Reality

Realities (reality singular or physical reality) is a term (used by Derek Karlavaegen and Peter Spear) used to refer to alternate parallel dimensions of Daventry, I.E. alternate universes (and the multiverse) that may exist: created due to the influence of both external and internal great dreamers (or by other means). These can be both physical realms and game realities (which exist in digital realms). Earth (Other World) is one reality and the World of Daventry is another, and the game realities represent many others.

Background

Daventry is but one 'reality', and is just one of an endless realities of what make up the multiverse. It is the magical dimension that Derek Karlavaegen lives in.

Roberta Williams is said to be great dreamer who created game realities through her dreaming into Derek's world (and dreaming about their histories). While other 'realities' may have been created by a great dreamer within his own world (dreaming into the Other World).

Derek considers his world as the real world and Earth's as the Other World.

Perhaps dreamers are able to create new 'worlds' through their dreams such as the Realm of Eldritch. They also create different Daventries than the one they inhabit, and bring those stories into their own world.

Communication between The Worlds is possible through the Eye Between the Worlds and possibly other rare methods. But Derek does not know of these, and from his perspective he believes the Eye is only capable of communicating across cyberspace one-way (though he has apparently used it to learn of Roberta Williams and the King's Quest 'game realities').

Though he has discovered mentions and snatches of "King's Quest" in his earches through the aether. He was startled to find that the games (the original Sierra series King's Quest 1-6), as far as he could determine, are accurate retellings of events he knows to be true in his world. That Roberta Williams was a 'great dreamer, that it doesn't take much to see how closely Derek Karlavaegens and Roberta Williams's versions of happenings in Daventry match through the first six games of the series, the first 20 years or so of the reign of king Graham.

He questioned the veracity of the events of KQ7 however, wondering if a great dreamer has changed recent histories (as in post KQ1-6), or even created new realities. However, this is just one of Derek's theories. He admits there are other possible explanations his first thought is that it is just a false story that never happened ("the tale is more fancy than fact...more fiction than history as he knows it...rumor or fabrication is all that is possible...gossip and literary trifles"), simply a fable. Alternatively he also admits that the story could be fully true, and all is possible and that the truth is hidden from him for only reasons the royal family knows. It is their right and privilege to keep their privacy.

Tanalore is said to touch all realities of Creation.

Notes

However, the theory of new realities being created is just one of Derek's theories (for how he views the events of KQ7). He admits there are other possible explanations:

His first thought is that KQ7 is a false story that never happened ("the tale is more fancy than fact...more fiction than history as he knows it...rumor or popular fabrication is all that is possible...gossip and literary trifles...tales and fables...fictions"), simply a fable.

Alternatively he also admits that the story could be true, and all is possible and that the truth is hidden from him for only reasons the royal family knows.

The theory however does fit well with Peter Spear's discussion of scientific explanation of alternate dimensions, and his discussion of various game realities (as well as the cross over Sierra universe seen in Hoyle, and Rosella's First Quest, among other sources), as well handy explanation for other alternate histories that have appeared over King's Quest 30 year existence (including the most recent King's Quest Game Series (Adventures of Graham)).

Derek's extended theory of KQ7 in The King's Quest Companion suggests that the events of KQ7 exists in an alternate Daventry created by another 'great dreamer' perhaps in his realm, or another. That this dreamer has brought that story from another parallel Daventry into his own universe and is passing it around. This suggests at the time he wrote the letter, that either the events of KQ7 hadn't occurred yet (someone and seen elements of the 'future'), or that KQ7 simply didn't occur in Derek's version of Daventry, but only in a different Daventry than the one he inhabits. It maybe be a dream from one of Roberta's 'game realities'. If it is only a story being read from an alternate Daventry, or something that was or could change his universe he is not clear (he is only sure that the different Daventries and universes are extremely 'close' and some are able to 'dream' into them).

