Part 2: A Bridge Repair Kit

II - A Bridge Repair Kit



Hello everyone and welcome back. Last time went pretty terribly, so let's try the other direction instead.

town



The Village

This is a really good track. It gives a very strong Middle East vibe without going full Arabian Nights. Also you can hear the Castle theme leitmotif in it!

Old lamps for new! Old lamps... for new!

This man sounds like he's worth talking to.

Good day, peddler.
Good day, sir. If you would like to get one of my fine new lamps, I'll need an old lamp in trade.
Isn't it rather a bad business--taking old lamps and giving new lamps in exchange?
Well, there's always a chance that I'll find a genie. If I had a genie, I'd be richer than a king! Besides, there's always a roaring business in antique illuminaries.
If you say so, peddler...

Talking to him further doesn't really provide any new information. He also doesn't want our ring made out of solid gold. The man only deals in lamps. It's so sad when an older person gets dementia like that.



Anyway, there's a "Pawn, Shoppe" on the screen, so let's check that out first.

(or ) pawn shop door



Good day!
Good day, merchant. What can you tell me about the Land of the Green Isles?
I can tell you she is in a dark time. Without the ferry, communication between the islands has ground to a halt and so nearly has my business. Why the long ages of peace have ended, and why the Crown has not done something about it, is beyond me! But then, I am a shopkeeper, not a politician, and can only hope for better days.

Meet Hakim. He's only a minor character in the game, but despite that, he has so much more character than anyone in King's Quest V. The flexing bear in the background has more character than anything in King's Quest V.

How bide you, good merchant?
Quite well, though a purchase would not hurt me any.

And now let's look around. You can look at pretty much anything in view, and the narrator will have something to say about most of it. But let's stick to the eye-catching items.

wings

A strange-looking winged device occupies one corner of the room. It is frail with disuse. Alexander finds it intriguing. Perhaps, he thinks, it was once used in a local sporting event in which enthusiasts jumped from cliffs, glided on air currents, and then attempted to land, frequently crunching a bone or two in the process. Alexander shudders at the thought and decides to stick to dragon-slaying.

wings

The wings have long been silent.

When I was first playing the game, I couldn't figure out how to get off of the island. (I was 7 and this was my first adventure game, give me a break.) And I thought that Alexander was going to have to get these wings somehow.

suit of armor

An old suit of armor stands in the pawn shop. It looks like a vigilant guard against thieves and carpet salesmen, even though it IS headless.

armor

The man of steel is stumped for an answer.

the bear

Towering mightily over the other pawn shop curiosities, the stuffed bear makes an ostentatious display.

bear

The world-famous talking bear has been sulking ever since his abduction from a small mountain community in California. He refuses to discuss real estate.

Sounds like someone stole the bear from Sierra's lobby. Possibly. Anyway, what we're really here for is gazing at the set dressing.



boxes on the wall

The back wall of the shop holds various odds and ends. For example...

...a hull-hole detector for finding those hard-to-spot holes in small sailboats.
...stair traction pads; "Stop slipping off those narrow staircases.
...cat-cookie mix. "Play tricks on your friends," the box says.
...a golden bridle finder, for finding those nearly-invisible golden bridles.
...self-adhesive emeralds. "What you use when you don't have honey."
...tongue climbing gear. "Tested on over one hundred whale tongues."
...a uvula tickler. "Guaranteed to make large mammals sneeze."
...a cheese hook, for retrieving cheese out of small holes.
...a shovel that's "Guaranteed not to break for over one-hundred grave diggings!"
...a bridge repair kit, for when you've crossed a bridge one too many times.

Most of these items seem to be very specific jokes aimed at feedback they received from King's Quest IV. Though a nearly equal amount reference V to be fair!

shelves behind

The back wall of the shop holds various bottles and potions. For example...

...a bottle labeled "Owl Courage Potion," for spineless owls.
...a small box of "Enchanted Sorcerer's Flea and Tick Collars."
...a bottle of "Gnome-be-gone."
...miniature carpet cleaner. For those castles-in-a-bottle.
...bird's nest soup mix. Treasure not included.
...garlic especially grown for vampire resilience.
...magic mirror glass cleaner for "when your future looks fuzzy."
...shark repellant.
Many of these items sound like they would have been useful on dad's or Rosella's adventures.

