The Wizard Sniffer is a Glulx interactive fiction game written with Inform 7 and is © 2017 by Buster Hudson. It was an entry in IF Comp 2017 where it won 1st place overall and also the Miss Congeniality award. At the 2017 XYZZY Awards, it won the Best Game, the Best Story, the Best NPCs, the Best Individual Puzzle, and the Best Individual NPC awards; it was also the finalist in a sixth category (Best Puzzles). In the 2019 edition of the Interactive Fiction Top 50 of All Time, this game ranked at 13th place.
In this fantasy game, you play as a female pig who was sold to a dim-witted knight as a wizard sniffer. You cannot actually sniff out evil wizards, but here you are, outside the Impenetrable Keep you escaped from only two nights ago. You think it's in your best interest to play the part as best you can. For now.
This solution is by David Welbourn, and is based on Release 1 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.
Note that you can only use the lift with Tuck's assistance. You cannot use it directly yourself, and neither Ser Lionhart nor the horror will use the lift.
Note that this game uses a limited command set. Besides the standard travel directions, you may LOOK, EXAMINE (or X), TAKE, DROP, WAIT, SNIFF, and sometimes SHAKE or DRINK something. The usual out-of-play commands are still available, plus HELP (or OINK) or COMMANDS.
By the way, you should really try sniffing everything in this game just to see what happens. Many of the responses are quite amusing.
Atop a Mountain
"Ser" is a gender-neutral title for knights, but let me pretend it's his first name, okay? It's the shortest word to refer to him by.
> x me. i.
> x Ser. x sword. x shield. x flyer.
> x Tuck. x moat.
> x bin. sniff bin. (You get two flea guides.)
> x castle. x bridge. x rope. x lever. x sign.
> sniff rope. n.
Southern Bailey
> x tower. n.
Centre Bailey
> x dragon. x chain. x ball. sniff ball.
The ball is now free, but Ser is trapped.
> take ball. n.
Northern Bailey
> x doors. n.
Foyer
> x wallpaper. x staircase. x lift.
> x decorations. x crate. x poster.
> n.
Courtyard
> x Rhoda. x suit. x flamethrower.
> x rain. x roses. x fountain.
> d. e. e.
Outside a Cell
> x Hero 1. x guitar. x washer. x skeleton.
> x post. x keys.
Free the heroes.
> sniff keys. drop ball. sniff keys.
> take ball. take keys.
They left the ball and keys here.
> take keys.
> w. w. u. s. s.
Northern Bailey
> drop keys. n. n. d. e. e.
Outside a Cell
> take ball. w. w. u. s. s. s.
Centre Bailey
> drop ball. sniff ball. (Ser Leonhart is free.)
> n.
Northern Bailey
The dragon starts chasing the men in circles. Carry the ball in a circle around the dogtower to shorten the dragon's chain:
> take ball. se. sw. nw. ne. se. sw. nw. ne.
> drop ball.
> sniff keys. (Ser Leonhart takes and uses them and you enter to...)
Foyer
Ser Leonhart fights Rhoda!
> s. sw.
Western Bailey
> x pail. sniff pail. ne. n. n.
Courtyard
> sniff fountain. s.
Foyer
Rhoda quits the scene; the foyer is on fire!
> x suit. x panel. x trigger.
Sniff the panel until the flamethrower is pointing at the crate.
> sniff panel. sniff trigger.
The rain puts out the fire; the lowest part of the stairs collapses.
> e.
Hallway
> x portraits. x frame. x Queklain. x Elaine. x Romaine.
> x Gawain. x Rogaine. x Morgaine. x Adelstain.
> x door. sniff door. e.
Receiving Room
> x horror. x ribbons. x fireplace.
> s.
Dining Room
> x table. x chairs. e.
Smoking Room
> x furniture. x windows. n.
Parlour
> x lounge. x lamp. w. n. n.
As you enter the kitchen, Robbit takes you to...
Pigpen
> look. x pig. x fence. x gate.
> x peg. take peg.
> sniff pig. (It leaves.)
Head for the foyer. If Robbit re-captures you, just try again.
> n. w. s. s. w. w.
Foyer
You rejoin with Tuck, but Ser followed the other pig into the dark hallway. Take the time to explore the upper floors and open a few unlocked doors.
> sniff lift. sniff 1. e. n.
