Land of Kolyma

Kolyma (KQ6 era)

Map of Kolyma (KQ2)

Land of Kolyma refers to more or less the regions that make up the western half of the kingdom of Kolyma (western Kolyma), and is the region visited in the games.

Depending on the source and context this is also sometimes referred to as the Kingdom of Kolyma (or 'kingdom of Kolyma'), and is said to be the homeland of Valanice. It is the tropical land of Kolyma, from whence she came.

Background

To the south and east of the continent of Serenia, there is the tropical land of Kolyma, from whence Valanice came. It lies nearby Daventry to its south, but still faraway across the Southern Sea. It bathes in balmy breezes, sea laps its beaches with waves like warm, green tongues. Mermaids sun themselves there and sing the songs that capture people's souls and haunt them always with liquid melodies and the rhythm of eternal tides. The King of the Sea, Neptune, keeps his court and throne near its western shore, so the winds are always gentle there and the skies forever blue and clear.

Few inhabit the western part of Kolyma, despite its beauty. Simple monks give shelter to occasional travelers, lest they be caught outdoors after dark, for vampyres hunt the land at night, with ghouls and ghosts as their grim companions. These undead are truly evil, not like the restless sort of spirit who sometimes haunts the living, seeking release from its torments. The vampyres rule the dark from a cold castle on an island in the middle of a lake so poisonous that a stray splash is fatal.

For these reasons, most good folk make their homes on the eastern side of Kolyma, separated by a spine of high mountains and a great chasm from the greater horrors. The royal family live in a castle there. Only a magic door grants passage from east to west, and even this will send someone elsewhere if they have not the proper key. A great strangeness folds the western land back upon itself to both the north and the south, forever bringing travelers back to where they started. All these barriers have, with only occasional exceptions, kept the Children of the Night isolated.

The western side of Kolyma folds back upon itself to both the north and south, forever bringing travelers back to where they started. Geographers say that the "magical law of "containment" operates in the western part of the continent. For reasons forgotten, or perhaps it was whimsy on the part of the multiverse--movement to both the north and south in this part of Kolyma eventually turned back upon itself, contained as if inside some transparent cosmic doughnut. East and west, one could travel at will until confronted by more physical barriers--the sea or mountains for instance--but those that journeyed far enough north of south, would always get back to where they started. Graham traveled to the kingdom of Kolyma. It was there where he searched for the keys which unlock the three doors to the enchanted land, to reach the Crystal Tower.

Graham traveled to the kingdom of Kolyma. It was there where he searched for the keys which unlock the three doors to the enchanted land, to reach the Crystal Tower. Upon returning to western Kolyma using the Amulet, Graham and Valanice's wedding ceremony  took place in a small chapel in her homeland.

Geography

The Land of Kolyma (western Kolyma) divided into West Kolyma and East Kolyma. Which are individually divided into Northwest Kolyma and Southwest Kolyma and Northeast Kolyma and Southeast Kolyma. 

East Kolyma should not be mixed up with 'eastern side of Kolyma'/'eastern Kolyma' which lies to the east beyond the mountains outside of the Land of Kolyma proper. The Land of Kolyma is the entire region of western side of Kolyma lieing to the west of the mountains.

Kolyma is located southeast of the kingdom of Daventry and directly south of Land of the Green Isles in the Southern Sea. Though at the time of Gwydion's escape it was located almost directly south of the continent of Daventry, but has since drifted to the southeast.

The Antique shop is located located directly east of Dracula's castle next to the mountain range. It is north of the chasm.

The Monastery of the Blessed Wilbury is located to the southwest of the chasm (or to the far north due to the magical law of Containment). It is where King Graham was married to Valanice.

The mountains in the eastern part of Kolyma are unscalable.

According to one map in a region south of the mountains and the chasm just outside of the Magical law of "containment" is a grove of palm trees, while palms are known to grow along the western shore, and possibly beyond the mountains in eastern Kolyma as well. This grove indicates that they also grow to the south possibly along the southern beaches or that it is an oasis ons a southern desert.

For whatever reason the Crystal Tower on the Enchanted Island is often included on Derek Karlavaegen maps as part of the Land of Kolyma. Though in most maps and accounts the Enchanted Isles are a far away land, or even in another dimension.

