Kingdom of Daventry

The Kingdom of Daventry (c. KQ6)

The Kingdom of Daventry (aka the Realm of Daventry or the Land of Daventry) though often considered a small country, is the most populated kingdom in the world of Daventry. It is part of the continent of Serenia (aka continent of Daventry), having been a united country for centuries. Daventry is but a small spot among many larger lands (at least at the time between KQ2 and KQ3). Daventry is (at least in the view of noted Daventry writer Derek Karlavaegen) the greatest kingdom on the continent (the heart of the series 'universe), and there is a great deal of evidence to support his belief.

Background

There have apparently been several kingdoms known as Daventry, over its thousands of years of existence. Many kings and queens ruled over earlier forms of the nation, and there have been many dynasties ruling over versions of it. Very little is known about the earlier Royal lines.

King Edward had evidently consolidated the present kingdom of Daventry, increasing its size severalfold. He built the current Castle Daventry as gift for his new bride Maylie. After he put his kingdom in order and before the great troubles connected with losing the the magic treasures of the realm, Edward founded the Royal University of Daventry. One of Edward's beliefs was that a kingdom is only as strong as its weakest minds, and he intended that Daventry would train the keenest, sharpest minds in the world.

It is said that his love for Maylie is what drove him to perform the great and heroic deeds that created the kingdom. It is also said that it was her death (first with the loss of the mirror) that drove him to the mistakes that almost destroyed it. When he lost the magic shield, invaders began shrinking its borders. Most of the population was killed or driven away. Finally the loss of the Golden Chest thrust the nation into poverty. Again, as in the time of his father, disorder ruled the land since the loss of the Three Great Treasures. King Edward feared that disorder might degenerate further once he died. By the time Graham was sent on a quest to save it, it had become small and compact. About four hundred and eighty-seven heptans-square, an area bounded by forests including the Old Woods. Castle Daventry was located about four miles away from the Old Wood to the east. Daventry was but a small spot among the many larger lands surrounding the kingdom. It had been that way since times Graham explored the world in his youth.

The kingdom saw some growth and prosperity for a time after Graham saved the kingdom, and the town was rebuilt Still some say Edward's death and Graham's coronation put the kingdom is in an uproar, yet it was whole and united as never before.

The Kingdom again began to shrink, after the loss of Alexander, due to magic mirror being darkened, and rumors began of a rampaging dragon invading the edges of the country, the Shield could not stop it. As the Dragon's rampage increased the kingdom size shrunk even further. Graham no longer had any authority beyond the limits of the fields, and no desire to rule more. Still parts of Daventry stretched to the north (towards the Great Mountains), and some of it to the sea to the south.

After Alexander rescued his sister and the kingdom from the dragon, the Kingdom was back to its height, perhaps even larger than it ever had been before. At this time (before Alexander reached the continent) the kingdom covered most of the 'eastern Continent', and the continent had become known as Daventry (after the main nation located there). Most of Serenia (the land lieing north of Daventry) had been split off the continent by Harlin's evil magic to the The North. The Kingdom of Daventry took up the bulk of the newly configured geography except for the western and southern kingdoms, and a small section of Serenia (including the desert, and the Village of Serenia) in place on the northeastern edge of the continent.

The land has long been a monarchy and currently a very peaceful and fair land, ruled by King Graham, who has ruled the realm for over two decades. He is renowned as a mighty, just and strong king, and is a beloved hero and leader to his subjects, and runs his Kingdom fairly and wisely. Under Graham, the kingdom has grown to be rich and strong, a great turnaround from many years of poverty and weakness, and it's population has grown to great numbers.

Magical beings, such as Elves and Fairies roam the land, but the humans make up the majority of the population. At one time, the land was infested with evil creatures such as Trolls, Ogres, Dark Elves, and Witches but those fell beasts were banished from the Kingdom long ago through force during the rule of Graham. Daventry for the most part remained a strong nation, defended by a large army and a good number of loyal and devoted knights and the Castle Guard (lead by Captain Roderick). Daventry also supports a Naval Fleet, whose flagship was at one time the lost Johannes Bey.

The land is bordered on the north and the east by the Great Mountains, which separate Daventry from the land of Serenia to the north, and the Kingdom of Sorrow to the east. Also beyond Daventry's borders to the north and east lie the Swamp. The Old Wood borders Daventry to the north, north-west, east and south. One edge of the Old Wood lies four miles from the castle to the east. Another ancient and dark forest borders the western edge of the kingdom, where the wizard Morowyn lives just north of the Old Wood (and may even be part of that wood).. Daventry has at least one main population center, the town of Daventry lying to the south of the castle, under the shadow of the castle. The community that Connor, Julia, Sarah and others reside in is a small farming community south of Castle Daventry on the edge of Daventry town.

