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Hired to Kill (Hired-to-kill_solution.txt)

HIRED TO KILL
Tom Powell 1992

NOTES
The first thing you have to do is to hide your bag from the pickpockets, because
by the time the mercenary advises you to do so, it will be far too late and you 
will have lost your money. Hints you get earlier ("I HOPE THERE AREN'T ANY 
PICKPOCKETS ABOUT.") are not very useful.

An unusual feature in this adventure is the possibility of buying objects more 
than once - for example, when you have given away an emerald, then you can buy
another one.

Before betting in the casino, it's recommended to make a snapshot of the 
adventure, because the game will automatically RAMSAVE each time you bet to stop 
you cheating. You can try the commands WAIT (WA), BET or BET ALL. If you still 
want to cheat then POKE 53936,0: 53946,0: 53958,0: 53972,0: 53983,0; you can now 
perform RAMSAVE before you start betting and every time after you win until you 
have 255 dirins.

If your health status is low, you can't pick up any objects, so it's best to 
drink the potion after fighting.

Objects you can sell in the Broker's shop:
pudding, mystic globe (after collecting the talisman; don't forget to get the 
lantern out of it), talisman (after using it in order to get the brooch), tax 
register, book of poems => 100 dirins altogether

There are some characters who wander around (merchant, beggar, youth, farmer, 
blacksmith, hunter, drunk, woman, miller, the guard at the castle entrance), so 
in the last part of the adventure it costs you a lot of time looking for them in
 the entire map.

According to the tax register, there are 31 tax-payers you have to make friendly 
with the following actions: 
Merchant                   - PICKPOCKET MERCHANT, GIVE WALLET
Beggar                     - GIVE FUR, BOOTS, HAM and SALMON
Youth                      - GIVE SPELL
Farmer                     - bring back his cart *)
Blacksmith                 - GIVE SUIT of armour
Hunter                     - GIVE ARROW (with gold tip)
Drunk                      - GIVE ALE *)
Woman                      - GIVE RAT
Miller                     - GIVE BAG
Guard 1 (castle entrance)  - GIVE EMERALD *)
Guard 2 (great hall)       - GIVE EMERALD
Guard 3 (thieves alley)    - GIVE EMERALD
Sentry                     - GIVE EMERALD
Group of Guards            - THROW EMERALD through WINDOW *)
Innkeeper                  - GIVE SPICE
Bartender 1                - GIVE BARREL
Bartender 2                - GIVE LANTERN
Barmaid 1                  - KISS BARMAID *)
Barmaid 2                  - GIVE ALE *)
Fisherman                  - GIVE LOAF
Monk 1                     - GIVE SWORD
Monk 2                     - GIVE SWORD
Barbarian                  - GIVE ALE (with pill) *)
Mercenary                  - GIVE ALE *)
Knight                     - GIVE POTION
Urchin                     - GIVE POUCH
Wench                      - GIVE BROOCH *)
Gambler                    - SAY ZULDUR *)
Healer 1                   - GIVE STONE
Healer 2                   - GIVE RING
Servant                    - GIVE PEPPER
*) => already done before you pick up the tax register

SOLUTION
(you start in a small room in an inn) I (you are carrying a small bag and a book
 of poems), X BAG (contains 10 dirins), D, E, S, E, N, BUY POUCH (5 dirins 
remain), PUT BAG IN POUCH, S, S, S, W, GET BAG POUCH, BUY SALMON (1 dirin 
remains), PUT BAG IN POUCH, E, N, N, W, W, W, N, W, S, GET BAG POUCH, SELL 
SALMON (you now have 21 dirins), N, W, N (in a casino), now BET until you have 
won 255 dirins (see notes), PUT BAG IN POUCH, S, 4xE, S, E, E, N, GET BAG POUCH, 
BUY CLOTH, S, S, E, E, BUY SWORD, PUT BAG IN POUCH, W, W, W, N, W, W, N, W, W, 
N, GET BAG POUCH, BUY SUIT, WEAR SUIT, S, 5xW, S, S, E, GIVE CLOTH TO HEALER (he 
gives you a potion), W, N, N, E, E, E, S, S, E (the necromancer is there and 
summons a demon), HIT NECROMANCER (many times until he's dead and you get his 
money), HIT DEMON (many times until he's dead and you get his money), DRINK 
POTION, PUT BAG IN POUCH, GET SCROLL, X SCROLL (a magic love pill appears), GET 
CHEESE, EAT CHEESE (inside you find a gold nugget). 

