What they left out of the 3rd edition of the King's Quest Companion...

[Akril15]

This is a repeat of a post I made on another forum several months ago, but I thought I'd post it again here, since some things have changed since I made the first post.

As some of you may know, there are several versions of The King's Quest Companion. The first one covers KQ1-4, the second one was expanded to include KQ5, the third added KQ6, and the fourth (and last) one covers KQ1-7. However, because of the vast amount of material KQ6 contained, one of the sections present in the first and second editions had to be removed from the third edition.

This section was called "An Encyclopedia of Daventry", and it discusses the various people, creatures, lands and entities found throughout the series, often describing their real-life origins. However, there is also a lot of "embellishment" added to the descriptions of some of the original characters by the author, and some of this embellishment is so bizarre that when I first saw some examples from the encyclopedia on the KQ Wiki, I thought that some mischievous fan was adding this info as a joke. However, I now own the 2nd edition of the KQC, and I can verify that not only are the pages where the 2nd edition of the KQC are accurate, but they're copied almost verbatim.

Here are a few of the more..."interesting" entries that I discovered:


From the entry on snow leopards:

[...]Rosella speculates that the leopard might be more than just a bodyguard. It seems that fairies must spend a day each week in the form of some animal. Rosella thinks Genesta may become a female snow leopard and the regal beast she saw in Genesta's Ivory Tower is her animal husband.

Er...o-kaaay...
(Note: The encyclopedia's entry on fairies repeats the "fairies must spend one day in the form of an animal" fact.)


And speaking of Genesta (this text is from the wiki -- it's supposed to be an actual fairy tale, but I haven't been able to find it):

Genesta once took a young boy from his parents, a foolish king and queen. Genesta promised to return the boy someday, but said they would not see him again until he was all covered with fur. She called the boy Mannikin because of his small size. He grew up to go on many adventures, aided by the good fairy Genesta. Years, later when Mannikin returned from the North Pole, Genesta arrived in a chariot drawn by eagles, bearing with her Mannikin's parents. Mannikin was wearing a fur coat, thus Genesta's promise was fulfilled.

Wow...makes me wonder if Lolotte got the idea of stealing Edgar from Genesta.


From the pirates' entry:

All the pirates but one are now dead, the victims of a great storm spell cast upon them by Prince Alexander some weeks after his return home. The lone survivor washed up on the coast of Llewdor babbling of shipmates being consumed by sharks and others swallowed by a great squid after being crushed in its tentacles. The unfortunate man also kept whimpering a word that sounded something like "Cthulhu," but his mind had been shattered by the experience and he only continued to chatter incoherently.

Is it just me, or does this story seem a bit...well, out of place?
"Well Mother and Father, I'd really love to spend more time with you after spending nearly 18 years as a slave to an evil wizard, but right now I've got to go sic an Elder God on some rude pirates who stole my things before they brought me here. Bye!"


On Queen Icebella:

Her consort is the changeling and werewolf, Sir Greywolf.

What is it with the implied bestiality in this Encyclopedia!?


A bit of information from Cassima's entry (remember, this is before KQ6 was made):

[Derek Karlavaegan] also mentions that Alexander and Cassima have communicated since their meeting [in Mordack's castle], but how, or where or when is unknown. Nothing is at it appears, and we know too little.

How conveniently vague...
Other entries in the encyclopedia go on to say that during these "communications", Cassima told Alexander about Dink (the unseen monster named "Sam" is apparently his brother), the blue beast in the castle (he is somehow related to Dink, "although whether he is made from parts of Dink or his tissue is not clear"), how her locket wound up in the Roc's nest (Mordack flew with her to his castle "in the wings of a giant bird", and she dropped the locket on the way). Too bad she never told him something like...say, the location of the Kingdom of the Green Isles?


On vampires:

Derek believes vampires may be descended from the lizardfolk and not supernatural at all, having powers similar to the bat and chameleon (other species that may have descended from the lizardfolk).

I probably shouldn't have looked up the lizardfolk's page after reading this, but I did...