Daventry has a population of thousands of people. The kingdom is home to hundreds of lovely maidens. The citizens of Daventry are scattered, some live in Daventry town, or the other towns, while others in farms throughout the kingdom.

Of the great countries of the world, greatest is the Kingdom of Daventry, a land of wonder and marvels. It is home to King Graham, his queen, Valanice, and their children, Alexander and Rosella. Twins these two are, and courageous beyond words, as are their parents. Here too abide monsters and magicians, giants and little folk, witches and fairies, cruel beasts and human people, commoners and kings.

Great troubles have beset this illustrious kingdom for years, pausing only to allow troubles that seem greater still to befall. Great too are the tales that have been told and sung of the struggles to vanquish those difficulties. Good King Edward gave his life for the sake of his people and kingdom, as King Graham and his children almost have.

Daventry is the most populated part of the world; it is renowned for its great keep, Castle Daventry, and its gentle lakes, which are so numerous as to be almost beyond counting. Many lakes are fed by the greatest of streams, the River Fools. Daventry's awesome mountains, the Great Mountains, punch upwards through the clouds to snowcapped summits daring to be scaled. Giants walk those clouds, yeti prowl the snows, and the great Roc's nest in its most in its most inaccessible peaks. Dragons own the land's innards and share it with leprechauns; witches on their brooms fly the skies along with giant condors; and ogres and trolls and dwarfs and elves and gnomes fill the secret spaces known only to themselves. Magic flows through everything.

At the moment the Kingdom of Daventry seems whole, having rebuilt itself from years of flaming terror caused, at various ill times, by a three-headed dragon, constant earthquakes, and the Great Tear which ripped the Castle itself from the ground before plunging it back later. Castle Daventry returned unscratched; the ground had less of an easy time accepting it. These terrors destroyed much of the beautiful land, forcing many folk to flee to the western and southern kingdoms. Vast chasms appeared, ripping the earth apart much as one would open a ripe fruit. Whole sides of mountains collapsed, burying some landmarks and creating others. Great walls were built throughout Daventry to contain the terrible beast so it would not maraud the entire continent. These walls succeeded, but they also magnified the damage done within the kingdom.

Now, though, the walls are down as if they never were, and the stone used to build homes for the returning population. The rains have been good, perhaps in celebration of deliverance, and the natural world healed itself again. The fresh greens of new trees and shrubs and bushes and plants had completely wiped the black sand browns of formerly burnt landscapes. Great magics were unleashed; once unable to destroy a dragon, they rebuilt and reclaimed the land. Once might suspect dread technology at work, so quickly went the transformation.

To the north and west of Daventry, beyond the River Fools and the Great Mountains lies the Sovereignty of Serenia.Although they lie somewhat near to each other, very little trading or communication goes on between them, due to the barriers that lie between the two nations.

History of the Kingdom

Daventry is a very old kingdom, and it has had its share of kings, both good and bad, over the thousands of years since it was founded. The land has held strong and extremely rich for hundreds of years with the help of the Three Great Treasures; the Magic Mirror, the Magic Shield and the Magic Chest.

However, the kingdom was apparently disordered, and made up of smaller warring nation states (marauding armies ruled by various warlords, nobles, and would-be kings, enemies both within the kingdom and without).

Edward's father successfully defended his small province within Daventry as best he could with the Shield of Achille. He funded his troops with the Chest of Gold, and made sure his people were kept fed via the power of the Merlin's Mirror. It was the three great treasures helped the small realm successfully maintain it's power, as the greatest region in the fractured realm (as it had been for over 500 years).

When Edward came to power he successfully had ended the warring states, consolidated the kingdom, and brought order to the surrounding lands. The kingdom had grown severalfold. He built great institutions of learning.

However, tragedy befell the land as King Edward the Benevolent lost the treasures one by one, and in the years that followed the loss of the treasures, Daventry became a poor and weak country, wracked with poverty, famine and war. Again and again Daventry was invaded, it's once mighty borders growing smaller and smaller. The famine had reduced the population again and again, until few remained in Daventry. Even if an army could have been raised, no gold existed to pay for it. The castle's moat with its flesh-eating beasts, and thick metal-clad door was all that protected the kingdom. The weakening spells of long departed sorcerers, backed by the sword-arms of fewer than 100 worn-out and battered knights were the kingdom's final defenses.. As time passed Edward grew older and weaker until one day, years later,before the immanent death of the aged ruler, King Edward sent for his noblest and bravest knight, Sir Graham, and charged him with a great quest, to find the lost treasures which would restore the land to it's former glory. If he succeeded, he would succeed Edward, and become the King of Daventry.

Map of Daventry (KQ3 era). The town of Daventry is located roughly at the spot of the brown square.

At the time Graham was looking for the treasures the land was almost completely surrounded by containment barriers, which prevented travel outside the kingdom bending the edges of the kingdom back on itself. The restoration of the kingdom due to the return of the treasures broke the spells creating the barriers. The Raging River, River Fools, Merelee River, and the river through Connor's community are several rivers that pass through the kingdom. Lake Maylie lies to the north of the castle, close to the castle's northern walls.

