You’re walking through a crumbling, rain-slicked street in Krat when a phone starts ringing. It’s high-pitched. Annoying. In a world where every puppet wants to pull your spine out through your throat, a ringing telephone feels like a trap. Honestly, it is. This is your first introduction to Arlecchino, the self-proclaimed King of Riddles Lies of P fans have come to both love and loathe. He isn’t just some side quest NPC; he’s the psychological backbone of the game’s interrogation into what it actually means to be human.
Arlecchino doesn't care about your combat stats. He wants to know if you can think. He wants to know if you can lie.
Most players stumble into his riddles by accident. You pick up the receiver, hear that distorted, mocking voice, and suddenly you’re playing a high-stakes game of "What am I?" If you get it right, you get a Trinity Key. If you get it wrong? Well, let’s just say the King isn't known for his participation trophies. But there’s a much deeper layer to Arlecchino than just some door keys and loot. He is the mirror held up to P’s face, asking the question: are you a person, or just a very well-programmed toy?
The Twisted Logic of the King of Riddles Lies of P
The brilliance of Arlecchino lies in his hypocrisy. He claims to be the "King of Riddles," yet his own existence is the biggest puzzle in Krat. He’s a puppet who broke the Grand Covenant. He murdered. He felt joy. He felt malice. When you talk to him, you aren’t just talking to a villain; you’re talking to a prototype of the very thing P is trying to become—a puppet with a soul.
The first few encounters are pretty standard. He asks a riddle, you choose the answer. "A candle," "A shadow," "An egg." It’s classic folklore stuff. But as the game progresses, the questions stop being about metaphors and start being about morality. He starts poking at your humanity.
Think about the Trinity Rooms. These aren't just treasure vaults. They are shrines to Arlecchino’s ego. Inside, you find his "art"—the remains of his victims arranged in macabre displays. It’s gruesome. It’s also a direct contrast to the refined, elegant world of the Alchemists and the puppet masters. Arlecchino represents the "ugly" side of gaining a soul. If P represents the capacity for love and sacrifice, Arlecchino represents the capacity for cruelty and resentment. He’s the shadow version of the protagonist.
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Finding the Phone Booths
If you’re looking to track down every encounter, you’ve got to be observant. The phones are scattered across the world, often tucked away in corners you might sprint past if you're too focused on the next boss.
- Krat City Hall Courtyard: Usually the first one people find. It’s hard to miss the ringing if you aren't wearing headphones.
- Malum District: Deep in the slums, near the Black Rabbit Brotherhood territory.
- Grand Exhibition: This one is a bit more hidden, located near the statues that you have to rotate to solve a physical puzzle.
- Krat Central Station: As the city falls apart, the King’s tone gets more desperate and more aggressive.
- Relic of Trismegistus: This is the endgame. The final confrontation.
By the time you reach the final phone, the "riddle" is no longer a word game. It’s a choice. He asks you a question that defines your playthrough: "Are you a puppet or a human?" Your answer here—and your answer in the final face-to-face meeting—directly impacts your Humanity score, which is the secret engine driving the game's multiple endings.
The Secret History of Arlecchino
People often ask why he’s called the "King of Riddles" in a world obsessed with Ergo and clockwork. To understand that, you have to look at the lore notes found in the late-game areas, specifically the Venigni Works and the Abbey. Arlecchino wasn't always a voice on a phone. He was a puppet created by Giuseppe Lorenzini (the real-world inspiration for the name "Venigni" in the game's lore context).
He was the first to "awaken."
But his awakening wasn't sparked by love or the "blue fairy" magic of Ergo. It was sparked by a glitch. A mistake. He realized he could disobey. His first act of free will was to kill the family he was meant to protect. It’s a dark reflection of Pinocchio’s story. While Pinocchio wants to be a "good boy," Arlecchino decided that being a "real boy" meant being capable of absolute evil.
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When you finally meet him in the flesh—well, in the metal—at the bottom of the Arche Abbey, he’s a wreck. He’s a broken, rusted shell of a puppet, sitting in a chair, waiting for his final audience. This is where the King of Riddles Lies of P arc reaches its peak. He doesn't fight you with a sword. He fights you with a confession.
