Quest for Glory/Characters

The Hero
"Obviously a graduate of the Famous Adventurer's Correspondence School."


 * Adventurer Archaeologist
 * An Adventurer Is You
 * The Chosen One
 * Everyone Calls Him "Barkeep": You are referred to by your name a handful of times. For the most part, you are referred to as "Hero", "Prince of Shapeir" and "Paladin" (if you are that class).
 * Fighter, Mage, Thief: The core classes, but since points are given at the beginning to help build the character, he can have some cross-class skills.
 * Lovable Rogue
 * The Hero: It's in the job description. The whole series is about the Hero becoming more and more heroic over time.
 * Magic Knight: Giving Magic to a non-Wizard allows this, as does being a Wizard (the first spell a Magic-User learns in the first game is Zap, a spell to assist in close combat). A Paladin gets a few spells, but they use Stamina, and aren't considered magic.
 * Mighty Whitey: In the third game. Your character will pick up spear throwing and wrestling on the wooden bridge of the Simbani. Within a week or so of training, he'll be able to defeat Simbani warriors who trained at this all their lives. Can be considered Justified since he's a skilled adventurer who's had to do more than his fair share of throwing and balancing in the past
 * Silent Protagonist: Not literally, as the character is able to communicate with others, but the Hero will almost never say anything directly, instead having the gist of his speech relayed by the narrator. There are several exceptions, in the first two games. Clicking the mouth on him in the VGA remake in Quest for Glory I will yield "Overworked... underpaid... no control over my life". Quest for Glory II has him talking to Aziza when talking about Julanar, with "Yes ma'am", "Only the facts ma'am", and "What's a pomegranate?". The fanmade VGA remake adds him babytalking to Simba, complete with a facial portrait. He shuts you up pretty good.
 * Took a Level in Badass: Dude went from fighting bandits aided by magicians to fighting Eldrich Abominations.
 * Culminates in the final game, when the Big Bad of the game,, is outright stated to be unkillable, and can only be sealed. But the hero is so badass at this point that he can safely ignore that and kill it.
 * Walking the Earth: If you so choose, at the end of the series, you can turn down the crown to the kingdom and continue your heroic journeys.
 * What the Hell, Hero?/What the Hell, Player?: The few truly evil deeds you can do in the games will be noticed. Except for the Thievery optional quests.

Erasmus
A powerful and pun-loving wizard who lives in Spielberg with a summer home in Silmaria. He and his familiar, the smart aleck rat Fenrus, help the Hero out directly in games So You Want to Be a Hero and Dragon Fire as well as mentoring him at the Wizards' Institute of Technocery in game Trial by Fire (and making a cameo at the end of Shadows of Darkness).


 * Eccentric Mentor
 * Familiar: Fenrus is Erasmus'... or is it the other way around?
 * Obfuscating Stupidity: He's a lot sharper than he looks.
 * The Obi-Wan
 * Pungeon Master: Sometimes painfully.

Erana
A mysterious half-Faerie Folk archmage whose presence is seen throughout the series, even though she herself isn't. She is known for creating magical gardens of incredible peace and safety. .


 * Barrier Maiden
 * Betty and Veronica: The Betty to Katrina's Veronica in Dragonfire for a wizard. She's all-loving, friendly, and devoted to protecting all living things.
 * Friend to All Living Things: She has devoted her life to protecting life, leaving peaceful glades in her wake where no creature can harm another.
 * The Ghost: For the first three games.
 * Half-Human Hybrid: Half-elf, half human.
 * The Messiah
 * My Species Doth Protest Too Much
 * A Plague on Both Your Houses: "By all my will, I banish you to-"
 * Posthumous Character: She's been dead for a while before the hero starts coming in contact with the peaceful areas she has left behind. The hero can choose to bring her back to life in Dragon Fire or can allow her spirit to rest, although unhappily.
 * Psychic Dreams for Everyone
 * Sealed Good in a Can
 * Psychic Dreams for Everyone
 * Sealed Good in a Can

Rakeesh Sah Tarna
A Liontaur Paladin, Rakeesh was the king of Tarna until he abdicated power to his brother Rajah in order to pursue the demons that threatened the land. In his travels, he became a Paladin and suffered a Game-Breaking Injury that keeps him out of action. The Hero meets him in Shapeir, and Rakeesh rapidly becomes his mentor and father figure (even more so if the player chooses to become a Paladin himself). .


