| “ | We are Knights of St. John. We do not surrender! | ” |
| —Morgan Black | ||
Morgan Black is a fictional Knight born into the Black family of Scotland, who later joined the Knights of St. John. He is the protagonist of the Act I: Blood campaign in Age of Empires III.
Biography[]
| “ | Morgan is one of the Knights of St. John. He is Scottish, and proud of his heritage. The son of a village smith, Morgan joined the Knights at an early age. Unmarried, with no family ties to bind him, he is devoted to his order, but knows their best days are behind them. Morgan is passionate, and his temper has often landed him in hot water. | ” |
| —In-game compendium | ||
Morgan Black was born the son of a village smith and joined the Knights of St. John at an early age. Morgan is unmarried and has no family ties binding him, so he has devoted his life to the knights' order. The fact that he speaks Scottish Gaelic, as do Highlanders, suggests that he came from what was then a Gaelic speaking part of Scotland, most likely Galloway rather than the Highlands and Islands, which were tied up in clan warfare and were less likely to produce knights for international orders.
Over the campaign, Morgan fights alongside his commander, Alain Magnan in many battles such as the defense of Malta against the Ottomans. After defending Malta and repelling the Ottomans, they discover an ancient cache talking about The Fountain of Youth, and Alain sends Morgan to the New World to stop the Ottomans from discovering it. On the way, a hurricane waylays them on some islands off Florida, where they end up fighting several pirates before making their way to the New World's shores. They discover the Ottomans, along with the Aztecs and help them repel a Spanish incursion. While pursuing Delgado (as he had captured Sahin The Falcon, an Ottoman who knew about the Fountain), another hurricane waylays them, and he is forced to take a stop at Havana. There, he manages to gain enough favor with Elisabet Ramsey by helping out the locals, who brings him to Florida.
Finally catching up with Delgado and his fleet, Morgan seizes his treasure fleet and captures Sahin. When they finally discover the Fountain, Alain reveals his true loyalties to the Circle of Ossus, who wishes to claim the Fountain's waters so that the Circle could dominate the New World. Morgan, Elisabet and Sahin work together to destroy the Fountain and kill Alain in battle. Rumour states that Morgan and Elisabet later had at least one child.
After Amelia Black finishes off the Circle's last stronghold in Havana hundreds of years later, she is met by an Old Coot who remarks on how she dismantled the Circle in only one lifetime. Considering the man's appearance and remark, it is likely that Morgan took some water and drank it to extend his life well beyond normal.
Appearances[]
As the protagonist of the Act I: Blood campaign, Morgan Black appears in every scenario. He also appears as the Old Coot in the Act III: Steel prologue and epilogue cutscenes, and he makes a cameo in the prologue video of Act I: Fire, in which he can be seen watching his great-grandson Nathaniel Black fighting against the British in the American Revolutionary War.
In-game unit[]
| “ | Leader among the Knights of St. John on Malta. | ” |
| —In-game description | ||
Morgan Black fights with a sword and can use Oberhau, a technique from the German school of fencing that damages all enemies in a wide area around him similar to the Swashbuckler Attack from the British Captain card, but with a slightly larger Area of Effect and does more damage against treasure guardians.
Like other heroes, Morgan has high hit points, but if he falls, he will collapse instead of dying and will slowly regenerate. Once he regains enough hit points, he can be be revived by allied soldiers nearby. Similar to Explorers, he can collect treasures and build Trading Posts, but cannot build Town Centers.
Morgan also grants access to Morgan's Flagship during the scenarios Pirates! and The Ottoman Fort.
Special abilities[]
Oberhau: Morgan Black performs a sweeping hand attack that does 200 (×3.0 against treasure guardians) hand damage to the target enemy and other enemies in an Area of 4 around him. 45 seconds cooldown.
In-game dialogue[]
Morgan Black speaks Scottish Gaelic, a Celtic language, which is also spoken by Highlanders.
- Select 1 Seadh? - Yes?
- Select 2 Deiseil - Ready
- Select 3 Dé'n t-òrdugh? - What is your order?
- Move 1 Tha mi a'tuigsinn - I understand
- Move 2 Nì mi sin - I'll do that
- Move 3 Mi cuir an seo a-nis - I will go here now
- Attack 1 Ionnsaigh! - Attack!
- Attack 2 Gu blàr! - To battle!
- Attack 3 Seadh, tha mi deiseil! - Yes, I'm ready!
Old Coot[]
Old Coot is a unit in Age of Empires III representing the old Morgan Black. He appears only in the cutscenes of Act III: Steel. Due to this, he is incapable of combat, and no voice lines were implemented for him.
Trivia[]
- Morgan Black is the only member of the Black family whose unit never spoke modern English in-game, only in cutscenes and dialogue.
- Morgan is the first hero to appear in three different acts (he appears Act I: Blood, Act III: Steel and he makes a cameo in The WarChiefs' Act I: Fire), followed by Ká:nien.
- Morgan Black appears as one of the possible randomly generated names for the Maltese Grand Master.
- Morgan Black is also the portrait of the The Scottish Marshal politician unique of the Maltese.
Gallery[]