Kingdom of Daventry and surrounding lands (KQ8 era)

Graham was successful in his perilous adventure, and thus became the King of Daventry, and began a long rule which continues to this day. A couple of years after his coronation, Graham embarked on a quest to find a bride and queen for his kingdom, and at the culmination of his long and perilous quest he married Valanice, a princess of the Land of Kolyma and soon the King and Queen provided the Kingdom with heirs, twins; a son and daughter named Alexander and Rosella and all seemed well. However, during Graham's reign other disasters befell the long besieged kingdom, but they were healed. The son of Graham and Valanice was stolen from his cradle in the castle nursery by the shores of Lake Maylie. He wouldn't return home for almost 18 years, when the kingdom was ravaged by a three-headed dragon. Daventry at the time was surrounded by many stone walls built by other kingdoms to prevent the dragon from leaving Daventry and ravaging their lands, and the Great Tear ripped Castle Daventry from its foundations and settled it back on the ground unscathed (though the tear left the moat drained). A year later the castle and the Royal family, with the exception of Graham, were minimized by Mordack in order for him to try to break the spell on his brother Manannan. Almost a year later, Alexander left from Daventry sailing for three months to the Land of the Green Isles where he married Cassima and became king. Not long after Rosella and Valanice traveled to parallel world of Eldritch, and shortly after returned to castle Daventry to tell King Graham of their adventures. A few years later, almost every person in Daventry turned into stone when the Mask of Eternity was broken, but they were healed by Connor.

Daventry (c. KQ4) (Derek's original map)).

Derek's second map (c. KQ5).

Culture

In the realm of Daventry for entertainment, the people spend their evenings regaling each other with tales of heroic deeds. In Daventry, the poor man's idea of a great tale involved a tradesman or poor farmer falling in with a fairy and thus gaining a fortune overnight. How many wild-eyed dreamers have spent their days searching out such instant prosperity instead of buckling down and taking the long road to that end? There are many holidays and festivals celebrated in the kingdom at different times of the year, and often seasonal. In summer they have the Midsummer Fair, and the Midsummer Fest Dance, in autumn they have the Harvest Festival, which leads up to the Feast of the Harvest Moon, in the spring they have the Sun Festival. These maybe celebrated within town, the castle, or at the festival grounds to the west of Castle Daventry.

Birthdays are very important to the people of Daventry as well. Perhaps there is evidence of other holidays such as Halloween and possibly even Christmas (Santa and gift giving is a popular pasttime in the winter), and Michaelmas. Daventry is also known for its thick woven rugs, which are sold all over the world. Daventry is known for a number of things including its Daventry ham, the dark roses of Daventry.

Castle Daventry

Castle Daventry is the castle built by King Edward for his wife Queen Maylie. It is renowned throughout Daventry for it's magnificence and beauty, and is where the Royal Family resides and rules from. The castle also houses the Three Treasures of Daventry, and is the seat of power for the kingdom and the meeting place of the realm's Nobility for Council meetings. It housed the two throne rooms, the Great Hall, and the Throne Room. The castle contains many entrances, some secret and others visible. Surrounded mostly by a Moat infested with Alligators and Moat Monsters, it was the castle seen throughout most of the series.

At one time, Castle Daventry was located on the rise of a hill in the middle of a serene valley in between several mountains somewhere towards the middle of the continent . Not long after Rosella's return, the Castle was located more towards the southwestern edge of the continent of Daventry. When Serenia reappeared Daventry and Castle Daventry were still located roughly in southwestern edge of the continent but in a shallow valley (no longer on a hill). But not long after, the continent shifted again putting Daventry in the southeastern side of the continent. During the time of the cataclysm the lands shifted again, and it rested on a high mountain near the shores of the Western Sea. It seems likely that the land around it Daventry magically altered several times, and the during the cataclysm even the land under the Castle Daventry was altered (in an event similar to what happened with the Great Tear). Secret passages still pass from the castle to the bottom of the mountain.

Castlekeep Ruins

In the countryside of Daventry (As seen in KQ8) near Connor's Village, lies the Castlekeep Ruins, the mostly abandoned ruins of a much older castle keep that predates Edward's Castle. The ruins contain traps, a strange magical device and a magical teleportation square hidden within its walls. This Castle apparently saw use in the early reign of Edward while he built the new castle for his queen. Or it might be from a time much older.

