quest

A quest is a journey or pursuit undertaken to achieve a specific goal. Quests appear across literature, folklore, video games, film, and even in real life, and they commonly involve challenges, discoveries, and personal growth. The word derives from Old French quête, and from Latin quaerere, meaning to seek.

In literature and myth, quests are central motifs that test courage, virtue, and skill. Classic examples include the Arthurian quest for the Holy Grail and other hero myths in which the protagonist travels, faces trials, and returns transformed. The structure of a quest often follows stages such as a call to action, trials, and a reward or revelation.

In interactive media, especially role-playing and adventure games, a quest is a narrative or task players undertake to advance the story or earn rewards. Quests are typically categorized as main quests that drive progression and side quests that explore optional content. Common quest types include fetch quests, kill or defeat quests, escort missions, delivery tasks, and puzzles. Quests usually specify objectives, rewards, and conditions, and are tracked in a quest log.

The concept also appears in education, gamification, and real-world scavenger hunts, where a sequence of tasks guides learners or participants toward a goal. In everyday usage, a quest may refer to any determined effort to achieve something difficult or meaningful.