Firebird is a TADS 2 interactive fiction game and is © 1998 by Bonnie Montgomery.
You are Prince Ivan, the third son of a tsar. After a prologue sequence, you are ordered by your father to capture the Firebird, a task where your older brothers, Dimitri and Vasilii, have failed. The story is based on Russian folk tales.
This solution is by David Welbourn, and is based on release 1.01 of the game. This game is an old favourite of mine. I really enjoyed playing this one.
Deep in a Russian Forest, Under a Large Tree
The game begins with you tasked by your father to kill something for your next meal.
> verbose. about.
> x bow. x quiver. x arrow. x chip.
> x large tree. climb large tree. (A bird flies down.)
This flicker bird will do nicely.
> x bird. put arrow in bow. (The flicker flies away.)
> follow flicker.
The Path's East Branch
If the flicker flies away before you can shoot it, follow it and try again.
> aim arrow at flicker. shoot flicker. (+3)
> take flicker. x it. take arrow.
> s. s.
A Catering Camp
> x caterer. x dishes. x food. x coffee. x samovar.
> give flicker to caterer. (+3)
Your Next Meal
> x busboy. (It's your older brother, Vasilii.) again.
> x wench. (She serves your meal and leaves.)
> x table. x mask. (It's of your eldest brother, Dimitri.)
> x sandwich. eat it. x coffee. smell it. drink it.
> take all from table. x cup. read cup.
> x plate. x spoon. x fork. x knife. x napkin. x utensil.
> ask Vasilii about Dimitri. ask Vasilii about Firebird.
> n. n. n. n. n. n.
Back to Civilization
CAUTION: Heading north from here the first time without wearing the mask is fatal.
> wear mask. n.
The Opposite Sex
+3. The women want nothing to do with loser "Dimitri"; they leave and never return.
> n.
An Encampment of Underlings
A goofy-looking fellow, your allergist, and a page are here. You automatically read the message from your father, the tsar: bring him the Firebird or else! The page also tells you that a groom and horse await you at the inn to the north.
> x fellow. (It's Dimitri in a floppy hat and fake mustache.)
> give mask to Dimitri. (Already got one.)
> x allergist. footnote 1. (Beeswax is used in lipstick.)
> ask allergist about treatment.
> allergist, give treatment to me.
> x page. ask page about father. ask page about message.
> n.
On the Way to the Inn
> take coin. x it. n.
Outside of an Inn
While you're outside the inn, a stream of people will throw things into the refuse pile. Take all the things. You can't enter the inn or talk to any of the peasants. Don't ride the horse without the Firebird.
> x pile. x groom. take greens. x greens.
> ask groom about horse. (The groom can't talk; his tongue was cut out.)
> take flask. x it. x horse. x inn.
> z. z. footnote 2. (Is the joke funnier with vodka?)
> z. z. z. take flask. x it. (The first flask was white; this one's black.)
> z. take matchbook. x it. (There's 7 matches.)
The matchbook is the last thing you need from here. After you have it, you can go.
The white flask contains the water of life; it resurrects dead creatures.
The black flask contains the water of death; it heals all wounds.
Note the flasks' labels include the warning for "external use only", but you can't drink from the flasks anyway.
> s. s. s. s. s. s. s. s.
A Light Beckons Through the Darkness
> e. e.
An Old Woman by the Fire
The baba yaga has a bag that transforms things. She won't let you put creatures into the bag, dead or alive. Nor will she let you insert anything that's already useful, or would make for a boring transformation.
Incidentally, I found no use for the bucket, so you might just keep the cup. The bucket can act as a general container, but you seem to have unlimited carrying capacity in this game. The game doesn't know the verb "fill", so you can't put water in it. Nor can you enter the bucket; you can't use it as a raft.
> x woman. x bag. x fire. x hut. ask woman about wizard. (He's her nephew!?)
> ask woman about woman. ask woman about bag.
> put knife in bag. (It turns into a sword!) x sword.
> put spoon in bag. (It turns into a shovel!) x shovel.
> put fork in bag. (It turns into a different fork!) x fork.
> put napkin in bag. (It turns into a blanket!) x blanket.
> put plate in bag. (It turns into a shield!) x shield.
> put cup in bag. (It turns into a bucket!) x bucket.
> put utensil in bag. (What is that!?)
