Geoffrey

Geoffrey is a recurring character. He first appears in the written material for Ultima III and is one of the companions of the Avatar.

Biography
Early on, Geoffrey was listed as part of a project known as the "Great Work," in which Lord British, then king of Sosaria, commissioned a series of exploratory travels to provide detailed maps of his realm. In it, the fighter was referred to by the title of Geoffrey the Giant, likely referring to his exceptionally tall stature (six feet and five inches ). He explored and mapped the Perinian Depths, a dungeon northeast of Britain, where adventurers could easily acquire the Mark of Kings.

In Ultima IV, the Stranger met Geoffrey for the first time in the city of Jhelom, where he spoke of longing for battle, and proved willing to join the hero's quest to obtain Avatarhood. .

Geoffrey was declared an outlaw during the time of Blackthorn's regime and was forced, along with many of the Avatar's other companions, into hiding. He came to dwell in Buccaneer's Den, where he awaited the Avatar in the hopes of fighting alongside the hero again.

The following years saw Geoffrey become Lord British's personal bodyguard and captain of the royal guard in Britain. In response to the occupation of the Shrine of Compassion during the gargoyle war, Geoffrey dispatched several members of the town guard to combat the invaders. They were unsuccessful. The surviving men; Gertan, Gilron, Artegal and Ed were all severely injured and could be found recovering in Cove by the Avatar.

In Ultima VII, two-hundred years later, Geoffrey was still as his post as Lord British's bodyguard and captain. He claimed that he had grown too old for adventuring, and that his responsibilities barred him from joining the Avatar, although his thoughts remained with the hero.

In Ultima Underworld II, he was among the guests attending the fete at Lord British's castle to celebrate the Reconstruction, and was trapped inside of the great blackrock dome that the Guardian crafted to imprison the revelers. During this time, the aging warrior mentioned to the Avatar that he had grown contemplative in his older years, studying philosophy. Upon losing a sparring match against the fierce Master Syria of Jhelom, however, Geoffrey admitted that he was no longer the stout fighter he once was and rededicated himself to the art of war. He vowed to reacquire his gift with weaponry, if only to better protect Lord British.

In Ultima IX, Geoffrey, like many of the other companions, had been seduced by the power of the columns, taking on the name Yerffoeg and the mantle of the Wyrmguard, and further denouncing his liege, Lord British. He could be found guarding the column near Dungeon Destard. If the Avatar chose to play upon the cowardice of his corrupt state and frighten him off with threats, rather than slaying him outright, he could later be found in Valoria, after the Shrine of Valor had been restored. He reported that he intended to go and beg for Lord British's forgiveness for his actions.

Later, Geoffrey would aid in the final defeat of the Guardian, journeying to the Destard again to cleanse the corrupting column linked to it, helping to cut off the Guardian's power and to divert the catastrophic collision of Trammel and Felucca.

The Tale of Geoffrey and the Dragon: A Parable of Valor
''Of old, in the days when the great Dragons still flew freely about the skies, there was a dragon called Ignus. Now dragons are subtle and dangerous creatures, but as a whole they are not truly evil, for they have their own way to follow, and honor after their own fashion. Ignus, however, was an exception, and in fact I believe he was the source of many of the popular libels which are spoken about his race. For Ignus was a mischievous and rapacious beast, and he took great delight in plundering and ruining the habitations of humanity. He even had a taste for the flesh of human youths, particularly females, which habit I am sure his fellow Dragons found very nearly as distasteful as we do.''

''So it came to pass one day that Ignus woke to find himself both hungry and bored, and he bestirred himself and off he flew, in search of amusement and sustenance among the habitations of men. ''

See the complete tale at: The Tale of Geoffrey and the Dragon: a Parable of Valor



Trivia

 * Geoffrey's counterpart in reality Jeff Hillhouse, the first outside employee of Origin in 1983, who served as the Head of Operations.
 * Among the eight companions of the Avatar, Geoffrey has often been the one with the least dialogue, especially in Ultima VI and Ultima IX. Together with Mariah he is also the major companion who has the fewest opportunities to join the Avatar's party, being only able to accompany the hero in Ultima IV and Ultima V.
 * In Ultima VII, Geoffrey indicates that he is originally from Earth in his dialogue with the Avatar. This, however, is contradicted by the "Tale of Geoffrey and the Dragon," in which Geoffrey is clearly living in either Sosaria or Britannia as a young man.
 * In Ultima IX, the Avatar may opt to slay Geoffrey when encountering him as a Wyrmguard. If this happens, Geoffrey will later appear as a ghost, thanking the hero for releasing him from his bondage to the Guardian. He will later be restored to life along with Dupre and any other slain companions once the Shrine of Spirituality is cleansed.