New Jester
| New Jester | |
|---|---|
 Location of New Jester | |
| Located in: | Uranus, 2112 A.D. |
| Type: | town |
 Map of New Jester | |
New Jester was a village on Uranus in the year 2112 A.D. It appears to exist within the alternate time line created by Minax's interventions during Ultima II.
Description[edit]
New Jester was a strange and alien town, noteworthy for the bizarre and seemingly suicidal behavior of its residents. The Uranian jesters, upon seeing the Stranger entering their habitat, would swarm the hero relentlessly, refusing to disperse even when killed. A select few of this race were invulnerable to attack, however, and the hive of jesters was thus capable of forcing the Stranger into inescapable predicaments, forcing the hero to die a slow death of starvation amidst the onslaught of fools.
During the time in which the committee of survivors of Earth's apocalypse compiled information, Uranus was known to have viable life upon it.[1] It is unknown if the planet had been colonized by Terran jesters who later adopted strange behaviors, if the Uranians had been the instigators of the profession on Earth, or if the two populations of jokesters were wholly unrelated. The presence of a French jester and several establishments that appeared to be based upon Earth corporations, however, indicated some traffic between the two planets' cultures.
In addition to its unyielding inhabitants, New Jester also sported a vast array of geoglyphs, constructed out of the Uranian landscape. These included: the expression "Ha!"; the figures of a ghost and a ghost hunter; some manner of human face; a humanoid figure; an animal resembling a frog; and an emblematic jester within the pond in the center of the town. New Jester also sported an appropriate big top, and a series of buildings that were seeming analogues to the Montgomery Ward and Sears retailer chains of Earth and a Jack in de Box.
After the time doors closed and the ahistorical timeline became inaccessible, any other information about it is unknown.
Inhabitants[edit]
- The Court Jester: a jester, seemingly cognizant of the absurdity of New Jester, who would ask the Stranger if this was not a silly place[2]
- The French Jester: a fool who pretends to speak French, but making big grammar mistakes[3]
- The Stoned Jester: an individual claiming to attract rocks had spirits[4]
- The Swamp Jester: an invulnerable jester who would block the egress of those caught within the confines of New Jester's enclosed swampland, leaving them to perish of poisoning or hunger
The 20 swarming jesters start in the following locations:
- 8 jesters in the open buildings to the sides of the village entrance, 4 per side;
- 5 jesters near the ships (a sixth one, to the right, is a motionless statue);
- 5 jesters in the Big Top building;
- 2 jesters in the Jack-in-the-Box food shop.
Shops and Services[edit]
- Druid Magic: cleric's shop
- Jack in de Box: Grocery
- Magic is Fun: wizardry shop
- Sear, Sears, More Sears, Monkey Ward: oracles
Trivia[edit]
- It is technically possible to navigate through New Jester without killing any jesters, albeit difficult. There are several areas where the player can become trapped with no escape, and there are at least two jesters (only one in the C64-port) in the village that are invulnerable, even to cannon fire.
- Because of a bug, in the C64-port the Swamp Jester is absent.
Gallery[edit]
The Stranger: "Don't send in the clowns!"
Map from the patched PC version
References[edit]
- ↑ Rollo, Mary Taylor. "Credits". The Second Age of Darkness (Ultima II). Sierra On-Line, Inc.: 1983. Page 13.
- ↑ Court Jester. Underworld Dragon’s Ultima II transcript. Ultima II.
- ↑ French Jester. Underworld Dragon’s Ultima II transcript. Ultima II.
- ↑ Stoned Jester. Underworld Dragon’s Ultima II transcript. Ultima II.