Wartow

Wartow is an elderly farmer and resident of New Magincia in Ultima V: Warriors of Destiny.

Description
Though a man of senior years, Wartow's background is unclear, save that he numbered among the community of farmers who established the island hamlet of New Magincia upon the ruins of old in early 136, some eighteen months prior to Lord British's disappearance in the Underworld. Among his peers, particularly the graveyard keeper Shirita, Wartow came to be regarded for his insight concerning New Magincia's foundational Virtue of Humility.

Summoned to Britannia in 139 to restore Lord British to the throne, the Avatar would have cause to sojourn upon New Magincia's shores. By this time, Wartow had elected to live his remaining years in the village and, like many of his neighbors, spent his waking hours tending a small field of crops that adjoined his modest cottage in the southeast. At Shirita's behest, the Avatar could consult the aged recluse about Humility. In such discourse, Wartow would first seek the Avatar's continued allegiance to Lord British, before probing the hero's view of the corrupted regent Lord Blackthorn, whose rule in the imperiled king's stead had quickly become infected by the Shadowlords' malevolent ascendancy. Should he have found the returned Champion of Virtue above hatred and prejudice despite Blackthorn's crimes against the realm, Wartow would express pleasant surprise at the hero's own wisdom and, should it be so required, see fit to grant the mantra of Humility: Lum.

Ultima V: Lazarus
In Ultima V: Lazarus, Wartow told the hero that he did very little work in his old age, and spent his days in quiet contemplation tending his garden and reading his books. The only task left before him was to die, and he hoped to spend much more time in contemplation before that happened. The wise old man admitted to the hero that he was not afraid of death, for he had lived a good long life, and in death all men were equal, although, he liked to believe that all men had been equal to begin with. He told the hero that stripped of his jewels, a nobleman was no different than a peasant.

After talking with Shirita, the Avatar could learn that Wartow knew many secrets about Humility. Wartow would tell the Avatar that Blackthorn had spread many evils throughout Britannia, and wondered if the hero hated him for this. If the Avatar responded negatively, Wartow was pleasantly surprised and would tell the hero the Mantra of Humility: Lum.

If the Avatar spoke to Tomoka, the farmer would reveal that she had spoken to Wartow about a problem, but he had answered only in questions which she had been unable to understand. If the Avatar asked Wartow about Tomoka's problem, he asked if she had spoken about her past, suggesting she might not yet be ready to come to terms with her feelings. Tomoka would then reveal that fifteen years ago, while still on the mainland, she had been courted by Yasuda, but he had instead chosen Fumiko over her. Heartbroken, she had moved away for sometime, but over time had felt she was over her feelings, and had come to live in New Magincia with Yasuda and his wife again. It was here that Tomoka realized her feelings were unchanged, but she possessed no desire to break up Yasuda's family, so had chosen to throw herself into her work completely to avoid the continued heartbreak. Wartow suggested that the reason why she had been unable to understand his questions, whether she still desired Yasuda because she loved him or because she had lost him, was that she was not yet ready to understand the answer, and feared Tomoka would never come to terms with her feelings due to her Pride. After speaking again with Tomoka, Wartow would reveal that he felt Tomoka was most upset about losing Yasuda, but it was often the consideration of the question that was more important than the answer.

Should the Avatar reveal that Tomoka was leaving the island, Wartow was disappointed that the farmer would never come to terms with her feelings and would spend the rest of her days suffering from her loss. The wizened sage would reveal to the hero that it was the Avatar's Pride the eventually led to Tomoka's undoing, and the hero would receive a lesson in Humility, realizing that not all problems could be solved satisfactorily. Wartow told the hero that sometimes not getting involved in others problems was the best course of action, and was a sign of a humble individual.

Trivia

 * Should the Avatar exhibit pride or judgement of Lord Blackthorn in the course of Wartow's queries, one point of karma will be deducted per admission thereof.
 * Wartow is likely the namesake of professional writer and playtester Ronald Wartow, a contributing editor for the defunct adventure gaming newsletter Questbusters and author of a number of video game strategy guides in the 1990s. Much like Roe R. Adams' insertion of Hawkwind and Skara Brae into multiple franchises, Wartow is the subject of references in Ultima contemporaries Wizardry IV: The Return of Werdna and Might and Magic III: Isles of Terra, two games he tested. Ronald Wartow died in 2011.