King's Quest Omnipedia
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Ceres

Ceres is the goddess of nature for the Realm of Eldritch and Etheria. She is the wife of Attis, both are immortal humans.

Background[]

She is Mother Nature. She lives in the Bountiful Woods. Cursed and turned into the Mother Oak by Malicia with an iron stake nailed in her root to hurt her eternally. She is eventually healed by Valanice using a pomegranate from the Cornucopia. She is also called the Lady of the Forest, and Lady of the Flowers. As the Lady of Spring, she is responsible for bringing the warmth of spring, which melts the snow, ice and frosts of winter in the Realm of Eldritch. This warmth was able to melt the ice trapping Lady Mab.[1]

She is Mother Nature herself for apparently Eldritch but may also be for the world of Daventry as well.[2] Although her range of influence seems mainly focused on the region of the Bountiful Woods, it also reaches in the Dreamland. Her power appears to mainly to influence the coming of spring in Eldritch (in a similar fashion to Ahi'aorina in lands near Daventry).

It is said that humans of world of Daventry (Earth) are always trying to defy Mother Nature[3], making them pretty stupid creatures. The animals are much more in tune with her powers.

The Druids of the Green Isles revere one known as Mother Earth who may or may not be another name for Mother Nature.

Titles[]

  • Mother Nature
  • Lady of Spring
  • Lady of the Forest
  • Lady of the Flowers
  • Mother Oak

Behind the scenes[]

She is based on several different mythic archtypes and legends, including greek, celtic, and others. She is based on two prominent ideas of Ceres and Mother Nature (the "earth mother" a concept utilized in many different cultures).

Ceres is the Roman goddess of earth, nature, farming and harvesting. She is also the etymological origin of the word 'cereal'. To the Greeks she was known as Demeter.

She is the one charge of spring in the Realm of Eldritch in much the same way that Culatha controls the spring in the lands of Daventry, Old Wood and the surrounding lands in the world of Daventry.

She is described as being human (albeit an immortal human) in King's Quest Companion and KQ7: Authorized Guide[4]. Although she certainly sees herself above humanity as she calls Rosella and Valanice 'children of humanity'. and 'sweet human'. In the game she calls Valanice a child of humans, and a 'sweet human', also indicating she above/different than average humanity (she herself not being a 'child of humans').[5] That she takes on a 'human form' doesn't necessarily mean that she is actually human.

Ceres is not actually ever specifically referred to as a fairy in the game or the novelization, and is actually land bound (her jurisdiction is mainly limited to the Bountiful Woods), though she helps with the volcano as well (and she is well knowledgable about both High Court, the Fates, and Queen Mab as well). She and Attis also seem to look at the faerie nobles of the high court of Etheria as being greater in power than them. This may suggest that they are only immortal humans and not faeries.

The fish in KQ3 refer to Mother Nature[6]

In KQ7 and the Companion Mother Nature and Ceres are the same being and Valanice responds that they are the same after learning from Attis of her nature. Though in context she acknowledging what Attis said about Ceres in context of Eldritch (not necessarily back in Daventry).[7][8] This isn’t clear in the early game realities (OT universe) where Mother Nature is an offhand reference add in KQ3, and may represent a later retcon, or unconnected ideas.

It is unclear if the Mother Earth (whom the Druids worship) and Mother Nature are connected or not.

She is voiced by Carol Bach y Rita who also voices Valanice.

References[]

  1. KQC, 4th Edition, 389, 390
  2. KQC4E, pg 349"...Ceres--Mother Nature herself."
  3. Narrator (KQ3):""
  4. "Were my beloved Ceres still able to speak, she might have been able to tell you. She is...was...the Lady of Spring, responsible for melting the snows and ice of winter. If only she were still human, she might be able to help."
  5. (THINKING HARD)I...I do not know, child of humans. Perhaps you should speak with the Three Fates. There is very little they do not know." (GENTLY BUT FIRMLY)Go, sweet human. If we are to survive this crisis, we must all do our duties, and quickly. I must stay here and defend my forest. Do what you must do."
  6. "Well, humans are pretty stupid creatures. They're always trying to defy Mother Nature."
  7. Valanice (KQ7): (VERY CONCERNED. THIS JUST OCCURRED TO HER)I hate to ask you this, Lord Attis, but what will happen if Ceres--Mother Nature herself--does indeed perish?
  8. KQC4E, pg 349"...Ceres--Mother Nature herself
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