> xyzzy. plugh.
> w. w. n. n. sw.
Deeper and Darker
The key to overcoming your fears here is simple persistence.
> x shrubbery. w. w. w.
An Immense Stone Wall
> x wall. x plaque. read plaque. sw.
A Future Flower Bed
> x bed. dig bed. (with shovel: You automatically enter the garden through the new tunnel.)
A Lovely Garden
> n.
A Burbling Fountain
Again, persistence is useful.
> x frog. read frog. ("KISS ME") x pads. x fountain.
> kiss frog. g. g. (It turns into a maniac!)
> kiss maniac. (He turns back into a frog!)
> x frog. read frog. ("Kiss ONLY in case of emergency!")
> s. e.
Within a Budding Grove
> x tree. x fruit. u. u.
Sitting on a Lower Branch
CAUTION: Taking the fruit is fatal if you didn't get an allergy treatment.
> x bees. x blossoms. x fruit. take fruit. x it. (A gold nugget!)
> u.
On a Higher Branch
This business with the nest and magazine is optional:
> take magazine. enter nest. (You and the nest fall to the ground.)
Within a Budding Grove
> out. take magazine. x it. read it. u. u.
On a Higher Branch
By this time, a large bird should have arrived here.
> x bird. put blanket on firebird. (+3. You've captured the firebird.)
> free bird. (+3)
The Firebird admits to being the golden apple thief, but claims another is truly responsible.
She then says you'll need to journey to the east. If you're not carrying everything you'll need for the trip, she'll offer to give you a list of what you're missing. The seven things that may be on the list are: a sword, a shield, a matchbook, a coin, a gold nugget, an ambiguous utensil, and a mysteriously transformed fork.
Whether or not you get a list, the Firebird will tell you to go first to the caterers. She will follow you.
> ask firebird about firebird. ask firebird about katschei.
> d. d. w. d. ne. e. ne. s. s. s.
A Catering Camp
The Firebird stops outside the camp, telling you to get sandwiches and rice pudding. You proceed to...
Your Next Meal
You order the sandwiches and rice pudding from senior wench, Flo. Vasilii is immediately suspicious; you're allergic to rice pudding. Flo gives you your food and leaves. DON'T eat the pudding.
> i. x beef sandwich. x flicker sandwich. x pudding. n. n.
A Light Beckons Through the Darkness
You automatically give the pudding to the Firebird. She bids you to be on your way.
> n. e.
Darker and Deeper
The Firebird gives you a glowing feather and leaves you.
The old man here tells you of the three rivers ahead and the three ferrymen who'll demand your right hand, left foot, and head as payment for ferrying you. If you survive that, you're to head straight east to a mountain and the four palaces of the wizard Katschei; Katschei is likely your true enemy.
+3. (If you visit here before this point, the old man won't let you past.)
> x man. ne.
Would you like to save your soul? (YES or NO) > yes.
On the West Bank of the First River
> x man. (He has one eye and wears copper armor.)
> x ferry. x river. ride ferry.
On the River, in the ferry
> z. z. (He's fascinated by your copper coin.)
On the East Bank of the First River
> give coin to man. kill man with sword. (+3)
> take coin.
> pour white flask on man. (He's better off dead. Harsh.)
> e.
On the West Bank of the Second River
> x man. (He has two eyes and silver armor.)
> ride ferry.
On the River, in the ferry
> z. z. (He's fascinated by your silver utensil.)
On the East Bank of the Second River
> give utensil to man. (This only distracts one of his eyes.)
> give coin to man. (Now both eyes are distracted.)
> kill man with sword. (+3)
> take coin. take utensil. e.
On the West Bank of the Third River
> x man. (He has three eyes and golden armor.)
> ride ferry.
On the River, in the ferry
> z. z. (He's fascinated by your gold nugget.)
On the East Bank of the Third River
> give nugget to man. give utensil to man.
> give coin to man. kill man with sword. (+3)
> take coin. take utensil. take nugget. e.
On a Path to Adventure
> save. (A significant decision point is coming up.)
> e.
On the Road Across the Open Steppe (west end)
Vasilii, armed with kitchen knives, has somehow followed you. He wants the tsardom and threatens to kill you!
You have a choice: do you want to kill him or not? I assume you don't want him to kill you. Tell you what: let's kill him then immediately bring him back to life.
