"Baron Harkyn..."
Baron Harkyn is the possessor of a large castle located to the northwest of
Skara Brae. While the whereabouts of Harkyn himself remains unknown, he left
his castle well defended by four large guardians.
Harkyn may in league with
Mangar, as he was not well admired in the town. He's known to own slaves, their quarters populated with
Mangar Guards, and hosts legions upon legions of
hired warriors in large barracks in the upper floors of his castle. Harkyn may have a military background due to this reputation, even maintaining an old, torturous royal prison cell which surely caused the painful death throes of many a pitied prisoner.
He kept in well with the priests of the town (or perhaps kept them well with some monetary incentives), by the presence of the "Temple of 100 Blessings" just beyond his castle door, behind the protection of his guardians.
Harkyn has a taste for ornate tapestries and kingly decor. His throne
1 is magnificent and set upon high. His artistic bent is only matched by his love for music, since he had his throne rigged to respond to the musically inclined, revealing a secret passageway into the heights of his domain. Anyone without musical prowess who dares sit on his throne will face an immediately hastened life span.
In addition to his love for the fine, he maintains a personal library
2. But not only does he collect books, Harkyn also stored a number of valuable items within his walls:
- He long ago came upon a Crystal Sword which he has hidden and set guarded by a monstrous Jabberwock
- He's stashed a powerful shield in a shadowy corner of his domain
- Whether to his knowledge or not, an old man protects a small, yet significant artifact in his castle - a Silver Square
Most notably, however, Harkyn owned a very unique, special monument, likely as his object of worship. His prized possession, if you will, was a 15 foot tall stone statue of a warrior, missing one eye. Surrounded by spinners and magic-killing wards to deter any ill-prepared visitors, this statue was an inanimate container for the
Mad God Tarjan himself.
Both
Lord Garrick and the heroes who rescued Skara Brae encountered this statue, and had to face this powerful being in battle. However, it turns out that this... apparation perhaps, was only a brief taste of the evil Tarjan. After Mangar's ultimate defeat, Tarjan, revealing that he was himself never truly defeated, would later return to the realm of Skara Brae in person
3, this time with a vengeance
Footnotes
- BT1 Map: Harkyn's Castle level 1
- BT1 Map: Harkyn's Castle level 2
- As the primary nemesis in Bard's Tale 3: The Thief of Fate
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Bard's Tale 1
Map texts and clues
Position: (16,20)
Content: "A message is scrawled on the wall in blood: Seek the Mad One's stoney self in Harkyn's domain."
Position: (0,19)Content: Stairs up:
Harkyn's Castle 2
Position: (9,0)
Content: "A wide corridor leads into Baron Harkyn's castle. Fabulous tapestries adorn the walls. The flickering torchlight casts strange shadows."
Position: (19,19)Content: Portal up -
Harkyn's Castle 3
Position: (0,19)Content: Stairs down:
Harkyn's Castle 1
Position: (19,19)Content: Portal down -
Harkyn's Castle 2
Position: (12,5)
Content: "The legions of Baron Harkyn stand before you, recognizing you as intruders, 'Death to them!' they scream.
...99 Berserkers, 99 Berserkers, 99 Berserkers, 99 Berserkers
Position: (4,24)Content: Harkyn's Castle
Position: (28,27)
Content: Teleport in: from Harkyn's Castle - level 3
Item Catalogue
Item: Robes (Location: Catacombs 1, 2, 3, Harkyn's Castle 1, Sewers 1, 2, 3)
Item: Helm (Location: Catacombs 1, 2, 3, Harkyn's Castle 1, Sewers 1, 2, 3)
Item: Gauntlets (Location: Catacombs 1, 2, 3, Harkyn's Castle 1, Sewers 1, 2, 3)
Item: Mandolin (Location: Catacombs 1, 2, 3, Harkyn's Castle 1, Sewers 1, 2, 3)
Item: Harp (Location: Catacombs 1, 2, 3, Harkyn's Castle 1, Sewers 1, 2, 3)
Item: Flute (Location: Catacombs 1, 2, 3, Harkyn's Castle 1, Sewers 1, 2, 3)
Item: Mthr Sword (Location: Catacombs 1, 2, 3, Harkyn's Castle 1, Sewers 1, 2, 3)
Item: Bardsword (Location: Sewers 3, Catacombs 1, 2, 3, Harkyn's Castle 1,)
Item: Fire Horn (Location: Sewers 3, Catacombs 1, 2, 3, Harkyn's Castle 1,)
Item: Lightwand (Location: Sewers 3, Catacombs 1, 2, 3, Harkyn's Castle 1,)
Item: Mthr Helm (Location: Sewers 3, Catacombs 1, 2, 3, Harkyn's Castle 1, 2, 3)
Item: Mthr Axe (Location: Sewers 3, Catacombs 1, 2, 3, Harkyn's Castle 1, 2, 3)
Item: Mthr Mace (Location: Sewers 3, Catacombs 1, 2, 3, Harkyn's Castle 1, 2, 3)
Item: Mthr Plate (Location: Sewers 3, Catacombs 1, 2, 3, Harkyn's Castle 1, 2, 3)
Item: Ogre Fgn (Location: Sewers 3, Catacombs 1, 2, 3, Harkyn's Castle 1, 2, 3)
Item: Lak's Lyre (Location: Sewers 3, Catacombs 1, 2, 3, Harkyn's Castle 1, 2, 3)
Item: Hawkblade (Location: Kylearan's Tower, Mangar's Castle 1, Harkyn's Castle 2, 3)
Item: Admt Sword (Location: Kylearan's Tower, Mangar's Castle 1, Harkyn's Castle 2, 3)
Item: Admt Shield (Location: Kylearan's Tower, Mangar's Castle 1, Harkyn's Castle 2, 3)
Item: Admt Dagger (Location: Kylearan's Tower, Mangar's Castle 1, Harkyn's Castle 2, 3)
Item: Admt Helm (Location: Kylearan's Tower, Mangar's Castle 1, Harkyn's Castle 2, 3)
Item: Admt Gloves (Location: Kylearan's Tower, Mangar's Castle 1, Harkyn's Castle 2, 3)
Item: Admt Mace (Location: Kylearan's Tower, Mangar's Castle 1, Harkyn's Castle 2, 3)
Item: Broom (Location: Kylearan's Tower, Mangar's Castle 1, Harkyn's Castle 2, 3)
Item: Pureblade (Location: Kylearan's Tower, Mangar's Castle 1, Harkyn's Castle 2, 3)
Item: Exorwand (Location: Kylearan's Tower, Mangar's Castle 1, Harkyn's Castle 2, 3)
Item: Magic Mouth (Location: Kylearan's Tower, Mangar's Castle 1, Harkyn's Castle 2, 3)
Item: Luckshield (Location: Kylearan's Tower, Mangar's Castle 1, Harkyn's Castle 2, 3)
Item: Giant Fgn (Location: Kylearan's Tower, Mangar's Castle 1, Harkyn's Castle 2, 3)
Item: Admt Chain (Location: Kylearan's Tower, Mangar's Castle 1, Harkyn's Castle 2, 3)
Item: Admt Scale (Location: Kylearan's Tower, Mangar's Castle 1, Harkyn's Castle 2, 3)
Item: Crystal Sword (Effect: Special: Perma-kill Crystal Golem; Retrieved from Harkyn's Castle) (Location: Harkyn's Castle 1)