Community:Britannian Mining Company

The Britannian Mining Company (BMC for short) was an agency operating in Britannia in the time of Ultima VII which oversaw the excavation of industrial ores from various sites throughout the kingdom.

341 Britannian Calendar (BC) (Ultima VII April 16, 1992) The Britannian Mining Company (BMC) is founded. The town of Vesper is reformed as a small colony of miners for the BMC. The BMC petitions Lord British for permission to reopen the entrance to Dungeon Covetous. The BMC begins supplying blackrock ore to Batlin and construction of the Black Gate begins.

During the time of the Avatar's adventures in the early Age of Armageddon, the BMC had two active mines within the kingdom. One, operating out of Minoc under the supervision of Gregor, was processing ores found within the corridors of the Dungeon Covetous - which included the covert extraction of the magic-nullifying blackrock, a mineral being used by BMC-affiliated Fellowship members to build various devices for the Guardian. In this key mining site, fast and inexpensive labor was crucial to maintaining the illicit blackrock production, and to this end, gargish workers were routinely drugged with silver serpent venom, that they might work for longer hours. The haste of the enterprises also resulted in a great deal of waste runoff into the local river, which contributed significantly to the pollution of Cove's Lock Lake in the years before the passage of prohibitive legislation regarding such dumping.

The second mine, operating near the newly resettled town of Vesper, under Cador, that both humans and gargoyles had resettled. The largest employer in the town was the Britannian Mining Company (BMC), who sustained the town by extracting ore from the nearby Vesper Mines. Despite the town's resurgence there was a significant and growing class disparity, at both social and economic levels, between the two races. The humans and gargoyles were segregated into east and west sections of the town, respectively, on either side of the oasis and each with their own inn. The humans were the richer of the two classes, and held the positions responsible for governing the town or overseeing the operations of the BMC. Most gargoyles however were laborers in the mine. These racial tensions incited mistrust and hatred between the two sides with some gargoyles becoming violent against humans (Anmanivas and Foranamo for example) and some humans forming the Britannian Purity League to "cleanse" the town of gargoyles. Many residents from both sides believed that violence would not only be the ultimate outcome of this disparity, but that it was also their only solution to the problem.

The actual mining operation in Vesper appeared more modest in the scope of its endeavors, and seemingly had fewer unsavory labor practices, despite the rampant racial tensions of the nearby settlement. Curiously, Batlin would describe this site in his Book of Fellowship, as being the head branch of the BMC - an odd statement given its comparative size and remoteness to the Minoxian branch. It may be that such a claim was made by the Fellowship leader as a means of misdirection, given that the bulk of blackrock extraction appeared to be taking place in Covetous Dungeon close to Minoc.

Eventually, the years of the Reformation turned the public gaze onto all BMC operations, as the adventures of the Avatar regarding the black gate had done much to expose the exploitative practices of the company. In the year following the dismantling of the Fellowship, much was reportedly done to adjust the labor laws as regarded mining, with mayor Burnside taking a lead role in the reforms.

In the years that followed, however, the ravages of the Imbalance and the Great Cataclysm, in 0 PC, dramatically changed the landscape of the world, causing the land which once held Vesper to sink into the ocean and destroying the original City of Sacrifice in the upheavals of the earth. Decades later, during the Avatar's return in Ultima IX no record or trace of the Britannian Mining Company could be found, although abandoned blackrock mines (which had apparently operated publicly for some time) were still present within Covetous' depths.

Between 0 PC and 400 PC, a new leader arose from the ranks of the BMC, Ezekiel Cooper, who led the citizens of Cove and Minoc to rebuild their homes on Dagger Isle, north of Moonglow and founded the Britanian Mining Company online June 6, 1998, as a guild rather than an agency, reformed the internal practices, freed or fairly compensated the gargoyle population, and established a monarchy with a democratic process so that the members could attain power and rule benevolently over the Britannian Mining Company with the world economy being the guild's focus rather than profiteering from slave or underpaid labor.

The New Britannia Calendar dates restarted with The Fall (the lunar calamity that destroyed much of the Old World). Shroud of the Avatar begins 400 years after The Fall, also known as Post Cataclysm or PC.

406 PC (Pre-Release April 7, 2013) - Ezekiel Cooper, along with Vice President, James Murphy, sailed from the city of Vesper in Felucca, amidst the carnage and upheavals of a dying world, for the new world of New Britannia.

424 PC (Release 1 - December 12, 2013) - Ezekiel Cooper and James Murphy landed on the shores of the Hidden Vale, and travelled to the city of Owl's Head, where they were greeted with open arms, by the Sovereign Lord British.

425 PC - Ezekiel Cooper and James Murphy granted the titles of Duke.

445 PC (Release 10 - September 25, 2014), Duke Ezekiel Cooper began scouting Ardoris and the Novian continent.

447 PC (October 19, 2014), Duke Ezekiel Cooper founds the BMC Capitol of Blackrock Cove.

449 PC (Release 12 - November 20, 2014), Duke Ezekiel Cooper forms the Britannian Mining Company guild in Shroud of the Avatar when guilds were allowed to be created.

451 PC (Release 13 - December 18, 2014), Brickbat arrives in New Britannia, creates the Britannian Mining Company guild after guild reset and delivers it to Duke Ezekiel Cooper.

452 PC (December 25, 2014), The reassembly of the Britannian Mining Company commences in New Britannia. Notable members are James Murphy, Xavier Starfall, Abercrombie Macleod, Jaron Schwartzhaar, Drake Aedus, Wind Silvermoon, Woodrow Beefcakes, Lazarus Long, Jack Frost, and many others. Guild membership quickly soars to over 300 members.

454 PC (February 10, 2015), Lord British visits the BMC in Ardoris as a guest of honor.

455 PC (February 15, 2015), Lord British visits the BMC Crafting Faire in Owl's Head, where Drake Aedus instructs him how to make a crafted sword. The sword was the very first item ever crafted in the old kingdom or the new that bore Lord British's marker's mark. The Flaming Sword of Lord British was presented to Duke Ezekiel Cooper as a gift to the BMC.

457 PC (March 17, 2015), Duke Ezekiel Cooper has a discussion with Lazarus Long, who reveals that he has a online media dream. Duke Ezekiel Cooper introduces New Britannia News Network (NBNN) idea to Lazarus Long and the media giant is born.

461 PC (May 14, 2015), Xavier Starfall, Vice President of the Britannian Mining Company, receives Royal Warrant via webcast from Lord British.

464 PC (Release 19 - June 25, 2015), Duke Ezekiel Cooper travels to the Quel region, and selects the site for the BMC Capitol, Blackrock Cove.

465 PC (July 12, 2015) BMC membership exceeds 500 members.

467 PC (Release 20 - July 30, 2015), Blackrock Cove established in the Quel region in Novia. BMC Membership

470 PC (September 14, 2015), BMC Member Jakub White, reveals his creation sotamap.com to Duke Ezekiel Cooper, who forwards the information to Lord British and Darkstarr along with a recommendation that Jakub White be awarded the Order of New Britannia Empire medal (ONBE). BMC membership exceeds 600 members.