Derek Karlavaegen

Derek Karlavaegen is a court scribe, historian, writer, a journalist, adventurer, traveler, magician, part-time sorcerer, and wanderer from the land of Daventry. He is a friend to the Royal House of Daventry, especially Alexander. He resides in the former house of the wizard Manannan in the land of Llewdor. He found a device there that he calls "The Eye Between the Worlds," and it is by way of this that he is able to communicate with the Other World..

He was a reporter and contributor to both the Times of Daventry, and Daventry People. He sent histories, press clippings, maps, magazine articles, and the like from the world of Daventry to earth. He is now well known for writing the Guidebook to the Land of the Green Isles.

Background
Derek Karlavaegen was originally an inhabitant of the green hills of Daventry. Many years ago, when Derek Karlavaegen was in his youth with little need for a razor, and a determination to see the world and all its myriad wonders and phantasmagoria. He began wandering, astride, afoot, and afloat; he discovered all he wished and more. He discovered a need and liking to record all he met, saw and heard. It was then he also discovered others would pay, to experience through his writings, that which he experienced without the inconveniece of seasickness, biting bugs, hostile witches and enchanters, or bandits. For most, that way is more easy, more safe, than living through those things for themselves. He used what he earned to travel more, to experience more, and to write more.

Shipwrecked in the Green Isles
One year, while Derek had taken passage on a ship from Tamir, and later boarded the Round About bound east from Port Bruce in Llewdor, his destination was Sovereignty of Serenia. On the second week out they encountered a terrible electrical storm. The ship became lost and off course. A month later, as Derek lay in a fitful sleep on his bunk - throat parched and skin stretched from the scant provisions allotted all hands from the near-empty hold below he heard the cry on deck "Land Ho!" Startled from his sleep and exhilarated with hope, he sprang to the deck. The sky had cleared and its blue seemed a hue he had never seen before. He could see a small body of land that was dimly visible. Yet within the hour, the curse upon our ship took its final vengeance. The the sea came alive and swirled around the ship. Currents and whirlpools materialized and sucked at the beaten planks of the ship - turning her first one way and then another! Derek was thrown against the deck and rolled uncontrollably against the cables and the lifeboats. The last thing he heard before his head was struck and blackness descended was the mate screaming "She's going Down!!!" All had perished except Derek Karlavaegen, and he barely. Out of sheer luck, Derek awoke the following morning, not among the bones at the bottom of the sea, but on a beach. Of the crew and passengers of the good ship, there was not a trace. The sea had washed all of Derek's remaining youth out of him. Like an old beaten horse to lame to pull a load, he limped towards a distant village, only to collapse. Derek had found the Land of the Green Isles, a place he had thought didn't exist. The Green Isles welcomed him warmly, fed, clothes, and healed his body. The women helped heal his fevered mind and shipwrecked soul. Once strong and well he was given the freedom to wander through as many islands and cultures as he wanted, and freedom to speak to all he might fancy.

At first he explored the docks, then checked out more of the village. Though little of his survived the shipwreck, the few trinkets that he had on his person or managed to salvage from the shore were deemed unusual enough in that distant realm to obtain a few necessities. He also found the villagers eager too share what they had in return for honest work, so he had survived quite comfortably there.

Despite my status as a stranger Derek was granted a visit with the reigning king and queen of the Green Isles. He met the king and queen in the castle's throne room. As a citizen of the larger, more dangerous world, it made him feel a little nervous and honor bound not to betray such trust in him. I met the king and queen in the castle's throne room. The throne room is a vast hall more ornate then anything these poor eyes have ever seen. Standing before the two thrones in that cavern of gold, it felt as though I stood before fabled Olympus itself. Yet, raising my eyes up slowly to those noble faces, I saw nothing of judgment in their eyes, nothing of disdain, indeed, their faces were full of kindness, welcome and kindness. Having met the royal couple and recovered sufficently from his ordeal at sea, he began to feel right curious about the other islands in the kingdom, and so he put his itching feet in the care of the jolly ferryman (the father of Hassan).

Derek travelled around the islands, first exploring the Isle of Wonder. Then he traveled to the Isle of Sacred Mountain. Two of the greeters met him, taking his arms and flew him upward to their city. While there he found himself fascinated by the Ancient Ones. He researched the race from what he could get from word of mouth, and from writings of scholars on the Isle of the Crown. Soon he contined his exploration to the Isle of the Beast, but could not enter far in.

Through long nights spent before the fire with his companions on the Isle of the Crown, he learned of the Green Islanders myths and legends. He learned of the Isle of Mysts, and the Realm of the Dead, and even of genies. He had been well treated on the islands and had become rich in friends, knowledge and in countless other blessings. Often, and freely, he was granted audence with the land's king and queen, Caliphim and Allaria. They spoke much of the Green Isles, and he of the rest of the Daventry.

