Let's Play Ultima: From Akalabeth to Ascension! (Now on VII)

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Ultima VII Part 10: The Isle of Fire

Ultima VII: The Black Gate

Part 10: The Isle of Fire


Alright, now we will find the source of the earthquakes.



No shit! Let's investigate.



This is a courtyard with a moongate back to the mainland. It's a good place to Mark.

Inside I find some books.









Hmmm . . .



This is Erethian. Since I could not find a complete transcript of his dialogue online, I just took a bunch of screenshots. Bear with me.









Who are you?











How can books be helpful to a blind man?

You said you wanted to study Exodus?





What happened after that?















What do you know of the gargoyles?



WHAT?!

So what happened to Exodus?









Tell me about the Psyche.



What about the Dark Core?













What kind of writings are around here?





Since I have already looked at them, I explore some more.



This is the Dark Core.









Trippy!



Let's click on the old guy statue.





Yes.



He teleports me to the Test of Truth.



I wonder what these plaques say?

I head south through a fake wall.



It's a bad idea to step out here.



I head north through another invisible passageway.



I grab the Amulet of Truth.











I wonder what kind of boon the statue granted me?



Fuck yeah! Next test!







I head through a hidden door in Erethian's room.



The Test of Love



This does not seem so bad.







Here is another book full of hints.







Hmm.



I will need a knife.



It looks like one of the golem's is stoned.









Here is another book.

















Alrighty, let's find this stone!



Here lies beloved father and master.



I find a pick nearby.



This is just for entertainment. I have to stand around here to get teleported to the Stone of Castambre.



I head south.



I strike the stone and collect some blood in a bucket. Then I head back to the golem.











I place the heart in the other golem and continue the ritual.













IT'S ALLIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIVE!!!!!









He sacrificed himself by giving me his heart... the fool!

Is there anything we can do?

I must help him, as he helped me! Wilt thou assist?

Yes.

Very good, I thank thee in advance.

Who are you?

I am the golem called Adjhar, at thy service.

What do you do?

I am one of the guardians of the Shrines of the Principles. That was exactly what Bollux and I were doing when the wall fell and crushed me.

How did the wall fall?

I do not remember the incident clearly. However, I will relate what I can recall. Bollux and I were standing guard in the Shrine Room of the Principles when we detected an intrusion into the the castle. I remember nothing more than being aware of great heat, and then part of the wall crumbling atop me, crushing my legs. I suppose Bollux was more forunate. Was it he who carried me here?

I assume so.

Then it is imperative that we find a way to bring him back! If nothing else, I owe him my gratitude.

What next?

Dost thou have the book entitled, `The Stone of Castambre?'

Yes.



'Tis as I suspected. Bollux thought he must sacrifice his own heart to return my life.



The poor fool gave his life for mine. I can only hope I would have done the same. Doing so now, however, would help nothing, for once I was gone Bollux would simply repeat his act. *sighs*

I don't mean to be irreverent, but did the matter not involve death, 'twould be a humorous sight: the two golems popping up and down as each one passed the `heart' to the other...

However, 'tis not necessary, for had Bollux known what is covered by this smudge, he could have told thee that a new heart may be cut from the Tree of Life. Look here, *points to smudged line* I remember this from before. Thou canst take the very same pick with which thou didst collect the blood and procure a `heart' for Bollux. Of course, after thou dost place the heart upon Bollux's body, thou must again perform the same ritual of blood.



I do just that.



I also find a hidden lever.



Interesting.



What is this?







It looks like this is another Cheat Room. Kewl!

Anyway, I take the heart back and perform the ritual.





Then there were two.







Yes.







Goodbye, Avatar. As always I thank thee for thy kindness in assisting two brothers in need. Forget not the lessons taught by the Shrines.













We will find out next time!

Ultima VII Part 11: Exodus Strikes Back

Ultima VII: The Black Gate

Part 11: Exodus Strikes Back


Now that we have two out of three tests done, let's explore a bit more of the palace.



What is with that creepy mirror?!



Greetings Britannian. What dost thou wish of the great daemon, Arcadion?

What are you doing here?

I am currently in the service of one mage, Erethian by name.



Why do you serve him?



I have served that blind, old fool for over two hundred years! Perhaps thou mightest assist me to free myself of this unwanted bondage. I could prove an invaluable ally. Well, mortal, wilt thou help me?

Yes.



Thou art truly courageous to vow to release me. My gratitude hath no bounds. Thou hast made a powerful ally this day, mortal.

What do I need to do?

I'll need a special gem in which to house my essence when thou crackest this prison of a mirror.

Where can I find such a gem?

There was one on this island, that much I know. Find it. Bring it to me and together, we shall break this mirror that binds me to that blasted mage.

I see if I can coax any information out of Erethian.

What's that thing in the mirror?





He says he needs a gem.





I bet.





:twisted: So where do I find this gem?













Before I do that, did you know the Statue of Truth said the Psyche was returning to the Core?







Anyway, let's go play in the Test of Courage!

It's party time! I can find a bunch of great equipment among the corpses.



Some loot!







Kewl!



I find a Glass Sword.



I wonder if this crystal ball contains a hint?



Yep!



Presto change-o!



I find the key to moving on.



Jaana bites the dust, so I need some help (KAL LOR) to resurrect her ass.



Since we're back here and in need of more fire power, let's find the Hoe of Destruction!



I find the key to Farmer Mack's shack in a fish right by where the cursor is pointing.



Open Sez Me!



This ain't no cheap trick! Time for more ass-kicking!



I take the Great Helm off this pedestal and put it in my pack.



I then replace it with a Magic Helm that I got from a similar room on the other side of the dungeon.



Even with the Hoe, I still get my ass handed to me on occasion.



I then place the Great Helm on the pedestal on the other side of the room.



Now, the way is open. It is time to fight the dragon.







I give it some swift kicks. Sorry, I forgot to take screenshots.









*gulp* Yes.







I Mark the hallway outside the dragon's lair and return to Erethian to see if he knows where I can find such a weapon.







He takes us to the foyer.















SHAZAAM!!

































It looks like I need to do some blacksmithing.



First, I survey my equipment.



Next, I fill the trough with water from the well.



Then, I heat the forge.



I stop when the blade is nice and hot.



Then I put the blade on the anvil and hammer it into shape.



I keep doing this.



