Graham

Graham (also known as Grahame, or by his little mentioned full name Graham Cracker  ) is the son of Sir Hereward, husband of Valanice, and father of Alexander and Rosella. He once served as a knight of Daventry under King Edward, known under his knightly title as Sir Graham of Daventry. He later became the King of Daventry. Graham's formal name and title is King Graham of Daventry (but occasionally the king is still referred to as Sir Graham  ). Much is known about Graham's adventures, but very little about his past.

Rise to Knighthood
Graham was born into his native land of Daventry, to a long line of valiant knights. Although his family did not stretch very far back into Daventry's history, several were defenders of Daventry; his grandfather was a great hero of renown, who defeated the Dragon of Herenna , and his father, Hereward, was a nobleman and the best friend of King Edward. He greatly admired his father. His birth was blessed event, and he received a Fairy Godmother who watched over him as he grew up.

During his childhood, his father often instilled virtues on him, and explained to him that things are not always as they appear. It was at Lake Maylie, a small lake to the north of the castle, where he often played as a child. With adults, Graham didn't much like people reaching out and ruffling his hair. He had hated the gesture. Graham had always had a sweet tooth. As a child, he was the first to snitch particles of pie, pastry, and confection from sills and counters where they were left to cool after leaving the ovens. Knights and ladies all knew to have an extra dessert ready when he came to sup. His sweet tooth lasted as he grew up, he never saw a pie he did not like.

As he grew, Graham studied in several of Daventry's educational institutions. Graham received scholarly education through the Palace School, Daventry High School, and finally the Royal University where he graduated first in his class. He had specialized in knowing a lot about a wide range of things. No one subject could capture him, and he had devoured all the lore and learning he could listen to and read. It was this time, long ago that Graham learned how to play the harp. He could play it beautifully.

He joined Daventry's army, and enrolled into the Knight School where studied many years of martial training to be a defender of the realm, before venturing on his first quest. During this time, he became known as the best climber in the army. Graham traveled much in his youth, even to much larger lands. He learned that the world was far wider than his small kingdom. (though Daventry had once been larger, he witnessed his own country was shrinking due to invading forces). He learned that the world was far wider than his small kingdom.

As a knight, fighting in the border wars, Graham tried to keep Daventry free of the invaders that had been shrinking the kingdom's borders since the loss of the magic shield. The task had been nearly impossible But he soon proved himself, and became Edward's favorite knight, and a good and faithful servant.

As a knight of the realm he was a man of privilege, though not unaffected by the famine and calamities of the hard years he was able to eat daily, and sleep secure in his bed (where he was living at this time is not well documented, but it seems to have been outside Edward's castle somewhere, and perhaps it might have even been in the Town of Daventry to the southeast of the castle, it can at least be seen he likely lived in or near the castle since his childhood).

The New Dynasty
Graham, having proven himself the bravest and noblest knight, was considered by the childless King Edward to be his potential heir. Graham's father was proud that he was chosen to succeed the aging king. Unfortunately Graham's father did not live to see that event, having died during one of border wars when Graham was still young. Years later, just after Graham turned nineteen, he was indeed asked by the venerable King to recover Daventry's treasures that had been stolen from him during his reign. When Graham returned to the castle after recovering the treasures, the King's heart failed and Graham was named King of Daventry.

About a year later, after Graham received a vision from the dead king Edward, that he needed to find a wife lest the same curse of no heir came to Graham. Graham's Prime Minister suggested that Graham have a celeration in which he would invite all the maidens of the realm of marriagable age, and choose the one he felt should be queen. However, he found no one, and it was some time later when he received another vision from the Magic Mirror showing him his wife to be, he traveled to the far away realm of Kolyma to free the beautiful maiden named Valanice (Princess of Kolyma) from a quartz tower that an evil witch named Hagatha had trapped her in. After braving many perils, Graham reached the Enchanted Isles through the Magic Door.

He crossed the rough sea with the help of a magic talking fish, and climbed the spiral stairs of a quartz tower. He non violently made it past a guardian lion at the top, and unlocked the door to the room Valanice was locked in. Graham was not impatient, and since they had just met, he took some time to get acquainted he greeted her, she introduced herself, and he himself to her, and she pledged her undying greatfulness for her rescue, and that she would follow him anywhere. But it had been love at first sight, and they both leaned in to kiss. He proposed to her, and she wholeheartedly agreed. Both declared their mutual love for each other. He had succeeded on his quest' and using a magic amulet he returned with her to Kolyma, where he and Valanice were married in the Monastery of the Blessed Wilbury, and she became his queen.

