations, you now have a dispel potion.
• In the bedroom, pour the potion on the Gwydion toad after the witch turns herself into a toad.
• a parchment aeroplane. Make plane, using the task list.
• In the study, throw the plane at Gwydion to partly distract him. Now rub his crystal ball, and he'll now be fully distracted, and you can safely enter his bedroom without him stopping you or expelling you.
• a spell scroll. It falls out of Gwydion's bedroom closet when you first open the closet.
• At the witch's hut, give the scroll to the witch; she'll give you some paprika in exchange.
• some paprika. The witch gives it to you in exchange for the spell scroll.
• You'll need the paprika when making soup in the kitchen.

Score

The response to SCORE is:

In a total of several turns, you have achieved a score of your-total points out of a possible 52.

That is percentage. This gives you the rank of ranking.

Points are awarded as follows:

• 5 points for retrieving your wand.
• 1 point for escaping the chains.
• 2 points for escaping the dungeon.
• 3 points for freezing part of the lake.
• 3 points for cutting the lake ice.
• 9 points for revealing the secret passage.
• 1 point for making the dispel potion.
• 2 points for obtaining the black rod.
• 1 point for giving the black rod to Gwydion.
• 7 points for making a parchment aeroplane.
• 3 points for distracting Gwydion with the aeroplane.
• 4 points for deactivating the crystal ball. (BUG: repeatable!)
• 1 point for getting paprika.
• 1 point for making soup.
• 3 points for hiding from the witch.
• 5 points for turning the witch into a toad.
• 1 points for restoring Gwydion.

The possible rankings are:

• a wart. (0 to 8 points)
• a dumbfounded diviner. (11 to 14 points)
• a competent conjurer. (23 to 27 points)
• an effective evoker. (34 points)
• a tricky transmuter. (41 to 46 points)
• nearly there! (51 points)
• an ace apprentice! (52 points)

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