Towns, Villages, and other Civilization

The town of Daventry is the main center of civilization in Daventry. Castle Daventry lies to the north overlooking the town.Connor lives on the edge of a less populated section of the city. While Daventry is the main center in the Kingdom there are other towns. During the time of the cataclysm a few villages or towns could be seen to the north of the castle. Gerwain speaks of other villages as well. Road side inns are located near the dusty roads that pass through the hills of Daventry. Lone farms, cabins, and other homes dot the countryside. In southern Daventry is a small farm with walls of white stone belongs to a farmer.There is apparently a town, or at least inhabited region that lies under the Twin Pillars of the Moon to the west, as well as another town to the south near the sea, the Southern Sea (where Daventry may maintain its fleet), this is possibly Mertili (if that city is not located in a separate nation). Additionally there is inhabited region to the north, known for its blankets in a destinctive northern style. The kingdom may also be divided into other smaller duchies and principalities. Much of the population apparently lives in homesteads as well.

Land of lakes, rivers, streams, and other bodies of water

serene mountain lake

clear blue lake

Daventry is or has been a land of many lakes. It contains at least seven lakes possibly more, including a clear blue lake, a swampy lake, a mirror-like lake, the Beautiful Lake ('beautiful little lake'), Lake Maylie ('clear mountain lake'), Long Lake, the Small Alpine Lake, the Inviting Lake (general location of the 'serene mountain lake'), and The Lake (a shallow lake where the Wizard's Island. About a half hour of steady walking due south of Castle Daventry above the rise to the south of the castle a western trail off the road leads to a still green pond beside the road leading from the castle. The pond's wide banks were thickly overgrown with delicate green vines. The branches of a willow droop low over its shimmering surface. The hidden trail passes near the pond starting from the willow. The faint path angled away from the base of the willow up a steep slope around the rocky bank of the pond. The trail leads overland to the west through a wooden grove before widening out and passing through gently rolling grassy hills speckled with tiny yellow wildflowers, before it reaches one of Daventry's main roads, the road is parallel to the eastern edge of the Old Wood to the west of the kingdom.

It also has had many rivers, streams, brooks and natural springs during its history; including the River Fools, the Raging River, and Dangerous River to the south, and the Merelee River to the southwest. It lies on the eastern edge of the Old Woods and flows to the south, it is made up of dangerous rapids and feeds into a boggy marsh down stream, where the witch Sinofas lives. Only a single bridge crosses it near Daventry's farmlands, and it is the only way across for many miles before reaching any areas that can be forded.. An ancient and dark wood where Morowyn lives that lies west of Castle Daventry has a small brook traveling through it. Many of these rivers, streams and natural springs feed Daventry's many lakes. A river or stream passes from the Wizard's lake near Daventry, by a Mill in Connor's community. During the time of peace following Graham's coronation, the Dangerous River section of the Raging River filled in with sediments or was dammed up by the returning people. The town of Daventry was rebuilt on the former Gnome's Island. Rumplestiltskin built his new house on the dry river bed. He remained there even as the Three-headed Dragon and other disasters befell Daventry, and the people of the town were forced out, and the town began to crumble. He awaited the returning prince, Alexander who would save the kingdom. Rumplestiltskin would remain on the dry river bed, but moved to Serenia the following year. Still the northeastern section of the Raging River and River Fools continued to flow, and was a place popular to tourists in later times. This water supply makes Daventry a highly fertile land. Fields of crops spread out in all directions from the castle. Along the west lay the fruitful fields of Daventry. Barley, rye, and oats grew in abundance. Orchards of fruit trees occupied the low-lying hills to the south, their branches drooping with their sweet burden. Sheaves of corn and wheat were grown in the southern fields., an area bordered by the southern brushlands and brambles and thickets and the Old Woods. The north-south road passed near the Old Woods, through the southern hills, into Daventry town, and finally to the castle. In the northern fields, grain, fruit, apples, vegetables, and comb honey are harvested. Beyond the fields in the east passing fields of barley and rye was the Old Wood which lay beyond the border of Daventry, about a league away from the Castle. Graham had no authority beyond the limits of the fields, and no desire to rule more These fertile lands offered great harvests which were celebrated through the Harvest Festival. The southernmost lands of Daventry and to the east spread out to the sea, it is in this region that there at least one town, and where Daventry's Naval Fleet is located. Mermaids are unknown in the Kingdom of Daventry, some believe the waters are too chill perhaps (this is of course unlikely as Mermaids can be found off the coast of Serenia in the Northern Sea far to north).

Forests

Daventry Forest and Lake Maylie, KQ5

The mountain forest of Daventry stretches across the kingdom of Daventry. Some places bright with nice green trees, and meadows and lakes in between. Other areas are swampy. Other parts of the forest are merely gloomy, leading into the dark part of the forest which is located in the middle of the woods. The forests are roamed of by ogres, dwarfs, wolves, and a sorcerer. The Gingerbread House of the witch Dahlia was located deep into the darkest part of the forest. Though at times even that part of the forest appeared as beautiful and lush as the rest of the forest, with green grass growing around gingerbread house, likely an illusion put up by the late Dahlia to lure unsuspecting victims to her home. Perhaps this dark wood is located in the same woods where Morowyn lived. To the southwest and east of Daventry's farmlands and forest lands lies the Old Wood.