Following the wedding, and before returning to Daventry, the monks repaired the bridge to the Magic Door so that Graham and his new wife could return to the Crystal Tower and free the golden lion. King Graham and Valanice traveled through the magic door to the enchanted isle and freed the great golden lion from its chains, breaking the spell put on it by the witch. He took it to the land of its jungle home and released it, where it was joined by a tall man, wearing nothing but a loincloth. Using the Amulet, Graham and his wife returned to the gates of Daventry where they were met with fanfare. Some tales tell of a second more public wedding some time after their return to Daventry.

A year or two later, Valanice bore Graham twin children, a son Alexander and a daughter Rosella. Unfortunately, Alexander was kidnapped in his infancy from Daventry and would not return for almost eighteen years.

The Troubled Years
Some years after the loss of his son, an unusual winter settled on the kingdom, and an emissary from the Old Woods showed up, an elkrider calling for Graham to visit faery king Quilli'ehennan in his court. Graham travelled east with Valanice across his snow covered kingdom passing through Daventry town where he received a prophecy from the Seer of Daventry. Upon reaching the court of the king, he learned that Ahi'aorina fairy queen of the Old Wood had been kidnapped.

Leaving Valanice behind to return to the castle, Graham embarked on a quest to rescue the queen, chasing after the imps which had kidnapped he, and put an end to the unatural winter and bring spring to Daventry.

Continuing east he was joined by the minstrel, Shallan, whom he had a few adventures with including running into giant spiders, being tossed into a pit that lead to caves of the Laburnum by a family of bandits. He escaped the Laburnum, but lost track of the minstrel. Soon he met two gnomes who helped him get new clothes to help cross frigid Glass Mountains into the Kingdom of Sorrow. Soon he found Sorrowing Court and met the giant Dunstan and the Imps that ruled there. Vowing to free the faery from the giant Dunstan, he was soon captured, and as punishment he was bitten by a slizard, and his mind was switched with the lizard.

As a lizard, he escaped the giant and the imps. Graham then had to deal with the rats that lived in the castle, and discovered a secret room with another human trapped inside, and talked to faery queen, attempted to take the key from the sleeping giant.

Graham knew if he continued to stay a lizard he would slowly lose his mind, and become as mindless as a lizard. Graham found his body with the Slizard's mind in the kitchen, and recovered his body by biting his own nose. Acting as lizard-minded husk of himself, he hid the slizard in his pocket, he tripped the imps into thinkin he was still transformed, allowing him to defeat them one by one with a skillet he had obtained from the kitchen. But befriending the last imp in the kitchen, the cook Zuzak. With Zuzak's help, he soon found out that Dunstan and the Imps were not mastermind behind the kidnapping and were in fact a pawn in the whole ordeal. The imp Kuzgu had been the one who had instigated the kidnapping. Kuzgu had made sure Graham's mind was transferred into the slizard. With Zuzak's help they attempted to defeat Kuzgu and scare him away. But Kuzgu revealed he was actually an evil efreeti, and both were forced to escape from him.

He helped free the fairy queen, who then helped free the hidden human. Graham discovered that other human, was a great wizard being held in the castle in a Glamour Manarvel, Karn Megiddo. Together with Dunstan they defeated the efreeti.

However, the spell forming the castle together had been broken, causing it to disintegrate, so Graham, Ahi'aorina, the Imps, and Wizard all escaped the castle before it completely vanished. But upon exiting the castle Karn turned on the group attempting to destroy them. It turned out Karn had been behind everything, and was the efreeti's master. Graham defeated Karn by throwing the slizard at the wizard's face. Having triumphed spring returned, and Graham was able to return to Daventry. He separated with Dunstan in the mountains, continuing on with Zuzak, the now mindless wizard, and the princess they journeyed toward's Daventry. Along the way Zuzak and the mindless wizard went south toward's Zakizga, and the queen left to return to the Old Woods. On the last stretch of his journey he reunited with Shallan whom he invited back to his castle and told of his adventures.

Several years later, Rosella seemingly contracted Imbrium fever. Graham came into her room concerned. He didn't think she looked too ill, but thought it might be better of stayed home to take care of their daughter. Rosella convinced them though that she would was being taken care of and that she would be fine. They wished her goodbye, and Graham and Valanice traveled to the far away land of Duchy Cumberford to attend the wedding of Duke Faust to the Duchess Aspen of Chouen for a few weeks. They later returned to find their daughter was "still" sick, but was going to be okay (he was unaware that she previously tricked him to stay home).

In the following years, Daventry endured terrible hardship in the form of many devastating earthquakes that ripped and tore at the very ground and destroyed many landmarks. Soon after, a vile three-headed dragon laid waste to the kingdom and began to demand the sacrifice of maidens for its bounty. For some years the dragon ravaged the realm, until the events of King's Quest III, in which Alexander returned after escaping the clutches of an evil wizard named Manannan and killed the dragon, finally bringing peace to Daventry.

