Terfin
| Terfin | |
|---|---|
 Location of Terfin | |
| Located in: | Britannia |
| Type: | village / island |
 Terfin in Ultima V | |
Terfin is the Gargish name given to a volcanic island in southern Britannia, east of the Isle of Deeds and west of the Isle of the Avatar.
Description[edit]
Rising from the site which once housed the Skull of Mondain, this desolate island has had a checkered history, and saw both Blackthorn and the Guardian erect their strongholds upon it. For a time, however, it proved the peaceful home of gargoyle immigrants, who lent it its somewhat foreboding appellation – a word which means "The Place of the End". The less-than-ideal situation of the gargoyles living on the island gives a hint why such a name was chosen for the new home of their species.
History[edit]
Age of Enlightenment[edit]
The isle which would become Terfin arose from the Britannian sea as the Great Council removed the Codex of Ultimate Wisdom from its shrine in the Abyss, growing from the activity of the three volcanoes which once overlooked the resting place of Mondain's skull. It was here, some time before Ultima V, that Lord Blackthorn would choose to erect his castle, and the dark legacy of long dead Sosarian evil would be complimented by the injustices that the corrupt reagent would enact here.
After the eventual return of Lord British and Blackthorn's subsequent exile, the island laid abandoned for many years, with many Britannians reluctant to tread upon land with so dark a history. Eventually, the mad mage Sutek would venture to the ruins of Blackthorn's keep and would build upon them – contracting a number of brilliant engineers to expand the castle's basement into an elaborate series of catacombs that might house his perverse experiments. This company of men and women, however, soon fell victim to the magician's insanity, and at the end of their work they found themselves rewarded with the dubious honor of being the crypts first inhabitants.
Age of Armageddon[edit]
Following the end to hostilities between gargoyles and men and the eventual destruction of the gargoyle homelands, the Gargish race found themselves in need of living space within the bounds of Britannia. With racial tensions running high in most human dominated cities, the people of Draxinusom eventually came to settle on the desolate isle they would call Terfin, where they could be found in Ultima VII. Here, they lived a life similar to that they had traditionally enjoyed upon their home world, continuing to pay reverence to their unique cosmology at a reconstructed shrine of the Three Principles.
Unfortunately, Terfin was dramatically affected by the Great Cataclysm, with its once dormant volcanoes reactivating as it transformed again into a barren and inhospitable rock. The gargoyles, their numbers already dwindling after the plagues of the Imbalance, eventually fled the island, seeking refuge in their grandiose underwater city of Ambrosia. While some wingless few remained, they soon fell under the sway of Terfin's new inhabitant: the Guardian. After having at last traveled to Britannia during the Avatar's exile on Pagan, the Red Titan had erected a fortress upon the barren island, where he awaited the final confrontation he would have with the hero before their mutual ascension.
Lore[edit]
| “ | Few nowadays venture near this monument to evil, but rumors abound that the mad wizard Sutek has taken refuge in the former abode of Blackthorn, the defamed ally of the vanquished Shadowlords. What Sutek might be doing there, none can say. – from Compendium (Ultima VI)
|
|---|
| “ | Terfin is the home of the gargoyles, built upon the island once occupied by Sutek the Mad. Most gargoyles travel daily to Minoc in order to work in the mines. In Terfin one may find the gargoyle Hall of Knowledge and an active Fellowship branch. Not far from Terfin are the ancient ruins that were once the palace of the traitorous Blackthorn. – from The Book of Fellowship (Ultima VII)
|
|---|
| “ | Grafted to Britannia by forces of black magic, this volcanic isle grew from the sea as if in complaint at the removal of the Codex of Ultimate Wisdom from the gargoyle people. While no science has explained its formation, here it remains: barren, inhospitable, and forbidden to Britannians royal to the crown. From the rutted cliffsides, evil whispers its old and provocative message. These lands were first poisoned by Lord Blackthorn and his insurgents. Terfin became the residence of the gargoyles after the underworld collapsed. Yet since the coming of the columns, the gargoyles numbers have mysteriously dwindled. Thought the evil from these soils has been banished long ago, sailors passing nearby have detected a growing sense of malice floating across the waves from Terfin. While Terfin is now reputed to be abandoned, someone or something has begun a demon's work deep in its womb. |
|---|
Inhabitants[edit]
Ultima V[edit]
- Foulwell: court jester
- Gallrot: cook
- Gorn: prisoner
- Hassad: imprisoned member of the Great Council
- Kraw: horsekeeper
- Lord Blackthorn: tyrant king
- Unnamed Prisoner: prisoner
- Weblock: advisor
Ultima VI[edit]
- Gorn: adventurer
- Pushme Pullyu: two-headed horse
- Sutek: mad mage
Ultima VII[edit]
- Betra: provisioner
- Forbrak: tavernkeeper
- Inforlem: trainer
- Inmanilem: healer
- Lord Draxinusom: Gargish leader
- Quaeven: gargoyle
- Quan: Fellowship branch leader
- Runeb: Quan's assistant
- Sarpling: jewel seller
- Silamo: gardener
- Teregus: shrinekeeper
SNES-Port[edit]
- Grebdil: provisioner
Ultima IX[edit]
Services[edit]
Ultima VII[edit]
- Hall of Refreshment: tavern
Places of Interest[edit]
- Palace of Blackthorn (Ultima V)
- Shrines of the Principles (Ultima VII)
- Guardian Fortress (Ultima IX)
Trivia[edit]
- An earlier development sketch of Terfin for Ultima VII - seen in the gallery below - has turned up, giving some interesting insights in the early wordbuilding process. The sketch is very interesting in that while the basic structure is already in place, the buildings are in different positions compared to the final game. The sketch also holds short notes about the inhabitats, listing several gargoyles which did not make the cut for the final game.
Gallery[edit]
The future site of Terfin
Devastated Terfin seen at the end of Ultima VIII
Terfin in Ultima IX
Ultima IX concept art
Early development sketch for Terfin in Ultima VII
| 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 |