Geography and location

Long in the past, long before Daventry had become a kingdom, it had been the sight of a large glacier. The glacier moved the haystack boulder from the pink granite outcrops six hundred miles to the north of the kingdom towards the Westering Mountains.  In highly stylized maps sent by Derek Karlavaegen, Daventry's geography and location has changed over the years. However, these maps never show the exact location of the towns of Daventry (implying they must be outside the bounds of edges of the maps). In earliest maps sent by Derek, Castle Daventry was located roughly in southwest corner of the Continent of Daventry, and the Kingdom took up most of the continent. Around this time the great Wizard Harlin had used his terrible magicks to shift much of the continent of Serenia into the North beyond an ocean of his creation into the Unknown, leaving what was known as the continent of Daventry to the south. The lake district was located to the northeast of the castle. Some maps concerning this era tend to place Castle Daventry in the north east corner of the Northeast Daventry quadrant in East Daventry region. But it is all very confusing due to the Magical law of "containment". By the time of KQV, Daventry was still located more or less in the southwest portion of the restored continent of Serenia, by this time Harlin had been defeated several years before and the continents were merged again (but Daventry only took up a very small portion of the continent). The lake district was still located more or less northeast of the castle (but south of Serenia, and west of an unmarked peninsula). By the time of KQ6, however the continent had shifted again, and the Kingdom of Daventry was located more to the south eastern corner of the continent (but more inland). The lakes more or less surrounded the castle. By KQ8 it seems that it had shifted again towards the western edge of the continent. During springtime, there is winds from the western sea, and warm rains in Daventry. At the end of the summer, the winds in Daventry were unpredictable. The hills of Daventry are said to have dusty roads with roadside inns. The jurisdiction of the Kingdom apparently lies roughly to the edge of the Old Woods on the east, to the Twin Pillars of the Moon to the west, and a region all the way to the south near the sea, the port where Daventry's fleet is kept. Very little is known about Daventry's northern region other than the blankets that originate from there. It is suggested by some that Daventry claims ownership of a valley that lies below Half Dome in the northern Great Mountains. The valley is forested, and there is a great lake that feeds a river that turns into a snaking river further into the valley (Alexander looked into this valley on his return to Daventry, and Graham saw the valley from a different angle and location on his way to find his family across the mountains). The region that the Piper and Ref Tirone wanted to pass between the northern edge of Daventry and southern boundary would only take a day or two to pass through. The section of the northern border where the Piper was starting was about one day north of the Castle. Daventry can be divided into two major regions and four quadrants.

• West Daventry

• Northwest Daventry
• Southwest Daventry

• East Daventry
• Northeast Daventry

• Southwest Daventry

In the present, Daventry was a very old city from long ago located on Earth. It is now in ruins, and in time people forgot where it was located. People still aren't quite sure where it used to be. Archaeologists have been searching through various ruins, and discovered where they think they found Daventry.

Heraldry

The arms of the kingdom comes in slightly different forms but always includes two 'supporters' standing unicorn on one side, and a standing lion on the other. The royal signet ring contains the lion-and-unicorn arms of Daventry. Some versions of this heraldry appear on stonework and the lion and unicorn supporting a stylized KQ (with the K inside of the Q), the top 'helm' is a stylized crown, and a stylized compartment that flows beneath like a flowing river, or streaks of wind. A variant version of this symbol can be found on the ships of the fleet, but with teh KQ replaced with "D" for Daventry. Some depictions of banners also show D for daventry as well. The royal sigil for the nation is represented by the gyrfalcon. Another major symbol that appears on tapestries is a stylized golden (or white with golden outline) Crown of Daventry with three points often on a field of violet. A tapestry representing this has hung behind the throne at various points in the kingdom's history. There are a couple of coat of arms but exact meanings are not clear. One that may represent Edward's dynasty (existing on the walls at the time of his death, and later), and now Graham's as he was the adopted heir to the kingdom. Two of the heraldric shields weaved into purple tapestries that hung to each side (or at least to the leftside) of the throne. The crest is divided into three fields divided by two parallel slanting lines ('parte per bend'): the top in violet and later red (violet perhaps represting edward, and red representing Graham'), the middle in gold, and the bottom in a kind of turquoise-green. Two red dots or red crosses, one or the other rests inside the turquoise field. The original tapestries with the shield with top violet field were removed soon after King Graham became king, but were up not long after Alexander returned to the catle with the rescued Rosella, but replaced with the red field. Another variant of the later version has white pale with two blue lines, with red on the top and turquoise on the bottom with two short horizontal red lines (one on top of the other). The one on the right-side of the throne, maybe split in half down the middle ('parte per pale'). With the color turquoise on the left, and the color gold on the right. A variant coat of arms that appears a tapestry/banner contains a stylized and squished crown as the helm. The crown has five points with three middle points standing out with knobs at the top of the points. The shield of arms itself is divided into four sections with crossed lines ('parte per cross') in between. Each section is a different color starting from the top red and gold, and then blue and green. It is supported by two stylized unicorns (possibly lions with unicorn heads), perhaps related there is a red banner with Daventry's two standing lions one over the other as well. It is possible this one represents the new king, and his family (red for Graham, gold for rosella, blue for Valanice, and perhaps green for Alexander but there is not enough evidence to know for sure). Another heraldric shield appears on two tapestries(on each side of the thrones) around the time Alexander travelled to the Green Isles. The tapestry itself was violent with golden edges. The shield itself was a 'party per bend sinister'. The diagonal being a two yellow bars with a green bar in between. The top of the shield is red with what looks like a fluer-de-lis in top right corner. The bottom right half of the shield is a series of horizontal black and white bars. Starting with white and ending with black, three bars each. Another variant coat of arms  is divided into four parts ('parte per cross'), with the first part in azure fading from light to solid (from left to right) with a stylized diamond with, a stylized "K" inside., the second part contains a standing dragon (dragon in azure), the third part a stylized crown (with a single point, with the Christian cross on top of it), and the last part is nine alternating lines in azure and white ('parte per paly').  In addition there are other tapestries with heraldric imagery. During the period when the magic mirror was missing Edward hung a tapestry in the niche with three vertical lines ('per pale') in the order of blue, white and green, that end in a swallowtail banner design.