 * Cool Old Guy
 * Cool Sword: Soulforge, which is also a...
 * Flaming Sword: Soulforge is a Paladin's sword, which can burst into flame in the presence of evil.
 * Game-Breaking Injury: A poison sting from a demon left him with one bad leg.
 * Happily Married
 * Ho Yay: In Universe, you can offer him the engagement ring in game 5; he'll actually consider it, but he's married
 * Knight Errant
 * Knight in Shining Armor
 * The Mentor: He is a support figure and teacher to all of the classes, but he's particularly important to a fighter who becomes a Paladin.
 * My Species Doth Protest Too Much: The Liontaurs are Always Lawful Good to the extreme, considering honor to be more precious than life and willing to go to war to protect it. However, Liontaurs are also extremely proud, aggressive and tend to be eager for combat, and while Rakeesh is also quite Lawful Good, he is far more laid back, sees far more value in protecting life than most Liontaurs, and works hard to broker peace whenever possible.
 * Petting Zoo People: He's some combination of lion and human, with the body of a lion, torso of a human, and head of... a lion again.
 * Supporting Leader: Especially in the third game.

Baba Yaga
An ogress witch with a taste for human flesh and a mean streak a mile wide. She serves as the Big Bad for the original game, her curse being the reason everything bad is happening in Spielburg. After you break the curse and get rid of her, she returns in the fourth game, hanging out in Mordavia because of the dark energy given off by the Dark One's cave. She isn't fully antagonistic in this game despite her desire for revenge (which can be bought off), but you still have to deal with her to win.


 * Affably Evil: She may want to eat you, but darned if she isn't polite about it. She's also got quite a dark sense of humor, and is willing to be surprisingly friendly and chummy with the Hero in the fourth game... as long as he's bringing her something to eat instead of him, anyway.
 * Baleful Polymorph: One of her favorite tricks.
 * Extreme Omnivore: In addition to mandrake mousse and elderberry pie (and humans, of course), she is also partial to bones, the secretions of an Eldritch Abomination, and garlic. She'll also go into explicit details about the "wyvern waffles" she had for breakfast, if you dare to ask...
 * Genre Savvy: When she shows up again in Shadows of Darkness, she'd certainly like revenge, but realizes that antagonizing you is a bad idea; instead, she gives you Fetch Quests. However, if you tick her off sufficiently or fail to honor your end of the bargain, she will kill and eat you.
 * I'm a Humanitarian: Although Shadows of Darkness does point out it's not cannibalism for ogres to eat humans.
 * Public Domain Character
 * Wicked Witch: Downplayed.

Ad Avis
The Big Bad of Trial by Fire. An evil wizard who rules over the land of Raseir with an iron fist while attempting to release the demon Iblis. Because the prophecy says he needs a hero to recover the status in which Iblis is sealed, he engineers events to get the Hero to Raseir and hypnotizes him, but this ultimately causes his downfall, as he cries out to his master. .


 * Batman Gambit: How he gets rid of.
 * Charm Person: His stand-by ability.
 * Ethnic Magician: Subverted. Despite his appearance and presence in Quest for Glory II, his name's Latin (though pronounced as if it were Arabic: Ad A-vis, rather than Ad A-vis), and his true background is closer to Eastern European.
 * Evil Sorcerer: Ad Avis is formidable sorcerer who uses magic for his own selfish desires. Aziza believed he was very likely to be responsible for what happened to Raseir long before the Hero proved it to be true.
 * Hoist by His Own Petard: You wouldn't be able to beat him in Trial by Fire if he didn't try to trap you.
 * The Man Behind the Man: As far as anyone knows, the coup in Raseir is the doing of the Emir's brother and his Dragon-in-Chief Khaveen. Very few people know Ad Avis is using the Emir's brother as a Puppet King, and it's Ad Avis that Khaveen truly answers to.
 * The Plan: His actions in Trial by Fire are part of a larger one.
 * Politically-Incorrect Villain: He hates women.
 * The Plan: His actions in Trial by Fire are part of a larger one.
 * Politically-Incorrect Villain: He hates women.

