========================================== King's Quest VI: Heir Today, Gone Tomorrow ========================================== Solution by David Tanguay (dat@thinkage.on.ca) ------- General ------- This solution assumes that you do minor exploring on your own. A map of the catacombs is at the end. There are a few points where you must be quick and/or careful to avoid death. I'll give warning to be careful or quick -- you are advised to save the game before these parts. You don't have to be arcade-quick, but you can't be off daydreaming. This solution is somewhat optimised. It is not a natural progression through the game, but it highlights the actions required to complete it. -------------------------------- Arrival on the Isle of the Crown -------------------------------- Pick up your ring [1]. Lift the plank [1], open the chest, and retrieve the coin [1]. Go to the castle and talk to a guard. Show him your ring [5] to get an audience with the vizier. Notice the twinkle in his aide's eye. Go inside the village pawn shop and talk to the owner. Give him your coin [2] and take the mechanical nightingale. Go inside the book store and talk to the owner [1] to learn about the ferry. Ask about the book on the counter [2] (touch it): he will trade this book of magic spells for a more marketable rare book. Look at the books on the shelves and pick up a book from the poetry section [1]. When you return it, a page falls out, which the owner lets you keep [1]. On your way out, pick up the free book by the door [1]. Go to the docks. Ignore the boy who invites you to swim -- notice the twinkle in his eye. Go onto the boat and knock on the door. Talk to the ferryman [2]. He tells you about the Green Isles, and about the magic map in the pawn shop. Pick up the rabbit's foot [1], which he lets you keep. Go back to the pawn shop and talk to the owner. Trade your ring for the magic map [5]. This also reminds the owner to through out some old magic junk. Notice that the hooded man takes a mint and seems to get drunk from it. Take a free mint [1]. At the fork under the tree, play the mechanical nightingale for the real bird there [4]. It now trusts you. Return to the village to see the pawn shop owner throwing out some junk. Look through the garbage pot and you find an (apparently empty) ink bottle [1]. ------------------ The Isle of Wonder ------------------ Go down to the beach and use the magic map [1] to transport you to the Isle of the Sacred Moutain. Pick up the stench flower [1] and the black feather [1]. Go to the Isle of Wonder. Talk to the oyster. Read your book to the oyster [2] to help it sleep. Quickly snatch the pearl [1] when it yawns the second time. Try to walk inland: guardian gnomes come to inspect you. You must be quick through this next sequence. Use the stench flower on the nose gnome [2]. Use the mechanical nightingale on the ears gnome [2]. Use the mint on the tongue gnome [2]. Use the rabbit's foot on the hands gnome [2]. Use the disappearing ink on yourself when the eyes gnome inspects you [2]. You are now free to roam the isle. Pick up the sentence floating in the ocean when it comes near [1]. Go west to the book stacks and talk to the bookworm. He will exchange a rare book for something interesting. Go to the chessboard land and talk to the guards and then the queens. Notice their quarrel over the lump of coal. Pick up the scarf dropped by the red queen [1]. Pick up a head of iceberg lettuce [1] from the garden. Use the magic map to go to the Isle of the Beasts. Talk to the funny creature. Give it the incomplete sentence, which it completes, and it decides to become your travelling companion [2]. Go north to the boiling pond and throw in the iceberg lettuce [4] to cool it down. Cross over and pick up the lamp [1]. Continue onward to the garden gates but notice the twinkle in the man's eyes: don't go in. Pick up the brick [1]. Use the magic map to return to the Isle of Wonder and go to the book stacks. Give the dangling participle (the strange creature) to the bookworm and receive a rare book of riddles [2]. Read the book and notice that there's a page missing [1]. Look at the spider web, where you'll see the page. Carefully pull the loose thread [1], and while the black widow is distracted you can snatch the paper [2]. It's not the complete page, but it contains the answer to the riddle that was on that page: "love". Use the magic map to go to the Isle of the crown. Go to the pawn shop and exchange the nightingale for the flute. Also exchange the pearl for your ring [2]. Go to the book store