The Crystal Tower is the tower on the Enchanted Island where Valanice was imprisoned by Hagatha.
Background[]
The place where Valanice was kept prisoner after she was kidnapped by Hagatha. Rose quartz in color, it reminds of the tower where Rapunzel was held captive after she was kidnapped by the witch named Dame Gothel.[1]
Hagatha placed the golden lion at the top of the tower to guard Valanice. The huge lion with dripping fangs at the top of the stairs always had a hungry look in its eye.
Graham first saw the tower when he looked upon Merlin's Mirror, and was told how he could reach it. When Graham came to the foot of the tower, Valanice came to the window at the top, she held out her delicate hand, waving a hanky. He couldn't see the girl's face. He could only see her hand waving from the window at the top of the quartz tower. Graham tried to call her, but the maiden couldn't hear him from up in the tower.[2]
The quartz tower is tall, thirty feet or more. The tower is built of creamy, opaque, white or rose quartz blocks. The roof of the tower is crenelated looking much like a rook in chess. There is a tiny window near the top. The thick red door at the base of the tower was fashioned from a wood unknown in Daventry.[3] The creamy quartz blocks reflects the strange sunlight in rainbow waves.[4]
Inside the tower, narrow steps spiral up the white quartz tower. The entrance to the tower is at the bottom of the stairs. The wooden steps spiral dizzily upward to the top of the white tower. The occasional window looks out to the gorgeous pink sky above the Enchanted Island, higher ones look out at the strange island surrounded by the colorful sea..[5]
At the of the wooden steps in the quartz tower, the steps lead to a grey floor. A door leads off to the north.[6]
Beyond the door the room at the top of the tower is very tiny, and has barren blue floor, and a small balcony and windows. Valanice was imprisoned in the small room. The room is barren, not one bit of furniture existed on the barren floor.[7]
While the Crystal Tower is most certainly in another land (either far off or in another dimension altogether), it is often included on maps of the Land of Kolyma (western Kolyma) or is stated to be a part of Land of Kolyma.
Gallery[]
Behind the scenes[]
The tower is referred to as the Crystal Tower in the King's Questions and The King's Quest Companion. It is often described as being a "quartz tower", and is also described as the 'white tower', and the 'white quartz tower'.
In Derek Karlavaegen's maps, he portrays the tower as a giant single shard of quartz crystal.
In the companion the tower is described as being made of rose quartz in one reference, however in game it appears more accurately made of a white quartz. Though at times it may appear to be the color of rose based on the reflection of the pink sky.
Artwork in KQ2 manual, makes portions of the tower look like a giant geode of protruding crystals.
A tower inspired by the Crystal tower appears in King's Quest Chapter III: Once Upon A Climb.
Quartz tower (unofficial)[]
The quartz tower appears in fan stories and games, see Quartz tower (unofficial).
References[]
- ↑ KQC, 2nd Edition, pg 453
- ↑ Narrator (KQ2):"The maiden cannot hear you from up in the tower.", "You cannot see the girl's face. You can only see her hand waving from the window at the top of the quartz tower.
- ↑ Narrator (KQ2): "The tower is built of creamy, opaque blocks. You see a tiny window near the top. A delicate hand, waving a hanky, appears from the window.", "You see a small hand waving a hanky from the window at the top of the tower.", "The thick door is fashioned from a wood unknown to you.
- ↑ KQC2E, pg
- ↑ Narrator (KQ2):"Narrow steps spiral up the white quartz tower. The entrance to the tower is at the bottom of of the stairs.", "Wooden steps spiral up the white tower. The entrance to the tower is at the bottom of the stairs.
- ↑ You are at the top of the wooden steps in the quartz tower. A heavy door leads off to the north. The hungry lion once guarded the door.
- ↑ Narrator (KQ2):"The room at the top of the tower is very tiny. You are angered at the thought of Valanice having been imprisoned in this small room."