Blackrock

Blackrock Detector Activated

Blackrock is a powerful substance that has been found several times throughout the history of Ultima Online. In addition to those who have sought out blackrock, it has been a reward that spawned in a character's backpack for participation in certain events (e.g., Ophidian War). It has limited in-game effects, but has an important place in the fiction of the game.

Current Form

Reappearing in 2007, Blackrock continues to be associated with large upheavals in 2008.

March 28, 2008, the Blackrock Detector that was located in the City of Moonglow is activated;
Blackrock Elementals spawned randomly, usually associated with mining;
In an event known as Mother Lode, characters could gain skills at accelerated rates in certain areas associated with the substance;
Turning in the substance to mysterious traders that appeared in Haven would grant a character an artifact of some kind. However, an unanticipated side effect was that the concentration of blackrock destroyed Haven, but made way for the New Haven that is seen in-game today;
A character that has cast the Armageddon spell while wielding blackrock can cause monsters to become blackrock infected, causing:
- the monsters' names to hue red instead of gray;
- the monsters' names to have a "blackrock infected" title;
- became more aggressive and powerful; and
- dropped labeled treasure boxes as loot.
A character carrying around blackrock can also infect random monsters.
Monsters can also be infected by use of a Berserker's Scythe.

Blackrock Infection

(Original) Host Strain

Infected: Humans and Elves are equally susceptable, though the risk is controllable. It seems to have affected only those who experiment, or have experimented in the past, with blackrock pieces. Numbers are uncertain at this point, though most of the infected appear to be mages.

Symptoms: The earliest warning sign is hearing voices. The voices can range from simple greetings, to attack commands and snippets of random conversation.

Prevention: As it appears the host strain only affects those who experiment with blackrock, prevention is relatively straightforward. Don't mess with the stuff!

Treatment: There are no known treatments to cure or even alleviate the symptoms of infection.

Contagion Level: Medium. The Host has a chance to pass on the Infection Strain (see below) to Animals and Monsters in close proximity. The Host strain cannot be transmitted between one person and another.

(Second) Infection Strain

Infected: Any Animals and Monsters in Britannia and the Lost Lands appear to be susceptable. Infection is caused by coming in close proximity to a human or elf infected with the Host Strain.

Symptoms: The Infected creature will become berserked, regardless of its normal state. Firstly, they seem to attack the person who infected them, and then will gladly attack others. Both passive and aggressive creatures will behave the same.

Prevention: Animals and Monsters in Trammel and Felucca should evacuate these areas and move to Malas, the Tokuno Islands, or most preferably, Ilshenar... to the Meer town of Lakeshire.

Treatment: Alas, there are no known treatments, and once infected, death is likely. As most infected creatures are killed too quickly by the people who contaminated them, it is not known whether the infection itself is permanent, treatable or even damaging to the infected creature in the long term.

Contagion Level: None. There are no known cases of the Infection Strain being transmitted between one creature and another.

Skill Gains

It has been reported, and confirmed, that if you try and train your skills in the area where the Black Crystal is, the same area you can mine large chunks of blackrock, your skill gain is increased.

South end of Ultima Online: The Second Age - the Lost Lands, east from Delucia.
North end of T2A - The Lost Lands, near the Ophidian Lair.

Information about the skill gains:

You will see the message "You are infused with the intense energy of this area" when you get a skill gain.

While training in these areas, your skill gain can increase from 0.2 to 0.5

Carrying blackrock while training skills has no affect. Only when training in these areas will you have the enhanced skill gain.

Also works for GGS. Great for when your close to Grandmaster or higher.

Best skills to train in that area: Peacemaking, Musicianship, Stealth, Hiding & of course... Mining

Good luck staying alive in that area while trying to gain skill...

Lore

Ultima Single Player Game

Blackrock is a mystical mineral that can bend space and time, and is known to resist magic. It is able to open portals to other dimensions and summon creatures through them. It is crucial to producing the Black Moongate, by which the Guardian attempted to enter Britannia. It was also how the Avatar managed to escape the Guardian's trap on the world of Pagan (and became the Titan of Ether) and how he contained the Armageddon spell by which he ascends and the Guardian is destroyed). Blackrock was used in Ultima IX to make strong armor and a Blackrock sword, though its suitability for this purpose has never previously been established.

Ultima Online

Just prior to the advent of Trammel, an event occurred where a powerful creature known as a Blackrock Elemental had to be slain in order to repair the Bell of Courage. Also, casting the little-known Armageddon spell while wielding blackrock caused an explosion that instantly killed the character. It includes some wonderful graphics.