> kill Vasilii with sword. (He dies.)
> pour black flask on Vasilii. pour white flask on Vasilii. (He regains life, sees the error of his ways, and becomes your ally.)
> e. e. e. e. e. e. e. e. e.
At the Base of the Mountain
> se.
Trying to Walk Past the Mountain
> x rock. (It's a door.) open door. in.
In a Dark Cave
This is what you need the glowing feather for.
> x debris. search it. g. g. g. (+3. You have four iron claws.)
> out. nw. w.
On the Road Across the Open Steppe (east end)
You must have the mysteriously transformed fork for this to work, and it only works on the steppe locations where there's a road. This trick doesn't work at "On the Way to the Inn"; you can't skip the river puzzles that way.
> put fork in road. (This creates a forked road; you can go northwest.)
The fork leads to a shimmering doorway, which connects the steppe to the way to the inn. This lets you return to the first part of the game, in case you want to return there for some reason. It's good to have the extra option.
Once the fork is placed, it's there for good; you can't take it back.
> e.
At the Base of the Mountain
Vasilii can't climb with you, so he'll wait for you to return.
Note: If you're missing a hand or foot, you won't be able to wear all four claws, and you won't be able to climb. Restore any missing limbs by pouring the black flask on yourself.
> wear claws. u.
An Edifice Built into the Rock Face
It's not just evil ferrymen who like copper, silver, and gold. Evil wizards like precious metals too.
CAUTION: Don't try to unscrew the dome. You'll be transported back to outside the inn and lose a hand! Of course, you can regrow your hand by pouring the black flask on the stump. And if you placed the fork in the road as I did, you can even return quickly via the shimmering doorway. Or return not-so-quickly by swimming in the first river and heading south through the wilderness. Or even, y'know, typing undo.
> x palace. x door. x slot. x dome.
> remove claws. put coin in slot. (+3. You are transported inside.)
Inside the Copper Palace
A bird with human arms and hands is busy polishing copper.
> x bird. x copper.
> bird, hello. (The game suggests several conversation topics.)
> footnote 3. (Prompts to use "ask bird about ...")
Once you have the pot, the bird woman gets too nervous to let you stay and ejects you from the palace, so don't waste your turns.
> ask bird about imprisonment. ask bird about work.
> ask bird about firebird. (She gives you a copper pot.)
> ask bird about wizard. (She pushes you out through the mail slot.)
An Edifice Built into the Rock Face
> x pot. (It's a censer without a chain.)
> wear claws. u.
A Sooty Palace on a Ledge
> remove claws. x palace. x door. x slot. x dome.
> put utensil in slot. (+3. You are transported inside.)
Inside the Silver Palace
A bird with human legs and feet is busy tallying silver.
> footnote 4. (Suggests the same topics as before.)
You'll be ejected the turn after you get the chain.
> ask bird about imprisonment. ask bird about work.
> ask bird about firebird. (She gives you a chain.)
> ask bird about wizard. (She kicks you through the mail slot.)
A Sooty Palace on a Ledge
> x chain. attach chain to pot. wear claws. u.
A Palace of Gleaming Gold
> remove claws. x palace. x door.
> put nugget in slot. (+3. You are transported inside.)
Inside the Golden Palace
The Firebird arrives! She is the captive of this third castle. You'll be ejected the turn after you get the herbs.
> ask firebird about capture. (She is your true mother!)
> ask firebird about firebird.
> ask firebird about wizard. (She gives you three bunches of herbs to put a serpent to sleep, and implores you to get inside the pearl palace and learn where Katschei's soul is hidden.)
> ask firebird about work. (She escorts you through the mail slot.)
A Palace of Gleaming Gold
> x herbs. put herbs in pot. wear claws. u.
At the Top of the Mountain
> remove claws. e. e.
In a Lovely Green Meadow (west side)
There are four meadow locations in a diamond shape around the pearl palace.
> x creature. x palace. ne. se.
In a Lovely Green Meadow (east side)
The serpent's head is here.
> light match. light herbs. (Dropping match inside the pot. Smoke flows.)
CAUTION: If you just "swing censer", you'll breathe the smoke yourself and die.
> swing censer at serpent's head. (The serpent sleeps.)