and exchange the riddle book for the spell book [1]. Talk to the strange man. Show Jollo your ring [4] to earn his trust and friendship. Return to the swamp on the Isle of Wonder. Pick up a bottle of milk [1]. Go on to the garden and give the bottle to one of the Baby's Tears [2]. The others get jealous and start crying. Collect the tears of one into the lamp [1]. Look at the Hole-in-a-Wall. Play the flute [2] to get the wallflowers and snapdragons caught up in a dance, and quickly grab the Hole [1] and the teacup [1]. Also get the rotten tomato [1]. Go back to the swamp and try to get some ooze into the cup. The Stick-in-the- Mud tells you it's not ooze. Talk to the Bump-on-a-Log, twice, to learn of their rivalry. Give the tomato to the Bump [3] and collect the ooze that flies back at him [1]. ----------------------------- The Minotaur of the Catacombs ----------------------------- Return to the Isle of the Crown. Go to the pawn shop and exchange the flute for the tinder box. Go to the Isle of the Sacred Mountain and inspect the writing on the cliffs. The answer to the first challenge is "rise" [1]. Carefully climb the steps and inspect the second inscription. The answer there is "soar" [1] (see the game documentation for matching the glyphs to characters). The answer to the third challenge is the sequence of the 4th, the 1st, then the 2nd [1]. The answer to the fourth stage is D O Q G [1]. The answer to the fifth stage is "ascend" [1]. When you arrive at the top of the cliffs, an old woman with a twinkle in her eyes encourages you to eat some berries: don't. Enter the cave behind the bush [1]. Light the candle in the tinder box [2] to cross the cave. Crawl through the hole into the next cave. Get some mint leaves [1] and return as you came. Outside, continue on to the city. You are taken to the rulers. They send you into the catacombs to rescue their daughter from the Minotaur. In the maze, get the skull [1]. Carefully cross the engraved floor by stepping on a rose, then another rose, a third rose, a scythe, a crown, a dove, some bones, and then the safe square by the exit [3]. Get the shield [1] and the coins [1]. When you enter the trap room, the ceiling starts to descend. Throw the brick into the gears to stop it [2]. Fall down the trap floor (not a pit) to the lower level. It's dark, so light the tinderbox [2] and relight the torch for that room. Go to the room where the minotaur sounds loud and use the Hole-in-the-Wall on the east wall [1]. Look through the hole [1] to see the Minotaur reach behind a tapestry to flip a latch to open a secret door. Go to that latch room and flip the latch [1]. Inside the Minotaur's chamber you find the princess. When the Minotaur has you backed to the fire, use the red scarf on him [3], like a bullfighter. After freeing her, the princess gives you her knife. For your service, you are allowed to visit the oracle. She gives you a vial of sacred water and tells you of the druids on the Isle of the Mists [6]. -------------------- Beauty and the Beast -------------------- Go to the Isle of the Mists. From the beach, go west to the village. Pick up a lump of coal from the pit [1] and the scythe [1]. Go to the garden on the Isle of Wonder. Pick up the bottle labelled "DRINK ME" from the table [1]. Drink it to see the death-like effect. Enter chessboard land and give the lump of coal to the white queen -- she gives you her rotten egg in exchange [1]. Go to the Isle of the Beasts. At the garden gate, use the shield to get past the stone archer [3]. Inside, pick a white rose [1]. Use the scythe to cut through the hedge [2]. You will meet the Beast, a prince under an enchantment. You are now under the same enchantment as he, and your only hope is to break the enchantment by finding a maiden who will love Beast. He gives you his ring [2] to help you entice a maiden in the short time you have left. Return to the Isle of the Crown and go to the rich estate just past the town. Give the poor girl the white rose [2] to catch her attention, then quickly present her with the ring [2]. She agrees to care for the Beast. You (automatically) arrive back at the Beast's fountain. The enchantment is broken, and the handsome prince and Beauty live happily ever after. The prince gives you his mirror [1] and Beauty gives you her old dress [1]. Search the dress and you find a strand of hair [1]. Before you leave the island, fill the lamp with the vial of sacred water [1]. Then add water from the fountain [1]. Look at the book of magic and cast the rain spell [3] (to be activated later). On your