The Unknown Hero is the default title for the Hero of the Quest for Glory series back in Quest for Glory I: So You Want to Be a Hero (EGA) (it is also mentioned in the VGA Remake).
The player character is a young male and the technical manuals refer to him with he/him pronouns (he is consistently referred to as a man, guy, or lad in-game as well, and other masculine descriptions). See below (Male Hero's Story).
In general the Hero's backstory and who he becomes is what the player makes of him. Each of the heroes may have different adventures and ones that differ from Devon Aidendale had through the Quest for Glory: The Authorized Strategy Guide or the “Game Hero” is said to have had, or the other heroes from Adventures of a "Wanna-Be" Hero had.[1]
There are a number of details mentioned in the narration (though many of these are amusing or potentially Easter Eggs). These are details budding RPG players and writers have the prerogative to ignore (and the novels and extended universe materials usually do ignore), and giving him alternate names, and different hometowns.
The characters in-game and manuals “biography” is discussed below.
Background[]
The default “name” the game hero character beginning from QFG1 is the 'Unknown Hero' ('Hero' in QFG5).
Enough information seems to place his original hometown either in Oakhurst or Coarsegold as a child and he left from there to go on his adventures. He saw the Wanted Sign for a Hero needed in Spielburg from the local Adventurer's Guild there, like many aspiring adventurers (see Adventures of a "Wanna-Be" Hero).
The Game Hero had lived in California, and apparently grew up there near Coarsegold and Oakhurst (either on our Earth or Gloriana, but its unclear). The Hero once spent a night in the land of Haight-Ashbury many years ago hallucinating from a bad trip.[2] He has been to Yosemite National Park. He is aware places including Highway 101, San Francisco and Gilroy.
Shema believed the Hero's hometown was in Germany.[3] It's possible that in some stories he (or she) may have moved to a village to the east of Spielburg by the time shortly before QFG1 (for example Lucasville and Willowsby), and saw the Hero Wanted sign there instead.
Little is known about his family, but he is known to have a sister.[4] He also has a great aunt whom he visits from time to time (Aunt Helen?).[5] He used to give his Aunt Helen hugs and kisses on the cheek.[6]. He has a grandmother he often remembers.[7] In the far future his great-great-great-great-grandson lives in the time of electricity and knows how to use toaster ovens. He had an old friend who was much like the bartender in Spielburg.[8]
In the Hero's childhood he used to climb around the town wall.[9] His favorite childhood cereal: Spork-Sized Dreaded Wheat. A toy that he had was a Magic 8-Ball.[10] He once played with boats in his bathtub. They always capsized.[11] He had a sandbox back home.[12] He once read about Rumplestiltskin in a book.[6] He once received a tie as a present on All-Fool's Day[13] Years ago, he had seen a famous dunkin dragon. He had a horse friend named Flicka.[14] The hero has a memory of playing Baseball for the Oakhurst Talking Bears and helping them win the pennant.[15] There was a time when he thought about climbing Mount Everest.[16] He has also heard at some point, that rattlesnake meat is very tasty.[17]
In the Hero’s hometown he has his own accountant[18], his own dentist, and a healer[19], whom he has to take breaks from adventuring to meet his appointments from time to time.
He is a movie aficionado including beach movies, Cheech and Chong movies, and Star Borez, films by Alfred Hitchcock, and The Mummy[20], and music such as; "Like a bridge over quiet waters..."[21]. Thief Hero even blows on his fingers (like they do in the movies) before opening a safe. He found Alichica familiar possibly due to his resemblance to certain actors from Fredonia.[22]
He often visited his Adventurer's Guild and Thieves' Guild in his hometown (which he often reminisces about).[23][24] Little is known about his education, his native language is English. Though it is mentioned he knows Common, learned Griffin 101, he had studied Mordavian years ago, he knows Silmarian, depending on universe sometimes Rune Lore 101 and Arcania 101, and he has also learned ancient Egyptian hieroglyphics while in grade school.[25][26]
The hero has personal knowledge of certain 'Anachronisms' not yet invented in certain lands, but possibly existing in Fredonia (VGA screen technology for example)[27]). The Hero received FACS training and lessons from his old Town Guildmaster. He taught the hero that Lawyers were some of the Hero's worst adversaries.[28]
He had once visited a vast dimensionless void, before going on his adventures.[29] Perhaps explaining how he travelled from his hometown to Spielburg.
