Fellowship
This article is about an organisation. For the book, see The Book of Fellowship.
The Fellowship is a organisation in Britannia, under the secret rule of the Guardian.
Description[edit]
The Fellowship was founded 20 years prior to Ultima VII by the trio of Batlin, Elizabeth and Abraham after getting permission from Lord British. On the first glance, they seem to be a harmless philosophical movement, trying to make the lives of the people better by giving them something to believe in and increasing their material and spiritual wealth. With the Triad of Inner Strength, they already had attracted many people by the time of the Avatar's return. However, the observant critic will soon see that they are run more like a murky, criminal cult.
No one could imagine the Fellowship's true purpose.
The Fellowship is actually an instrument under the rule of the Guardian, with the higher-ups as his agents. His sinister two-fold purpose for this religious movement are these:
- Weaken Britannia's social structure, gaining a greater power base with each passing day.
- Grabbing the power in Britannia when he enters it through the Black Gate, during an astronomical alignment.
The Fellowship is also responsible for the creation the Black Gate and a number of brutal murders of their enemies. So actually their motives are far more darker and downright sinister than it appears on first sight.
After the Guardian was stopped in Ultima VII, the Fellowship became outlawed and their structures dismantled. However, a number of their members remained loyal to the Guardian, had gone into hiding, waiting for the day when their master return.
Lore[edit]
| “ | In creating the Fellowship philosophy I had no intention of cobbling together a collection of platitudes that would be presumptuously intended as a replacement of the Eight Virtues of The Avatar. I knew there would be those who would accuse me of doing just that, no matter what philosophy I developed! I hereby wish to state that The Fellowship fully supports the Eight Virtues of the Avatar, and as one who has endeavored to follow their example I can personally assure thee of their immeasurable worth.
But as one who has followed the Eight Virtues, I know whereof I speak when I say that it is impossible to perfectly live up to them. Even the Avatar was unable to do so continuously and consistently. Can anyone say that they have been honest every moment of every day of their lives? Can anyone say that they are always compassionate, valorous, just, sacrificing, honorable, humble or spiritual at all times? The philosophy of the Eight Virtues does little more than emphasize our own personal deficiencies. I have met many adherents to the ways of the Virtues who are racked with guilt over what they perceive to be their spiritual failures, for that is what the Virtues are based upon. Having been shown our weaknesses, now is the time to strengthen them. The philosophy of The Fellowship has been created to eradicate the failures from one's life. It is a philosophy based upon success and it enhances everything that has come before it. The Fellowship philosophy can be expressed as three values derived from the personal experiences of my life. They are known as The Triad of Inner Strength. – from The Book of Fellowship (Ultima VII)
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| “ | I must not forget The Fellowship! Though not a member, myself, I can tell thee a little about it. For example, the first branch was established here in Britain by Batlin, himself! In fact, he is still the head here. Batlin is an excellent person to whom the Avatar shouldst speak about joining. And, Britain has the greatest number of members in all of Britannia, though I hear Buccaneer's Den is highest in its member to non-member ratio. But who would rather live there than here, except retired pirates and gamblers! – from Key to the Black Gate (Ultima VII)
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| “ | In recent years, an extradimensional being who styles himself "the Guardian" made a stealthy attempt to conquer this world. Of this being we know little — only that he wields great sorcerous power and is utterly evil. With the aid of the wizard Batlin, he created an organization known as The Fellowship, which claimed devotion to the establishment of a new spiritual philosophy. The higher initiates of The Fellowship were gradually seizing power throughout the land, spreading corruption, and carrying out the Guardian's hidden purposes. |
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| “ | Yet it was not long before the champion was again facing great evil, this time in the form of an insidious organization called The Fellowship that had insinuated itself into Britannian society. – from The Chronicle of Pagan (Ultima VIII)
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The Structure of the Fellowship[edit]
The Fellowship is designed in layers:
I. The Innermost Circle[edit]
These are the people who work closest with the Guardian, and of course know all of the true goals, secrets and bloody deeds of the Fellowship. After the take-over of the Guardian they would have ruled over Britannia in his name, practically kings in the name of the Guardian.
These include:
- Batlin: The founder of the Fellowship
- Elizabeth: Co-founder
- Abraham: Co-founder
- Hook: Master assassin
- Forskis: Helper of Hook
II. The Middle Circle[edit]
These are the higher-ups in the Fellowship that are actively helping in the dirty deeds of the Fellowship, knowing very well its true purpose. After the take-over, they would have become the executioners of the will of the Innermost Circle, most likely controlling the cities of Britannia.