I will never get over the pawn shop having all these little in jokes about the series. You can tell this game was an honest labor of love, and that they had a really good sense of humor about the series' past.



Finally let's...

counter in front of

Alexander takes a closer look at the items on the counter.





I see you have noticed my mechanical nightingale. She is made of plain tin, but she sings the sweetest song you can imagine--barely distinguishable from the real thing.



The flute is only made of plain wood but its notes are fine and true.



Ah, yes, the painter's brush. It was well-used by one of the island's best painters. There is a lot of creativity in that brush, and its bristles are still in good condition.



Have you an interest in tinder boxes? This one is only slightly battered. It holds a good supply of flint, a sturdy striking pad, and even a candle in case you find yourself with naught else to hold the flame.

We'll need all four of these across the course of the game. Though the brush is only useful on the ending path we're taking - the Long Path. The nightingale and tinder box are the most useful items of the four.

Anyway, we've abused the shopkeeper - Hakim's - hospitality enough. We have a coin, so let's make a purchase as a means of thanking him.



I have this copper coin. Is it of any value to you at all?
Most interesting. I've never seen a Daventry coin before, but it is copper genuine enough. I might even find a buyer who is interested in foreign currency. The items on the front counter are the only things in the store that I can let go for the price of one copper. You may make your choice from there.
Alexander looks at the items on the counter to make his selection.

nightingale

That mechanical nightingale looks intriguing. I believe I'll take it.
Very well. Your coin is well spent. Remember, this is a pawn shop. I am always willing to take back my own goods in trade.
I'll remember. Thank you.

We'll need the nightingale first, so I'll just hold onto it until then.

out



I could show the same picture from before, but we're only on new image #5 for this update. I think I'm allowed a new one in this case. Yes, most of the images I've posted have just been repeats to break up the endless walls of text.

other door

The sign says Ali's Books.



Hello. I will be right up.



Now! What can I do for you?

It can be difficult to see next to Alex because of the cursor, but there's a little table next to the door.

small table

There's a small table near the door that bears a sign. The sign has undergone a number of changes. It once read "10 pence," but that was crossed out and replaced with "5 pence," then "1 pence," then "free." The sign currently reads "Take one, PLEASE." Only one book remains on the table. It looks like the book shop owner really wants to get rid of that book!



Oh, yes! Please, take that book! You have my most humble thanks for doing so, good sir!
Really? Thanks!

Time to look around.



shelf by the door

A collection of children's books fill those shelves. Alexander is a little old for those children's books.

first set of shelves

These shelves hold a selection of cook books. Alexander isn't interested in the cook books on that shelf. He's had an aversion to cooking ever since he experimented with a certain cookie recipe involving cat hair and fish oil.

second set of shelves

Assorted travelogs and biographies are arranged on these shelves. Right now, Alexander is too involved with the journey he's on to take time to read about the journeys of others.



third set of shelves

These shelves hold a collection of oddly-titled guidebooks. Alexander notices such books as "How to Become King with Little or No Rupies Down," "Finding the Right Girl with the Right Dowry," and "Why Good Princesses Like Bad Wizards." Alexander is not interested in those self-help books.

last set of shelves

Volumes of poetry are on display on this bookshelf.

poetry

Thinking of Cassima, Alexander decides to leaf through one of the volumes of love poetry. He reads:

Thy hair, thy lips, thy beauteous face, and all thy studied female grace, have won for thee anon a place, within this broken breast.

Not bad. And another...

Upon the shore the lilies bend, untouched by worldly care. Where shadow they her earthly bed, Oh, that she were not there!

Yikes! And another...

What was it when I looked at you? What pow'r has chained me through and through? And binds my heart with links so tight, I cannot live without the sight of you? What nameless thing has captured me? And made me powerless to flee? What thing is it without a name, that brings my mind e're back the same to thee? The name of 'love' cannot apply. It's commonness does not descry, the haunted, hunted, painful cry that my heart makes for you. That ere my soul eternal makes for you.