Shortly before QFG1, he had tried to escape the drudgery of being overworked, underpaid, with no control over his life, by joining the Famous Adventurer's Correspondence School for Heroes]]. In order to look for some excitement in his life.
Soon after his graduation, he noticed a poster at his local adventurer's guild requesting a hero to save Spielburg. He thought it sounded good, especially the 'no experience necessary' part. He spent a month's journey traveling over torturous terrain, narrowing avoiding death at every turn, he wasn't enthusiastic, but he made it to the town gates, and it was too late to turn back. He intended to defeat the monsters or brigands plaguing has the land or die trying.
The Game Hero caused a Antwerp Population explosion in Spielburg (no matter what the player may have actually done in QFG1 itself). This is brought up both in QFG4 and QFG5 (story authors tend to ignore this, as it neither happens in Authorized Guide, nor How To Be A Hero, the population explosion still happened in Authorized Guide, but who or what caused is not explained, but Devon had no part in it).
Between QFG2 and QFG3 the hero witnessed Shapeir being reconstructed, and a fierce storm that damaged one of the cranes.[30]
According to the Hero: The Journal of General Job Adjusting, the hero was sponsored into the Wizards' Institute of Technocery a while ago. He has distinguished himself through Heroism and clever use of spells in lands ranging from Spielburg to Shapeir and Tarna. If applied to Devon stories this can only be referring to magic user Devon's universe (as Devon is not a hybrid, and magic user is the only one who was sponsored into WIT). The other two-three characters dislike magic and fear it.
The Hero always seems to pick up a copy of either FACS guide, Famous Explorer's Guide, or the Hero Journal before he goes on his adventures.[31][32] Rakeesh gives Devon the The Field Guide to Eastern Fricana shortly while on the journey after leaving Tarna, to head to Simbani Village.[33] The Hero received a copy of HERO: The Journal of General Job Adjusting: Issue IV before he entered Mordavia.
He is portrayed as an adult male in artwork. Given the few background details to the character given in off hand lines in the game, years having passed since he started his education and other details, including being open access to bars/pubs, as well as hints to previous drug use (and his potential drug use within the games), as well as the implied age of those he flirts with (Elsa is eighteen for example). It can be assumed he is an adult likely age 18 or over (or even 21 based on American backstory elements) during the game series (apparently becoming an adventurer because his last job overworked him, and didn't pay nearly enough, and he had no freedom or excitement in his life). He is generally called a 'guy' (a term usually used to describe a man, but can be used to describe a 'male' figure in general, by those of the same age group), and technically can prove himself to be an 'adult' or a 'man' to the Simbani in QFG3 during the initiation ceremony.[34] And a few lines in QFG5 refer back to his childhood. There is only one exception where Chief Thief refers to him patronizingly as a "Child" in QFG1 (EGA and VGA) in a condescending manner.[35] And in the WIT if the Hero chooses to study there, it says he has 'outgrown his childish Hero business' again in a patronizing manner.[36] He is called ‘lad’ at least once. He is called a 'young man' or 'man' in several of the games as well (QFG2, QFG4, and QFG5). He is also referred to as a man in the Authorized Guide.
The hero remains a virgin through most of the games, but has the potential to get married to one or more women in QFG5.[37]
There are odd references to Hero possibly taking breaks from his adventures to do mundane things 'between games' such as visiting his dentist, healer, and personal accountant. There are a couple of mentions of his dentist appointments. In a few lines in QFG1VGA it mentions the hero missed his last dentist appointment and also his annual visit with a healer. In QFG5 a line says he has a dentist appointment in a week.