Finally, I dunk the blade in the trough to cool down. I then repeat the process.



Sometimes, this seems to happen.



It seems like something is missing.













Maybe Erethian can get some use out of him.











Anyway, can you take this Blackrock sword and Arcadion's gem and make an uber weapon?



















Let's do this.



I use the gem on the sword.













Shade Blade. It has a nice ring to it.



Let's rein down fire on these assholes!







You can nearly find a full set of magic armour in the first room of the Test of Courage.



Let's try Arcadion's Death power on one of these golems.



Shit!



Since I can teleport to the dragon's lair, I add another magic helm to my inventory.





Let's use the Shade Blade's insta-kill powers.



















I head north and take the portal.



Here is the Talisman of Courage.









I think I remember something like that back in Erethian's chambers.



WTF?!

Erethian, do you know about the Talisman of Infinity?





Yes.



Usecode perhaps?





















I teleport back to Britain.



I grab the Codex lenses from their new home in the Britannian museum.



I place the lenses in the proper position and place all three talismans atop the Dark Core.

Unfortunately, the positions of the talismans matter.



They have to be in the shape of a pizza.



The fourth slice . . . err Talisman of Infinity . . . appears!



Erethian is pissed off!













Bonehead!



With that, the Dark Core is consumed.





I head back to the king.









That's the way
Uh-huh uh-huh
I like it
Uh-huh uh-huh

The Andyman Giveth.



God I love this game.


I love how British apparently has the ability to make you awesome at any time but refuses to do so until you take care of the Isle of Fire situation. Thanks for nothing, dickwad.


Forge of Virtue really is (or should be) a template for how to make a fantastic expansion that fits in well with the rest of the game.

Glad to see new updates!

Update! Wooo!
I never did get the Forge of Virtue add-on myself, love to see it actually done.

FoV fits into the world of BG better than Silver Seed fits into Serpent Isle because it does not introduce many plotholes.

FUCK YOU PHOTOBUCKET!

Yeah, I was thinking about re-uploading all my photos as 640x480 jpegs to save space. As is, the entire collection weighs in at 500-600 MBs. As (decent-looking) jpegs, the collection is only ~80MBs. Of course I will then have to rename all of my .png's to .jpg's in all of my U7 LPs, and I have been avoiding doing that.

BTW, has Photobucket removed the storage limits on accounts? I cannot tell how much space I am using anymore.

use dropbox ffs

Alright, an update is nearly ready (assuming I have enough bandwidth). Can people bump this?

Hold tight. We're in for a bumpy ride.

Bumper cars are pretty good fun.

Bump mapping is so 1990s.

Let's try this on for size.

I am uploading the photos to an alternate account now. If the images are not displaying, check back in a half an hour, and they should be there.

Ultima VII Part 12: Love Triangle

Ultima VII: The Black Gate



Part 12: Love Triangle


Since we've made the world safe from that computer demon Exodus once again, let's get back on the trail of Elizabeth and Abraham.



This is Moonglow. Let's see who is around.



Who are you?

M-M-Morz.

What do you do?

I work with C-C-Cubolt, f-f-farming here.

Who is Cubolt?

He is T-T-Tolemac's older br-br-brother. I t-t-trust him.

Who is Tolemac?

T-T-Tolemac is m-m-my f-f-friend. I've kn-kn-known h-h-him f-f-for a long t-t-time. He just joined The F-F-Fellowship. He wants m-m-me t-t-to join, t-t-too.

Do you want to join the Fellowship?

T-T-Tolemac says they d-d-do m-m-many g-g-good things and they would h-h-help m-m-me m-m-make f-f-friends m-m-more easily. C-C-Cubolt thinks they're b-b-bad. I d-d-do not kn-kn-know what t-t-to d-d-do.

Bye.

B-b-bye.



Who are you?

I am Cubolt of Moonglow.

What do you do?

I am a farmer, Avatar. I manage my farm with the help of Tolemac, my brother, and Morz, our family friend.

What is with the stutter?

He started when he was five years old. He and my brother were wrestling in the back of a wagon driven by his parents. They hit a bump and he fell out -- and landed on his head. Ever since, he hath had his stutter. The odd thing is, neither he nor Tolemac remember the accident. Or at least, Tolemac doth not. I cannot convince Morz to talk about it.

Is Tolemac a good kid?

He is my younger brother. Need I say more? I am a little concerned about him though. I am used to his rebellious behavior, but recently he has joined The Fellowship. That frightens me. They frighten me. I have tried to get him to come to his senses, but he is too busy enjoying making me worry to listen. Also, he is trying to get Morz to join. I wish I could get him to reconsider.


What do you think of the Fellowship?

*spits* A bane to Britannia is what The Fellowship is. They have some odd philosophy that teaches thee to forget who thou art and follow them. The process is dehumanizing, and I think it meshes poorly with the eight virtues. Not only that, but their leader here in Moonglow has persuaded Tolemac to join.

Can you persuade him to reconsider.

Unfortunately, Tolemac will not listen to me. However, he just might listen to thee, Avatar. Perhaps thou couldst talk him into reconverting. I would very much appreciate that! Perhaps, thou couldst also ask Morz not to join.

Bye!

Take care, Avatar.



Who are you?

I am Cubolt of Moonglow.

What do you do?

I am a farmer, Avatar. I manage my farm with the help of Tolemac, my brother, and Morz, our family friend.

What is with the stutter?

He started when he was five years old. He and my brother were wrestling in the back of a wagon driven by his parents. They hit a bump and he fell out -- and landed on his head. Ever since, he hath had his stutter. The odd thing is, neither he nor Tolemac remember the accident. Or at least, Tolemac doth not. I cannot convince Morz to talk about it.

Is Tolemac a good kid?

He is my younger brother. Need I say more? I am a little concerned about him though. I am used to his rebellious behavior, but recently he has joined The Fellowship. That frightens me. They frighten me. I have tried to get him to come to his senses, but he is too busy enjoying making me worry to listen. Also, he is trying to get Morz to join. I wish I could get him to reconsider.

What do you think of the Fellowship?

*spits* A bane to Britannia is what The Fellowship is. They have some odd philosophy that teaches thee to forget who thou art and follow them. The process is dehumanizing, and I think it meshes poorly with the eight virtues. Not only that, but their leader here in Moonglow has persuaded Tolemac to join.

Can you persuade him to reconsider.