The lizardfolk are [a] reptilian race that had owned the earth, and roamed the stars before the evolution of mammals that would become humanity. They crawled out of the swamps to raise gargantuan cities and ruled the stars for untold millions of years. Their race died out, disappearing into oblivion, victims of arcane sorceries from beyond the Multiverse itself. The insane and incomprehensible magics (the very sounds which cannot be conceived nor reproduced by humans) that destroyed the lizards may exist still.

...I got nothing.


According to An Encyclopedia of Daventry, the winged horse in KQ2 is indeed Pegasus, who was born from the blood of the gorgon Medusa after she was killed by Perseus. However, this raises the quandary of how Medusa is alive in KQ3. A look at her page in the Omni reveals that:

There are hints that this Medusa is the same one Perseus killed. How she came to be alive again is unknown.

No kidding.

[Irishmile]

I actually had no idea there was a fourth edition.

[ATMachine]

I got ahold of the first three editions of the KQ Companion recently. Some of the stuff in it is indeed pretty wild.

Irishmile, the fourth edition crops up on eBay and used-book sites from time to time, but it's pricier than the other editions, and it seems to be rarer. From what I can tell, the "new" KQ7 content in the 4th edition was actually reprinted from a separate KQ7 Authorized Player's Guide by the same author.

[KatieHal]

This post covers every angle of why I take the KQ Companion with an entire pile of salt.

[Simo Sakari Aaltonen]

I really like the latest edition. I never read the earlier ones. And based on the examples cited, I think lack of space may not have been the only reason the Encyclopedia was removed. A much more agreeable read this way.

[Akril15]

Originally Posted by ATMachine

Irishmile, the fourth edition crops up on eBay and used-book sites from time to time, but it's pricier than the other editions, and it seems to be rarer. From what I can tell, the "new" KQ7 content in the 4th edition was actually reprinted from a separate KQ7 Authorized Player's Guide by the same author.

Indeed -- KQ7 really got the short end of the stick when it was added to the KQC. It didn't even get its own illustration at the beginning of the novelization -- it just got the the old version of KQ4's illustration (Rosella in Edgar's bedroom, holding the rose he slipped under the door), and there wasn't an excerpt from the novelization under the picture like there was with every other novelization's picture, either.

[Blackthorne519]

Originally Posted by KatieHal

This post covers every angle of why I take the KQ Companion with an entire pile of salt.

I couldn't agree more! That book is wack.


Bt

[Anakin Skywalker]

Originally Posted by Blackthorne519

I couldn't agree more! That book is wack.


Bt

Outside of the encyclopedia, I don't see what the big problem with it is.

[Blackthorne519]

Originally Posted by Anakin Skywalker

Outside of the encyclopedia, I don't see what the big problem with it is.

I think the whole thread of "Derek Karlavagegananaenanan" is lame. What's even more lame is when I see people reference the book in discussions about King's Quest by saying "Well, Derek Karlavagean said....."..... This has happened to me!


Bt

[KatieHal]

Originally Posted by Anakin Skywalker

Outside of the encyclopedia, I don't see what the big problem with it is.

I could go on, but I'll pick two stand-outs.

1) Why need we imply Icebella is banging a wolf?

2) Vampires are descended from lizardfolk. Yeah, I'm putting that right up there with saying they sparkle.

[Anakin Skywalker]

Originally Posted by KatieHal

I could go on, but I'll pick two stand-outs.

1) Why need we imply Icebella is banging a wolf?

2) Vampires are descended from lizardfolk. Yeah, I'm putting that right up there with saying they sparkle.

Note that I said, "outside of the Encyclopedia."

[KatieHal]

Fair enough.

Outside of that, it just introduces complications that aren't in the games. For example, one Companion decided to say/claim that Edgar was a fisherman's son...no real reason to do so, and that might seem fine at the time, but that creates an issue when later he was revealed to not be anything of the sort.

And isn't there some place in it that claims the magical island Valanice was held in the Tower on was actually a distant part of the regular world? Which is not only unnecessary, but kind of ridiculous. The place she was in was clearly NOT normal or anything like the regular world of KQ.

And for a 3rd, the claim that Alexander visited Derek Karlvagenwhatsit and DID receive a copy of the Guidebook to the Green Isles from him. This directly conflicts with the game itself, as when you find a copy in the Vizier's room, the narrator remarks on how that would've been really helpful to have when you arrived there--nothing at all about having had one that was lost.

