This includes the brief summaries and prologues included in The Official Book of King's Quest in the Sierra: A Real Life Adventure chapter, and at the beginning of each game's chapter. Some minor editing may be included (including a fix to the fairy name mix-up in introduction to KQ4).
Background[]
In a nutshell, here are the six King's Quest stories;
- In King's Quest I a dashing knight named Graham must find three magic treasures--a chest, a mirror, and a shield--that old King Edward let slip from the Kingdom of Daventry. Graham succeeds and becomes King Graham on Edward's death.
- King Graham falls in love with the mysterious maiden Valanice in King's Quest II. She is imprisoned in a tower in the Land of Kolyma, and Graham must solve the mystery of the three doors in order to rescue her. Eventually, after a visit to Neptune's Kingdom and Dracula's Castle, Graham completes his quest and marries the fair Valanice.
- A boy named Gwydion is held captive in Llewdor by the wicked wizard Manannan. Gwydion must escape to learn his true identity in King's Quest III. When he does, he rescues his twin sister Rosella who is in Daventry in the clutches of a dragon. That done, Gwydion and Rosella are reunited with their parents , King Graham and Queen Valanice.
- This time it's Rosella who goes questing. In King's Quest IV she is after an enchanted fruit that will restore her aging father's health after his heart attack. Along the way she must do the bidding of an evil fairy. At the completion of her quest she receives a surprise proposal.
- King Graham returns to the quest in King's Quest V as he tries to rescue his family and home, which were swept away by a magical tornado created by the evil wizard Mordack. Graham soon lear ns that Mordack is the brother of Manannan, the wizard who turned into a cat by Graham's son, Alexander.
- In King's Quest VI, Graham's son Alexander goes in search of his true love, Princess Cassima, whom he first encountered when she was scrubbing floors in Mordack's kitchen. After truding from island to island in search of clues and help, Alexander finally confronts the wicked Vizier in the wedding chapel.
King's Quest I: Quest for the Crown[]
You are Sir Graham. You have been summoned to Daventry by old King Edward to find three treasures he has let slip from the realm. The treasures are a chest of gold, a magic shield, and a magic mirror. It is your job--your duty--to find the missing prizes and return them to King Edward.
To succeed in your quest you will have to visit every corner of Daventry.
King's Quest II: Romancing the Throne[]
It begins with King Graham on the throne in his castle... Your name is Graham; you are the King of a small country named Daventry. Although you have about everything a king could want--an awesome palace, a hot carriage, and a great job--you are terribly lonely. What you really want is for a beautiful young maiden to become your wife and Queen. Rumor has it that such a lady lives in a distant land.
You begin your journey on the beach of Kolyma, seeking the fair maiden Valanice. You will have to open three doors before you find her. Good luck.
For your quest to be successful you will have to visit many places in Kolyma.
King's Quest III: To Heir Is Human[]
In a far-off land known as Llewdor, there lived a wicked old Wizard named Manannan. Like most of us, he hates housework. One day he discovers that a boy whom he has kidnapped makes a dandy housekeeper. As we join the story, the boy Gwydion--unfortunately, that's you--has reached his seventeenth birthday and lost interest in his chores; he has started to chase girls and hang out in town. Although Gwydion doesn't know it, his days with Manannan are numbered unless he can outwit the wily Wizard and escape.
What this has to do with Sir Graham--now King Graham and Queen Valanice--is not immediately apparent. But it is indeed the third story of a continuing adventure.
King's Quest IV: The Perils of Rosella[]
Prince Alexander (first known as Gwydion) and his sister Princess Rosella are in the Throne Room with their parents, King Graham and Queen Valanice. Suddenly King Graham clutches his chest and falls stricken to the floor (too many fatty foods?).
You play the role of Rosella and embark on a quest to find a magic fruit that will restore your father's health. It turns out that finding the fruit is just the first of five tasks you must complete that day. In order to get an important talisman, you must also find and deliver three items to an evil witch named Lolotte[1]. Then you try to save the Good Fairy Genesta who helped you. This must all be accomplished in just one Tamir day.
As the story begins, you find yourself desposited in the land of Tamir. Your first order of business is to explore the area, picking up whatever isn't nailed down. Look under bridges. Do good deeds and remember you are a girl so it's okay to act like one: You can kiss cute green things and do housework with a song in your heart.
King's Quest V: Absence Makes the Heart Go Yonder[]
Returning from a walk in the woods one fine spring day, King Graham stepped into a clearing just in time to see his castle swirled away in a tornado. This was no weather phenomenon, but rather an act by the evil wizard Mordack. Poor Graham was so crazed by losing both family and castle that he let an owl named Cedric carry him off to a friendly wizard's house.
You play the part of King Graham and must search for your lost wife Valanice, son Alexander, and daughter Rosella. You'll get help from the forgetful old wizard Crispin and lots of companionship--wanted or not--from Cedric who accompanies you everywhere. Your quest begins outside of Crispin's house in the town and forest of Serenia.
King's Quest VI: Heir Today Gone Tomorrow[]
At the end of the previous adventure, Prince Alexander and his family returned to Daventry to live happily ever after. Well...not quite.
The young Alex just can't get the lovely Princess Cassima out of his mind. She has told him to come visit her, and he knows she lives with her parents in the Land of the Green Isles. But he has no idea where that is or how to get there.
Once again the magic mirror comes to the rescue. In it Alexander recoginizes a pattern of stars that will allow him to navigate to the Green Isles. He quickly bids farewell to family and friends and begins a long and perilous ocean voyage. The voyage comes to an end when his ship is dashed to pieces on the rocks of an unknown island.
Behind the scenes[]
The intro paragraph for KQ1 is interesting as it suggests that Graham was outside of Daventry, when he was summoned to the castle. If so where was he at? At the border of the kingdom, helping to fight he border wars? On another mission, or adventuring? Not a citizen but an 'knight errant' or mercenary being hired, or a knight from another kingdom?
Part 3 has interesting reference to Gwydion leaving down the mountian to chase girls as early as his 17th birthday. Of course in other sources suggest he didn't start going down until near his 18th birthday (and only during the game for his survival).
References[]
- ↑ A typo in the book actually lists "Genesta", but its obviously referring to Lolotte.