Unfortunately, Tolemac will not listen to me. However, he just might listen to thee, Avatar. Perhaps thou couldst talk him into reconverting. I would very much appreciate that! Perhaps, thou couldst also ask Morz not to join"

Bye!

Take care, Avatar.



Sweet!



Here is the good-ol' Friendly Knave.



What do you do?

I am the bartender here in Moonglow.

Tell me about Moonglow.

Thou wants to know about someone in the town? Thou hast asked the right person. I know all about the residents here in Moonglow. I would be happy to tell thee about any of the shop keepers, scholars, or farmers who live here. Or art thou interested in the trainer, healer, mage, or Fellowship leaders?

Tell me about the Fellowship leaders.

Dost thou want to know about the one in charge or his clerk?

Tell me about the one in charge.

Rankin is in charge of the entire local branch. If thou hast any questions about The Fellowship, he can answer them.

Now, tell me about his clerk.

If thou hast any questions about The Fellowship, Balayna can answer them.

Tell me about the mage.

Ah, yes, Mariah is very nice. She can sell thee many spells.

Tell me about the scholars.

Ah, the learned scholars. I can tell thee about Brion, Nelson, Zelda, and Jillian.

Tell me about Nelson.

He is Brion's twin brother. Speaking of that, I would like to discuss Brion.

Okay, Tell me about Brion and Zelda.

Ah, so thou dost wonder, too. All I know is that every time someone mentions Brion's name to Zelda, her serious expression changes to a smile.



Thou canst find Brion at the observatory and Zelda at the Lyceaum.

Deal.

I wonder what is going on?



First I find Brion.

Who are you?

Why, thou mayest call me Brion.

What do you do?

I am the head of the observatory here in Moonglow.This is where the telescope is kept.

Tell me about the telescope.



First, tell me about Moonglow.

Why, I love living here in Moonglow. I very much like the people here.

What people?

Hast thou spoken with my twin, Nelson? He heads the Lycaeum. Or Elad? And surely thou knowest about the mage, Penumbra.

Your twin brother lives here?

I do not see him as often as I would like, for we are so heavily involved with our work. He will be easy to recognize shouldst thou see him, for people tell us we look identical. I do not see it, of course, for, not only was he born with the brains, but also the handsome face.

Later!



Show me the crystals.



It permits one to see mine orrery here from anywhere in Britannia. He seems thoughtful.I know thou cannot stay around here to see the alignment.



I thought thou wouldst. However, there is one problem. I still need one more crystal to completely finish the viewer. If thou wouldst visit the tavern, thou mightest find one of the merchants or travellers there who sometimes provide me with crystals. If thou canst find another crystal, I will be able to give thee the completed viewer.

Bye!

Good day, Avatar. Thou mayest use mine observatory as often as thou wishest.



It looks like I will need the Telekinesis spell to lower this drawbridge.



Moonglow



Who are you?

Thou mayest call me Rankin, Avatar.

What do you do?

I am the new branch leader of The Fellowship here in Moonglow.

Have you seen Elizabeth and Abraham?

What dear people! They were just here in order to give me my training session. I was just appointed branch leader. This is a new branch, thou knowest.







That makes me feel better.

Let's talk to some more cult Fellowship members.



Who are you?

*suspicious look* My name is Balayna.

What do you do?

I am the clerk for the Moonglow branch of The Fellowship.

What does a Fellowship clerk do?

It is my job to keep records during the meetings, and to
administrate the decisions of this branch.

What happens at meetings?

*stares* We have our meetings at 9 at night -- the customary time. After Rankin's lecture, we all discuss the wonderful aspects of our life that have been enhanced by The Fellowship.

Tell me about Rankin.

He is the branch head here in Moonglow. *cautious glance* Thou art travelling through the city, correct? And eventually going to visit another city -- Britain, perhaps?



I am unsure whether Rankin is worthy of his position. I heard him talking to the new member, Tolemac, just before Rankin persuaded him to join. He admitted to having doubts about The Fellowship. He told Tolemac that he thought, perhaps, The Fellowship encouraged its members to be nothing more than sheep, and that those really 'in charge' were charlatans, in it simply for the money. What does thou think about that? *leans back*

Bye!

Goodbye, Avatar. Remember what I have told thee.

I wonder what Rankin would think of this?

Please tell me how I may be of assistance, Avatar.

Hey Rankin, Balayna told me you thought the Fellowship leaders were money-grubbing charlatans. What do you think about that?



I would not let it worry thee too much, Avatar. I am afraid Balayna is a bit too ambitious. I would expect she overheard one of my conversion speeches and misunderstood my words. I will have to discuss this with her when I have more time so I may allay her fears.

*surprise* I had forgotten, she requested a small vial of liqueur from an itinerant merchant who would be passing through Britain.



Yes.

Excellent, my friend. I thank thee. *gives vial*

This isn't suspicious at all. Let's deliver the booze.

How may I be of assistance, Avatar?

Rankin asked me to give you this vial of liquor.







Hmm . . . I wonder why she did that?



Who are you?

I am Effrem, Avatar. I am but a simple resident of Moonglow. What is thy name?

I am Elzair, the Avatar.

Hello, Avatar. Say `hello' to the Avatar, Mikhail.

What do you do?

Me? I do not have a job. Not a real one like my wife has. All I do all day is watch over my little Mikhail, here. He turns to look at the baby, taking on a patronizing tone. Yes, I take care of thee, do I not? Yes, I do. I sure do. He kisses the boy and then looks back up at you,embarrassed.Where was I? Oh yes. All I do is take care of the boy. What I should be doing is working, not staying at home. That should be Jillian's job. She belongs here at home, not me.



Your wife is the one who works?

My wife? Jillian? She's the scholar. She is a very good one, too. Not that I could not have done well. I could have. Better, in fact. But it is not worth arguing about now. She has her occupation, even if I do not have one. I should have a job, though. Dost thou not agree, Avatar? This is not what a man ought to be doing. Staying at home raising the children, like this. 'Tis a disgrace!

Tell me about Moonglow.

What about Moonglow? He shrugs, 'Tis a fair town, but a little too crowded these days. I hear it was a much nicer place back when Moonglow was separate from the Lycaeum. Much smaller.This place is too large to really get to know anyone. Not that I have had much of an opportunity, having to stay at home and take care of my son. This is not a job for a man. My wife should be home with the boy, not me. I should be out earning a living. That is what I ought to be doing!

