KQ4 timeline

The KQ4 Timeline utilizes the dates from KQ4 manual (This is the legend of King's Quest...). It also includes some of the references given in the official games, official books, official manuals, and official strategy guides. It attempts to maintain all references made in the games themselves above other material.

Background

In particular the main references that differ from other sources is the date of when Graham married Valanice (3 years after KQ1, rather than one year) and when the twins were born to them (2 years after KQ1). These differ from the later KQ5 timeline and alternative references in the OT timeline and the Anniversary timeline.

The KQ4 manual has a somewhat awkward description of the time placement of Edward’s death.

Not more than a week after the third anniversary of his appointment to the throne (on the eve of King Edward's death) did King Graham begin to feel the pangs of loneliness.

It could be read as Edward's death taking place one week after Graham's appointment or alternatively that it meant that he was appointed to the throne shortly before Edward’s death. Note: Appointment isn’t necessarily the day of coronation just acknowledgment that he is next in line for succession. That being said the appointment and coronation are often associated with each other in lore. Other sources place his death shortly before his coronation, or at least the same night.

The manual also places the founding of Daventry a few thousand years before KQ1 (KQC implies it could have been as early as a thousand years before KQV).

Note: if KQ2 marriage date in the companion is ignored, this timeline more or less fits on top of the Anniversary timeline (version of the companion timelines) fairly well (placing the twins birthdate about five years after KQ1, and placing KQ6 at 25 years after KQ1).

Assuming Graham was 19 at the time of KQ1 as its stated in sources by Lorelei Shannon, he would be 42 at the time of KQ3/4.

GC standing for Graham's Coronation. This dating system was chosen to represent the official timeline due to a couple of sources that based the amount of time that passed off anniversary of when King Graham became king. KQ2, KQ4, and KQ6 manuals/hintguides make reference to such anniversaries.

GC and BGC are unofficial designations for the dates starting with KQ1, and references to events before KQ1.

BPB stands for Before Princeless Bride, and designates different calender used in Eldritch do to time flowing at a different rate than in the world of Daventry.

It should also be noted that these are mainly approximate dates, since there is no way to know specific years or the months that events took place in. There are only references to how much time passes between each event, and a few references to which season the event took place during.

Tombstones in KQ4 give specific years and dates as well. However, according to the King's Quest Companion these are said to be graves from the Other World (Earth), and therefore do not correspond to dates within the world of Daventry itself (at least from King's Quest Companion perspective).

Note there are a few inconsistencies between the various sources on the placement of certain events, so this timeline is not perfect, it instead focuses on KQ4 Manual.

Elements of the King's Quest Companion have been worked in, however, the companion offers some alternate dates, those have been ignored.

There are several official timelines based on the various sources (this version is no more or less authoritative than those).

The clock in KQ4 is about six hours long representing a 24 hour period.

Timeline

• Over 2000 BGC

Daventry is founded, and the first king of Daventry begins his rule.

• C. 1000 BGC

The Ancient Ones inhabited the Isle of the Sacred Mountain in a time before the "Kingdom" of the crown existed. They lived alone in the sea. They were the precursors of the Winged Ones.

• C. 977 BGC

The priestesses from ancient Aegypt build the crypt for a mummy in Tamir.

• C. 880 BGC

Entomon Wilson creates the Wandering Weevils.

• 792 BGC

The Wandering Weevils involved in the destruction of Sideria.

• c. 520 BGC

The approximate date when Daventry obtained the Magic Shield which grants the kingdom protection thenceforth.

• 500 BGC

Entomon Wilson's Wandering Weevils ate all the plantlife in the Vale of Obscurity forcing the Ice Fairies to move to coast of the Sea of Barnacles.

During this century, Daventry obtained the Magic Shield which grants the kingdom protection thenceforth.

• c. 475 BGC

The Genie becomes trapped in the bottle (and it would be about 500 years before the bottle is opened again).

• C. 420 BGC

Daventry loses the harvest to an early autumn rain.

• C. 394 BGC

An earlier Castle of the Crown was built. It was a large and drafty castle and served as the seat of the royal family for over 300 years.

• 120 BGC

The Duchy of the Solicitous Boar is destroyed by Entomon Wilson's Wandering Weevils.

• C. 94 BGC

King Aliphid builds the current Castle of the Crown to replace the old drafty one, to have a healthier home for his wife Queen Astar.

• C. 77 BGC

The magic fruit begins to grow on the small magic tree in the Swamp of Tamir.

