Quests on the Side

In Fable®, the world of Albion offers many things: love, hate, violence, savagery, chickens, chicken savagery … the possibilities are, if not endless, darn near close to it. If you want to rush through the game, you can do nothing but the main story quests, but to do so would make you miss out on half the fun. Be sure to take a few side quest cards from the big map table in the Heroes' Guild. These quests will give you the opportunity to pad out your experience, hone your skills, and just plain expand the greatest adventure that you've ever played.

"Hey, sailor. Up for a side quest?"

Look Out! P-p-p-p-pirate Ghost!
Gar, we all know land-lubbin' gamers love the pirates. What's scarier than pirates? A pirate ghost, that's what! This pirate ghost is actually a pretty friendly fellow that you can find as soon as you get to Oakvale, your rebuilt home town. Head to the beach on the east side of town (it's on the trail between the cemetery and the barns that you guarded—or pilfered—as a child).

Turn right, head south, and you'll see a ghostly figure standing in front of a seaside shack. He be a pirate, gar, and now he's got to wander the beach as long as his wife (who didn't know about the piracy) is waiting for him to return from his "fishing expedition." He'll ask you to dig under the pier on the other beach for his treasure and to give it to his wife.

First, grab the treasure in the shack near the pirate ghost. (Neat, a new ranged weapon!) Then, go buy a shovel, if you don't have one yet, and head to the beach south of town. Dig near the pier. In this and some other side quests that involve digging, you won't get the handy shovel icon when you're right over the treasure. You'll have to eyeball it.

Once you've dug up the 500 gold, you might be tempted to keep it, but don't. The pirate's reward is better. Look over where the pirate's widow is standing on the beach, not far from where you dug up the loot. Give it to her, and she'll be very happy and leave town to go shopping.

Run back to the pirate ghost and tell him what you did. He'll thank you and disappear … but not before telling you to dig up the rest of the treasure next to an axe-bearing statue in the courtyard. This statue is near the cemetery area and the "Need a good sword to fight beside you?" guy. Go ahead and dig. Then, thank me for telling you not to settle for a measly 500 gold!

"Fist Fighters" leave the weapons at home.

Stop the Execution, I Want to Get Off
This is one of many side quests that come in alternating flavors: You can either choose to join a bandit gang fighting to save their boss from the chopping block or defend the gallows on Headsman's Hill and fight off the bandit gang. If you choose the latter, well, good luck. Me, I went to free the bandit boss!

Head to Bowerstone Jail (which doesn't look like much of a jail at all). This spot is the beginning of many quests. The bandit gang will meet you to go over the plan. Then, it's time to head out. Your bandit allies die really easily, and odds are, you'll lose at least one before getting to the hill. But, don't worry. Losing a bandit won't end the mission. Still, do your best because they'll be handy to have around later.

Once you reach Headsman's Hill, let your bandit pals handle the guards and the crowd. (Even if you think you lost all of them earlier, at least one will magically appear for this fight). Set your sights on the executioner, who'll be standing on the gallows next to the bearded bandit leader.

If you can take out the executioner with an arrow, it's even better, as you won't risk accidentally hitting the unarmored bandit leader when you storm the stage. Once the executioner is dead, the quest is over, and you're free to slaughter the crowd for extra experience.

The Right Man for the Jobs
These are just two of the side quests you can take part in that have nothing to do with the main story line of the game. You might also find yourself rescuing a lost kid, escorting traders through monster-infested marshes, and fending off the siege of a small town. Or, you can even make your own "quests," like collecting all the Treasure Map clues for a huge payoff, learning the truth about Lady Grey, or joining in the semi-legal blood sports of the Fist Fighters Gang.

And, don't forget to see how far you can kick those chickens …

Article by Danny Chihdo