Hmm maybe peanut butter did play a part...could it have been the writer of the Prognostici?!??!?...lol.
Anyway I brought the game to my cousins house once and he wanted to start a file. I was like "...You sure cause theres alotta intro stuff and we dont have much time" But he wanted to play so we got up until you find Merlon and asks if you want to accept the quest.
"Just keep hitting "no" it makes you have some good items. Trust me."