Shema and Shameen
A married couple of Katta (a race of anthropomorphic cats), Shameen and Shema came to Spielburg in order to find a hero to help solve the crisis in Raseir, but were trapped by the avalanche that sealed off the valley. They quickly landed on their feet and set up the Hero's Tale Inn, which is where the Hero first meets them. After dealing with Baba Yaga, he travels along with them back to Shapeir, where they open the Katta's Tale Inn and provide the hero with free room and board for the duration of Trial by Fire.


 * Adam Smith Hates Your Guts: Averted in Trial by Fire. Since you helped Shameen and Shema get out of Spielburg by getting their flying carpet back from the brigands, they give you free room and board at their inn in Shapeir.
 * Happily Married: The two have nothing but positive things to say about the other.
 * Holding Out for a Hero: During the first game and, to a lesser extent, the second.
 * Perverse Sexual Lust: Let's face it, Shema's dancing probably helped turn more than a few young gamers into furries.
 * Petting Zoo People: They're both cat-like Katta.

Elsa von Spielburg
The missing daughter of Baron Spielburg, whose rescue is one of the central goals of So You Want To Be A Hero. .


 * Action Girl: Good with sword, daggers and bows.
 * Chainmail Bikini: In the fifth game.
 * Hot Amazon
 * Lady of War: She's a lovely young woman who is a Hopeless Boss Fight if you make the mistake of trying to take her on in the first game, and remains quite capable when she reappears in the fifth.
 * The Von Trope Family: As part of the "von Spielburg" family.
 * Lady of War: She's a lovely young woman who is a Hopeless Boss Fight if you make the mistake of trying to take her on in the first game, and remains quite capable when she reappears in the fifth.
 * The Von Trope Family: As part of the "von Spielburg" family.

Uhura
A member of the Simbani tribe from Tarna, Uhura left her homeland in order to get around the restrictions placed on women. She took up residence in Shapeir, becoming the head of the Fighters' Guild and having a son Simba by one of the palace guards. She helps the Hero with information and sparring, then returns to Tarna along with him and Rakeesh. Back home, Uhura again helps the Hero by showing him the Rite of Passage for Simbani warriors and trying to convince the Laibon (chief) to seek peace with the Leopardmen.


 * Action Girl/Action Mom
 * Eloquent in My Native Tongue
 * Lady of War
 * Proud Warrior Race Gal
 * Take a Third Option: The Simbani let their women be mothers OR warriors, so Uhura left, had Simba out of wedlock with a Shaperian palace guard, and returned home as both..
 * Vapor Wear: In the third game, and retroactively in the Fan Remake of the second game, Uhura wears a large necklace instead of a top.

Katrina
A mysterious and beautiful young woman who is the first person the Hero meets in Shadows of Darkness. She only appears by night, never in Mordavia proper, and has brief conversations with the hero. As it turns out, however, she is the Dark Master, a powerful sorceress and vampire who is attempting to bring the Eldritch Abomination Avoozl into the world, casting eternal night over the land. .


