
[====] Easter Eggs [====]

[=] Play as the creators [=]

"""Superior""" races (geez what an awful name) is an easter egg that is accessed by entering specific names during character creation. The names depend on the version:

Version 1.1:

    1.1rotciv<ALT+219>: Play as Victor
    1.1nairb<ALT+219>: Play as Brian

Version 2.0:

    2.0rotciv<ALT+219>: Play as Victor
    2.0nairbb<ALT+219>: Play as Brian

This gives you several advantages:

    +10 to each stat rolled during character creation (capped at 20)
    Victor has a stat bias:
        +2 to dexterity
        +1 to luck
        -1 to mental strength
        -2 to physical strength
    580 skill points to distribute
    Start with around 1880 gold
    Start with around 220 Life
    Start equipped with 2H Sword +3, Full Plate +3, and a Long Bow +3 in your backpack (all at Good durability)
    You can't die
    (Brian only) get 60 stat points instead of 45 while training

This also changes your name and icon to the corresponding creator's in-game persona.


[=] Janitor Smith [=]

According to the included file VAMPYR.DOC, Janitor Smith in Heaven is a nod to Brian and Victor's A.P. Computer Science teacher (whose name isn't actually Mr. Smith)

Janitor Smith holds the best weapon in the game called Big Broom. It does 100-120 damage. The best weapon after that is the 2H Sword +3, which does a paltry 9-21.


[=] Warning Messages [=]

Normally, the drunks in the tavern only say one line of text. To get them to say two lines of text, you must buy a round of drinks from the barkeep.

There are two drunks in the Myron Under Invasion map but no barkeep. This means there are two unused slots in the ENCONTER.SET file. What is in those slots?

    DO NOT TRY TO CRACK THIS GAME.
    CRACKING THIS GAME COULD BLOW UP YOUR COMPUTER.

Oops... there goes my computer.


[=] Garbage Data [=]

Several files (ENCONTER.SET, SIGN.DAT, *.DAT, ...) are dumps of Pascal records which contain fixed length, length-prefixed strings. If the length of the string is less than the max size then the rest is filled with garbage.

It just so happens that some of this garbage contains snippets of the original Turbo Pascal code!


[=] References [=]

These have no material impact on the game but are interesting insights into the lives of the creators steeped in 1980s American culture.

[=] God is in Heaven, All's Right with the World [=]

The creators of the game, Brian and Victor, have self-insert NPCs in the afterlife. They judge whether you are worthy to return to Quilinor.

[=] Elvis is Alive [=]

There's an NPC in Zachul who's an Elvis fan. They say:

    Elvis is alive, Elvis is alive
    My idol! My idol!

Elvis is also in heaven:

    You ain't nothin' but a hound dog... Oh, hi! I'm Elvis!
    And yes, I'm alive! Thanks the the magnanimous Gods!

[=] Cinderella [=]

There are several references to the American rock band, Cinderella.

On the 2nd floor of the Castle, there's one NPC that exclaims:

    Heyyyy! That sounds like CINDERELLA! Yeah, that rock band! <HIC UP!>
    Did you know that the king wants to recruit a band of knights?

And another who sings a reference to the band's song Gypsy Road (looking at azlyrics.com, these are misheard lyrics):

    .... I'm drivin' all night, and I end up in the same old placeeEEESSS!
    My Gypsy Road can take me home, drive all night just to see the light.

[=] Orel Rhoberts [=]

There's an NPC in Heaven who introduces themselves as Orel Rhoberts. This seems like a thinly veiled reference to the American televangelist Oral Roberts (noted proponent of Prosperity Theology). Here's what they say:

    Hi! I'm Orel Rhoberts!
    The Gods called me here because I didn't have 8 million gold pieces!

[=] The Heavenly Kid [=]

In Heaven, there's an NPC who references the American rom-com film The Heavenly Kid:

    Have you seen the movie Heavenly Kid?
    Wow... what a great movie...

[=] Erik [=]

There is a much derided NPC called Erik, or often with the epithet "Erik the Scum".

It is unknown if this is a reference to Erik Naylor who is credited in VAMPYR.DOC with "Basic Game Design".

Here's what some NPCs have to say (some are pretty nasty):

    Have you heard the latest? Erik the Scum angered the Gods!
    He's been turned into an eunuch! What a terrible fate...

And

    How many Eriks does it take to screw a light bolb? (sic)
    The answer is 2 to the 100th power!

and

    What do you get when you cross Erik with a chicken?
    A capon! Hahahahahahaha!!!

and

    I have a riddle for you. Chicken is to Capon as Human is to...
    Give up? The answer is Erik!

and

    Have you heard the latest?
    Erik the Scum was outcasted by the gods!

There's also a sign in Heaven that reads:

    Erik the Scum --- Don't feed the animals!
    He won't bite now. He's been neutered. He's now an eunuch.