Landmarks

• Castle Daventry
• Gnome's Island (Island of the Gnome, Gnome Isle)
• Gingerbread House
• Mushroom Isle
• Beautiful Lake
• Ancient Well
• Door into Mountain
• Lake Maylie
• Long Lake
• Inviting Lake
• Goat Pen
• River Fools
• Raging River
• Merelee River
• Woodcutter's Cottage (Wood Cutter's Cottage/Woodcutter Cottage)
• Daventry town
• Twin Pillars of the Moon
• Walnut Tree
• Large Oak Tree
• Flower Patch
• Stump and Log
• Castlekeep Ruins
• Royal Summer Palace
• West Daventry (Northwest Daventry & Southwest Daventry)
• East Daventry (Northeast Daventry & Southeast Daventry)
• Royal University

See also

• Daventry (novels)
• Kingdom of Daventry (KQGS)

Behind the scenes

Well, ya, King's Quest is on earth. Daventry is very old city from a long time ago. It's in ruins now and people aren't quite sure exactly where it used to be. There are some archaeologists searching through the ruins, they think they know its Daventry. But its somewhere on Earth."

-Roberta Williams, Talkspot Interview, part 1 (1:20:40 to 1:59:58) The appearance of the Kingdom of Daventry, and the location of landmarks are not consistent throughout the game series (although the appearance of the castle in KQ1AGI and KQ1 roughly similar, the landmarks are not in the same locations). The castle's appearance and location in the kingdom changes as well. Depending on the version of the Guide Book of King's Quest, Daventry is divided into regions (somewhat arbitrarily and with disregard of the looping): 1st and 2nd editions divides the land into Northeast Daventry, Northwest Daventry, Southwest Daventry, and Southeast Daventry. Third Edition divides Daventry into West Daventry and East Daventry.

Quest for the Crown AGI

Daventry is shown to be rather bright verdant, and largely tranquil place (even if it has fallen on hard times). The rivers banks are largely calm, and green, gently sloping to the river, though the Raging River is treacherous. Places are bright meadow-like with only a few trees here or there. Some bluffs/mesas can be seen in the distance in some areas, as well as green hills, mountains, and areas of thicker forests. The dagger boulder has brown mountains/hills in the distance, but this doesn't appear to correspond to anything in particular as Graham appears to have passed them up if he heads north. Although further north past the Oak Tree lies the Door into Mountain, which has the same color brown. Of course the brown mesa-bluff seen even further south past the Flower Patch may also relate to the same location. That is to say, what might be seen is Graham on a rise of a hill seeing the Door into Mountain in the distance, then in a low spot in alternate scenes where he does not see the mountain. The dagger boulder screen would then again be on a mountain a bit closer to the mountain, and the oak tree is another low point between hills. Finally climbing another rise, it comes to the foot of the mountain. Castle Daventry lies east of the dagger boulder, and thus may also be on a rise of a hill surrounded by lower points of the land (perhaps not nearly the hill or small mountain Daventry would come exist in KQ8, but still higher than most areas around it but exact height is difficult to judge). The river scene where the magic mushroom is found, shows the castle on the rise of a hill in the distance, confirming it is of higher elevation. Interestingly, the horizon and sky appears in two tones, a dark blue and a light blue. Perhaps the lighter blue represents the North Sea, thus corresponding to the map of Daventry in the King's Quest Companion first edition. But due to magical law of Containment, Graham can never reach the sea (also of note similarly in the remake when Graham is on the beanstalk looking out over Daventry, he can see the see the sea to the north).