Have fun!

Leaving so soon? Ah, that's all right, Avatar. I understand, thou hast real man things to do.

Yes I do.



This is Penumbra's House. It is locked. The sign out front reads Hammer here to enter. I will do that later.



Here is some comic relief.

Who are you?

My name is Frank, devout follower of honesty. *bows* And who wouldst thou be?

Elzair, the Avatar.

It is good that thou didst tell me. One should always be honest in one's dealings with others. By the by, thy voice crackles too much.

Excuse me?! What are you doing here?

I, am on a quest. A quest for honesty. *sniffs* By the by, thou mightest have more friends if thou didst bathe a little more often.

I have plenty of friends, thank you very much.

Speaking of thy friends, I have heard that thy companion, Dupre, is a drunken sot.

Hey, I don't think --

Yes, from what I have been told, that Dupre has no will when confronted by a tankard of, well, anything. As a matter of fact, thou hast fairly poor taste in companions overall.

What's wrong with my companions?

I am glad thou didst ask, Avatar. Thy friend, Iolo, charges far too much for his bows. Perhaps thou couldst have a chat with him.

Too much? What dost thou mean, too --

His bows and crossbows just aren't of the quality that is worth the kind of gold he charges. *recoils* Gads! Thy breath could gag an ox. Thou shouldst consider taking better care of thy teeth, or thy fellows will leave thee.

His teeth?!

That is the reason for thine offensive mouth odor. I have not seen anything that yellow since the time thy fellow Shamino ran away from a battle in fear.

Thou must be mad! This rogue needs to be taught a lesson.

And thy friend, Shamino, Avatar, has quite a bellicose temper.

Bellicose?!

Yes, bellicose, warlike, angry. If thou dost not know that, I believe thou needest to improve thy vocabulary. Thou art too unschooled.

Me, unschooled?!

Trust me, Avatar, thou art too ignorant to argue with me.

Oh, this is too much!

And, *stares* I never noticed how large thy nose is. 'Tis amazing thou canst find enough air to breathe.

Now, my nose is ugly?!

Truly quite large, and not in the least bit attractive.

Let's get out of here.

Thou hast the manners of a pig. 'Tis not polite to break conversation
so abruptly.

Oh, I'll show you the manners of a pig, alright.



I don't care if that was unvirtuous. God it felt good!

Now, let's enter the Lycaeum.



Who are you?

Thou mayest call me Nelson.

What do you do?

I am the Lycaeum head here in Moonglow, but, *leans in* mine assistant, Zelda, does most of the work.

Tell me about Zelda.

She is an excellent assistant. The Lycaeum has never performed better. However, she is a little too stern, I believe, and, *leans in again* I think she is quite beautiful.

Beautiful?!

Dost thou not agree? I am flushed whenever her fair presence passes by. But! he holds up his index finger, I fear she does not share a mutual attraction. And she is far too serious for me to feel comfortable with a proposal.

Err . . . tell me about Moonglow.

I love the island and the people. Mostly the people.

Which people do you love best?

Hast thou met my twin brother? He heads the Observatory here. And somewhere in the Lycaeum thou canst find Mariah. Sadly, she is not well up here. He touches his head.Jillian, the sage, also studies here in the Lycaeum. A good person to see about other residents of Moonglow would be the bartender at the Friendly Knave. Phearcy knows almost all of us here on the island.Oh, and thou must not forget the legend of Penumbra. 'Twas two hundred years ago she cast herself into a deep slumber. Now that I think about it, Avatar, thou art the one she predicted would awaken her.Better hasten, Avatar. *chuckles*

What do you know about Penumbra?

Interestingly enough, no one has ever discovered how to enter her house.



Tell me how my former companion Mariah is doing.

She was once an adept mage, but ever since the wizards began losing their, er, faculties, she followed suit.

Bye!

Good day, Avatar. Thou of course dost have free reign of the Lycaeum.



Well, LB sure is a hippy alright.



Who are you?

I am Zelda.

What do you do?

I am the advisor at the Lycaeum.

So you advise people?

Yes, My job is to manage and regulate the events in the Lycaeum. And provide assistance to the people here in Moonglow -- when they need it!

Tell me about Nelson.

Nelson is very competent, although a little eccentric. I do wish he would refrain from showing off his collection of trinkets to everyone who enters the building. It always makes such a commotion.

Tell me about Brion.

*smiling* Brion, is very open-minded and idealistic. He knows the heavens quite well.



Unless, perchance, thou wilt aid me? Wilt thou agree to tell him for me, Avatar?

Sure.

*blushes* Thank thee, Avatar. Thank thee. For thy kindness, I will give thee this white potion I found once while straightening the basement.

I head back to the observatory to get this love triangle sorted out.

Hey Brion! Did you know Zelda has the hots for you?

*shrugs* Oh, I see. I never really thought about my brother's assistant in such a manner. That is too bad, for my time permits nothing but mine observations.

I return to the Lycaeum to tell Zelda the bad news, but then a thought strikes me.

Zelda, did you know Nelson has the hots for you?



I return to Nelson to tell him the good news.

Yo Nelson! Zelda wants to hook-up.



Let's see what our old useless mostly useless former companion Mariah is up to.



Who are you?

But who art thou, and where are my pastries?

What do you do?

*smiles* I have a very important job, I do. My, are not those shelves lovely? So neat and orderly. Be careful! The ink wells are full, and the quills so sharp. *giggles*

Why are you talking about ink wells? You are nuttier than a Payday bar!

They are always so full and ready for use. They are so good about keeping them filled and clean!

They?

Yes, they do! But I only sell.

You sell?

Yes, I do indeed sell. I even spell. In fact, I even sell spells! But, if thou desirest reagents, thou art out of luck, for I only sell those during one of the seven weekdays. Wouldst thou like to know which day?What a lovely set of books thou must have! I have just the item for thee to match thy shelves -- a potion. If thou wilt buy a spell or reagent from me, I will sell thee a potion for only its normal price!

Which day?

Why, today. Thou art in luck. Buy a spell.

She is another spell/potion/reagent merchant. Her prices are always insane (literally).

After stocking up on some spells, I return to Phearcy to tell him what I found out.



Yes.



I get some beef jerky out of the deal. Now, let's head for Terfin!



First, let's see what is in this cove.



