Election called for Blackthorn. Lord British to deliver concession speech from his new home on Bordermarch.

As the good citizens of the United States head to the polling stations today to cast their votes for who shall be that republic’s next president, I’ve decided to have a little bit of spur-of-the-moment fun with the concept of elections. So, with a little bit of help from Microsoft Excel’s RANDBETWEEN function, I will be presenting (over the course of the next few hours) an alternative history of Britannia circa Ultima 5!

In this bizarre alternative version of the resolution of Warriors of Destiny, Lord British does not simply banish Lord Blackthorn through a moongate to realms unknown. Instead, the good king calls the citizens of Britannia to the first ever election to be held in that world, and leaves the ultimate fate of the land in the hands of its citizens. Lord British and Lord Blackthorn have been campaigning for the support of the Britannian populace, not all of whom feel that life under Blackthorn’s short-lived rule was all that bad.

The race is tight: Lord British may enjoy the endorsement of the Champion of Virtue, but Blackthorn has a strong track record of bringing law and order to the land. Blackthorn is currently polling well in areas such as Yew and, ironically, Buccaneer’s Den — areas that are outwardly diametric opposite, but which both benefited mightily under Blackthorn’s iron-fisted rule. Lord British, meanwhile, is polling well in the Brittanys and Britain, giving him a stronghold of votes in the heart of the land that Blackthorn has been trying to erode in recent weeks, even as the good king looks to expand his support in places like Moonglow and the Lycaeum.

It all comes to a head tonight. The good citizens of Britannia are called to vote, and the future of the land will be settled by the morning!

Head on over to the Ultima Codex’s Britannia Votes 2012 election center to see the state of the race!

BREAKING: The Smith the Horse Advertising Agency has just release this poster as part of their final advertising push for the Britannian Election: