Jhelom

Jhelom is the city situated on the Valorian Isles in the southwestern seas of Britannia.

Description
Jhelom is dedicated to the virtue of Valor, and as such has long been a stomping ground for fighters, warriors and mercenaries. Jhelom has often been a bit of a wild location as a result, with duels often undertaken as a means of conflict resolution. Due to its focus on the arts of war, Jhelom has long had a thriving arms and armour trade, in addition to hosting an array of trainers and a thriving hospitality industry, which caters to the often transient brawlers who are attracted to the towne. The armouries of Jhelom, due to its focus on battle, are therefore well-stocked with the best weapons and armor. For a time, it was also home to the famous Library of Scars, a school of martial training renowned for the ruthlessness and skill of its students.

A moongate on the Jhelom's western isle has long ensured fast transportation to the mainland.

History
Jhelom was founded sometime after the destruction of Exodus, during Lord British's renaissance of arts and sciences that heralded in the beginning of the Age of Enlightenment.

Age of Enlightenment
In  Ultima IV, with the development of the Quest of the Avatar and the spread of the Eight Virtues, the city became devoted to Valor. The city, or at least is walls, seemed to have been recently built during the time when the Stranger first visited Jhelom, as their architect Nostro was found still alive, albeit very near death, having been walled up within them. It was during this age that Geoffrey first joined with the Stranger in the hero's quest for Avatarhood.

By the time of  Ultima V, the city, like most of Britannia's major settlements, fell victim to the Shadowlords. When the Avatar came to the city, the hero found that Goeth, Jhelom's elected member of the Great Council had fallen to a strange madness, rendering him unable to communicate normally. The walls of Jhelom were used to enforce a strict curfew and closed at night, essentially turning the city into a massive fortress that no one could enter or leave - though a secret passage did exist to get out of town.

Later, in the age of the  Ultima VI, Jhelom had begun to earn its reputation as a rough town, with brawls breaking out frequently. The mayor at the time, Lord Zellivan, proposed a tournament of strength to determine who should carry the Rune of Valor. Farcically, the contest ended with rat stealing the unguarded rune, and it was only with the assistance of Sherry, an intelligent mouse, that the Avatar was able to reclaim the artifact. During that time, the walls had already been torn down, allowing the city to grow.

Age of Armageddon
Over the next two hundred years, the city expanded onto the western Valorian isle, and its cutthroat nature intensified. The Library of Scars was founded, and brought with it a sentiment of violence. Dueling became the official pastime of Jhelom, and Master De Snel, head of the Library, used his prowess to browbeat the city's inhabitants to his whims. By  Ultima VII, even Joseph, the mayor of Jhelom, feared to act against De Snel.

The Avatar, when saving the life of unlucky tavern owner Sprellic, learned first-hand how uncivilized the fighters had become under the influence of the Library of Scars and eventually uncovered De Snel's past work as an assassin for the Fellowship, a seemingly benign philosophical society with clandestine inner workings. Upon confronting De Snel, the hero was attacked, and was forced to slay the fighter. Syria, a warrior woman from the south, was eventually installed as De Snel's replacement, although her effect on the political arenas of Jhelom has been lost to history.

Later, Jhelom was lost to the world when the eight columns of the Guardian erupted from the Britannian earth, causing a great geological cataclysm. This upheaval was the font of volcanic eruptions which destroyed Jhelom, burying it under the sea. By  Ultima IX, the fighters of Jhelom had largely resettled in the dangerous city of Valoria.

Lore




Ultima IV

 * Aesop: small man
 * Bengrod: fighter
 * Geoffrey: Companion
 * Gravnor: grave fighter
 * Lady Donna: shepherd
 * Lord Robert (Jhelom): mysterious warrior
 * Luke: ranger
 * Max (U4): housekeeper
 * Nostro: architect
 * Senora: beautiful mage
 * Sir Hrothgar: mighty warrior
 * Sir William: noble fighter
 * Slithe: valiant warrior
 * Timrod: thin fighter
 * X: strange person
 * Nameless Gate Guard (Jhelom): stern guard

Shopkeepers:
 * Celestial: tavern keeper of The Bloody Pub
 * Smirk: proprietor of The Inn of Ends
 * Triplet: proprietor of Heal and Health
 * Valiant: proprietor of Valiant's Armour
 * Willard: proprietor of Willard's Weaponry



Ultima V

 * Bantral: shipbuilder with Island Shipwrights
 * Bullwier: weaponmaker
 * Goeth: member of the Great Council
 * Gremnor: innkeeper at the Warrior's Stead
 * Nicole: barkeep at The Sword and Keg
 * Nomaan: blacksmith at Naughty Nomaan's
 * Thorne: fighter
 * Trian: bard

Ultima V: Lazarus

 * Ean: former mayor
 * Fel: mayor
 * Jonus: Guard Captain
 * Shannon: trainer

Ultima VI

 * Arvin: cook
 * Culham: musician
 * Heftimus McPry: beggar
 * Jerris: bar brawler
 * Lyssandra: serving girl
 * Martin: innkeeper
 * Nomaan: blacksmith
 * Peer: shipwright
 * Stelnar: fighter
 * Van Kellian: bard
 * Zellivan: captain of the guard

The Ultima VI Project

 * Ardal: healer

Ultima VII

 * Daphne: barmaid
 * De Snel: master of the Library of Scars
 * Dupre: Companion of the Avatar
 * Joseph: mayor of Jhelom
 * Kliftin: provisioner
 * Ophelia: barmaid
 * Sprellic: tavernkeeper
 * Syria: fighter
 * Timmons: fighter
 * Vokes: fighter

Ultima VII (SNES Port)

 * Byrne: provisioner
 * Gilmore: governor of Jhelom
 * Jenn: fighter; functionally similar to Syria



Ultima IV

 * Heal and Health: healer
 * The Bloody Pub: tavern
 * The Inn of Ends: inn
 * Valiant's Armour: armour shop
 * Willard's Weaponry: weapon shop

Ultima V

 * Island Shipwrights: shipwright
 * Naughty Nomaan's: armoury
 * The Sword and Keg: tavern
 * Warrior's Stead: inn

Ultima VI

 * Island Shipwrights: shipwright
 * Naughty Nomaan's: armoury
 * The Sword and Keg: tavern
 * Warrior's Stead: inn

Ultima VII

 * Bunk and Stool: tavern/inn

Places of Interest

 * Library of Scars

Trivia

 * There is a real city in Pakistan called Jhelum which is known as the "city of soldiers".