King’s Quest Character Profiles

WARNING: If you have not finished playing all the games in the series, the character profiles do contain a lot of information that can spoil the games for you!

Akril got tired of the boring, dry, textbook like descriptions of the characters in King’s Quest, like “Graham: He is the king of Daventry. He found the three lost treasures and rescued Valanice from Kolyma. Then he had a heart attack and Rosella went to Tamir and …” YAWN! Therefore, she decided to write up her own descriptions for many of the King’s Quest characters … with her flavor and own sense of style! Do note that Akril is quite sensitive about these characters! All the portraits on this page were also drawn by Akril.

KING GRAHAM: Who was the first character ever to star in a King’s Quest game? That’s right! Armed with only his wits and his adventurer’s cap (the one with the red feather), this fellow plunged through the lands of Daventry, Kolyma, Serenia (and then some), claimed the throne of an entire kingdom, rescued a girl from an enchanted island, then rescued his whole family — all in less than six years (in computer-game-release-speak)! Not only that, but he has experienced just about every magic-related activity you can think of. A ring which turns the wearer invisible, a handful of magic beans, a Lewis-Caroll-esque mushroom, a perplexing bridle, a battered old wand with about as much potential as a rotting eggplant … anything magical that you can name, it has most likely been wielded, planted, eaten, rubbed, thrown, or manipulated in a number of ways by the good-natured King of Daventry. Graham has also fathered two children, who are different as night and day, yet just like their parents in numerous ways. The intrepid Rosella saved him from certain death and saved a foreign kingdom in less than a day. Before that, her brother Alexander freed her from a three-headed, oversized lizard with halitosis that caused nearly the entire kingdom to burn up, and saved his father from inevitable heartbreak. Not a bad couple of kids, eh? Graham understands that his children should follow their hearts, whether their hearts lead them to a chain of islands near the edge of the world or to another plane of existence dominated by a temperamental volcano. A true adventurer, and if it isn’t nailed down, guess who will always pick it up!

 

QUEEN VALANICE: The Big “V” made her first debut in King’s Quest 2 and has played an insignificant role in every game after that with the exception of King’s Quest 7, in which she shared the title role with her headstrong daughter Rosella. Not many adventure gamers like Valanice, however; they complain that she is too annoying and that “her voice gets on their nerves.” I got news for you anti-King’s Quest 7 people: Val is every bit as good as the other King’s Quest characters, maybe even more so. She is a devoted and loving mother who would do anything for her children. She advised Alexander before he departed on his quest to find his true love, and she followed Rosella into the realm of Eldritch, fearful that she would loose her daughter forever. No ordinary woman would do that, and no seemingly “annoying” one either. Her sense of humor is not as versatile as her daughter’s, and she does not have nearly as large a collection of comebacks or snappy retorts either. However, what she lacks for in these things she makes up for in her sophisticated manners and gentle nature. Some people have asked what Graham sees in Valanice, and why he chose to marry her in the first place. I can think of a perfect, topical explanation for that. In an audio interview with Roberta Williams, the creator of the King’s Questgames, she says, “I like working for Sierra because … I founded it! *laughs* You found a company, you have to like it!” Similarly, since Graham rescued Valanice from imprisonment on an enchanted isle, he has to marry her, you rescue a damsel in distress, you gotta wed her. It’s just the way it is. Unless you’re a girl, too.

 

PRINCE ALEXANDER: Ah, this boy’s life is a sad one for sure! His life has been nothing but slavery, scolding, and sorcery from his infancy, but now his struggles are paying off. Cassima of the Land of the Green Isles gave him permission to marry her, partly because she truly loved him, but mostly because he saved her kingdom and herself from a grisly, unjust fate. Now King of the Green Isles, Alexander (aka Gwydion) rules in peace, practicing magic in his spare time — a talent he “accidentally” picked up shortly before he escaped a nasty old wizard in the land of Llewdor, hitched a lift on a pirate ship, crossed the treacherous peaks surrounding his true home, and rescued his very beautiful, very strong-willed twin sister Rosella, whom he had not seen for over 17 years. An excellent scholar, possessing both the physique and the mind of his great father, Graham, as well as an odd collection of expletives where he picked up from who knows where. Like the rest of his family, Alexander is a mastered musician, even on xylophones made of bones near the gates of the Realm of the Dead. Them bones can dance! He did (and still does) whatever it takes to complete his quests. Climbing vertigo-inducing cliffs, consulting mystic, female oracles, hopping from place to place with a magic map? Mere magic tricks. Alex is one brave, intelligent, (not to mention handsome) young man. Just don’t ask him why he is skittish around black cats.