Gallery

Map Kolyma and continent (KQ4 era)

Map of Kolyma (KQ5 era)

Landmarks

• Poisoned Lake (crosses between both West and East Kolyma)
• Neptune's Kingdom
• Southern Sea

West Kolyma (Northwest Kolyma & Southwest Kolyma)

• Mermaid Rocks (Mermaid Beach)
• Ocean Rocks
• Hagatha's Cave
• Grandma's House
• Dwarf Tree
• Castle Dracula (Dracula's Castle)
• Blue Lake

East Kolyma (Northeast Kolyma & Southeast Kolyma)

• Monastery of the Blessed Wilbury
• Ye Olde Antique Shoppe (Antique Store)
• Top of the Cliffs
• Bottomless Chasm
• Magic Door
• Forest Mountain (Top of the Cliffs)
• Bridge

Enchanted Isles/Enchanted Island

• Crystal Tower

Other

• Red Riding Hood's Area
• Fairy's Area
• Enchanter's Area
• Hagatha's Area
• Dwarf's Area

Behind the scenes

In KQ2 and its prologue only the Land of Kolyma (also referred to as a kingdom) is mentioned as being the home of Valanice. It also may suggest that the Enchanted Island is considered part of the realm (though at least one version of the box states its in another dimension instead). By the context of the prologue it would even go as far to suggest her homeland is in the Land of Kolyma which Graham visits in the game (so-called western Kolyma in the Companion). But its never clear where she once lived in the kingdom. Though oddly, the game does seem to bring her back to the Monastery via the use of the Home Amulet. There is no evidence of any 'eastern Kolyma'.

The KQ2 Hintbook split the Land of Kolyma into four parts, in its maps. The first and second edition of the The Official Book of King's Quest listed these areas as Northwest, Southwest, Northeast, and Southeast Kolyma respectively. By the third edition of the Official Book it was just split into East and West Kolyma maps.

The King's Question Companion added the reference to there being another 'eastern Kolyma' beyond the mountains. Only hinting about certain details about it being where Valanice's family was from, and being population center for the kingdom. To try to explain why Land of Kolyma seemed so uninhabited and remote.

The King's Quest Novels never actually mention Kolyma specifically, but do talk about Valanice coming from another land, and growing up in a castle there. But never specifies what castle it was talking about. Some fans speculate that Castle Dracula was once Kolyma's castle, and where Valanice grew up. But only the Companion states that her family lived beyond the mountains.

The full name of the land according to one bit of narration is the Kingdom of Kolyma (though this line doesn't appear to have made it into the final game, or is at least randomized), and also described as the land of Kolyma. This means that the land is likely ruled by it's own royalty. The King's Quest Companion calls it (or rather the map of the 'western' area visited by Graham in in the game) as the Land of Kolyma and describes it as a kingdom. It mentions that the land has princes of which Cedric, the father of Valanice belongs. Valanice was a princess of the land. Dracula appears to be another prince and count of the land, he ruled over western Kolyma.

Interestingly enough, while the two lakes to the east of the Poisonous Lake can be seen from the mountain top, the Antique Shop cannot not be seen in between them, despite the fact that it is a rather large landmark (similar in size to each lake).

On Earth, the Kolyma region is located in the far north-eastern area of Russia in what is commonly known as Siberia but is actually part of the Russian Far East. The region is the location of the Kolyma River and mountain range. This is largely unlike the Kolyma in KQ, but is likely inspiration for the name.

KQ2 states that it lies nearby Daventry this likely suggests it is located within a day or two (or a week at the most) of Daventry's shores. The Official Book of King's Quest on the other hand describes Kolyma as being "distant" to Daventry.

Depending on the version of the Official Book of King's Quest, the land is divided into regions (somewhat arbitrarily and with disregard of the looping):

1st and 2nd editions divides the land into Northeast Kolyma, Northwest Kolyma, Southeast Kolyma, and Southwest Kolyma.

Third Edition divides Daventry into East Kolyma and West Kolyma, West Llewdor and East Llewdor

The first two editions of King's Quest Companion books also divide the Land of Kolyma (western Kolyma) in half between western and eastern halves. To go along with this the mountains are described as being in 'eastern part of Kolyma' in the novel.

Some fans speculate that Castle Dracula used to be Valanice's and her family's castle. Although this is not ever confirmed, and is potentially denied in the King's Quest Companion (based on where it says her family's homeland is). The novels never mention the name of her country but does confirm she grew up in a castle (but never specifies where that castle was located).