Part 17: Ticket, please! Next!

XVII - Ticket, please! Next!



Realm of the Dead #1

Night Mare deposits Alexander on a strange, cold world. And some of the inhabitants don't look too friendly!



The Realm of the Dead is not somewhere for the Living. The first couple of screens are randomly patrolled by aggressive zombies who instantly kill you if you get close. To demonstrate...

zombie

Uh, oh! One of the wandering ghouls brushes up against Alexander! The touch of the putred flesh dissolves the living matter like acid!











I get control back and click talk on the circling ghosts... and Alex gets hit by the same ghoul again before he can even react.



We have to wait for the circling ghosts to get into position. They're perfectly positioned as soon as you touch down, but if you wait even a little bit, you're taking your life into your hands.

Who are you, grieving spirits?
I am Queen Allaria of the Land of the Green Isles, and this beloved spirit is my husband, King Caliphim. We were murdered in our beds by our trusted vizier. Like a viper, he snuck in during the night and stabbed us in our sleep! Now my husband's soul is broken and he will not speak.
That snake! That fiend! I knew he could not be trusted.
You speak as though you've met him...
I have. He's declared himself the regent of your kingdom and he rules in the place of your daughter.
Our daughter! Have you news of the princess?
I know that she is alive and safely back in her kingdom after my father rescued her from Mordack. But I'm afraid I have not personally seen her. Alhazred is keeping her in her room in mourning for you.
Oh, dreaded news! I am glad to hear of her return, but she will not be safe alone with that devil! Oh, that we could be there to protect her!
Cassima! How I've failed thee!
My poor husband will never rest while our murder goes unavenged and our daughter is in danger!
I came to take you back with me. Your people are still loyal to you. They need to know about the vizier. Cassima needs you, too.



The only one who might be able to return us all to the land of the living is the Lord of the Dead, but he would never help us. He has no mercy.
I might be able to convince him. I must try.
Then, take this. It is my ticket to the Underworld. There you will find the Lord of the Dead.
Shouldn't you keep this ticket, your Majesty?
I cannot use the ticket as long as I'm chained here, and if we cannot be avenged, I will never be unchained.
Thank you. Perhaps it will save us all.
Be careful, young man. If you can ease my husband's torment and help our daughter, we will be most grateful.
I will do my best. Goodbye, Queen Allaria.



This screen always throws me off. I always think the exit is to the left, but it's not.



It's also very dangerous to stay here. There are a lot of zombies and ghouls shuffling around. The exit, by the way, is the lower right corner. Not the right edge, not the upper right, not the middle right. The lower right only.



Mother Ghost

Ghouls will also appear here. And while we COULD continue on, that would be a very, very bad idea indeed. You can just barely see a spirit in the middle. If we don't talk with her, we'll be fucked in about an hour when we're infiltrating the castle finally. I'm serious. The end of KQ6 is where all the dick moves came home to roost.

Why do you not rest, sad spirit?
Rest? I cannot rest! My son is lost!
Lost? You mean in this realm?
No! His spirit is stuck in the land of the living--probably looking for me! But I cannot leave to go show him the way! My poor Ali!
Is there anything I can do?
Take this handkerchief. If you get back to the land of the living and find him, tell him that his mother is waiting for him here. By this kiss, he'll be able to find his way to the Realm of the Dead.
I'll do my best to find him.
Thank you, thank you! Oh, my Ali!



And just to put the pressure on, that zombie kramers into the shot as we stand helpless. But once we have the handkerchief, we can just leave the screen and move on to a very familiar-looking gate.



Underworld Gate

Not gonna lie, the first time I reached this screen, I actually reloaded because I thought I'd done something wrong. But no. Alex is here on this screen we've seen probably dozens of times throughout this LP, and he's wearing his flesh.

The skeleton to the left of the path hands something to the spirits that approach the Underworld entrance.
Ticket, please! Next!

Let's get a ticket.

Might I get one of those tickets?
The skeleton with the tickets must not approve of Alexander's less-than-ghostly looks. He refuses to give him a pass.

We already have a ticket, but let's hang out here a second. This is another puzzle where if we continue on blindly, we'll fuck up in an hour. I'm serious. Most of these are just for optional points, but it's not a good look all of the sudden to have so many dead ends.

arranged bones

A group of large bones form an interesting arrangement to the right of the path. Two smaller bones are propped up on the ground near the larger group. Alexander picks up the two bones on the ground. Now what do these bones remind him of?
Ah, yes! Now I remember!



As Alexander plays, the sound of ghostly musical instruments can be heard joining in with him. Soon, there's a rather nice ensemble going!

Ghostly Ensemble

I'm all dressed up with nowhere to go.
Walking with a dead oh with a dead man.
Waiting for an invitation to arrive.
Walking with a dead, with a dead, with a dead man!



In my best suit and my tie
With a shiny silver dollar on either eye!
I hear the chauffer comin' to my door
He says there's room for maybe just one more!



I was struck by lightning, walking down the street
I was hit by somethin' last night in my sleep
It's a dead man's party! Who could ask for more?
Everybody's coming. Leave your body at the door
Leave your body and soul at the door!
Thank you! Thank you! I'll be here for at least ten more minutes!

Alexander finishes his tune and the skeletons resume their posts. While the assorted spirits disperse. Despite their frolic, they don't seem any friendlier!

key

A key made of bone has fallen from the skeleton's keyring and now lies on the ground.

Alexander is carrying the mother ghost's translucent handkerchief.
Touching the ghost handkerchief gives Alexander a strong mental impression of the mother ghost worriedly searching for her lost son.

The ghostly ticket reads, "Admit One."
Alexander can see his hand through the ghostly ticket.

The skeleton key is made out of small bones.
The skeleton key feels a bit bony.



Anyway, the way forward is pretty obvious.



I have a ticket.
Go on. NEXT!



List of Points

+1 - Ghost ticket
+1 - Ghost handkerchief
+2 - Dead Man's Party!
+1 - Skeleton key
+3 - NEXT!

Total Points: 166/231

Register of Deaths

Acidic ghoul flesh x2