Zoltan
| Zoltan | |||||||||||||||
 Zoltan, from Ultima VI | |||||||||||||||
| Species: | human | ||||||||||||||
| Appearances | |||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||
Zoltan is a self-proclaimed "King of the Gypsies" who travels the roads of mainland Britannia in Ultima VI, along with his daughter Karina, the mystic Taynith, the juggler Blaine, and their dog, Kador. Avowed nomads, Zoltan's band can variously be found in Britain, Minoc, Paws, Trinsic, and Yew.
Description[edit]
Zoltan was a proud man and free as the open road, although his advice and services never were. When encountered by the Avatar during the human-gargoyle conflict of the late Age of Enlightenment, the gypsy leader was willing to perform a traditional dance accompanied on the fiddle by his daughter Karina, although expected remuneration upon its conclusion and would take umbrage if not paid. For a small fee he could also advise the hero on methods of opening "uncooperative" doors, and offered for purchase a selection of the realm's more common reagents.[1]
In exchange for ten gold pieces, Zoltan would relate a debacle in which the reclusive Captain Johne (who had come to inhabit Dungeon Hythloth as he worked to forge a peaceable relationship with the gargoyles in their own realm) hired him to deliver a silver tablet to the Avatar's former comrade in arms, Mariah, now a scholar at the Lycaeum. However, before the gypsies could complete this sojourn to Verity Isle's great keep of knowledge, they were ambushed by the dreaded Captain Hawkins and his crew of pirates, who fractured the tablet in two and made off with the larger portion. Upon reaching Mariah, Zoltan sold her the small fragment he was able to salvage from the encounter.[2]
If queried further, Zoltan condemned Captain Hawkins, but praised the generosity of the Avatar's old friend. As for others, he would extol gypsy women when discussing the two in his group, and noted Taynith's fondness for drinking in Paws; concerning Britannia's other so-called gypsy king, Arturos, Zoltan would claim himself unfamiliar with the name.[3]
Runes of Virtue[edit]
In Runes of Virtue, Zoltan could be found hiding in a small have on Dagger Isle, directly beside the Cavern of Selfishness. He was willing to sell the hero a set of plate armour for 75 gp. Zoltan would later appear in the Cavern of Injustice warning about the danger of fool's gold, and in Empath Abbey, where he told the hero to search for pirate treasure at a large "X". Zoltan would later appear in Runes of Virtue II in the Cavern of Injustice, where he provided the hero with a magic rope which allowed the hero to cross small bodies of water.
The Ultima 6 Project[edit]
This is an Ultima 6 Project-related NPC article or section. The information within may not apply to Ultima VI or other Ultima games.
In The Ultima 6 Project, Zoltan reacted very badly when being asked about Arturos, who called himself the king of gypsies as well, calling the man a fraud. Zoltan also actively cursed Captain Hawkins, for not only had he robbed them, but also stole his favorite earring. Should the Avatar manage to find the missing jewelry in the pirate treasure and return it to Zoltan, the gypsy would become overwhelmed with joy for its return and gave the Avatar a very generous reward in form of reagents during a celebration.
Lore[edit]
| “ | Zoltan is a travelling gypsy, fortune teller, and a talented dancer. He also claims to be king of the gypsies! But then, he also says his dog Kador can talk, and nobody has ever heard that happen. – from Runes of Virtue manual (Runes of Virtue)
|
|---|
Goods[edit]
Prices in Ultima VI are as follows:[4]
| Cost (gp) | ||
|---|---|---|
|
Blood moss | 3 |
|
Garlic | 2 |
|
Ginseng | 1 |
|
Nightshade | 1 |
|
Spider silk | 2 |
|
Sulfurous ash | 3 |
Trivia[edit]
- In reality, the historical title of "King of the Gypsies" was a claim with different ramifications depending on regional and cultural norms. It was certainly not uncommon for the title to be claimed by multiple persons. In several instances it seemed to be taken purely as a means of stabilizing relations with antiziganist gaje, who could use the "King" as a scapegoat rather than punishing Romani communities as a whole for individual slights. In actuality, most Romani groups have no cultural notion of kings or inherited rulers.[5]
References[edit]
- ↑ Zoltan. Ultima VI transcript. Ultima VI. "name, job, king, land, road, wind, road, free, gyps, danc, advi, reag".
- ↑ Zoltan. Ultima VI transcript. Ultima VI. "silv".
- ↑ Zoltan. Ultima VI transcript. Ultima VI. "mari, hawk, tayn, kari, paws, artu".
- ↑ Dr. Cat. The Book of Prophecy (Ultima VI). Origin Systems, Inc.: 1990. Page 53.
- ↑ Wikipedia. King of the Gypsies. Retrieved: 2010‒10‒06.