#King's Quest VI

[gwydionae]

King's Quest VI: Heir Today, Gone Tomorrow cutscenes

[gwydionsart]

Haven't drawn the screennamesake in a very long time. I was due.

King's Quest has the best funky little critters, from Rotten Tomato to Dangling Participle to cats that are actually evil wizards that ate porridge flavored with a cookie that turns them into a cat.

[video-game-jams]

King's Quest VI: Heir Today, Gone Tomorrow - Girl in the Tower

[allhailkingsquest]

Magic Map Studio’s remastered soundtrack, King’s Quest VI – An Ode to the Isles, is available now on digital or vinyl. Art by Bruce Brenneise and Say Mistage.

[theadventurerslog]

I'm hoping to be back soon with Quest for Glory! Once I start it.

In the meantime...

I'm replaying King's Quest VI and doing Science! By which I mean talking to everything under the sun and trying some other stuff, so here are some screencaps and a bit of commentary here and there, some genie and mint experimenting, and some beast curse testing.

The puns, oh the puns.

A personal favourite:

My too, my oyster friend, me too:

Hey, did you know you can give mint to the genie up on the cliffs of logic and if you do them early enough you can get the peppermint leaf and give it to him again at the Isle of the Beast? Fun times!

Yeah, maybe remember his weirdness, Alexander. Though, to be fair I reloaded to keep the peppermint leaf.

Have a couple more talk results:

If the brick was more constructive maybe I would have remembered to grab and wouldn't have had to go back for it. At least they give you time to prepare if you're missing something before throwing in the catacombs.

Ouch.

And finally, I found out that you can't turn into a beast on the first screen of the Isle of the Sacred Mountain. But as soon as you reach the top of the cliff the curse takes hold if you've waited long enough.

I'm still playing. There may or may not be another post for it depending on what else I find.

[birdoodle]

Alexander pulls out his magic map.

Replayed KQ6 again! There’s got to be more art of these guys in the world so I’m here to deliver.

[imustbeamermaidrango]

Just learned that my favorite game series, 'King's Quest', was written by a woman, Roberta Williams, who actually founded Sierra Entertainment with her programmer husband, Ken.

Cool learning what pioneers they were in narrative video games. Roberta loved the fantasy genre, and as a child, used to tell stories to entertain her epileptic brother. After her husband sat her at the computer to play her first text based game called 'Colossal Cave', Roberta was hooked. In 1980, she and Ken then went on to create their first graphical text-based game, 'Mystery House' (which looks like it was drawn in MS Paint). 'Wizard and the Princess' came next, and four years later, 'King's Quest' was born: the first mainstream animated adventure game.

Sierra made 'Frogger' too!! My favorite arcade game at the animatronic kid's Birthday funhouse, Bullwinkles. And apparently also worked with Jim Henson to adapt 'The Dark Crystal' into a video game.

Roberta came out of retirement to create a remake of 'Colossal Cave', which I only just discovered, and it will be released in nine days!!!

I just finished King's Quest VI today, so I'm geeking out. Playing these games on my old Amiga back in the 90s - and my computer-savvy IT Father who set us up with them - is the reason I went into the computer industry. Heartwarming to read all the comments on Roberta and Ken's YouTube interviews and 2014 'Industry Icon' Game Award acceptance video who were just as captivated and who went on to create video games themselves.

[tigermousse]

King’s Quest VI: Heir Today Gone Tomorrow (1993)

Isle of Wonder

[lifeneedsasoundtrack]

Bob Bergthold & Debbie Seibert: Girl In The Tower

Song of the Day: February 23, 2023

“ Girl in the tower I'm reaching out Please tell me what to do Girl in the tower I'm calling out My heart cries out for you ”

Additional Thoughts: I’m on a quest to watch every Game Grumps episode ever and I just finished the Kings Quest VI playthrough.

[hexterah]

HOW DID I NOT SEE THIS WHEN YOU ORIGINALLY POSTED IT IT IS SO PERFECT, SO PRECIOUS bless alexander he's such a dork i loVE THIS <3333333

Where the King's Quest fans at?? I'm in a huge nostalgic mood after replaying KQ6 so I threw together a closet cosplay of Alexander!

