House of Wares

The House of Wares.

The House of Wares is a disreputable facility, located in Knight's Forest on Serpent Isle, that appears in Ultima VII Part Two.

Description

The House of Wares is run by the wicked Captain Stokes, a pirate of the worst variety engaged in the illicit reproduction of Origin products (including Ultima VIII) using his "glowing cube", "humming box", and "rune keys". A two-level dwelling, the House of Wares also contains a modest upstairs bedroom with barred windows, a harpsichord, and, eerily, a mirror in which an unknown humanoid form appears to persist indefinitely.

Locked securely for the majority of the Avatar's adventures on Serpent Isle, the hero was able to enter this ill-omened den after receiving a key from the ghost of Gannt, a bard slain by Stokes in retribution for complaints regarding his preference for smoking indoors.

Lore

“	DO NOT ATTEMPT TO COPY THE MASTER PROGRAM DISK OR THE GALACTIC DISK! If you do, the orcs and thieves and daemons and balrons will escape from the universe of Ultima into your real universe and scare you at night and other horrible things, and, besides, Lord British won't like you. – from The Second Age of Darkness (Ultima II)

“

Hark, adventurer, and read these words well. Many know me as Gannt the Bard, singer of songs, and writer of fine poetry for all to enjoy. Though many know of me, most do not know of my life, or at least of how I came to this end. Read, and read well, dear adventurer. If thou hast any justice in thine heart, or any pity in thy soul, then thou wilt seek vengeance for mine untimely death. If thou, hearty adventurer, hast any sense of duty to avenge evils, then thou must seek out the craven and cowardly Captain Stokes of the rusty old bucket 'The Mustang' and exact just payment, for alas, since I am not of this world, I cannot. One day as I was at the Inn of Sleeping Bull, plucking my lute, not bothering anyone, but practicing my trade, in walked the swine, Captain Stokes, billowing foul fog upon us with his ill-smelling fag. Seeing that no one in the fair establishment could stomach the pungent smell of his tobacco-like rot, I dared to ask him to put it out, for the sake of all our healths. He stared at me, then turned a blind eye. I went back to strumming my lute, 'til again the smell began to bring tears to mine eyes. Again I asked him, begged him to stop, but again he turned away. Finally, as gentle ladies began to leave for air, and good children began to cough and cry from the Captain's reeking root, I tried once more. This time, though, he answered with the blade of his dagger. He thrust well through my lute and into mine entrails, stuffing it deep into my belly. He grinned and twisted the blade, not once nor twice, but thrice! Being but a humble bard and quite mortal, I had little choice but to expire. I fell in a pool of mine own blood, mine hand strumming my last chord as I fell. I ask thee, I beg of thee to give me peace, and exact vengeance for my death. Before thee is the key to his rotten hovel which thou mayest find to the west of Fawn, above the forest of Knight's Test. Many ill-begotten instruments doth he hide in his house of ill-wares. Beware them! Please, noble adventurer, exact justice for my death, and exact the toll from that evil Captain Stokes. Do this and let my spirit rest peacefully... Gannt... – from Gannt's scroll (Ultima VII Part Two)

Trivia

• The House of Wares also houses the only parrot sitting on a pole on the Serpent Isle. Using the mallet method from Ultima VII however will only result in the parrot sarcastically asking the Avatar if the hero had honestly thought that would work this time as well.