During his reunion with his son and daughter, Alexander and Rosella, old King Graham suffered a heart attack as he was passing on his famous adventurer's cap (which he had worn through all of his quests) to his children. Too many strong emotions in too short a time is what felled him. With haste, he was taken to the royal chambers, and the royal physicians were summoned. They could do no good. Nothing helped the king, neither their healing herbs and ointments, magical invocations, nor laying on of hands. Death seemed certain and certainly soon. With the help of a fairy named Genesta, his daughter Rosella traveled to the land of Tamir to obtain a magical fruit that would heal him. After eating the fruit the king's physical condition improved over several days.

Sometime after, a powerful and evil sorcerer named Telgrin invaded Daventry with his army and claimed the land as his own and stole Graham's soul, leaving Graham in danger of becoming one of Telgrin's soulless servants. Graham's body collapsed inside the throne room and was left by the evil wizard, who then took the globe containing the king's soul back to the floating castle, and put it in his study in preparation of turning it into his latest knight. Graham's unconscious and dying body was placed in his bedroom while Daventry's healer took care of it, and Alexander and the wizard apprentice Cyril went on a journey to the castle to save his father. Telgrin kept the orb in his study where he used the Jewel of Orkae to try to turn the king into one of his dark knights. However Graham was strong and he continued to resist the wizard's torture. Alexander discovered the orb, the two spoke to each other, and Alexander snuck out with the orb under the magician's nose. Alexander was able to help defeat Telgrin and finding a horse in a nearby farm, he rescued his father and the kingdom. Alexander carried Graham's soul back to the castle, where Cyril restored the king to his body.

The Elder King
Graham who set out for a walk in the forest near Lake Maylie, one spring day almost a year since Rosella had returned from Tamir. The kingdom had was finally at peace, or so it seemed. Shortly before he returned to the castle, a sharp gust of wind Graham came east from the castle. When he returned to the castle, he found it missing. An owl named Cedric, saw what happened, and explained that his castle and family had been taken by an evil wizard named Mordack. Cedric sprinkled magic fairy dust onto the king, and they flew towards the land of Serenia, to meet Cedric's master, the wizard Crispin. Graham spent a few days in the land of Serenia, crossing the Great Mountains and the Northern Sea. When he reached Mordack's castle, he discovered his family and castle had been placed in a jar. After a magical dual, he defeated the wizard, saved the princess Cassima of the Green Isles, and was reunited with his family.

He would later travel to the Land of the Green Isles with the help of Shamir Shamazel to attend Alexander's and Cassima's wedding.

While Valanice and Rosella were in the lands of Eldritch and Etheria, he had waited 15 minutes for Valanice and Rosella return so they could have lunch. After which they told him the story of their adventures there. His daughter eventually began to court Edgar in the land of Eldritch, and he would come to visit her in Daventry (according to the King's Quest Companion). It is implied that she and Edgar became the heirs of Daventry.

A few years later, an elderly King Graham, his hair had whitened , was in the Throne Room discussing the Kingdom's surplus grain that year, with one of his officials, one of his ministers, and the need to begin construction on a new silo. Not long after, the Daventry Official noticed in the Magic Mirror a bad omen, of the Mask of Eternity being destroyed by Lucreto. The cataclysm caused by the blast of magic from the cracked mask turned Graham to stone like everyone else in Daventry. Connor decided to check on the security of the king. He made it into the castle Dining Hall through a secret entrance. While there he viewed a portrait of his King, King Graham of Daventry. The king was shown wearing a green adventurer's hat and his hair having gone white. Connor soon found the king in Castle Daventry seeing that even King Graham was no match against the evil magic. King Graham and his family suffered the same fate as the rest of Daventry's mortal inhabitants having turned to stone. Connor vowed to his lord, with all his heart, that he would place himself in mortal jeopardy before giving in to the vile forces which held the king in thrall. Connor eventually defeated Lucreto and reformed the Mask of Eternity restoring Graham to his true self.

In his later life Graham continued to be a fine brave, compassionate and wise king. He is respected by the kingdom, and his descendents. Rosella was to be his potential heir in the future.

Personality and traits
Graham is an excellent King and adventurer, both gentle and brave, as well as honest and bold, with great wisdom , kind, noble and just. He was a hero whose brave deeds had won him the crown, as a king, Graham ruled with a kind but firm hand, the people prospered under his wise reign. He was loved by his people. He put the kingdom first before his own wants and desires. The kindly monarch usually has a sunny disposition.

Graham had always preferred to solve problems with his wits instead of his fists. After all, it was using his brain that had brought him to the throne of Daventry in the first place. As a swordsman he is more the fencer than the hack-and-slash type who triumphs through brute strength. Still Graham is well built, heavily muscled (especially in the upper half of his body) and physically strong as well, he just makes sure his strongest asset is his brain.