If I do this cosplay for a con someday I will definitely get the iconic green jacket his has, and a better wig-

[who-do-i-know-this-man-s3]

⚠️Vote for whomever YOU DO NOT KNOW⚠️‼️

[gwydionae]

King's Quest VI: Heir Today, Gone Tomorrow

I freaking love this game so gosh dang much

[gwydionsart]

Creature of Night, to me succumb! Fire and Brimstone leave thee numb. Purity bind thee like a chain. To do what e'er I now ordain!

[incorrect-dragonquest-quotes]

8: Hey King Trode? Can I borrow 5000 bucks?

King Trode: Why the hell do you need $5000?!

8: for an escape room.

King Trode: What kind of escape room costs $5000?

8:

8: Jail.

[allhailkingsquest]

kaolinitedreams: Couldn't resist getting this for my setup. [x]

[theadventurerslog]

King’s Quest VI: Heir Today Gone Tomorrow | Part 6

The Adventurer’s Log

King’s Quest VI: Heir Today Gone Tomorrow Part 6

In which I return to the Isle of the Mists and go to the Land of the Dead...once I figured out how.

Last time I came to the Isle of Mists I got what I needed but had strayed too far and got captured and killed by the druids. This time, well, there was no chance to stray.

I appeared on the island, startling the two druids there. Alexander is captured again. The Arch Druid guesses he was the foreigner they were warned of and they're about to have a Rain Festival so he's the perfect sacrifice. Here we go again.

Alexander is locked into he wicker cage over the fire, but this time when the cage started to catch on fire he automatically uses the dress from Beauty to put it out, although the dress is reduced to smouldering ashes. It's still not but as the heat builds the lamp full of the water mix starts to boil!

My Make Rain spell activated and caused a thunderstorm, dousing the fire and making the druids think Alexander is a nature wizard.

Once Alexander was freed and the storm ended, the arch druid apologized. They've been inhospitable since the Winged Ones (from the Isle of the Sacred Mountain) stole their sacred miniature oak tree. Vizier Alhazred had also sent a message they were to watch out 'for a highly-dangerous foreign assassin."

Alexander explains what he's doing here and the Oracle told him to speak to the druids about the Realm of the Dead and two souls in unrest there who may be freed. The arch druids explains that legends say the Lord of the Dead was once a mortal man who became bound to the realm of the dead. He further explains that there is a legend that any human may challenge the Lord of the Dead for their or another's life, but the knowledge of how to do that has been lost. He'd heard of a knight who came long ago from a distant land and was determined to win back the soul of his dead lover. It was said he tamed the Lord of the Dead's black-winged beast named Night Mare. Night Mare is said to come to the human world to feed on certain noxious plants. Somehow the knight captured the Night Mare and rode off on her but never returned.

Well, we know where some noxious plants are and there's a spell to charm a creature of the night.

Charming a Creature of the Night Spell: 1 Skull full of hot Oak Embers A bit of sulphur (Brimstone) 1 strand of a pure-hearted maiden’s Hair

I had the skull. I was able to use it to collect some embers from the fire the druids tried to roast Alexander. I had the strand of hair from Cassima. I got stuck on the sulphur.

I went back to the druid's village where I found I'd either missed coal or it hadn't been available until now. Then I went back to town but didn't find much of use. I thought there might be something back at the catacombs to do with the fire pit, but no luck there either. Then after all my pointless wandering I discovered that the embers had grown cold.

So I reloaded.

But my last save was after I'd taken the embers so I had to go back to a previous save and go through the druid capture again.

Sidenote: I choose to blame the cruelty of previous King's Quests and not my own ridiculous oversight. Okay, this was a really silly mistake. So, it wasn't until after I already finished the game that I realized I could have just... gone back to get more embers. I went back to an earlier file I had still on that island, and yeah, if the embers go cold, you can just go back and get more. Shocking!

This time I avoided taking the embers until I could figure out where the heck to get sulphur.

I ultimately ended up back on the Isle of Wonder where this time I found another item at the flower area. A little bottle was left on the table with a label saying "DRINK ME".

Well, of course I had to obey that message and died. ...Except not! It causes Alexander to collapse and his heart seemingly stops then he comes back a moment later, so we now have a way to fake his death as Jollo hinted at.

I headed to Chessboard Land and I wish I could say it was because I knew what to do and not simply out of just trying places, but it wasn't until I saw the queens coming back that I remembered their argument over coal. This is why longish gaps in playing isn't so good.

