The Four Winds

The Four Winds was a bit of fan fiction written by the team behind the cancelled The Silver Lining. It was later removed from their site.

The Green Isles Celebrates its New Rulers
By Kurt Rayner For the first time in almost 30 years, the Green Isles are seeing the hefty responsibility of ruling and maintaining the lands change hands today, as our own beloved Cassima and her new husband, Alexander of Daventry, were officially and ceremoniously decreed the new King and Queen of the Land of the Green Isles. Public support was out in full force as Green Islanders made their way to the Castle of the Crown to witness the historic coronation, and even the Isle itself seemed to celebrating with a clear blue sky and the sun shining on the lush and lively island full of celebrants.

"It's a big day for all of us," commented Hakim, the owner of the local pawnshop, who reserved a front row seat for the occasion. "I feel like I'm a little boy all over again, sitting on the shoulders of my father so I can see the coronation! I was there for Caliphim and Allaria's, and I have every intention of being there for Cassima and Alexander's big day as well."

Along with Hakim, many of the Isle's other merchants and vendors were present, as well as numerous nobles, dignitaries, officials, and representatives of the other Isles.

"I remember when Alexander traded for one of my fine new lamps," a peddler commented shortly before the ceremony was to begin. "The old lamp I got had such a nice, traditional design. There was no genie in it, but it's a fine lamp nonetheless! I use it frequently to this day."

Of course, those closest to the new King and Queen were also in attendance for the big day: The King's mother and father, King Graham and Queen Valanice of Daventry, his sister Princess Rosella and her suitor Prince Edgar of Etheria. Queen Cassima’s parents, the now-former King Caliphim and Queen Allaria, were there as well of course, taking part in the ceremony as well the celebration.

"I'm very proud of him, he's grown so much," King Graham told the Four Winds. "When he was stolen from us as a baby, we never thought we'd ever see anything like this day. But here we are, and we couldn’t be prouder or happier for Alexander and Cassima.”

Security at the castle for the coronation "Not being in charge will take some getting used to," King Caliphim joked after the ceremony, in which the traditional crowns were passed to the new monarchs. "But Allaria and I are ready to retire quietly. We have complete confidence in our daughter and her husband to rule the Green Isles with the best interests of the land at heart. They are both intelligent, loyal, kind, and brave—they will do us proud.”

"Cassima has done quite well for herself, I must say," the Queen Mother commented, “Alexander has a good head on his shoulders, and he certainly doesn't back down from a challenge! He’s already done so much to repair the damage done by Alhazred.”

As always, however, there are those who are wary of the change of rule. "I am still quite skeptical about this new king," one Island official, who wished to remain anonymous, stated. "I mean, sure, he finds wonderful lumps of coal for people and his decision to keep the prominent display of red in the Castle of the Crown was simply genius, but what has he done for us lately? The only saving grace for me in this change of power is that Cassima will be there to provide stability and tradition to the Isles!" The statement was then followed up by an aristocratic upturn of the nose and an indignant and distinctly diagonal storming off.

Of all the individual Isle’s rulers, it seems that the King and Queen's largest supporter is Prince Cocteau the Thrice-Blessed, ruler of the Isle of the Beast. "Not only did King Alexander break the enchantment placed on me by that wicked witch, he introduced me to Beauty, my wonderful queen and the light that sets my heart on fire. Now that the King has found and returned my coat of arms, I have yet more reason to sing his praises and swear my loyalty to him. I have no doubt that his and Cassima's reign will be both fair and prosperous for the Green Isles."

We were unable to get interviews from any of the other Isles' representatives, but their attitudes at the ceremony seemed to be positive. All-in-all, public opinion about the Green Isles' new King and Queen appears to be very optimistic indeed, as the people are hopeful that this reign will be one of good will and happiness for the kingdom. For the first time in a long time, things in the Land of the Green Isles appear to be looking up.

"It is my greatest desire that the rule of King Alexander and Queen Cassima be noted in history as one that was kind, fair, and just," the new King stated in his coronation speech. "There is still some amount of distrust and unease from what the Green Isles have gone through recently. But with the return of the Isles’ stolen treasures, the imprisonment of Alhazred, the re-opening of the ferry and the trade routes, and the continued cooperation of you, the good people of this fine kingdom, we can assure that the Land of the Green Isles will once more thrive as a land of peace, prosperity, and good will."

"What we wish to do with our rule is to show great charity and love to you all," Queen Cassima said in her accompanying coronation address. "We want there to be a clear message that the bad times are over, that evil has been cast out from this place, and that the Green Isles stand once again, united in freedom, righteousness, and happiness."

Some Green Islanders, not blessed with the power of knowing what's going on, have no idea who their new king is. To rectify this predicament, this reporter has taken it upon himself to compile a history the Prince who is now King.