Pirates, of course!



Magic locks?!



We don't need no stinkin' magic locks!



This guy has a full suit of Magic Armor and a Sword of Defense on him.
Ssswwweeeeet!!!



Gold is always nice.



I give all my new goodies to Shamino. Pretty soon the entire party will be stiling in magic duds.



This is the Shrine of the Codex. There is nothing interesting going on, so let's get back to chasing Elizabeth and Abraham in the next update.

Ultima VII Part 13: Flapping Things

Ultima VII: The Black Gate



Part 13: Flapping Things


Alright, I had to split this into two updates since it was so long. Let's get back to chasing Elizabeth and Abraham.



We arrive in Terfin. There are too many gargoyles here. I need a drink.



Why 'tis progressing nicely, friend Forbrak.

-What- study?

Why, er, surely thou hast heard of the famous guides compiled for Brommer!

Aye, I have. But I'll be tarred if there is one detailing various drinking establishments!

Well, yes, er, 'tis, ah, something new. Now, how about a drink!

New? 'Tis about as new as my backside...,

Who are you?

To be Forbrak.

What does that mean?

To mean `strong arm' in the language of the gargoyles.

What do you do?

*gestures* To serve food and drink at the Hall of Refreshment.

Get me a drink and tell me about the gargoyles.

*gives ale* To know many of the residents in town, and some of the troubles.

What troubles are you having?

To know of only two. To see the conflict between the shrines and The Fellowship, and to know of the struggles of the wingless ones.

Tell me about the shrine vs. Fellowship conflict.

To believe there are disagreements between the old philosophy and the new. To expect no violence, but to ask you to seek the trainer and healer. To know they are observant and may have seen something. To also suggest you speak with members of The Fellowship.

Who are members?

To recommend you talk to their leader and their clerk.

Tell me about the leader.

To be very friendly. To be called Quan.

Tell me about the clerk.

*shakes head* To be extremely violent. To be named Runeb, which means `red mist.' To be all that he leaves of a foe after combat.

Tell me about the conflict between the wingless vs. winged gargoyles.

To watch wingless friends be discontented with their lot. To wonder why, but to never ask. To talk to the healer and the trainer. To expect they will have seen evidence if there is evidence to be seen.

Who is the healer?

To be named Inmanilem.

Who is the trainer?

To be named Inforlem. To be very strong.

Tell me about some of the other residents.

To know many gargoyles. To want to know about some of them?

Sure.

To be sure you already know our leader. To wonder if you have met Teregus, or the learning center head. To be more practical, you may need the provisioner, he nods his head.

Who is Teregus?

To be a sage. To be very well-educated, like Quaeven. To live here a long time.

Who heads the learning center?

To be a wonderful place to gain knowledge and exercise. To be managed by a gargoyle name Quaeven. To be very educated, this Quaeven. Also, to be wingless, like Silamo.

Who is the provisioner?

To be called Betra. To be one of two shopkeepers. To say the other is Sarpling.

Who is Silamo?

To be the gardener who lives to the east of the mountains.

Tell me about Sarpling.

To know him little, and to have never been in his shop, and, therefore, to be unable to tell you what he sells. To know his name means `snake tongue.'

Bye!

To wish you well, human.

I head for the Gargoyle Shrines.





Here are the events of Ultima VI recapped. Let's see who the king is.



To be good to see you again, old friend.

Are you Draxinusom?

To have been many years. To be your old acquaintance, Avatar, Draxinusom.

Greetings, 'friend.' What have you been doing?

To ask about Job? To be unable to say that I truly have one at this time. To notice how the young ones no longer look to me for guidance any more. To look more to Teregus, or, more often, to those in The Fellowship.

How is Terfin treating you?

To be quite comfortable for our needs. To be, however, unfortunate that it was thought necessary to isolate us from the humans. To have engendered resentment and tension in our younger generations. To remember not the old days, my friend -- the days when we had to work together to survive.

*shakes head* To have had to give up many much when we moved.

What have you given up?

To have been many favorite possessions. To be too much trouble to move so much.*sighs* To especially regret selling my Ethereal Ring.

What is an Ethereal Ring?

Ah. To be, indeed, a lovely treasure. To have been quite useful. A shame to have been, really, to have had to sell it. To have been one of my favorites.

To whom did you sell it?

To have sold most of my treasures when we were... uh... asked, shall to say, to move to the island. To have all happened rather quickly, you see. To have sold most to the Sultan of Spektran.

Tell me about this Sultan of Spektran.

To have seemed nice enough, for a human. To be a bit mad, he is, even for a human. To tell you he lives on an island just to the west of us. To know, at least, that my prized possessions would be safe in his hands.

Safe?

*nods* To be rumored to have one of the best-guarded vaults in all of Britannia. To be supposedly enchanted. To know not details.

By the way, who is this Teregus fellow you mentioned.

To be truly a fine young gargoyle. To be one of the most sensible, too. To have seen fit to adhere to the old ways, the ways of the altars. To see that some of the youngest still look up to him, but the majority seem to have been wooed away by the glamor of The Fellowship. To tell you that his weanling, Inamo, is in Trinsic at this time.

Ewww . . . Inamo is his son?

To be a fine young gargoyle. To have been raised by Teregus, keeper of the altars. To have left town because of the tension between the altar worshippers and The Fellowship. To have been angry and distrustful of The Fellowship. To have news of him?

Uh . . . yeah.

To be excellent! To have seen him? To know how he is faring? To be well?

I would say not well.

To be a shame. To be taking the news to Teregus of his youngling. To be wondering why we had not heard from Inamo recently.

He was murdered.

To be terrible news! To have been such a fine gargoyle. To know Teregus will be heartbroken. To be wishing not for him to grieve, but to take to him the news immediately. To be better to hear it from you.

Well, we better get this over with.



Hail, human! To be welcome to the house of the altars. To be helpful to you in any way?

Who are you?

To be called Teregus.

Is Inamo your son?

To miss him greatly. To have raised him from an egg. To have been rather vocal in his disagreements with The Fellowship. To have felt it safer for him to leave. To have news of him?

Yes.

To be well?

No.

To be not well? To be terrible! To think there is anything to do to help?

It is too late.

To be too late? To mean what by too late? To tell me what has happened!He seems very distraught.

He was murdered.

