Apprentice

An Official Herculean Effort Productions Walkthrough

 

Introduction

 

            Welcome to the official Apprentice walkthrough. We understand that if you’re reading this, you are probably stuck in the game, but we hope you are enjoying it regardless of the frustration. We tried to provide ample hints, but they’re not always as obvious as they are to us.

If a statement has a * before it, that means it is a very general hint. ** means a more specific hint, and *** is a puzzle solution. Highlight the empty space by these stars to read the spoilers.

 

 

Hints

 

General –

Take everything you can, but pay attention to the dialogue and make sure to look at all your objects, since they will provide you with clues. But you all ready knew that.

 

Pib’s Bedroom –

 

Pay special attention to the scroll on the shelf by the encyclopedias. It will be vital later in the game.

 

Downstairs –

 

You’ll notice that there’s some Duraflex twine tied onto the doorknobs of both doors here. The closet door (on the left), opens inward, while Master’s door opens outwards.

The result is that when his door is open, the twine is slack and the other door can be opened.

In this room, you’ll need to TAKE the coffee bean grinder and the sandwich book (found inside the rightmost cabinet).

 

Closet door puzzle:

* Have you knocked on Master’s door? He really takes his time coming to the door, doesn’t he?

 

** Try exploring the room thoroughly. What’s with that area on the far right side of the screen? Every time Pib walks into it, he gets darker. What a cozy little nook!

 

** Is the only way into the closet through the closet door? Maybe you should look around for alternative (though perhaps less dignified) entrances.

 

*** USE Master’s door. During Master’s delay, hide in the lower right corner of the screen. When Master walks into the kitchen area, run up the stairs. USE the laundry chute. TAKE the broom.

 

Coffee bean grinder puzzle:

* So you have something you want ground up, but the grinder is stuffed up with remnants from the past month of coffee consumption. You’ll need something to clean it out, right? Too bad you don’t have any water, but something damp might do the trick.

** I bet a bit of cloth could clean out those coffee bean remnants.

*** Still stuck? Ok, there’s two ways to solve this puzzle. Either wipe out that grinder with the dish towel in the kitchen area (you can’t take the towel, so you’ll have to USE the grinder with it and not the other way around) or USE the grinder with the picnic blanket.

 

Outside Tower –

 

Wow, there’s a whole lot going on out here. We have some sheep and a voracious hoodlum, not to mention a whole slew of new locations we can go to.

For now, TALK to the highwaywoman.

 

Cucumber sandwich puzzle:

* In your conversation with the highwaywoman, remember all that stuff she said about the sheep? Too bad she’s got lousy eyesight. If there were a way to coax the sheep closer to the fence, maybe she could take a nap and you could take her sandwich.

** It doesn’t look like there’s a way to peacefully move those sheep. Maybe it’s time to herd them. A shepherd’s staff would be nice.

*** Well, what’s the closest thing to an instrument of persuasion we have? That’s right, the highwaywoman’s club! Nah, just kidding. We have to pull a little broomwork on those buggers. USE the broom with the sheep on the far right side of the field. (With plenty of sheep around to practice your drive on, it’s no wonder golf was invented in Scotland.)

** Ok, so the highwaywoman’s watching the sheep now, but she still won’t let you take her sandwich. She says something like she’d better not “notice” it’s gone. Well, that can be arranged, right?

*** The sandwich book is shaped like a sandwich, and with her poor eyesight, she shouldn’t be able to tell the difference. USE the sandwich book with the sandwich to make the switch. Better hope her taste buds complement her vision.

 

Oregano powder puzzle:

* That plant on the left side of the field sure looks suspiciously important, doesn’t it? Maybe if Pib was a botanist, he could identify it.

*** USE the plant ID book on the plant to confirm that it is indeed oregano.

* Unfortunately, that stubborn sheep won’t let us get at the oregano. Looks like it’s time for some persuasion.

*** Well, it worked with the other sheep, didn’t it? USE the broom with the sheep on the left side of the pasture. TAKE the oregano.

* Just when you think the puzzle’s over, something else crops up. The oregano you picked is in its natural form, but Master insisted on it being powder. You need something that will cut it up into very small pieces.

*** USE the oregano leaves with the coffee bean grinder (after it’s cleaned, of course). You should do this while Pib is at full size, so you can fully appreciate all the animation I had to draw.

 

Preparing the horse puzzle:

While obtaining the broom, Master noticed the Stick-it ™ and orders you to ready the horse.