 

PRINCESS ROSELLA: Feminists unite! This sapphire-eyed, golden-haired princess was the first female to star in a King’s Quest game and the ONLY character to have her name appear in a subtitle (The Perils of Rosella)! This girl is one tough member of the royal family, though she may look soft on the surface. She has been through more gruesome, demanding, frightening, and overall not-so-minor adventures than she would care to remember. If only that darn dress wouldn’t get in the way … Like her father (who owes his life to her, as she saved it once upon a time), Rosie has pretty much experienced it all. She has nearly been sacrificed to a three-headed dragon (much to her mother’s disapproval), dug up a few moldy graves, literally caught the eye of three unappealing hags, saved an entire realm from destruction (two realms to be exact), nearly been married to the same man twice (though he was in a different form both times), kissed a frog to met a prince which made the former seem handsome, became a frog for a few moments, spent an uncomfortably long period of time as a troll (and fortunately regained her human guise after a few slip-ups) and brought the son of the King and Queen of the Faeries back to life (and then some!). In spite of the rumors going around, she is still hesitant about marrying Edgar, the man who freed her from Lolotte’s castle and pulled her into the realm of Eldritch. Much controversy is going around concerning that matter, and her mother, Queen Valanice, still nags her frequently. Rosella is not a girl who gets rushed into anything easily. Perhaps some year she will decide to wed the lucky guy and take her place as heiress to her father’s throne. “Not without my shovel!”

 

KING EDWARD THE BENEVOLENT: Not too much is known about this poor old fellow, except that he was the king before Graham and had no heirs whatsoever. Not a good thing for a monarch. He also had a wife named Maylie, who died during the time of the theft of the Three Great Treasures of Daventry. His life was a sad one, to be sure, and he did all that he could to save his kingdom before he died. Sure, Graham is the king now, but we should always remember who came first.

 

IFNKOVHGROGPRM: Also known as Nikstiltselpmur. You had to ask, didn’t you? This wacky old gnome is most famous for his reputation of driving adventurers absolutely bonkers with these “crazy reedles!” Actually, the I-man (or the N-man) only asked one riddle, and that was enough. The question: “What is my name?” The answer: “Forty-two?” No, no, that was a bad Douglas Adams joke there, I shall refrain from telling any more (I hope). Anyway, after Graham answered the riddle correctly and won the crown, rescued Valanice, etc., etc., the kingdom went into a period of turmoil, during which the gnome took up residence in a tumbled-down old shack near the old well of Daventry. According to Alexander, he was the first person to greet him upon his return home, and the first to tell the King and Queen that their daughter was safe and their son had returned. According to several rumors, Ifnkovhgroghprm (or Nikstiltselpmur) moved to Serenia and started a small family there (I didn’t know he had a Scottish accent!). Graham encountered him and his grandson during his travels through that land, and fortunately, the gnome did not remember him well enough to throw another crazy riddle in his direction.

 

DAHLIA: This old bag was a rather nasty old witch who drove the people of Daventry out of their skulls before she wound up in the soup (or the stove, if you played the original King’s Quest 1 game) at the hands of Sir Graham. She is also credited with the theft of the Chest of Gold (which, for some reason, came into the possession of a giant. I do not know if Dahlia was in cahoots with him or not). And why she was named after a flower, I will probably never know.

 

HAGATHA: Manannan and Mordack’s green-skinned, cannibalistic sister of which neither of them were very fond for obvious reasons. She also had the inexplicable idea of capturing the maiden Valanice and imprisoning her on an enchanted island. Why she did that I do not know any better than why King Otar wanted to marry Rosella (well, not the REAL guy, but oh well). She lived (and probably still lives) in a gloomy, smelly, skull-festooned cave that would probably make Dr. Olympia Myklos cringe. Just don’t ask Hagatha if she’s ever heard of Batman before.

 

MANANNAN: “Manny” was one baaaad wizard, believe me. Cooped up in his rickety, mountaintop mansion for longer than anyone would care to know, and always thinking that someone else could do his work for him. With the way he treated his slaves, it is no wonder that he killed them before they became too smart. But his LAST slave … well, that was his fatal boo-boo. After getting poofed into a black cat (just like his former sorceress rival), he was discovered by his quick-tempered little brother, who almost avenged him. Yeah … ALMOST. Don’t let the cat out of the bag, because that is where we last heard of the “wascawy” wizard. By the way, according to legend, Manannan is the chief deity of the sea. Any coincidence here?