• C. 75 BGC

Prince Cocteau is cursed by an evil hag on the Isle of the Forest one night, and is turned into a Beast. The island was cursed along with him, and strange lights could be seen from other islands. King Aliphim checked the island the next day to find that the trees had grown dense, and that there was now only one path with barriers blocking the way. He heard the sound of a beast, that drove several of his guards to madness and haunted him to the end of his days. The island was known as Isle of the Beast from then on.

• 20 BGC

King Edward loses the Magic Mirror.

King Edward loses the Magic Mirror.

King Edward loses the Chest of Gold.

• 19 BGC

The future King Graham is born in Daventry to the family of Sir Hereward in late spring.

• 8 BGC.

Around this time, the evil wizard Karn Megiddo begins work on his great spell.

• 1 GC

Having just turned nineteen, Sir Graham, King Edward's greatest knight finds the three treasures that the king had lost in late spring.

After Graham returns the treasures he is appointed to the throne, Edward dies soon after. Note: depending on how the description in the manual is understood, it could imply that Edward abdicated and died a week later, however it probably meant Graham was appointed just before Edward died (on same day).

• 2 GC

King Graham sees the face of King Edward in the Magic Mirror, who instructs him to search for a queen.

• 4 GC

Graham sees the image of Valanice in the Magic Mirror, not more than a week after the third anniversary of his appointment to the throne (thus late spring/early summer). He travelled to Kolyma to save her from Hagatha and marry her.

• 6 GC

Valanice gives birth to Rosella and Alexander. King Graham begin his daily strolls by Lake Maylie.

Rumors begin to circulate that a terrible three-headed dragon was terrorizing the lands on its way towards the kingdom of Daventry.

• 7 GC

Manannan kidnaps Alexander from his cradle. Manannan had returned to his home in Llewdor and renamed the boy Gwydion (he will be held captive for seventeen long years).

Alexander-Gwydion and Rosella have their first birthday.

Around this time, Derek Karlavaegen leaves for Serenia from Port Bruce in Llewdor on the Round About. At some point during the trip the compass was damaged by a storm, and the crew sailed off course for a little over a month off before the ship was destroyed in the Dangerous Currents, and Rocky Shoals near the Green Isles. Derek ended up on the shore of the Isle of the Crown.

• 8 GC

King Caliphim and Queen Allaria who are without children, hope for a daughter.

Derek Karlavaegen finishes the Guidebook to the Land of the Green Isles, and gives one copy to royal family and keeps one for himself, with the promise he will keep his knowledge of the islands secret.

After which he returned to Daventry with the help of a spell from Caliphim's ancient court sorcerer. He was sent to a bower near the town of Serenia. He had finally arrived at the destination he had originally intended to land at when he left from Llewdor nearly a year before.

• 11 GC

Abdul Alhazred travels to the Land of the Green Isles, and becomes the Vizier.

• 12 GC

Around this time, Karn Megiddo entered the Glamour Manarvel to complete the final part of the great spell. He left Kuzgu to collect the final parts of the spell.

• 14 GC

Graham heads to Sorrowing Court to save Ahi'aorina from Dunstan and his imps to stop the continuing winter.

• 21 GC

Nearing her fifteenth birthday, Rosella, decides that she wants to run the kingdom while her family is away in a neighboring kingdom. She starts preparing for the Harvest Festival, and has a ancient stump removed, releasing a swarm of Weevils on the land. At the same a piper is traveling through the land leading a bunch of sloks to take them to a place where they won't cause trouble. Due to more mistakes by Rosella the sloks are freed. Rosella ultimately stops the sloks, and weevils and saves Daventry, before her parents get home.

Alexander-Gwydion and Rosella have their fifteenth birthday in the fall.

• 23 GC

A large metal object crashed into Castle Daventry's moat, , apparently causing it to drain. The was discovered to be a strange contraption.

• 24 GC

As Gwydion neared his 18th birthday, knowing that Manannan would soon kill him, he set a plan into motion to defeat the wizard and escape. During the later summer he traveled the lands of Llewdor, and learned from an oracle of his true identity and his sister's imminent death from the Three-Headed Dragon ravaging Daventry. He decided to travel Daventry to save her.

After a long voyage on a pirate ship, he reached Daventry. He was able to save his sister Rosella, and the kingdom of Daventry from the dragon. They return home and have a short reunion together.

Shortly after Rosella's rescue King Graham decided it was time to pass on his adventurer's cap. Gathering in his wife and two children, the King offered a grateful smile upwards, for each member of his family had given him great pride. Gazing down at his children, he couldn't help but see the glint of spirited valor in their eyes. Knowing the future of his kingdom would rest soundly in the hands of its future heir, he slowly lifted his hands to display the infamous adventurer's cap.

