Derek Karlavaegen (unofficial)

Behind the scenes
Derek Karlavaegen is very much out of character compared to his appearances in Guidebook and King's Quest Companion. In the companion he was a friend of Alexander, and the rest of the Royal Family. Infact he was the commisioned to write Alexander's chronicle of the events of KQ6. This included a section discussing Shadrack, and his plans for the kingdom. He was also the one who gave Alexander a copy of the Guidebook that proved useful during his time on the Isle of the Sacred Mountain. Derek was also the one who interviewed Alexander-Gwydion shortly after his return to Daventry after defeating Manannan, so their friendship was long. Derek in both of those texts knew that Alexander was a very honest and trustworthy individual, who had suffered a tragic childhood under the evil wizard. He is such a trusted friend of the family, that he is given his own quarters within the castle itself (perhaps in or near the Castle's own archives) so that he can research whatever he needs to finish his writing (this apparenlty included copies of the correspondence letters).

In The Four Winds, Derek appears to hardly know Alexander. Doesn't seem to like him, seemingly to considering him a tyrant of a leader, and untrustworthy... Derek himself does some fairly questionable things, he appears to be a bit of a thief, a treasure collector, a con artist, a rogue, etc. Stealing artifacts to sell to others for profits... whereas profits never seemed to be his motive in the Guidebook or the Companion. His distrust for Alexander leads him to steal the Black Cloak correspondence documents after sneaking into the Castle of the Crown. As he is curious what was written in them. Upon reading them, he learns about Shadrack for the first time, and notes that he has never heard about him before.

While the Eye Between the Worlds is referenced, some of the background details of when and how it was discovered are off. In the Companion its suggested it occured shortly after KQ4, but before KQ5. In the companion, the house was abandoned, and he simply moved in. The Four Winds appears to imply that he 'bought' the mansion perhaps after KQ5 or KQ6. Some of the descriptions of how the Eye functions are somewhat different than they were described in the Companion (example, allowing for two way communication between both worlds, instead of one way, as it was mentioned in the Companion).