Library
> x tapestry. x books. x window. s.
Hallway (first storey)
> sniff door. e. u.
Second Storey Landing
> sniff door. w.
Hallway
> x memo. sniff northern door. (It's locked.)
> w. w. n.
Bedroom (Wizard's)
> x bed. x desk. x paper. (Queklain owes money.)
> s.
Hallway
> w. (An old woman chases Tuck out from her room.)
> e. u. u.
Top of the Tower Stairs
> sniff door. (It's locked.)
> d. e.
Hallway
> x gargoyle. x cord.
> sniff door. e. d. d. d. n.
Kitchen
Tuck is put to work, stirring, and you're back in...
Pigpen
> take peg. n. w.
Kitchen
Tuck knocks a book and pepper shaker onto the floor.
> x book. x shaker.
> s. s.
Receiving Room
Robbit asks you to find the heroes so Petunia can collect their hairs for the potion. The horror now follows you.
> e.
Parlour
> x lamp. sniff lamp. (Hero 2 found)
> w. w. w. n. n.
Ballroom
> x statue. sniff statue. (Hero 1 found)
> s. s.
Foyer
> w. (Ser now follows you instead of the horror.)
> e. e. n. n. e. n.
Barn
> sniff ladder. (Ser helps Hero 4 get down from the loft.)
> s. w.
Kitchen
> take shaker.
> s. u. u. u. w.
Hallway (by gargoyle)
> shake shaker. (The gargoyle spits out a blue potion which Ser catches but then smashes.)
> drop shaker.
> e. d. w.
Hallway (outside Tri's door)
> sniff northern door. (Ser greets "Princess Joy" through the door.)
> sniff keys.
Ser unlocks the northern door and sees Tristain in drag. Tri says he'll meet Ser in the foyer. Meanwhile, Hero 5 falls past the window.
> w. w. w.
Bedroom (Elaine's)
> x woman. x pendant.
> x hammock. x table. x tin.
> x machine. x bell. sniff button.
Ser smashes the machine, which enrages the woman. You, Ser, the tin of pig treats, and the handbell are all ejected from the bedroom.
Hallway (near bedrooms)
Head back to the foyer.
> e. e. e. d. d. s. w. w.
Foyer
> w. (Hero 3 replaces Ser; he runs south to fight the dragon.)
> s. s.
Centre Bailey
Hero 3 is now riding the dragon, trying to free its chain. Don't ask me why.
> n. n.
Foyer
> w. (You return with Ser.)
Tristain-as-Joy arrives from the lift with several suitcases. Tristain is ready to leave the keep, but Ser is not; he wants to slay the evil wizard.
Tri tries to leave on his own, but the dragon is no longer chained. Tri suggests getting a pink potion that will turn the dragon into a dog. He sits down to wait.
> x suitcases.
> w. (The horror replaces Ser.)
The horror easily controls the unchained dragon.
> s. s.
Centre Bailey
> x tower. sniff tower. (Hero 3 found)
Head for the barn:
> n. n. e. e. n. n. e. n.
Barn
The horror collects Hero 4. Continue to the library.
> s. w. s. u. w. n.
Library
> x tapestry. x boots. sniff boots. (Hero 5 found)
Return to the kitchen.
> s. e. d. n.
Kitchen
Robbit quickly finishes making the pink potion then drinks some: the clown is now a goblin.
The horror also drinks the potion and loses all her ribbons. She gleefully skips away to the south.
Robbit orders Tuck to help him carry the cauldron to storage. Lead them to the gargoyle via the lift.
> s. s. w. w. sniff lift. sniff 3. e.
Hallway (by gargoyle)
Robbit pulls the gargoyle's cord three times to open the closet, then fills several bottles with pink potion, giving the first to Tuck.
The wizard's voice demands a potion. The goblin grabs the potion from Tuck and stomps west with it.
Go down a floor to where you left the tin of pig treats and handbell.
> w. d. w.
Hallway (near bedrooms)
> sniff tin. (Tuck opens the tin, drops one treat for you, then surprisingly eats the rest.)
> x treat. take it.
Return to the lobby.
> e. sniff button. sniff lift. sniff G.
Foyer
Tuck meets Tristain-as-Joy.
> w. (You return with Ser, Tuck, and the other pig.)
The pig grabs your treat and runs south.