Derek believes that the mutual dreaming between both worlds, the alternate Daventry created by the Dreamers of the Other World, and then dreamed about in Derek's reality, changes both of the universes. But he is not clear how much change or the effects of the change on his world (other than suggesting it change what is going in his current present and future).

Behind the scenes

The 'creation of realities' may not just be open to creations of new and alternate Daventries such as those in the game realities and those in the novels for example, but possibly new worlds as well including the Realm of Eldritch (or places like Hoyle).

Presumably the Reboot Canon is an example of a series created by external great dreamers representing one of the many game realities, and it could reflect one of the many physical realities (parallel Daventries) that are suggested to have been created according to Derek Karlavaegen's theory.

When Derek uses the term 'reality' (in the singular sense) he is almost always referring to the realm that he exists in, the World of Daventry. But he or others also use it to refer to 'our reality' of Earth (Other World). This is more or less "Daventry Prime" (the universe from which all other King's Quest parallel universes were derived). Though some might argue it was created by Roberta's 'dreams' in the first place ("chicken or the egg" debate).

The Companion differentiates reality and realities from the game realities. The former are generally compared to more 'physical realms' while the latter are more digital realms (which represent 'physical realms'). Noteably, other Sierra material such as Hoyle series treats the video game universes as sort of quasi-physical realms. While programmers may directly influence the 'game-realms' the individuals from those realms are at least partially-aware of the influence, or skeptical of it. But are capable of interacting with their "creators" between realms.

The commentary from the Companion: "...that the truth is hidden from him for only reasons the royal family knows." was added to the Companion's version of From The Eye Between The Worlds probably as a way of toning down the idea that KQ7 existed in a different King's Quest alternate universe (in 'cyberspace') that the KQ7:Authorized Guide strongly suggested. Thus to leave the possibility that Derek was just 'wrong' (an 'ureliable narrator' in his own right concerning his opinion of KQ7 (or Peter Spear's personal opinion being projected through the character of Derek).

The latter suggestion that it was likely Peter Spears' opinion that KQ7 was extremely different from previous King's Quests (characterizations and in actions) reflects the mood of most critics of the day that either felt KQ7 was too childish/unrealistic.

The index for the King's Quest VII: Authorized Guide statesthe chapter includind From the Eye Between THe WOrlds and The Princess Bride novel;

...relate the adventures of Rosella and Valanice in story format. The Princeless Bride is a most curious piece of work as it purports to be the telling of actual and true events. Is it? Make up your own mind after reading both it and part 3. The story itself also provides an accurate and complete walk-through the game. Read along as you play, or enjoy it by itself. The universe is much stranger than we imagine.

The portion of Derek's missive as it appears in the KQ7 Authorized Guide, and the version as it appears in the The King's Quest Companion are slightly different as discussed above. The AG focuses on how the great dreamer, has dreamed of new stories and fables about his world, and another 'great dreamer' in his world has dreamt of those fictions of the Other World, and is creating new histories and realities from them. It ends with the focus that Daventry dreams about the other world. There is nothing specifically about 'change' in particular but rather how both worlds dream about each other, and earth has new stories about the world of Daventry from its dreams (those have become new realities in the multiverse). The guide is more specific to point out that KQ1-6 and Derek's accounts are accurate, but Derek only questions the accounts of the 7th story, as existing in some separate reality that someone in his universe has dreamed about.

The Companion adds a couple of lines referring to 'change'. The first Derek references the idea from earlier Chapters in the Companion (and earlier editions) that in Daventry, 'we at always re-creating ourselves", most of the material remains the same discussing how both universes dream about each other. Towards the end is an additional line added which mentions specifically that Other World has created 'another Daventry', than the one they live in, and that his world now dream of that reality (a reference specifically bringing up their being other alternate Daventry realities in existence). Then the last sentence is replaced with 'and we change' in context from the visions. However, its still more in the context of changing the future history rather than simply changing the past histories in general, and still mentions the idea of creating alternate realities.

Realities

• Real world
• Alternate universes
• Dimensions
• Pocket universe
• Game realities
• Cyberspace
• Multiverse
• Universe