Batlin

Batlin is one of the main enemies of the Avatar in Ultima VII and Ultima VII/2. He is a druid of considerable magical powers, and the main servant of the Guardian in Britannia.

Batlin was born in Yew, and grew up with the Druids. As a young adult, he started to travel throughout the land, meeting Elizabeth and Abraham during that time. He went to Skara Brae during that time, and asked Cain for the answers to life and death. When Batlin learned there were none, he concluded: "No meanings. No virtues. No values." That was the beginning of his darkness. Contacted by the Guardian a short time later, he, Elizabeth and Abraham created the Fellowship in their hunger for power, to enable the Guardian to take over the lands of Britannia.

By Ultima VII, the Fellowship had grown considerably, and Batlin was a well-liked and famous man, hiding his evilness behind a front of peacefulness. Batlin prepared everything for the imminent arrival of the Guardian. It was then, when he met the Avatar, and thought that he could sway him/her to the Fellowship. Only after the destruction of the Cube Generator, did he realize that the Avatar was ready to stop the Guardian, and fled out of Britain. At the Battle at the Black Gate, Batlin fled after Hook's death.

Batlin hid a while in Britannia, before he was contacted by the Guardian to go to the Serpent Isle, where he should capture the three Banes of Chaos, and open the Walls of Light, to enable the Guardian to come into this reality. Batlin however, had other plans. Travelling through the land, he stole many artifacts on his quest.

Batlin, by Ultima VII/2, had all the Banes, and prepared to become powerful himself, by going through the Walls of Light in Spinebreaker himself, instead of letting the Guardian through. But since he had the wrong Blackrock Serpent, his plan failed. The Guardian, disappointed in Batlin, killed him for this on the spot.

Trivia

 * Batlin is a clear parody of L. Ron Hubbard, the founder of The Church of Scientology.
 * Batlin is under the protection of the Guardian. He survives Armageddon. And Arcadion, when the Black Sword with the death power is used on Batlin, says: "He is protected by one much stronger than I!"
 * Batlin claims in The Book of Fellowship to have mastered all three of Britannia's disciplines (Fighter, Bard, and Mage), although this may simply be propaganda.