* If Master is going to be riding the horse for an extended length of time, he’s going to need a minimal level of comfort. How about something to sit on for starters?

** You can’t just plop the saddle onto the horse’s back, that’d be bad manners. The horse is going to need a layer of something less abrasive between it and the saddle.

*** USE the picnic blanket with the horse. USE the saddle with the horse. The Master will leave only when the cheese puzzle has been solved.

 

Cheese puzzle:

If you get stumped on only one puzzle in Apprentice, it will be this one. In our feedback, we received messages from one or two people who solved this puzzle on their own just fine, but the majority of you weren’t so lucky. I guess I’m to blame, since the puzzle is a bit obscure and maybe my hints were unclear.

* LOOK at the scroll. You’re going to need to apply three factors (motion, heat, and that stomach enzyme) to some sour milk. Sounds complicated? Maybe, but don’t get confused by the enzyme part, the emphasis is on the “stomach.”

** Remember what Master said when he saw the Stick-it ™? (He sees it when you take the broom) Because you’re out of water, Master will have to take a LONG ride on a MOVING horse into the HOT desert.

** The saddle bag on the saddle was made from the stomach of a horse.

*** Once you’ve readied the horse, you’re going to need to pour the bucket of sour milk into the saddlebag. USE the pail of milk with the saddle. When Master returns, TAKE the saddle to obtain the cheese.

 

Tree by Cliff –

 

The book and picnic blanket puzzle:

The snake is guarding both of those cool items. How will I ever be able to get past him?

* You could try to kill him.

** Didn’t work? Hmm…well, did you read the heart carving? Maybe the “A+E forever” is a Biblical reference. Who else was in the Garden of Eden? What’s that you say, a talking snake?

*** You’ll have to reason with him. TALK to the snake. Eventually, you’ll be given the dialogue option of asking him if you can borrow both of the items in question.

 

Barn –

Looks like a few new objects here. TAKE the pail of milk and the stool.

 

Saddle puzzle:

* Pib’s stature really becomes an obstacle here. Is there an object in the room that might assist?

** USE the stool with the saddle. Ok, the stool extends Pib’s legs, but now we need something to extend his reach.

*** USE the broom with the saddle.

 

Finishing the game –

Once you have all three ingredients (the cucumber sandwich, the oregano powder, and the cheese) WALK up the stairs to Pib’s bedroom and watch the ending.

 

Abbreviated Walkthrough

Brevity is…wit.

(Pib’s bedroom)

-         TAKE scroll

-         LOOK at scroll

-         WALK to downstairs

(Downstairs)

-         TAKE coffee bean grinder

-         USE right cabinet

-         TAKE ??? (sandwich book)

-         USE Master’s door

-         WALK to the far right side of the room (by the stairs)

-         While Master is in the kitchen, WALK to upstairs

(Pib’s Bedroom)

-         USE laundry chute

(Downstairs)

-         TAKE broom

-         WALK to outside

(Outside tower)

-         WALK to cliff

(Tree by Cliff)

-         TALK to snake (until you ask if you can borrow objects)

-         TAKE book

-         TAKE picnic blanket

-         WALK to outside tower

(Outside tower)

-         USE gate

-         USE plant ID book with plant

-         USE broom with sheep (left side of field)

-         TAKE oregano

-         USE picnic blanket with the grinder (or USE the grinder with the dish towel in the tower)

-         USE oregano with grinder

-         USE broom with sheep (right side of field) 

-         USE gate

-         USE sandwich book with sandwich

-         WALK to barn

(Barn)

-         TAKE stool

-         TAKE pail of milk

-         USE stool with saddle

-         USE broom with saddle

-         WALK to outside

(Outside tower)

-         USE picnic blanket with horse

-         USE saddle with horse

-         USE pail of milk with saddle

-         TAKE saddle

-         WALK to tower

(Downstairs)

-         WALK to upstairs

(Ending cutscene)

 

Conclusion

 

You might want to note that this walkthrough contains no hints or references to the secret bonus puzzle, which you must solve on your own. Good luck!

This walkthrough is provided thanks to Ian Schlaepfer, who seems to do all the stuff around here.

 

For more information on Apprentice and our other projects, please visit the official Herculean Effort Productions website at http://www.sonic.net/~schlae/herculeaneffort.

 

If you have any questions, comments, or criticisms, please post them on the Herculean Effort Productions forum at http://herculeaneffort.myikonboard.com.

 

All material in Apprentice is copyright © 2003, Ian Schlaepfer. All rights reserved.