way out, pick up another white rose. << The alternate ending proceeds from this point. >> -------------- The Underworld -------------- Go to the Isle of Mists, where you are captured and put into a cage and hung over a fire. The dress burns up as you fight the flames, but the rain spell is eventually activated, extinguishing the fire [2]. The druids respect your power and tell you how to get to the land of the dead. Before you leave, scoop some embers into the skull [1]. Add the hair to the skull [1] and then add the rotten egg [1] (it contains sulfur), per the book of magic. Go to the Isle of the Sacred Mountain and climb the cliffs. At the top is the horse of the underworld, eating the berries. Cast the charm spell [3] and the horse takes you to the land of the dead [2]. Carefully avoid the ghouls: if they touch you, you die. Talk to Allaria and Caliphim. Allaria gives you her ticket to the underworld [1]. On the path, talk to the mourning ghost. She gives you her handkerchief [1] to give to her son, a ghost lost in the land of the living. At the gate to the underworld, pick up the bones on the side of the path and play a tune [2]. The residents dance and the guard drops his key: pick it up [1]. Give the other guard the ticket [3] and enter the underworld. You find a dead knight. Take his guantlet and read the inscription [1]. At the river, get some water with the teacup [1]. Gives the coins to Charon for a ride across the river [3]. Don't walk into the door: try to open it with your hand. Talk to the door. You must answer a riddle to pass: the answer is "LOVE" [3]. Inside, talk to the guards who then take you to Samhain. Throw the guantlet at him [2] to challenge him to release Allaria and Caliphim, and yourself. You must make him shed a tear: use the mirror on him [4] to show him what he has become. You gain your freedom, and the lives of the King and Queen. ------------ Grand Finale ------------ You are taken to the Isle of the Crown. At the tree in the path, give your insignia ring to the nightingale to take to Cassima [3]. The bird returns with a hair ribbon from Cassima [1]. Give the bird the page of poetry [1], and it returns with a letter from Cassima [1]. Give the rose to the bird [1]. Go to the pawn shop, where you see the hooded man. Drink the "DRINK ME" potion to make him think you're dead [3]. You see (astrally?) the genie gloating over your death back at the castle: notice his lamp. When you revive, exchange the tinderbox for the paintbrush. Outside, trade the hunter's lamp for a new one: select the lamp that looks like the genie's [1]. Go to the side of the castle. Stir the teacup with the black feather [1], per the spell. Paint a door on the wall with the paintbrush [1], cast the paint spell [3], and enter the castle [2]. Go to the east hallway and enter the east door, Jollo's room. Talk to him and give him the lamp [3], to exchange for the genie's. Return to the west hallway and go into the middle dungeon on the east wall, where you find a little boy ghost. Talk to him, then give him the scarf. He then tells you of a secret passage behind the suit of armour [3]. Go to the armour and fiddle with the west arm, revealing the secret passage [2]. You enter. Look through the hole in the wall: you eavesdrop on the guards and learn that "ALI" is part of the magic phrase to open the door with no knob (in the west hallway) [2]. Go upstairs and look through the other hole [1]. You talk to Cassima. Give her the dagger [3] to defend herself. Go down the west passage and look through the hole [1] to confirm the vizier's treachery. At the end of the passage go through a secret door into the vizier's bedroom. Open the box on the table: you find a paper with "ZEBU" on it [1]. Use the skeleton key to unlock the chest by the bed [1]. Get one of the letters [1], proof of the vizier's evil. Return to the west hallway in the basement, and go to the west door. Talk to it, giving the order "ALIZEBU" [2] and enter. Look at the table and pull off the cloth. Look at each item on the table [2] to understand how the vizier got his way. Recover the table and leave. Quickly go to the east hallway. Carefully avoid the guards, and go up the stairway to the main hallway. Saladin captures you. Show him the vizier's correspondence [3] to gain a chance to prove the vizier's treachery. In the main hall, the vizier and Cassima are getting married. Talk to Cassima [5]. Notice the twinkle in her eye. The King and Queen finally arrive. Allaria realises its not Cassima, and the genie's spell breaks. Follow the vizier upstairs. Just