Rotoluncia

Rotoluncia
Rotoluncia, from Ultima VII Part Two
Species:	human
Profession:	mage
Appearances
Ultima VII Part Two Location: Moonshade

Rotoluncia (also known as the Red Witch) is a Moonshadian mage who appears in Serpent Isle in Ultima VII Part Two.

Description

Rotoluncia was a specialist in fire magic who was noted for her ruthless ambition and her quickness to anger when crossed. During her upbringing at Moonshade's Seminarium, she began a relationship with her tutor, another apprentice two years her elder known as Filbercio. The two of them remained lovers for a time, and Filbercio pleaded with her at some point to leave Moonshade with him for the mainland, hoping to escape the ceaseless intrigue the city's mages. This was not to be, however. Both parties eventually became adepts deeply enmeshed in the city's politics, with Filbercio becoming the city's MageLord and Rotoluncia taking a seat on the Council of Mages. While the two of them would renew the romance of their youth about a year or so before the Avatar's arrival on Serpent Isle, their relationship was bitterly broken off shortly after Rotoluncia formed a political alliance with the young Torrissio, whom Filbercio jealously believed to be the new object of his mistress' affections. Enraged at being discarded, Rotoluncia was only further angered when Filbercio took the ice sorceress Frigidazzi as a new paramour. She eventually came to devote her studies to the subject of daemons, and some mused that this was done with the aim of seeing her former lover rotting in the entrails of such a creature.

Three months prior to the Avatar's arrival on Serpent Isle, the sage Batlin passed through the city and Rotoluncia became fixated on his companion Palos, a gargoyle whom she thought to be a daemon that Batlin had tamed. When finally coming to the shores of the Isle of the Beyond, Rotoluncia falsely believed the champion of Britannia to be versed in the art of binding daemons, having a similar world of origin to Batlin. She sent one of her automata to greet the hero and present a magical scroll through which she could communicate. When the Avatar honestly denied knowledge of the secret she sought, Rotoluncia grew incensed, warning the hero there would be consequences for thwarting her ambitions. Subsequently, at a banquet held by Filbercio on the Avatar's behalf, she attempted to convince her fellow council members that the hero was in some way connected to the teleport storms ravaging the land. When the other adepts refused her suggestion, she changed her tactics. At a later point in time she spirited away one of the Avatar's companions, hoping to hold him as a hostage in order to leverage the hero into giving her the information she desired.

The Avatar, who saw the companion disappear through means unknown, would have to undertake an investigation to trace the abduction back to the Red Witch. While there existed a variety of avenues through which inquires could be made on the matter, some involving parties encouraged suspicion in Torrissio or the necromancer Mortegro as culprits. In the end, the Avatar would eventually come to search Rotoluncia's home for the lost friend. Here, the hero would be confronted by one of her automation servitors, who would attack the hero. When no trace of the missing companion could be found within the mansion, the Avatar eventually turned to Filbercio in search of answers. The MageLord would then reveal that in the course of his recent affair with Rotoluncia, he had built a small retreat for them on an islet within the Lake of Enchantment, and he urged the hero to search there, offering his royal yacht to make the journey. Once there, the Avatar found Rotoluncia, who was -in fact- holding the captive, and she once again demanded from the hero the knowledge of daemon binding, promising that the hostage's freedom (and life) could only be won through compliance. She was bested in the combat that ensued and died cursing the Avatar with her last breath.

Lore

“	My darling Rotoluncia, I know that thou dost love me as much as I love thee. Let us forget all of the intrigue that plagues this city and flee to the mainland! I can have built for us a modest love nest where we may spend the rest of our days in bliss! – from Filbercio’s love letters (Ultima VII Part Two)

“	Rotoluncia, I saw thee staring at that pig Torrissio at the banquet last night and I know now that thine affections shown toward me were false. Thou art a cow and a shabby sorceress as well! Do not try to pretend otherwise, for I know the truth now. I want nothing more from thee ever again! – from Filbercio’s love letters (Ultima VII Part Two)

“

The first was Rotoluncia. Filbercio introduced her as a member of the Council of Mages, the governing body of Moonshade. Throughout the evening I heard her referred to as the "Red Mage." When I asked Filbercio about this, he said fire spells are her specialty. She did not seem overjoyed to see me at the banquet. I believe her only comment to me was something to the effect of how she hoped I was enjoying her normal spot at the table. I feel she can be somewhat short tempered and more than a bit arrogant - the name Red Mage is not solely derived from her spellcasting specialty. – from Balancing the Scales (Ultima VII Part Two)

Trivia

• The model for Rotoluncia's character portrait is Amy Howe.
• Should the Avatar agree to tell Rotoluncia the secret of demon summoning, one of the hero's companions will object, and she will warn against intervention before igniting a magical fire. Should no companions be present when the Avatar agrees, the hero will pass out, and and die from some manner of magical explosion.
• Should the Avatar have no companions travelling at the time Rotoluncia attempts the kidnapping, she will send a second magic scroll to tell of the friend she has abducted. Should all of the companions be dead (or should all companions be dead save Iolo while Iolo is still in jail at Monitor), she will kidnap the Avatar, through a teleportation directly to her stronghold on the lake.
• Searching through Rotoluncia and Filbercio's cottage on the lake, one will find a whip, a banana, a diaper, a kidney belt, and a brush. These may be related to the "strange and difficult practices" Filbercio claims Rotoluncia taught him after he renewed his relationship with her.
• Rotoluncia appears to be the subject of one of Xenka's visions. In The Book of Prophecies, it is written "I see the color red, and a woman is involved."
• According to early design documents for Serpent Isle, the player was originally to have been given the option of allowing Rotoluncia to live, upon which she would have been exiled from Moonshade and, much like Ensorcio, taken up residence at the Inn of the Sleeping Bull.
• All the inhabitants of Moonshade have Italian or Italianish names. The name Rotoluncia probably comes from the word "rotolo" (Italian for "roll") and the Italian diminutive suffix "-uccia" (modified here as "-uncia"). Maybe she was born a chubby baby?

Gallery

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  Rotlunica on the magical scroll