 

MANANNAN’S BLACK CAT: The cat had no known name. This feline was kind enough to give up some of her hair for Gwydion’s Cat Cookie Spell (not exactly kind, though. “SCREEEEEEEEECH!”) She is rumored to be a rival of Manannan’s, transformed into a cat by the same spell that Gwydion used on his master. Supposedly, the same cat appears in Ooga Booga Land in King’s Quest 7, and there is much evidence to support this theory. Play the game for yourself and see what you discover.

 

FRANKIE OF AVALON: A well-experienced (meaning awful) and melody-mastered (meaning out-of-tune) songster of Tamir. Once a lutist, now an actor specializing in Shakespeare’s famous works (and making the plays even worse in reputation than they are), thanks to Rosella of Daventry. Hopefully, we won’t be seeing (or hearing) of him again anytime soon.

 

GENESTA: A beautiful, butterfly-winged fairy of Tamir, the first of the three green-eyed females to appear in King’s Quest (followed by Cassima and Malicia). One would have guessed her to be the Queen of the Fairies, but that is Titania’s occupation (according to King’s Quest 7). She (literally) has a tendency to keep things behind locked doors, especially in the main hall of her palace. Her archenemy, Lolotte, nearly killed her one day when she swiped her talisman from her neck, but guess what blond-haired, blue-eyed, teenage princess stepped in and saved her life? Don’t tell me you have no idea, please. Genesta is now the ruler of Tamir, and the keeper of the hen that lays golden eggs. She is a good girl, just a bit vulnerable to some things. In the future, Genny, keep that talisman in a safe place, would you?

 

LOLOTTE: Now THIS lady was one nasty green ruler! She always claimed that poor Edgar was her son, but, honestly, who would marry a lady like HER?!? So obviously, she was lying. Her motto was rumored to be “Whatever Lolotte wants, Lolotte gets,” and this proved to be true in most cases, except Lolotte would almost always have a poor peasant girl do whatever she wanted (most particularly, one wearing a red skirt and with long, golden braids named Rosella). Apparently, she was a bit too greedy, and she failed to notice that her “son” had secretly freed the young princess, consequently bringing forth her doom. May she rest in pieces. Also rumored to have known the Wicked Witch of the West.

 

EDGAR: This guy may have been a green-skinned, bashful, ugly hunchback, but underneath, he has a noble heart. Why else would he have taken pity on the lovely Princess Rosella and release her from his own bedroom? And Genesta sure gave him what he deserved: an appearance to match his beautiful soul (this handsome hunk is Edgar?). Unfortunately, when he encountered Rosella in this form, he asked her to marry him without even thinking, and Rosella did the right thing by refusing him. Besides, her father was nearing death, and that is the best excuse anyone could have. Edgar makes another appearance in King Quest 7, once again in a form not his own, and once again, asking Rosella to marry him. Is this some kind of obsession he has or what? He apparently can be easily manipulated in some cases (especially by a certain tall lady clad in magenta and black), but he can be brave when true danger is afoot. Much of his past is uncovered inKing’s Quest 7, one fact being that he is the Prince of the Fairies, and also that he was kidnapped by Lolotte as a baby. He has really been through a lot of changes (literally) and would most likely want to settle down in his original form. The last time we saw Edgar, he was with Rosella; and this time, he merely asked her if he could have the honor of courting her, and this time he got what he asked for, and this time he truly deserved it.

 

CRISPINOPHUR: “We all call him Crispin for short.” This old, benign sorcerer has dwelled in Serenia since the supposed beginning of time. And that is most surely an understatement. He is also known for having a weird gizmo in his front lawn that his owl Cedric says is a “Universe Interpreter.” Please do not play with it if you visit him. You could accidentally realign the stars. Apparently, Crispin was once a very powerful wizard, but he has gotten a little rusty (“hoo-hoo-hoo-hoo, a LITTLE rusty?”) and forgetful in his old age, but he can be helpful nevertheless. Just ask King Graham.