 * Back from the Dead: Well, she is a vampire..
 * Betty and Veronica: She's the Veronica of a choice between her and Erana.
 * Broken Bird: In the game, she's ultimately a deeply lonely and unhappy woman terrified of her vulnerability during daylight. She kidnapped Tanya both because she desired a daughter of her own, and saw how her parents treated her and thought they were horrible to her. Katrina later refused to force the Hero into helping her because she wanted him to help her and love her on his own. She only turned to the geas after he "steals" Tanya away from her, which she viewed as an attack against and betrayal of her. Her backstory was later expanded upon in Lori Cole's blog, and revealed she has suffered a long history of misogyny-fueled resentment and jealousy from male wizards over her great magical aptitude because of her beauty and gender. She was later seduced, turned against her will, and enslaved by the previous Dark Master. All of this fed into the distrust, emptiness and feelings of powerlessness evident in the game, which then led to her attempt to awaken Avoozl.
 * Charm Person: Much like her student Ad Avis, she has the ability to do this to the Hero, although she uses a much more subtle version during their initial meeting and later conversations.
 * Dark Magical Girl
 * Dating Catwoman: She's interested in and attracted to the Hero, and he can return that if he brings her back from the dead in the fifth game.
 * Femme Fatale: Even from a very early age, Katrina was more than willing to use her looks to get what she wanted, and eventually, it turned into a survival mechanism as well.
 * Love Redeems
 * Most Definitely Not a Villain: Like it needs to be spoilered.
 * Well-Intentioned Extremist: A possible interpretation of her actions in Mordavia prior to the events of Shadows of Darkness:
 * She hired Boris as daytime gatekeeper of Castle Borgov after he had a falling out with his wife and ran away into the woods. Considering that he was still in the woods when night fell, she may have saved his life by finding him before any other undead did.
 * She sent Toby to comfort and befriend Tanya when Tanya didn't have any other friends and really needed the comfort (Yuri's and Bella's treatment of Tanya at this time could charitably be described as harsh, or uncharitably be described as abusive). Especially if you tell her why you resurrected Tanya, it is pretty clear that she really thought she was doing the right thing: "You think it was wrong of me to take her from her parents? They ignored her! They never gave her anything! I gave her everything!"
 * Katrina's whole "plunge the land into darkness" plan ends up sounding a lot less evil when it's explained that she thought this was literal. While it's intensely stupid to summon an Eldritch Abomination and expect to use it as a dimmer switch for the sun, but she wasn't actually intending to directly hurt anyone on purpose. She really did think she could control it.
 * Katrina's whole "plunge the land into darkness" plan ends up sounding a lot less evil when it's explained that she thought this was literal. While it's intensely stupid to summon an Eldritch Abomination and expect to use it as a dimmer switch for the sun, but she wasn't actually intending to directly hurt anyone on purpose. She really did think she could control it.

Ferrari
A "legitimate businessman" in Raseir, Ferrari is the player's main contact in the final act of the game. He informs the Hero about the particulars of Kaveen and Ad Avis' rule over the city. Thief characters go one step further, stealing a rather familiar statue from Kaveen for him. When Kaveen has the Hero arrested, Ferrari seems to abandon him, but he returns in Dragon Fire as the head of the Dead Parrot Inn, trying once more to win the Hero's trust. .


 * Blackmail: He'll blackmail a Thief character off the throne in Dragon Fire by revealing your "night job"... but it is possible to prevent this.
 * Blackmail Is Such an Ugly Word
 * The Don
 * Man of Wealth and Taste
 * Most Definitely Not a Villain
 * No Celebrities Were Harmed: If the name wasn't enough of a tip-off, Ferrari is based wholesale on Sydney Greenstreet's character from Casablanca, with elements of Kasper Gutman from The Maltese Falcon thrown in.
 * Shame If Something Happened

Ugarte
Ferrari's right-hand man; like the Hero, he seems to be something of an unwilling accomplice (more so as the game progresses). In Trial by Fire, he smuggles water in Raseir, a capital crime which sees him dragged off supposedly for execution. However, Ugarte returns in Dragon Fire, having been freed thanks to the Hero's actions and much more grateful than Ferrari, serving as the Thief's source of info in the underground dealings of Silmaria. .


 * His Name Is--
 * Knowledge Broker
 * No Celebrities Were Harmed: As with Ferrari, Ugarte is a composite of Peter Lorre's characters from Casablanca and The Maltese Falcon.
 * Pet Rat
 * Smug Snake: He isn't as fond of Ferrari as one would initially suspect.

Bruno
A member of the brigands, Bruno conspired with his friend Brutus to overthrow their leader and take over. He can usually be found hanging out at the town gate and will give the Hero (false) information about the goings-on in the valley... for a price. .


 * Knife Nut
 * Knowledge Broker: But the information he offers is available in other, less expensive ways. Bruno is only there to prevent the game from becoming Unwinnable.
 * Blatant Lies: "Oh, and if you want a good time, try the Dragon's Breath!"
 * The Mole: He appears to be a normal (if untrustworthy) thief at first, but it turns out he's a brigand who's joined the thief guild to act as a spy within the town.
 * Roaring Rampage of Revenge:.
 * Smug Snake: Downplayed somewhat because while he may not be as clever as he thinks, he is a genuinely lethal fighter.

