The multiverse is the location of several planes of existence.[1] It makes up the universe (or multiple alternate universes), exists beyond time and space, and encompasses parallel worlds, dimensions, and realities.[2]
Derek Karlavaegen and others would send messages across the multiverse to either Peter Spear, Eluki Bes Shahar, Jane Jensen, Roberta Williams and other people either through their computers, dreams or visions. Then Peter Spear published these messages as the King's Quest Companion to help people complete the games, and also tell people "what really happened". Derek seems to suggest that there may actually be several multiverses.
Background[]
One explanation put forth by a number of reputable scientists argues that there exists in reality an unknown number of different universes. These could be thought of as different regions of the same universe, but in either case, theory allows for these "pocket universes" to have their own unique sets of the laws of science and nature. Another theory states that the universe is not made up of individual particles, like atoms or electrons, but instead composed of strings--strange things that are long, but not high or wide, and have other dimension. This theory only makes scientific sense, however, if the universe has more than the four dimensions to which most are accustomed to; 26 dimensions is one number given. The reason that people do not see the extra dimensions is that they're folded up on themselves, but they are there, nonetheless. These could be pocket universes. Daventry may be one of these pocket universes.[3]
The universe of Daventry and the universe of earth are so far apart that they can never touch, and so close that individuals living in the universes sometimes dream of each other. The walls between the worlds are thin enough to let folk pass through in one direction, and thoughts and dreams to pass in both. The Eye Between the Worlds is a hole in those walls which through which dreams journey. The two worlds touch together in a place shared by the head and certain earth machines.[4]
A few locations seem to touch multiple realities existing both within the world of Daventry but where other realities seemingly bleed into the world physically.
Similar swirling portal appear to connect the realm of Daventry with the Realm of Eldritch, the Dimension of Death, and the Black Abyss. Though the colors of the portal are different for each.
The Black Abyss is a dark realm. Lucreto was banished into a swirling portal to the black Black Abyss created by the Mask of Eternity where he would be trapped and vanquished for eternity.
The multiverse can be expanded creating new worlds, new realities, and new dimensions by the influence of great dreamers both outside main world (who can create game realities) and on the inside of the worlds.
Locations within the multiverse[]
- The Worlds
- World of Daventry (the past) & Worlds of Daventry
- Other World (Earth) (the present)
- Realm of Eldritch (the alternate universe, the land beyond dreams)
- Dreamland
- Black Abyss
- The Abyss
- Heaven and Hell
- The Efreeti are creatures of pure magic also said to come from another plane of existence.
- The Void: the three Fates live in another world. It is a plane of velvety blackness, with no ground below and no sky above. Everything there exists suspended in the air.[5] The three fates lie suspended in space with their loom. Voices sound preternaturally loud, echoing in the endless void.
- The Realm of the Dead does not exist on the world, but the next (However, it is connected to the Isle of the Dead which physically exists within Daventry).
- The Dimension of Death exists both in its own dimension and also as a physical realm beneath Daventry and nearby lands. Since it lies in a separate dimension it avoided most of the released magic from the cataclysm.
- Realm of the Sun also not physically connected to Daventry but is another world which lies far above Daventry in the void.
- The Enchanted Isles has been described as lying somewhere between being its own dimension, another world, and on the face of world of Daventry.
- The city of Tanalore is said to touch all realities of creation.
- The Isle of the Mists is semi-permanent island in the Land of the Green Isles, it comes and goes from the world.
- The Edge of the World which lies at the edge of the universe and the next.
- The Scales of Justice appear to exist in a cosmic realm that both connects to but is separate from the Dimension of Death.
- Pocket universes/26 dimensions (parallel worlds of Daventry[6])
- Place between the worlds
- Enchanted Isles and Enchanted Island appears to exist both physically mile away from Daventry on the other side of the world, but also in another world across dimensions. Like some other regions of the world it appears to coexist and touch multiple realities.
- Tamir due to its nearness to the city of Tanalore, also appears to coexist both physically in Daventry and another world.
- Various alternate Daventrys than the one Derek Karlavaegen inhabits (his theory of their being multiple Daventries, See realities, game realities, and dimensions).
