Topo

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Topo
TopoSI.png
Topo, from Ultima VII Part Two
Species: human
Profession: apprentice artisan
Appearances
Ultima VII Part Two
Location: Moonshade

Topo is a Serpent Islander apprenticed to the Moonshadian artisan Ducio. He appears in Ultima VII Part Two.

Description[edit]

As the time of the Avatar's adventures on Serpent Isle, Topo had been in Ducio's employ for a number of years.[1] Despite being a skilled potter who performed most of the day-to-day tasks relating to his master's business,[2][3] he had yet to become established as a master artisan in his own right,[1] and he would complain bitterly about Ducio's indolence whenever he was out of the man's sight.[4] Should the hero speak to him while his master was present, it would become clear that the young apprentice was subject to rather regular upbraidings from Ducio, who would insult, interrupt, and chastise the youth regularly. Topo, despite the pointed criticisms he would make regarding his employer in private, would prove deferential in the face of such complaint, silently awaiting the day when he would be able to establish his own shop.[1]

When questioned about matters outside of the scope of his day to day duties, Topo could prove most informative as regarded the affairs of the Mundanes and lesser mages dwelling in Moonshade.[5] Although he would express a general disdain for magic users in the city, he spoke highly of Andrio, a mageling at the nearby Seminarium with whom he had struck up a friendship despite their differences in social standing.[6]

Ultimately, following the release of the Banes of Chaos, Topo would be slain in the destruction visited upon Moonshade by Shamino the Anarch, leaving Ducio, who survived the disaster, as the sole artificer within the ruined city of magic.

Goods[edit]

Prices in Ultima VII Part Two are as follows:[7]

Food
Cost
(guilders)
Min[note 1] Max[note 2]
Bread.png Bread 4 8
Roll.png Rolls 3 5
Cake.png Cake 5 10
Provisions
Cost
(guilders)
Min[note 1] Max[note 2]
SwordU7.PNG Sword 160 350
RedCloakSI.png Cloak 80 200
ShovelU7.PNG Shovel 50 100
TorchU7.PNG Torch 5 10
PickU7.PNG Pick 75 140
BucketU7.png Bucket 14 28
PitcherU7.png Pitcher 15 30
OillampSI.png Oil lamp 6 12
ClothU7.png Bolt of cloth 10 20
Buying[note 3]
Profit
(guilders)
GemU7.PNG Gem 100
  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 The minimum price the merchant will accept.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 The initial asking prices.
  3. ↑ Goods the merchant is willing to buy.

While he does not act as a money changer, Topo will buy gems from the Avatar if asked, offering 100 guilders per gem sold to him.[8]

Trivia[edit]

  • The model for Topo's character portrait is Mike Fuger.[9] In the early 90s, Fuger was a guitarist for Culture Shock, a metal band based in Austin, Texas and acknowledged in the Ultima VII Part Two credits as "Official Serpent Isle Band." Other members of the group included Origin writer/designer Billy Cain (bass), BZ Lewis (guitar), and Jared Thurman (drums), who also appear in the game as Ernesto, Mortegro, and Sethys, respectively.
  • The Avatar may discuss the kidnapping of one of the companions with Topo after the party member disappears following Filbercio's banquet. Topo will initially speak to the hero as though the missing friend is dead, but will eventually suggest consulting Julia in the hopes of prompting an investigation.[10]
  • Should the Avatar ask Bucia about the strange hairbrush or the funerary urn that a teleport storm exchanged for Shamino's burst arrows and Iolo's crossbow without showing her the objects, she will recommend asking Topo about them.[11] If the Avatar shows the urn to the young potter, he will recognize it as a Monitorian funerary urn, and will thereafter speak, if asked about the distant city of warriors. With regards to the hairbrush, he will be able to identify the object as being made of bone and will advise the hero to ask the Necromage Mortegro about it. He can also offer commentary on the magical apparatus exchanged for Rudyom's wand and the pair of slippers exchanged for the Avatar's swamp boots, and he will direct the hero to ask Bucia about the latter.[12]
  • All the inhabitants of Moonshade have Italian or pseudo-Italian names. "Topo" is the Italian word for "mouse". It is a rare family name, but never used as a first name.

Gallery[edit]

  • Metal band Culture Shock, four members of which appear as characters in Ultima VII Part Two. Clockwise from top right: Mike Fuger (Topo), David Pearson, Billy Cain (Ernesto), BZ Lewis (Mortegro), and Jared Thurman (Sethys)

References[edit]

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Topo. Paul Carr’s Ultima transcripts. Ultima VII Part Two. "Artisan".
  2. ↑ Bucia. Paul Carr’s Ultima transcripts. Ultima VII Part Two. "the Artisans".
  3. ↑ Pothos. Paul Carr’s Ultima transcripts. Ultima VII Part Two. "Topo".
  4. ↑ Topo. Paul Carr’s Ultima transcripts. Ultima VII Part Two. "Ducio".
  5. ↑ Topo. Paul Carr’s Ultima transcripts. Ultima VII Part Two. "Columna, Mosh, Mundanes, Rocco, Stefano".
  6. ↑ Topo. Paul Carr’s Ultima transcripts. Ultima VII Part Two. "Andrio".
  7. ↑ Hobbs, Sherri G.. Ultima VII Part Two Clue Book (Ultima VII Part Two). Origin Systems, Inc.: 1993. Pages 53–60.
  8. ↑ Topo. Paul Carr’s Ultima transcripts. Ultima VII Part Two. "sell gems".
  9. ↑ Armintrout, Bill. Ultima VII, Part Two: THE SERPENT ISLE - Moonshade Townplot (MOONSHAD.DOC) (Ultima VII Part Two). September 8, 1992. Page 18.
  10. ↑ Topo. Paul Carr’s Ultima transcripts. Ultima VII Part Two. "kidnap".
  11. ↑ Bucia. Paul Carr’s Ultima transcripts. Ultima VII Part Two. "strange hairbrush, urn".
  12. ↑ Topo. Paul Carr’s Ultima transcripts. Ultima VII Part Two. "apparatus, odd brush, slippers, urn".
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