Guards
This article is about a profession of NPCs appearing throughout the Ultima series. For other uses, see Guard (disambiguation).
| Guards | |
|---|---|
 Guard, from Ultima I manual | |
| First appearance: | Ultima I |
| Last appearance: | Ultima IX |
Guards have long served as a policing force within human settlements, enforcing the law of the land and maintaining peace during incidents of assault or theft. Often consumed with the scope of their duties, the average guard seldom had much to say by way of polite conversation, and many guards are hesitant to even give their names to inquiring citizens.
Of, course, not all guards are pillars of virtue, and may occasionally be convinced to overlook a transgression in exchange for sufficient gold.
Description[edit]
Guards on Earth[edit]
During the time in which Minax's interventions had significantly altered human history, guards were a common sight in all time door-accessible zones, exhorting the citizenry to offer up taxes. As these enforcers were the only source of much-needed keys, the Stranger was forced to murder several of them out of utilitarian necessity, having not yet undergone the Quest of the Avatar which would preclude the hero from such mercenary behavior.
Guards in Sosaria and Britannia[edit]
Ultima III[edit]
Of note are the guards of Ultima III. These strongmen were corruptible, and could be bribed to leave their posts and allow miscreants to perpetrate whatever crime or misdemeanor was intended. If not so persuaded however, they would assault the criminal in great numbers.
Ultima IV[edit]
The guards of Ultima IV were comparatively weaker than their predecessors and provided a formidable but less serious threat in combat, despite the numbers within their ranks. They also had characters that were slightly more colorful and could impart information to the Stranger or test the Stranger’s virtue. Generally, the guards were quite polite during these times, even if often of only few words.
Notable guards:
- The bridge guard of Britain, who knew about Compassion.
- A guard in Castle Britannia, who tests the Stranger’s Humility.
- The guards of Yew, who knew about Justice and tested the Stranger’s Humility.
- Wilmoore, the chief guard of Paws.
Ultima V[edit]
Under Lord Blackthorn’s regime, the guards of Ultima V were more bellicose, and it was best to avoid speaking with them. Also, these guards were of a new breed, equipped with the best armour and well armed with weapons and crossbows whose bolts rarely missed.
Three groups of guards during that time were especially bad. The corrupt guards of Minoc would stop every traveler and press them to give up half of their gold for a perverted "Sacrifice tax", or be thrown into jail at once; guards in Yew jailed anyone that refused to pay a 50 gp "tribute to Blackthorn"; and guards of the Palace of Blackthorn would attack everyone who did not have a black badge and know the password of the Oppression.
Notable guards:
- Gruman, the captain of the guard in Trinsic.
- Stillwelt, who guards the roof of Castle Britannia.
Ultima VI[edit]
After the restoration of Lord British to the throne, the guards of Ultima VI had a much friendlier disposition. Their armaments were the same as in Ultima V.
Because of the war, the guards were told to not tell anyone their name, as they politely asked of the Avatar. They said that their job of keeping order in Britannia by patrolling the cities was made difficult by the fact that thanks to the war, many of them had been drafted into the army, thus thinning their ranks. They feared that they might lose the war, noting a certain resemblance of the gargoyles to daemons.
Ultima VI guard
Ultima VII[edit]
The guards of Ultima VII were more brusque than in the latter part of the Age of Enlightenment, and did not recognize the Avatar. They were also far less hardy and their equipment was mediocre. Most were armed with either a two-handed sword or a crossbow.
The guards of Trinsic were the politest guards the Avatar found during these times. They said that their names were not of consequence, and were proud of their job of keeping criminals out of the city. They were also responsible for the city gates and should the Avatar not know the password, recommended the hero ask Finnigan, in order to leave the city.
Notable guards:
- Gilberto, who was found unconscious at the Trinsic east gate by the murderers of Christopher.
- Johnson, the day guard of the east gate, found the unconscious Gilberto.
- The unnamed guard guarding Weston in Castle Britannia, who has an ongoing political dialogue with his imprisoned charge.
- Fuqua, chief guard of Paws in the SNES-port of Ultima VII; notably critical of the Fellowship.