These include:
- Klog: Branch leader of Trinsic
- Ellen: Klog's wife
- Elynor: Branch leader of Minoc
- Danag: Co-leader in Buccaneer's Den
- De Snel: Master of the Library of Scars
- Rankin: Branch leader in Moonglow
- Ian: Director of the Meditation Retreat
III. The Clueless Higher Members[edit]
These are people like branch leaders and leaders of various projects, who believe in the philosophy of the Fellowship and have no idea of the true goals.
These include:
- Quan: Branch leader of Terfin
- Feridwyn: Leader of the poorhouse in Paws
- Brita: Feridwyn's wife
- Balayna: Treasurer of the Moonglow branch
IV. The Ignorant Masses[edit]
The congregations. Those who attend Fellowship meetings and apply the philosophy to their own lives, for good or ill. They have no idea of the inner workings of the organisation.
The Triad of Inner Strength[edit]
The Fellowship follows the Triad of Inner Strength, consisting of three rules:
- Strive For Unity
- Trust Thy Brother
- Worthiness Precedes Reward
A Quick Analysis[edit]
However, if someone looks a little further behind these words, the true meaning of them become obvious, as Alagner in Ultima VII discovered. In his notes about these three rules, he writes this:
The first `value' is Strive For Unity. This implies that that we should all work together in harmony and towards one goal in life. However, careful examination of this tenet reveals that members of The Fellowship consider themselves an elite group, and a prejudicial one at that. They tend to believe that if one is not for them, then they are indeed against them! And if one is against them, then may fortune be with that person, for he/she may very well come to a bad end!
The second `value' is Trust Thy Brother. This implies that each member trusts implicitly other Fellowship members, and that each will do favors or deeds for another without question. On the other hand, this might mean that a member should do what another says REGARDLESS of the implications of the act. In other words, `do as I say and do not question it!' seems to be the underlying subtext of this tenet.
The third `value' is Worthiness Precedes Reward. If one does good deeds for The Fellowship, then one will be rewarded. The other side of the coin, of course, is that if one does NOT do good deeds for The Fellowship, then one will get his JUST reward! In The Fellowship, a `reward' can be either `good' or `bad'!
This reveals the Triad of Inner Strength as extremist rules, that reflect the true purpose of the Fellowship: A tool of the Guardian to undermine Britannia's society before he would grab the power.
The Items[edit]
There are a number of items associated with the Fellowship:
The Medallion:
The Fellowship medallion is a metal medallion worn on a chain around the neck. It is formed like a triangle and has the letters T, W and U engraved on it (standing for Trust, Worth and Unity). It is the most seen sign of the Fellowship in Britannia, every member wearing it (but some, like Tseramed, react hostile to it).
The Staff:
The Fellowship staff has a golden TWU, like on the medallions, at its top. It is carried by branch leaders and other higher-ups. It also can be used as a weapon.
The Icon:
The Fellowship icon, which is made of wood and looks like a triangle – obviously representing the Triad of Inner Strength – is found in every Fellowship branch, and is used in the services.
Trivia[edit]
- Aspects of the Fellowship – notably, the nature of its hierarchy – are an allusion to the new religious movement of Scientology.[1][2]
- The organization is mentioned several times in Ultima Underworld II.
- A small group of Fellowship followers are found near Fawn in Ultima VII Part Two.
- "The fellowship advances the philosophy of sanguine cognition." While stated to be "cheerful knowledge", the phrase's meaning overlaps with blood knowledge. While said interpretation implies closeness to racial purity concepts, the overt racism is done by the Britannian Purity League rather than through the Fellowship.
Gallery[edit]
A Fellowship branch in Trinsic
The evening service in Britain begins
Batlin's popularity with his followers is showcased
The true reason for the Fellowship (note the Fellowship insignia, the only clear manifestation in the game)
References[edit]
- ↑ DeMaria, Rusel et al. "A Conversation with Richard Garriott". Ultima: The Avatar Adventures. Prima Publishing: 1992. Page 381.
- ↑ Lankinen, Urpo. “The Fellowship and the Church of Scientology Compared”. 2005-09-27. Retrieved 2012-01-04.