Palace of Blackthorn

The Palace of Blackthorn in Ultima V

The Palace of Blackthorn is the stronghold of darkness from whence Lord Blackthorn rules over Britannia in the absence of Lord British in Ultima V. The castle itself was intentionally built as a maze to confuse intruders and teemed with foul creatures, members of the Oppression, and traps.

History[edit]

The palace was built on a newly emerged volcanic island, later to be known as Terfin, after Blackthorn was enthralled by the Shadowlords. The castle's position, centered between the isle's three volcanoes, corresponded with the location where the Avatar retrieved the Skull of Mondain from the seabed in Ultima IV. The hero infiltrated the Palace of Blackthorn to retrieve the Crown of Lord British.

After the end of Blackthorn's rule, the palace's halls were left abandoned until the mage Sutek assumed occupation of them in an effort to conduct his experiments undisturbed. The Avatar would encounter this deranged wizard in Ultima VI while investigating the castle in search of Minoxian weaver Michelle's father, an ill-fated balloonist known to possess blueprints for a lighter-than-air-device much like that used by the hero during the Quest of the Avatar.

Gargish refugees escaping their condemned homeland later founded upon the site an entirely new city, Terfin, which appeared to have supplanted the palace ruins entirely by the time of the Avatar's next return two centuries later in Ultima VII.

Lore[edit]

“

In the midst of the volcanic fires, west of the hallowed Isle of the Avatar, a vast darkstone palace testifies to the awesome wealth and power that is now Lord Blackthorn’s. In the few years since Blackthorn seized Britannia’s throne and declared martial law, ostensibly to keep the peace in the land, his personal stronghold has grown to rival Castle Britannia in size and luxury. But there the semblance ends, for those who have had occasion to visit the Palace return — sometimes — with tales of great towers with seemingly bottomless pits, labyrinthine dungeons, nightmarish torture chambers, and daemonic guardians in the royal throne room. Half-human watchers patrol the endless halls, casting all who do not wear the Badge and speak the Password into the dungeon's torture chamber where lethal fates invariably await.

– from Paths of Destiny (Ultima V)

“	Few nowadays venture near this monument to evil, but rumors abound that the mad wizard Sutek has taken refuge in the former abode of Blackthorn, the defamed ally of the vanquished Shadowlords. What Sutek might be doing there, none can say. – from Compendium (Ultima VI)

“

I almost ended up on one of Sutek’s work crews, a job which always proves fatal, from what I hear. If you ever speak with this lunatic, humor him to avoid his wrath, then sneak off quietly when you can. He’s had slaves dig a four level dungeon beneath his castle, and some of their bodies are down there still. Oh, keep an eye out for his deadly “pets” as well.

– from The Book of Prophecy (Ultima VI)

“	Not far from Terfin are the ancient ruins that were once the palace of the traitorous Blackthorn. – from The Book of Fellowship (Ultima VII)

Inhabitants[edit]

Ultima V[edit]

Blackthorn: ruler in absentia
Foulwell: jester
Gallrot: cook
Gorn: prisoner
Hassad: prisoner
Kraw: stable master
Unnamed prisoners: lawbreakers
Weblock: mage

Ultima V: Lazarus[edit]

Graesh: torturer
Kurtz: guard
Maklen: sailor

Ultima VI[edit]

Gorn: lost adventurer
Pushme Pullyu: two-headed riddling horse
Sutek: mad mage

Trivia[edit]

Entering the castle without the black badge in Ultima V will be met with disaster.^{[Clarification needed]}
Batlin describes the ruins in The Book of Fellowship, which was written some years prior to Ultima VII, giving a rough point in time for when the ruins vanished.