Inhabitants[]
Sierra Multiverse[]
Apparently Space Quest, King's Quest, Leisure Suit Larry and other sierra universes may be connected through a so-called Sierra universe. Peter Spear for example also claimed that Larry Laffer came from an alternate Earth in the Multiverse (the details can be found in the Leisure Suit Larry's Bedside Companion), and that he also received disks from John Williams containing messages from Roger Wilco from the future which he then published as the Space Quest Companion.
Even the LSL games take a meta (beyond the 4th wall) approach to idea that Larry was originally part of a parallel universe, and that universe happened to be inside of the games themselves (Larry has always been aware of this and interacts with his own Narrator as well). Thus Larry ends up helping to design his own universe by the end of the third game. Rosella, Graham and even Daventry are acknowledged inside of Larry's "Sierra World" (and later Reloaded universe). But these also appear to exist within a meta fourth-wall universe within the games. Larry encounters Graham (and the green Dragon) in Sierra's underground factory in LSL1, but also meets Rosella who is visiting from Daventry in LSL2[8] (and Rosella reenacting an event from her own life in the 'real world' at Sierra On-Line in LSL3[9]). Official Book of Leisure Suit Larry and the Larry Bedside Companion take this further, to discuss other encounters between Larry and Rosella. Al Lowe Interviews Rosella, concerning her opinion of Larry Laffer. A Mask of Eternity appears in Love for Sale Mobile, it reminds Larry of his friend Graham. The Daventry is the name of Ken and Roberta's boat. Patti may see visions of Daventry if she smokes some weed.
The Hoyle Book of Games, Volume 1 played with the multiverse idea by having characters and game designers from various series and some of their children were "trapped" inside the game and trying to get back to their own worlds while playing games together. In the game many of the Sierra characters thought they were real (or at least knew they came from various Sierra game worlds that exist in parallel to the real world). The programmer, Warren, on the other hand believed that the characters didn't exist, and that he had created the game putting the characters within it. Apparently Roger Wilco had even once pushed a button marked "don't touch" crashing into Daventry's moat (though he apparently survived). After hearing an explanation by Roger, Rosella and Graham admit that they finally understand what the object in the moat was. Hoyle 3 and Hoyle 4 also put characters from across the Sierra universe together. However, they were not nearly as talkative.
In Police Quest I, a news report in the Lytton Tribune reported that the kingdom of Daventry was under siege by the Three-headed Dragon, and that they had interviewed a gnome who stated that the kingdom was in a "state of emergency". Another paper in Police Quest II, reported when Graham was near death.
The Bookwyrm of Mixed-up Fairy Tales once interviewed the 'citizens of Sierra' about their favorite books. According to King Graham; "That would be Ivanhoe, by Sir Walter Scott. It has action, intrigue, romance, adventure, and romance--very inspiring!. it's historically accurate, with all kinds of fascinating information about knights and the medieval world. Of course you have to take it with a grain of salt. Whoever heard of a world with no dragons, unicorns of magic?". According to Rosella; Not book, dragon friend, books. I love The Chronicles of Narnia, by C.S. Lewis. It's a seven book series, set in a wonderful fantasy world where horses talk and evil witches live. There's a nice royal family who gets in all kinds of trouble and they always end up going on a quest--hmm, no wonder I like it."[10]
Once, during Rosella's First Quest, she had a strange adventure trying to find her golden football when she was a young girl, when she encountered all sorts of individuals from across the entire world of Sierra.
In Quest For Glory 2 there are Rosella puppets for sell[11], and the Hero is said to once known Genesta.[12] The Leshy in QFG4 shudders at the thought after he hears the name of Cedric. In KQ1 remake the Famous Adventurer's Correspondence School is mentioned.
In Freddy Pharkas, the Whittlin' Willy may start telling the Ballad of King Graham.[13] Graham and his family are also mentioned in a notice in the general store.[14] Cedric visits the desert outside of Coursegold but does not have a happy ending (finding himself eaten by vultures).[15] In the demo a broken down wagon was left behind by someone from Serenia.[16] Smithie says he once had the old spellbook from KQ6.[17] In Laura Bow II: The Dagger of Amon Ra, Laura Bow discovers that the body of King Edward of Daventry[18] and a Unicorn had been found and preserved in vats in the Leyendecker Museum. The museum also contains a picture of dead King Graham being tortured in Hell in the paintings gallery.