I gave them my lump of coal so now they each had one and they gave me the rotten egg in return. Them being them however, they left while arguing over the new lump of coal.

But we have a stinky rotten spoiled egg! Sulphur at last!

Then I went back to get the embers and put all the ingredients together. The Night Mare is at the Isle of the Sacred Mountain munching on the nightshade berries. If you go to close or otherwise try to interact with her she flees, but if you leave and come back she'll have returned.

Sidenote: On that first screen of the cliffs of logic, you can fall off a lot of the steps safely with Alexander only seeming more offended than anything else. However by around the last couple steps on that screen it is high enough to kill him if he falls. Well, guess who got one more death by falling in for the road?

At the top of the cliffs, I had the spell and so was able to charm Night Mare.

I got my ride on the Night Mare and off they went...

And so we have come to the Land of the Dead.

I spoke with the ghostly couple who are none other than Queen Allaria and King Caliphim.

They were murdered in the night by the vizier and her husband hardly speaks a word now, lost in grief for Cassima. Alexander informs them Cassima was rescued from Mordack and is now at home. He's come to try take the pair back. Their people are still loyal to them and Cassima needs them.

Queen Allaria says only the Lord of the Dead could help but he has no such mercy. Still, Alexander is determined to try and she gives him her ticket to the underworld. For as long they go unavenged they're unable to rest and so are trapped in this place anyway.

There are some ghouls or zombies that crop up now and then and can kill you, but I avoided them.

I carried on to find another spirit separated from her son whose spirit remains lost in the living world.

Alexander offers to help her too and she gives him her handkerchief to pass onto her son and tell him she's waiting here.

Then I came to an entirely familiar place: the doors into the underworld.

Yep, it's the death screen! Which is cool to see it all come full circle like this.

The horse skull-ed skeleton up front gives tickets to pass through, but refuses to give one to Alexander as he's clearly not dead. But since we have Allaria's that's fine. However he also has a key and it's not like I can just let a key go unobtained.

Time for some music!

This is so silly, but cute. A very Monkey Island-ish sort of moment. I love all the little bits like this in the game.

I scooped up the tossed key and continued on my way.

I found a body that was probably the knight the arch druid spoke of and took his gauntlet which had this passage written on it:

I carried on to the banks of the River Styx, scooping some of the water into my teacup along the way--gonna need that for the magic paint spell--and found Charon.

Payment has to be given before he'll ferry you across. The coins over the eyes of the dead. I had the two coins, from the skeleton in the catacombs and was able to use those.

I was led to another area with a gate and when I tried to open the gate it morphed into a monstrous sort of face.

If you try to push your way through he eats you.

I convinced him into a riddle challenge and the riddle he gave me was this:

"My first is foremost legally. My second circles outwardly. My third leads all to victory. My fourth twice ends a nominee. My whole is this gate's only key"

And then you have to select letters to spell out the answer. That answer is...

Love.

I passed through and came to the Lord of the Dead's chamber.

And here is the Lord of Death himself.

He's very much ready for you to just die and offers the chance to kiss his hand to do so. However, you have the chance to do something, but if you take too long he'll reach out instead to touch you which results in immediate death but a new death screen!

If you use the gauntlet from the knight Alexander issues a challenge. The Lord scoffs at the idea of wanting to save two souls and get out alive but acquiesces.

He talks about the tragedies and miseries and deaths and torments and awful things he's seen in his all long existence and says he has never once cried. So the challenge is to make him cry.

The mirror is key. Holding it up to him shows his life and the things he's seen and what he once was and now has become.

The reminder, onslaught of memory, is enough to make him shed a single tear and so the challenge is won. He summons Allaria and Caliphim and hopes they'll be more ready for their rest in the future and reminds Alexander that he WILL see him again. Then we're all sent back with Night Mare.

Caliphim and Allaria decide to go gather their people and form a plan while requesting that Alexander look after Cassima.

The realm of the dead section isn't very long but it has some cool scenes. Though, it's also a place you could potentially get, heh, dead-ended or dead-end yourself a bit later if you miss the River Styx water.

But, I had and got everything I needed so it's time to head into the end game! Next time it'll be time at last to infiltrate the castle and rescue Princess Cassima.

–

Points: 172/231 Deaths: 26 Time: 7:18