In the evenings, he began composing a guidebook to their lands, refining it during the months of his stay. Though he found his spirit forlorn at times with his inability to travel on, though his feet had itched less there than anywhere else in the wide world (for it had stolen his heart). Still on occasion, he found his mind roving back to the green hills of Daventry. He hoped, if his spirit at least was allowed to roam free, he would see them again. He continued to feel melancholy for the places and people, he knew well, but resigned to spend his life hidden away from them, never to return home again. Although some of his mood, he put down onto paper, to admit the truth of his bitter feelings; his intention was to present a copy of his finished work to the king and queen in appreciation for all they and their people had done for him. He could not hide his longings from them.

When at last one evening, he finally proffered his gift to them, their eyes saddened and they looked away from him. After a moment King Caliphim warmly thanked him for the slim volume and walked with him into a garden. There, under a bronze moon, they asked him a great favor. His realm, he said, remained a legend to the rest of the world, and he, his queen, and his people, whed it to remain so. Too honorable to compell him, either by force or harangue, to release his sole other copy to him, he simply stated that if others saw his book and knew the location of the isles, their peace and harmony would be disrupted forever. And so it went, Derek assured the king and queen that he would retain his own slim copy as a keepsake of his time in their realm and guard it closely. He promised further that, when needed, he would do as he could to point attention away from the legendary Land of the Green Isles.

The two hugged him warmly, as if he were royality the same as they, and then summoned their ancient court sorcerer to attend them. It was their final gift to them. Derek bid Caliphim and Allaria a long and happy life, and wished the same for all their subjects and the daughter they hoped for. A spell was cast, and he awoke in a bower not far from the town of Serenia. Nearly a year after he begun his journey, he finally arived at his destination.

Almost two decades passed... Shortly after Alexander's return from Llewdor, and Rosella rescuing her father, Derek caught up with Prince Alexander as he relaxed in Castle Daventry the home he had never known to conduct an interview. Their interview was conducted over several days and was interupted frequently by the queen's reports on the king's improving physical condition, and by their spontaneous hugs and tears. At these times of family emotion, Derek would withdraw discreetly; as some emotions demanded their privacy.

Not long after the interview, a few months after Alexander's escape, Derek Karlavaegen travelled to Llewdor in order to get a better understanding of what the brave youth had been through. It was for that reason that he arrived at Manannan's abandoned house. The place was totally deserted, He found no evidence of the cat wizard. He found the house in good repair, but no person or animal was anyplace near, and he found no remains of dead animals (apparently even the chickens had escaped). Derek resolved to spend some days there, to use it as a base for his explorations around Llewdor. During the night he took advantage of Manannan's large library, looking closely through his books on magic and magical lore. The days stretched into weeks, and still no one came to claim the large house with its well-stocked underground laboratory.

It was during this time that Derek discovered the Eye Between the Worlds, on one of the shelves in Manannan's library. Derek Karlavaegen began to send messages and documents from the universe of Daventry to the Other World to the author Peter Spear. The court documents included many of his own written works as well as a few articles written by Daventry's stuffy old court chronicler, minister Gerwain, Alexander, and Valanice.

A little over a year later, Derek Karlavaegen was invited by King Graham and his family to spend some time at the refurbished Castle Daventry with them, a few moons after their ordeals with the evil Wizard Mordack. They asked him to write and record, for all who might read, the quest of the King of Daventry.

He admits he has lied a few times in order to protect the truth of things. For example he claims that he originally never believed in the Land of the Green Isles, he had thought it was a myth. But after he ended up there during one of his travels, and after he returned to Daventry he chose to hide the fact he had been there. He claimed, he didn't believe such a place existed. He kept up this charade even after learning about Cassima. He also said that when he drew up maps of the world and sent them to people in "Daventry" and in the Other World, he would either leave it off the map entirely or put in it the wrong location so as to protect it from people who might try to visit it.

It wasn't until Alexander came to him in earnest about going after Cassima that he finally admitted it was real and gave Alexander its location. Alexander came to Derek Karlavaegens home (the house of the magician Manannan) to seek his help. While his ship was being prepared he had come to see if Derek had known anything about the land which was going. He gave Alexander his personal copy of the Guidebook to the Land of the Green Isles, of which only a small edition had been printed, but out of respect to the wishes of the Crown, the book had never been offered for sale or perusal.. He felt a small glow of pride that at last his words would at last be read (and would ultimately save Alexander's life).

Friendship with the Royal Family of Daventry
Several months passed, Derek and others heard no word of Alexander. On one day, Derek had gathered with the Royal Family in Daventry for an unknown cause, when news came that Alexander was alive and well. With the genie Shamir's help Alexander's family was brought to Daventry, and at his prince's request, Derek too had been asked to become part of the celebration. He was given a room in the Castle of the Crown to stay, and given access to the castles libraries and archives. A few days before the wedding, Alexander came privately to him in the room he occuplied in the Palace of the Crown, tasking him write the chronicle of the events of Alexander's adventure before the celbration commenced to be put into the records of both kingdoms. Alexander left for him on his table vellum sheets with his scribbled notes. They discussed the story, Derek read over the notes, and he began writing on the eve of the wedding. The next morning finishing the chronicle, Derek Karlavaegen was summoned to Alexander and Cassima's wedding.

