Blackrock jewel
The blackrock jewel is a magical by-product of the blackrock dome that functions as a gateway between worlds and appears in Ultima Underworld II.
Description[edit]
Due to the crude magic used in the creation of the blackrock dome surrounding Castle Britannia, a series of physical "echoes" of the original construct were created on various planes. The largest of these manifestations was an eight-faceted blackrock jewel, which was created within the lowest depths of the sewers beneath the castle.[1]
Because of the Guardian's reliance on magical energies from other planes, the jewel was able to act as a portal to worlds that had been affected by similar feats of spellcraft. By stepping through the faces of the large gem, the Avatar was able to travel across dimensions to the realms of Tarna, Killorn Keep, Anodunos, Talorus, the Scintillus Academy, the Pits of Carnage, Rhiannon, and the Ethereal Void. Within each of these lands, the hero retrieved another "echo" in the form of a blackrock gem, and by fusing these smaller constructs with the larger jewel, was able to weaken the structure of the dome itself until such a point that it could be shattered.[1]
Following this eventual sundering of the dome at the sounding of Praecor Loth's horn, the eight-faceted jewel was destroyed, and with it, the gateways between Britannia and other worlds.
The Available Worlds[edit]
At the beginning, only the facet of Tarna is available. Certain actions have to be done in order to enable more travel destinations. The gem then starts to cycle through them and only a bright facet can be entered. Fusing a blackrock gem from a world with the jewel permanently makes a facet bright (it can be entered at any time).
- Killorn Keep and Anodunos will become available after entering the 8th level of Tarna and then talking with Miranda.
- Talorus, the Academy and the Pits of Carnage will become available after the murder of Lady Tory. This is accomplished by getting the blackrock gem from Anodunos and killing the Listener before talking to Miranda to learn of the murder.
- Rhiannon and the Ethereal Void will become available after avenging the murder of Nelson. To do so, after talking with Zoranthus, having the gem from the Academy and fusing the Talorus gem with the jewel, Miranda will tell you, that Nelson has something important to say. Patterson will murder him and he has to be killed in turn to open the facets.
Trivia[edit]
- After visiting Anodunos the first time, the magical cold seeps through the passage to Britannia, freezing the chamber surrounding the blackrock jewel. This gives another hint where the Guardian's magic is located on Anodunos and the frost vanishes once said magic is broken.
- The blackrock jewel is also seen on the box art of the game, giving an idea what it was supposed to look like without the engine limitations. That here the jewel is depicted to be on Anodunos can be excused as artistic freedom.
- Nystul calls it the Gateway Gem.
Gallery[edit]
Magical cold seeps in through the jewel.
The jewel as envisioned in the Ultima Underworld II cover art
References[edit]
| Worlds in the Ultima Series | |
|---|---|
| Main Worlds | Britannia ☥ Sosaria ☥ Serpent Isle ☥ Pagan ☥ Earth ☥ Eodon ☥ Mars |
| Worlds of the Blackrock Jewel |
Tarna ☥ Killorn Keep ☥ Anodunos ☥ Talorus ☥ Scintillus Academy ☥ Pits of Carnage ☥ Rhiannon ☥ Ethereal Void |
| Ahistorical Solar System |
Sun ☥ Mercury ☥ Venus ☥ Earth ☥ Mars ☥ Jupiter ☥ Saturn ☥ Uranus ☥ Neptune ☥ Pluto ☥ Planet X |
| Other Worlds | Nexus of the Worlds ☥ Caledonia ☥ Balema ☥ Ashtalarea ☥ Alucinor |