 

CEDRIC: Ah, who could forget this little guy? No one? I didn’t think so. This brown-feathered, blue-vested owl has either flapped his way into the hearts or burned himself permanently into the minds of every adventurer out there. But I think Graham took his company quite well. Being a king asks for a lot of things, and tolerating the presence of an annoying, wise-cracking bird is just one of them. He even got zapped by Mordack — not on purpose, of course — and then brought back to life by his good-natured old master. Hopefully, Cedric has had enough adventuring for one game, and has settled down with Crispin for the next millennium or so.

 

MORDACK: This bad guy might have been a powerful wizard, but he was also a young, inexperienced one, with a temper as short as a rat’s tail. Apparently, he teamed up with the vizier of King Caliphim of the Land of the Green Isles, Abdul Alhazred, and kidnapped the Princess Cassima. Little did he know that she was not a princess that appreciated evil sorcerers. Mordack was a student in the art of Iconomacy, or magic that was cast through the aid of symbols. Through this method, he tried to snuff out Graham, the ruler of Daventry, but fortunately, it was the wizard who got snuffed. Hopefully, we have seen the last of him. And his little cat, too.

 

CASSIMA: Just because she has a gentle appearance, you should not assume that this girl is a timid, docile maiden who awaits a rescuer. Even when she was still a princess, Queen Cassima was every bit as brave and quick-witted as her husband’s twin sister Rosella. She and Alexander have a lot in common. For example, both were held captive by male wizards, both were forced to work tediously, and both felt that they were meant for each other. In spite of her troubles, Cassie kept her spirits high, making the most out of her time in Mordack’s castle, befriending the huge, elephant-footed, beady eyed Dink, and another elusive creature she called Sam (my guess is that Sam is the ram-like blue thing that captured Graham when he was in the castle.). She probably could give someone a guided tour of her former master’s labyrinth, she knew it that well. Cassima is also not the one to let other people fight battles for her. She can wound a man if a friend is in need of her help. Cassima has wielded a dagger before and could probably use a sword if the situation demands it. Loyal to her kingdom, responsible, and aware of her duty, this woman is not one to be forgotten, for she is just as brave as Alhazred was evil, and woe to all who dare to bring harm to her.

 

ABDUL ALHAZRED: This guy may not have looked like a truly wicked person from the outside, but inside are thoughts that you are better off not knowing. A member of the obscure Society of the Black Cloak who befriended the avenging Mordack, Abdul first rubbed out King Caliphim and Queen Allaria and then tried to snuff Cassima as well. Fortunately, our good young man Prince Alexander stepped in and stopped the naughty vizier’s plans just in time, obtaining mastership over the vizier’s genie, Shamir Shamazel, in the process. Now “Al” is gone from both the Land of the Green Isles and the rest of the realm, hopefully for good … or for bad, as the case may be.

 

CAPTAIN SALADIN: Don’t y’all call this fellow Captain Collie, cuz he sure ain’t! A perfect example of his species, Saladin protects the Royal Family of the Green Isles with an iron fist ( or paw ). Very handy with a sword and strong in battle, sort of like a canine Connor MacLlyr ( but this author hasn’t played Mask of Eternity yet, what does she know? ). Anyways, Saladin also feels a “brotherly love” for his fellow guard dogs, despite his elevated position, and he was the dog who pronounced Alexander and Cassima husband and wife, so it’s hard to say this guy has a minor role.

 

LORD AZURE: The ruler of the Winged Ones of the Sacred Mountain, always a lofty position to have. His name is actually one of the Sacred Four ( read the Guidebook if you want to know more ). Like nearly all other Winged Ones, he looks down at humans and other wingless creatures lower than he. Slightly arrogant, but usually restrained by his beautiful wife, Lady Ariel. Also responsible for throwing Alexander into the Catacombs, but we won’t comment on that.

 

LADY ARIEL: The affectionate wife of Lord Azure, with a much kinder view towards humans than her husband. She also has a great love for her daughter ( can’t say exactly why ) and probably was responsible for encouraging Azure to attend Alexander and Cassima’s wedding. Pretty human of her, eh?

 

CELESTE: To put it lightly, Celeste is the annoying, snotty daughter of the rulers of the Sacred Mountain, though it’s painful to realize they’re related. She WAS kind enough to give Alexander her dagger as a gift for saving her life ( he, in turn, passed it on to save someone else’s life ) and show him the “easy” way out of the Catacombs. Why the Minotaur demanded her as a sacrifice is one of the biggest mysteries in the King’s Quest games. Any ideas??