The Hero sometimes remembers elements of both versions of his adventures in Hero's Quest/Quest For Glory 1.[38] and also sometimes knowing about events in future games before he experienced them. Also strangely despite what class he is, he apparently ended up in the harem to meet the girls there.
At the end of Dragon Fire, the Hero has the opportunity to marry one of five female characters (or more depending on class).
Titles/Nicknames[]
- Through the course of the game series the hero is given many proper titles by various characters or from interpretration (or misinterpretation) of prophecies. Note: Some of these titles may appear in more than one category.
Heroic Titles[]
These are the titles designating the Hero's heroic nature.
- Hero-to-be[39]
- Hero
- Unknown Hero[40]
- Hero from the East[41]
- Hero of Spielburg[40][42]
- Real Hero[43]
- Hero of the Realm of Spielburg[44]
- Hero of the Realm[44]
- Hero of the Land of Spielburg[45]
- Hero of Tarna[46]
- Hero of Shapeir[42]
- Hero of the North/Hero from the North[42]
- Hero of the Northland/Hero from the Northland[47]
- Hero-friend[42]
- Hero of the Kattas[42]
- Hero of Two Lands[48]
- Great Hero[42]
- Hero of Mordavia[49]
- Hero of Raseir[50]
- Hero of Many Lands[51]
- Brave and Kind Hero[44]
- O Prince among Heroes[44]
- Wizard-Hero[42]
- Brave One[42]
- True Hero[52]
- Champion of Silmaria[53]
- Famous Adventurer
Titles of Nobility[]
The titles concerning the Hero's noble ambition or nobility perceived by others.
- Prince of Shapeir (awarded upon saving Shapeir)[42]
- King of Silmaria (awarded upon saving Silmaria if the Hero accepts)[54]
- King of Marete (another title awarded, mentioned indirectly)
- Ruler of Silmaria
- O Prince among Heroes[44]
- O Prince[55]
- Prince[46]
Titles of Friendship[]
Titles concerning the Hero's friendship to various people including Katta and gypsies.
- Katta-Friend[42][56]
- Friend of the Katta
- Hero-friend
- O Friend of My People[56]
- Gypsy Friend[6]
- Hero-man
EOF Titles[]
- Brother Scorpion[42] (title for "killing" Walid during the EOF initiation)
- Brother Saurus[42] (title for sparing Walid during the EOF initiation)
Genie titles[]
Class Titles[]
Titles bestowed onto the hero based on class (note some of these may be shared across Hybrid characters).
- Fighter
- Warrior[59]
- Simbani Warrior/Warrior of the Simbani
- Magic User
- Magician[60]
- Want-to-Be Wizard[42]
- Wizard Initiate[42]
- Wizard
- Wizard-Hero
- O Wizard[61]
- Paladin
- Magician
- Thief
- Master Thief[62]
- Chief Thief[63]
- Honest Thief[64]
- Jackal[65] (a nickname/title for thieves in general)
Deed Titles[]
Titles referring to specific deeds.
- Defeater of Elementals/Defeater of the Elementals[42]
- Hand of Destiny[66]
- He Who Waits Behind[67]
- Doer
- Changer of Worlds
- Fate Maker
- Releaser of Darkness
- Doom of Tarna
- Opener of the World Gates
- Opener of the Way
- Bringer of Spear
- He Who Will Be King
- Famous Adventurer
Outsider titles[]
Nick names[]
- Handsome[71]
- Curly Locks[42]
- Golden Hair[42]
- Goody-two-shoes[72]
- Red Hot Lover[73]
- Oh-Soon-To-Be-Supper[74]
- Mr. Tender-Morsel[75]
- Hero Lout[76]
- Lover Boy[77]
- Blondie[78]
- Oh-Hider-In-Harems[79]
Other[]
Education[]
- Grade school
- Adventurer's School
- Famous Adventurer's Correspondence School for Heroes (assorted class schools)
- Famous Wizards' School
- Wizard's Institute of Technocery (Initiate only)
- School for Young Wizards (post QFG2, further studied and practiced his Levitate skills)
- Famous Adventurers' Correspondence School for Thieves
Behind the scenes[]
In the Quest for Glory: Authorized Guide the Hero, is given the name Devon Aidendale (though this only applies to four specific characters pure Fighter turned Paladin (in QFG2), a pure Fighter, a pure Thief, and a pure Magic User, no hybrids, and only specifically events as told in the guide). In the manuals he is given quite a few assorted sample names.