Quest for the Crown SCI

Overall the geography is very different. The forest is thicker, and generally darker, and less wide open. Certain parts of the forest appear to have a rotting aspect to them. Some of the geography has shifted or represented differently. For example the rock with the cave exit to the Dragon's lair exists is now more of a hill/mountain, and the rock extends one screen to the left of the cave entrance screen. In the original it was just aboulder, that extended one screen to the right. The mountain with the Door into Mountain is on two screens (extending to the right), where it was originally on one screen. Some of the lakes are longer. One lake appears on three screens even, when it was on two screen in the original. The streams from the beautiful lake that lead into the distance or into the foreground are gone (though it still retains a waterfall at least). Where as hills and other cliffs were only suggested in the background details of artwork in the original. In the remake, there are places where Graham will climb over and behind a hill before moving onto the next screen. Castle Daventry is on three screens rather than two. Although it fits within a general two screen area that surrounds it. The beanstalk overs an aerial view over the continent to thr north. Trees lead to lush green flat lands and rollimg hills. Beyond that lies dark brown foothills (or semi-arid or desert region, and what sppears to be the North Sea. To the east lies high mountain ranges with snow risimg to the clowds. These appear to be the Great Mountains. Perhaps the mountains Alexander would later cross. The 'serene mountain like', IE Lake Malie lies next to it to also suggest that its up on a mountain. The Door into Mountain is described as "Daventry's mountain', and that there are foothills of the base of it. The cave exiting the Dragon's Lair is also said to have been carved under a mountain, but probably not the same one that houses the doorway. Finally on Land of the Leprechauns ilsnad, the game describes Daventry's snow covered mountains can be seen in the distance. This suggests a separate range perhaps the ones later visited in KQ3. Hills are described quite often in this version, as many screens appear to exist on the summits of hills throughout Daventry, and Graham can be seen going up and over hills when he crosses into screens to the north.

To Heir is Human

In KQ3 the landmarks somewhat resemble the same landmarks from KQ1AGI (although weathered, broken and beaten). Although the geographical locations have been scrambled placing them in completely different locations than they appeared in the previous game. The Ancient Well was moved directly next to Door into the Mountain. Both landmarks were moved south of the castle, rather than 'north' of the castle, and basically directly south of the former Raging River (aka River Fools), in KQ3 a dry river bed (and location of Rumplestiltskin's shack outside the town of Daventry). This new scrambled geography is directly reflected and shown on the Magic Map. Castle Daventry appears to be located on the rise of a hill in the distance, the shack lies on the rise of another hill in the foreground.

Another additional detail is that beach landed upon, and the great mountains leading to the kingdom itself are all part of a 'greater Daventry' continent. The main kingdom itself does not appear to be too far away from the beach, which lies roughly west of the kingdom proper (but the mountains lie north of the beach, and roughly northwest of the valley itself).

Absence Makes the Heart Go Yonder

In KQ5, the geography of Daventry is largely different than it was in previous games. Castle Daventry is at the bottom of a flat valley rather than the rise of a hill as seen in KQ1 and KQ3 (albeit none are as high elevation as shown in KQ8). In KQ5, Graham is shown walking near a small lake or pond (Lake Maylie according to KQ6 Hintbook) picking a flower. He travels east coming up over the rise of a hill or slope of a mountain not far from the castle to its south. The architecture of the castle is completely different than it appeared in KQ1-3 (including both versions of KQ1), or the KQ1 remake. Trees of a well-manicured garden line a road passing from the drawbridge to the bottom of the hill. The game also includes a few close-ups of the tree Cedric had landed on. There is also a brief flyover of an area between Daventry and Serenia. With a river, and mountains (the desert appears in the distance to the left). The hill south of the castle did not exist there in both KQ1 or even the re-scrambled geography of KQ3 (although there are indications of hills in KQ1 and KQ3 they do not seem to be nearly the same elevation). Though for the Door into Mountain which may be the same location (in KQ3 and KQ5). As mentioned Lake Maylie switched locations from north of the castle, to southwest of the castle west of the rise.

Heir Today, Gone Tomorrow

Obviously Daventry is not shown in the game, but the Guidebook of the Land of the Green Isles makes references to green hills of Daventry (indicating it is a hilly country as implied in the artwork of KQ1 and KQ3), and it also talks about roadside Inns that can be found in the kingdom.