Baronet Barnard von Spielburg
Baron Stephan von Spielburg's son, who disappeared while on a hunting trip several years before Quest for Glory I. The Hero finds him captured by the Kobold, transformed into a bear and bound by an enchanted shackle. His rescue restores hope to the despondent baron.


 * Baleful Polymorph: Was turned into a bear by the kobold wizard.
 * Stay in the Kitchen: Holding this mentality is what drove Elsa away from Spielburg circa Dragon Fire.
 * Ungrateful Bastard: The "gratitude" for his rescue is more of a formality forced upon him by his father.
 * Upper Class Twit
 * The Von Trope Family

Brauggi
A frost giant from Jotunheim, he comes to Spielburg to fill his food stores with the local fruit. He is willing to barter a glowing gem (one the Hero needs for his quest) in exchange for fifty apples, after which he leaves satisfied.


 * Alliteration/Rhymes on a Dime: All this dialogue consists of rhymes with generally alliterative lines.
 * Amazing Technicolor Population: Brauggi has blue skin.
 * An Axe to Grind: Don't tick him off, lest you end up on the wrong end of it.
 * One Screen Wonder
 * Our Giants Are Bigger: Specifically of the "Jotunheim frost" variety.

Aziza
The resident spellcaster of Shapeir, Aziza is a powerful water-attuned sorceress with a focus on divination and mind for manners. She serves as the Hero's magical contact in Trial by Fire and instructs him in how to defeat the elementals and help Julanar.


 * Making a Splash: While knowledgable in all areas of magic, water is her specialty.
 * Ms. Exposition: Tells you all you need about the elementals and Julanar and Iblis in the second game. In the third game, she gives the player a recap of the end of the second game, and sets up the plot of the third.
 * Seers: She is able to see distant events and look through time thanks to her powers.

Poet Omar/
A fabled poet of Shapeir, Omar's poems clue the player as to what is going on with the plot. Poet Omar is also.


 * Expy: Of the real Harun Al-Rashid
 * Sesquipedalian Loquaciousness: He's very... poetic. Good thing he hangs out with a translator who will interpret everything for you.
 * Sesquipedalian Loquaciousness: He's very... poetic. Good thing he hangs out with a translator who will interpret everything for you.

Julanar
A long time ago, a Shaperian woman went against the sexist rules of society and became a healer. Unfortunately, one day, a bandit tricked her into coming to his camp. As she tried to escape from the bandits, she cried out for help and was transformed into a tree by a passing djinn. In Trial by Fire, Aziza relates this story to the Hero and tells him how to restore Julanar's sense of self in order to obtain the Fruit of Compassion he needs for a Dispel Potion. In between games, Salim ventures to Shapeir and restores Julanar's humanity, the pair falling in love and marrying before moving to Silmaria, where they meet their friend the Hero once more.


 * Closer to Earth
 * Granola Girl
 * Happily Married: By the time of Dragon Fire, to Salim.
 * The Medic: In Dragon Fire, all you have to do is walk into the Apothecary while injured and boom, she'll instantly heal you.

Nawar
One of the many harem girls in Raseir's palace, Nawar's first introduction is a voice making lots (and we do mean lots) of innuendo when the Hero sneaks through the harem on his way to battle Ad Avis. She returns in Dragon Fire, having been uncomfortable with the peace and going with Ferrari to Silmaria. At the Dead Parrot Inn, she serves as a dancer and the manager of the inn's games of chance. She's also a potential love interest for the hero (and the most obvious), being best suited to Thieves but available to all classes.


 * Ascended Extra: In Quest for Glory II, she is just one of many harem girls, not even having a distinct sprite. The only thing that makes her noticeable is that she is more flirty than the others. In Quest for Glory V, she's a full blown love interest.
 * Belly Dancer
 * Gold Digger: She responds well to plain jewelry, unlike the other women, who prefer magical trinkets.
 * Hello, Nurse!