I was gonna say next to nobody reading this probably got that joke. But knowing you all, most of you probably got it and are laughing at it as hard at it as I did. If you didn't get it, trust me... it's quite funny.

Alexander returns the love poem book to the shelf.



There's an animation of the page fluttering to the ground. But it's hardly worth the effort to turn into a gif just to see an off-white sheet flutter down for a second.



Alexander picks up the fallen page. It's the love poem he particularly liked. It must have fallen out of the poetry book.
I see that old volume has lost another page. You may keep it if you like, sir. I have glued the stubborn thing back in place two times already!
I do rather like it. Thank you, merchant.

book in front of

An antique, leather-bound book is displayed on a little stand on the counter. On the elaborate cover is the title, "Ye Useful Booke of Magick Spells."

Alexander is a pretty deft hand at casting mah-gick spells. He's also quite good at casting magical spells too.

spellbook

How much for that book on the counter, merchant?
It is a fine book, is it not? I obtained it from the estate of the one and only magician this kingdom has ever had. Poofed himself into an aardvark in the end, or so I heard. I never found the spells all that useful myself, but then I lead a boring life. I tell you what--if you can find another rare book, something a bit more marketable, I might be willing to exchange the spell book for it.
How will I know if a book is rare, merchant?
Well-done books have tough brown covers, while rare ones are more red and pliant.
What?
What?
Right, well... I'm a stranger in this land. What can you tell me about the Land of the Green Isles?
That is quite a question, young man. Who are you, and what would you have me tell you?
My name is Alexander. I know I'm on the Isle of the Crown, but I'd like to know whatever you can tell me about this island, and if there are other islands nearby
You are indeed a stranger! Anxious is the man who knows not the customs of the land beneath his feet! This island is called the Isle of the Crown because the royal family's castle is here. Besides the castle, we also have this village, and the docks over to the west.

The Isle of the Crown is kind of a hub area. You wander off, have an adventure, and when you return, something about the isle has probably changed. Most often in the village.

There are at least three other islands; the Isle of the Sacred Mountain, the Isle of the Beast, and the Isle of Wonder.
At least three? Does no one know for certain?
This is no ordinary land, Alexander! The Land of the Green Isles has always been a place of vague boundaries--as if islands come and go. Legend speaks of a fourth island, an isle shrouded in mists. I myself have never seen it.

No points for guessing that we'll eventually need to go there.

Then, too, the Land of the Green Isles is said to exist on the boundaries of this world and the next. Even darker places are reputed to be closer here than anywhere else in the world. A chilling local legend says that on a clear enough day, if you stand on any of the beaches in our fair land and look in just the right spot, you can see mountains in the distance, black as night and cold enough to bring a chill even to our warm shores! I've never been brave enough to look myself.
That's quite a claim!
Claim, yes, but probably just local superstition. We who live here on the Isle of the Crown, at least, sleep well enough at night!
Those first three islands you mentioned. How might I learn more about them?
Ideally, a young man seeking such knowledge would travel to their shores and learn about them first-hand. Meeting the leaders of each place would be helpful, naturally. Unfortunately, the ferry no longer runs between the islands. There has been much political unrest, and it has been too dangerous to travel for years. Perhaps the ferryman can tell you more. He has little enough to do these days. And if you haven't been there already, you might seek an audience at the castle.
Thank you, kindly, merchant, for all your good advice.
Ah, but advice is free, Alexander. Making use of it costs much more.

I'm actually going to call things here, because this has been a very -y update. Also I only had 8 numbered images. I think I had less than 20 total. What is with these Sierra games and having weirdly short updates that are content heavy?

NEXT TIME: The ferryman!

List of Points

+2 Bought a nightingale
+1 Free book!
+1 Read shitty poetry
+1 Received shitty poetry
+2 Asked about Ye Useful Booke of Magick Spells
+1 Befriended Ali

Total Points: 16/231

Register of Deaths

None this time!