> climb serpent. (+3)
The Courtyard of the Pearl Palace
> in.
In a Pearly Ante Chamber
A beautiful woman named Pearl is here, whose lower body is that of a bird. She tells you that Katschei's soul is in an egg, in a duck, in a hare, in a hollow log in a forest of the island Bouyan. The egg must be broken in Katschei's sight to destroy him. And he himself will be guarded with his knights.
You'll have three turns in this palace, then you're forced out.
> x Pearl. x door. ask Pearl about door. (She shooes you out, and you return to the meadow.)
In a Lovely Green Meadow (east side)
> sw. nw. w. w.
At the Top of the Mountain
> wear claws. d. d. d. d.
At the Base of the Mountain
You update Vasilii, and he leaves to find some men who'll help you battle the knights.
> remove claws. w.
On the Road Across the Open Steppe
> n.
Wilderness (A9 on my map)
We're trying to find the sea, and hopefully the island that Pearl told us about.
> footnote 5. read trails.
Reading the trails is very informative: head north to the sea and south to the steppe. Furthermore, it tells you exactly what to do if you reach a dead-end that smells "salty" (G6 and G10 on my map). But since I've taken the trouble to map out the entire wilderness, let's just head to the sea directly.
> n. n. nw. n. nw.
By the Sea
In this section, we'll be rescuing four creatures from their various predicaments. They will all later return the favour in this side-quest to get Katschei's egg. Afterwards, we shall confront him with it.
A beached pike is struggling to breathe. If you delay too long, it will die. If it does die, pour the black flask, then the white flask on it to resurrect it.
> x pike. put pike in sea. (+3)
> x island. x sea. n.
Island
> x rocks. n.
In the Forest
A bear has its paw trapped under a fallen tree. If you delay too long, he'll gnaw off his paw and leave. If that happens, the injured bear will be at "A Sheltering Cove".
> x bear. chop tree with sword. (+3)
> x fallen tree. n.
In the Forest
A stranded otter needs food, water, and protection. You can can give the sandwiches and turnip greens to the otter, if you like, but it's not necessary.
> take otter. x it. give greens to otter. n.
A Thicket of Vines
A hawk is tangled in the vines. If you delay too long, the hawk dies, but can be revived with the flasks as usual.
> x hawk. cut vines with sword. (Doesn't work; the thicket is too tangled.)
> untangle vines. (+3)
> n.
A Pond in the Clearing
Don't put the otter into the pond; it's acidic! If you try swimming in it, you'll quickly jump out.
It starts raining when you reach here (or soon after); the level of the pond rises.
> ne.
A Glimpse of the Beach
> ne.
A Sheltering Cove
You may see another otter here in the water.
If the injured bear is here, "pour black flask on bear" to heal him and get +3 points.
> put otter in sea. (+3)
> sw. nw.
At the Base of an Ancient Tree
> x ancient tree. climb tree.
On a Branch over Troubled Water
If necessary, wait until the water level is at its highest because of the rain.
> take log. (+3. The log is now on land.)
> d.
At the Base of an Ancient Tree
> x log. take log. (Too heavy) look in log. (It's solid.)
> cut log with sword. (You can't break it open, but the bear does! A hare is revealed.)
CAUTION: If you haven't put the otter into the sea, attempts to attack or take the hare will result in your death.
> x hare. take hare. (It runs! You follow.)
A Glimpse of the Beach
The otter rips the hare apart, and a duck emerges.
> x duck. take duck. (It flies! You follow.)
A Sheltering Cove
The hawk grabs the duck and the duck lays an egg into the ocean. (If you never freed the hawk, the duck flies away, never to be seen again.)
> x ocean. (+3. The pike gives the egg to you.)
> x egg. shake egg.
> sw. sw. s. s. s. s. s.
By the Sea
Return to the steppe by heading ever southward.
> se. s. se. s. s. s.
On the Road Across the Open Steppe
Optional: If you wish, you might want to take the fork back to the forest and ask the baba yaga about the egg. She does have something to say about it.
> e.
At the Base of the Mountain
Vasilii has returned with a dozen tappanyaki chefs (and climbing gear). They will all follow you. You will not be able to backtrack at this point.
> wear claws. u. u. u. u.
At the Top of the Mountain
> remove claws. e. e. se. ne.