In KQ2 graham can look into the realm of space quest if he looks into a hole in a rock[19]. However in the Apple II version you can look into the future and see King's Quest III from the hole. Graham was befuddled by the bizarre event, and braced himself to continue the quest.[20]. There is no hole in the rock in the 1985 versions.
In the original Space Quest, Roger Wilco can travel to the Daventry Zone, as discussed in Hoyle's Official Book of Games: Volume I. In floppy version of SQ4, Roger can find a Shamir Florists company. There are labor camps on Daventry VIII in SQ6. Cedric can be heard on the Deepship 86.[21] In SQ2 a bit of graffiti claims that King Graham cross dresses.[22] Graham (or Maharg) is seen being carried by a Roc across the skies of Estros in SQ4 (SQ10 era). The Sariens have a historical massacre known as the Great Daventry Rout.[23]
In Space Quest 3, there is a postcard for RobertaLand which shows swan mobile (much like the swan flying machines see later seen in KQ7).
In the 1987 PC (and Apple II) versions, Graham can find a sign attached to the back of a tree in a grove of trees near the dwarf's house (this sign doesn't appear in the 1.0w version of the game). The sign is an announcement by sierra describing both Space Quest: The Sarien Encounter, and King's Quest III: To Heir is Human (depending on the windows or apple II version the text is somewhat different ]I[ or III for King's Quest 3 for example). In the 1985 version (1.1H) this sign advertised Black Cauldron. The confusing message puzzled Graham, as it didn't seem to be part of his quest.[24]
In KQ3, Alexander can find charcoal written diagrams and references to KQ4 written onto the wall behind a tapestry.[25]
In Conquests of the Longbow, a merchant was selling rugs from around the world including from king's palace in Daventry with crest of Daventry and Lytton emblazoned on them (there are a number of other characters or places including Roger Wilco, Shapeir, and Spielburg).[26]
In Gabriel Knight 3, when looking at a tower, Gabriel will think about Princess Cassima.[27]
Behind the scenes[]
- The 1991 Sierra catalogue states that ...Rosella must journey to another world..., thus perhaps suggesting that at one point Sierra may have considered Tamir to be in another parallel universe, much like how KQ7 made Etheria. Of course the Companion might still hint at this as it discusses Tanalore being connected to all locations across the multiverse, and the swamp apparently hides that city. Tanalore might be the 'town' mentioned in early Catalogue summaries. This summary also appears in other games such as Police Quest 2 in a computer database.
Nature of the Multiverse[]
In extended discussion of the Multiverse and its cosmology in the introduction chapter of the King's Quest Companion, the book brings up a number of interrelated ideas which it uses to try to explain the nature of universe and multiverse.
While the primary discussion leans towards dimensions and parallel worlds, it also brings up the concept of wormholes, and time travel (travel into the past) being related to the concept. This maybe one of the few examples where the King's Quest Companion acknowledges the idea that King's Quest universe is actually in the past rather than con-currently with Earth (though these dimensions either past or present are still able to overlap and interact in some way). Although there does seem to be elements that suggest that Daventry might be progressing at a 'faster' rate than on present earth.
As such ideas of time travel and alternate universe travel should not be dismissed as mutually exclusive (or even contradictory) but overlapping. The novel Timeline by the late Michael Crichton had a similar model for time travel and interdimensional travel.
Later editions and the Authorized KQ7 guide would expand on this to include still other concepts and overlapping between a real physical world, and a cyberspace (Game realities), almost as if King's Quest was set in its own 'Tron'-like universe. While these are initially treated as more or less 'separate' entities, later concepts added for the KQ7 related material, started to bring these universes 'closer'.
See On the Origin of Daventry for more information.