W, N, N, W, N, GET BAG POUCH, BUY LANTERN, S, S, BUY EMERALD, PUT BAG IN POUCH, 
N, 5xE, N, N, N, X GUARD (his job is to stop anyone getting into the castle), 
GIVE EMERALD TO GUARD ("Thanks, mate. You're a true friend."), S, S, S, 5xW, S, 
GET BAG POUCH, BUY EMERALD, PUT BAG IN POUCH, N, 6xE, S, E, E, S, SAY BARON KING 
(he gives you a note), X NOTE ("Kill king while he is visiting castle and I'll 
pay you 1000 dirins."), N, N, GET BAG POUCH, BUY CLOTH, PUT BAG IN POUCH, S, W, 
W, N, N, 4xE, S, KISS BARMAID (she says "That mercenary knows a lot of secrets, 
but he won't tell you unless you buy him some ale when you are very drunk."), 
GET BAG POUCH, BUY ALE, PUT BAG IN POUCH, PUT PILL IN ALE, GIVE ALE TO BARBARIAN 
(he falls in love with you), SAY BARBARIAN "BUY ALE", SAY BARBARIAN "GIVE ALE TO 
ME", SAY BARBARIAN "FOLLOW ME", N, 4xW, S, S, E, E, S, GIVE ALE TO BARMAID 
("Thank you, kind friend."), SAY BARBARIAN "BUY ALE", SAY BARBARIAN "GIVE
ALE TO 
ME", GIVE ALE TO DRUNK ("Cheersh, my good man. Jusht what I wantsh."). 

SAY BARBARIAN "BUY ALE", SAY BARBARIAN "GIVE ALE TO ME", DRINK ALE 
(you drink back the ale),
SAY BARBARIAN "BUY ALE", SAY BARBARIAN "GIVE ALE TO ME", DRINK ALE 
(you knock back the ale),
SAY BARBARIAN "BUY ALE", SAY BARBARIAN "GIVE ALE TO ME", DRINK ALE 
(you drain the mug in one gulp),
SAY BARBARIAN "BUY ALE", SAY BARBARIAN "GIVE ALE TO ME", DRINK ALE 
(you pour the ale down your throat)
[NOTE: if you stumble and fall over on your following moves, simply repeat the 
current command], W, N, W, N, N, 4xE, S, 
SAY BARBARIAN "BUY ALE", SAY BARBARIAN "GIVE ALE TO ME", DRINK ALE 
(you down the ale and discard the mug),
SAY BARBARIAN "BUY ALE", SAY BARBARIAN "GIVE ALE TO ME", DRINK ALE 
(you down the ale and discard the mug),
SAY BARBARIAN "BUY ALE", SAY BARBARIAN "GIVE ALE TO ME", DRINK ALE 
(you down the ale and discard the mug),
SAY BARBARIAN "BUY ALE", SAY BARBARIAN "GIVE ALE TO ME", DRINK ALE 
(you down the ale and discard the mug), 
SAY BARBARIAN "BUY ALE", SAY BARBARIAN "GIVE ALE TO ME", N, DRINK ALE, S,
SAY BARBARIAN "BUY ALE", SAY BARBARIAN "GIVE ALE TO ME", N, DRINK ALE, S,
[repeat these 5 commands until the 'Aaarghurbableursssp?' prompt appears 
(instead of 'What now?')], S.