 

THE BEAST PRINCE: Also known as Cocteau the Thrice Blessed ( name listed in the KQ Companion ), this gentleman lived an unpleasant, hairy life until a young prince named Alexander stumbled into his garden, having “accidentally” broken through the three enchanted barriers which protected him from outsiders. Fortunately for the both of them, Alexander returned with a young maiden to break the enchantment the beast was under. Some people have said Cocteau wasn’t very handsome, even in his human form, but then, beauty is in the eye of the beholder, in this case, the beholder was named Beauty.

 

BEAUTY: A classic, fairy tale-style damsel-in-distress. Formerly a resident of the Isle of the Crown with a curious love for roses, many of which grew around her old home. Beauty lived a hard life, ordered around by her stepmother and two stepsisters until the day when a dark-haired stranger offered her a white rose, which seemed to gain her trust, and eventually this young woman found a new home with the prince of the Isle of the Beast, now a handsome young man. Whether the island is going to be renamed now is uncertain, as is question of what happened to Beauty’s true parents.

 

KING CALIPHIM: The former king of the Land of the Green Isles and the father of Cassima. He and his wife could not enter the underground, since their deaths had to be avenged. Caliphim was obviously a good ruler, but he had faith in Alhazred, which turned out to be a fatal mistake for him. Well … almost fatal. Alexander’s rescuing Caliphim and Allaria from the Realm of the Dead caused them to put much faith in this young man who loved their daughter enough to do such a heroic deed. When he and Cassima were wed, Caliphim and his queen stepped down from the throne, aware that it was time for a new ruling couple, and time for a bright future.

 

QUEEN ALLARIA: Wife of King Caliphim and devoted, loving mother to Cassima. She and her husband were brave in their own small ways, doing almost anything for their kingdom. Allaria is responsible for Alexander’s entering the Underworld, since she gave him her ticket, which she could not use as long as her death went unavenged. She is also responsible for identifying the bride at her daughter’s wedding as an impostor (similar to what Rosella did with the two troll kings, “the eyes have it.”) She is like her daughter in many ways and was a noble queen during her long reign, so hopefully Cassima will carry on her legacy as well.

 

KING OTAR FENRIS III: Despite being a hairy, large, slimy fellow, Otar is actually a pretty good guy — in a way. He just is a bit gullible and soft for a troll. But like so many other characters that I have blabbed about so far, he can be tough when duty calls. He obviously appreciates Rosella, not as a bride, of course, but as a brave rescuer and a helpful friend. Just as Rosella changed her views about trolls after she lived among them, perhaps Otar changed his views about humans. I would not be surprised. Otar is also a learned scholar of magic; he probably learned about it from his eccentric nursemaid Mathilde. As a young troll, he was most likely an adventurous type, since that dragon-toad of his was always on guard. For a king, he has a great sense of humor, especially that snappy, high-pitched little jabber he had when he was disguised as a scarab. Rosella probably got a bit tired of his jibes after a while (kind of like Cedric and Graham, eh?). In spite of his odd personality and appearance, he turned out to be a great guy after all — even when he was surrounded by all those humans in the Volcano Control Room.

 

MATHILDE: “Troll, huh?” These two words marked the beginning of the toughest non-human character ever to grace the screen of a King’s Quest game. Well, sort of. Mathilde has quite a personality, for a troll, or any species, for that matter. She probably dabbled in magic when she was much younger, since she was a little unsure about why Rosella did not exactly become human again after her first taste of the potion. However, the answer to the problem was as plain as the hair on her head. Mathilde was (and still is) very protective of Otar, which was made clear when she butted heads with Malicia (and she has the horns for it, believe me). She has an attitude. She also is very helpful to anyone who wishes to help the king. Rosella probably owes her a lot, but Mathilde probably got her wish granted when her Otar returned to the Underground … this time for real.

 

OPPI GOLDSWORTH: The former jeweler of the Underground and now an inhabitant of Etheria. Rosella first met him in the Vulcanix Underground and decided that he was the most polite troll she ever met. And the most helpful too (these statements were a bit contradictory, judging by the princess’ look at the time, if you get my drift). The hammer and chisel that he gave Rosella in exchange for the huge gem were used more than any other thing she came across in her adventure in Eldritch. Now that Edgar and Rosella are getting acquainted with each other, Oppi might be called upon in the near future for a certain task that “rings” true with any soon-to-be-wed couple … don’t cha think?

