Trinsic
| Trinsic | |
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 Location of Trinsic | |
| Located in: | Britannia |
| Type: | town |
 The eastern city gate of Trinsic in Ultima VII | |
Trinsic [trin-sick] is the city located near the southern end of Britannia's main continent, north of the Cape of Heroes and near the Fens of the Dead.
Description[edit]
Trinsic is dedicated to the virtue of Honor, and is home to many paladins who make honorable matter of their cause. It is the only city in Britannia to have consistently sported fortifications throughout the ages, with its famed city walls having been rebuilt several times to keep up with the growing cityscape. For a time, a password was required for travel through the well-guarded gates of the town – although this eventually came to be a ritual rooted more in tradition than in a need for security. Regardless, the eventual shifting of the terrain in the Great Cataclysm put an end to Trinsic's battlements when flooding destroyed the town and a new city was built atop its ruins.
As a city with a strong martial tradition, Trinsic has long been home to arms and weapons dealers of all kind with a great selection of goods, as well as attracting shipwrights and sailors, given its position as a port city. The city also has a tradition of horse breeding, offering some of the best horses available. The city essentially is the center of civilization in southern Britannia.
Fast transportation is provided by a moongate just south of the city.
History[edit]
Trinsic 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. Little is known of its early years, although the Encyclopedia Britannia names its first mayor as Aakara.[1]
Age of Enlightenment[edit]
In Ultima IV, with the development of the Quest of the Avatar and the spread of the Eight Virtues, the city became devoted to Honor. Among the cities of the era, it was the one of the only ones appearing to have a form of local government at this time, with Dupre acting as town leader. The paladin, however, left the settlement he governed for a time being that he might join 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 – indeed, when a knight of the realm attempted to bring the scepter of Lord British to safety, he was ambushed in Trinsic and lost the artifact to these fell shades. Sindar, the last elected member of the Great Council from Trinsic stayed within the city, but in a deep sleep, forcing the Avatar to find an unusual way to learn the word of power from him. At night the gates were closed, enforcing a strict curfew.
By Ultima VI the city of Trinsic had expanded beyond its walls, although they still stood. The mayor at the time, Lord Whitsaber had risen to prominence, in spite of a checkered past of piracy, and would eventually prove essential in helping the Avatar to reassemble the treasure map of the late Captain Hawkins. Mandrake, a noted bard who had unwittingly drafted a travelogue for the hero with the assistance of the Gypsy Taynith, was present in the city at this point, and would regale the champion with stories of his own personal set of "virtues" if asked.
Of special prominence during this age was the rune of Honor, which was openly displayed on a pedestal in the middle of the city, being a testament of the inhabitants' virtue. Such was the trust placed in the denizens of Trinsic that the rune was left unguarded, as the officials of city believed that the honor of the populace was strong enough that none would dare to steal it – or that if it was taken, it would be returned soon after its use.
Age of Armageddon[edit]
Two centuries later, at the beginning of Ultima VII, it was Trinsic where the Avatar would again reappear, having been drawn back into the world through the summons of the Time Lord. In a sickening coincidence, the hero arrived just as Iolo, an old friend of the Avatar, was discussing the details of the grisly murder of Christopher, the town's blacksmith, whose mutilated body had just been found. Finnigan, the mayor of the city at the time, immediately charged the returned hero with investigating the crime, refusing to allow the champion passage out of the town until a lead had been found. The Avatar eventually identified the murderer as Hook, an assassin for the seemingly benign philosophical organization known as the Fellowship.
During that time, Trinsic's walls again surrounded the entire city, forcing the Avatar to obtain the password from Finnigan before leaving. Trinsic's inhabitants had grown defensive and cynical over the years, as the virtues slowly became an institution of the past in the wake of new philosophical movements such as the Fellowship. The lapse of honor within the city was made prominent by the theft of the rune of Honor some years earlier by an impostor claiming to be the Avatar.
In the two decades prior to the Avatar's reappearance in Trinsic, the city fell victim to the Great Cataclysm, which rent the lower peninsula of Britanna's mainland apart. A new city had been rebuilt out of the rubble of the old, centered around the Paladin's Bastion, and sat upon the waters where old Trinsic formerly stood by the time of Ultima IX, but the corrupting influence of the Guardian's columns had turned the populace unfaithful and mercenary, causing the very ghosts of the city's honored dead to revolt in outrage. The city had no semblance of leadership to govern its citizens at the time and it was obvious that civic obligation to law had lapsed with the virtue's fall. Sometime before or after the cataclysm the moongate moved to the northeast of Trinsic.
