Shrine of Sacrifice

Description
The Shrine of Sacrifice is one of the eight holy sites established by the Council of Wizards during the days of Lord British's philosophical renaissance of the early Age of Enlightenment. It lies on a small isle in the midst of Lake Generosity, situated in the Drylands on the eastern half of Britannia's main continent.

Dedicated to the ideals of renunciation and self-abasement for the sake of others, the shrine has long been a pilgrimage site for those seeking better understanding of its virtue. The mantra, "Cah" is used by aspirants wishing to receive visions at its altars, and frequently a corresponding rune must be used to gain entry to the shrine's hallowed grounds.

Age of Enlightenment
Erected before the Quest of the Avatar, the shrine sat alone in an island amid the waters of Lake Generosity. During their journey toward the Abyss and ultimately, the wisdom of the Codex, the Stranger had need of meditating here, requiring elevation as a partial Avatar of Sacrifice before they completed their trials.

In the years that followed, the formation of the Drylands destroyed the lake surrounding the shrine, leaving it in a lonely waste not uncondusive to the mood its cardinal virtue evoked. During the Avatar's return and their struggle against the regent Blackthorn, the hero had to take care to guard its mantra from the Dark Lord, lest he use its magic against the holy site to defile it. Meditating again before the sanctuary, the Avatar was sent on a quest to read the codex, gaining further insights as to the nature of sacrifice. The hero could also give tribute to the shrine at such a time, which served to furnish boons to their spiritual well being

During the gargoyle war, the shrine came under siege and was captured by Lord Draxinusom's troops, making it necessary for the Avatar to slay its captors that it might be liberated. Again the hero meditated and again they received a quest, imparting further knowledge of Sacrifice's mysteries to the pious warrior. The champion of virtue was also able to receive miraculous gifts of swiftness and strength from the shrine should they stay to meditate further.

Age of Armageddon
Two-hundred years later, the passage of time had replenished the waters of Lake Generosity, although the shrine, like many throughout the land had fallen into disuse as the Britannian people had slowly abandoned the "old ways." During the Avatar's travels in the days of Ultima VII, a lich had taken residence at the shrine, perverting its sanctity as it used it for unspeakable rituals.

While the hero could slay such an evil being, the shrine remained polluted, and seemingly continued in its corruption for years to come, eventually falling to the sway of the Guardian's columns in later decades. The people of the nearby settlement of the second Minoc, seduced by the evil power of the column themselves, gave over to the mad plans of Raxos seeking to restore the defiled shrine through oblations of human blood. Eventually, the again returned Avatar cleansed the shrine of its evil influence, loosening the grip of the Guardian on the nearby people's souls and restoring them to virtue.

Alternate Appearance

 * In Lord of Ultima, a Shrine of Sacrifice can randomly be located in Caledonia.
 * In the cancelled Ultima Online 2 and the Technocrat War trilogy, the Shrine of Sacrifice was to be included on the northern continent of New Britannia.

Trivia

 * A modification for the Exult utility for Ultima VII makes it possible to restore the Shrine of Sacrifice to its former state through the use of the a  Word of Power.

[{Category:Lord of Ultima]]