SAY BARBARIAN "BUY ALE", SAY BARBARIAN "GIVE ALE TO ME", GIVE ALE TO MERCENARY 
("If there's anything you want to know, just ask me about it and I'll tell 
you."), SAY MERCENARY CASTLE ("I don't know how to get into the castle, but if 
you tell the white-robed healer the thieves' password, he'll tell you."), SAY 
MERCENARY GUILD ("I don't know where it is, but there are plenty in this city 
who do."), SAY MERCENARY JOIN ("Ask the monk about that. Not this drunkard here, 
I mean the other one."), SAY MERCENARY BEGGAR ("The beggar is a thief, for sure. 
He goes to the thieves' guild most nights just before 11pm."), SAY MERCENARY 
THIEVES ("There are a lot around. I've heard that there is a thieves' guild in a 
secret part of the city."), SAY MERCENARY PICKPOCKETS ("Both the miller and the 
youth are pickpockets. If you keep your bag of dirins in something else, then 
they couldn't rob you.").

N, 5xW, S (Inn), GET BAG POUCH, BUY, PUT BAG IN POUCH, LIE, D, W, 4xS, X WALL 
(you find a secret door to the south), S, 6xE, N, GIVE GOLD TO WENCH ("Well 
done. you can join the guild. The password is 'Zuldur'. If you can rob the house 
five buildings west of here, then I'll give you a magic ring."), SAY ZULDUR (the 
gambler says "I see you are a member of our guild. Then you have my 
friendship."), S, 6xW, 5xN, E, GET BAG POUCH, BUY, PUT BAG IN POUCH, LIE, D, 
7xW, S, S, S, E, ZULDUR (the healer tells you that the guard at the castle 
entrance leaves his post just after 2am), W, N, E, GIVE CLOTH TO HEALER (he 
gives you another potion), W, N, N, 7xE, GET BAG POUCH, BUY, PUT BAG IN POUCH, 
LIE, D, N, N, WA 8 (repeat this until it's after 2am), N (if the guard is still 
there, go back and wait some more minutes), N, N (you are in the Outer Ward), 
THROW EMERALD WINDOW (the guards open the portcullis), N, N, W, S, W, W, U, GET 
GLOBE, D, E, GET BAG POUCH, RAMSAVE, HIT DEMON (until he's dead - you pick up 
his money), DRINK POTION [during the fight if it's necessary], PUT BAG IN POUCH, 
E, N, E, S, S, E, E, E, NE, 7xN, 4xW.

PUSH CART E, E, PUSH CART E, E, PUSH CART E, E, PUSH CART E, E, PUSH CART S, S, 
PUSH CART S, S, PUSH CART S, S, PUSH CART S, S, PUSH CART S, S, PUSH CART S, S, 
PUSH CART S, S, PUSH CART S, S, PUSH CART W, W, PUSH CART W, W, PUSH CART W, W, 
PUSH CART W, W, PUSH CART N, N, PUSH CART N, N, PUSH CART N, N, PUSH CART E, E, 
PUSH CART E, E, SAY BARBARIAN "STOP", GET IN CART, SAY BARBARIAN "PUSH CART S", 
GET OUT, X GLOBE, PUT LANTERN IN GLOBE, GET IN WELL, D, D, SE, U, U, U, GET 
TALISMAN, D, D, D, NW, U, U, GET OUT, PUSH CART N, N, SAY BARBARIAN "FOLLOW ME", 
PUSH CART W, W, PUSH CART W, W, PUSH CART S, S, PUSH CART S, S, PUSH CART S, S, 
PUSH CART S, S, PUSH CART S, S, PUSH CART S, S, PUSH CART S, S, PUSH CART S, S, 
GET LANTERN GLOBE, DROP GLOBE, DROP BOOK, PUSH CART S, S, PUSH CART E, E, PUSH 
CART E, E, PUSH CART E, E, SAY BARBARIAN "STOP", GET IN CART, SAY BARBARIAN 
"PUSH CART S", GET OUT (the farmer says "My lost cart! At last! Thank you for 
finding it, friend.").

