Erethian

Erethian is a blind mage who appears in the Ultima VII expansion pack, Forge of Virtue. He may be found upon the resurfaced Isle of Fire where he is attempting to study the Dark Core of Exodus.

Description
Erethian was a passionate scholar with an interest in devices of great power. Claiming to be a devotee of the principle of Truth, the mage endeavored to examine artifacts first-hand when possible, being largely unhindered by his lack of sight due to his great magical ability. He had traveled to the Isle of Fire some time before it re-arose from the sea, taming great sea creatures with his magic to carry him there. Once on the submerged island he survived for some time within a great pocket of air created by the mage Astelleron, exploring the ruins of Castle Death and the three tests of the Principles which lay with within. After discovering and contacting the Dark Core, a unit which stored the whole of Exodus' memories and knowledge, Erethian endeavored to raise the island from its resting place at the bottom of the Great Sea - growing dangerously curious about the possibility of reuniting this strange artifact with the hellspawn's roaming Psyche.

Should the Avatar visit him on the resurfaced isle, the magician would discuss his various observations at length, although he took on a patronizing tone with regards to the hero, disapproving of their past destruction of such "treasures" as the Skull of Mondain or the Gem of Immortality. If the champion of the virtues should attempt to best the challenges that the Shrines of Principle opened for them, they would eventually need to consult Erethian that they might forge a  weapon capable of slaying the dragon Dracothraxus. The mage, who had already been working on a weapon capable of such a feat, allowed the hero to assist in forging a sword of blackrock, going so far as to allow the Avatar to bind a daemon which the sage had previously entrapped into the blade.

Eventually, however, Erethian may learn that the hero aimed to banish the Dark Core back into the Void, that they might prevent the resurrection of Exodus. Defiantly opposed to such actions which might rob him of the opportunity to witness such an event, the magician refused to assist the Avatar further, and would defiantly attempt to stop any effort by the hero to banish the Core using the Talisman of Infinity. Unfortunately for Erethian, the spell he would attempt in a desperate bid to stop this act would backfire, killing him on the spot.

Trivia

 * Erethian penned a brief journal entitled A Guide to the Isle of Fire, which describes the environment and denizens of the island during his early survey of it while it still lay submerged. He also penned The Dark Core of Exodus, an unfinished text which describes the operations and function of Exodus.
 * If pestered about his blindness, Erethian will attempt to turn into a Gargish noble or a dragon to demonstrate his prowess. Should the Tetrahedron Generator still function, however, his spell will fail, turning him into a rat and a cow. Similarly, if the ether remains un-repaired when he attempts to summon the forge needed to construct the black sword, he will accidentally create random useless objects instead of the tools necessary for swordcraft. In addition to these magical failures the defective ether will also show its presence in Erethian's sanity, and so long as it remains corrupted he will wander about the castle, marveling at the walls and causing explosions on a daily basis.
 * Erethian casts a number of spells that do not appear in the Avatar's spell book, including: Rel An-Quas Ailem In Garge (Change Reality of Matter into Gargoyle); Rel An-Quas Ailem In Bal-zen (Change Reality of Matter into Monster); Rel An-Quas Ailem In Bet-Zen (Change Reality of Matter into Small Animal); Rel An-Quas Ailem In MOO (Change Reality of Matter into Cow); An Ort Rel (Negate Magic Change); An Vas Ailem (Negate Great Matter); Kal Bet Ailem (Summon Small Matter); and Vast Ort Rel Tym Vas An Ort Ailem (Great Magic of Changing Time - Great Negation of Magic Matter).