Sierra Crossovers[]
While the idea of the multiverse originates specifically with The King's Quest Companion, the idea that certain places such as the Enchanted Islands, Realm of the Dead, or the Realm of Eldritch existing on another plane of existence or in another dimension from world of Daventry itself, originate from those games, boxes and their documentation. Specifically the back of the box of KQ7 states that the Realm of Eldritch is another world beyond a magical pool. This idea of crossovers via magical pools or mirrors is inspired by ideas in stories such as Chronicles of Narnia or Alice through the Looking Glass.
Peter Spear wrote wrote the King's Quest Companion as if he had really received messages from Daventry, and then sent it to our earth's publishers to be printed to be read. The book explains that creatures from human myths and literature are real in the multiverse, supposedly originating from our world. The book explains that people of earth really did have a fantastic past, and as time passed, that the modern people of earth who believe in science and technology can not accept our "true history", and are writing revisionist history that denies(though they can't "disprove") what "really happened". Compare to various religions of the world that believe fantastic things of mythic proportion actually happened in the past, and that fantastic beings really existed.
- According to Roberta Williams; "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, Mask of Eternity Talkspot Interview, 1998, part 1 (1:20:40 to 1:59:58)
Crossovers appear in other Sierra games to varying degrees. In space quest I its possible for Roger Wilco to end up on the planet Daventry ("Daventry Zone") if messes with the controls on his escape pod. This event was referenced by Graham, Rosella and Roger in Hoyle Book of Games, Volume 1.
In LSL1, the moose head in Lefty's bar is said to be an antique from King's Quest III.
Someone insults Graham within Graffiti in Space Quest II, suggesting that he is a cross dresser. A game starring an elderly King Graham is mentioned in SQ4. Castle Daventry, and the The Daventry Zone appears in Space Quest 1 EGA. A planet Daventry VII is mentioned in SQ6.
In Hero's Quest/Quest for Glory 1 (SCI) the hero can find a stone in Erasmus's house, called The Rosella Stone. Examining it shows a hieroglyphic of Rosella posing like an ancient Egyptian.
These are not all indicative of the existence of the Sierra-multiverse though, and may be deemed as simply as plugs, easter eggs and in-jokes. Some appear to break the fourth wall with character actually acknowledging the references (in LSL series this is intentionally part of the meta-fictional aspect of Larry's story as a game character that escapes the boundaries of his game world into the real world).
The Peter Spear connections need a bit of clarification. The conceit behind Spear's story was that he did indeed receive communications from Derek Karlavaegen in Daventry which were included in his King's Quest Companion. However, the Space Quest/Roger Wilco material was left on the doorstep of the Sierra On-Line offices in California in the form of a number of computer disks. They were discovered by John Williams (the brother-in-law of Roberta Williams) who was of the initial opinion that they were a hoax. Later events convinced him otherwise and he made the disks available to Spear for editing and publication a few years later. Spear was chosen specifically because of his King's Quest work.
According to the Leisure Suit Larry's Beside Companion, Peter Spear also discusses that Larry Laffer traveled through the Multiverse from an alternate Earth to our earth and became an employee of Sierra Online in Oakhurst (as portrayed at the end of LSL3) where he helped to design the Leisure Suit Larry series. He disappeared during the production of Leisure Suit Larry IV along with the game (possibly having returned to his game universe). He was not heard from again until the events of Leisure Suit Larry V.
Multiverse (unofficial)[]
References[]
- ↑ The King's Quest Companion,
- ↑ https://sfdictionary.com/view/70/multiverse
- ↑ KQC3E, xxii
- ↑ KQC2E, 6
- ↑ KQC4E, 387
- ↑ KQ PCjr manual of.