Yesufu
Son of the leader (Laibon) of the Simbani. Less eager for war than his father, he is divided by his father and people's wishes, and the Hero and Uhura's words for peace. Yesufu is soon to enter his rite of passage, in which he will compete against the Hero if he is a fighter or paladin. Despite this rivalry, he forms a strong friendship with the Hero, and eagerly comes to his aid at the end of the game.


 * The Lancer: He becomes a fast friend to the Hero, and is ready to back you up and be there for you when you need him.
 * The Rival: He and the Hero compete in the Simbani initiation ceremony and over Johari, but it's completely amicable between them and Yesufu enjoys playing games with and talking to the Hero.

Rajah Sah Tarna
Rakeesh's younger brother, and current king of Tarna. Eager to send Tarna to war, and comes off as a bit of a General Ripper, but not without reasons. A bit of an ego.


 * General Ripper: Subverted, in that he does give Rakeesh's peace solution a chance and...
 * Papa Wolf: The main reason he is so eager for war: he sent Rakeesh's daughter as an envoy to the Leopardman. She was like a daughter to him, and when her peace mission was attacked, Rajah wants nothing more than to avenge her. He even questions Rakeesh's reluctance to go to war over his own daughter.

Salim Nafs
The resident apothecary in Tarna, as well as an out-and-out tree-hugging hippie. Salim is eager to help out the Hero because of his auspicious aura, and in return learns that his dreams of a tree becoming a beautiful woman are real. While the Hero is in Mordavia, Salim heads to Shapeir and restores Julanar's humanity; the couple then moves to Silmaria and opens up an apothecary, where they once more encounter their friend the Hero and help him save those poisoned by the assassin.


 * Cloudcuckoolander: He rambles about Colonel Mustard following the murders and poisonings in Dragon Fire, only for Julanar to remind him that mustard is just a seed.
 * Erudite Stoner: He doesn't actually light up in-series, but he has a hookah in Wages of War, and Julanar mentions his dipping into their "celebration stock" when they make the antidote in Dragon Fire.
 * Friend to All Living Things: Besides being friendly New Age Retro Hippie, he has a practical reason for being nice, as his healing pills are made from honey bird feathers. If the feathers are acquired through hostile action, it ruins the pills.
 * Happily Married: To Julanar by the time of Dragon Fire.
 * The Medic: His role as apothecary involves the preparation and sale of restorative pills and potions.
 * New Age Retro Hippie: Without the sexual promiscuity or railing against the Man.
 * Steven Jay Blum: Plays him in Dragon Fire.

Kreesha Sah Tarna
Rakeesh's wife, a rare Liontaur magic-user and a member of Tarna's ruling council. Along with her husband, Kreesha helps the Hero's attempts to bring peace to Tarna, as well as serving as a mentor for Wizard characters and helping them create their magic staff.


 * Happily Married: It's quite obvious that she and Rakeesh are a loving and affectionate couple.
 * Ms. Exposition: She fills both Rakeesh and the Hero in on a lot of current events.
 * Reasonable Authority Figure: On the council, she is the one most in favor of avoiding war, realizing that the Demons are behind this.
 * Seers

Harami the Thief
A thief the player helps capture early in the game. As the Hero shows him kindness, Harami begins to reconsider his life. Not enough to risk his skin for you, however. ...


 * Big Damn Heroes
 * Heel Face Turn
 * Unperson: This is essentially what being declared "honorless" means in Tarna. No one will speak to or have any dealings with such a person. And since the threat of war means that the trade caravans are avoiding the area, Harami is really screwed because he can't safely travel to another city, and no one in Tarna will allow him to purchase food, water or shelter.
 * Unperson: This is essentially what being declared "honorless" means in Tarna. No one will speak to or have any dealings with such a person. And since the threat of war means that the trade caravans are avoiding the area, Harami is really screwed because he can't safely travel to another city, and no one in Tarna will allow him to purchase food, water or shelter.

Manu The Monkey
A talking monkey the Hero frees from a trap. Manu quickly declares the Hero to be his friend, willing to invite him to the Monkey Village and make him an honorary monkey. Manu is one of the few who know where the lost city is.