Graham, the noble king is a man of few words and many deeds. He is famed throughout the Lands not only as the beloved ruler of Daventry, but as a brilliant scholar and a fearless adventurer. Not once but at least four times has he journeyed far from his home on perilous and incredible quests. No matter the villain he deals all by force or by wit. He was also quick to make friends, who helped him along his way.

Graham was a man of wit, wisdom, and learning, one of undoubted courage and fortitude. He had won the crown by his wit and courage, when he went forth to uncover and reclaim the three lost treasures of Daventry. He was the bravest and truest knight in the kingdom. With each of his more imaginative solutions, he became better fitted to rule over Daventry. He was tenacious, and would leave no stone unturned, no avenue unexplored, in order to triumph in his Quests.

He was quick of wit, strong, clever, and learned in all the subjects taught at the royal university. He had studied all the fables and fairy stories of yore, and ancient lores for information and clues for each of his quests. He had a good use of his mental faculties as well as his knightly skills. He was not a large man, and he was not particularly tall, but he had a presence that awed, though he himself seemed not to notice the way others behaved in his presence, according him a high degree of respect.

His body's length is just at six feet, and his muscles are long and low. He is a manly man. When forced to arms, Graham beats his opponent with speed and skill, not muscle. It is his quickness that sets him apart from the rest of humanity. Nimble and fast of both hand and foot, and even nimbler and faster between the ears. He was always the proper and respectful one.

Graham's strongest assets were agility and speed, wit and intelligence; he expected to live by the latter and survive by the former. He had the wisdom to know when to stand and fight and when to flee from superior strength. He was often faced with challenges that would intimidate those of lesser timbre, he was able to overcome by summoning all of his strength and courage.

In later years, when old King Graham's health began to fail, the royal physicians were powerless to help him. His stout heart had weakened. The shock and joy and return of his family was too much for him to take, causing him to have a heart attack, and he was dying. His health was fully restored after eating the Magic Fruit.

In time, Graham was no longer the young knight who won the throne of Daventry. The responsibilities that were placed on the king's head along with his crown were many, and they have put a few deep lines in his face. Valanice finds them dashing and Graham thinks of them as laugh lines from the joy of living with her. Graham was no longer the slim knight he was in his youth. The decades had filled him out, but with hard muscles, not soft flesh. leaving him with very muscular and powerful arms and an obviously well maintained physique. His eyes were not quite what they used to be, and he would no longer care to attempt outrunning an ogre, but he was still in splendid physical condition at his age. The old king still remembered and continued to follow his father's wisdom, even if the choice was not always pleasant. Though Graham was renowned for his speed and agility, the ensuing years robbed him some of both, but he was still left with just enough to get over some precarious spots.

Graham is not the most impressive person. Graham's features were judged as "forgettable the moment you see him" by a contemporary and fellow Knight, Sir David of Bruce. However, Graham is more commonly described as being pleasant and strong looking, in a vague sort of way. He usually dresses, as is his custom, or in the manner of a squire or a rustic knight. Graham's usual attire was the short tunic, pants, and high boots of a Ranger. His head is topped with his crown, or with a long cap, rakishly adorned with one red feather, his adventurer's cap.

In his youth, Graham kept his dark brown (almost black, really) hair cut long to cover his ears. He had begun doing this during his first years in the palace school, on the theory if his teacher couldn't see his ears, the teacher couldn't pull them. The theory didn't work, but the hair length stayed. When he was older, his hair was cut to shoulder length, and cleaner above his ears. His son Alexander would inherit his hair color from him. In his middle years his hair and beard turned to a light gray-blonde. Alternatively blonde, can also mean or be a 'silver' or 'platinum', or light gray hair. When old, his hair had turned to light gray, and it was mostly white in later years. Although unshaven by preference, he looks like the monarch he is. He sometimes grows a mustache or even a full beard.

His voice quiet and measured when he spoke, such was the aura of vitality and inner strength he projected, however he overshadows all others in his company. The authority he commands over his knights is absolute, but is not the authority of force and coercion. Rather, it is an authority derived from the absolute belief and trust he inspires in his people. Graham accorded all who spoke before him the same weighty respect, knights and common folk alike. His face was thoughtful and he considered what they had to say.

Caution was a virtue Graham had cultivated since his father had first explained to him about things not always being as they appeared. He was neither a rushing fool nor a timid one. He believed that his head, for instance, better served while firmly attached to his neck. He would give it in battle, if he must, but he refused to offer it around lightly.

Graham is kindhearted, gentle man. Graham is among the kindest and most helpful of people. It matters little to him if he is king; if he spies some folk or creature in need of assistance he feels it is his duty to offer assistance. A creature in need always touches the heart of King Graham. Graham's thoughts are always with his people first, before his own needs. . It is also said when Edward died the strong, brave king wept like a child.

