Tamir

The Land of Tamir (KQ6 era)

Tamir was a land visited during King's Quest IV: The Perils of Rosella. It is one of the two main kingdoms on the continent of Tanalore along with Llewdor. Tamir was the land that was cared for by the fairy Genesta. Unfortunately the evil fairy, Lolotte, wanted to be ruler of the land. That land also housed a magic fruit that would heal the sick.

The land is comprised of beach, meadowlands, forest, Scary Woods, Impossible Mountains, and the Swamp.

The seven Dwarfs, Cupid, Pan, and Edgar also resided there.

The magical law of "containment" occurs in the land, causing the north and south to bend back upon itself, so that anyone traveling north, will end up coming up from the south, or vice versa.

Tamir is also known as the land of Faerie, Genesta and Lolotte vied for the throne of Faerie.

Background

On the far western side of Tanalore lies the land of Tamir, the last of the great countries of the world of Daventry. The Great Sea Ocean washes Tamir on its west, and it is there that the good fairy Genesta resides on her magical isle, attended by others of her kind, as well as birds and dolphins--all of the most beautiful appearance. Many small islands dot this part of the sea, something for which many a shipwrecked sailor has been thankful. Sharks, whales, and other monsters of the deep are abundant there, and beyond Genesta's isle lies the Unknown. Fantastic rumors of yet greater monsters and wonders that exist buzz about Tamir. Some must be true.

Tamir itself is much like Kolyma in that it is open and pleasing along its coast. The sea breezes, however, are much stronger and intemperate, which accounts for many of the shipwrecks that happen near there. Fishing is good in the sea, so the coast is home to many families of fisher-folk. Diamonds and precious metals are mined in the central hills by a race of sometimes sullen and dirty dwarfs. It is said that they get that way from their hard labors, digging from dawn to dusk, and they neither have time for hygiene nor humor. But they are good folk and are known to repay kindness with the same coin.

Two spectacular structures in Tamir are well known throughout the entire world, bringing sightseers and the curious to the country. First, a marble pool surrounded by tall columns lies peacefully in the northern part of the land. None alive remembers how the pool got there, but legend says it came from the Other World, when the magical creatures of Greece and Rome withdrew to Daventry. Strange melodies may be heard in the wind there at night, and Cupid and Pan are said to frolic in the waters. Second, against the Impossible Mountains to the west sits the eerie old house known as the Whateley Manor, flanked by its twin graveyards--places not often seen in the world of Daventry. This is known for sure was transported from the Other World. Haunted by ghosts and zombies, like Dracula's Castle in Kolyma, it is usually avoided after dark.

Also to be avoided is a small forest of cruel trees just north of the manor house. Indeed, this entire region of Tamir is inhabited by sudden death at almost any step. The trees reach out, grab, and kill all that walk into their grove. An ogre and his wife live at the trees' eastern edge. They like to eat people. If one is lucky enough to get past the ogres, and trees' deadly branches, they might meet three perfectly delightful hag sisters who also have an appetite for human stew. Almost all stay way from that part of Tamir; almost all who have ventured there have perished.

Hovering above all of this are the Impossible Mountains, so named because of how hard they are to cross. Waterfalls thunder out of those mist-shrouded heights, which are the source of all Tamir's streams and fresh water. Some say vast sucking swamps exist on the other side of those peaks, but since no one is known to have crossed over the impossible mountains, who can know fore sure? Perhaps someone went under the mountains as Rosella did; perhaps someone flew like an eagle over the peaks and returned to tell about it. Know one knows for sure.

One lone, narrow path treks up into the crags. Its end is at a dark castle perched on the edge of a sheer precipice. The wicked witch Lolotte once lived there with her winged-monkey soldiers. She is gone now, and for a while the lone human inhabitant was her son Edgar, a handsome youth who pined for the princess who rejected him. All hoped that he would grow to be much wiser than his mother. In any event, with Lolotte apparently dead, much of the despair that once hovered over Tamir had flown away. With her passing, the curious architecture and quaint places of the land had caught the imagination of folks who travel the world for amusement. Many tourists and adventurers are drawn there, so perhaps someday people will finally learn what really lies on the other side of the Impossible Mountains.

Geography

Tamir is divided into several main geographical regions between West Tamir and East Tamir. Each of these regions make up more or less a single strip of land from the sea to the mountains. In West Tamir is the sea, then the beach, then the meadow, then the woods. In East Tamir is the forest, Scary Forest/Woods, and finally mountains.

Tamir is described as being very far away from Daventry by Genesta, and others. However it's also been shown to be near and west of Llewdor, on the continent of Tanalore, and lieing roughly a day/few days away from continent of Serenia/Daventry.

Alternatively its also been described as being in another world (dimension)... King Graham falls deathly ill and his daughter, the beautiful Rosella must journey to another world in search of the cure. Note: According to KQC, Tamir is also part of Tanalore, which includes a city that touches all realities of creation (thus the whole region may exist as both part of and outside the world of Daventry, similar to Isle of the Dead).

Landmarks

• Town of Tamir

Sea of Tamir

• Fairy Island
• Shipwreck Island
• Great Sea Ocean

West Tamir

• Fisherman's Shack
• Roman Pool
• Frog Pond

East Tamir

• House of Seven Dwarfs
• Diamond Mine
• Ogre's House
• Troll Cave
• Lolotte's Castle
• Swamp
• Scary Woods (Scary Forest)
• Skull Cave (Witch Cave/3 Hag's Cave)
• Whateley graveyards
  • Whateley Manor (Haunted House/Tamir House)
  • East Yard
  • West Yard
  • Crypt
• Impossible Mountains

Beyond the Waterfall

• Troll Cave
• Swamp
• Island

Notes

• Tamir is the last of the five great countries of the world, which include Daventry, Serenia, Kolyma, and Llewdor. At times when Serenia is missing, it is one of the four great countries.
• In the game it is suggested that the mainland is Tamir. Therefore the islands and sea our outside of Tamir proper.
• In some material Tamir was treated as if it was not in the same world as Daventry. King Graham falls deathly ill and his daughter, the beautiful Rosella must journey to another world in search of the cure. See World of Tamir.
• Enigmatic references to the Town of Tamir are made in some of the promotional materials in the Sierra catalogs, and inside other games such as Police Quest 2. Other than it claiming she visited the town, no specific town (or at least no dense layout people generally think of as a town) appears in the game. Apparently the map itself with its houses (fisherman’s shack, ogre cottage, dwarf’s house,, Whately Manor, Witch’s Cave), as well as a population of citizen Ents, make up the neighborhood. While the Roman Pool makes up a nice park. Perhaps Lolottes’s also shares the same zip code (though she has most isolated private property on the mainland). Genesta owns her own private island retreat as well (it’s unclear if that is considered laws of the town zip code as well).
• The Guidebook to the Land of the Green Isles discusses there being roadside inns off dusty roads all the way to the sea of Tamir.

Gallery

(KQ4 era)

(KQ5 era)

(KQ4 era)

(KQ5 era)

(KQ6 era)

Behind the scenes

On Earth, the Tamir River is a river in Mongolia. There is also a Tal Tamir (aka Tell Tamer) a town in Syria.

Tamir as a boys' name is of Hebrew and Arabic origin, and the meaning of Tamir is "erect, tall; wealthy one". The name literally refers to a person with an large supply of dates, a staple food in ancient Arabia. Related to the girl's name Tamar, which means "date palm".

Tamir (unofficial)

For Tamir in fan games and fiction, see Tamir (unofficial).