 * Sixth Ranger: Agrees to take Harami's place as one of the Hero's allies in the prophecy.
 * Talking Animal: While Manu may not be winning any awards for eloquence, he certainly speaks far better than the average monkey.
 * Team Pet

Johari
Daughter of the Leopardmen's chief, she is captured by the Simbani in their efforts to discover the location of her village. Upon being revealed as an attractive woman, the Hero pays the Simbani bride price to release her and discover her peoples' intentions.


 * Action Girl
 * The Chief's Daughter
 * Nubile Savage
 * Samus Is a Girl: Before her shapeshifting is dispelled, she looks like any other Leopardman.
 * Tsundere: Justified, what with being imprisoned and purchased against her will.
 * Voluntary Shapeshifting: Again, like all Leopardmen.

Dr. Cranium
A Mad Scientist who has taken up residence in Mordavia in order to conduct his experiments which include controlling electricity, raising the dead, and brewing the perfect cup of tea. He helps the Hero out by brewing up healing potions in return for running minor fetch quests.


 * Copy Protection: In order to advance in the game, you need to give Cranium some missing formulae... which come printed in the game manual.
 * Expy: Of Dr. Brain, from another Sierra series; gets a lampshade in-game.
 * Flat Earth Atheist: He insists that all magic is either nonsense or science that people don't understand yet.
 * Frankenstein's Monster: Frankie, his greatest creation.
 * I Love the Dead: Better keep your Brain Bleach handy when he unveils Frankie...
 * Mad Scientist
 * The Medic: Cranium is the only consistent source of healing and poison cure potions in the game.
 * Suspiciously Similar Substitute: The doctor's Rehydration Solution, when you finally get it, is described as "If you didn't know any better, you'd think this was just an ordinary bottle of water."
 * They Called Me Mad: "Mad? Mad?! They ALL call me mad, but what do they know of madness? I am not mad! A bit perturbed about the world situation and how I get so little respect, perhaps. But certainly not mad!"
 * Also: "Some call me mad, but I much prefer 'Dr. Cranium'."

Tanya
The daughter of Yuri and Bella Markarov, the innkeepers in Mordavia. When things got bad in the valley, her parents tried to keep her safely locked up, but a large furry creature named Toby befriended her by visiting her secretly at night. When he gave her a doll, her parents got even more worried, and Toby took her away to Castle Borgov, where Katrina turned her into a vampire. She does miss her parents, but is convinced they hate her and would be scared of her now that she's a "Bad Thing". .


 * Beware the Nice Ones She's really nice as long as you're friendly to her, but if you try to attack her, she'll hypnotize and then bite you.
 * Genki Girl: Surprisingly energetic for a vampire.
 * Heroic Sacrifice
 * Morality Pet
 * Noble Demon
 * Undead Child

Igor
Mordavia's gravedigger, he is... um, well, he's the standard Igor type. The biggest departure is his generally chipper attitude and love of graveyard humor. .


 * Catch Phrase: "Hah hah, little graveyard humor there!"
 * The Igor: Duh!
 * Pungeon Master: Oh lord, the puns...
 * Suspiciously Specific Denial: If you ask him about Rumors, he'll say something like "Igor not hear rumors. Igor not hear [Insert rumor here]. Igor not know [Insert another rumor here]... Igor not hear many things."

Avoozl
More commonly referred to as the Dark One, he is the source of Mordavia's woes. The Hero must prevent him from being summoned to Glorianna, lest he shroud the world in (non-literal) darkness.


 * Bigger Bad
 * Composite Captain Ersatz: Looks like a cross of Chernabog and a Xenomorph.
 * Eldritch Abomination
 * Sealed Evil in a Can
 * Womb Level: The Dark One's cave is.

Magnum Opus
A Hesperian hero who came to Silmaria to participate in the Rites of Rulership. He has a reputation for heroism, but unfortunately, not one for his massive ego. .


 * Arrogant Kung Fu Guy: And he'll never let you forget it, boasting about his martial prowess at every opportunity. He is a skilled warrior, but it doesn't justify the ego.
 * Fake Ultimate Hero
 * Ted Baxter:
 * Not entirely. He does win the first challenge if you don't. And in the Arena, he tends to defeat any opponent except (usually) Elsa.
 * Third Person Person: "I, Magnum Opus..."
 * Third Person Person: "I, Magnum Opus..."