Graham had a difficult time with his station and how to behave in the royal house, mostly because he had not been born to the velvet of a king's station. He had been born a nobody, to a minor noble family. He was not born a king (he had not been born to royalty on either side), his wife in contrast was born of royalty on one side only. Were it not for Valanice keeping watch over him, Graham would not have known the first thing about how a king should behave. He had troubles with the rules of his position. This suggests that Valanice as the daughter of a prince was born to a higher station than Graham had been.

Normally, Graham usually let Valanice walk before him, except when he feels she is in possible danger. In which case he walks before her. Although sometimes he still thought it better to have her in front of him, so it is better to see her and any who might threaten her. He usually bowed to Valanice to know he wanted her to go first.

Graham did not insist on a lot of formality like some monarchs did. All he asked for was his staff to do their jobs, he didn't want them to be distracted by extraneous bowing and scraping. Something he found embarrassing. Graham did his best to make sure each of his staff felt his or her position was more than a task. He made sure he remembered each of their names, and took the time to think of them now and then. Usually through birthday dinners for the children and gifts during the holidays.

There was some vanity to Graham's baring, he always stood straight, and was careful not to stumble, so as to not show weakness.

It is strange, that the man most have come to admire so much during his early adventures could be the same person who sent innocent girls off to be sacrificed to the fire-breathing dragon. Perhaps his good judgment and wisdom hadn't recovered from the shock of Alexander's kidnapping, or perhaps it was just poor advice on the part of his prime minister, Gerwain. Not all the acts and decisions he has made over the years have been good ones, but he has always done what he felt was best for Daventry, even to the sacrifice of his only daughter. Rosella has forgiven him for taking her to the dragon, but the memory of Graham tying her to the stake, awaiting death with her eyes open and dry, still sometimes disturbs his dreams. That she was rescued and survived only eases the horror a little.

Undertaking his quest for Valanice was rash, and undertaking it unarmed and with no provisions was foolish. However, King Graham was a true knight, noble of heart and sworn to aid the helpless. His determination to help was correct; to do anything less would demean him.

He has known little hunger in his life of privilege. On usual nights, he slept safe and secure in his warm bed.

Graham's gift of understatement is said to be legendary.

Graham is in the mood for formalities, and can hardly stand them at court, let alone on his journies. He prefers to be called just Graham, and not King or Your Majesty. He was a king who did not want titles, but it is said that kings of ballads always take their titles with them.

Graham had great climbing agility, having scampered up and down ropes for years as part of his martial training. He was always considered the best climber in the army. This was a skill he maintained later in his life, and came to be useful when scaling the rope in the Great Mountains of Serenia.

King Graham seems to have developed the bad habit of having run-ins with particularly nasty witches. Dahlia would have imprisoned him for life or baked him into a graham cracker; Hagatha would have stewed him (perhaps serving the dish with a hearty green maggot wine); and the nameless hag of the Dark Forest, would have added him to her collection of slime toads.

Graham often liked to go out hunting with a bow now and then, and Valanice often went along. He had learned how to find and follow tracks. Hunting is generally considered a man's sport.

With the many years that had passed between the time Alexander was kidnapped, the pain of his loss did not come as often to Graham. Days went by in which Graham thought of Alexander not at all--which only compounded his loss with guilt.

Graham has a good memory and is well trained and able to remember whole pages of manuscript at a glance. He has read many books, about Daventry and other lands. He consider it part of being a good King, to learn everything you can. He has spent many enjoyable hours with his children, reading to them of the history of Daventry.

While Graham could swim like Mark Spitz in his younger days, he was too out of shape later in life. Thus the North Sea could have been too much for him.

Graham has principles and restraint was strong, and is not easily seduced, even by the beauty of magical faeries. Still he wasn't sure how long that would resolve if he had to endure that kind of power for a longer period.

Graham is a fine singer, and has a baritone voice.

Graham is fluent in both the formal courtly common tongue, and the more contemporary dialect as well. He also knows several languages.

Graham is slightly allergic to fairy dust--it makes him sneeze. z

He is a kind and loving father , and his True Love for his wife conquers all.

