Part 8: Trading Sequence

Hello everyone and welcome back to King's Quest V. This update is gonna be the last stuff we'll do in Serenia. After today, we'll be in the second half of the game! Just hold on a second and listen to some tunes while I fast forward.

Herb Alpert & The Tijuana Brass - Spanish Flea















Alright, that's enough fast forwarding. We're going to go about things entirely differently this time. Last time was a result of me trying to be clever and failing miserably.

west





: My heart! You found it!



King's Quest V - The Weeping Willow (Revisited)

: I don't need this old thing anymore! Look at me! I'm a princess again!



: Herbert!
: Alicia!





: Where have you been all this time, my love?
: Oh, darling. Just take me home. I'll tell you on the way.



harp

: Now why would she toss aside this beautiful harp? Well if she doesn't want it, I'll take it.

: It is a small harp of beautifully carved mahogany.

Yadda yadda, DMW, terminates an hour from now. You get the picture by now without me harping on it.

south



The puzzle here requires some slight meta-series knowledge. Alternatively, it's something you try because you've run out of good ideas and need that marionette.



King's Quest V - The Gnomes Pt 2

: Where did you get this? I thought I had lost it.
: Oh, is it yours? I found it in the old witch's house in the Dark Forest.
: So that's where it got to... the old hag took it, eh? You know, this ain't no ordinary spinning wheel.
: It's not? What's so special about it?
: Why, this spinning wheel can spin straw into gold, that's what! Except... you gotta know how to use it. I doubt even the witch could figure that out. Thank you for bringin' it back to me.
: Wait! Not so fast! How about that marionette? Don't you think the price of the spinning wheel is worth at least twice that of the puppet? I'd love to have it.
: Yeah... I guess so. Boy! Give that there marionette to the man here. I'll make ya a new one. Come on, boy. Let's go gather up some wood for a new puppet.



: As the gnome and his grandson walk off, Graham raises his hand in farewell and calls out.
: Goodbye, Ifnkovhgroghprm!
: The gnome flinches at hearing Graham say his name yet again but keeps on walking, trying to pretend he didn't hear it.

: The craftsmanship of the marionette is superb.

west, north



: A tambourine lies on the ground near the abandoned gypsy encampment.

: Ohhhh I thought they'd NEVER leave, Graham. You have to watch out for their...
: Cedric what the hell is wrong with you? Shut up.
: But...
: No. You don't get to talk anymore. Not until you stop being so hateful.

tambourine

: Not seeing the tambourine's owner, Graham bends down and rescues it from the ground.

The tambourine, believe it or not, is actually the key to escaping from Serenia. Now that we have it, we're free to leave at any time.

: It is an ordinary tambourine.

south x2, east

Back, again, to the inn.



I've typed like four different ways to start this sentence and just deleted them. There's nothing I can say that will serve as adequate introduction to this. So just enjoy, I guess?

haystack



: Graham watches with surprise as a contingent of ants marches into the haystack and begins to swarm through it.

This is not my video, but click here to watch (and listen) to this.

: (singing) We're the ants of our King Antony, we're coming to help King Graham!

: I'm glad to see there was a way that we could be of help to you. Look here... we found a golden needle in the haystack. I'd like to present it to you. Perhaps you can find a use for it.
: Why, thank you, King Antony. I'm honored.
: Good luck in your travels, King Graham. And be careful.

: This is a large golden needle.

We've now got all the major quest items for the first part of the game. So now we just need to engage in the trading game some. So to that end...

east



Saving a rat for later.

east x2



Back in town. Let's just start on the left again and work our way across town.



First, the tailor's shop. The game described this fellow as an "aristocratic" man, so he probably owns a golden needle. Let's take a chance...



: My golden needle! Wherever did you find it?
: It was found in a haystack by the inn.
: By the inn? Oh, yes. I remember visiting there not long ago. Vulgar man, that innkeeper! He has no scruples at all.
: Well, I'm glad to see you've got your golden needle back. I wonder... could you possibly see fit to give me that wonderful cloak in exchange for it?
: The cloak? Well, why not. It's yours...for the price of a golden needle!
: Thank you, kind sir. I'm sure it will help me in my travels.
: I'm sure it will. Good luck... au revoir.

