Princesses
During the events of Ultima I, eight princesses have been imprisoned by the eight nobles of Sosaria, for reasons unknown. These women, whatever their crimes, prove essential to the Stranger's quest to slay Mondain, revealing to the hero the location of the fabled time machine.
Description[edit]
Little is known about this company of women, or their relations to the nobles which hold them in bondage.
Their ability to restore the health of others certainly bears similarity to the service which the patricians of Sosaria provided in such an age. Given their royal blood, it is possible that the eight princesses were victims of the ongoing feuds between the city-states of old Sosaria, having been taken captive to exact leverage over the rulers of other lands. On the other hand, their knowledge of the time machine may suggest they come from the future of Sosaria. Whatever the reasons for their imprisonment, such women were held in captivity within every fief, even within the domains of seemingly virtuous men such as Lord British and Shamino Sallé Dacil.
The key to the princesses' chambers was held by the ubiquitous jester "Gwino" (possibly a bastardization of Gwenno) in each keep, and to free any of their number it became necessary for the Stranger to knock out the fool, earning the immediate ire of the castle guards and the displeasure of the lord. Once free, each woman would reward the hero with gold and healing, and upon the hero's attainment of the title of "Space Ace" (an appellation gained by slaying twenty of Mondain's "star-walking" allies), the princesses would surrender the secret of the time machine.
Names and Captors[edit]
The names of the eight princesses and those of their captors are listed in the chart below.
| Princess | Imprisoning Noble | Land |
|---|---|---|
| Beth | The King of the Black Dragon | Lands of the Dark Unknown |
| Cassandra | The Lord of the Castle of the Lost King | Lands of Lord British |
| Dianne | Shamino | Lands of Danger and Despair |
| Donna | The Lord of Castle Rondorin | Lands of the Feudal Lords |
| Julia | Lord British | Lands of Lord British |
| Kristen | The Lord of the Castle of Olympus | Lands of the Dark Unknown |
| Lori | The King of the White Dragon | Lands of Danger and Despair |
| Marsha | The Lord of Castle Barataria (potentially Ozymandias) | Lands of the Feudal Lords |
Trivia[edit]
- Julia is the name of a companion of the Avatar, seen in later games, though it is not clear if there is a connection. What is known is that Richard Garriott once dated a woman named Julia,[1] which may explain the eponymous princess within Lord British's castle.
- A Lori Ogwulu is credited for her graphic design work in the manual for the 1986 remake of Ultima I. It is possible that she is the real world analogue for Princess Lori.[2]
- It is unknown if Princess Beth bears any relation to the owner of Beth's Armor, a shop in Towne Makler on Pluto in 2112 A.D. in Ultima II.
- The princesses and their seemingly arbitrary imprisonment are a tribute to the "damsel in distress" cliché, seen in many fictional works.[3]
References[edit]
- ↑ McCubbin, Chris; Ladyman, David. "An Interview with Richard Garriott". Prima's Official Guide to Ultima IX: Ascension. Prima Publishing: 1999. Page 292.
- ↑ Albert, David. The First Age of Darkness (Ultima I). Origin Systems, Inc.: 1986. Page 19.
- ↑ Garriott, Richard. “Richard Garriott on Twitter”. Twitter. 2016-08-24. Retrieved 2016-08-26.