Details

 * Until Graham's age was given as nineteen in Lorelei Shannon's books for the start of King's Quest I, Graham's age had never been specifically given by any other source in the series. In the manual story he is described as 'young princely figure' or in his 'youth' (but it is never specific). In artwork and material related to KQ1 he is even shown to have grey hair, wrinkled lines in his face, and crowsfeet suggesting he maybe have been older than twenty-five at the time of KQ1 originally (but probably not older than thirty). In reality a squire would have only become a knight at twenty-one, and ninenteen would have been too young become an experienced 'knight', and the person would still only be a squire (a page became a squire at about 14, or 15). So if Graham was a knight for a 'few' years he would have had to have been at least 23-25 by real world standards. The new series timeline in contrast suggests that he was probably 20 or older (some point in his twenties) when he went on his journey to recover the magic mirror, and it had been five years after he entered into the king's services.
 * King's Quest 1 SCI Version, King's Quest 6 Hint Book, Hoyle I, and The King's Quest Companion all confirm that Daventry is the native homeland of King Graham. I'm several of these he is also said to be of noble birth.
 * The Official Book of King's Quest, and King's Quest: Kingdom of Sorrow suggests that Graham came to Daventry from outside of the country before the events of KQ1. Kingdom of Sorrow suggests that Graham's roots does not go back very far into Daventry's history (and perhaps only as far back as the start of KQ1 when traveled into the land during his youthful journeys). The KQ novel trilogy suggests Graham is not of noble birth.
 * Graham has a Fairy Godmother, whom he affectionately calls "Grandma". It's unclear who in his family arranged her to be his godparent and guardian though. This is one of the references that implies Graham was born and raised in Daventry (though its not the most specific), as the original manual suggests that she is a citizen of Daventry, and the games (as in the various versions of KQ1) suggest she has been watching over Graham all her life. The Companion also seems to suggest that she was watching him his entire life.
 * Graham once found himself and his daughter trapped playing card games with various individuals, see Graham quotes (Hoyle I). It occurred between KQ4 and KQ5 (up to a year after KQ4). He found it absurd and impossible to think that he and his family and kingdom were part of a game, inside of a machine.
 * How could it be possible that I, my family, and all of the realm of Daventry could be contained within a machine? Indeed, sirrah, this is truly unbelievable!
 * Graham claims he once played a card game against a firedrake, but it ended when it incinerated the cards.
 * Graham spends much of his time questing and defeating monsters, if only because of his love for excellent food. He wants to avoid being known as King Graham the Overweight.
 * Graham enjoys quiet afternoons in the mountains with his family, defeating the occasional dragon that wanders across their path.
 * Good King Graham is not only a good king, he's a darn good game opponent. King Graham was known to have enjoyed Checkers and Backgammon, and he would challenge visitors to the Castle (King Graham's Board Game Challenge: Checkers & Backgammon). Both games were his personal favorite board games. Crazy Eights is one of Graham's favorite games, and he is quite skilled at the game. He also is knowledgeable about Yacht, and a good source of advice on many games.
 * Graham kept the Four-leaf clover he found in his Adventure's cap as a good luck charm, he carried it into Kolyma with him. Graham still wears the silver cross he obtained in Kolyma as a reminder of his love for Valanice, and in case he ever runs into another vampire, or similarly unpleasant creature.
 * According to Graham, about his favorite book is Ivanhoe; "That would be Ivanhoe, by Sir Walter Scott. It has action, intrigue, romance, adventure, and romance--very inspiring!. it's historically accurate, with all kinds of fascinating information about knights and the medieval world. Of course you have to take it with a grain of salt. Whoever heard of a world with no dragons, unicorns of magic?".
 * Graham never attended the Famous Adventurer's Correspondence School, and thus doesn't know how to pick locks. '
 * Graham had traveled much in his youth and knew the world was far wider than a small kingdom. Daventry was but a small spot among many larger lands. Under his guidance as king the kingdom grew and prospered returning to one of the large great kingdoms of the world.
 * Graham's eye color is dark (but possibly blue  in some shots) in KQ4 (always represented by blue pixels in the AGI version, and sometimes blue in in the SCI version), usually dark (to dark brown) in most of the games including KQ6 (though his eye icon is blue or red-brown depending on the NES or the computer versions of KQ5). They appear blue in KQ1 for the Sega.
 * Though Graham is not a magician, and has not studied any grimoires or other compendiums of the sorcerous arts at length (other than The Objurgation of Souls and for only a few moments), he has shown capability to use certain types of magic either through artifacts or Wands of Power. This includes the spell, FILL, the spell HOME, Open Sesame, Sleep spell, Improve Aim, Strength spell, Break Enchantment, and several spells of Iconomancy.
