Potions & More, Vesper, Felucca Location

While a few long-time residents of Atlantic may remember Frank Bama for his  thieving exploits, most know him as the owner and operator of Vesper’s  longest-running, Felucca-based mini-mall. Although the establishment’s name has  changed over the years, most players know it as the Potions and More MiniMall  (88°57’N, 113°24’E).

“The current name, which will probably change now that I am thinking of it,  is ‘Maverick and Tully Fel Vendor House In Guard Zone,’” said owner Frank Bama,  who has been in the business for over a decade. “Maybe I should switch it to  ‘Tully’s Risk Your Life for Cheap Goods Shop.’”

Since its foundation sometime prior to the release of The Age of Shadows, the  MiniMall has been located within the Vesper guard zone. Frank Bama was not the  house’s original owner the establishment, originally called LLTS Vesper Annex,  was placed prior to house ownership, when houses were claimed by whoever  possessed the house key. Since insurance did not exist at the time, Frank Bama  managed to steal the key and has owned the plot ever since.

“Never had anything in the house, but it was a nice house I would visit  occasionally”, Bama said. “Anyway, long story even longer, the powers that be in  Britannia decided to create house ownership, where one account owned the house  and could change the front door lock. There were all kinds of rules to decide  who had the most legitimate claim to a house. I had about five houses I claimed  back then. I put a guildstone in this ‘Vesper Annex’ to increase my claim and my  right to the house. I won.”

Soon after he successfully commandeered the Annex, Frank Bama stopped  thieving and began selling goods at the location. He allowed his other five  grandfathered plots lapse and focused his attention on building his new  business. For many years, business was booming. The establishment’s location  within the guard zone made customers feel safe. The guard zone aside, however,  many other aspects made this vendor shop unique.

“Reasonable is an understatement when you compare my prices to [Luna prices],  Bama said. The only other thing that makes my store different is occasionally  you can see a red shopping there. Though, if they cause problems, they get  banned for two months or so. Oh, and I can’t resize the house, either, because  it is a grandfathered, improperly placed house.”

As long as the house was in the guard zone, blue and red players felt equally  safe shopping at the establishment. When the War of Shadow turned Felucca-Vesper  into a war zone, however, his business began to decline.

“At first, I couldn’t even recall into runes marked right outside my house,”  Bama remembered. “I’d be booted to Jhelom with a system message saying something  like, ‘You can’t recall there; you have been moved to safety.’”

None of his customers could recall to the MiniMall, either, until Ultima  Online (UO) Lead Developer Tim “Draconi” Cotton learned of the problem and came  to the rescue of the establishment. Sadly, with the absence of the Vesper town  guards, Bama’s business has remained slow and spotty, according to Bama. Most  players are too afraid to shop in Felucca. Presently, Bama’s primary customer  base consists of more experienced players, who stop by the MiniMall for a sense  of nostalgia.

“Paranoia strikes deep into the hearts of many UO players”, said Bama, “and  people are just not willing to risk their lives, or insurance money, or stuff  for cheap goods. Saw a guy shopping at my store the other day bare-bottomed. He  says my deals are great, but he comes empty and naked with his detect hidden  toon”

Despite Bama’s recent decline in business, he maintains a positive outlook.  “I always liked being the underdog. I like living in Fel,” Bama said. “I will  keep up word of mouth advertizing, probably mostly in my guild. Moving to  another facet just isn’t my style.”

Bama is planning some adjustments to restore a sense of security to the  MiniMall.

“I think I am going to set out my Crystal Portal on the first floor and set  it so everyone can use it, Bama said. Then if someone tries to off you, they  have to do it before your toon says, ‘Minoc Mint.’ I already have a little  escape portal on the side of my house, which used to be for my red shoppers  being attacked by blues, but now can go both ways.”

Frank Bama can usually be  found restocking his vendors at the MiniMall, adjacent to the Vesper tailor  shop, The Spinning Wheel, ( 87°53′N, 115°44′E) in Felucca.

Interview by Fallon Valor