Ultima VII Trinsic guard
Ultima VII guard
Ultima Underworld II[edit]
In Ultima Underworld II, the guards of Britannia were generally armed with swords and protected by chain mail, making them formidable opponents, although there was little reason to attack them. They were polite and answered simple questions like how the watch is going and how they are, but otherwise were short on words and concentrated on their jobs.
Of note is, that for the first time it was explicitly shown that woman also serve in the Britannian forces, and are men’s equals. They were equally as strong and skilled, and therefore also as dangerous. In later events, guards reported the murder of Lady Tory, Patterson’s treachery, and even defended the castle against invaders from Killorn Keep.
Killorn Keep also has guards, but they are more unfriendly.
Ultima Underworld II male guard
Ultima Underworld II female guard
Killorn Keep guard
Killorn Keep guard
Ultima IX[edit]
The guards of Ultima IX were completely invincible, which made combat with them suicidal. By that time, many guards were similarly equipped to the Avatar’s previous visit to Britannia.
Guards by now showed the whole range of human personalities, although generally the guards were unfriendly and unprofessional until the neighboring Shrine was restored. For example, the guards in Britain would threaten the Avatar with expulsion to Paws, while the guards in Minoc were acting out the wishes of a dictatorship, and the guards of Trinsic were lethargic and neglected their job. After restoring the Shrine, the guards’ Virtue were also restored, although they had little to say.
Notable guards:
- Lyssa, the guardian of the Bell of Courage in Serpent’s Hold.
- Vidos, who guards the bastion of Trinsic.
- Tyson, who guards the jail of Castle Britannia and its special prisoner.
Guards on Serpent Isle[edit]
On the enigmatic Serpent Isle, each of the three major city states had its own order of guards.
In the city of Monitor, where military tradition permeated the entirety of the culture, all citizens were considered pikemen, and could thus be called for guard duty at the behest of their respective commands. These Monitorian warriors took further responsibility for the defenses of the roads, leading all the way up to Fawn, a seaside settlement immersed in the cultic worship of beauty, whose own guards had little discernible history or organization. Pikemen could be found stationed in a series of towers up and down the Serpent's Highway, ready to protect the various mainland settlements from goblin incursions.
The city of Moonshade, being far from Monitorian protection on the Isle of the Beyond, also had its own order of guards, the rangers. These enforcers in the land of adepts seldom did much by the way of penalizing the corrupt magicians of the city, seeming to ignore numerous violations in which the magical ruling class indulged, so long as no public disturbance resulted. In addition to keeping peace in the city of illusions, the rangers were also renowned as excellent wine-makers, and possessed a magical press for creating these artisan beverages.
Notable guards:
- Astrid, the last knight-champion and leader of the patrol that was ambushed by the goblins.
- Johnson, a pikeman who wrote a book on how to be a good warrior.
- Jorvin is the captain of the guard in Fawn.
- Julia, who is the leader of the rangers.
- Ernesto, the only ranger to survive the carnage of Moonshade.
Ultima VII Part Two Monitor pikeman
Ultima VII Part Two Fawn guard
Ultima VII Part Two Moonshade ranger
Guards on Pagan[edit]
On the dark world of Pagan, the guards of Tenebrae would summon the city's sorcerer, Beren, a man capable of rending apart the bodies of law-breakers with violent magics. However, he would only enforce the law against the Avatar.
While avoiding trouble, the Avatar often witnessed the corruption and brutality of Pagan’s guards. Peasants were harassed and threatened into paying more taxes, logbooks showed little scruples and the Avatar was regularly threatened by impatient guards.
Notable guards:
- Tarna is the only guard who has a unique personality. She also is the only female guard to be found.
Lore[edit]
| “ | Chosen for their brawn, guards are mindlessly loyal to their governments. They're extremely strong but generally harmless unless you break the rules. |
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| “ | They resemble big bouncers at tough bars — all brawn and no brains. If a crime is detected within a town, or Lord British's castle, each Guard will pursue thee to the boundaries of the place. Most Guards are very difficult to overcome, but rumors have been circulating that some Guards are not completely honest. – from The Book of Play (Ultima III: Exodus)
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Gallery[edit]
Ultima V: Lazarus female guard
Ultima V: Lazarus male guard
Ultima IX concept art
