I knew Lord Blackthorn.

Oh, at one time it was not such a shocking statement to be sure. Lord Blackthorn was once a great friend to Britannia, and a kind man. Indeed, he was perhaps the most noble soul I have ever encountered. His origins I do not know, save that he and Lord British had known each other since the time before Britannia. His Majesty would oft sit with Blackthorn for hours playing games of chess and talking over matters of the day.

Though Blackthorn were a noble man, he also was a man of strong convictions. He believed that races such as the orcs and lizardmen could coexist peacefully with humans. He believed in freedom of choice for all men. Foremost, he believed in Britannia, he was a true patriot of our kingdom.

When Lord British proclaimed his 8 virtues, Lord Blackthorn disagreed with him. Such was the loyalty of Blackthorn that he still swore fealty to his leige, even in this disagreement. It was only after he obtained permission from Lord British that he created his Chaos Shrine. Later, when Lord British formed the Order guard to go about enforcing virtue, Blackthorn gained permission to create the Chaos guard, so that the people of Britannia should have a choice.

When Lord British set off on his expedition to lands unknown, Lord Blackthorn began to withdraw from society. Who knows what thoughts passed through his mind? When Ilshenar was discovered, Blackthorn began to take expeditions into these strange new lands, where ultimately he became corrupted and influenced by the foul evil known as Exodus.

In one of his final missives, Lord Blackthorn explained why he let Exodus transform him, and why he began a war against Britannia.. the land he so loved. He said "I watched in disgust as this world became engrossed with the preaching of virtue and none of the practice". Odd comments from a man who did not follow the virtues.

We may never know truly what happened between Blackthorn and Exodus. Perhaps he was just lost without his best friend.

There are two Blackthorns. One with evil in his heart who was a blight upon the land, who twisted his body to reflect the shape of his soul. The other a strong yet kind man with a firey conviction, an oath of loyalty, and a legacy of nobility.

Who was Lord Blackthorn? I leave it for you to decide.