Note: Devon (and Four Heroes) grew up in their villages so very little of the in-game biographical materials apply to their history at all. The Devons hadn’t even left the village before (in alternate canon including the four birds heroes they were originally from Silmaria, and grew up in Alpendorf), a detail differing from the “Game Hero’s” more humorous biography (which had him living and traveling throughout California in his youth).
Other names for the Hero appear in Adventures of a "Wanna-Be" Hero: Including Max (the Fighter), Sonny the Snake (the Thief), Charvel Steinburger (the Magic User), finally McKenna the Magnificent (another Magic User).
The manuals and other hintbooks also give other sample character names for the character as well; Brutus (character) (hybrid fighter), Wednesday (character), Jester, Joker, Tyson (Fighter), Gonad the Barbarian, Dingleberry, Thief Bob (Thief), Pennteller, and Paladin (character) (the Paladin).
A blank "Unnamed Hero" fighter hybrid appears in QFG1VGA manual.
The manual for QFG5 just calls him "Hero" on the character stats screen (a wizard).
He is not literally necessarily from "the East". He only entered into Spielburg from the East. Some authors do make him literally living in villages to the east of Spielburg. Others place his hometown anywhere, even far west (Oakhurst/Coarsegold). The important part is he fulfilled the prophecy by traveling into Spielburg from the east.
According to Lori Cole explaining the reference she included in QFG5 to the hero being a virgin:
- Yeah, I figured the Hero was a virgin up until game 5 because he was growing up.
Male Hero's Story[]
Are All Heroes Men?
The "ego" is a surprising source of controversy and debate in the series. For one thing, Lori and Corey have insisted that - even in animated introductions - his ego should never carry on a dialogue. They feel it will destroy the identification a player must have with his Hero if he sees someone else's words pop up in the dialogue box.
The more intriguing controversy, however, is that it's man, and female players have asked the designers it they could provide an optional female ego.
Adding a simple choice to ego gender would increase art requirements by at least 30%, Corey estimated. Not out of the question, but not advisable, he maintains, because the story would remain the same. Other characters would still respond to the Hero in the same way, whether the Hero was a man or a woman, and in places like ancient Arabia or medieval Germany, that simply wouldn't make sense.
"We have created a very egalitarian world," said Lori, "where you have woman warriors and woman role models throughout the game."
Lori said another reason for maintaining a male character is the romance element. Starting with Wages of War, the Hero's romantic life will begin, culminating two games down the line when he'll have a chance to choose a wife from female characters he'll meet throughout his adventures. Of course, he'll also have the choice of remaining single.
In another place she stated:
So it came down to telling one character’s story – the hero’s. Did I forsake my position on the role of women in society and in games when I designed a game with a male rather than a female protagonist? Should I be stripped of my “Uppity Woman” status because I conformed to traditional game tropes and perpetuated stereotypes?
According to Lori Cole:
- I knew from the start that I wanted romance in the game. Wages of War was a tease – Johari really was attracted to Yesufu from the start (opposites attract ) Erana’s story needed closure and the Paladin was the right person to return the love that Erana needed.
- Most of all, Shadows of Darkness would have been a very different game if the Hero had been a Heroine. We might have had the first lesbian relationship in a computer game. I assure you, Ad Avis would never fall in love with anyone other than himself.