The Princeless Bride

In KQ7, there are a few areas of Daventry shown when Rosella is singing 'world beyond dreams'. Rosella is shown singing on top of a grassy plateau, she is singing from an outcrop hanging above edge of the cliff. A waterfall falls down the cliff nearby. The plateau overlooks a deeply forested valley below. A path or road lined by trees leads off from the cliff to an unknown location. In the next scene Rosella can also be seen in what looks like a dense and overgrown forested area with large trees, vines, boulders and a pond (this is said to be a garden outside the castle in the King's Quest Companion). Interesting enough Rosella is holding a red rose like the one she could be seen holding in the first scene (which quickly blows away in the breeze), suggesting that both scenes do not take long after each other. Valanice also appears to be tending a bush in one scene (which would also suggest that it is a garden). It would seem to be implied that the garden is located outside of the castle in KQC. So perhaps the path from the first scene leads off into the castle garden (and she was never very far away from garden when she was singing). If this is the case, perhaps the waterfall is similar to the The Waterfall in KQ8 that drains off from the castle's moat.

Mask of Eternity

Mask of Eternity shows Connor's community, a less populated section of Daventry town which is located outside of Castle Daventry. This was an area of Daventry or one of the areas of Daventry referenced in the earlier games (see references to 'towns/villages' in earlier games/manuals/books) but not shown in any previous game. His community is located in a small valley near a lake, stream, and a hill where Castlekeep Ruins are located. King's Quest 1 second manual mentions "Daventry's church..." However, this location is not shown in the game. It is shown for the first time in KQ8. Castle Daventry is located on the top of a large hill or small mountain (perhaps similar to its implied location in KQ7, but but perhaps different than in the earliest games: KQ1, KQ2, KQ3 were on seemingly gentle hills (although its impossible to judge altitude from the artwork), and especially KQ5 which was in a flat valley (below a higher plateau). In KQ8, A moat surrounds the castle, and a river drains down a waterfall into the lake below (perhaps similar to the waterfall seen in KQ7). On a related note in KQ1 there was a small Beautiful Lake located near the east side of Castle Daventry in particular the original KQ1AGI, with a small waterfall (or spring in the SCI remake) which had a small stream or river flowing to the southwest. It's possible that this would the beginning of a river flowing into the moat, and that moat flows off into the Raging River and finally down to where Connor's village is located in later times. Although scale is not exactly the same in both games, and hard to compare.

Kingdom of Sorrow

In the novels the scale of Daventry appears different than in the games. In that Daventry appears to be smaller kingdom surrounded by larger lands, as Graham mentions. Although this is not fully explained but could be a remnant of the kingdom having shrunk during Edward's rule. Of course The Official Book of King's Quest also describes Daventry as being a 'small country', albeit this was in context of the time of KQ1 as well. Rosella makes reference to wind coming of the western sea which may suggest the kingdom is not to far from the sea (perhaps just past the woods visited in The Floating Castle).

See No Weevil

This book makes a couple of references which appear to give large scale to the continent and further show Daventry to be a smaller kingdom within a much larger continent. There is discussion of granite outcroppings six hundred miles to the north, lands north and south of Daventry that take weeks to reach. As well as a reference which may suggest that the continent stretches three thousand miles across from Hibestian Range to the Sea of Barnacles. Compared to the games and KQC the continent is much larger and Daventry smaller taking weeks to cross the continent rather than days (and days to cross portions of the kingdom). Where as Serenia is near Daventry just beyond the Great Mountains to the north in the games and KQC, it may lie weeks north of Daventry in the book. However Daventry is at least suggested to be one of the "surrounding lands" in relation to Serenia. Boundaries of Daventry are discussed but not described in detail, primarily northern and southern edges of the kingdom. The book discusses the southern Old Woods which make up part of the southern boundaries of the kingdom. However, it is also implied that at least part of the kingdom reaches the sea to the south, that west may go as far as the Twin Pillars of the Moon, and there is a distinctive northern style in the north of the kingdom. These latter three places imply possible population centers in the kingdom outside of the main town proper, and are covered under the Kingdom's jurisdiction. It is possible that one of these locations, perhaps the one by the sea is Mertili. The kingdom is specifically mentioned to be 487 heptanes-square (although the meaning of this measurement is unclear). It says that it would take the The Piper a few days (perhaps three) to cross from the north to the south of the Kingdom (at least through the point he was crossing through).

The Floating Castle

This book takes place largely within Daventry. It covers areas to the south and southwest portions of the kingdom, to the Old Woods. Parts of Daventry appear to exist beyond the Woods proper, including farmland and Sinofas' marsh. There is a rise to the south of the castle, and a pond to the west of the rise which appear to be a reference to the locations seen in KQ5.

The Official Book of King's Quest

This series of books breaks Daventry down into several parts. The third edition for example breaks it down into East Daventry and West Daventry. Earlier editions broke it down further. It describes these parts as covering 'Daventry proper', and suggests that the Land of the Clouds and Land of the Leprechauns exist outside of Daventry.

The book also describes Daventry as being a 'small country' at the time Graham took over.

Daventry (unofficial)

Daventry appears in fan fiction including fan games, see Daventry (unofficial).