Gypsies are non-playable characters appearing in Castlevania II: Simon's Quest. Their role in the game generally consists of being town merchants, while others will provide special services such as allowing the the player to reach hidden areas. A few others lurk in the various graveyards scattered throughout the Transylvanian countryside and will present the player with powerful items if one knows how to make them come out from their hiding places.
Origins
Many fictional depictions of Romani people (or gypsies) in literature and art present romanticized narratives of their supposed mystical powers of fortune-telling or their passionate temper, paired with an indomitable love of freedom and a habit of criminality. The Romani ethnicity is often portrayed in contemporary fantasy literature as possessing archaic occult knowledge passed down through the ages.
A group of gypsies appeared in the 1897 novel Dracula by Bram Stoker. In the book, they were faithful servants of Count Dracula, which probably served as inspiration for their appearance in Simon's Quest.
Types of gypsies
Town merchants
Gypsy merchants can be found in most towns, where they sell a variety of items. Hearts serve as currency to make any transactions with them.
Jova
Item Data: Jova | ||||||||
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Image | Name - Game Type - Users Description |
Attributes / Consume | Statistics / Sell | Found | Notes | |||
The Thorn Whip is stronger than the Leather Whip. | Buy: 100 Hearts Find: Jova |
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Holy Water disintegrates walls and floors which conceal weapons and items. | Consume: None |
Attack equal to Leather Whip |
Buy: 50 Hearts Find: Jova |
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The White Crystal offers a weakened source of magic power. | Buy: 50 Hearts Find: Jova |
Veros
Item Data: Veros | ||||||||
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Image | Name - Game Type - Users Description |
Attributes / Consume | Statistics / Sell | Found | Notes | |||
The Chain Whip is stronger than the Thorn Whip. | Buy: 150 Hearts Find: Veros |
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The dagger can be thrown to kill distant enemy creatures. | Consume: none |
Buy: 50 Hearts Find: Veros |
Effect: Dagger Throw |
Aljiba
Item Data: Aljiba | ||||||||
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Image | Name - Game Type - Users Description |
Attributes / Consume | Statistics / Sell | Found | Notes | |||
Place the Garlic in front of enemies, and it will weaken them significantly. | Buy: 50 Hearts (×2) Find: Aljiba |
Effect: Paralyzes and inflicts continuous minor damage to enemies Special: Summons hidden Gypsies at certain graveyards | ||||||
Laurel helps make you invincible against enemy attacks. You can purchase Laurel from town merchants. | Buy: 50 Hearts (×2) Find: Aljiba, Fetra, Laruba Mansion (...) |
Effect: Renders the player invincible for a certain period of time |
Oldon
Item Data: Oldon | ||||||||
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Image | Name - Game Type - Users Description |
Attributes / Consume | Statistics / Sell | Found | Notes | |||
The Morning Star is stronger than the Chain Whip. | Attrib: 8 Attack Consume: Current whip |
Buy: 200 Hearts Find: Oldon |
Evolve: Flame Whip |
Fetra
Item Data: Fetra | ||||||||
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Image | Name - Game Type - Users Description |
Attributes / Consume | Statistics / Sell | Found | Notes | |||
Laurel helps make you invincible against enemy attacks. You can purchase Laurel from town merchants. | Buy: 50 Hearts (×2) Find: Aljiba, Fetra, Laruba Mansion (...) |
Effect: Renders the player invincible for a certain period of time |
Ferryman
- Main article: Ferryman
The Ferryman will generally offer Simon passage down the Dead River to the town of Aldra. However, if he is presented with Dracula's heart, he will take him via a secret path to Brahm's Mansion instead.
Oak Stake merchant
Residing somewhere inside each mansion is a gypsy merchant who offers to sell an Oak Stake for 50 Hearts. This stake is mandatory for obtaining the relic housed inside.
Item Data: Oak Stake merchant | ||||||||
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Image | Name - Game Type - Users Description |
Attributes / Consume | Statistics / Sell | Found | Notes | |||
You'll need the Oak Stake to collect Dracula's corpse at the mansions. | Buy: 50 Hearts Find: Berkeley, Bodley, Brahm's, Laruba and Rover Mansions (...) |
Graveyard gypsies
The graveyard gypsies appear in two of the many graveyards found in the game. They love Garlic and will manifest to Simon if he places a clove in the correct location of the graveyard. Once found, they will present Simon with special and powerful items:
- The one in Camilla Cemetery can be summoned at the westernmost point and will present Simon with a Silver Knife.
- The one in Storigoi Graveyard can be summoned at the dead-end of the westernmost point of that cemetery. He will present Simon with a Silk Bag, which will increase his capacity for holding Laurels.
Item Data: Graveyard gypsies | ||||||||
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Image | Name - Game Type - Users Description |
Attributes / Consume | Statistics / Sell | Found | Notes | |||
The Silver Knife can be thrown farther than the dagger. | Consume: 1 Heart |
Find: Camilla Cemetery Drop: Gypsy |
Effect: Penetrator | |||||
If you have the Silk Bag you can carry a larger supply of medicinal herbs. | Find: Storigoi Graveyard (...) |
Traveling gypsies
There are certain gypsies that can be found in the Transylvanian wilds, outside of towns. They will present Simon with special items to help him destroy the curse, asking nothing in return. There is one who gives him a Diamond to fight off enemies, one in Laruba Mansion who provides him with a full supply of Laurels, and one who upgrades his Morning Star to a Flame Whip, the most powerful whip in the game.
Item Data: Graveyard gypsies | ||||||||
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Image | Name - Game Type - Users Description |
Attributes / Consume | Statistics / Sell | Found | Notes | |||
Toss it and see what happens. | Find: Jam Wasteland (...) |
Effect: Bounces on any surface it strikes, inflicting medium damage to enemies until it leaves the screen | ||||||
Laurel helps make you invincible against enemy attacks. You can purchase Laurel from town merchants. | Buy: 50 Hearts (×2) Find: Aljiba, Fetra, Laruba Mansion (...) |
Effect: Renders the player invincible for a certain period of time | ||||||
Magic changes the Morning Star into the Flame Whip and gives it mysterious powers. | Attrib: 16 Attack Consume: Morning Star |
Find: Uta Lower Road (...) |
Trivia
- Certain characters appearing in following installments, as well as other related media, appear to be inspired by the Gypsies from Simon's Quest, such as the Flute Player from Castlevania Chronicles and Miranda from the Castlevania animated series.