This isn't your normal fable...
Fabled Legends: The Dark Piper is a spin-off of the Hidden Object Game series Dark Parables released in May 10, 2012 by Blue Tea Games.
Taking place in the town of Hamelin, the Fabled Inspector is called upon by the duke to investigate a horde of rats plaguing the town and its inhabitants under the control of the mysterious Dark Piper. As the inspector searches the town for clues, it's discovered there's much more going on behind the scenes than just a deadly plague ravaging Hamelin, which could endanger more than the people of Hamelin...
The main game of The Dark Piper is based on The Pied Piper of Hamelin, and the bonus game contains elements of Greek mythology, including the fable of King Midas. It also contains elements from the British legend of King Arthur.
To see another spinoff produced by Blue Tea Games, see its sister game Cursery.
Fabled Legends contains examples of:
- Arthurian Legend: The bonus game has a nod to the legend of King Arthur when you have to retrieve the Caliburn Sword for the Golden Knight.
- Asshole Victim: Duke Alfred gets a fatal comeuppance for his cruelty, greed and prejudice when the Viceroy uses the Plagued Rats against him in revenge. It's safe to say he won't be missed.
- Big Fancy House: Duke Alfred has one.
- Classical Mythology: Most of the bonus game contains elements from Greek mythology.
- The Golden Kingdom and the Throne of Midas trace back to the tale of King Midas.
- The Medusa Lair highly references the most recognized Gorgon, Medusa. The Stranger even attempts to use the Head of Medusa against the Inspector after having used it on the officer.
- The Underworld Lair references the world under the dominion of Hades, complete with a statue of Cerberus and a robed skeleton referencing Charon the ferryman.
- The Apollo Door references the god of music, poetry, oracles and the sun Apollo.
- Darker and Edgier: Plagued rats wreaking havoc on Hamelin at the command of the Artifact of Doom? Check. Dark secrets, hidden conspiracies and implied secret organizations within the town? Check. An antagonist betrayed and murdered by another antagonist? Yep.
- Determinator: Despite the peril and deception handed to them, the Inspector still sees the case through.
- Et Tu, Brute?: The Viceroy betrays the Duke after revealing his true colors.
- Fake Aristocrat: the Viceroy
- Greed: Duke Alfred seeks the treasure of the Golden Kingdom for himself.
- Hoist by His Own Petard: The Viceroy falls victim to his own creations at the hands of the Fabled Inspector.
- Invisibility Cloak: The Vanishing Cloak, which was used by the Viceroy until the Inspector takes it for their own use.
- Lured into a Trap: Happened both figuratively and literally. The Dark Piper activated a trap door on the Inspector, and later it's revealed that Duke Alfred used the plagued rat scare to lure the Inspector into finding the entrance to the Golden Kingdom.
- Mythology Gag: There are several references and nods to the games and characters of the Dark Parables series due to the game being released just before Red Riding Hood Sisters.
- In a hidden object scene, you have to locate a "Frog Prince", which you have to place a crown on the frog.
- Duke Alfred's mansion gates are locked by a black and white swan discs, a nod to the symbols of the Swan Lake Princess in The Exiled Prince.
- Also, in the mansion garden entrance, you find a ship in a bottle identical to what was used to lock the Mermaid Princess's shrine in The Exiled Prince.
- One of the puzzles shows a Frost Wolf as one of the obstacles originating from Rise of the Snow Queen, which is cleared by using a torch against it.
- In the same puzzle, there is a hollow tree with something in it and a lake next to it. This is supposedly a nod to the hideout of the Red Riding Hood Sisters and the lake connected with the Mist Kingdom.
- The Order: It's implied that Duke Alfred in the main game and the Stranger in the bonus game come from a secret society of Templars.
- Politically Incorrect Villain: Duke Alfred believed the Romani are a problem in Hamelin, so he had their camp attacked. It comes back to bite him hard.
- Private Detective: the Fabled Inspector
- Public Domain Artifact: The Pied Piper's flute, obviously.
- Red Eyes, Take Warning: The Dark Piper's eyes at the beginning.
- Revenge: The Viceroy's motivation for killing Duke Alfred and his associates after his people were wrongly slain.
- Romani: The Viceroy identifies himself as one when he reveals his true heritage to Duke Alfred.
- Skeleton Key: One of the relics the Inspector acquires and uses in the game.
- Summoning Artifact: The Ravenlore Whistle, which calls a raven to help you reach things from afar.
- Taken for Granite: Happens to the unlucky officer in the bonus game, a knight is found in this state, and averted by the Inspector thanks to the protection of the mirrored shield. The officer and knight get better, with the latter helping you reach the Stranger.
- Taking You with Me: The Viceroy attempts this at the clock tower, but the Inspector escapes with the Cloak's help.
- Tap on the Head: The Inspector hits the Viceroy on the head with a rock. Granted, it doesn't knock him out, but it still hurt him.
- We Hardly Knew Ye: The Stranger in the bonus game.
- Wham Line: The Viceroy delivers one just when Duke Alfred has finally opened the vault door...
- Viceroy: Duke Alfred, how about a Romani tune to celebrate? I learned it from my mother when I was only a little child.
- You Dirty Rat!: The Plagued Rats
- You Killed My Father: The Viceroy's Romani mother was among the victims of Duke Alfred's plotted genocide.
