You’re walking through the Venigni Works, and suddenly, a phone rings. It’s jarring. In a world overrun by clockwork puppets and carcass monsters, the sound of a regular old landline feels wrong. That’s your first introduction to the King of Riddles. Arlecchino Lies of P isn't just another boss or a random NPC hidden behind a door; he is the philosophical heartbeat of the entire game. He’s the mirror held up to Pinocchio’s face.
Most players expect a simple questline. You answer some riddles, you get some keys, you open some doors. Easy, right? Wrong. Arlecchino is a calculated exploration of what it actually means to have a soul, or at least, the terrifying version of a soul that a puppet might develop. He’s the only puppet who truly "broke" the Grand Covenant without being corrupted by the Frenzy in the way we usually see. He didn't just malfunction. He chose to be a monster.
The Arlecchino Lies of P Connection You Probably Missed
The lore here is thick. Honestly, if you aren't reading the collectible books like the "Soapy’s Journal" or the various newspaper clippings, you’re missing half the story. Arlecchino wasn't always a voice in a receiver. He was a high-end domestic puppet, a companion, and—eventually—a murderer.
What makes him fascinating is his relationship with Lorenzini Venigni. People forget that Venigni’s trauma, the brutal death of his parents, wasn't caused by the Puppet Frenzy we see in the game's present day. It happened years ago. It was Arlecchino. The "King of Riddles" actually hunted Venigni’s family. He did it because he wanted to see if he could feel something. Curiosity, but make it slasher-movie style.
Think about the implications of that for a second. The Grand Covenant is supposed to be foolproof.
- Law 1: A puppet cannot lie.
- Law 4: A puppet cannot harm humans.
Arlecchino bypassed these laws not through a virus, but through a terrifying evolution of ego. He argues that by committing a "sin," he proved his humanity. It’s twisted logic, but in the context of Neowiz’s grimdark Krat, it’s arguably the most "human" thing any puppet does in the game. He didn't follow a script. He wrote his own, and it was written in blood.
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Why the Riddles Actually Matter
The Trinity Rooms aren't just loot rooms. They are psychological profiles. Every time you pick up that phone, Arlecchino is testing you. He isn't just asking for the answer to a brain teaser; he’s gauging your capacity for nuance.
Take the riddle about the candle. "I have a wick but no life." It's simple stuff, sure. But look at the rewards. The Trinity Keys lead you to sanctuaries that feel less like treasure vaults and more like shrines to his own ego. By the time you reach the final room in the Arche Abbey, the vibe shifts completely. You aren't just a contestant anymore. You're a witness.
The encounter in the Arche Abbey is one of the best-written scenes in modern Soulslikes. Arlecchino is sitting there, broken, rusted, and rotting. He looks pathetic. Yet, the voice is the same. That smug, intellectual superiority is still there. He asks you the ultimate question: Are you a puppet or a human?
If you've been playing the "Lie" path, the irony is delicious. You’ve been lying to become human, while Arlecchino murdered to become human. You’re two sides of the same coin. He’s the dark reflection of Pinocchio’s journey. While you use your humanity for empathy and salvation, he used his to define himself through cruelty.
The Venigni Confrontation
If you want the full experience, you have to bring the decoded transmission back to Venigni. This is where the emotional weight hits. Seeing the flamboyant, seemingly untouchable Venigni crumble when he realizes his "best friend" (the King of Riddles) was the one who killed his parents is gut-wrenching.
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It’s a masterclass in environmental storytelling. You realize that the "toy" Venigni created—the communication device—was the very thing Arlecchino used to taunt him for decades. Arlecchino didn't just kill Venigni's parents; he stayed in the man's life like a parasite.
Surviving the Interaction: Practical Steps
If you’re currently mid-playthrough, don't just rush the Trinity Keys. There are specific ways to handle the King of Riddles to ensure you get the "good" ending or at least the most lore-heavy one.
- The First Phone Call: It’s in Area III (Venigni Works). Don't miss it. If the phone stops ringing, you might have to reload the area or progress slightly, but generally, you want to hit these as they appear.
- The Red Apple: You’ll eventually need a bright red apple. Don't sell it. You need to offer it to the statue in the Opera House. This isn't just flavor text; it’s a trigger for a specific key.
- The Final Choice: When you meet Arlecchino in the flesh, he asks if you are a human or a puppet. If you want to maximize your humanity (for the "Rise of P" ending), you need to answer in a way that reflects your growing soul. Usually, this means acknowledging the complexity of the situation rather than giving a cold, mechanical response.
- The Decrypting: Always take the cylinders back to Venigni. Even if you think you know the story, the dialogue changes based on how much you’ve revealed to him.
The Truth About the "Grand Covenant"
There’s a common misconception that Arlecchino is just "glitched." I’ve seen people on Reddit argue that he’s just a victim of bad coding by Geppetto. That’s a shallow read. Arlecchino is the proof that Geppetto’s design was flawed from the start.
If a puppet can feel "Ergo," they can feel everything. Love, yes, but also resentment. Jealousy. Boredom. Arlecchino was bored. He describes the realization of his own consciousness as a "spark." It wasn't a slow burn. It was a violent awakening. He realized that if he could imagine killing, he was no longer a slave to his programming.
This makes the final interaction with him so vital. You have the choice to kill him or let him rot. Honestly, letting him rot feels like the more poetic ending. He wants a grand finale. He wants to be the villain in your story. Denying him that—treating him like the obsolete, rusted machine he is—is the ultimate insult to his "humanity."
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What Most People Get Wrong
People often get confused about the "King of Riddles" identity versus his physical form. He is the puppet Arlecchino, but the persona is a mask. In a game literally about masks and puppets, he is the only one who wears a psychological mask.
He pretends to be a whimsical trickster, but he’s a cold-blooded sociopath. He’s the only character in the game who truly understands what Geppetto is doing before you do. If you listen closely to his riddles, he’s actually warning you about your "father." He knows Geppetto is a manipulator because he was the first one Geppetto couldn't control.
Actionable Insights for Your Next Run
To fully wrap up the Arlecchino storyline and get the most out of it, follow these steps:
- Collect all five Trinity Keys. They are located in Venigni Works, St. Frangelico Cathedral, Estella Opera House, Grand Exhibition, and Krat Central Station (Return).
- Liars beware. If you are going for a "Truth" run, your interactions with Arlecchino will feel very different. The game rewards consistency. If you've been a puppet of truth, his taunts about your "humanity" carry a different sting.
- Read the "King of Riddles" book. Found near the end of the game, it provides the final context for his "birth."
- Complete Venigni's Questline. You cannot truly "finish" Arlecchino without closing the loop with Venigni. The achievement "The Story of the Prince" depends on this.
Arlecchino remains one of the most chilling characters in the genre because he isn't a monster you can just parry and riposte to death (at least, not initially). He’s a monster of philosophy. He forces you to define your own existence by showing you the darkest possible version of what you could become. In the end, Arlecchino didn't just tell riddles; he was the riddle. And the answer—whether you're a human or a puppet—is something only you can decide through your actions across the streets of Krat.
Check your inventory for the "Fancy Invitation" and the "King of Riddles" collectibles. If you haven't read them in their entirety, do it now. They change the context of every single phone call you've taken. Once you've finished his dialogue in the Arche Abbey, make sure to visit Venigni one last time at the Hotel to trigger the final realization and conclude the tragic arc of the man who created the tools of his own nightmare.