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Merlin

Merlyn Ambrosius (aka Merlin) is a wizard from the Isle of Gramarye, from the kingdom of Camelot.

Background[]

He is a member of the Wizard's Institute of Technocery, and thus a sponsor to new initiates. Merlin and Archimedes the owl, his familiar, were known as one of the greatest magical teams.[1] He once said that "Magic is the essence and the soul of life, and the Magician is her poet".[2] He was the legendary magician of King Arthur's Court.[3]

He refused to sponsor newcomers to the W.I.T. whom he didn't know.

His liege is the great king, Arthur of Pendragon.

Titles[]

  • Merlyn Ambrosius
  • Merlin
  • Trismagister
  • Wizard of the Isle of Gramarye

Behind the scenes[]

The references and background of Merlin in the Quest for Glory series come from at least two different literary works.

  • The spelling Merlyn and reference to the Isle of Gramarye, and Archimedes the owl are literary references to T. H. White's The Once and Future King and The Book of Merlyn. The artwork in the game is based off Merlyn from Disney's The Sword in the Stone which in itself was based off a section of White's book.
  • The name "Ambrosius" is a reference to Merlin Ambrosius, a name originally introduced by Geoffrey of Monmouth.

In addition there is a token nod to Conquests of Camelot if you look at the picture.

  • That's funny! He doesn't look anything like the way Peter Ledger drew him in Conquests of Camelot.

"Merlin" is a character that appears in "Conquests of Camelot".

According to King's Quest series and related material, the Magic Mirror of Daventry is Merlin's Mirror. According to the King's Quest Companion, First Edition; some believe Merlin had passed away, and the Magic Mirror was interred inside of his tomb. It was later rediscovered and became the property of Daventry. According to additional material added in the Second Edition, it is said that some believe that the Wizard Crispin and Cedric the Owl are actually Merlin and Archimedes living in the land of Serenia under assumed identities.

Though Merlin appears in and/or is mentioned in material related to other Sierra games, the Quest for Glory only makes a brief Sierra injoke towards the Conquests series. Although primarily he is a composite of both literary and Hollywood interpretations of the wizard.

References[]

  1. Hero Magazine : Issue IV - The Journal of General Job Adjusting
  2. Quest for Glory 1, misquoted by Erasmus
  3. Narrator (QFG2):"the portrait of Merlyn, the legendary magician of King Arthur's Court."

External links[]

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