Isstanar

Isstanar is an Ophidian adherent of Order who served as Commander of the outpost Serpent's Fang during the events of The Silver Seed, Ultima VII Part Two expansion pact).

Description
Isstanar had, in his youth, served as part of the guard assigned the Master of the Temple of Discipline. A vehement believer in the virtues of Order, he became one of the elite few selected by the Hierophant Calithiss to undergo the "final sacrifice," in which he surrendered his physical form and had his consciousness transferred into the body of a steel automaton.

Following the death of Ardiniss in an ambush, Isstanar was assigned by the Order Hierophant to oversee Serpent's Fang. While his arrival was the cause of some unrest among the warriors already stationed there --particularly Tsandar, who had hoped to be promoted to Commander himself-- the denizens of the keep appeared to have accepted his leadership by the time of the Avatar's arrival there.

Calithiss gave Isstanar instructions to someday expect the arrival of a Champion of Balance, entrusting to him a magical keyring to be given to the prophesied hero as a symbolic acknowledgement that they should need "keys to the land" before they brought Balance to it. He was told that this champion would recover the Silver Seed and plant a new Tree of Balance, something the forces of Order believed would prove instrumental in healing the land after their holy crusade against the adherents of Chaos was at an end.

When the Avatar was sent through time to Serpent's Fang as it existed in the late days of the Ophidian War, Isstanar recognized them as the promised Champion of Balance on account of the Amulet of Balance they wore and gave them the keyring as he had been directed. However, the Avatar's general ignorance as to Ophidian custom and history gave Isstanar substantial doubts as to whether or not they were really the foretold hero, and he proved most vocal in expressing his concerns. While he offered many explanations to the dangers involved in the retrieval of the seed, he refused to some of the particulars as to how to find the magical orbs necessary to gain access to it, believing he had aided the Avatar enough.

Once the Avatar managed to actually plant the Silver Seed, Isstanar apologized for his earlier doubts, now convinced that the Avatar is in fact the Champion of Balance.

Despite his adherence to Order, it is unclear whether or not Isstanar remained on Serpent Isle after the War of Imbalance was halted, or if he chose to travel with his brethren beyond the Wall of Lights. It should also be noted, that along with Petra, Isstanar is the only automaton in the game with its own personality. They are both steel automaton, rather than the standard brass versions.

Trivia

 * The Silver Seed Play Guide contains a report from Isstanar to Calithiss, where he gives his own view on the castle and its inhabitants.