Realm of the Dead

The Realm of the Dead is one of several afterlives in the world of Daventry's legends. Death fascinates men the world round, and there are as many philosophies about what comes after this life as there are, it seems, lives which end. The realm is the Land of the Dead for the people of the Green Isles, but exists beyond the Edge of the World in its own world.

Background

The Realm of the Dead can be reached via the Isle of the Dead. It is there Death himself, Samhain rules. The Realm of the Dead is a strange, cold world. A place not of the world of Daventry, seemingly touching the world but existing outside of it. The source of a mysterious magnetism that sucks life from the world of the living to the next. The realm is made up of the Surface Region of the Isle, and the Underworld below. It is always night time in the realm, and the light of day never touches anything in the dreary place.

Much of the realm appears organic both above and below ground, especially the closer one gets to the entrance to the Underworld itself. These areas seem to ooze with life. The skull-like entrance to the Underworld for example is covered in tendons, and the Gate to Samhain's throne is animated as well. It appears that many of the surfaces, growths, and paths may not like being fooled with.

The realm is where all the living from areas of the Land of the Green Isles go when they die, according to Green Islander's legends. Occasionally other famous individuals from the Earth's history have ended up there as well, for example Cleopatra and Helen of Troy. It is ruled by the Lord of the Dead, Lord Samhain. It is a place both not of the world, and yet can be reached from a physical island located within the Land of the Green Isles. The cold black mountains of the isle can sometimes be seen from the shores of the other islands.

Those souls who have died at peace with their lives are allowed to enter the Underworld and are placed in the Sea of Souls. In that safe repository, they are greeted by ultimate knowledge and are prepared for the next stage. Those souls, however who died with unresolved trauma in their human lives cannot enter the underworld but are consigned to wander endlessly on the surface of the Realm, chained there by their woes. Sometimes, their life`s problems will be resolved in the real world without them - justice meted out, or loved ones taken care of - and they are freed from their bonds and gratefully go below. More often, however, things are never resolved in the real world and the bonded souls, over time, become part of the mindless dead, roam the surface eternally, never to know peace or be allowed to move on. This belief system deeply affects the lives of the Green Islanders, and is the root of their peaceful lives and their aversion for friction and infighting, greed and anxiety. Certainly as a man or woman approaches old age or infirmity, he or she strives to resolve any loose ends in their lives in preparation for the journey ahead.

Alexander flies to the island on the back of Night Mare in order to rescue King Caliphim and Queen Allaria, as his Map was powerless to take him there. To bring them back to the Land of the Living, he challenges Samhain. Beneath the island lies the Underworld. Samhain's throne room lies beside the Sea of Souls.

Landmarks

• Surface Region
• Underworld Entrance
• Underworld
• Underworld Passageway
• River Styx
• Living Gate (Gate to the Lord of the Dead's Hall)
• Hall of the Lord of the Dead (Lord of the Dead's Hall/Lord of the Dead's Chamber)
• Sea of Souls

See also

• Realm of the Dead (KQGS)

Behind the scenes

In the game the Realm of the Dead is shown to be physical island, but it is also described to be "not of this world", it is separate from the "real world", and it is described as "...a strange, cold world." Ali and the ferryman also alludes to this fact. Suggesting that its connected to Daventry through the Multiverse. It is rumored that the next world exists beyond the edge of the world.

The Realm of the Dead serves as a Limbo where souls are held until they can move onto the next stage of their afterlife. Some souls are stuck in Realm of the Dead forever having died with unfinished business in their lives.

It seems that although the Lord of the Dead judges the souls of individuals, that those that fell under the influence of sins of greed, infighting, and anxiety end up as ghouls on the surface with no chance of redemption, barred from the Underworld, to walk the surface eternally. Thus it is in the best interests of the Green Islanders to live peaceful lives.

"Roberta's point of view was that the "Dimension of Death" was not the under world(KQ6). It was a unique and different place.

-Mark Seibert

In fact, the Realm of the Dead and Dimension of Death are not the only afterlives to be mentioned in the games, hell and Abram's bosom are mentioned in KQ4, and KQ8 also speaks of the spirit-world of ancient souls. Finally, Heaven is mentioned throughout the games.

Though not mentioned in the game, when first arriving there, you can see pyramids like the ones at Giza in the background.

In a background cut from the finished game, you can see an Anubis statue in the background.

The River Styx passes through both the Underworld and in or near Hades, perhaps connected through the multiverse.

While its unclear what the next stage of the afterlife is, Hakim, has an exclamation in which he refers to the "heavens", which may imply a heavenly realms for righteous dead.

The Land of the Dead may be known in Eldritch as well; or at least known to Malicia. However from her context, and context in KQ7 itself she is probably referring to rotting away within Ooga Booga for eternity. Thus the reference to Land of the Dead is an euphemism for Ooga Booga, which makes perfect sense. As Malicia states in KQ7 that Otar and Rosella will be buried alive in Ooga Booga for a thousand years.