Sprellic

Sprellic
Sprellic, from Ultima VII
Species:	human
Appearances
Ultima VII Location: Jhelom

Sprellic is the owner of the Bunk and Stool, a tavern and inn in Jhelom.

Description

Sprellic originally hailed from Minoc, and came to regret having moved from the City of Sacrifice after he became unwittingly embroiled in Jhelom's duelist culture. Sometime before the true Avatar's return to the realm, he received a patron who falsely claimed to be the Avatar (likely Sullivan, the trickster). Gulled by the stranger's claims, Sprellic waited hand and foot upon him, as his employees Ophelia and Daphne were both absent, having taken a day off from their duties. After cooking and serving the stranger a veritable banquet of food and drink, the innkeeper was beset with complaints from the "Avatar" about the coldness of his room, resulting in Sprellic delivering to him every blanket in the inn.

When his guest continued to complain of the cold, Sprellic took to the streets of Jhelom, searching for anything that could serve as an additional blanket. Happening onto the "honor flag" of the Library of Scars, Sprellic took it down from its place in front of the fighting academy in the hopes it would satisfy his customer's demands, not knowing of the standard's symbolic value. Syria, who was on guard that night, caught him in the act and attempted to chase him down, only to lose him in the shadows.

The next morning, Sprellic awoke to find that his vaunted guest had left, taking the blankets and the flag with him and shirking his payment. Later, Syria, Vokes and Timmons each challenged Sprellic to a duel to the death. In taking the honor flag, Sprellic had unwittingly implied that he was able to best every fighter in the Library of Scars – and the students of the Library took exception to such an insult. Unable to return the honor flag to the academy, Sprellic withdrew to his house to await the day of battle, while his barmaids took bets on the outcome.

When the true Avatar eventually arrived, the hero was able to resolved the issue by having Kliftin, Jhelom's armourer and tailor, manufacture a replica honor flag, which was then returned to the Library. With what they thought was the honor flag returned, Syria, Vokes and Timmons rescinded their challenges, satisfied that Sprellic's challenge to the academy was withdrawn. Later, however, as recounted by Syria during her imprisonment in the Guardian's blackrock dome, Vokes found cause to beat Sprellic in his own inn, implying that that tensions still ran high between the innkeeper and the students of the Library, even after the duels resolution.

Lore

“	Sprellic and his barmaids are never on the field. I doubt Sprellic has ever lifted a blade in his life, except, perhaps, to slice a carrot. – from Key to the Black Gate (Ultima VII)

Trivia

• In Ultima VII the Avatar has several options by which the affair with Sprellic and the Library of Scars can be resolved. It is possible for the hero to kill Syria, Timmons and Vokes in combat as Sprellic's champion, or to simply murder Sprellic before the duel. The creation of the false honor flag, however, is considered the canonical solution, as Ultima Underworld II features Syria and mentions Sprellic as being very much alive.
• Sprellic's dialogue hints that he is somewhat smitten with Syria, although given her attitude regarding him in Ultima Underworld II, it is unlikely that he ever acted upon it.
• In the SNES-port of Ultima VII, Sprellic makes no mention of his strange guest being the Avatar. Upon resolving the conflict between him and the Library Scars, he will reward the hero with a Sword Storm Amulet.