Cut Material in Serpent Isle

In the process of creating Ultima VII Part Two, Electronic Arts set Origin a deadline which made it virtually impossible to implement all the features of the second half of the game. So the plot was reduced. This lead to numerous plot holes. Many of these cut elements can be found, at least in fragments, in the usecode of the game. Other things are reconstructed from what is found in the game.

Cantra's healing
After Cantra is returned to Monk Isle and resurrected, she is mad, her mind having snapped under the stress of the Bane. However, unlike with the Companions, it is impossible for the Avatar to heal her, regardless of which water is used. Why isn't the cure working on her after it did on the others?

Actually it was supposed to work. Her healing is in the usecode of the game but can't be activated. The Avatar was probably then given the task to return her to her mother Harnna in Monitor, which would mean an interesting confrontation with the Wantoness Bane.

For example, one of Cantra's lines after her healing was:


 * "I feel tired, but I am all right! My mind was full of awful dreams. Thou hast saved me! I shall remember thee always!"

Harnna's reaction was as follows:


 * "I am so happy my daughter hath been found, resurrected by the monks, and that thou hast restored her mind."

Captain Hawk's ship
Originally, Captain Hawk would've given his ship to the Avatar for getting around. This would have happened once the Banes took over. Instead in the released game, Captain Hawk is killed and is unable to provide his ship to the Avatar. This would have made visiting Claw Isle possible in a normal way.

His last words are found in the usecode:


 * "I had hoped ta see ye again, lad/lass. Mine health is failin' me, an' I wanted ta be sure the Arabella went ta someone I can trust to care for her. I have no living kin no more... So I want ye ta take her."


 * "Thou art a brave lad/lass. An' thou wert willin' ta spend a bit o' thy time listening ta an old man's tales. Thou... art... Worthy..."

Claw
Claw is a big island, very prominent on the map... and the Avatar can never visit it. The only way to get there is cheating, or to find the cheat teleporter in Monitor. Going there reveals an empty, primitive village, strange cat statues and half-finished caves. Obviously there had been plans with Claw. Additionally to that, a mysterious cat skull object is found in the code.

The mystery was solved when an ex-employee of Origin told fans what they had planned. Essentially there had been two different, possible plans:
 * There was supposed to be a Kilrathi (from Wing Commander, thus continuing the Easter Egg from Ultima VII) stranded there. Since he was so advanced he was considered a god to any primitives there.
 * The cat statues represent an almost extinct tribe of cat-like beings, with the chief being Yurel. (Yurel’s art was used as the cat-creature in the Silver Seed.) He was going to be an ally of the Avatar for a brief time, and he was supposed to be a tragic character who saw that the end of his people was near. However, saving them proved impossible, creating a somber and dark mood.

Expanded Death Knight Plot
An exchange with Rocco and Petra found in the usecode (as Rocco originally didn't die) hints that originally the whole death knight situation with Stefano would be more complicated and detailed than it was in the final game:


 * Rocco: "He looked as pale as a corpse, milord/milady. He babbled something about a Death Knight and ran out as though his pants were on fire. Sounds like he's in trouble again."


 * Petra: "Again?! When is Stefano not in trouble?"


 * Rocco: "I would thank thee not to repeat that in here. As Petra says, no use borrowing trouble..."


 * Petra: "I knew thou wert learning, Rocco."


 * Rocco: "Oh, go on with thee!"


 * Petra: "Some say that it is a Daemon summoned to hunt the unfortunate person. Others say that it is an automaton designed to kill. I do not know, nor do I wish to ask!"

Bigger Cities
Originally it was planned to let Moonshade and Fawn have another layer. Overhead walkways, elevated decks and every building had multiple floors. However, the engine was unable to cope with the very high object count, so the layer was removed shortly before shipping the game, without any plot lost.

Missing Wisp
The Xorinite Wisp was supposed to appear in Ultima VII Part Two, as evidenced by the character portrait found in the usecode, as seen at the left (it is even animated). Why it doesn't appear in the final product is not known.

Additionally to that numerous other objects, some equipment some from the environment, are in the code and graphics files, but not used. A list of these with the graphics in question can be found here. 

Door in Skullcrusher
There is one big door in Skullcrusher which can't be opened using conventional means. Removing it with the hackmover or teleporting through with cheats reveals an empty corridor system with a set of stairs leading into the ocean. The following, very interesting scroll can also be found, which hints at a big cut.


 * IS THERE HOPE?
 * by Shovaughana


 * I do not know what to do anymore. I am desperate. We are all going to die, I know it. I and my children are going to die and there is no way for me to protect mine own flesh and blood...