 

MALICIA: This gal has checked off just about every thing on her Evil Person Activities List: kidnapping a monarch, replacing him with an imposter (also a kidnapped person of royal blood), threatening to kill the Princess of Daventry, possessing a disgusting little ball of lint that could be mistaken for a dog, being in cahoots with the Boogeyman, chopping off the protector of Ooga Booga’s head, imprisoning the Lady Mab, nearly destroying an entire realm with the aid of a volcano, and supposedly murdering her own nephew. The only thing she did not do was get away with all this. Thanks to the intrepid Queen and Princess of Daventry, Malicia was defeated and given another chance at life. And her little dog, too.

 

ATTIS: The Lord of the Hunt, according to King’s Quest 7, and husband of Ceres. He was transformed into a stag by Malicia (fitting, but not very funny) and returned to his handsome, human form with the help of Valanice. Later, he helped her defeat a swamp monster near Ooga Booga (and we thought Rosella finished it off!) after she sprinted through the woods as a little furry blur. Attis is also a member of the Court of Etheria, as is his beautiful young wife. He is a gentle fellow, for a god, and does not see mortals as inferior, spending most of his time in the woods of Eldritch. Hopefully, now that peace has been resolved in the realm, perhaps Attis can give that nasty were-bear a talking-to.

 

CERES: The goddess of the harvest and spring in both Greek mythology and King’s Quest 7. Though she is in the form of an oak tree through most of the game, she makes a human appearance about four-fifths through after Valanice revives her with a pomegranate form the cornucopia (by a strange coincidence, according to legend, a pomegranate was what kept her daughter, Persephone, fated to staying six months in Hades’ kingdom every year, thus causing Ceres to grieve and let her land wither away during that time). She DOES look a bit like Carmen Miranda with that fruit on her head, but I don’t want to bring HER into this profile. Anyway, hopefully the woods of Eldritch will be revived with the help of her green thumb (with gardening talent like hers, her whole hand could be that color) and her gentle demeanor.

 

ARCHDUKE FIFI LE YIPYAP: A quick-tempered little dog, the Archduke of Falderal, as his name clearly states. He has an aversion to strangers in his town, and for a while, he had a similar attitude towards “those pink things” until his encounter with Valanice and Rosella. Why, you ask, could such a silly little poodle become Archduke? The answer is pretty obvious. As Ersatz the Faux said, “Silly? Why, he’s the silliest one in Falderal! THAT’S why he’s the Archduke!” In such a town, anything is possible I guess.

 

ERSATZ THE FAUX: A good-natured, eccentric mock-turtle who is presently the owner of the Faux Shop. He always keeps an eye out for bargains (or something along those lines) and hoards more stuff than the Kangaroo Rat in the Desert of Eldritch. Fake spiders, toy owls, rubber chickens, false eyeglasses, fake plants, fake snakes, false feet, artificial flavoring, you name it, he’s got it. He was very helpful to Valanice during her stay in Falderal, providing her with the appropriate tools to retrieve the moon after it fell into the town pond and to carry out her sentence successfully. Perhaps Lewis Carroll got the idea for HIS mock-turtle from Ersatz … who knows?

 

DR. MORT CADAVER:”Ha! Now THERE’S a name to inspire confidence!” So said Rosella when she looked at the mailbox outside the good doctor’s abode. Dr. Cadaver is a good man, even if he is dead. He donated his spine to a young woman who broke hers, received a new one from Princess Rosella (don’t ask her where she got it), gave her a dear little pet that he made himself, then gave her a foul-smelling defoliant to assist her in getting through the nearby swamp. Not every undead creature does that! Apparently, Dr. Cadaver “lived” during Count Tsepish’s reign, and witnessed his downfall. The good doctor has obviously been through much, all in the name of medical science. “Just doing my job,” he says. You could find anything on his endless shelves, eye of newt, something that makes your head fall off — even monosodium glutamate — Yikes! Overall, Dr. Cadaver is a good man. Like they say, you can’t judge a book by its cover, and you can’t judge a death by the body.

 

THE BOOGEYMAN: One of the many creepy, unpleasant, undead monsters in Ooga Booga. He was particularly vicious during Malicia’s powerful rule, but now that she has been rendered harmless, hopefully he will just be an annoying, skinny trickster. Rosella is fairly familiar with him. Like several males she met in her travels, the B-man is just another chauvinist trying to run off with her. Naturally, she tells him to back off when she encounters him. The Boogeyman lives beneath the Deadfall, in the southwest part of Ooga Booga. He was probably a bit angry with Rosella digging into his underground home, but she did not stay there long, and probably will not be stopping by for a visit anytime soon.