To be murdered? *steps back* To be murdered? To be unbelievable. To have no real enemies! *gasps* To tell me, please, exactly what happened.



To be such a waste of gargoyle life. To be grateful if you would send news if you discover who was responsible for wanting him dead. To apologize. To need some time to grieve. Please to come back later.

I rest-up for a few hours and talk to him again.

What is it exactly you do hear, Teregus?

To be caring for the altars of Control, Passion, and Diligence. To be a position of great responsibility. To be especially important in these times of trouble.

What kind of trouble are you having?

To have been many disagreements in town lately. To be much tension between the followers of the principles of the altars and the followers of The Fellowship. To have heard rumors of threats to the altars.

What rumors?

To have heard that someone in town is planning to destroy the physical representations of the altars. To be not the same, of course, as actually destroying the basic principles of Control, Passion, and Diligence, but to be bad for us nonetheless. To be finding out for us who is planning this, if there is time, perhaps.



Another sidequest!



Who are you?

To be named Betra.

What do you do?

To be the seller of provisions.

Tell me about Terfin.

To be the town set aside for us gargoyles who wish to reside in our own culture.

Set aside?

To have been put here by the humans. To be permitted to leave, and also to reside elsewhere, but to know that many humans do not like us.

They dislike you? No shit!

To be very ironic.



This is two games in a row that decry the evils of multi-culturalism. Maybe Cleve picked the wrong company to work for?

To say that the only town with an equal number of humans and gargoyles is the one where most racial conflicts occur. *shrugs* To have been unwise, perhaps, to put so many differences together. To be sad times.

Have you heard of the threats against the altars?

To have heard the rumors about destroying the altars. To be upset, but to have no evidence. To know that only two gargoyles have easy access to such weapons. To be one of those gargoyles, and to know Sarpling is the other.

Tell me about Sarpling.

To trust him as far as I could throw him, and to certainly throw him as far as I could.

I head to the Fellowship meeting hall to see if the Fellowship knows something about these threats.







To ask what you need?

Who are you?

To be Runeb.

What does 'Runeb' mean?

*sarcasm* To mean 'busy one.'

What do you do?

To be Fellowship clerk.

Tell me about the Fellowship.

To have more important things to do now. To ask me later, human.

As Jar-Jar Binks would day, ''how wude!'' Let's talk to the head gargoyle.



Who are you?

To be the one named Quan.

What does 'Quan' mean?

*smiles* To have no meaning in Gargish. To be a special name, specific to me.

What do you do?

To head The Fellowship in Terfin.

Tell me about Terfin.

To be the only gargoyle city in Britannia. To have fewer gargoyles in the land than during your last visit to Britannia, human. *shakes head*

Why are there fewer gargoyles?

To have succumbed to the effects of disease and famine that have recently struck Britannia. To tell you that gargoyles breed less frequently, and we have not had the time to make up for losses in our population. To have new hope, however, he grins, with The Fellowship.

How can the Fellowship help?

To be a boon to gargoyles and humans alike. To have a philosophy to help all creatures of all races reach their highest level of potential.

Tell me about its philosophy.

To be very similar to the altar of singularity. To have three principles called the Triad of Inner Strength. To apply three principles in unison to be more creative and happy. To see the similarity? To have control, passion, and diligence mesh into one -- singularity. To have Triad -- Strive for Unity, Trust your Brother, and Worthiness Precedes Reward -- applied in unison!

This is probably the only instance in the game where a Fellowship member does not toe the party line on this question.

BTW, have you seen two human Fellowship members, Elizabeth and Abraham, recently?



To be sorry.

Well, let's just clear up this mystery and move on.



I tail this distraught gargoyle back to his house.

Hold it right there! Who are you?



While Sarpling goes to bed, let's investigate the premises.



Ah-hah! In the morning, let's confront Sarpling with the evidence.

Hey, Sarpling! Look what I found!



To be all Runeb's decisions! To be all Runeb's doing! To want nothing to do with the destruction of the altars, or with the assassination plot!

Tell me all you know of the Assassination plot!

To not already know about the plot? *gollum* To have caused problems this time, Sarpling. To have brought much trouble! */gollum* To tell you Runeb wanted to frame Quan for the altars. To kill Quan if plan failed, and to be in control of The Fellowship in Terfin. To be Runeb's goal. To be in much danger you and me!

I take this note back to Teregus.



Yes.

To be wonderful! To see it, please.



Ah. Runeb. To have suspected as much. To be always reaching for more by the most violent means. *sighs* To ask that you confront him with this evidence. To suggest that anything less will not reveal truth. To be prepared for anything, please, human, for to know not how he will react. *shakes head* To be not hopeful for a peaceful solution. To thank you for your assistance.

I do that.



I know all about your plan to destroy the altar.

To be sorry you know that. To need now to kill Sarpling.





I win, as usual. I go back to Teregus with the good news.

It is done.

To be sorry that we have lost Runeb. Perhaps to be for the best. To be certainly overjoyed to have avoided damage to the altars.

Alright, this update is long enough, as it is. Next time, we boldly go where no tranny has gone before!

Ultima VII Part 14: To Seek Out Lame Life...

Ultima VII: The Black Gate

Part 14: To Seek Out Lame Puns and Lame Pop-Culture References

Captain, it appears we are on a direct course to an island.

Location, Mr. Iolo!

My sensors indicate we are somewhere in the Iota-Zeta sector.

Mister Shamino, coordinates!

We are at approximately 140 degrees South by 45 degrees East.

That puts us near Serpent's Hold!

Captain, I am detecting a presence nearby.

Speak up, Healer Jaana!

It appears to be a particularly lame reference to an old television show.

We must investigate! Full stop!

Mister Dupre, send an away team!

Aye-aye, Captain!

What can I do, Captain?

Ensign Spark, you can put on this bright-red shirt . . .



My Universal Translator cannot decipher these symbols!

I think I know this language. It appears to say Iolo's Bows. Wait a minute . . .

Let's make contact with the inhabitants of this place.



I am Jordan. Sir Jordan. And thou art?

I am the Avatar.

*laughs* Yes, but of course thou art.

'Tis true, Sir Jordan. He is the Avatar.

*smiles* I see. And who wouldst thou be? Shamino?

No. *points to Shamino* He is. I am Iolo!

Of course! *patronizing* How could I not recognize the great Iolo.

What do you do?

I sell bows and crossbows here at Iolo's South.

