Mythic have continued their week-long examination of the Virtue of Honor with a look at the city that represents it: Trinsic, home of the Paladins. As is the case with most Britannian towns, Trinsic has changed markedly over the years, and from Ultima to Ultima.

And once again, U4E uses the U4 template, albeit minus the walls.

The city of Honor – Trinsic!

One of the few cities to have consistently have strong fortifications, Trinsic has (almost) always been known for the wall surrounding its inhabitants.

Founded before Ultima 4, it was immediately declared the city of Honor and headquarters to the Paladins of Britannia. One of the few cities to have to have its own local government, Dupre started out as the town leader.

In Ultima 5 a member of the Great Council named Sindar placed himself in a magical sleep to escape capture and torture by Blackthron’s minions.

Come Ultima 6 the walls remained, but Trinsic had spread slightly beyond them. At that time, the Rune of Honor was displayed openly in the middle of a city as a testament of the inhabitants’ virtue.

In Ultima 7 the walls were expanded to contain the growth of inhabitants. The Avatar actually begins his journey in this city, and is unable to leave until he helps solve a grisly murder.

Finally, in Ulima 9 it changed the most drastically. Not only had the walls crumbled around the city, but the land itself sunk below the sea. Trinsic was rebuilt within the lagoon left behind, and all honor had vanished.

What are some of your favorite memories of Trinsic? Did you ever allow the character Spark from U7 to join your party? How do you think Honor can be harmful if taken to the extreme, such as with Blackthron’s Laws?

Why is it that whenever I think of the concept of Honor being taken to the extreme, I don’t think of Blackthorn or real-world atrocities like honor killings, but of Star Trek?