Part 9: Wherein Steps Are Retraced, and a Seance is Held

Short update today, folks, but it has three videos in it.

Last time, we got through the Faeriewood by concocting a pegasus potion and using it to fly to this dreary-looking island, on which sits our destination, Castle Kyrandia. The kyragem is close now. What could possibly go wrong this close to the end? But first, you know the rules: new area, new complaints from Brandon.



I'd do anything for a pair of sandals! I wonder how Grandfather is doing?

Oh, you know. Being a rock. Good thing he's indoors, or the birds would be having a field day. Let's just stumble haplessly to the east and see if we can't find that castle.

Music: Gloom (Tindeck)



Are we dead already?

... almost walked off the edge there.



The next screen has a grave. I wonder whose it is.



Hello mother, father. I wish I could do something to honor their memory.

Aww. We don't have anything, but it's the thought that counts. Let's just keep going and take it all out on Malcolm.



There it is: Castle Kyrandia. Malcolm has had free reign of the place for the past eighteen years, and it shows.



Man, this gate is pretty spooky, but there's no way we're stopping now.





I think this is the most disturbing death sequence in the game. Geez.

So the castle gate is locked, and there are gargoyles guarding the gate. The iron key in our inventory has a good chance of fitting the lock, but trying it just gets you killed by the gargoyles again. Our parents' grave is back up the hill, but there's nothing we can do with that, either. This area has been very small so far. What could we be missing?

Actually, we're not missing anything. Not on this side of the ocean, anyway - what we need is back in Faeriewood. Well, no problem, we can just turn back into a pegasus a-- oh, right. No more potion. As it turns out, the game is unwinnable for us at this point. We jumped the gun on the pegasus puzzle, went past a point of no return, and left several things behind that we need to progress. There are three items we need before we go to Castle Kyrandia, and we only have one of them: the iron key. We also need the Royal Chalice and one more item which we'll get to. Naturally, the game warns us about none of this, and two of the items (key and mystery item) are really easy to overlook. Time to reload a save...



Let's tackle the Chalice first. It's just sitting there, taunting us - we still can't really interact with it, and none of our potions are helpful. Once again the game has not seen fit to give us any hints. The answer to this one generally comes down to stumbling upon it, which usually happens at an earlier point in the game than this, but I've held off on doing it until now.



Remember that magic water we got for Zanthia? We can drink it, too.



Hey, one of the amulets on my amulet is blue now!

Okay, that's a little weird, but it looks like we unlocked another jewel on our amulet. What does this one do?



We have no clue. The actual name of this spell is never mentioned in-game, but it's actually Dispel Magic. The way Brandon stretches his hand out does suggest a connection to the Chalice, so why not go give that a try?

I'll try it on the Chalice.



Hey! Bring that back!

Hey, what's the big idea?

Right on the cusp of victory, some goat-legged butthole goes and steals our treasure! This guy is not named in the first game, but his name (or maybe just species) is revealed to be Faun in Hand of Fate. Where could he have gone to?



Tiny man, tiny door.

Hey, pipsqueak! Are you in there?

I don't see why we can't just use our giant strength and kick his dumb little door in, but what the game wants us to do is use that other potion we found to go have a little heart to heart with the thief.

Video: Faun (Youtube)





I can't help but feel there is a problem with the scale here. We shrunk to about half our original height, and yet by the back wall there's a pair of glasses taller than we are, and a teacup we could sit in. My interpretation is that Faun has a fondness for comically oversized versions of everyday items and has been obsessively hoarding them in his house for years.

You have my chalice!
I have MY chalice.
No, it's mine!
Yes, it's MINE.
Why would you want it?



I don't think he needs the chalice for that.

By the way, where is my chalice?
I have hidden it in a very safe place.



Oh my. Well, let's see what we've got. How about this nice, juicy apple we picked up about ten seconds into the game?

How about a big, juicy apple?



I'm not tall enough to pick apples!

I'm beginning to think this obsession with giant-sized household products might be part of a larger complex, here.

Well, where did you hide my chalice?
I hid MY chalice outside, you big oaf. Go outside and take a look.

What are you talking about, we were just there. There was no chalice. Are you scamming us, shorty? Ugh, let's just go check.



Nice burn, Brandon. I guess this butthole is going to make us search for the chalice. Time to run around all over the woods agai--



Come on game that was not there a minute ago.

This looks important!

It definitely is, although it's for reasons we won't discover for a while yet. Now that we have the chalice and the Dispel Magic spell, we're almost ready to go back to the castle and make some progress. However, we would still be unable to get through the gate. The gargoyles are not impressed by Brandon's chalice, and dispelling them is another nonstarter. What are we missing?



Here we are again back at the pegasus platform. I threw away the empty bottle and the poison, as they are useless. The thing we need is on this screen. Do you see it?



That's right: we need another orchid. This one is completely impossible to predict until you've already gone past the point of return, so saving and loading is 100% required to beat this puzzle unless you're a compulsive hoarder and decided to hang onto an extra of that particular item over any of the other random junk that won't fit in your inventory. Now that we have it, we drink the pegasus potion again and off we go to castle island.



Well, now we can. It's just a flower, but it will have to do.





Video: Queen Katherine (Youtube)

You have grown up handsome, son. You have your father's eyes.
I use them only to seek your revenge!

That's... really dorky-sounding, Brandon, geez. Hey, where is dad, actually? Shouldn't he be here as a ghost too?

Control your anger, Brandon. You must free the Kyragem to reclaim your throne.
Malcolm is vile and deserves to die!
Do not waste your powers on destruction, my son. You will require the Royal Chalice...

If it wasn't already obvious the chalice is an important item that you shouldn't just ignore, ghost mom makes it clear to us here. Fortunatey, we brought it with us.

... and this.



You have my gift. It is all I can give. Be brave, my son, and use your magic wisely.



Mother?

Communing with the dead has unlocked the final gem in our amulet! Let's check it out.



Invisibility! Wow, thanks, mom. I wonder if we can get by those gargoyles with this?



Sure enough, now that we can turn invisible, we can use the iron key on the gate lock without the gargoyles being any wiser. We're nearing the end, now. Next stop: Castle Kyrandia.



It's huge!

Sure is. And not a single homicidal clown in sight.



Welcome, lad!

Spoke too soon.

Video: Malcolm at Castle Kyrandia (Youtube)

I see you got past my puppies! You must be VERY clever! But since you've made it, you'll have to stay. You will not be able to leave this island.

Yeah, we noticed, thanks.

I have but two rules here in my home: Do not disturb my morning naps, and enter not the Kyra-Vault!

No promises.

Move aside, you purple windbag!
Now, now. I've been patient... can we not continue? Oh, and yes! A friend of yours now serves me here.

Ha! Joke's on you, Malcolm, Brandon doesn't have any friends.

Oh Herman... Herman... Brandon is here! Hmm? I don't know where he is, but I'm sure that he'll find you.



Finally! About time. I'm not sure what we're sawing all the way over here exactly, but that rusty old thing is ours, damnit.



What a fool.



Preaching to the choir, Brandon. Well, we finally made it to Castle Kyrandia, and Malcolm has mysteriously elected not to turn us into a pile of ashes where we stand despite having had ample opportunity to several times now. Not that Brandon looks all that threatening when it comes down to it, I suppose. Next time, we'll explore our castle and reclaim our birthright.