King's Quest VI: Heir Today, Gone Tomorrow/Castle of the Crown (Short Path)

This is the alternate path for finishing King's Quest VI. It won't get you as many points as the optimal path, nor the best ending, but it's worth playing through, particularly if you've already beaten the game by following the long path.

Getting a Suitable Lamp
Now that you're back on the Isle of the Crown, it's time for you to get into the castle. But you have a couple of things you need to do first.



For one thing, you have a white rose that you'd like to send to Cassima (assuming you picked another one from the rose bushes on the Isle of the Beast). Go to the tree at the fork in the road and USE the white rose on Sing Sing [1]. Sing Sing will fly off, and a brief cutscene will play where Cassima tells Sing Sing not to return to Alexander so as not to endanger him. Hmm, nothing else from Cassima? Well, hopefully you'll be seeing her soon enough. Head to the village and enter the pawn shop.



It looks like the genie is hanging around, disguised as an old man again. Wait, didn't Jollo suggest that you try to convince the vizier that you'd died? The Drink Me potion from the Isle of Wonder will allow you to fake your own death, and with the genie here, this is a golden opportunity. Assuming you picked up the potion, USE it on yourself in the pawn shop [3]. Alexander will very dramatically announce that he's killing himself with poison, drink the potion, and seemingly "die". The genie will be delighted, and head straight off to tell Alhazred the good news. Play close attention to the cutscene that follows, as it'll tell you something very important, namely what the genie's lamp looks like.



After the cutscene, Alexander will come to, leaving the pawn shop owner somewhat bemused at what just happened. The only thing left to do here is to get the nightingale: you'll need it in the castle. USE the tinderbox on the pawn shop owner, and take the nightingale. Leave the shop.

By happy coincidence, the lamp seller from the beginning of the game has returned to town, and just when you're ready to trade him an old lamp for a new one. USE the lamp on the lamp seller, and he'll give you a selection of lamps to choose from. You now know that the genie's lamp is blue, with a round base and a tall, thin neck. Use the HAND on the lamp that fits that description (it's the second one from the right) to take it [1]. The lamp seller will walk off, but not before rubbing the lamp you gave him. That one's a dud, but yours isn't: with a lamp that's an exact replica of the genie's, you may have a chance to acquire the genie's lamp and become his master.

Entering the Castle


It's now time to make your way into the castle. Walk to the castle, and you'll see a number of serving women entering to prepare for the wedding. Alexander's not the type to dress in drag ordinarily, but desperate times call for desperate measures, and you happen to have a way to disguise yourself as a serving woman. USE Beauty's clothes on Alexander [4], and he'll duck into the hut nearby and change into Beauty's clothes, after which the guards will let him into the castle. Apparently the guards paid no attention to Alexander walking up to the castle, since they didn't seem the least bit suspicious about him walking out of the hut in women's clothes. Nor did they notice what a manly-looking woman Alexander is. Maybe the guards really are as dumb as they look. But that's good news for you, as it got you into the castle.

Once Alexander gets into the castle, he'll quickly get rid of Beauty's clothes and change back into his regular apparel. You're now in the main entry hall: there are two staircases you can walk up. Go up the left staircase: if you walk up the right staircase, you'll be caught by the guards, and your game will be over.

Distracting the Guards


Once you get to the top of the left hallway, you'll quickly duck behind a wall to avoid some guard dogs, and overhear their conversation. Apparently Cassima has been begging to be let out of her room, but the guards are under strict orders to keep her "safe". They aren't very happy about keeping her locked in against her will, though. They also mention that the vizier is offering a reward for her missing nightingale. Of course, you know where Sing Sing is, but trying to collect that reward is probably not the best idea.



After the guards finish talking, they'll stand with their backs to you for a second, and then come back down the hall. You can try and make a break immediately for the alcove on the right side of the hallway, but you're likely to be caught. It's safer to wait for them to come down the hallway, and then head back again. Once they're nearly to the other end of the hallway, it's safe to head for the alcove. WALK directly to the alcove, and you'll enter it. If you do get caught, restore and try again.



Once you enter the alcove, you'll get a message saying that the guards are coming back down the hallway. Immediately use the HAND on the pillar to hide behind it. The guards will walk by, but they won't notice you. They'll then walk back the other way and pass you again. After they do so, immediately WALK into the hallway, and USE the nightingale on the carpet [4]. The guards are looking for a nightingale: maybe this will fool them. Hopefully these guards are as dumb as the ones outside.

Once you've used the nightingale, immediately WALK back into the alcove, and use the HAND on the pillar to hide behind it. If you've timed everything right and haven't gotten caught by the guards, the guards will come and investigate the nightingale without noticing you. After a brief discussion, they'll decide to bring this nightingale to Captain Saladin on the off chance that it's the one Cassima is missing. Thank goodness for stupid guards. The guards will then head downstairs, giving you time to explore up here. Don't waste any time, though: you only have about 5 minutes of real time before the guard dogs return.

Exploring the Castle
Once the guards are gone, you'll need to work fast. Use the HAND on the portrait to remove it from the wall [3], and use the HAND on the nail in the wall that the portrait was hanging on to take it [1]. Go into the hallway, and use the HAND on the middle door to enter the vizier's room.