As all the folk of Daventry, and the people and creatures of the Land of the Green Isles, still rejoiced and celebrated the joining of Prince Alexander and Princess Cassima, Derek bowed his head and apologized to those he had lied to about the existence to the islands in the past. The shame he held for having to lie, and also having had to breaking the trust to the former king and queen of the land. He wrote a letter, his "A Confession and Apologia" to the readers of both the Times of Daventry and Daventry People, in which he begged forgiveness to anyone he may have wronged. This he sent along with a copy of the chronicle for all to read.

Later on he wrote a letter in which he discussed how he believed that the events of KQ7, never really happened. Though he admitted he could have been wrong.

For some unknown reason he never sent an account of the events of Connor's adventure, and it is unknown what he was up to at that time, if he was affected by the curse, or even if he was still alive by that time.

Personality and traits
Derek is a writer in the world of Daventry, he scribes stories about current events of the day for anyone who cares to listen, which are then published for the information and amusement of whoever cares to read them. He practices the magical arts daily, and while not so practiced to pass himself off as a professional sorcerer, he had achieved enough proficiency to contact the Other World. He is a writer of contemporary events, who hobbies in magic, and travels much. He is a humble observer. He is one who journeys and observes, questions and scribes. Many folks look upon what he writes as so near truth they accept it as such. He has been offered, and accepted both gold and coin for these efforts. What was once the amusement of a youth with itching feet and an inquiering mind had provided him with both a gentle living and an undesired notierity.

Derek is not a hero, he is a wanderer - neither as strong nor as brave as others.

Derek believed he had chosen for some destiny when he ended up in the Green Isles.

He is apparently a 'sour old dog', well traveled and weathered.

When writing, Derek enjoys a glass of smooth, sweet red wine at his side. Derek is also quite fond of local celebrations including weddings and festivities.

Some including Graham, think Derek has a tendency to think too much. As he has been prone to theories and musings about life in Daventry, its history, and philosophy.

Derek is known for being a curious soul. He has read records concerning the Other World, and knows as much about it as any who live in Daventry. Because of this he was able to determine that much that appeared on the Eye, came from the Other World. That the metal head in the study was connected certain of earth's machines (of similar design). Because of the curiosity of his, he discovered mention of Daventry and King Graham's adventures in the Other World, which he discovered existed as a sort of fantasy adventure intended as an entertainment for people. After experimenting with the eye for a time, he became convinced he could send messages directly through it to others. He sent his stories through the Eye, in hopes of providing some wonder, knowledge and enjoyment. To that end he continued his solitary experiments and copied some of the histories and narratives of his time.

He treasures truth and holds it precious. He believes to to deliberately twist and deform it, to mislead all who trust his thoughts and observations are without deliberate distortion is against his nature and ethic. He believes if what people say cannot be trusted, and history is recorded not as it were, but rather what it was not, that society would not be able to function. He believes there only be equality and justice if there is openness and truth. Without them, he feels that humanity would be just like those left behind in the Other World. He was very much aligned with truth, even when it was bitter. While Derek has tried to remain truthful all of his life, there is only one situation that he has been known to lie about. That is his knowledge of the existence of the Green Isles, and his knowledge of the kingdom. He chose to lie about it to protect the kingdom and its inhabitants. This was to keep a promise he had made with Caliphim years before. He only broke his pledge to the king and queen of the Green Isles, when Alexander came to him for his help. He chose to break the pledge to help their daughter. In an attempt to be honorable in his acts and words, he gave his personal copy of his Guidebook to Alexander, not as a promise broken, but as a trust upheld.

Derek is not one to ensure his needs and wishes over others, especially those who have been good and kind and generous to him. He believes there is room in the multiverse for all.

He also moved into Manannan's house in Llewdor, not long after Alexander left, and it is from there he is able to send messages to the other world through the Eye Between the Worlds. He is content to stick with this endeavor until he had exhausted Manannan's extensive magical library, or his wine cellar.

Derek is a frequent, distinguished, and popular contributor to both The Times of Daventry and Daventry People.

Behind the scenes
The character Derek Karlavaegen was created by Peter Spear for his King's Quest Companion. Later on Jane Jensen wrote the Guidebook to the Land of the Green Isles and she used the character as the writer of the book.

A Writer appears in KQ8, although it is unclear if this is Derek or someone else.

Derek Karlavaegen (unofficial)
Derek Karlavaegen appears in the fan fiction, see Derek Karlavaegen (unofficial).