Serpent's Hold

Serpent's Hold
Location of Serpent's Hold
Located in:	Britannia
Type:	keep
Serpent's Hold in Ultima VII

Built upon the Isle of Deeds, east of the Cape of Heroes, the fortress of Serpent's Hold has long stood as a living symbol of the Principle of Courage.

Description

The fortress of Serpent's Hold is well known for the elite military organization, the Order of the Silver Serpent, which has ruled over it since its very foundation and the fortress has long stood as a martial outpost, even as the other Castles of the Principles shifted their focus towards the scholarly arts. Fighters from Serpent's Hold are said to be the best there is. That also goes for the excellent equipment sold there, which is little wonder considering the martial nature of the keep.

For ages before its eventual fall in the Great Cataclysm it housed the Eternal Flame of Courage, which embodied the unwavering spirit of its ethic in the face of darkness.

History

Age of Enlightenment

Serpent's Hold was built at some point after the final defeat of the Triad of Evil and was bequeathed to the Order of the Silver Serpent by Lord British in recognition of their service to the realm. During the Stranger's pilgrimage toward the zenith of avatarhood, the keep was ruled by Sentri, a veteran of Minax's invasion of Earth and the plague of Exodus. The keep, at this point in time, was of spartan furnishings, possessing little more than healing facilities and training grounds for the new recruits to receive their instruction from the resident master, Shyra. Nevertheless, the questing hero found this outpost useful during the journey and here learned of such matters as the tripartite Word of Passage and the fabled Bell of Courage.

In later decades, Sentri ceded his rule of Serpent's Hold and the keep eventually came under the rulership of Sir Percy, a knight awarded the barony by Lord British in exchange for clearing the local countryside of dragons. The castle's grounds were expanded during this time, and a basement and second story to the keep were constructed. By the time of the Avatar's return to the realm to combat the corrupt reign of Lord Blackthorn, the castle was headed by Lord Malone, Sir Percy's great-grandson.

In this, the age of the Oppression, Serpent's Hold stood alongside the Lycaeum and Empath Abbey in resistance to the the usurper's reign, with the enshrined Flame of Courage keeping the dark wraiths known as the Shadowlords from encroaching upon it. It was here that Nosfentor, Shadowlord of Cowardice, eventually met her end, when the Avatar cast the Shard of Cowardice which birthed her into the unwavering flames of Courage.

After the true king's return and Blackthorn's exile, the keep became a sanctuary for refugees fleeing the lost keep of Bordermarch, which sank beneath the waves of the Britannian sea in the great upheavals which followed the collapse of the Underworld. Bordermarch's former lord, Sir Simon eventually took his place as Serpent's Hold's castellan, overseeing the castle well into the time of the Gargoyle War, where the castle served as one of the major sources of armed forces to combat the encroaching Gargish armies.

Age of Armageddon

Serpent's Hold, unlike the other great keeps, maintained its identity as a military fortress well into the Age of Armageddon, and saw markedly little change over the centuries of relative peace which followed Lord British and Lord Draxinusom's eventual accord. By the time of the Avatar's return to the realm in the days of the Fellowship, the keep was under the stewardship of Sir John Paul, and enjoyed a culture of relative tranquility outside of the occasional act of political vandalism. At some point in time, the Bell of Courage, once used by the Avatar to open the maw of the abyss was moved to its environs.

Sadly, these days of peace were numbered, and the once great bastion of Courage eventually fell, not in battle, but rather to the volcanic eruptions of the Great Cataclysm, which sunk the Isle of Deeds and the castle upon it deep into the sea. Even in the midst of such a calamity, however, a small contingent of knights remained in the doomed castle to guard the Bell within. The company somehow managed to survive the sinking of the keep and stayed within it deep beneath the ocean for years after the disaster. Eventually, when the Avatar came at last to claim the sacred artifact, only one member of the group remained – a former trainer known as Lyssa.

Lore

“	The headquarters for the Order of the Silver Serpent is on an island south of the Cape of Heroes. This wooded fortress was given to the members of the Order by Lord British in recognition of their outstanding service. A visit to Serpent Castle will instill within the traveler a true feeling for the ways of chivalry. – from The History of Britannia (Ultima IV: Quest of the Avatar)

“	Serpent's Castle sat serene and secure on the bay of the Isle of Deeds. At each corner of the castle stood a round tower topped by colorful flags. Rounded roofs and ornate arches indicated a different architecture from that of the northern keeps. – from Ultima: The Avatar Adventures (Ultima IV: Quest of the Avatar)

“

Staunchly guarding the deep harbor of the Isle of Deeds, itself bulwarked by mountains and streams, the Serpent's Hold stands as a monument to the Courage of all those who fight for good. In this stronghold are gymnasiums to hone thy body and training fields on which to hone thy battle skills. Here also are healers to tend thy wounds, and sunny strands to heal thy soul. And finally here too are comrades in arms sharing stories of Honour, Valor, triumph, and restraint. – from The Book of Lore (Ultima V: Warriors of Destiny)