References[]
- ↑ QFGTAG, pg
- ↑ Narrator (QFG2):"The ceiling reminds you of a night you spent in the land of Haight-Ashbury many years ago. As a matter of fact, the whole place is like that"
- ↑ Shema (QFG2): Tonight I have prepared something especially for you so that you do not become too homesick. It is knockwurst and sauerkraut.
- ↑ Narrator (QFG5): It looks like a nice enough shrubbery, but you're not sure you'd want your sister to marry one.
- ↑ QFG1EGA
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 QFG4
- ↑ Narrator (QFG3): "She reminds you of your grandmother"
- ↑ Narrator (QFG1VGA): You know, that actually tasted fine! This really isn't such a bad place, after all, and the bartender reminds you of an old friend you used to know.
- ↑ Narrator (QFG5):"You climb around the old town wall for a while. It reminds you of your childhood."
- ↑ QFG2
- ↑ Narrator (QFG5):"Given your previous experiences with boats, you're not sure you can sail a boat that won't float in your bathtub. After all, your bathtub boat always capsized."
- ↑ Narrator (QFG2):"What fun! Just like your sandbox back home."
- ↑ QFG1VGA
- ↑ Narrator (QFG1VGA): Looking at the Centaur's muscles, his hoe, and his four gleaming hooves, you get the feeling that it might not be the best of ideas. Besides, he reminds you of your old friend Flicka.
- ↑ You're rounding third base. The coach is waving you in! You slide into second base! The crowd goes wild! ...and the bases are loaded. You slide into home plate! The Oakhurst Talking Bears win the pennant! The Bears win the pennant!
- ↑ Narrator (QFG1VGA): The back wall is one of the best examples of a perpendicular wall that you have ever seen. It reminds you of the time when you thought about climbing Mount Everest.
- ↑ QFG3
- ↑ Narrator (QFG2):"Whoo! You haven't seen a figure like that since you visited your accountant!"
- ↑ Narrator (QFG1EGA):"The old ticker just couldn't keep going. Maybe you shouldn't have missed the annual visit with your local Healer."
- ↑ Narrator (QFG3): This man looks a bit like Amenhotep from "The Mummy".
- ↑ Narrator (QFG5):A variety of herbs thrive in small containers on the table. Let's see -- there's parsley, maybe some sage, a bit of rosemary, and some thyme. It all reminds you of a song.
- ↑ Narrator (QFG2): "The odd character at this stand seems vaguely familiar."
- ↑ Narrator (QFG1VGA):"This Adventurer's Guild Hall reminds you of the one in your hometown. The traditional Moose head and other stuffed monsters...adorn the walls.
- ↑ Narrator (QFG4):"Your eye is drawn to the Thieves' Guild recruiting poster on the back wall; it gives you fond memories of your home guild."
- ↑ Narrator (QFG3): There is some hieroglyphic writing on this pillar. Dredging up memories of your grade school hieroglyphics class, you think it says, "Look, the mooker has fallen off his mule!" Or maybe not.
- ↑ Narrator (QFG1EGA): Dredging up your ancient Egyptian, you translate the hieroglyphs: "She of the golden hair."
- ↑ Thus, you leave it alone. Gee, you'd think the mad scientists would have at least invented VGA and ditched this monochrome text-only screen by now.
- ↑ This plaque looks almost like the one from the Lawyers' Guild. It reminds you of something from your old FACS training: "What do you get when you cross a lawyer with a demon from hell? Another lawyer." You remember your old Town Guildmaster's lesson: "What do you do if you're trapped in a room with a Cheetaur, a Minotaur, and a Lawyer, and have only two flame darts left? Shoot the Lawyer. Twice."
- ↑ The last time you were in a dimensionless void, it was vast. But this one's only half vast.