The joy of the reunion proved to be a strain on forty-two year old, Graham's heart he suffered a great heart attack. Rosella was overcome with grief and sat by the magic mirror wishing she could save him. Her sorrow traveled through the magic mirror and called forth The Good Fairy and Queen of Tamir, Genesta, who revealed to Rosella the existence of a magical fruit that could save her father's life. Rosella agreed to help Genesta, who in turn, used her magic to transport Rosella to the kingdom of Tamir. Once there, she vowed to both help the fairy queen and retrieve the mystical fruit.

After a long and perilous adventure, Rosella accomplished her goals by retrieving the magical fruit, defeating the evil fairy sorceress Lolotte, and returning Genesta's life preserving talisman to her. Genesta then returned her home so she could give the fruit to King Graham.

Soon after Rosella and Alexander had their eighteenth birthday.

Around this time, Alexander met the wizard Morowyn in Daventry, and learned about the spell the wizard had cast upon himself to stay alive.

Cassima is kidnapped by Mordack a friend of the Vizier Alhazred, and taken to his island, in hopes she will decide to wed him.

• 25 GC

Alexander returns after traveling several months abroad. The Large Oak Tree near castle Daventry is destroyed by lightning during a storm. Alexander sets out on a journey to the floating castle and saves his father soul from Telgrin. During this time Rosella was visiting Lycathia.

King Graham sets out for a walk near Lake Maylie on a beautiful spring day. While he is gone Mordack steals his castle and kidnaps his family. He is brought to Serenia by Cedric who points him in the right direction. After several side tracks in the land of Serenia, King Graham finally reaches Mordack's Island and saves his family and the princess Cassima. Alexander is smitten by Cassima falling in love with her. Cassima is sent back to the Land of the Green Isles, and the castle and the royal family are returned to Daventry. After being separated from Cassima, he instantly misses her and remorse for causing his parents trouble.

Cassima learns that her parents were killed while she was gone (less than two months after her return) and she is locked away by Abdul Alhazred who claims she is "sequestered in mourning".

Alexander visits Morowyn, Cyril and Princess Lydia at his house during early summer.

• 26 GC

Daventry celebrates the 25 year anniversary of forty four year old Graham's reign.

Soon after Alexander heads to Green Isles to rescue Cassima

About two months after the start of Alexander's journey, Shadrack sends a letter to Abdul Alhazred.

After the third month after, starting his journey Alexander discovers the green isles, and crashes upon the rocky shoals surrounding the islands.

Some six months after Cassima was locked away, Alexander saves Cassima. One week later, his family were at his wedding.

Alexander and Cassima began traveling from the Green Isles by ship to visit the Royal Family of Daventry.

Not long after Rosella (age 19) and Valanice were in Daventry's castle garden, Valanice wanted her to get married as she is reaching marriageable age. She traveled to Eldritch and Etheria, and saved Edger and his family. Only a short period of time had passed in Daventry while they were gone, due to Eldritch's time moving faster than Daventry's. When they returned to Daventry, they told Graham of their adventures.

Not long after Alexander and Rosella have their twentieth birthday.

28 GC

KQ8

29 GC

KQ9

KQ10

124 GC

A new magic fruit finishes growing on the Tree of Life.

• 525 GC

The date that the Witch of the Dark Forest is predicted to escape the Genie of the Bottle's bottle.

Significant Historical Events with Unknown Dates

Before 2000 BGC

• The Old Wood grows in Serenia.
• The fairies move into the Old Wood.
• Crispinophur leads the first Withdrawal from the Other World (Earth) onto the continent of Serenia.
• Daventry is founded thousands of years before KQ1. It was founded long after the creation of the Old Wood. It has shared a number of good and bad kings over the thousands of years of its existence.

Before 1 GC

• Rosella's Great-Grandfather, Graham's father successfully defeated the Dragon of Herenna.
• Some time before KQ1, Edward chooses Graham as his potential heir, making the still living Sir Hereward proud of his son.

Few Years After 25 GC

• The events of Mask of Eternity occur within a few years after KQ7. Graham is still alive, but older, and white-haired.

Eldritch Time

• Date Unknown

The Trolls of the Vulcanix Underground have been keepers of the volcano for one hundred generations.

• 130 BPB

Date given by Dr. Mort Cadaver to explain when the children of Ooga Booga died becoming the ghoul kids, and began terrorizing Ooga Booga for 130 years.

