Earlier this week famed Ultima developer Richard “Lord British” Garriott made a splash by putting an artful reliquary containing his actual blood up for sale on eBay. The listing is now gone, most likely due to eBay’s strict “Don’t Sell Blood” policy.
Promoting and raising money for his crowdfunded RPG Shroud of the Avatar, Garriott and producer Starr “Darkstarr” Long both had blood drawn in order to fill a dozen reliquaries, crafted by artist Steve Brudniak. Those interested can see Lord British’s blood being drawn in a video the developers posted on YouTube.
The first two of these art pieces went up on auction site eBay Thursday afternoon. Each comes with a slew of special digital content for the game, with a reserve price of $US5000 ($6604).
They were taken down by eBay yesterday evening. Developer Portalarium hasn’t given a specific reason why the listings were pulled. While fans on the game’s forums suggest negative publicity or the bundling of digital content be to blame, the most likely culprit is eBay’s Human Remains and Body Parts Policy.
Examples of prohibited items include, but are not limited to:
- Native American grave-related items, including skulls and skeletons intended for medical research
- Tibetan prayer skulls
- organs
- bones
- blood
- waste products
- body fluids
- sperm
- eggs
- any of these items included as a gift, prize or giveaway in connection with another item listed on eBay
You can’t sell any of these items even if you state they are intended for medical research.
The reliquaries have since been moved to the Shroud of the Avatar Make a Difference store, where half of the proceeds from each sale go to charity. Two Garriott reliquaries have sold for $US6000 ($7924) and $US8000 ($10,566), while someone shelled out $US6000 for a Starr Long version as well.
Ew.
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