Aidon

Aidon is the mayor of Britain during Ultima IX.

Description
Aidon, like the other denizens of Britain, fell prey to the influence of the Guardian's column, and under its spell he began to enact harsh and unmerciful laws. He decreed that the city's underclasses be removed to nearby Paws, banishing from Britain those who were too sick or too poor to contribute to a mandatory charity fund. While Aidon claimed that this measure was ultimately compassionate and promised to allocate food and medical supplies to the exiles, the conditions in Paws were deplorable, with the small shanty town being almost entirely engulfed by noxious swamp waters.

The Avatar could initially find Aidon making one of his speeches in the center of Britain, and upon first meeting him, the hero would find the mayor less than helpful. Aidon would speak to the Avatar at length as to the justifications for his cruel edicts, and would flatly deny any knowledge of the city's sigil, the Heart of Compassion.

Later, however, Aidon would become the victim of his own politics. It was eventually discovered that his own daughter, Meribeth, was seriously ill, and Aidon's callous aide, Killigan, had her removed to Paws. Desperate to retrieve her, Aidon ventured to the poverty-wracked slum himself, where he witnessed first hand the results of his policies. He was attacked by one of the giant rats that plagued area and was subsequently rescued by Peg Leg Joe, an amputee when had been cast out of Britain for his disability. This act of compassion helped him to realized the wrongness of his past actions, and upon returning to Britain he bestowed upon the Avatar the Heart of Compassion, such that the hero was able to cleanse the nearby shrine.

After the restoration of the shrine, Aidon would go on to attempt to reverse his policies, but would find that Killigan did his best to hamstring his efforts. He could later disclose to the Avatar that Killigan had been entrusted with some charitable funds which were not correctly delivered, which could help the hero's investigation into the man's true motivations.

Trivia

 * In the fan-made dialogue patch for Ultima IX, Angus will note that Aidon has plans to rebuild the nearby Fellowship Hall, converting it into a theatre.