“

A bastion of Honor, Valor and triumph, Serpent's Hold is the castle headquarters of the Order of the Silver Serpent and the training center for Britannia's armed militia. Many noble and brave warriors have set forth in our defense from this garrison on the Isle of Deeds. The most skilled of these warriors, grizzled veterans all, have selflessly returned to instruct the new recruits in the ways of attack and defense. Recently, a dozen squads of the finest from Serpent's Hold went out to attack the camps of the invading gargoyles. Few returned to tell about it. – from Compendium (Ultima VI: The False Prophet)

“

The castle of courage, this hold is home to the Order of the Silver Serpent. That's the warriors guild — they go in for fancy language, which is great for making small feats of bravery seem more impressive. The tavern is a fair distance from the hold proper, but that's probably a good thing, with all those walking tin cans running around. Wouldn't do to have them bumping into each other all the time. Surely you'll be able to recruit some warriors there, if you feel the need. – from The Book of Prophecy (Ultima VI)

“

This opulent castle fortress is home of the Honorable Order of the Silver Serpent, the training camp for the armed militiamen of Britannia. Here fighting men learn more than just the martial arts. They are taught Honor and Valor as well. Instruction in the ways of the warrior may be obtained and one may purchase reliable weapons, armour and provisions here. The Meditation Retreat of The Fellowship is located on an island east of Serpent's Hold. – from The Book of Fellowship (Ultima VII: The Black Gate)

“	They with a wish to test themselves can find willing testers on the shores of Valoria. Jhelom, the old city of valor was destroyed by volcanic eruption, and Serpent's Hold, home to the Order of the Silver Serpent, was lost. – from Journal (Ultima IX)

Inhabitants

Ultima IV

Map of Serpent's Hold in Ultima IV

• Durham: fighter
• Garam: fighter
• Lassorn: sailor on HMS Cape
• Lori: buxom guard
• Michelle: paladin
• Noxum: a spiny nixie
• Roark: fighter
• Roderick: destitute beggar
• Samuel: handsome guard
• Sentri: Lord of Serpent's Hold
• Shyra: training master
• Sister Antos: wise druid
• Nameless ranger: training rangers
• Nameless baronial guards: stern guards
• Nameless gate guards: big guards
• Nameless treasury guards: burly guards

Shopkeeper:

• Windwalker: proprietor of Courage Healer

Ultima V

Serpent's Hold basement, ground floor and first floor in Ultima V

• Gardner: keeper of the flame
• Kristi: cook
• Lord Malone: lord of the keep
• Loubet: fencing master
• Maxwell: fighter (can join)
• Thol: owner of Siege Crafters
• Toede: prisoner

Ultima V: Lazarus

• Gabrienne: warrior
• Lars: merchant
• Wulfgar: captain

Serpent's Hold – Ultima V: Lazarus map

• Xela: warrior

Ultima VI

Map of Serpent's Hold in Ultima VI

• Amanda: tavernkeeper
• Caradon: fighter
• de Hugh: fighter
• Gherick: armourer
• Koranada: knight of the order
• Lady Tessa: lady of the keep
• Sir Simon: lord of the keep
• Loubet: trainer
• Morchella: pirate
• Sentri: fighter, can join
• Seggallion: adventurer, can join
• Shubin: cook

The Ultima 6 Project

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This is an Ultima 6 Project-related article or section. The information within may not apply to Ultima VI or other Ultima games.

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Serpent’s Hold – The Ultima 6 Project map

• Sir Cabirus: scholar

Ultima VII

• Lady Jehanne: provisioner
• Lady Leigh: healer
• Lady Tory: empathic noblewoman
• Menion: trainer
• Sir Denton: tavernkeeper
• Sir Jordan: shopkeeper at Iolo's Bows
• Sir Horffe: captain of the guard
• Sir John Paul: lord of the keep
• Sir Pendaran: a knight
• Sir Richter: blacksmith and second-in-command

Ultima VII (SNES)

• Ward: provisioner

Ultima IX

• Groldek: mage
• Lyssa: fighter

Services

Ultima IV

• Courage Healer: healer

Ultima V

• Siege Crafters: armoury

Ultima VI

• Siege Crafters: armoury
• The Griffon's Den: tavern

Ultima VII

• Hallowed Dock: tavern
• Iolo's Bows: bowyer

Places of Interest

• The Academy

Trivia

• In Ultima VII, many of the inhabitants of Serpent's Hold bear a striking resemblance to characters from the popular television show, Star Trek: The Next Generation. Early technical documents even show that an additional NPC, based on the series short-lived character Tasha Yar was originally planned to appear at this location.

Gallery

• 

  Serpent's Hold art from Mysterious Sosaria

References

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Geography