King Alexander was born to King Graham and Queen Valanice of Daventry twenty-one years ago in the land of Daventry along with his twin sister, Rosella. A year later, however, he was stolen from his crib by the evil wizard Manannan, and raised as a slave named Gwydion, knowing nothing of his true identity. Despite these circumstances, Alexander’s good nature and good sense were never dulled through the years, and it was no secret to him that his master was evil and untrustworthy. Alexander secretly made a study of magic on his own in the wizard’s house, and used the evil wizard's own magic to transform Manannan into a cat and escape! His travels thereafter revealed the truth of his birth, and he found his way back to Daventry. And with no time to lose! Alexander made his first mark as a hero and an adventurer by destroying a terrible three-headed dragon that held his homeland, as well as his sister Rosella, in its grip of terror, and was joyously reunited with his family.

"I knew when he returned to us that he would become a great man," his mother, Queen Valanice, told the Four Winds. "He's so much like his father: brave, adventurous, yet cautious, wise, kind, and with a heart of pure gold. I guess it's just in the blood. I am so proud of both of them!"

It was not long after this that Alexander found himself at the mercy of yet another dark wizard, a name quite well known to Green Isles: Mordack, the fiend who kidnapped our own Princess Cassima, and brother to Manannan. King Graham strove valiantly to free his family and defeat this evil wizard, and it was love at first sight when Alexander and Cassima met in the aftermath of their imprisonment. The noble King Graham made certain that Cassima was able to return to her own homeland, but when months passed and Alexander heard no word from her, he grew concerned. His family’s magic mirror showed him the way to our fair land, and brought him here in our hour of greatest need.

The tale of Alexander’s battle against Vizier, murderer, and usurper Abdul Alhazred is one that the Green Isles shall never forget. His cunning and bravery took him not only to our shores, but even to the Land of the Dead itself to save Cassima’s parents, bring them home, and in the end reveal the vile man for who he really was to one and all. What may have befallen our beloved home had it not been for Alexander? This reporter does not care to speculate on what that dark destiny may have been. Thankfully, Queen Valanice was quite proven quite right—her son is a great man, and he has proven this thoroughly to the Land of the Green Isles.

Welcome, King Alexander and Queen Cassima! Long may you live and reign!

Ferry is restored in the Land of the Green Isles
By Kurt Rayner

Old and new: The ferry in disrepair (left) and the ferry with repairs almost complete (right). Shamir also fixed up the dock and Hassan's office. The whole place looked brand new! Unfortunately, a small piece of land was lost in the process.

After years of being dry docked and falling into a sad state, the Green Isles Ferry is at long last being repaired. Aside from the use of magic, which is quite limited amongst the commonfolk of the kingdom, the ferry run by Isle of the Crown native Hassan was the only means of communication and transportation among the islands. The restoration began with Shamir Shamazel, genie to King Alexander, magically removing the rotting wood and replacing it with a magical and gifted wood that will remain impervious to such damage for the rest of the ferry’s days. The holes and weak spots in the hull are gone, new sails are being sewn, and all mildew, mold, and barnacles are being scrubbed clean from the ferry.

King Alexander ordered the restoration of the ferry shortly after his marriage to Queen Cassima. It has taken many months for the genie and his workers to make progress. Though Shamir has said he could have moved the process along quickly through magic, Captain Hassan insisted on overseeing the process from start to finish. “I helped my father build the last ferry and it served well for years. The new wood’s nice, don’t get me wrong, but a captain builds his boat and he does it right—by doing it himself,” Captain Hassan explained proudly.

“I’m excited that King Alexander has made such a grand effort to restore the ferry,” Hassan went on to say. “Alhazared was the reason we’d dry-docked the ferry in the first place when he was busy separating the islands. But now that traitor’s not in power, and the islands can get back to being friendly neighbors again.” Indeed, the ferry is greatly needed to facilitate trade between the islands, carrying loads that simply cannot be moved by magic maps, and its use in the kingdom goes back for generations.

“My father taught me to steer the ferry correctly and avoid the reefs and rocks before he died, just like his father taught him, and just like I plan to teach my son once he’s tall enough to reach the wheel. I was afraid that this old boat would no longer be seaworthy and that it would take years to build a new one, but I’m glad I was wrong about that. It’s important to get the old girl back out there, for everyone’s business and not just mine. With the Island Queen back in business, it’s starting to feel like old times again.”

The ferry’s captain was not the only one pleased with the restoration. His first mate was not available for comment, but the merchants from the village on the Isle of the Crown were happy to speak with us.

“My business will be booming once more,” said Hakim, the owner of the Pawn Shoppe. “Business in my store had slowed down considerably with the ferry was out of service. I could not receive goods from the other islands, and my merchandise just seemed to pile up with nothing getting sold. Additionally, I could not replenish my supply of complimentary mints! In fact, when I first met Alexander, my heart leaped at the sight of a foreign visitor. I was even happier when he spent his copper coin at my shop. King Alexander may be the best thing that ever washed up on our shores!”

Ali, the owner of the book store, also spoke with us. “I hope that the new monarchs will encourage reading throughout the land, especially among our young people. Reading stimulates the mind and feeds the soul, you know. And frankly I feel it's beginning to become a lost passtime on our younger generation. And I have heard that I am not the only book worm in the Land of the Green Isles, but that there is a literal one on the Isle of Wonder. I would give anything to see his collection of books!”