And most ridiculous of all is that the Companion tried to explain why the screens of the lands in KQ looped around on another with its "magical law of containment" claim. That one's probably the worst offender.

[Simo Sakari Aaltonen]

Originally Posted by KatieHal

And most ridiculous of all is that the Companion tried to explain why the screens of the lands in KQ looped around on another with its "magical law of containment" claim. That one's probably the worst offender.

I like that one. Better than forcing people who use the Companion for walkthrough purposes to waste time on going, say, several enemy-infested screens south than one safe screen north. Also makes it seem less like Graham has a death wish.

[Anakin Skywalker]

Originally Posted by KatieHal

Fair enough.

Outside of that, it just introduces complications that aren't in the games. For example, one Companion decided to say/claim that Edgar was a fisherman's son...no real reason to do so, and that might seem fine at the time, but that creates an issue when later he was revealed to not be anything of the sort.

And isn't there some place in it that claims the magical island Valanice was held in the Tower on was actually a distant part of the regular world? Which is not only unnecessary, but kind of ridiculous. The place she was in was clearly NOT normal or anything like the regular world of KQ.

And for a 3rd, the claim that Alexander visited Derek Karlvagenwhatsit and DID receive a copy of the Guidebook to the Green Isles from him. This directly conflicts with the game itself, as when you find a copy in the Vizier's room, the narrator remarks on how that would've been really helpful to have when you arrived there--nothing at all about having had one that was lost.

And most ridiculous of all is that the Companion tried to explain why the screens of the lands in KQ looped around on another with its "magical law of containment" claim. That one's probably the worst offender.

I read somewhere Peter Spear was given access to Roberta's own notes. And funnily enough, the idea of having a hero be the son of a fisherman was revisited in the early design stages of KQ8--Connor was initially going to be the son of a fisherman. Perhaps back in 1988 or so, Roberta thought this was Edgar's backstory.

I don't see any problem with her tower being in a distant part of Daventry. The world of Daventry is a pretty strange place as it is.

I'll give you that one, but I always thought the guidebook to the land of the Green Isles bit was an injoke at both the manual and the Companion. Spear said he worked with Jane Jensen in writing his novelisation of KQ6. Perhaps originally Alexander was supposed to have a copy and lost it. In any case, having the guidebook be mentioned in the game, and the Guidebook be the game's manual (which is mentioned in the Companion) validates at least the character of Derek Karelevagen--which was an invention of the KQ Companion.

There was a blurb on the back of the 3rd edition I think it was of the Companion where Roberta essentially said it gives new dimension and depth to her games. And I recall Ken saying that the Companion, unlike the novels, was actually reviewed by Roberta. The novels had no involvement from Roberta from what I've heard and were just Okayed by Sierra. But I've read Roberta did have a certain level of contact with Spear while he created the Companions.

From the KQ Omnipedia:

"Roberta Williams is acknowledged for being of help in writing the books.[5] According to Peter Spear, he would call Roberta Williams in order to develop chapters for the book. If she wasn't around or was too busy, he would contact other colleagues working on the games including Jane Jensen.[6] The books were officially endorsed by Roberta Williams and she believed it brought the games to life in an exciting new way. She said it added another fascinating dimension to the entire King's Quest experience. She felt it was a pleasure to read, and a must have for anyone wanting to explore the series in greater depth and detail.[7][8] She provided Peter Spear with encouragement, support, and access to work in progress

Ken Williams (the former owner of Sierra On-line supported the book from day one. He and his brother John Willams were extremely helpful and supportive of the book through the years, and without their support the book might not have existed. Peter Spear worked directly with Jane Jensen shile editing and writing material for KQ6 portions (some of which written by the professional novelist eluki bes shahar), he worked directly with Jane Jensen, and he worked with Lorelei Shannon on the material published in the 4th Edition and King's Quest VII: Authorized Guide. Other people at Sierra that assisted with Peter Spear in developing the book through the years include Bill Davis, Dennis Jonathan, Kirk Green, Anita Greene, Liz Jacobs, Mark Siebart, Marc Hudgins, Jonk Meek, Dan Rogers, Jerry Bowerman, and Joe Escalle.