Dupre, now dead after having sacrificed himself for the Avatar's sake, was able to return briefly as a shade and instruct the champion as to how the city might be restored. After Lucero's honorable sacrifice to aid Virgil, the city began to return to its former glory, re-embracing Honor. The Avatar shortly thereafter cleansed the Shrine of Honor, defeating the last influence the Guardian had over the hearts and minds of the citizens of Trinsic.
Lore[edit]
| “ | South of Lord British's Castle can be found a large plain, mountains, and a dense forest. On the southern edge of the continent is the magnificent town of Trinsic, from whence come Lord British's finest Paladins. The Tap in town has some of the best brew around, and the bartender is a great source of current gossip. Be sure to tip him well! |
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| “ | On a grassy plain on the southeastern shore of Britannia, Trinsic's honourable paladins impress visitors with their courage and devotion to truth. A sunny towne of marble buildings and shaded parks, Trinsic has a lovely pond, an armoury, a healer, and a fine stable. |
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| “ | The honorable paladins who make their homes in the idyllic town of Trinsic are noted for their courage and devotion to truth. Situated just north of the Cape of Heroes in the south lands, Trinsic provides many fine goods and services to the traveler, including a stable where the finest steeds are available to speed you along your way. – from Compendium (Ultima VI: The False Prophet)
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| “ | This is a pretty uptight place. They claim to be the city of Honor, but the folk there don't seem to put much faith into the honor of outsiders. There's a big wall around the place, and guards patrolling everywhere. Maybe the lack of trust there has something to do with the tales I hear that Whitsaber has a secret past. Where an old scoundrel like him learned the Mantra of Honor, I can't imagine. – from The Book of Prophecy (Ultima VI)
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| “ | This active seaport south of Paws and north of the Cape of Heroes is known as the City of Honor. Trinsic is the home of Paladins and also has an active branch of The Fellowship. Travellers might question the need for the walls that surround the city. As if this would not be enough to keep the city secure, the guards of the city will not permit anyone to enter or leave the city unless they know the secret password. While this was once done to maintain the security of the city and the safety of its citizens, it is now done mostly to sustain a traditional ritual. (Britannian law forbids the open publication of Trinsic's password.) |
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| “ | In the Great Cataclysm, the southern end of the Britannian continent was separated, and the walled city of Trinsic was carried with it. Its walls and streets were washed away in the volatile reshaping of the world. Its great warriors and weaponsmiths could have chosen to abandon their home, yet they did not. Their energies applied the studies of war to the problems of masonry in a wet and unfamiliar place. On top of the watery ruins of their former home, they built their new one on a bed of shapely bridges and canals, restored their fine buildings and smiths, and, when the work was done, attempted to return to their honorable ways. Yet all was not well in the honorable city of Trinsic. Though the buildings had returned to former splendor, honor has slipped into the canal and drifted away. Without honor, the tools of combat that had brought fame to this city have begun to undo it. There is no respect for fellow man or for the Code that protected all citizens of Trinsic. Disagreements find rapid and violent solutions in the gutter. Obligations are ignored. Debts are unpaid. Older residents cower in fear of the brash hooligans roaming the streets. Some claim that the beautiful bridges, so carefully forged from the remains of the Old City, have begun to crumble and fade. – from Journal (Ultima IX: Ascension)
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Inhabitants[edit]
Ultima IV[edit]
- Aristotle: dignified paladin
- Dergin: soulful fighter
- Dupre: town leader
- Kline: searching paladin
- Lexington: shining paladin
- Publius: sleepy fighter
- Quix: wandering mage
- Rigmore: strong paladin
- Sailor Sam: ugly sailor
- Skitle: bony skeleton
- Swindrik: tall wizard
- Terrin: cowering child
- Virgil: mystic wizard
- Winthrop: scruffy merchant
- Nameless gate guard: big guard
- Nameless guard: strong guard
Shopkeepers:
- Jean: proprietor of Duelling Weapons
