Part 4

Hello everyone, welcome back to King's Quest IV. We're in prison.

>look

: Rosella has found herself in a HORRIBLE cell! It looks as if others have found their way here, too. Hopefully, she won't end up like them!

There's a lot of stuff to look at here, but we can't do anything with any of it. We just need to hang out for a bit.

>look skeleton

: At least two unfortunate individuals have met their end here.

>look rack

: An ominous machine lurks in the corner of this cell. As to its purpose; Rosella doesn't want to know.

>sit

: You don't have time for that.

This pops up every time you try to sit down. I guess we don't have time to sit even when we have no choice but to stand around.

Anyway, after a short time, usually just long enough to look at everything, the guards return.

: Rosella hears the henchmen returning. Perhaps they are setting her free!



: The henchmen motions for Rosella to follow him out of the cell...



: Lolotte gives Rosella a sickly-sweet look. With all the sincerity of a practised liar, and all the fake sweetness of a southern belle, she coos.
: You're lucky my dear. My precious son, Edgar, has taken a liking to you. He's convinced me to give you a chance to prove your innocence.
: Rosella looks at the homely young man standing next to Lolotte. He blushes.



Edgar.

: I wish to own the unicorn that inhabits the meadowland. Bring me the unicorn, and I shall not only set you free, but reward you as well.
: The witch addresses her henchmen.
: Go! Take her back to the forest!





Well, we have our first mission from Lolotte. It doesn't take a genius to guess she's going to milk our "help" for all that it's worth, so this is only the first of several tasks she's going to have us perform.



One screen north of the mountain path we can find this waterfall. Like other locations, it will be useful much later on. While there is something we could do with it now, we'll just save it for later.



East of Whateley Manor is this second graveyard screen, as well as a mausoleum carved into the mountain. Like most screens, we'll be back here much, much later.



King's Quest IV - Scary Forest

Looks legit.

>look

: Rosella has come upon a bizarre group of scary, human-like trees. A thick forest of pine trees surrounds this strange group. Steep mountains block your way to the east.

This forest is as dangerous as it looks.



: You've really gotten yourself out on a limb this time, Rosella!

We'll be back, say it with me now, later in the game.



This is two screens to the west, or one screen north of the first graveyard we visited. While this screen is simply there to add some room to the map, it is important to note all the same.

I was wrong in King's Quest III. This screen and the cabin to the north are also dangerous. Unlike the scary forest, this screen will randomly have a hostile asshole spawn and chase you down. It doesn't happen all the time, but it is something to be aware of all the same.

Thankfully, after this game there are no more random death screens short of doing something stupid like "wandering through an endless desert" or entering the "here be dragons" part of a nautical map.

Both come up in the next game.





This pissed me off when it happened. Until this happened I legitimately had no idea this was a random death screen. To have an ogre spawn right on top of me as I entered the screen...

There's not even anything to learn from this death. "Sorry, you died because the RNG said so. Get fucked."

Reposting the Roberta Williams picture again. It's really hard to not read that line as sarcastic or taunting when bullshit like that happens.



So this stump we visited in the second update will randomly have a man sitting on top of it.



>look man

: Rosella sees a rather jaunty-looking fellow who appears to be a wandering minstrel. He seems to be a lute player.

: Hello there.
: Well, well. Who do we have here?
: I'm Rosella.
: Hello, Rosella. Let me play for you one of my favorite tunes.
: The minstrel starts strumming his lute and singing. His musical skills are quite limited, as he plunks and pings his way through what Rosella recognizes as an otherwise beautiful song.

: Rather than listen to the song be butchered any further, Rosella pulls out the Shakespeare book and begins to flip through it.

>read book

: To hold, as 'twere, the mirror up to nature; to show virtue her own feature, scorn her own image, and the very age and body of the time his form and pressure.

>read book

: How sour sweet music is when time is broke and no proportion kept! So is it in the music of men's lives.

>read book

: Kiss me, Kate, we will be married o' Sunday.
: By this point the minstrel has noticed Rosella with her nose stuck in the book. He starts leaning to get a better look.
: What are you reading there?
: It's one of my favorite books, the Compleat Works of William Shakespeare.
: Can I take a look?
: You can have it if you like.

>give book to minstrel

: Rosella hands the Shakespeare book to the minstrel. Curiously, he opens it and begins to read aloud; first hesitantly, then with increased forcefulness as he begins to get into it.
: What the... fuck... did you... say to me, you little bitch? I'll have you know I graduated top of my class in the Navy Seals!
: Suddenly, he stops and looks at Rosella.
: This is wonderful! This gives me a new lease on life! No longer am I a mere minstrel... now I will become a famous ACTOR! You can have this lute in exchange for your book!
: The minstrel hands Rosella his lute, bids her farewell, and walks off reading out loud from the book.



: For twelve years you've been asking "Who is John Galt!" This is John...





There's Pan. Now that we have the lute, we can play for him.

>play lute



: Pan has ceased his dancing and now looks at Rosella, and the lute, curiously. Once she finishes playing, Rosella walks over to the small satyr.
: Hello little guy. I'm Rosella.
: Pan doesn't respond, he just stares at Rosella with eyes as wide as saucers.
: Would you like this lute?
: Rosella holds the lute out for Pan. He gratefully takes it and gives her the flute in return. He then dances off, playing with his new instrument.







The area around this little gray house is our next destination. First, let's walk out onto the pier.



>look man

: Rosella sees a grizzled, old fisherman on the pier. Apparently, he isn't having any luck today.



A few seconds after you enter the screen, he packs up and walks back home.



>knock door

: Rosella loudly knocks on the shanty door.
: Jest come on in!



>talk to man

: No luck fishing?
: Them fish ain't been bitin' lately. If things don't git better soon, I don't know WHAT to do!

>talk to woman

: Hello ma'am.
: What're you doin' in here, young lady?! Can't you see I'm busy?! We have enough problems without worryin' 'bout you!

This couple is pretty poor, and Rosella has a box of infinite gold at home. So she doesn't need a pouch of diamonds. Maybe they can make better use of it?

>give pouch to man

: Rosella offers the pouch of diamonds to the fisherman, who takes it gladly.
: Wife, give the girl my fishing pole in trade.
: Obediently, she retrieves the pole and hands it to Rosella.
: Thank you very much. You have certainly helped us.

>talk to man

: You've really helped me, and the missus, girlie! Those diamonds will come in awful handy. We can't thank ya enough!

>talk to woman

: You're a very kind girl. You've helped us out a lot. Why, I might even be able ta buy some bran' new clothes!



>bait pole

: Scrunching up her delicate nose, Rosella gingerly baits the hook of the fishing pole with the large earthworm.





NEXT TIME: Let's go fishing. Also, the requisite "what the FUCK Sierra" moment of the game.

List of Points

+3 - Traded for a lute
+3 - Upgraded to a flue
+3 - Traded priceless diamonds for an old fishing pole
+1 - Baited the hook

Total: 37/230

Register of Deaths

Tree hugging
Ogre randomly appearing