Iolo's South?!

The original branch is in Britain. But I do fine business here in the Hold.

Tell me about the original branch.

The great archer himself, Iolo, started that branch more than two hundred years ago.

I, er, thank thee for thy compliment.

'Twould mean more wert thou Iolo!

Listen, here, rogue, I truly -am-...

Yes, yes, I know. Thou really -art- Iolo... And I am Lord British!

Who else lives here?

There are many who live within the walls of the Hold. Sir Denton, the bartender at the Hallowed Dock, knows them all.

Good day.

I hope to see thee again, Avatar.

Captain, I detect an inconsistency in that statement.

Make your suppositions clear, Mr. Iolo.

If this Sir Jordan does not believe you to be the Avatar (and does not believe ME to be Iolo), then why did he address you as Avatar?

Your hypothesis, Mr. Iolo?

It could indicate a wrinkle in the space-time continuum.

Or a parallel-universe wavelength overlap!

Or the effects of delta rays!

Or a flaw in the USECODE of this game!

In any case, let's interview more inhabitants. We should check the armory.





It is unfortunate that I lack the time to procure such items. I must speak with the armorer.

What is your name?

I am Menion, Avatar. *shakes hand*

What is your position?

I am a trainer. I help warriors become bigger and stronger and better fighters. I also forge swords to match the strength in my students' arms.

Can you teach me how to forge a sword?

Dost thou wish to make a sword?

Yes.

I would be very happy to show thee the steps necessary to create a very fine blade.



May thy blade be sturdy and sharp!

Good day.

May the strength in thine arms always match the strength of thy will.







I sense this information could have proved useful at an earlier date.



The statue of Lord British appears damaged. We should investigate. To the tavern!



What is your name?

I am Sir Denton, Avatar.

What is your function?

I am the tavernkeeper, Avatar. I sell refreshment to the citizens of Britannia, most notably, the knights in Serpent's Hold.

Can you tell me more about Serpent's Hold?



Blast! I need to adjust the sensors.

Who are the knights here?

Almost every resident here is a noble warrior. The exceptions would be Lady Jehanne, the provisioner; Lady Tory; Lady Leigh, the healer; and Menion, the trainer. I can also tell thee about all the other residents.

Tell me about Lord John-Paul.

He is the Lord of Serpent's Hold. He is a capable leader and a fair
man.

Tell me about Lady Leigh

Her healing skills are said to be unparalleled.

Tell me about Sir Richter.

He is second in command to Lord John-Paul. He is teaching me how to gamble well. In fact, he began increasing the lessons after joining The Fellowship.

What do you know of the Fellowship?

The Fellowship is a twenty-year-old organization that holds many festivals, parades, and celebrations. In addition, they maintain a shelter in the town of Paws. They have an underlying philosophy called the Triad of Inner Strength. This triad is broken into the three principles known as `strive for unity,' `trust thy brother,' and `worthiness precedes reward.' I will now explain the meaning of each principle.

This Denton fellow is really long-winded.

Strive for unity seems to mean that The Fellowship wants others to work together for the weal of society. Trust thy brother implies that each person should not question the actions of others. Worthiness precedes reward indicates that The Fellowship's attitude towards reward is that one must do well to be rewarded.

Is mine information correct?

Yes.

I thank thee. I always endeavor to be correct.

Tell me about Sir Horffe.

Sir Horffe is an excellent warrior. He is a gargoyle that was found by two knights when he was very young. They chose to raise him as their own child. He is very honorable.

Tell me about Sir Jordan.

Despite his blindness, Sir Jordan perceives objects around him very well. He is an excellent tinkerer, and can repair many items.

Tell me about Lady Tory.

I believe she is a druid. She was showing me how to be more compassionate than I was before. She is very good at knowing what others are feeling and why they are experiencing such emotions.

Tell me about Menion.

He is the fighting instructor. In his spare time, he likes to make swords. Menion has been kind enough to give me one of his creations.

Tell me about Sir Pendaran.

Sir Pendaran is a knight of the Hold. He is very friendly, but I have been told he can be overbearing at times.

Tell me about Lady Jehanne.

She is the lady of Sir Pendaran. She has been helping me better my sense of humor.

You need help with your sense of humor?

My jokes are very bad. If thou wouldst like, I will tell thee one.

Go on.

Why did the chicken cross the road?

*sarcasm* To get to the other side! Oh, that joke is new,

*smiles* To get to the other side. Didst thou think that was funny?

. . . Of course.

*confused* That is odd, no one else thinks that joke is humorous. Perhaps I am more funny than I thought...

Good day.

Good day, Avatar.

We should imbibe quantities of methanol before interviewing more inhabitants.

Some time later . . .



Hey . . . there . . . pretty lady . . . how you doing?

My job is to provide counsel for Lord John-Paul and anyone else in need of guidance here at the Hold.

What's . . . yername? . . . Who...'re you?

I am Lady Tory, Avatar. . . . *sobs* Mother of Riky.

Who...'se Ricky?



But I have heard some of the knights mention that a group of the vile women-birds cluster around the shrine of Honor. But, they have not yet been able to defeat them.

*sniffs* But thou Avatar, thou wilt help me get my child back. Oh, please, wilt thou?

Anything fer a . . . pretty lady.

*elated* I cannot thank thee enough for helping me!

Just let me take a sit down there and get my bearings.

Much later.

Oh . . . my head. Let's not do that again.

Captain, we should be interviewing more people as to the source of the disturbance.

. . . Agreed.



Good day to thee. I am Lord John-Paul of Serpent's Hold. Thou art the Avatar, correct?

Yes. It is good to see you again, Lord John. It has been nearly 200 years.

I remember thee. I have something that might interest thee.

What is it?



Perhaps, thou couldst help track down the villain?

Of course.

Very good. The best way to begin is by speaking with Sir Denton, the tavernkeeper at the Hallowed Dock. His ability to solve puzzles and problems is remarkable. When thou hast solved this little mystery, please inform me of thy findings.

Good day.

Carry on, Avatar.

Moments later.

Hello, Avatar.

Could you help me with my investigation of the defaced statue?

Yes, Avatar, I can help thee investigate the crime. I believe the best way to begin would be by speaking with Sir Richter, since he is the one who searched the statue after the incident.

Of course.



I am Richter, a knight of the Hold. Who wouldst thou be?