In a Lovely Green Meadow (east side)
> put herbs in censer. light match. put match in censer.
> swing censer at serpent's head. climb serpent.
> in. in.
In the Great Hall of the Pearl Palace
In a long textdump, the chefs defeat the knights: +3.
You have very few options here. You can't leave. All weapons shatter against Katschei's body. He doesn't answer questions. But he doesn't ever attack you either, which surprised me.
> footnote 6. ("three times nine" means twenty-nine)
> x knights. x Katschei.
> break egg. (+3. Katschei dies, and then everyone is at...)
The Cathedral of Our Lady
The bird-women—Copper, Silver, your mom, and Pearl—are now full women again. Also here are your dad, your brothers Dimitri and Vasilii, the head caterer, Flo, the serving wench (who was secretly Pearl's sister, Elena!), your allergist, the baba yaga, the chefs, and the archbishop.
You learn that Elena told Vasilii of a secret way to the steppe; that's how he was able to follow you.
Your father, the tsar, announces your betrothal to Pearl. He also grants you the right to choose wives for your brothers.
In fact, you may order anyone here to marry anyone else here, as long as they're not already spoken for (you, Pearl, and your mom and dad). Oh, and except the archbishop (who is only here to officiate), and the chefs (the tsardom isn't ready for group marriage). High-born may wed low-born; your brothers can marry Flo or the baba yaga if that's what you want. Same-sex pairings are also permitted (as domestic partnerships). You can even order your brothers to marry each other!
However, you must marry Pearl as the final move of the game. You cannot break off your engagement, nor may you choose another spouse for yourself.
> footnote 7. (e.g.: "Dimitri, marry Flo.")
> x dad. x mom. x Dimitri. x Vasilii.
> x Copper. x Silver. x Pearl. x Elena.
> x baba yaga. x archbishop. x Flo.
> put feather in bag. x present. unwrap present. (You get the feather back. The bag just gift-wraps items now.)
> Flo, kiss my grits. (Flo is based on the character of the same name in the TV show Alice. "Kiss my grits" was her very popular catchphrase.)
> x chip. (Remember the chip on your shoulder from the beginning of the game?)
> Dad, marry mom.
Okay, okay. Enough procrastinating. Let's get married. Feel free to pick different brides for your brothers.
> Vasilii, marry Elena.
> Dimitri, marry Copper.
> marry Pearl.
Nuptial Bliss, Beneficient Reign
You marry Pearl and everyone is very happy. In due time, you become the tsar of both your and Pearl's parents' tsardoms.
You have reached the end of the game.
Outside of an Inn
For this variant, you must be carrying the Firebird trapped in the blanket.
> ride horse.
Arriving at the Palace, Firebird in Hand
The Firebird whispers something to your father. Surprised by what he hears, the tsar next tells you that the Firebird will be his thief, that you'll be its apprentice, that the true thief has something your father lost years ago, and that you and the Firebird will recover it. You return to...
Deep in a Russian Forest, Under a Large Tree
+3 pts. The Firebird directs you to visit the caterers, as before.
On a Higher Branch
For this variant, you must kill the Firebird when it's in the tree. You will not be willing to kill it after you capture and free it. (Nor can it be killed while bundled up in the blanket.)
> kill bird with sword. (It dies and falls to the ground.)
> d. d.
Within a Budding Grove
> take bird. x it.
> w. d. ne. e. ne. n. n. n. n.
An Encampment of Underlings
> give bird to Dimitri. (He doesn't want to be tsar.)
Incidentally, you can't give the Firebird, dead or alive, to Vasilii either. The head caterer stops you from entering camp with it, so Vasilii doesn't see it. The caterer tells you to deliver the Firebird to your father.
> n. n.
Outside of an Inn
> ride horse.
Arriving at the Palace Having Slayed the Firebird / Returning to the Palace
Your father is angry; he wanted the Firebird brought back alive.
If you don't have the waters of life and death, you're sent back to the inn and told to return when you have them.
Your father uses the waters to heal and restore the Firebird to life. Events proceed as if you'd returned with the Firebird alive.
Deep in a Russian Forest, Under a Large Tree
+6 pts. The Firebird directs you to visit the caterers, as before. (And you have the flasks again.)
On a Higher Branch
> kill bird with sword. (It dies and falls to the ground.)