• 1 BPB

Rosella and Valanice save Eldritch and Etheria from destruction and defeat Malicia.

Grave Dates

• 1499-1598

The life of Rebecca Freeland.

• 1546

The death of Willy.

• 1553 (November 11th)

The date of death for Hiram Bennet.

• 1559-1626

The life of Lord Coningsby.

• 1564-1616

The life of William Shakespeare.

• 1575-1629

The life of Randolph Peter.

• 1634-1672

The life of a woman who had done her best.

• 1643

The death of Newberry Will.

• 1650-1669

The life of Betty Cowden.

• c. 1800's
  • Mary Ann Lowder dies from use of seidlitz powder (a powder marketed during the 1800s).
  • Simon Byrne kills a man while boxing, the man is buried in Innsmouth.

See also

• AKQ5 timeline

Notes

This is a list of the inconsistent references to time between the sources. It also includes a few additional references to time mentioned in different articles, interviews, etc.

As this timeline places the exact birthdate of the twins at five years after KQ1 it forces KQ7 to be within 25 years after KQ1 (twenty years after their birth). There is no room for adapting a twenty year version of the timeline.

As such it is very similar to the Anniversary timeline and KQ6 timeline with different period given for when their parents were married in each.

Examples:

• According to the King's Quest Companion, the king's quest games take place over the course of 20 or 25 years.
• The date of the first withdrawal is unclear. According to information in the Companion it apparently took place after the Ancient Ones had already become legend. According to the guidebook the last date the Ancient Ones had lived in Green Isles was about 1000 years before KQ6. This would mean the first withdrawal would have had to have taken place between 1000 BGC and 0 BGC. This has other issues with other information that suggests that Daventry was founded several millenia before KQ1 (which would suggest that withdrawal occured more than 1000 years before KQ1).
• Depending on the source Daventry was founded less than 1000 BGC (after the Ancients became legend) or over 2,000 years before KQ1. This timeline goes with the 2,000+ date, as it this timeline focuses on using the KQ4 manuals references.
• The introductory story in KQ2 manual originally implied that events of KQ2 took place one year after KQ1 (from the moment he saw Edward in the mirror). The novelization for KQ2 in the King's Quest Companion also states that KQ2 takes place one year after KQ1, mentioning that the Sorcerer had turned him to stone the year before.. The KQ4 manual, places of events of KQ2; three years after KQ1. The KQV Hintbook placed the events of KQ2 several years after KQ1 (implying it was more than two or three years).
• According to the KQV hintbook and an article in InterAction Magazine (Fall 1992) states that the twins were born 1 year after events of KQ2. According to KQ4 manual, the royal twins were born two years after KQ2. In the King's Quest Companion the twins were born about four years after KQ2.
• King's Quest: The Floating Castle, King's Quest V Hintbook, and an article in InterAction Magazine (Fall 1992) states that Alexander was 18 years old when he returned from Llewdor (or that 18 years had passed since Alexander was kidnapped). However, according to KQ3 (and several other sources) he and his sister were 17 when he returned from Llewdor.
• According to information in KQ3; the game took place during late summer (several references state that it is during summer, and the squirrels/chipmunks suggest that they are nearly done with storing their winter's supply of nuts). However, a reference in King's Quest Companion which states that Pan plays a "Maytime dance" could imply that KQ4 takes place during late spring/early summer. However, KQ4 begins directly at the end of KQ3 thus must be during the late summer as in KQ3. The companion does confirm that KQ4 takes place in summer, and states that the scents of summer hang delightfuly heavy (but neither mentions if its early or late summer). The KQ3 novel does not mention the season the story takes place in but only in reference to when Alexander was kidnapped the summer following the birth (although this could suggest that the twins were born in the summer, but its not specific). The KQ novel trilogy confirms that their birthdate was in early autumn.
• The KQV hintbook and the article in InterAction Magazine (Fall 1992) states that Alexander was kidnapped exactly six months after his birth, the KQC, and other sources suggest it was 1 year after his birth (he was captive for 17 long years). However this creates problems with other known details in relation to other sources; Alexander's was a few weeks (or days in some sources)  from his eighteenth birthday, the story took place during late summer (as per info in KQ3), and that See No Weevil places the twins birthdays in early autumn. If Alexander was born during early Autumn, as per See No Weevil and supported by KQ3, and kidnapped from the shores of Lake Maylie during the summer (according to King's Quest Companion), then it would imply that Alexander could have been kidnapped over ten months after his birthdate. The King's Quest Hintbook's six month reference (from autumn birthdate) would place his kidnapping roughly late winter, early spring.