Ser runs back into the dark hall to check for more doppelgangers.
Tuck tells "Joy" that he doesn't want a wife.
Ser returns and resumes his quest for the princess's pink potion.
> sniff lift. (Ugh. Ser uses the lift and the pail as a water closet, leaving the pail inside.)
Use the stairs to get to the gargoyle.
> e. e. n. u. u. u. w.
Hallway
> sniff gargoyle. (Ser cuts the cord off!)
> take shaker. shake shaker.
Ser acquires a pink potion. Return to the lobby.
> drop shaker.
> e. d. d. d. s. w. w.
Foyer
Ser accidentally drops his flyer, which Tristain reads. He heads for his room, upset about the dowry. Follow him.
> e. e. n. u. u. w. n.
Bedroom (Tristain's)
Tristain tearfully says a lot of things that Ser doesn't understand. Then he says to meet him in the library where he can find a counter spell for the workshop door's hex.
Um. We haven't actually looked about in here yet, have we?
> look. x bed. x wigs. x wardrobe.
> x posters. x Winter. x Four Directions. x Zifmia.
Go grab the handbell on the way to the library.
> s. w. w.
Hallway (near bedrooms)
> take bell.
> e. d. e. n.
Library
Tristain tells Ser the phrase that unlocks the tower door, and also that Queklain uses witchcraft, not wizardry. Ser finds the idea of a man using a woman's art ludicrous.
Tristain, offended, slaps Ser and reveals himself as Queklain's son. Ser now thinks Tristain is a witch and draws his sword.
Tuck interposes himself and pleads for mercy and reason, but Ser brands Tuck a traitor and lunges at his former squire. Tuck evades.
> shake bell.
Crows fly in the window and attack Ser's shiny armor. Tuck and Tristain disarm him. The crows leave.
Tuck reminds Ser that his true quarrel is with Queklain and makes Ser swear an oath to leave them in peace. Tuck returns Ser's sword and Ser leaves.
Tuck and Tristain's friendship begins.
> drop bell.
> s. w. u. u. u. n.
Workshop
Ser Leonhart confronts Queklain. Robbit, the five heroes, an ogre, the goblin engineer, a cylcops, and a medusa join the frey.
Seven potion bottles roll towards you. Drink the pink potion if you want to end the game right away, but there's no rush, is there?
> x Queklain. x cauldron.
> x ogre. x cyclops. x medusa.
> x Hero 1. x guitar.
> x Hero 2. x golf club.
> x Hero 3. x frying pan.
> x Hero 4. x umbrella.
> x Hero 5. x tin.
Because Tristain switched all the potion labels, none of the potions act the way they're labelled.
> drink Dragon. (Your sense of smell improves.)
> drink Clown. (It's just blueberry juice.)
> drink Ribbons. (You start to fly.)
> drink Elf. (The world slows down.)
> drink Flea. (You can no longer lie.)
> drink Pig. (You become invisible.)
You must now drink the pink potion once for every enchantment you're under.
> drink pink. (You're no longer invisible.)
> g. (You can lie again.)
> g. (The world speeds up.)
> g. (You can no longer fly.)
> g. (Your sense of smell fades to normal.)
> g. (You become human.)
The fleas drink and become gnomes and join the fray.
You grab the pink potion, get a dress from Tristain's room, and introduce yourself to the boys in the library.
*** The End ***
Found dead:
Mentioned:
This is the response to CREDITS:
[The Wizard Sniffer was written in 2017 by me, Buster Hudson, for the 2017 IFComp. Thank you to my beta testers: Peter J. Kuo, Leslie Datsis, Carl Rauscher, Chris Conley, Lewis Gentry, and Austin Auclair. A special thanks to those of my testers in the DC/Baltimore IF Meetup group for discussing the game during and after our meetings. Your comments and suggestions were invaluable!
Cover art by Buster Hudson. It depicts Ser Leonhart appearing pleased with himself as he prepares to attack a happy dragon with his sword. His squire pulls at the knight's sword arm. A small pig looks up at the situation with a frown. The cover reads The Wizard Sniffer, a text adventure by Buster Hudson.]
Since the player-character is a pig, you can only carry one thing at a time.
Honorable mention:
This walkthrough was funded via Patreon with
Ko-Fi is a way to send me small one-time donations. Every little bit helps, and thank you!