Shame

Shame
Dungeon Type:	cave
Associated Virtue:	Honor
Word of Power:	Infama

Shame is a dungeon located on the shores of Lost Lake deep within the mountains to the west of Britain. As one of the eight major dungeons of Britannia, it opposes the virtue of Honor, and throughout the course of history, it has been home to numerous articles relating to Honor.

History

Ultima IV

Main article: Shame (Ultima IV)

Shame came into being in the years following the final defeat of the Triad of Evil, where it appeared to have been initially established as a mine before being closed due to its large and ravenous gremlin population. While on the quest toward Avatarhood, the Stranger would have occasion to journey here, seeking the purple stone of Honor. Within the dungeon's depths, the hero could also find numerous magical orbs which gifted those who touched them with supernaturally enhanced intelligence and strength. Its lowest passages at this time, were connected to the altar rooms of Truth and Courage, which interlinked it with the dungeons Deceit, Wrong, Destard, and Hythloth.

Ultima V

The lakeside entrance to Shame in Ultima VII, then known as Despise

Main article: Shame (Ultima V)

After the Great Council retrieved the Codex of Ultimate Wisdom from its seat in the Abyss, they elected to place seals over the mouths of the great dungeons, including Shame, hoping to bar the evils within them from spilling over into the surface. This, however, had the unforeseen outcome of creating a vast and expansive Underworld beneath the soil, which came to teem with subterranean monsters.

After Blackthorn's rise to power, however, the members of the council suffered greatly under the Oppression. With those who knew how to unseal the dungeons forced into hiding as outlaws, the returned Avatar had to seek out the sleeping Sindar, who knew the Word of Power which would reopen Shame: Infama. With knowledge of this evocation, the hero could use the dungeon as a means to reaching the Underworld below it, where Shame opened open lands near to the great dungeon Doom.

Ultima VI

Main article: Shame (Ultima VI)

By the time of the Gargish conflict, the upper levels of Shame were largely devoid of monsters, and prospecting miners had begun to return to the area in search of gold. One of these fortune-hunters, an old ex-pirate named Ybarra, however, traveled too far into the dungeon's caverns, and found himself lost – his route of return blocked by beasts. The Avatar would have cause to seek out this poor soul, needing his portion of Captain Hawkins treasure map.

Ultima VII

The caverns of Shame in Ultima VII, then known as Despise

Main article: Despise (Ultima VII)

By the time of the Avatar's quest concerning the Black Gate, Shame had become interconnected with the passages of Despise and was considered a functional part of that dungeon system, rather than being thought a dungeon in its own right.

Ultima IX

Main article: Shame (Ultima IX)

During the last days of the Avatar, the dungeon known as Shame was located where Destard had traditionally been, and was used as a testing ground for the nearby paladins of Trinsic, who retrieved their emblematic Chalice of Honor from its depths. During the Avatar's journeys in Trinsic in this age, the hero would have to brave Shame in the hopes of restoring this sigil, only to watch Blackthorn destroy it.

Lore

“

Reaching the entrance to the dungeon Shame will test thy navigator's skills to their limits, for 'tis to be found at the headwaters of the Lost River, far to the northwest of Britannia. Great wealth is to be had by those who can penetrate to the 6th Level of this sinkhole of doom, but there dwell creatures therein that 'tis best not to speak of in public meeting places, for the very mention of these beings is likely to cause a panic amongst the general populace. The seeker need only attain the 2nd Level to encounter the altar containing the purple stone, but the Altar Rooms of Truth and Courage summon the bravest to the lowermost depths. – from The Way of the Avatar (Ultima IV)

“

Some say the Mine known as Shame was closed because of the Lost River's frequent flooding of its upper levels, but others spin fanciful stories about strange, tiny elf-like beings in green suits who would scurry up from the depths and pilfer the miners’ supplies, leaving them to starve to death. Whatever their reasons, Britannian miners long ago abandoned Shame to the creatures of the night. – from Paths of Destiny (Ultima V)

“

Now this is my kind of dungeon. Not that I'm normally interested in going into dungeons at all, but this was different. Sionnach convinced me to go down there looking for gold with him, and I have to admit, he was right. There were nuggets of it just lying around on the ground all over, and more to be found with a shovel or pick. True, there were bats and rats and a few alligators down there, but we didn’t have too much trouble. And we both had swamp boots for wading through the muddy parts. It was a most profitable excursion, and I had quite a nice visit with Terri at the mint in Britain afterwards. – from The Book of Prophecy (Ultima VI)

“

Do not even bother attempting this dungeon without the ability to unlock magic. Within the chambers, my companions found keys that helped to unlock some of the doors locked by more conventional means. Sadly, however, when I lost a few of my fellows in the dungeons, their keys were also lost. The corridors are filled with an assortment of nasty creatures: spiders, gazers, trolls and more. I found one room via a teleporter that provided me with a key. Oddly enough, I chose not to use the key on the door in the room, but to explore the formation of the walls. “Never choose the obvious,” a friend once said. One wall turned out to be an illusion, and led to another set of teleporters. At the end of all that was a rather pleasant sum of treasure ... which I was forced to leave behind when the headlesses showed up. If thou dost find this loot, speak kindly of me in the taverns. I remember seeing a few fountains, but I reflected upon the story of Fulgrihm and his search for the sacred Fountain of Wealth. If thou dost know the story of which I speak, and of his horrible death at the foot of a trapped fountain in Despise, thou wilt understand my disinterest in fountains of any kind. A book I once read in the Lycaeum told of a magical flying carpet that was lost in the river area near the western entrance to Despise. Shouldst thou acquire this useful item, thy travel time would be lessened considerably. – from Key to the Black Gate (Ultima VII)

“

On the outskirts of the honorable city of Trinsic lies the Dungeon of Shame. The Paladins of the fair city used Shame as a proving ground for acolytes, and many were lost in this fortress of traps and puzzles. Pom of Paws, a Paladin elder, negotiated the depths of Shame and returned with the Chalice of Honor, which has since disappeared. Many suspected that it had been spirited back into the dungeon, yet none volunteers to retrieve it. For, the forces of evil have twisted yet again the traps and illusions herein. Among the Paladins, the Dungeon of Shame has spread its disease, as their code of ethics mocks them who cringe in fear of this place. – from Journal (Ultima IX)

Inhabitants

Ultima VI

• Old Ybarra: stranded adventurer

Ultima IX

• Eve: Wyrmguard

Trivia

• In Runes of Virtue, the Cavern of Dishonor is located on the Isle of Deeds. The hero must brave its horrors to recover the Rune of Honor. As well, a powerful magic whip can be found within its watery depths.
• Later, in Runes of Virtue II, Lord Whitsaber, the mayor of Trinsic, was imprisoned within the cavern's depths. The hero rescued the mayor, and could also find a magic wand deep within the dungeon's depths.
• In the SNES-port of Ultima VII, the Gem of Paralysis may be found in the Dungeon Shame, which stands alone as its own dungeon in this version of the game, separate from Despise.
• In early drafts of Ultima IX, Shame is situated at its traditional location in the mountains surrounding Lost Lake, with its entrance obscured by a waterfall and accessible only by ship. As well as one of the Guardian's columns, the caverns harbor a renegade band of pirates, adventurers and thieves, as well as a small subterranean village.
• In the cancelled Ultima Online 2 and the Technocrat War trilogy, Shame was to be included as a dungeon on the northern continent of New Britannia.

Gallery

• 

  The waterfall entrance to Shame, as depicted in early Ultima IX concept art

References

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Geography