 * In Kingdom of Sorrow it mentions that the "royal family" used to be much larger in long-ago times, when royal nieces, nephews, and cousins of all sorts used to live in the castle. This would suggest that Graham is distantly related to King Edward. Though if he is, its from a line so distant, that they had apparently moved out of Daventry at some point. It is noted that Graham's family did not stretch back into the roots of the land. His dynasty and station had started when Edward made him heir to the throne.
 * Graham in KQ1 remake, KQ6 Hintbook, Hoyle 1, and Companion's backstory has his background as having grown up in Davemtry, and even that his family has lived there several generations. Kingdom of Sorrow on the other hand suggests he is the first generation to move to Daventry, and he traveled there in his youth. However the same book does appear to suggest he is related to Edward's family at least distantly. The only way to reconcile the two accounts is to interpret that Graham's family goes back three generations in Daventry, but probably not more.
 * Graham's mother often said, "one could always catch more flies with honey than seawater."
 * When it comes to pie, all kinds can be considered Graham's favorite, but he especially likes custard pie.
 * Graham is careful when climbing stairs. Not because he is old or weak, but because it was easy on steep steps to turn an ankle, or a knee. It was vanity, but Graham did not like to be seen limping around the castle just because he'd fallen down stairs. Even more so he didn't want to kill himself.
 * When Graham was newly crowned, he suggested in the Council, that aids only have to enter from the side door to the throne, but opposition to the tradition had been so strong, he never suggested it again.
 * Graham sent two messages in the bottle one during his adventure during KQ1 and another during his adventure in KQ2 these ended up in the whale in KQ4. "Anybody out there! I had a condor drop this bottle in the nearest ocean to beg for help with "King's Quest I." Help me fight this fire-breathing dragon!" and "I see a beautiful mermaid in "King's Quest II," but she won't help me! Tell me what to do!"
 * Graham has worn several different variations on his adventurer's cap, pants and tunic clothing style, and occasionally worn royal robes, see Graham's Wardrobe for more information on his clothing "variety".
 * In King's Quest Companion he is said to be six feet. The novels suggest he is not 'particularly tall'. In the KQ1 remake universe, Graham is five foot tall.
 * Graham is generally depicted as heavily muscled individual particularly in chest and arms, and a strong neck. As if he spends time bulking out his muscles. He is fairly muscled in artwork from the KQ1 and KQ2 novels in The King's Quest Companion as well (and only becomes more muscled by the time of the KQ5 novel). Even his ingame sprites, even the 8-bit versions appear muscled. The only exception to Graham's muscled appearance is the image of 'Grahame' from the original KQ1 release in which he is depicted as skinny and lanky. In comparision the new series universe timeline Graham is a 'string bean', skinny and stringy muscles, thin wrists, and lanky throughout most of his early life (somewhat closer to his Grahame depiction in the manual), and only becomes muscled later in life.
 * The Graham Family Tree (a bit of artwork in the The Official Book of King's Quest, Third Edition) may suggest that the name "Graham" is a surname (which cou suggest his name is Graham Graham). However other sources state his surname is Cracker. See Cracker family.
 * Some stories suggest later on his life during one of his final adventures, Old Man Graham and his family were kicked out of Daventry Condo Association. He met the Fabulous Bernoulli Brothers, Prof. C.D. Romberg, and of course, Rumplestiltskim (perhaps the son or grandson of Rumplestiltskin)!
 * The King's Quest Companion 3rd Edition might suggest that KQ8 takes place about 25 years after KQ1, or roughly when Graham is late 40s-50s (assuming Graham was 19 in KQ1).
 * It is said the note that Graham discovered in KQ1 was In a language familiar to Graham, this suggests he knows more than one language.
 * Graham is described as 'kind, a kind person, or 'kind sir' (another description Connor shares with him, see also Sir Knight) at least once in KQ1, 2, and 3. Establishing one of his three main virtues and character traits. His courage (representing 'bravery') is mentioned when he kills the witch in KQ1. Being 'wise' (representing his 'wit') is mentioned in regards to Graham's clue for solving the riddle (though there are a number of actions that are described as being 'unwise' if you try to do them).
 * Graham does not say much in KQ1AGI and KQ2. In KQ1SCI remake, Hoyle I, Hoyle 4 and KQ8 Graham speaks in a more formal 'archaic' English style or accent (as can be determined by words such as, Thou, Thee, Dost, Shall, Doest, sirrah, 'tis, methinks).. In KQ3 and KQ4 (Graham says very little) but it appears to be in a more contemporary style. In KQ5 and KQ6 he speaks in a more contemporary style as well. The cut line of Graham speaking from KQ7 is also more contemporary style.

