Ice dragons’ lair
| Ice dragons’ lair | |
|---|---|
 Location of the ice dragon’s lair | |
| Located in: | Serpent Isle |
| Type: | island |
 In the ice dragons’ lair | |
The ice dragons’ lair is an isle lying north of Serpent Isle’s mainland. It is home to ice dragons, rare and deadly creatures of legend, whose blood is highly prized by the Gwani for its medicinal properties. It appears in Ultima VII Part Two.
History[edit]
The ice dragons’ lair was dominated by a curious magical maze of caverns which lead up to the ice dragons' nest. This labyrinth, constructed in such a way that an unwary traveler is constantly teleported throughout its passages by magical means, was originally commissioned by the Moonshadian merchant Purlonio – that he might hide his riches there. The creator of the maze, Drogeni, placed the various enchantments and traps within this place and summoned an ice dragon to stand as its guardian, but warned Purlonio that for all these efforts he was still fated to lose the whole of his wealth. Purlonio, thinking himself above this fate, slew Drogeni that she might not reveal the island's secrets, upon which the magical map she had given him to relocate his treasure disintegrated. Fearing the fruition of the sorceress' prophecy, the merchant returned to the isle, trying in vain to find his riches. He eventually died in his search.[1]
Later, if the claims of the certain tale-spinners are to be believed, the solitary dragon conjured by Drogeni wandered south, looking for a mate. It was eventually sighted by several exploratory Fawnish vessels, singing along with its new found partner.
Years later, the Avatar had cause to arrive on the dragon-inhabited island, seeking the blood of an ice dragon that the hero might help to cure the Gwani child, Neyobi. There, the hero was able to encounter what were presumably the mated dragons seen by the Fawnish fleet and their hatchlings. While one of these was eventually slain and the little Gwani thus relieved of her sickness, it is not known if the champion of virtue also found Purlonio's treasure and the truth of Drogeni's fate, or if these secrets remain hidden within the snowy north.
Lore[edit]
| “ | She told me that the map detailed the lair of an ice dragon. From the map I gathered that it is filled with magical traps designed to confuse the unwary adventurer. As I carefully copied the map into my journal, she cautioned me against going there. "The ice dragon is deadly. No one can face its icy breath and live. Even the Gwani are afraid of it." I thanked her for the map and we spent the rest of the evening trading stories and reminiscing. – from Balancing the Scales (Ultima VII Part Two)
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Trivia[edit]
- Purlonio, a self-proclaimed criminal in his own records, has a name which appears to be a play on the word "purloin," meaning "to steal." [1]
- The only way to reach the island is by ice raft.
Gallery[edit]
Solution to the maze
References[edit]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Purlonio. Purlonio's Tale (Ultima VII Part Two – in-game).
| Geography |
|---|
| Pagan | |
|---|---|
| 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 |