- ↑ KQC4E, pg 70
- ↑ 0 Walk over to the front of the barber's chair and sit down. 1 "I'm sorry, sir," says the barber sweetly, "I have no more appointments left today!" 2 "You look much better to me, sir!" 3 "Just have a seat in the chair there," responds the barber. 4 "Good day, sir," says the female barber with the long, beautiful, blond hair. "May I help you in your quest?" 5 "Could I just get a slight trim?" you ask. "My hair is ridiculously long! 6 "Oh, oh!" she replies, "I'll be happy to. Just plop it in my chair there, Goldilocks, I'll take care of those curly locks for you!" 7 "Gosh, please be careful," you tell her, "I'd hate to lose my full head of hair. Just take a little off the back!" 8 "All done," says the barber. "What do you think?" 9 "MY HAIR!" you cry. "IT'S GONE!" 10 She replies, "It serves you right; you should never trust a barber with longer, prettier, blonder hair than yours!" 11 "Well, at least I look like my passport picture now," you sigh, "although that seems small consolation." 12 "I'm sorry you're not satisfied," says the barber. "Here. Take a bottle of this month's special. When you have time, rub a teaspoon on your hair every day for a month. Soon your hair will be full and rich." 13 "But be careful," she concludes, "it's highly inflammatory. %s" 14 You find Daventry women sexy. 15 (But then, you find any woman sexy!) 16 "By the way, have you played 'King's Quest IV' yet?" asks the barber. 17 "Why, no, I haven't," you reply. "Is it good?" 18 "Well, I certainly think so," she concludes, "maybe it's just me!"
- ↑ 0 "Truck that camera left!" 1 "No, no, no! Move back!" 2 "Good, good. That's fine. Stop right there," barks the woman in the director's chair. 3 Turning to the actress on the set, she says, "Now, Rosella, what do you say we take it again from the top, and this time really show me some emotion!" 4 "And... ACTION!!" 5 "CUT!! No, that's no good. Try it from the right side this time!" 6 "No. CUT! You slipped again, Rosella!" 7 "CUT!! How many times must we do this, Rosella? You must get all the way up to that uvula!" 8 "What's going on here, Patti?" whispers Larry. 9 "I don't know, Larry, but that girl certainly seems tired of going down %sthat tongue!" 10 "This just isn't right!" whines the actress on the giant tongue set. "It's too humid in here. This wool skirt keeps soaking up water. That goo you spread on the tongue is too slippery. You haven't given me my motivation for this scene yet..." 11 "Thank you very much, Rosella!" interrupts the woman in the director's chair. "If you have any other complaints, please don't let me stop you!" 12 "Well, yes I do!" she pouts, pointing directly at you and Larry. "I thought this was a `Closed Set!' Who are those two people over there?" 13 "CUT! BREAK!! Ten minutes, people," she shouts to the crew. 14 With an angry glare, she turns toward you and Larry, "And who are you? What are you doing here? How did you get in? Come over here, right now!" 15 As you move closer, you recognize the woman in the director's chair. "Why, Larry, look! It's Roberta Williams!" 16 To her, you cry, "Oh, Ms. Williams! I've loved your games for years! What an honor this is... to finally meet my software hero!" 17 Roberta softens noticeably, "Well, yes, I... I, uh, am Roberta Williams. But who are you?" 18 "Well, Roberta, I'm Passionate Patti, the world-famous lounge pianist. The gentleman to your right is my lover. His name is Larry; Larry Laffer!" 19 "Nice to meet you both," says Roberta, "but how did you get in here? This is supposed to be a high-security area!" 20 "We just dropped in... literally!" offers Larry. 21 "Actually, Berta, we've had one hell of an adventure just getting here. Why, I've been through a virtual maze of bamboo forest with just one drink of water; rappelled down a sheer cliff on a pair of pantyhose; crossed an incredible chasm with only a handmade rope; fought ferocious feral swine with my underwear; ridden a log through a whitewater canyon; and..." 22 "O.K. already! Enough, enough," laughs Roberta. "But what about him?" 23 "I, I," Larry stammers, "I've had quite a few adventures in my day, too!" 24 "Oh, really?" replies Roberta, "anything that might make an adventure game?" 25 "Of course, it would, Bert!" you brag confidently. "If you could just set us up with a little place to work (up to my reasonable standards, of course) we would write a whole series of adventure games for you!" 26 "We could discuss this over lunch," Larry interrupts, "I haven't eaten a thing this entire game!" 27 As the three of you head off together, Roberta says, "We do have a home on the lake; would that adequately meet your needs, Patti?" 28 And so it ends. 29 Larry and Patti move in together, sharing a simple programmer's shack in the mountains. Patti gives up her musician's life on the road for the one man she found able to match her passion. Larry begins to tell the world his life story through software...