> d. d.
Within a Budding Grove
> pour black flask on bird. pour white flask on bird. (+6. The Firebird is alive again and forgives you for killing it. Events continue as if you'd just freed her from the blanket.)
A Burbling Fountain
> kiss frog. g. g. (It turns into a maniac!)
> hit maniac with sword. (Stunned, he stops attacking, gives you his sledgehammer, and leaves.)
> x sledgehammer. (It's another weapon. But since you already have the sword, I think it's more useful to have the frog instead.)
A Burbling Fountain
> kiss frog. g. g. (It turns into a maniac!)
> s. d. ne. e. ne. s. s. e. e.
An Old Woman by the Fire
The baba yaga throws her bag over the maniac's head, turning him back into a frog. She puts the frog into your inventory.
> x frog. read frog. (New message: "Kiss ONLY in case of emergency!")
I note that only the baba yaga reacts to the maniac; he is ignored by everyone else.
On the East Bank of the First River
> give right hand to man. (He chops it off and eats it.)
> pour black flask on me. (A new hand grows from the stump!)
Later...
On the East Bank of the Second River
> give left foot to man. (He chops it off and makes a painful pun.)
> pour black flask on me. (A new foot grows from the stump!)
Note, this strategy doesn't work with the third ferryman who beheads you.
On the Road Across the Open Steppe
This is an optional bit of business rather than an alternate solution.
If you stand still for two turns after Vasilii finds you in the Steppe, he'll stab you and you'll die.
> z. z.
Dead, Dead, Dead
But the game doesn't end there. While dead, you can do nothing but wait while you watch Vasilii take all your stuff and have his own adventures. You'll watch him use the fork, crash down in the nest, find the Firebird and kill it.
But your father is not pleased by Vasilii's actions—killing you, killing the Firebird—and sends him back to the caterers. Embittered, Vasilii trains an army of food-service workers and eventually kills your father and takes over the tsardom.
> z. z. z. z. z. z. z. z. z.
-- THE END --
On the Road Across the Open Steppe
But the game guesses you won't like that ending, so that's all undone automatically. You're alive again and Vasilii is about to kill you again and you get to make another choice.
On the Road Across the Open Steppe (west end)
If you just ignore Vasilii and just keep moving for ten turns, his murderous fury will die, he'll toss his knives away, and he'll become your ally.
> e. e. e. e. e. e. e. e. e.
At the Base of the Mountain
> se. (Now he's your ally.)
On the Road Across the Open Steppe (west end)
> kill Vasilii with sword. (He dies.) x body.
Continue your quest as normal, but without Vasilii, neither he nor the chefs will be available to fight Katschei's knights. So you'll need another fighter:
In the Great Hall of the Pearl Palace
> kiss frog. (+3. The maniac reappears, defeats all the knights, then puts down his sledgehammer. He's much calmer now.)
> x maniac.
> break egg. (+3. Katschei dies, and then everyone is at...)
Our Cathedral of Our Lady
The crowd now includes the former-maniac, identified by your dad as Chauncey, your former gardener. It seems that your dad asked the baba yaga to cure Chauncey of his mania, but the best she could do in the short term was turn him into a frog.
Your dad invites you to marry off both Dimitri and Chauncey to new brides.
(I note that Vasilii is barely mentioned. It's not at all clear that anyone knows he's dead and by your hand.)
> Dimitri, marry Copper.
> Chauncey, marry Silver.
> marry Pearl.
Nuptial Bliss, Beneficient Reign
Everyone is happy, as before, and Chauncey becomes one of your most trusted knights. You do, however, regret killing Vasilii.
-- THE END --
There are several ways that Prince Ivan can die in this game.
*** Having died, you have lost your place in the royal succession. ***
Outside of an Inn
For this ending, you must not be carrying the Firebird.
> ride horse.
Arriving at the Palace without the Firebird
You dad is sad, then angry. You are betrothed to a noble female you find loathsome and you spend the rest of your life in despair.
-- THE END --
In the Great Hall of the Pearl Palace
> give egg to Katschei.
In Alliance with Katschei
You betray all the women you gave you their trust and become Katschei's right-hand man. Vasilii and the chefs become his new knights (if they aided you). Katschei marries Pearl. Everyone hates you. Yay, evil.
-- THE END --
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