- Jumar: proprietor of Duelling Armour
- Terran: proprietor of The Keg Tap
- Zajac: proprietor of the Honorable Inn
Ultima V[edit]
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- Gruman: knight of Trinsic
- Hettar: stablemaster of Horse and Rider
- Jimmy: young boy
- Leila: healer at Wounds of Honor
- Paul: owner of The Paladin’s Protectorate
- Sindar: member of the Great Council
- Woolfe: blacksmith at The Paladin’s Protectorate
Ultima V: Lazarus[edit]
| Trinsic – Ultima V: Lazarus map |
- Anniel: knight
- Beledan: paladin
- Brethil: druid
- Ellison: mayor of Trinsic
- Magdalena: tavernkeeper at the Crystal Chalice
- Tallon: paladin
Ultima VI[edit]
- Alastor Gordon: mayor of Trinsic
- Brandon: armorer
- Harold: horseshoe-maker
- Immanuelle: stable woman
- Lawrence: tavernkeeper
- Mandrake: bard
- Sandy: cook
- Tobatha: healer
North of the city walls:
The Ultima VI Project[edit]
| Trinsic – The Ultima 6 Project map |
- Abelinda: a paladin
- Anthony: a paladin
- Baden: fighter sergeant
- David: retiree
- Jimmy: seafaring merchant
- Iona: barmaid
- Traynor: paladin
Ultima VII[edit]
- Apollonia: tavernkeeper; owner of the The Honorable Hound
- Caroline: Fellowship recruiter
- Chantu: healer
- Christopher: blacksmith
- Dell: provisioner
- Ellen: wife of Klog
- Finnigan: mayor
- Gargan: shipwright
- Gilberto: guard
- Inamo: gargoyle immigrant
- Johnson: guard
- Klog: leader of the Fellowship branch
- Markus: trainer
- Petre: stablekeeper
- Spark: son of Christopher
North of the city walls:
Ultima VII (SNES-Port)[edit]
- Alfred: a guard; functionally similar to Gilberto
- Conner: a guard; functionally similar to Johnson
- Scarborough: provisioner
Ultima IX[edit]
- Amande: ghost
- Emile: drunk
- Landis: spy
- Lindonia: citizen
- Lorence: provisioner
- Lucero: paladin
- Lucian: ghost
- Marek: fisherman
- Myrea: keeper of the shrine
- Raphael: trainer
- Rupert: blacksmith
- Salvador: ghost
- Sergio: bowyer
- Synnovea: tavernkeeper
- Umberto: fisherman
- Vidos: guard
- Virgil: farmer
Services[edit]
Ultima IV[edit]
Ultima V[edit]
Ultima VI[edit]
- Fool's Pair o' Dice: tavern
- The Paladin’s Protectorate: armoury
- Wounds of Honor: healer
Ultima VII[edit]
- The Honorable Hound: tavern/inn
Ultima IX[edit]
- Bowyer: bowyer
- Tavern/Inn: tavern/inn
- Blacksmith: armoury
- Provisions Shop: provisions shop
Places of Interest[edit]
The Ultima 6 Project[edit]
This is an Ultima 6 Project-related article or section. The information within may not apply to Ultima VI or other Ultima games.
In The Ultima 6 Project, the role of the city of Trinsic, which had been minimal in the original plot, was vastly expanded.
In the days before the arrival of the Avatar at Trinisc, a hooded stranger – later revealed to be the gargoyle Beh Lem – visited the city and spoke with mayor Whitsaber, before leaving. The paladin Abelinda suggested, after witnessing this, to close the gates for the evening. This proved to be fortuitous, since hours later, a Gargoyle army arrived to lay siege to the city, cutting it off from the surroundings.
The Avatar managed to sneak into the city, after having planned a two-pronged attack with Baden and Geoffrey. After informing all inhabitants of the plan, and gaining possession of the mantra and rune, the Avatar regained the moonstone of the city and repaired the moongate, allowing a large troop of footmen to attack the southern front while Baden's men attacked the northern one. With the combined assault of the two armies and the Avatar's party, the siege got broken.
Trivia[edit]
- In Ultima VII, the walled in structure of Trinsic enforces the copyright protection, as the Avatar is unable to leave without learning the password from Finnigan, who asks a number of geographical questions to prove that the player has access to the map that was shipped with the game.
- In Ultima VII, a well-known cheat room is accessible via the blacksmith's shop in Trinsic or a teleporter behind the southeastermost tree in the city.
- One road in Ultima VII is named "Whitsaber Road", after the mayor in Ultima VI.
- In Origin's 1993 space trading simulation, Wing Commander: Privateer, the lone planet found in the Raxis System is named Trinsic.
Gallery[edit]
Trinsic art from Mysterious Sosaria
Roadplan of Trinsic in Ultima VII
Overview of Trinsic in Ultima IX
References[edit]
| Geography |
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| Pagan | |
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| Settlements | Argentrock Isle ☥ Daemon's Crag ☥ Tenebrae |
| Other | Carthax Lake ☥ Catacombs ☥ Cemetery ☥ Fishermen's Reef ☥ Hall of the Mountain King Herdsman's Valley ☥ Plateau ☥ Shrine of the Ancient Ones ☥ Stone Cove ☥ Treasure Cove Vengeance Bay |