The author directly worked with designers and the game publisher to receive behind the scenes information, and influenced material in the games, manuals and even other official Hint Books on occasion (see KQ6 and KQ7 hintbooks by Lorelei Shannon, KQ5 Manual (computer and NES versions), the Guidebook to the Land of the Green Isles, and King's Questions (a computer game), and other material in the King's Quest Collection (15th Anniversery Collector's Edition)). Sierra's Interaction Magazine, and King's Quest Collection reprinted portions of the book on occasion to advertise them, give background story to the King's Quest World, and give hints to players (Sierra Magazine, Autumn 1989, Interaction, Fall 1994). The former article was included in the Inside the Chest archive included in several editions of the King's Quest Collection.

".a wonderful blend of fact and fiction that brings my games to life in an exciting new way. It add's another fascinating dimension to the entire King's Quest experience. It is truly a pleasure to read and a must have for anyone hoping to explore the series in greater depth and detail."-Roberta Williams, 3rd Edition back cover

[KatieHal]

It gives it some more dimension & depth, I won't argue that--the idea is very cool. But I think it suffered from being built off of early notes or incomplete ones, or not having more designer oversight, leading to conflicts in plot details, etc. I feel like grading A for effort....C- for execution. :/

[Akril15]

I didn't see any blurb about Edgar being a fisherman's son on the Wiki, and all that the 2nd edition of the Companion says about him is that "no one knew who [his] father was -- he could have been anyone from a drugged slave to a malevolent sorcerer." (A little ironic, given that Alberich, the character from the legend that supposedly inspired Oberon, is a sorcerer.)

[doom saber]

In my honest opinion, the stuff said in the companion seem rather odd. I mean, the whole concept of Daventry being another world where people from our world cross over to is ridiculous. I guess Spear was finding a way to explain why there are Shakespearian books in a fantasy era setting with vampires, but nevertheless, the story comes out to be very convoluted.

[Valiento]

new" KQ7 content in the 4th edition was actually reprinted from a separate KQ7 Authorized Player's Guide by the same author.

The KQ7 Authorized guide was published first.

KQC 4th Edition was published a few years later, and even advertises Mask of Eternity.

Outside of that, it just introduces complications that aren't in the games. For example, one Companion decided to say/claim that Edgar was a fisherman's son...no real reason to do so, and that might seem fine at the time, but that creates an issue when later he was revealed to not be anything of the sort.

Actually the book gives like 2-3 different speculative explanations for Edgar, and the 'author' isn't clear if any of them are 'true or not'. Just rumors and speculation. One other alternative theories is that Edgar is the son of a sorcerer.

And isn't there some place in it that claims the magical island Valanice was held in the Tower on was actually a distant part of the regular world? Which is not only unnecessary, but kind of ridiculous. The place she was in was clearly NOT normal or anything like the regular world of KQ

Actually again, the book says it could be another world, or in a distant part of the world. The book mentions both theories!

Vampires are descended from lizardfolk. Yeah, I'm putting that right up there with saying they sparkle.

The book actually gives two theories for vampires. Again the traditional one, and second more speculative one.

Actually the book is full of two or more speculations given by the 'author/s' for various topics. I think this was so the book avoided being too 'specific', and thus avoids 'contradicting' anything directly. It can all be chocked up to Derek Karlavaegen's overactive imagination, which he himself admits to!.

I think it shows that Peter Spear was given room to speculate in the book, he just wasn't allowed to get too specific (he couldn't create too many important details that would change the backstories in case developers changed things later on). So almost everything is described as being 'speculation' on the parts of the fictional authors.

And for a 3rd, the claim that Alexander visited Derek Karlvagenwhatsit and DID receive a copy of the Guidebook to the Green Isles from him. This directly conflicts with the game itself, as when you find a copy in the Vizier's room, the narrator remarks on how that would've been really helpful to have when you arrived there--nothing at all about having had one that was lost.

Actually there are several points in KQ6 narration, including tutorial instructions (accessed through the menu) suggesting Alexander had a copy of the guidebook. There is a few references within the narration telling Alexander that he should use his own copy of the guidebook!