I am Elzair, the Avatar.

I see. *suspicious* Thou art back for more, then? Thou'lt not trick me again, I warn thee.

What do you mean 'more'?

*examines closely* Ah, thou shouldst not mind my mumblings, Avatar.

I mind.



Not long ago a man entered mine armoury who claimed to be the Avatar, just as thou dost claim. When I turned to reach for a weapon he had requested, he purloined several items and ran away. I assume thou art not that rogue.

I have heard rumors of a False Avatar. In any case, what do you do?

I am the armourer of the Hold.

What do you know of the defaced statue?

Obviously, someone who doth not seek unity did this! He is not worthy of reward! Art thou investigating this crime against mankind?

Yes.



I believe it to be blood.

Good day, Sir Richter. Now, we should interview the chief of security.



To ask how to be of assistance. His eyes narrow.

Who are you?

To be named Horffe.

What do you do?

To be the Captain of the guard. To serve and protect the people of Serpent's Hold.

What do you know about the defacement of the statue?

To know nothing about that!

His ignorance of the event is most perplexing.

Agreed. His behavior is suspicious. We should show these stone chips to Sir Denton.

Shortly.

Sir Denton, Sir Richter gave us these chips from the defaced statue. They appear to be covered in a reddish substance.



Before I let Lady Leigh perform an analysis on these stone chips, I should see if Sir Jordan knows anything about the statue.

Greetings, Avatar.

Sir Jordan, where were you on the evening the statue of Lord British was defaced?

*defensive* I had nothing to do with that.



As if in surprise.

I should now take these samples to Healer Leigh.



Who are you?

*blushes* I am Lady Leigh.

What do you do?

I am the Healer of Serpent's Hold.

Could you examine these stone chips for me?







What does this mean?

*thoughtful* What is odd, Avatar, is that there is only one gargoyle in Serpent's Hold. But I cannot imagine Sir Horffe would have had anything to do with this wanton destruction.

Good day.

Farewell, Avatar.

I should confront Sir Horffe with this evidence.

Shortly.

Sir Horffe, would you mind explaining why your blood is on these fragments?



To be my blood. *sighs* But to be not the one who defaced the statue! To have been wounded while trying to stop the vandal.

Did you recognize the vandal?

*looks down* To know not who he was. To have been very dark. To ask you not to tell Sir Richter.

Why should I not inform Sir Richter?

To know he will not believe one who openly defies The Fellowship.

So you dislike the Fellowship?

To know little about it. To like little about it.

Was it too dark that night to see anything?



Goodbye.

To say goodbye.



Who are you?

I am the Lady Jehanne, Avatar.

What do you do?

I am the provisioner of Serpent's Hold.

Are you Sir Pendaran's lady?

We met three years ago. He's quite brave and strong. I just love to watch him fight. *smiles* I am not really sure he will mix well with the rest of The Fellowship, though.

*stammers* Well, er, I mean, he would not have mixed well -before- he joined, that is.

It's nothing really. He was just a little bit more . . . individualistic before he joined. I do not think there's anything wrong with The Fellowship, necessarily; but I did not expect it to be something that would capture Pendaran's interest.

What do you know of the defaced statue in the commons?



I am afraid to speak, but knowing thou wouldst see through any facade, I can no longer silence the truth. My Lord, Sir Pendaran, has not been the same gentle soul since he joined the Fellowship.'Twas not too long ago that my Pendaran was a noble knight, one a lady could be proud of.

*shakes head* But now, in protest of a wrong he perceives in Britannia's government, he has defaced the statue of our beloved Lord British.

*sobs*And, he has battled and wounded a fellow knight who chanced upon him during his hour of misdeed. He came to me, with another's blood on his sword!

There, there. It will be alright.

Please do not be too harsh with him.

I am sure we can arrive at a diplomatic solution.

Later.



Who are you?

Thou mayest call me Sir Pendaran.

What do you do?

I am a knight here in Serpent's Hold. 'Tis my job to help protect the citizens of Britannia.

You protect the people, do you?

Aye, Avatar. Britannia can be a dangerous place outside town boundaries. Especially now that the ruling faction have gone soft!

The ruling faction?

Well, I mean Lord British and his advisors.

You believe Lord British has gone soft?

Though I'd follow the land's ideals to the ends of the land, I find it difficult to accept how poor the conditions are in Britannia. Brigands populate the land, disease overruns the towns, and corruption fills the councils. Were it not for The Fellowship, I would be hard pressed to avoid falling on mine own blade, despite how dishonorable an act that may seem.

Give me your opinion of the Fellowship?

A noble group of people who strive to instill a greater sense of spiritual knowledge throughout all of Britannia. 'Twill be but a matter of time, Avatar, before all people will see the wisdom.

Tell me about Serpent's Hold.

I live here in the hold with my lady.

Who is your lady?

Her name is Jehanne, Avatar. he says suspiciously. She is the provisioner.

Have you heard about the statue?

*coldly* Terrible shame, Avatar.

It is for you, since you did it!

What! Thou art accusing me! Preposterous. I had nothing to do with it!

That is not what Lady Jehanne said!

*shakes head* Thou wouldst take the word of a woman over that of a knight of the Hold? Thou art lower than a worm!

All right, I am the one who defaced the statue, but only because the government has become so worthless and soft! *turns away*

If thou dost think it best, he sighs, tomorrow I shall beg forgiveness from my fellow knights.

It is best.

*nods* *turns away*

Later in the mess hall.

Lord John-Paul, I have determined that Sir Pendaran was responsible for defacing the statue of Lord British.



I see. And how didst thou reach this conclusion?

I received testimony from Lady Jehanne and a confession from Sir Pendaran himself.





Thank you, my lord.

Well, with the matter at hand concluded, we should be away.

Although I have the strangest feeling I have forgotten something . . .

Ah well! Mister Iolo, set course for Trinsic.

Aye-aye, captain!

A little while later.



Now I remember! I need to rescue Little Ricky from the clutches of vile harpies!

Set crossbows on kill!





We should now return the infant to his mother.

Later.



I must tell you of your child.

Hast thou found my child?

Yes.



Pl-please set him back gently in the cradle.

Alright.



It seems that there is no force in this land greater than a mother's love.

Beam me up, Mr. Sentri!

Aye-aye, Captain!

Hey guys. A new update should be ready soon. In the meantime, could you bump this to a new page?