Count Dracula is a main antagonist in King's Quest II: Romancing The Throne.
He is the vampire of legend; he is a supernatural being of great strength, and immortal as long as is able to drink the blood of humans at regular intervals. He lives in his castle located on an island in the Poisoned Lake.
Background[]
Count Dracula, lord of vampyres, is well known in the legends of Daventry, legends brought over by some of the human folk from the Other World. Never had it been mentioned, however, that the Prince of the Night had, himself, withdrawn to the World of Daventry.[1] His castle was brought over placed on an island in the center of the Poisoned Lake in the Kingdom of Kolyma. Dracula became the leader of the vampyres of Kolyma, being the lord of vampyres. Dracula and his vampyres hunted Kolyma's land at night. They all lived in the castle with the ghouls and ghosts there. The vampyres as a group rule the dark from the castle. The Monks sheltered the occasional traveler to protect them from the undead. Due to several factors the Children of the Night are isolated, and not likely escape Kolyma. Rumors speak that Dracula had an interest in the women of Kolyma. One story suggests that once, a poor woman dropped pieces of the Sapphire Jewels as she was flown to his castle, where the poor victim joined the count's Legion of the Undead (explaining how the Sapphire Tiara ended up in Dracula's Castle). He apparently also had romantic liaison with Grandma who obtained one of his cloaks and his ruby ring.
Sometime later, when Graham made his to Kolyma, he learned about the count from kindly Brother Fragola, a monk of the Monastery of the Blessed Wilbury, who gave him a silver cross to protect him from the vampire lord. After helping Grandma he also obtained a Count Dracula's cloak and ruby ring. From Pegasus he obtained a magic sugar cube to protect from the poisonous brambles on Dracula's island. Graham later made his way over to Dracula's island. By impersonating the Count, Graham gained the help of Death; the Boatman Charon, and made it past the guardian ghosts. When Graham entered the castle, Dracula immediately attempted to kill the king, however, he was protected by the cross that the monks had given him. Dracula changed into a bat, and quickly retreated to his coffin down in the basement of the castle.
Graham made his way to the basement and opened the coffin where Dracula lay sleeping. Using the stake and mallet he found earlier, Graham put an end to the evil Count. The vampire disintegrated into a pile of dust.
King Graham "hoping" to end Dracula's existence forever.
A Silver Key that unlocked a chest that held the Sapphire Tiara was left behind in the Count's ashes. Under the count's Satin Pillow Graham found the third of three magic gold keys, that opened up the Magical Doorway. While Graham defeated Dracula he didn't believe that he had defeated him for good, as true evil cannot be destroyed.
Surprisingly despite having been turned into ash by King Graham, Dracula (or at least another vampire like him) attended Graham's wedding to Queen Valanice at the Monastery of the Blessed Wilbury in Kolyma (while it's not clear how he managed to sit so close to such a giant cross as the one on the altar). The vampires continued to prey on victims in western Kolyma afterwards with only the monks working to protect the people.
Because the Sapphire Tiara was found in Dracula's castle, some speculate that they were dropped by one of the vampire's victims as the poor women were flown to join the Count's Legion of the Undead.
Derek Karlavaegen believes that Dracula is not supernatural at all, but that he is one of the last survivors - if not the final survivor - of the lizard folk who ruled the earth for millions of years before humanity. According to Derek, both the chameleon and the bat are degenerate descendents of that particular line of beings, and this accounts for Dracula's apparent ability to change shape and to fly. The lizardfolk may be poisoned by silver. Dracula may have fled from the sight of Graham's silver cross for the very reason that it was silver may have poisonous and its touch could kill him.
History in the Other World[]
Before withdrawing to Daventry, Dracula may have been the one known as Vlad the Impaler (Vlad Tsepish). He was a madman known to have murdered thousands in terrible ways and drank the blood of some of his victims.[2] He may have withdrawn to Daventry following his defeat c. 1897. The events were accounted in a book by Bram Stoker. These legends were brought over by some of the human folk when they withdrew. He has several cousins, and perhaps Vladimir Tsepish, is one of them.[3] Or the vampire seen at the wedding.
Titles[]
- Count Dracula
- Mr. Dracula
- Prince of the Night
- Vampire Prince
- Vlad the Impaler
- Drac
Notes[]
- It is unknown how Grandma came by Dracula's cloak and ruby ring. Derek Karlavaegen surmises it may be possible that Dracula and Grandma had a romantic liaison in the past. However, Grandma has not confirmed it. The Official Book of King's Quest wonders what kinda Grandma she actually is (Adaams family).
- He apparently has cousins.[4] This may include Vladimir Tsepish of Ooga Booga in World of Eldritch.
- He may be Vlad the Impaler.
- Gerwain, the Prime Minister of Daventry, knew of Dracula from the legends brought over from his folk (humans) during the withdrawal.
- Both Graham, Gerwain, and the monks believes that Dracula is an actual supernatural 'vampire/vampyre', as opposed to a member of the Lizardfolk.
- Derek Karlavaegen believes they may be members of the Lizardfolk, and not supernatural at all.If he is one, this may also make him a great sorcerer.
- Gerwain doesn't mention Dracula attending the wedding. This may suggest Graham never mentioned Dracula in his account of the wedding (or never saw him in the wedding), or it was a different vampire. Gerwain's account lacks much details of the wedding in general. It may never been known. They or at least Gerwain seems to think if he hasn't returned already, he will return someday.
- Dracula's appearance in the foyer of the castle is random, as is his appearance in the basement.
- Dracula grunts, and lets out a scream when he is killed in the Apple II version of the game. This is one of the earliest King's Quest characters to make 'human-like' sounds (before the release of King's Quest 5 CD).
Behind the scenes[]
Dracula first appeared in an 1897 novel of the same name by Bram Stoker, and the count has been reborn often in places and films. Some say that Dracula was based on Vlad the Impaler.[5] In popular culture the character of Dracula has appeared in more than 200 films, a number second only to Sherlock Holmes, (and several hundred more that have vampires as their subject).
Dracula is one of the more significant characters in King's Quest II, and is connected to many of the other characters in the game directly and indirectly. The monk refers to him as an evil force, and gives you the silver cross as protection. The Pegasus gives you a magical sugar cube that will protect you from the brambles of Dracula's island. The ghoul ferryman and the ghosts on Dracula's island can be tricked into thinking Graham is their master, Dracula. The ghosts guard the castle for their master. Grandma has a mysterious connection to the Dracula, having his cloak and ring (with the engravings C.D.) He is connected to the final door and the key, and is also the only villain in the game that can be killed (for points and to get the last Sapphire Jewels).
Although the symbol of this character is a Black Cloak, it is not an official indication of his membership in Society of the Black Cloak.
The reference to the women being carried to Dracula’s castle is likely a reference to the three vampire ladies in Bram Stoker’s Dracula described as the “weird sisters” (and by some as the Brides of Dracula or Dracula’s wives). In the novel one of the ladies was described as having pale sapphire-like eyes.
Dracula (unofficial)[]
The character Dracula has been mentioned or reinterpreted (or inspired other characters) in fan fiction and fan games, see Dracula (unofficial).