The Legend of Blackhull

== Introduction

A play written by S. Willam Fredrik in NE348.

S. Willam Fredrik was born in Erristan, a small town called Harbur, Drydok in NE323. At the age of 20 he had studied with the Erristan Theatre in Erris, and moved to Groftbay for the next 3 years. In Groftbay he was inspired and wrote his story.

## Plot Overview:

A young boy named Carlin Salus is raised in the fictional neighborhood of Black Harbor, Groftbay. He is raised by his family, a long time staple in the fishing community, owning an array of ships. His parents are killed by robbers one night, and he is kidnapped at the age of 14. Taken aboard a vessel, Blackhull, Salus is enslaved and destined to work his entire life on the ship. 6 years pass and the audience is informed that the boy has worked his way up to being the captain on the ship, which harbors at the fictional, Ishwa Island, between pillagings and heists. The ship’s small crew has been changing for years, and through a series of flashbacks you discover that the boy, Sal, has murdered them all in vengeance for his parent’s murders. The final act of the play is the chase of the former captain Blackhull, Captain Laures Khiso. He finally meets up with the captain, who has retired to Losi Island (a real island, important to the people of Groftbay) and was living the facade of a retired merchant. The confrontation is world famous, as when Khiso realizes who Salus is and says, “So it has come to vengeance”, to which Salus replies, “Vengeance is dead, all that remains is pleasure.” The two fight as the curtain draws, not giving a clear ending to the play.

## Excerpts

Khiso: “So it has come to vengeance”
Salus: “Vengeanec is dead, all that remains is pleasure.”

Old Lady Weast to Salus, “Trouble finds trouble...or, perhaps it’s the other way ‘round.”

The theme of the play is how vengeance, no matter how justified, will corrupt a man.

## Reception

Critics praised the play for showing the demise of a sweet boy over the three acts, the contrast of his rise in the ranks is paralleled by his fall into madness, corrupted by murders to become, himself, a murderer. The ending of the play was criticized as lazy by some, and genius by others.  Either way, it was a marketing phenomenon, as people couldn’t help but talk about what happened in the end.

The play debuted in the Erris theater, after gaining funding for 2 years, in NE350. The play was an immediate success. The play went on an initial tour of 2 years around Eyrsa, and then went out again in NE355, for a full 5 years, becoming one of the most successful in the New Era.

## Legacy

The play has been transcribed into a book by combined efforts from Fredrik and unknown author Aslam Reids. The book was marginally successful and bought mostly by schooling institutions as a way to perform the play amateurly. The end was changed, making Salus the victor in the fight, causing a large amount of criticism. (Many fans have ripped the book page out following the onset of the final battle, as a testament to the original play, leaving the outcome uncertain).

Many fishing vessels are named “Blackhull” after the play. Many speculate that there may be as many as 200 “Blackhull”s on the sea at one time.