So in a sense it explains how Alexander was able to figure out the Cliffs of Logic! Remember even the Guidebook suggests anyone who would even possibly solve the cliffs, would have to know alot of highly specific cultural facts of the Ancient Ones, and the answers to certain riddles (Derek had recorded in his book). So without that book Alexander would have died, because one wrong answer would have sent him plummiting down the cliff!

Ya it would-be impossible to figure out the circles without the riddle, and any of the challenges involving the Ancient Ones alphabet.

Of course it's not just the Cliffs, but the catacombs as well, it would have been impossible to get through the tile trap in the Catacombs without specific knowledge of the riddle recorded in The Guidebook.

The companion just suggests that Alexander had a copy of that book at one point, and explains how he must have lost it.

The game rather contradicts itself on this topic! If you miss the references to "Alex" supposedly having access to at least parts of the book... It leaves a plot hole as to how Alex would have figured out the cliffs and catacombs...! Yet, if you did catch the reference, then the bit near the end, that says "it would have been helpful" doesn't make much sense!

So I guess Peter Spear tried to go down the middle, suggesting Alex lost it before he got to the islands, but had read enough to remember how to figure out the Cliffs and Catacombs traps.

Actually the KQ6 hintbook by Lorelei Shannon explains the purpose for Alhazred's copy, was it was how he learned about the Green Isles, and the reason why he went there to take over!

I like that one. Better than forcing people who use the Companion for walkthrough purposes to waste time on going, say, several enemy-infested screens south than one safe screen north. Also makes it seem less like Graham has a death wish.

Ya it is true, the book was designed as a strategy guide for the games. You can actually beat the games by using the novelizations. It wasn't specifically designed to be a novelization for the series. If you understand the book's purpose, the fact that it incorporates actual game mechanics and the ingame world makes absolute sense.

In my honest opinion, the stuff said in the companion seem rather odd. I mean, the whole concept of Daventry being another world where people from our world cross over to is ridiculous. I guess Spear was finding a way to explain why there are Shakespearian books in a fantasy era setting with vampires, but nevertheless, the story comes out to be very convoluted.

It's a generic fantasy trope... the book even makes a few references, which compare the idea to Wonderland, Narnia, Oz, and Fantastica, which are all worlds that are accessed from earth... The main problem though is the idea is hardly original, and is rather cliche.

Why need we imply Icebella is banging a wolf?

I'm pretty sure this reference is taken from an obscure fairy tale story, that had a similar ice queen to the one in Han's Christian anderson. But involved a human that was changed into a wolf, and forced to be the queen's companion. It might have been part of the 'Mannikan/Genesta' story, but its been a decade or two since I read the fairy tale.

Technically the book doesn't say that she "bangs" the wolf, however. A 'consort' is not necessarily sexual in nature. Also, since its a werewolf, its a shapeshifter. It doesn't necessarily mean she 'sleeps' with it while its in animal form. But really, why resort to the gutter thoughts?

The idea of fairy's shapeshifting into animal forms, originates from mythology and fairy tale as well (thus the whole Genesta/leopard thing). The book as I recall does point out that its a trait from English fairy stories.

If you want to talk about something bizarre from mythology, the book discusses the mythological Gwydion, and how he and his brother were turned into animals, one male and one female, and forced to sleep with each other! Homoerotic, incest and bestiality all in the same myth!

Zoophilia seems to be a strangely common theme in myth though;

Leda and the Swan for example

[Irishmile]

Originally Posted by ATMachine

I got ahold of the first three editions of the KQ Companion recently. Some of the stuff in it is indeed pretty wild.

Irishmile, the fourth edition crops up on eBay and used-book sites from time to time, but it's pricier than the other editions, and it seems to be rarer. From what I can tell, the "new" KQ7 content in the 4th edition was actually reprinted from a separate KQ7 Authorized Player's Guide by the same author.

Awesome thanks for the info.... I just tracked down a copy of the KQ7 guide and purchased it... you probably just saved me some $$$...

[Valiento]

Ya, you saved money, and also get an additional chapter or two left out of the 4th Edition, I think? Mainly game summaries, and game development/interview stuff.