 * It all began with the soldiers entering the city. Without any warning they attacked us. They began to kill people immediately, the elderly, the children and us women. Those heartless and cold-blooded bastards do not care...


 * Mine only hope is that our men will return in time to defend and protect us. Our food supplies are frighteningly low. Soon we all will be starving. I am already eating only the bare minimum. All my rations I give to my children, hoping that they will survive until our rescuers arrive. I need to support them in every way I possibly can, they are our future -- they are my life. I could not forgive myself if anything happened to them... I do not know if I have the strength to wait for the rescue.


 * If there is no chance for us to survive and wait for them, I will have to choose. The choice is between letting those murderers enjoy us -- or else...

This scroll together with the one found at the beginning of the game pretty much proves that it was Order who started the War of Imbalance by first murdering Ssithnos and then putting the blame on Chaos and commiting genocide on the inhabitants of Skullcrusher.

Under Bane Law
This is the biggest plot cut in the game. The Banes of Chaos originally don't just kill everyone in Monitor, Fawn and Moonshade. Instead they would have made themselves rulers over these cities and force them under the extremes of what they represent as anti-force. Many of these things are found in the usecode fragments.

Monitor
In Monitor, the Wantoness Bane had taken over the city, turning the citizens into the animals of whatever command they were members of (Wolves, Bears and Snow Leopards), to "fulfil" their greed for the strength of these animals. Animals that still have human minds, as seen in one usecode fragment, where a citizen looks into a puddle and discovers to his horror, that he looks like a wolf. Indeed, the animals still appear in the city in the shipped game, only now they serve no purpose at all except to distract.

Shmed, who somehow got resurrected, has this line:


 * "It was horrible! I was a wolf! I know I was! I saw myself in a reflection on a puddle of water!"

Note that originally, two of the commands had different animals. The Wolves originally were the Bulls, while the Leopards orginally were the Panthers. As the plan would go, the Wolves (Bulls) are sex-driven and roam the city; they will attack anything that stands in their way. The Loapards (Panthers) are territorial, staying mostly in one area; they will attack if approached. The Bears are cannibalistic hunters, and like the Wolves, roam about searching for prey. Dupre is able to control any one of these three factions, and will take on the characteristics of the Bears, Bulls, or Panthers at will. Each of these animal NPCs can be spoken to normally; they will remember who they are, but their perceptions of their "past lives" are that they were "wrong" and "misguided" and now they are living their lives in a truthful fashion.

Another usecode fragment from Luther reveals that later Caladin somehow died and Luther takes over to stop an invasion (probably the Goblins). Luther says:


 * "Now that I am Lord of the Bears, Monitor is at last safe from invasion."

Fawn
There are more fragments concerning Fawn. From what can be reconstructed, Iolo the Mad took the city under his control and caused madness. He still cursed Lady Yelinda in the release, but instead of killing the citizens, he let lose vermin and plague (as he did in the release), enjoying the vain citizens turning uglier with each passing hour under such horrible conditions.

Some things can be reconstructed from a scroll found on Leon's body:


 * Honor be to thee, dear reader. This piece of parchment is mine only means of communication with thee. Mad Iolo cruelly removed my tongue, that I might lead by example and not by words!


 * I am so disenchanted... I cannot bear the fact that I could not save the city from further plagues. Moreover, there is absolutely no sign of the return of Batlin.


 * What is going to happen? Thou shouldst tell me, I beg of thee.

It means that Mad Iolo would have ruled the town with twisted metaphors, as they should have been found all over the place even in the final game. Thus what he did to Yelinda, would have made Ruggs prominent and cut out Leon's tongue for the "lead by example" reason.

There is more dialogue.

Scots:


 * "What great calamity must have befallen thy trusted companion, [name]. I fear that his reason hath fled. He terrorizes the city with his fiendish jokes."


 * "Only yesterday, Iolo announced to the citizens of Fawn that he would prove once and for all whether or not Beauty was skin deep. He then cast a spell on poor Lady Yelinda and removed all of her skin. She ran out of the city toward Gorlab Swamp. Without the true ruler, I fear that Fawn will never be restored... even with thine aid."

Kalen:


 * "He is Master of Fawn now, Avatar. Thou wouldst be wise to leave while it amuses him to let ye live."


 * "He might grant to me that fine wench, Alyssand, if I bring him thine head... Thou canst defeat me, Avatar. But thou hast no hope against the  power of Iolo the Mad..."

Iolo the Mad's horrible poems can also be found:


 *  Oh, Great Captains, my Great Captains! So powerful you were yesterday, so pitiful you are today. Rulers of the City are now prisoners of the Oracle. What a fate you might have met! Iolo is pleased that such powerful creatures as you, Great Captains, have lost power, herein uncovering the fools in them... 