• KQ5 takes place almost a year after KQ4 (23 GC) according to the KQV & KQ8 manuals, during following spring (24 GC). References within KQ6 states that Cassima was "locked in a room nearly six months", and Jollo mentions he had a chance to speak to her briefly before she was locked away. This could imply it was about six months after her rescue in KQ5. If so it would place KQ6 at about 24 years after KQ1. However the official King's Quest VI Hintbook by Lorelei Shannon places KQ6 at 25 GC, the same year as KQ7 ("...20th birthday...") which would be almost a year after KQ5. KQ6/7 taking place 25 years after KQ1 is supported in the King's Quest Companion. King's Quest Companion states that KQ6 takes place almost a year after KQV, and that Cassima was to be in seclusion for a year.. Granted, its possible that the "brief" period in which Cassima had time to speak to people of the castle, before being forced into seclusion by Alhazred would push her seclusion and Alexander's journey into the following year (say January), thus fitting the requirements for the 25th year date established in the KQ6 material (while maintaining the KQ4 manual references as this article tries to do).
• Note: the references in companion are likely approximations, that may be rounding the six - eight month period up. Still, even with that leeway, the 'six month' date, the KQ4 manual dates, and KQ2 manual dates do not fit together exactly.
• The exact timeframe for King's Quest: The Floating Castle is unclear. There are few locations that it could fit in relationship to details given within the book. The last major event mentioned early in the book is Alexander's escape from Manannan (and it is implied that he is at least eighteen). It also mentions that Alexander met the wizard Morowyn nine months before events of the book, he also appears to show no signs of depression (implying he has not yet met Cassima), the epilogue takes place in the following summer. This would mean that details given would place most of the book between KQ4 and KQ5. The epilogue would most likely have to take place after KQV.
• The date that the magic mirror was obtained is implied to be over 500 years in KQ1 manual, and over 200 years in King's Quest: The Floating Castle. As this timeline primarily is concerned with the KQ4 and the games, it focuses on the 500 year date. 500 is technically "over 200 years".
• At the end of the KQ1 remake its mentioned that an unspecific number of years of prosperity occurs following events of KQ1.
• In an article by Peter Spear in Interaction Winter 1992, King's Quest - A Landmark Game, he claimed that the game "Picks up about three months after King's Quest V ended" . It is actually said to about six months in the game.Granted, the context is likely referring to the castle Daventry scene, which is about three months before the game (and three months after KQ6 by Cassima's reckoning).The article was original published in questbusters magazine, and was published before the release of KQ6. It discusses several other prototype ideas.
• While the narrator in KQ4 calls him "old King Graham", Rosella states that Graham is still young. Several other sources claim that he was "old", as well.
• According to an interview from Roberta Williams she stated; "Between III and VI, there’s only a period of about two years."^{[citation needed]}
• It is said in several sources that Alexander was several weeks from his eighteenth birthday when KQ3 began. Exact amount is not clear.
• The KQ6 hintbook places Edward's death after Graham's coronation as well, however says he died scant hours after Graham was crowned king. KQ4 Manual for which this timeline is based on, places his death about a week after Graham's coronation. Some of the other sources, place Graham's coronation following Edward's death.

• Note: Eldritch time, due to time in world of Eldritch moving at a different rate than Daventry events in Eldritch may have happened only a couple of years or decades before the events of KQ7 from Daventry's POV, though from Eldritch's POV longer.

• Roberta apparently chose Connor, because she felt she couldn't do anything more with the Royal Family, King Graham was getting too old and Alexander was living in the Land of the Green Isles.
• Bears have existed for millions of years.

Behind the scenes

The manual for KQ4 contains several dates for KQ series events, and the game offers a couple more. The above timeline utilizes these dates.

• 2000+ BGC

Founding of Daventry

• 1000 BGC

Mummy is buried in the Crypt.

• 77 BGC

The magic fruit begins to grow.

• 0 GC

Graham finds the Three Great Treasures and returns to the castle and is made king.

About a week later Edward dies.

• 3 GC

About a week after Graham's third anniversary as king (on the eve of Edward's death), Graham sees Valanice in the mirror and journeys to save her.

• 5 GC

Twins are born.

• 23 GC

KQ3/KQ4 (not specifically mentioned in the manual, but was originally mentioned in KQ3)

• 123 GC

The new magic fruit finishes growing.