"Of course the ferry will help my business!" says the lamp peddler, whose real name he declined to reveal. "With more people coming to the Isle of the Crown from off-island, there are bound to be more people who need to buy lamps, and with lamps to trade! By the way, would any of your readers have any old lamps to trade for new ones? I'll be at the bazaar all day if they do, and sometimes all night too.  You are going to print that right?"

The Isle of the Crown had anticipated the re-opening of the ferry would be beneficial, and had recently approved expansion of the main street to include new shops including a designer clothing shop, a candy shop and a map shop among other new businesses.

The restorations to the ferry and the dock are scheduled to be completed within a few weeks, and once the Island Queen has been given a proper test sail in the waters of the islands once again, Captain Hassan will be holding a grand re-opening of his business on the Isle of the Crown. The Four Winds eagerly awaits getting its distribution numbers back up and running as well!

While working on the ferry, Shamir also fixed up the dock and Hassan's office. The whole place looked brand new! When pressed, Hassan grudgingly agreed the lost land was no longer necessary with the ship out of dry-dock.

When asked to comment on the dock and ferry repairs, recovering mint addict Shamir responded "Oops. Sorry about that bit of land there. Hic!==Celebration to Honor Daventry's Hero== MacLyrr bestowed official title Guardian of the Realm By Linden Isadora Among the royal heroes of Daventry: King Graham, Queen Valanice and Princess Rosella

Castle Daventry was the setting for a much-needed celebration this past weekend, which marked the one-month anniversary of the restoration of the kingdom by Connor MacLyrr. Tens of thousands of celebrants came from all corners of the land to pay homage to their savior and to once again see the long-absent Princess Rosella, but mostly to enjoy good food and good fun courtesy of King Graham and Queen Valanice. The four-day long celebration began with Princess Rosella, recently returned from Etheria, honoring the new hero. “I am very grateful to Connor MacLyrr, as is the entire world. Had he not reassembled the Mask of Eternity, who can say what evil would have consumed other lands beyond Daventry?” After her speech, the Princess presented Connor with a golden shield bearing the royal insignia of Daventry. Though he could not be present for the ceremony, King Alexander of the Land of the Green Isles sent along his thanks to the man who saved his parents and his homeland.

“I’m so proud of him,” gushed MacLyrr’s fiancée Sarah. “I’ve always known what a wonderful man he is, and now the rest of Daventry knows, too.”

Merchants from many different kingdoms set up booths outside the castle, catering to the thousands unable to be inside the castle for the official ceremonies. A baker from Serenia had several custard pies which he advertised as “The Pie that Slayed the Yeti,” referring to King Graham’s adventures in the mountains of that region. At another booth, a well-to-do Woodsman was offering bowls of his wife’s famous “Never-ending Gruel,” and genuine pieces of a gingerbread cookie house that was long ago demolished. Pan and his lovely lute, making a rare appearance outside of Tamir at the personal request of Princess Rosella, provided music for the event.

The celebration was an occasion for many to relive previous episodes in Daventry’s history. One festival attendee, an old gnome with the strangest name, remarked, “I remember when Graham was first starting out in this world. Found all three magic treasures in no time, he did! He was quite the accomplished adventurer, as was his son Alexander. I can recognize a great adventurer when I see one. I’ll never forget when I saw Alexander emerge from that mountain cave with his sister by his side. Connor’s the same way, mark my words. We’ve seen our share of hard times in Daventry, and we’ll see plenty more, but with people like King Graham, King Alexander, and Connor MacLyrr, I’m none too worried.”

Underlining these sentiments was the ceremony in which King Graham named Connor MacLyrr the new Captain of the Guard. In the presence of some of Daventry’s most respected and prominent citizens, the King knighted MacLyrr and bestowed upon him the official title “Guardian of the Realm of Daventry.” It was a poignant ceremony, and recalled the days when the King was himself Daventry’s most respected and beloved knight. “Connor has proven himself to be a very resourceful young man,” the King said. “He showed great calm in the face of extraordinary circumstances, and he has demonstrated that he is both a skilled warrior and a crafty adventurer. The future holds great things for him. I am honored to have him serve in the highest position among my knights.”

When asked to comment on the ceremony, Connor said “I am honored to accept this position, and humbled that my liege speaks so highly of me. I will continually strive to be worthy of his respect, and I will do my best to follow the example set by King Graham and his entire family.”

As the celebration began to wind down, villagers gossiped about the new Captain of the Guard and his fiancée. Rumors circulated that perhaps with both of the King’s children in foreign lands, the next ruler of Daventry would be found in a manner similar to King Graham himself. No one would comment on these rumors, but they provide a fitting end to a celebration honoring a hero.

Behind the scenes
The Four Winds was a work of fan fiction, in the form of a newsletter, published by the team of the The Silver Lining as a kind of prologue to the game. It was later removed from their site. It has recently been brought back.

The Four Winds is not produced or distributed by Sierra On-Line. All original content (c) 2002 King's Quest IX Development Team. "The Four Winds" is a work of fan fiction. It is based on the popular King's Quest series, which is wholly Copyright of Sierra Entertainment Inc. 1984-2002. All Characters and related material are registered trademarks of Sierra Entertainment, Inc.