Castle Blackthorn

Castle Blackthorn

Beneath both Blackthorn's castles has appeared an extensive dungeon. The entrances may be found as illustrated below. <a href="http://uo.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/blackthorn_fel.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-5029" src="http://uo.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/blackthorn_fel.jpg" alt="blackthorn_fel" width="300" height="279" /></a> <a href="http://uo.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/blackthorn_tram.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-5030" src="http://uo.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/blackthorn_tram.jpg" alt="blackthorn_tram" width="300" height="246" /></a> <strong>Pets Rejected!</strong> Blackthorn's newer residence allows no pets to enter, summarily sending them to the stable.  He graciously therefore has allowed a hitching post to be placed at the foot of the pictured staircase for the benefit of those visiting the dungeon area from that location, that they may retrieve their mounts and fighting pets.  Should you enter the castle mounted upon a beetle that you have neglected to unload the pet cannot be auto-stabled, however you will find it safely enclosed in one of the stalls of the Bucking Horse Stable, just south of the castle's bridge. Be sure to reclaim it before it becomes tired of waiting for you and decides it is better off without an owner! Beyond the staircase lies a short corridor, with doors at either end. This opens out into a large foyer area. Here you may gather your thoughts before meeting the dungeon's inhabitants. Items bearing the crest of Minax can be obtained while fighting in the dungeon. <a href="http://uo.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/blackthorn_foyer.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-5031" src="http://uo.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/blackthorn_foyer.jpg" alt="blackthorn_foyer" width="297" height="300" /></a> <p style="text-align: left">Three corridors lead off from this area, each behind closed doors. Following an incursion by the Fellowship all residents of the dungeon building were evicted and have not yet returned. Only the captains and their minions in the town cut outs to the far north remain.</p> <p style="text-align: left"><strong>The North Corridor</strong></p> <p style="text-align: left">The north doors from the foyer open onto a short corridor, which in turn opens into a large room. in the center an enclosed treasure area , beyond that is a library area .</p> <p style="text-align: left">East of the treasure block is a wide corridor with two small rooms either side. The North room contains gold statues on plinths; the South, gold suits of armor. Both rooms have doors and are unoccupied. Beyond those, through doors, is a wine cellar.</p> <p style="text-align: left">West of the treasure block is another wide corridor, again there are small rooms on either side. The north room is a dormitory, the south one a rest room with ale and games, both devoid of occupants. Beyond those the corridor turns North again and widens.</p> <p style="text-align: left">Double doors  at the exit from the building lead to a device generating a force field across the end of the tiled floor. Entering the cave, branches are found leading to small cut-outs of the loyalty towns, fractions of streets, parts of buildings, as if a giant hand had ripped out a small part of the city. In one of these can be found the remnants of an invasion force, with its captains and beacon.  You will need to explore to find which town is occupied. A significant force is needed to defeat the forces in these locations and destroy the beacon. Each captain has a group of monsters which must be defeated before its captain becomes vulnerable to attack.  The map below shows the layout of the dungeon, and the location of the spawns evicted by the fellowship.</p> <p style="text-align: center"><a href="http://uo.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/blackthorn_dungeon.jpg"><img class="alignnone wp-image-5032" src="http://uo.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/blackthorn_dungeon.jpg" alt="blackthorn_dungeon" width="650" height="660" /></a></p> <p style="text-align: left"><strong>The South Corridor</strong></p> <p style="text-align: left">Opening the doors from the foyer, a corridor branches off to the left (east) leading to a series of rooms ending in a circular room . Returning to the main south corridor it opens, without doors into a large maze-like room of walls.</p> <p style="text-align: center"><a href="http://uo.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/blackthorn_maze.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-5033" src="http://uo.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/blackthorn_maze.jpg" alt="blackthorn_maze" width="300" height="278" /></a></p> <p style="text-align: left">A branch corridor to the far east leads to two areas. The northern room now empty. The more southerly of these rooms feature cells (not locked)</p> <p style="text-align: left">Returning to the maze and proceeding to the far south is found a large room full of garbage. Continuing a circuit of the maze the western rooms, a mirror image of the area to the East.</p> <p style="text-align: left">None of the rooms in the southern area have doors .</p> <p style="text-align: left"><strong>The West Corridor</strong></p> <p style="text-align: left">The Western corridor is short and has doors at both ends. The further doors open into large room. There are two closed, unoccupied rooms, to the right (north) is an armory with swords on racks; to the left (south) appears to be a dormitory. Proceeding further west a short corridor with doors both ends leads to a large dinning room featuring enormous tables and long benches. Doors on the far right of this room lead to an unoccupied kitchen. Three corridors lead off to the west, all with doors. The first (south) corridor contains cells and leads to large room with tiered seating area, Central off that is a recreation? area, a grass rectangle with a bagball. At the far end of this large room is the end of the third (north) corridor from the dining room, another cell block. There is a hole in wall of the last large cell, leading to a cave. The central corridor from the dining room leads to smaller dining area with tables, beyond that is a storeroom.</p> <p style="text-align: left"><a href="http://uo.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/blackthorn_wallhole.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-5034" src="http://uo.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/blackthorn_wallhole.jpg" alt="blackthorn_wallhole" width="354" height="354" /></a></p> <p style="text-align: left"></p>