Rowena
| Rowena | |||||
 Rowena, from Ultima VII | |||||
| Species: | ghost | ||||
| Appearances | |||||
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Rowena is the ghost of a woman who once lived in Skara Brae. The Avatar encountered her in Ultima VII.
Description[edit]
In life, Rowena had been the wife of Trent, the town blacksmith. When Horance the liche came to power in Skara Brae, he developed a fixation on the the beautiful young woman, and sent his armies of the undead to fetch her to his side. Tragically, Rowena was killed by Horance's minions in their attempt to kidnap her and Trent was overcome with grief. He tirelessly worked on the Soul Cage which Mordra claimed would help secure the necromancer's defeat, never ceasing even when the great conflagration overtook the island and killed him, leaving him a ghost.[1][2]
Rowena's shade, in the meantime, had been spirited away to Horance's Dark Tower, where she existed under his spell as his mistress. Ensorceled by magics which stripped her of her memories and will, the beauteous ghost dwelt in a world of illusions, thinking the barren citadel to be a beautiful castle and her captor to be a king and munificent lord. It was only when the Avatar played for her a music-box that Trent had once given her that she was able to stir briefly from her dreamlike stupor. Realizing the reality of her plight and hearing of her husband's misery, she gave the hero a ring as a token of her ongoing love, hoping that Trent's suffering could be alleviated by knowledge of her devotion.[3]
Trent was indeed moved by the sight of the ring, and eventually the cage was finished and Horance was freed of the curse of lichedom. Realizing the weight of his misdeeds, the now mortal magician bade the hero reunite Rowena with Trent, and the Avatar guided the ghostly woman to where her husband awaited her. The two met in a spectral embrace, with the borders of their souls appearing to overlap as they held one another fast.
Later, when it became known that the sacrifice of a Skara Braen ghost was necessary to destroy Horance's Well of Souls, the Avatar asked the two lovers if either of them would volunteer. They both refused, wishing never again to be separated from one another. Eventually, the task fell to the former mayor of the city, Forsythe, and with the Well's destruction, Rowena and her husband were free at last to return to the Void.[4]
Lore[edit]
| “ | In addition to all his other evils, Horance took from Trent (our blacksmith) his wife, Rowena. He sent his undead minions to retrieve her shortly before the inferno, which they did — dead. The brainless, rotting corpses killed her!
...
Poor Trent does nothing but repeat the same task he was engaged in when the fire struck — building the cage necessary to trap the liche. 'Tis doubtful he is even aware of his death. He just continues to hammer away at the cage. And Rowena seems to be in a similar daze. I know that if there were but some way to waken her, she would have the key to help Trent. I keep wondering if there is something of hers left in the smithy that might trigger her awareness if presented to her... – from Key to the Black Gate (Ultima VII)
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Trivia[edit]
- After she briefly joins the player's party that she might be led to Trent, other ghosts will react to Rowena's presence in their dialogue.
- In the SNES-port of Ultima VII, Rowena will fully come to her senses after receiving Trent's music box and will direct the hero to seek Mordra's help in ridding her of the liche, Rudolfo[5]
References[edit]
- ↑ Trent. Underworld Dragon’s Ultima VII transcript. Ultima VII. "killed, Rowena".
- ↑ Horance. Underworld Dragon’s Ultima VII transcript. Ultima VII. "job, Rowena".
- ↑ Rowena. Underworld Dragon’s Ultima VII transcript. Ultima VII. "Horance, tower, Trent".
- ↑ Rowena. Underworld Dragon’s Ultima VII transcript. Ultima VII. "sacrifice".
- ↑ Rowena. Ultima VII SNES transcript. Ultima VII. "Rowena, Skara Brae, Trent".