It's worth pointing out that in certain versions of the game, you can apparently swap the gold coin and golden needle in the trade sequence and come out fine. So that's a small mercy from the developers, at least.

Also, we now own that cloak!

: This fine cloak is thick and warm.



This man was a toymaker if you recall, and I bet he would be professionally interested in this marionette.



As an aside, this sort of trading is exactly what my great uncle did for a living. He's still got a garage full of stuff he's bought and traded for over the years. It's fascinating to look at, and he loves to tell about all the trades he made for whatever items. He's also the sort of person who doesn't let the truth of matters get in the way of telling a good story.

: Where did you get this wonderful marionette? The craftmanship is excellent!
: Well, I don't know if you'll believe me or not, but I got it from a little gnome.
: I must have it! Can I buy it from you?
: Actually, you may have it... if you'll give me the sled in trade.
: Why, of course! But I must tell you... I think I'm getting the better deal. I can always make another sled, but finding another marionette of this quality... I don't know.
: So, I can have the sled?
: Yes, yes! Take it. It's yours.
: Thank you very much. I think I'll find this sled very useful.
: Well, you enjoy it. And thank YOU for the marionette.

: This is a small, well-crafted sled.





: What have we here? Mama, take those shoes from the young man. Let me see them.



: The craftmanship of the shoes are superb. And, Mama, look at the solid gold buckle! Why, I could retire with the sale of these shoes!
: Then the shoes are yours. I don't think I could find any use for them.
: You're a godsend, young man! How can we ever repay you?
: You don't need to repay me. Just knowing I helped you is enough for me.
: Well, it ain't much, but it's all I've got to give. Here, take my cobbler's hammer. Perhaps you can find a use for it. Since I'll be retirin' I won't need it anymore... thanks to you.
: Why...thank you. A hammer could come in mighty useful on my journey.
: Take care, young man. We'll never forget this.
: That's right, son. We'll finally be able to retire in comfort. You'll be in our hearts from now on.
: Come on, Mama. Let's go home. Let's celebrate our good fortune!

: A cobbler would normally use this small hammer to make shoes.

The hammer is the item that caused our game over last time, or specifically the lack of hammer.

Time for more fast forwarding. Need to pick up the pie and get abducted... for the third time.

Monty Python and the Holy Grail - Intermission



















That covers all the catching up.

rope

: Graham stoops down and picks up the sturdy rope from the stone floor.

: A good strong rope is a handy item to have!

This cellar is padlocked from the inside, which raises all sorts of questions. What we want to do is...

door

: Using the cobbler's hammer, Graham pounds on the rusty padlock until it breaks apart.



door



cabinet

: Inside the cupboard, Graham sees a large, juicy leg of lamb.



lamb

: This is a large, mouth-watering leg of lamb.

This is part of an utterly infuriating puzzle in a little bit. Aside from the rat, it's the puzzle most people have heard about regarding the game. We'll get to that in an update or two, though.

Until then... show of hands. Who wants to see a dumb death? I thought so.

east



: We gotta plan our next job, you guys. Hey! How did you get outta da cellar?



: Dis time... rub 'im out for good!



I love image 03-012, aka: graham_gets_blackjacked.gif.



: That wasn't a very smart move.



Anyway, we just need to leave by the side door.

west

: Finding the kitchen door locked, Graham unlocks it before going outside.

north, east x2





We've got all the items we can get from Serenia, and we have 110 points. That's all that we can possibly do here, so let's blow this joint. I don't know why we still have the golden key or the pouch, as we have no further use for either as far as I'm aware.



: Begone you slithery varmint! Scat!



: Jerk...

And that marks the end of the first half of King's Quest V. There's going to be quite a lot less bumbling and wandering from here on, as the second half of the game is incredibly linear. It's also where most of the Dead Man Walking scenarios from the first half come to terminate.

NEXT TIME: The Serenian border mountains

List of Points

+4 - Returned the heart
+2 - Got the harp
+4 - Spinning wheel for a marionette
+2 - Antony's golden needle
+4 - Needle for cloak
+4 - Marionette for sled
+4 - Shoes for hammer
+2 - Chewed up rope
+4 - Broke out of the impossible room
+2 - Stole from the innkeeper
+3 - Scared the snake off

Total

113/260

Register of Deaths

Thanking the innkeeper for his hospitality