 * Everyone is in search of The Lady of Fawn. For The Lady hath been lost since dawn. Barking their strange tune throughout the city, All of them, townsfolk and priests. Iolo did it, enjoying such feasts. Avatar, is it not pretty?


 * Kylista needs must speak with thee, Avatar, now that is interesting... Heretofore, she was in communication with the Oracle and now she wants thee. Is there any hidden meaning to this change of heart? Thou shouldst know the answer to that, Avatar. When a woman needs to speak to one such as thee, thou dost not want her to wait, Avatar, or dost thou? Is there anything we should be aware of? Thy good old friend Iolo wants to know, Avatar...


 * Right adventurous Avatar, I greet thee well, Avatar, sending thee my blessings and letting thee know that it appears that thou art not paying due attention to my clues. I require thee that thou dost so. 

Moonshade
The most fragments are left in Moonshade. In the final game, everything had been done by the time the Avatar arrived. Not so in the original plans. Here Shamino the Anarch usurped the throne of the Mage Lord and stayed in town while abolishing every law, thus causing anarchy. Everything is allowed as long as you get a permit from the Anarch, which he gave out freely. The city descends into chaos, while usecode fragments state that the rangers, particularly Julia, had joined Shamino the Anarch, thus committing treason.

Indeed, the treason of the rangers of Moonshade is still hinted, even in the final game. The dialogue of Ernesto, which can be accessed during normal gameplay, indicates this.


 * "Shamino the Anarch is the current MageLord. He hath brought great change to our city... No longer must a Mage or Mundane be bound by petty rules. It is quite exciting!"

Julia herself has this to say:


 * (mageLord)"Our city is ruled by Shamino the Anarch, a most powerful wizard. He is a great improvement over our previous MageLord, who was indolent and deceitful. I am glad that Shamino rules."


 * (transgressor)"'Tis best not to try and second guess Shamino the Anarch. His definition of a transgression changes from moment to moment... And the fine could be as insignificant as a verbal upbraiding, or as serious as thy life."


 * (certificate)"With this Crime Certificate, thou canst commit one unlawful act without fear of punishment. If thou dost commit more than one, without another Certificate, Shamino the Anarch's justice will be swift!"

Also, Ensorcio, the mage at the Inn of the Sleeping Bull was intended to have a much bigger role, conspiring with Shamino the Anarch to get his revenge on the mages. This dialogue is found in the usecode:


 * "Seest thou, Avatar? I told thee that I would teach them not to take Ensorcio lightly! I told thee that one day they would welcome me back... Beg for me to return!"


 * "Filbercio's unjust rule hath been brought to an end! Shamino the Anarch, thy wonderful companion, hath cast him from power and I have been welcomed with open arms! Oh, what joy! To be back in Moonshade and free to experiment as I wish! Shamino the Anarch hath proclaimed me the finest of Adepts! At last someone hath seen my talents and set them for the world to see... No more shall I be Ensorcio the shunned, Ensorcio the exile! Now I am the premier Adept!"

Flindo has a lot to say about Filbercio's fate:


 * "So, thou art still alive! I had wondered when thy companion arrived in such a strange state. I never thought I would live to see mighty Moonshade humbled, but Shamino hath certainly managed it quite handily. I would be careful in the streets here now, milord/milady. 'Tis somewhat... unsafe. Oh, and the... fallen Filbercio is searching for thee."


 * (strange stare)"He now calls himself Shamino the Anarch. By his command up may become down, and in may become out. And woe to anyone who disagrees. He hath totally unravelled the strictures... 'Tis a magical madhouse out there!


 * (fallen Filbercio)"When Shamino the Anarch took over, he cast Filbercio out of the  Palace and made him a beggar. Needless to say, this did not sit  well with the MageLord. Filbercio would speak with thee... Perhaps thou canst, having been  Shamino's companion, find a way to overcome his powers. Look for Filbercio in the streets, milord/milady. Shamino the Anarch hath decreed that none may take Filbercio in or aid him in any way."

Conclusion
After throwing the Banes out of town, then the Castle of the White Dragon would come. However, in the final release, they killed everyone off in a holocaust. This also caused strange effects in the survivors, in that they don't seem to care that their cities were destroyed and everyone else killed off.

However, the Silver Seed expansion pack partially fixes the result of the holocaust: If the Silver Seed subquest is completed after the Banes wreak their havoc, Karnax will say that everyone who the Banes killed will return back to life once Balance has been restored. It was clearly meant as a way to fix the decimation of population which the plot cuts caused.