Titles and names

 * Grahame
 * Graham Cracker
 * Sir Knight
 * King of Daventry
 * Your Majesty
 * Lord
 * King of Humans
 * Human King
 * King Graham of Daventry
 * Sir Graham of Daventry
 * Sir Grahame
 * King Graham the Overweight
 * Good King Graham
 * Brave King Graham
 * Gentle Sir Graham
 * Old Man Graham
 * Father/Dad/Daddy
 * Mister
 * Mister King
 * Knight
 * King
 * Sire
 * Husband

Behind the scenes

 * Graham - From a Scottish surname, originally derived from the English place name Grantham, which probably meant "gravelly homestead" in Old English. The surname was first taken to Scotland in the 12th century by the Norman baron William de Graham. A famous bearer was Alexander Graham Bell (1847-1922), the Scottish-Canadian-American inventor who devised the telephone. Grahame is a variant of Graham.
 * In a Scottish Romance poem/myth, The History of Sir Eger, Sir Graham, and Sir Gray-steel (Syr Egeir and Syr Gryme). Sir Graham, or Grime is the wielder of a magical sword Egeking. It's noted that the Teutonic element is slight, there is some speculation that the name Grime may derive from a giant-god in Teutonic mythology, and Eger to come from the Germanic sea god Ægir. Graham/Grime may also be inspired from Gawaine of Arthurian legend. The locations where Graham appears in the story are located in Cumberland (a name used for the land of the witch Dahlia in King's Quest).
 * Grahame his original maybe an allusion to Kenneth Grahame, who wrote several children's stories including the Wind in the Willows and The Reluctant Dragon.
 * Graham's appearance may be inspired by the appearance of the Simpleton in the story The Golden Goose Book by L. Leslie Brooke (1905). But he could also have inspiration from Prince Philip from the Sleeping Beauty. There is also possibility that he was inspired by early artwork or movies of Robin Hood, as well.
 * In the original King's Quest distributed by IBM, Graham was known as Sir Grahame.
 * According to KQ2 and KQ2 Hintbook, his full name is Graham Cracker. The hintbook tells the player to ask, "What is Graham's last name?" in the game to get the reply, "Cracker". Note: Actually this will also work if you just ask, "What is Graham's name", or "What is Graham's first name?", which suggests the active part of the command is 'name'. Actually the word.tok file lists 'last name, name' as viable choices ('first name' is not listed suggesting it defaults to 'name' and ignores the 'first' part). The new series makes a nod to this in Chapter I: A Knight to Remember, where Graham is about to say his 'last' name but is cut off, to 'Cr...'.
 * If King Graham is killed by Dahlia in King's Quest 1 remake, he is turned into one of the gingerbread men, and put outside the Witch's hut, the game then described as having become a "graham cracker".
 * The Hero of Quest for Glory can say he is King Graham Cracker to the gargoyle in the Quest for Glory I. In response the gargoyle says he is Princess Rubella.
 * On the other hand the Official Book of King's Quest 3rd Edition refers to the Graham Family Tree which might suggest that Graham is a kind of surname for the family (although there is no direct indication that the king's full name is Grahame Graham, or Graham Grahame, or Graham Graham).
 * Where does Graham put all the stuff he's carrying? The same place Superman puts his street clothes when he flies!
 * In KQ5 and KQ6, he is voiced by Sierra programmer Josh Mandel (who also wrote the text for KQ1 sci). Mandel would also reprise the role for several Fan Games. Josh Mandel was a professional SAG actor, but for some reason was overlooked for KQ7 and 8.
 * Graham speaks with an olde style English in Mask of Eternity and Hoyle I. Daran Norris was chosen to play King Graham in MOE due to the game using all Screen Actors Guild talent. Graham's accent was likely changed in order to fit in with Connor's accent.
 * A graffiti message in Vohaul's Asteroid in SQ2, states "Sir Graham Cross Dresses." This literally occurs in the Old Maid game in Hoyle 4 (and lesser extent in Hoyle 1's version of Old Maid, though every character uses the same old maid sprite).
 * Graham is discussed in the newspapers in Police Quest 1 and 2.
 * In Laura Bow 2: Dagger of Amon Ra, there is a tapestry depicting a scene of Graham in Hell.
 * Whittlin' Willy begins to tell a story of King Graham in one of the death scenes in Freddy Pharkas. There is also a nod to King Graham of Daventry on a note in the General Store.
 * Graham is considered not particularly large or tall man in Daventry. Compared to Edward in KQ1AGI this seems true.

King's Quest: Adventures of Graham
The new King's Quest series is reimagining, it is a reboot of the series. It reinterprets Graham's origins/backstory, and events of King's Quest 1 and King's Quest 2. This time Graham is from Llewdor or possibly a land with an unpronounceable name, instead of having grown up in Daventry's nobility. He doesn't come to Daventry until about age sixteen. Instead of going on a mission to collect three treasures of Daventry just after he turned nineteen, he is twenty-one when he went on the mission from Edward to collect the lost Magic Mirror. For more about the The Odd Gentlemen's universe see Graham Cracker (KQGS).

His granddaughter Gwendolyn often comes to him for advice, and to hear the stories of his life. Both of his grandchildren have the potential to become his heirs in the future.

King Graham (unofficial)
King Graham appears in multiple fan games and fanfiction, see Graham (fan games).