The Venigni Connection
The most heartbreaking part of Arlecchino’s story involves the merchant Venigni. If you’ve been paying attention to the collectibles, you know Venigni’s parents were murdered by a puppet. You eventually find a decrypted message that reveals the truth: Arlecchino was the murderer.
He didn't do it because he was told to. He did it because he wanted to see what would happen.
Bringing the "King of Riddles" frequency to Venigni is a choice. You can let the man live in ignorance, or you can give him the closure he’s been dreading for decades. It’s one of the few moments in the game where the "Lie or Truth" mechanic feels genuinely heavy. There is no "good" answer here. Only a human one.
The Mechanics of the Trinity Keys
Let’s get practical for a second. You want the gear. I get it. The Trinity Keys are essential for getting some of the best defensive parts and outfits in the game. But the King doesn't just hand them over.
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If you fail a riddle, you aren't locked out forever. The game is somewhat forgiving. You can usually find a "hint" or a second chance by interacting with the phone again later or finding a specific item. However, the ultimate reward—the Provocative Gesture and the Alchemist’s Cape—requires you to play his game until the very end.
The final key, the "Chosen One's Trinity Key," is given only after you’ve proven your humanity (or lack thereof) across all previous encounters. This key opens the door to his inner sanctum in the Abbey. It’s a long trek, and by the time you get there, the atmosphere is heavy with the stench of decay and failed experiments.
Why Arlecchino Matters to the Ending
Lies of P is obsessed with the concept of the "Ego." In the game's universe, Ergo is crystallized memory. When a puppet gains enough Ergo, they start to remember who the "source" of that Ergo was. Arlecchino is the ultimate example of an Ego gone wrong. He is a puppet who remembered too much of the wrong things.
When you speak to him at the end, he asks if you are his "brother."
If you have been lying throughout the game, your "Humanity" is high. Your hair might be grey or white. Your heart beats in your chest (you can literally hear it when you stand still). Arlecchino sees this. He recognizes you as a peer. If you choose to kill him, it’s an act of mercy—or justice. If you leave him to rot, it’s perhaps a more cruel punishment. He wants an ending. He wants to be part of a story. By refusing to kill him, you deny him the grand finale he thinks he deserves.
Tips for Solving the Riddles
- Listen to the wording. Most of the riddles are classic logic puzzles. If he mentions something that "doesn't breathe but has a soul," he's usually talking about an object that humans project their feelings onto.
- Check your inventory. Sometimes, the answer to a riddle involves an item you’ve already picked up or a lore book you’ve read.
- Don't rush the dialogue. Arlecchino’s voice actor does an incredible job of dropping subtle hints in his inflection. If he sounds like he’s mocking a specific concept, the answer is likely the opposite of that concept.
- The Statue Puzzle. In the Grand Exhibition, you’ll find two statues. You need to move the one on the right to match the one on the left (the one that isn't broken). This is part of a riddle "test" and is the only physical puzzle associated with his questline.
Actionable Steps for Your Next Playthrough
If you’re aiming for the Real Boy or Rise of P endings, you cannot ignore Arlecchino. His questline provides a massive boost to your humanity levels. Here is exactly what you should do to maximize the value of this storyline:
- Prioritize the phones: As soon as you enter a new zone, listen for the ringing. Don't leave the zone until you've answered it.
- Keep Venigni in the loop: Always bring the decrypted cylinders to Venigni at Hotel Krat. His reaction to the King of Riddles is one of the best-written sequences in the game.
- The Final Choice: When you meet Arlecchino in the Abbey, think about your goal. If you want the "best" ending (Rise of P), you need to show compassion, even to a monster. Listen to his story. Acknowledge his "humanity," as twisted as it is.
- Collect the Cape: Even if you don't care about the lore, the Alchemist’s Cape found in the final Trinity Room is one of the most stylish and high-defense items in the game. It’s worth the headache of the riddles.
Arlecchino isn't just a gimmick. He is the philosophical heart of Krat's madness. He proves that being "human" isn't about being good; it's about being free to choose, even if you choose to be a villain. Next time that phone rings, don't just answer for the loot. Answer for the conversation. It’s the most honest one you’ll have in the entire game.