- ↑ After you saved Raseir's sister city, you remember there were many cranes used to help in the reconstruction of Shapeir. In fact, you remember a wooden one that had been damaged in a fierce storm, but was still being used despite inadequate repairs. You wondered at the sanity in trusting a "doctored fir Raseir crane".
- ↑ Narrator (QFG3)
- ↑ QFG4 Technical Guide, pg 4
- ↑ QFGTAG, 214
- ↑ To prove that one is a Warrior, one must undergo a series of trials testing one's skills. Through initiation, one becomes welcomed as a respected adult in this tribe.
- ↑ "I have had beginners before, but this Guild reached a new low when you joined. Child, you are a thief. Stealing is how you make a living. So go out there and steal something and hopefully you'll get, umm, that is, you *won't* get caught."
- ↑ Now you have outgrown the childish Hero business and can devote yourself to years of metaphysical musings and esoteric exercises designed to invigorate your intellect and to manipulate your mental and magical muscles.
- ↑ Narrator (QFG5): "Legend says only virgins can see unicorns. You pretend you can't see it."
- ↑ Narrator (QFG5): This drape reminds you of your old cape. Well, in the EGA version, anyway. Yeah, yeah, I know your old EGA cape was black, not blue.
- ↑ Dryad (QFG1EGA)
- ↑ 40.0 40.1 QFG1
- ↑ QFG1 (from a prophecy)
- ↑ 42.00 42.01 42.02 42.03 42.04 42.05 42.06 42.07 42.08 42.09 42.10 42.11 42.12 42.13 42.14 42.15 42.16 42.17 42.18 42.19 42.20 QFG2
- ↑ QFG1EGA
- ↑ 44.0 44.1 44.2 44.3 44.4 QFG1VGA
- ↑ QFG1EGA
- ↑ 46.0 46.1 QFG3
- ↑ QFG2 (from a prophecy)
- ↑ QFG2 (at the end of the credits)
- ↑ Today's Challenger: Hero of Mordavia Welcome to the Grand Arena of Silmaria.
- ↑ Today's Challenger: Hero of Rasier??
- ↑ Today's Challenger: Hero of Many Lands.??
- ↑ QFG4: "We welcome you to the ranks of the few, the proud, the True Heroes."
- ↑ Awarded for winning Arena championship.
- ↑ QFGV
- ↑ Cite error: Invalid
<ref>tag; no text was provided for refs namedQFG5 - ↑ 56.0 56.1 QFGV
- ↑ Genie (QFG2), Kalb (QFG3)
- ↑ Kalb (QFG3)
- ↑ Liontaur guard (QFG3): "May the wind blow at your face, Warrior, and the hunting be good."
- ↑ Dryad (QFG1)
- ↑ Kreesha (QFG3)
- ↑ Lorre Petrovich (QFG4): "New Thieves will swarm here to be taught by such Master Thieves as ourselves."
- ↑ QFGV
- ↑ QFGV
- ↑ "QFG2: ...Jackal among the goats...
- ↑ Erana's Staff (QFG4): "Hand of Destiny, you are triumphant. She who would use me for her own glory is defeated."
- ↑ QFG2 (a misinterpretation by Ad Avis).
- ↑ QFG2: Welcome, Traveler from afar...
- ↑ QFGV: "Welcome, Wanderer from afar"
- ↑ Shema (QFG1VGA)Allow me to serve you, Wanderer from Afar"
- ↑ Always happy to be of service, Handsome.
- ↑ Bonehead (QFG4): "...wind up with the Goody-two-shoes blues."
- ↑ Bonehead (QFG4): "Return of the Red Hot Lovers, eh?"
- ↑ (QFG1VGA)
- ↑ Baba Yaga (QFG4)
- ↑ Baba Yaga (QFG4)
- ↑ Elyssa
- ↑ Harami (QFG3)
- ↑ Budar (QFG5)
- ↑ By order of Khaveen, Infidel of Shapeir, you may not pass through these gates unless I see your visa. "
- ↑ QFG5