as the genie prepares to blast you, Jollo arrives with the genie's lamp [1]. Use the lamp on the genie [5], becoming its master. The vizier attacks you with a sword. Quickly grab the sword hanging on the wall [1] and use it on the vizier [3]. When you start to tire, Cassima finally frees herself and stabs the vizier in the shoulder. Quickly, while he's distracted, use the sword on him again [3]. The vizier is defeated. You marry Cassima, and her parents give you the kingdom. << Alternate Ending >> Go to the Isle of the Crown. At the tree in the path, give your insignia ring to the nightingale to take to Cassima [3]. The bird returns with a hair ribbon from Cassima [1]. Give the bird the page of poetry [1], and it returns with a letter from Cassima [1]. Give the rose to the bird [1]. Go to the pawn shop, where you see the hooded man. Drink the "DRINK ME" potion to make him think you're dead [3]. You see (astrally?) the genie gloating over your death back at the castle: notice his lamp. When you revive, exchange the tinderbox for the nightingale. Outside, trade the hunter's lamp for a new one: select the lamp that looks like the genie's [1]. Go to the castle entrance, where you see servant girls entering. Go into the guard-house and put on Beauty's old clothes [4]. This fools the guards, and you pass inside the castle. Go up the left staircase. The guards walk to the end and talk. When they return to your end, then turn away again, quickly wind up the nightingale and place it just outside the alcove (i.e., "use" it on the floor there), walk into the alcove, and hide behine the pillar (i.e., touch it) [6]. After the guards take the bird to Saladin, remove the painting from the wall [3] and take the nail [1]. Walk across the hall into the vizier's bedroom. Open the box on the table: you find a paper with "ZEBU" on it [1]. Use the nail to pick the lock of the chest by the bed [1]. Get one of the letters [1], proof of the vizier's evil. Replace the nail and painting, and hide behind the pillar again as the guards return. When Cassima has been dragged off and the guards have left, go downstairs to the wedding hall. Saladin captures you. Show him the vizier's correspondence [3] to gain a chance to prove the vizier's treachery. In the main hall, the vizier and Cassima are getting married. Talk to Cassima. Notice the twinkle in her eye. Use the mirror on her to reveal the enchantment [3]. Follow the vizier upstairs. As the genie prepares to blast you, give him the peppermint leaves [1]. He can't resist them, and in his drunken state his magic bounces around and kills him. The vizier attacks you with a sword. Quickly grab the sword hanging on the wall [1] and use it on the vizier [1]. When you start to tire, Cassima finally frees herself and stabs the vizier in the shoulder. Quickly, while he's distracted, use the sword on him again [3]. The vizier is defeated. You marry Cassima, and become king of a weak and divided kingdom. Catacombs: Upper Level +--------+--------+--------+ +--------+--------+ | | | | | coins | | down | | | | | +--------+--------+- -+--------+--------+- -+--------+ | | | trap | | | +- -+--------+--------+- -+--------+ | | | | | | | | | | | | +- -+ +--------+--------+ | | | shield | | | +--------+--------+- -+--------+--------+ +--------+ | | | | | floor | | skull | | | | | +--------+--------+--------+--------+- -+--------+- -+ | |........| | | |........| | | |........| | +- -+--------+- -+........+- -+--------+- -+ | |........| |........| | | | | |........| |........| | | pit | | |........| |........| | | | +--------+- -+--------+- -+--------+- -+ +--------+ | | | pit in | | | +--------+--------+--------+--------+--------+--------+ Catacombs: Lower Level +-------+ +-------+ | | | | | pit | | | | | | | +-------+- -+-------+-------+- -+-------+-------+-------+ | | | | | | +- -+-------+- -+-------+- -+-------+-------+- -+ | |.......| |.......| |...............| | | |.......| |.......| pit |...............| | | |.......| |.......| |...............| | +-------+- -+-------+- -+-------+-------+-------+-------+- -+ | | | | | | loud | latch = mino- | pit | | | | taur | | +-------+- -+-------+-------+-------+- -+-------+-------+- -+ | |.......................| |...............| | | |.......................| |...............| | | |.......................| |...............| | +- -+-------+.......+-------+- -+-------+-------+- -+ | |.......| | | |.......| | | |.......| | +-------+- -+-------+- -+-------+- -+-------+-------+ | | | | | | | pit | | | | | +-------+- -+-------+ +-------+ | | | | | | +-------+