There's an important-looking trunk by the vizier's bed, and the fact that it's locked makes you want to go through it even more. Fortunately, you've just acquired something that should help you pick the lock. USE the nail on the trunk to open it [1].

Inside the trunk is an interesting-looking letter. Use the HAND on the letter to take it [1]. Alexander will read it over: it's from the wizard Shadrack of the Black Cloak Society, congratulating Alhazred on his plans to isolate the islands from one another and seize power. Absolutely fiendish. But this is exactly the proof you need of the vizier's treachery.



There's also an ebony box on the table here: use the HAND on it to open it. LOOK at the piece of paper in the box [1]: it reads "zebu". You have no idea what that means, but it could be important. There's nothing else to do here, so head back into the hallway, and walk one screen north.

You're now in the north hallway: there's a single doorway here. TALK to the door to talk to Cassima. While Cassima is glad to hear from you, she'll tell you that you can't stay here and talk to her: you'll be caught for sure. She'll ask you to do what you can out there while she done what she can, and she'll also mention that she wants to get a weapon. That at least you can do for her: you happen to have a weapon which would be perfect for her, seeing as how you got it from another maiden. USE the dagger that Lady Celeste gave you on the doorway [3], and Cassima will take it.

You've done all you can with Cassima: you can continue talking to her, but she'll just tell you to leave before you get caught. You should take her advice. Go back to the alcove, and you'll get a message saying that you hear the guards coming. USE the nail on the wall to put it back, and use the HAND on the portrait to rehang it. Then use the HAND on the pillar to hide behind it, and wait for the guards to return.

Stopping the Wedding


Overhearing the guard's conversation will be proof that these guards are a bunch of idiots. Before they can finish their conversation, though, the genie will come out of his room and order the guards to secure things. The genie will then take Cassima somewhere, and the guards will complain about it and go to investigate. This is your cue to head for the main hall where you came in: you need to get down to the wedding, and while the guards are distracted, you can make it down there without getting caught.

WALK out of the alcove and down the stairs, and use the HAND on the doorway to enter the throne room. Maybe you'll be able to sneak into the wedding unnoticed. Or maybe not: Saladin will emerge from the throne room, and confront you in the main hallway. Because you're of royal blood, he'll give you five seconds to explain yourself before he runs you through, but it had better be good.



Quickly USE the letter from the vizier's bedroom on Saladin [3]: if you delay, he'll make good on his threat and kill you. The letter will do a good enough job of convincing Saladin that he'll let you into the wedding instead of killing you. To your astonishment, Cassima appears to be willingly marrying the vizier! But that's not possible, is it? You need to take a closer look and see for yourself. WALK forward to interrupt the wedding ceremony.



Understandably, Alhazred will be very displeased to see you there, and order Saladin to kill you. Saladin will want to hear those orders from Cassima before he obeys, though. Amazingly, Cassima will confirm the order, but what's going on with those glowing eyes of hers?! Zounds: "Cassima" is really the genie in disguise! You're going to need to make the genie reveal himself, but how?

Fortunately, you have just the thing for revealing the true form of a person: the Beast used it frequently to remind himself of the man he once was, and now is again. USE Beast's mirror on the genie [3]. The illusion will be broken, and the genie will transform back into his true self and start attacking the guards, while the vizier runs off. The guards can take care of themselves: after the vizier! WALK through the door in the back of the room that the vizier escaped from to chase him.

Battling the Vizier


After going through the rear door in the throne room, you'll see the vizier running up the stairs. Follow him until you reach the top of the tower. The vizier will be there, along with Cassima, who's tied up. The vizier will summon the genie, and order him to kill Alexander. The genie will prepare to do so, albeit reluctantly. You need to do something quickly, or the genie will make short work of you. Does the genie have any weaknesses you know about? Remember how intoxicated he got when he ate the mint in the pawn shop? That's his weakness, and you just happen to have some mint. USE the peppermint from the Isle of the Sacred Mountain on the genie [1]. The genie will be unable to resist it, and after he eats it, his dazzle ball spell will go wild. In fact, it'll go so far astray that instead of hitting Alexander, it'll hit the genie and kill him. With the genie dead, Alhazred has just been deprived of his most valuable weapon. But Alhazred isn't ready to give up yet: he'll draw a sword and come at you.

You're not going to be able to reason with Alhazred, so you'd better arm yourself. Use the HAND on the sword on the wall to pick it up [1]. Well, at least try to pick it up: the thing apparently weighs a ton. But it's better than nothing, and you'd better use it before the vizier can run you through. USE the sword on the vizier to fight him [1].



After a short animated sequence of Alexander and the vizier fighting, the game will display a message that Alexander is nearing exhaustion from the weight of the sword. But before the vizier can kill Alexander, Cassima will cut herself free and stab him with the dagger that Alexander gave her earlier. The wound won't be fatal, but it'll distract the vizier, and give Alexander a chance to act. USE the sword on the vizier to knock him out [5].

Congratulations! You've beaten King's Quest VI with 184 out of 231 points, the maximum possible on the short path.