N, SAY BARBARIAN "FOLLOW ME", W, W, W, N, SAY BARBARIAN "STOP", W, S, S, S, E, 
HIT DOOR (several times until it breaks), WEAR TALISMAN, S, GET BROOCH, N, 
REMOVE TALISMAN, W, S, X WALL, S, 6xE, N, GIVE BROOCH TO WENCH (she gives you a 
magic ring), WEAR RING (you are teleported to Long Street and find a magic 
stone), GET STONE, X STONE, 5xE, S, S, S, DROP TALISMAN, REMOVE RING, SAY 
BARBARIAN "FOLLOW ME", E, S, E, E, N, GET BAG POUCH, BUY CLOTH, PUT BAG IN 
POUCH, S, W, W, W, N, 7xW, S, S, E, GIVE CLOTH TO HEALER, W, N, N, 7xE, 10xN, E, 
N, E, GET PUDDING, W, S, E, D, SAY BARBARIAN "STOP", WEAR RING, THROW STONE 
THROUGH BARS (you are in the dungeon), GET RAT, GET STONE, THROW STONE THROUGH 
BARS (you are teleported back to the basement), GET STONE, REMOVE RING, SAY 
BARBARIAN "FOLLOW ME", U, W, W, S, S, S, W, S, W, GET BAG POUCH, W, U, JUMP 
WINDOW, 5xN, DRINK POTION, HIT DEMON (until he's dead), PUT BAG IN POUCH, SAY 
BARBARIAN "SE" (the bomb goes off and the barbarian is blown up), SE, GIVE NOTE 
TO KING (he says that you have to find the Baron and kill him), DROP STONE, E, 
S, S, S, E, 8xS, DROP PUDDING.

S, E, E, E, N, GET BAG POUCH, BUY CLOTH, PUT BAG IN POUCH, S, 4xW, N, 6xW, S, S, 
E, GIVE CLOTH TO HEALER, W, S, S, E, E, E, GET BAG POUCH, S (the Baron is 
there), DRINK POTION, HIT BARON (until he's dead), PUT BAG IN POUCH, 5xN, 5xE, 
S, E, E, N, GET BAG POUCH, BUY CLOTH, PUT BAG IN POUCH, S, 4xW, N, 6xW, S, S, E, 
GIVE CLOTH TO HEALER, WEAR RING (you are back in the Great Hall; the King says 
"Well done. One more thing, though. I will make you the new Baron if all the 
tax-payers in the city are friendly to you."), REMOVE RING, DRINK POTION, GET 
STONE, E, DROP STONE, E, E, E, HIT DOOR (several times until it breaks), NE, GET 
BAG POUCH, U, GET TAX, D, HIT DEMON (until he's dead), PUT BAG IN POUCH, SW, S, 
W, W, 10xS, X TAX, DROP TAX.

S, E, E, E, N, GET BAG POUCH, BUY CLOTH, PUT BAG IN POUCH, S, 4xW, N, 6xW, S, S, 
E, GIVE CLOTH TO HEALER, DRINK POTION, W, N, N, E, E, S, GET BAG POUCH, BUY 
EMERALD, PUT BAG IN POUCH, WEAR RING (back in the Great Hall), GIVE EMERALD TO 
GUARD ("Thanks, mate. You're a true friend."), REMOVE RING, S, E, 10xS, E, S, 
4xE, GET BAG POUCH, BUY HAM, W, N, BUY FUR, PUT BAG IN POUCH, S, S, S, E, GET 
BAG POUCH, BUY SPICE, PUT BAG IN POUCH, W, W, S, GET BAG POUCH, BUY PEPPER, PUT 
BAG IN POUCH, N, W, S, GET BAG POUCH, BUY BOOTS, N, W, BUY SALMON, PUT BAG IN 
POUCH, E, N, N, W, W, N, GIVE SPICE TO INNKEEPER ("Thanks, chum. I needed a 
spice but I couldn't leave the shop."), 5xW, S, GET BAG POUCH, BUY EMERALD, PUT 
BAG IN POUCH, WEAR RING, REMOVE RING, GET STONE, E, E, E, GIVE PEPPER TO SERVANT 
("You are a great friend."), W, S, S, S, E, GIVE EMERALD TO SENTRY ("Thanks, 
mate. You're a true friend."), W, W, 8xS.