- ↑ Interaction Magazine, Fall 1991, pg 65
- ↑ "It is a hand puppet bearing the name Rosella."
- ↑ You always wondered what Erana looked like. She reminds you of Genesta, a Faery you once knew."
- ↑ 57 That ain't one of my better stories, anyhoo. Say, did I ever tell ya the story about ol' King Graham? It seems there wuz this evil wizard, and he got Graham into just a peck o' trouble...
- ↑ |Announcement to All! I am no longer responsible for any debts incurred by my wife Valanice, my son Alexander or my daughter Rosella. Correspondence may be sent to: K. Graham of Daventry c/o P. Patti Washington D.C. Better not touch it. Whoever this Kay Graham is, she might be very upset.
- ↑ While you might want to do something to those buzzards, they're simply living out their portion of the West's ecology. As much as you want to join in, leave Cedric's carcass for the buzzards. A few buzzards have landed here, waiting for some unfortunate life form to become "Vulture Chow." Poor Cedric the Owl! He'll never delay another scene change! Leave that poor owl alone, you vicious fiends! They ignore you completely. Farewell, Cedric! We hardly knew ye. Gee whillikers, you can't quite reach that owl from here. (Too bad; you'd like to wring his neck!) You daren't; those buzzards will vigorously defend their capture. Cedric the Owl looks lost and out-of-place in the hot desert sun. If you listen close, you can almost hear him say, "Freddy, if you're going to go in THERE, I'm going to wait out HERE." He always has some flimsy excuse! It's the torn, bloody remains of a talking owl. Hey! You! "I'm waiting here! It's too dangerous out there!" Apparently there's some adventurer out in the desert, and the owl's waiting to annoy him when he gets back. Cedric? Can you hear me? You almost believe you can hear a weakly-croaked, "Ohhhhh nooooo...I'll...stay...out...here...<gasp>" Oh, and a few scorpions out trolling for adventurers.
- ↑ That there wagon was left by this guy from Serenia who could never get the dang thing repaired.
- ↑ "Smells like rotten eggs! Too bad I ain't got m'old spellbook from King's Quest Six."
- ↑ Alcohol Vat Book (Laura Bow II): "Current Vat Contents---Alcoholic Preservation Lab...King Edward of Daventry"
- ↑ Narrator (KQ2): Oh No! This is as bad as bad can be! Upon looking into the hole, you believe you see an incredibly blatant plug for another Sierra 3-D Animated Adventure. Hangon On!"
- ↑ Narrator (KQ2): "Briefly befuddled by this bizarre event, you brace yourself and continue with the Quest before you."
- ↑ (IN FALSETTO) If you're going in there, Graham, I'm staying out here! (IN FALSETTO) If you're staying in here, Graham, I'm going out there!
- ↑ "Sir Graham Cross Dresses!
- ↑ The guard outlines his favorite massacre, \"The Great Daventry Rout\" as he called it. You ponder the meaning of this for a while.
- ↑ Narrator (KQ2): "You are in a grove of giant trees. A sign appears attached to the back of one of the trees.", "King Graham scratches his head in puzzlement at this confusing message. It doesn't appear to be a part of his quest."
- ↑ Narrator (KQ3): You lift the bottom of tapestry and peer behind it. The wall is filled with cracks. You can see why Manannan would hang a tapestry here. (There are also dozens of charcoal-scribbled drawings, diagrams, maps, and notes to programmers, with the legend "King's Quest IV," but you're uninterested in this, since you presently have your hands full with "King's Quest III".) You lower the tapestry and smooth out the wrinkles."
- ↑ 58 A man selling rugs. 59 These fine rugs come from the King's palace in Daventry, auctioned off for but a fraction of their worth. 60 Why, you can even see the crest of Daventry upon one and the shield of Lytton upon another. 61 And the price? 62 10 marks for the large and 7 marks for the small. 63 I couldn't part with such quality rugs for less than my asking price. 64 A man looking at the rugs. 65 How do I know these rugs come from Daventry? 66 Trust me. 106 They are thick, luxurious rugs with a foreign look to them. 107 The man kneels upon a thick rug woven in the Daventry style.
- ↑ Why does the name "Princess Cassima" keep poppin' into my head?