 

COUNT VLADMIR TSEPISH: The former ruler of Ooga Booga, and owner of that now burnt-up mansion in the northwest part of the land. He lost his head thanks to Malicia and her gargoyle, and he was obviously not too happy about it. Neither was his wife, Elspeth, who died shortly afterwards. Quite a sad story, if you ask me. Fortunately, his head was recovered by Queen Valanice (the words that spring to my mind when she is holding that skull are “Alas, poor Yorick … I knew him well …” Hee hee, an old Shakespeare joke, forget I said it) and given back to him. He was very grateful (naturally), and gave Valanice the use of his steed, Necromancer (the word means “a conjuror of the spirits of the dead”). I would not be surprised if Washington Irving (the author of The Legend of Sleepy Hollow) received visions of Vladmir’s ghostly form and the black, phantom horse. Hey, it could have happened! Hopefully the Tsepishes can now rest in peace. After all, “the mind is a good friend. Don’t loose it.”

 

ELSPETH TSEPHISH: The mournful wife of Count Tsepish, the most beautiful woman in Eldritch while she was alive, according to Black Valiant, her husband’s large black hunting dog. She became reclusive and wrathful after her death, eternally weeping before her husband’s tomb, occasionally visiting the town doctor whenever she either lost her mind or cried her eyes out. When she was reunited with Vladmir, she shed her dark robes and became an attractive, light-haired maiden with hazel-brown eyes, now hopefully benign and gentle, as she once was.

 

BLACK VALIANT: Count Tsepish’s black dog and hunting companion. After both his people died, Black Valiant guarded his house with his life, and presumably perished trying to defend it from the Boogeyman. But still he guarded the house from intruders and strangers with a fierce disposition as Valanice found out. Her kindness to Black Valiant was rewarded with his master’s medallion and an affectionate lick on the cheek. He is now safely at rest with his people as he always was and as he will always be.

 

OBERON: The ruler of Etheria and the Kingdom of Faeries, according to King’s Quest 7. Also the father of Edgar. Not to be considered an irresponsible parent just because his son was taken away when he was not looking. Also the brother-in-law of Malicia (much to his disgust), and a powerful worker of magic. Possibly related to Genesta of Tamir. Historically speaking, Oberon first appeared in William Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream, along with his seductive wife. Nothing is said about their son though … oh well.

 

TITANIA: The Queen of the Faeries and the previous owner of the elusive magic statuette. Sister of Malicia and the Weaver of Dreams (this makes her the possible niece of the three Fates). She seems slightly Greek in appearance with a lovely, light green body (perhaps she is also related to Lolotte?), which her husband seems to find attractive. Titania is very protective of her son Edgar just as Queen Valanice is of Rosella. Now Titania has a new job besides her own ruling duties: she is determined to raise her infant sister up to adulthood … this time, hopefully for the better.

 

CLOTHO, LACHESIS, AND ATROPOS: Also known as the three Fates. These three women played a major role in Greek mythology as well as King’s Quest 7, spinning, weaving, and severing the fates of mortals. The aunts of the Dreamweaver, they are not easily distracted and seldom encounter humans in their astral realm beyond the Kingdom of Earth. It is best that you do not tamper with them too much. You wouldn’t want them to cut you off, would you now?

 

THE WEAVER OF DREAMS: A psychedelic dude who looks like he came right out of the sixties. A solitary fellow, not very social either, except when it comes to his sister Titania. He only weaves and creates the dreams of humanity, his (possible) relative Mab is the one who sends the dreams to their appropriate receivers. Not much more is known about this chap, except that he apparently inspired Gary Wright to write a certain obscure song that is occasionally played on the radio in our world.

 

MAB: A solitary woman who dwells in the realm of dreams, on an isle of dreams and nightmares in an extensive sea. She has become angry with Malicia in recent years for reasons of freezing her up and attempting to destroy the Faery Court (on that subject, she is the only person in King’s Quest 7 who pronounces her rival’s name Mah-LIH-shah, instead of Mah-LEE-shah, as everyone else pronounces it). In return for freeing her from her icy prison, Valanice was granted that she would receive only sweet dreams, but Mab will probably send an occasional nightmare her way. After all, an adventurous woman such as Valanice deserves a bit of suspense and excitement, even in her sleep.