S, E, E, E, N, GET BAG POUCH, BUY CLOTH, PUT BAG IN POUCH, S, W, W, W, N, 7xW, 
S, S, S, E, GIVE STONE TO HEALER ("I've been looking for that stone everywhere. 
It's magic, you know."), W, N, E, GIVE CLOTH TO HEALER, GIVE RING TO HEALER ("A 
magic ring! You are too kind, friend."), W, N, N, 7xE, GET GLOBE, GET PUDDING, 
GET TALISMAN, GET TAX, GET BOOK, W, W, S, GET BAG POUCH, SELL GLOBE, SELL 
TALISMAN, SELL PUDDING, SELL TAX, SELL BOOK, N, W, N, BET (until you have at 
least 185 dirins), PUT BAG IN POUCH, S, W, W, W, N, GET BAG POUCH, BUY LOAF, S, 
S, BUY SPELL, N, E, S, BUY EMERALD, N, E, N, BUY ARROW, X ARROW (it has a lead 
tip), CAST SPELL ARROW (the tip turns into gold), S, W, W, S, BUY SPELL, PUT BAG 
IN POUCH, N, 7xE, S, E, E, S, GIVE POTION TO KNIGHT ("A healing potion! Just 
what I need in battles. Thanks, dear friend."), GIVE LOAF TO FISHERMAN ("Thanks, 
kind friend. I couldn't bear to eat any more fish.").

W, W, GET BAG POUCH, BUY BARREL, PUT BAG IN POUCH, E, E, GIVE BARREL TO 
BARTENDER ("Thanks, friend. I needed another barrel."), N, W, W, N, N, 4xE, S, 
GIVE SWORD TO MONK ("Cheers, pal. Just what I always wanted."), GIVE LANTERN TO 
BARTENDER ("A lantern! I thanks you, kind sir."), N, 4xW, S, S, E, E, E, S, E, 
GET BAG POUCH, BUY SWORD, PUT BAG IN POUCH, W, W, W, N, W, W, N, GET BAG POUCH, 
BUY, LIE, D, W, 5xS, 6xE, N, GIVE EMERALD TO GUARD ("Thanks, mate. You're a true 
friend."), GIVE SWORD TO MONK ("Cheers, pal. Just what I always wanted."), GIVE 
POUCH TO URCHIN ("Thanks, friend. I wish you could be the Baron of Duchester."), 
S, 6xW, 5xN, E.

There are still 7 characters which are wandering around: the blacksmith, the 
youth, the hunter, the merchant, the beggar, the woman and the miller. Most of 
them should appear in the outer ward of the castle, some of them at the streets 
outside. When you have found one of them, follow him/her and do the following:
Blacksmith  - REMOVE SUIT, GIVE SUIT TO BLACKSMITH ("Thanks, friend. I needed 
              some spare metal for my forge.")
Youth       - GIVE SPELL TO YOUTH ("Wow, a real spell! Thanks a lot, friend.")
Hunter      - GIVE ARROW TO HUNTER ("Blimey! An arrow with a gold tip. Thanks, 
              pal.")
Merchant    - PICKPOCKET MERCHANT, at another location: GIVE WALLET TO MERCHANT
              ("Thank you, kind sir. I must have dropped it somewhere. You are a 
              true friend.")
Beggar      - GIVE FUR TO BEGGAR, GIVE BOOTS TO BEGGAR, GIVE HAM TO BEGGAR, GIVE 
              SALMON TO BEGGAR (in this order), follow him until he says "You 
              are a true friend. People like you should rule the country."
Woman       - GIVE RAT TO WOMAN ("Destroy that thing quickly! I can't stand 
              it."), at another location: GIVE RAT TO WOMAN, follow her until 
              she says "Thanks, friend. I couldn't bear the sight of that dead 
              thing."
Miller      - GIVE BAG TO MILLER ("Cheers, mate. You're a good man.")

When you have done that, visit the King again (don't fight the demon - RAMSAVE 
at the corridor to the east of the tower and go through the secret passage 
without stopping to the Great Hall, it should be no problem with 255 health 
points):
The King says "WELL DONE. YOU HAVE SAVED ME FROM THE BARON'S TREACHERY. NOW THAT 
HE'S DEAD I NEED A NEW BARON. YOU'LL DO NICELY."
Well done. You have killed the Baron, saved the King and now you have been made 
the new Baron of Duchester. You have won!!!

Solution by boldir, December 2024