Rieya

Rieya
Rieya, from Ultima VII Part Two
Species:	human
Appearances
Ultima VII Part Two Location: Serpent's Fang

Rieya is one of three agents of the Guardian who operated near the garrison of Serpent's Fang during the events of The Silver Seed.

Description

Some time prior to the Avatar arrival at Serpent's Fang, Rieya and her associates Drusilla and Solaria journeyed to the nearby area, where they hoped to await a hero whom they deemed to be the "pawn of prophecy." While the Order-affiliated forces stationed at the keep were markedly wary of them, they allowed the three women to remain following the establishment of a treaty, which permitted the three sorceresses to stay in the vicinity of Serpent's Fang so long as they repelled any interlopers from the nearby, monster-filled caverns.

The Avatar could meet Rieya near the entrance to the Abandoned Outpost to the east of the garrison, where the enigmatic woman would offer her assistance to the hero in navigating the nearby area. Despite initially seeming to ally herself with the Avatar's goals, her attitude was snappish and generally condescending, and she made no secret of her disdain for the hero's ignorance of their mission. She was similarly free in voicing her contempt for the Ophidians, mocking their religious conflicts and cynically explaining how the Champions of Balance had engaged in the persecution of those Serpent Islanders holding non-Ophidian beliefs. Like her companions, she would indicate that her personal allegiance lay with an entity known as "The Guide," mentioning that there were philosophies worth considering that rejected the pursuit of Balance and nihilistically suggesting that the world she inhabited was not worth saving.

Rieya's assistance to the Avatar is hard to interpret correctly, but it does give a clue as to how to deactivate one of the traps in the nearby outpost. Later, when the hero managed to gain possession of the Silver Seed, Rieya appeared along with her sister monks and attempted to stop the Avatar from planting it. At this juncture, Solaria would accidentally reveal that the "Guide" with whom the three women were allied was none other than the Guardian, who wished to prevent the restoration of the Tree of Balance. Following this revelation, Rieya and her fellows attempted to kill the Avatar, and the hero would be forced to slay them or to retrieve from their possession by other means; a set of keys they had somehow obtained, which unlocked the doors securing the entrance to the nearby vale where the Tree was to be planted.

Lore

“

Occasionally I overhear conversations between the warriors here in Seriss. They often mention the names of three sorceresses, members of the Dark Monks — Rieya, Solaria and Drusilla. From the information available to me at this point, I must assume that these monks have great power. They are not fond of the Order Forces; they believe in their own distinct prophecies. These monks speak some drivel about destroying the “Pawn of Prophecy.” They believe their victim will arrive here through the powers of the Amulet of Balance. I don’t know what to make of all their prattle. I don’t think they are talking about our hero, the Champion of Balance. If he ever arrives here, I will give him the magic Key Ring as I have been ordered by thee, Calithiss, revered Order Hierophant. The three monks haven’t caused the keep any trouble so far; therefore, I shall allow them to remain in this area. Although I don’t trust them under any circumstances, a treaty has been signed — they may each stay at the entrance of a different dungeon, as long as they repulse any interlopers seeking that route into Seriss. I haven’t been here long enough to know them well, but I plan on gathering more material for my next report to thee. – from The Silver Seed Play Guide (Ultima VII Part Two)

Trivia

• Rieya, Drusilla, Solaria and Draxinar are the "only" in-games examples of individuals from the age of the Ophidians who hold non-Ophidian beliefs (4 characters out of 10).
• Rieya's hint is: "Press first the middle button and then the top button. Press the south button last and thou shalt be free". It should be obvious that "top" and "north" are completely different directions (e.g. the sky is above us, the Arctic Ocean is to the north, not the opposite), thus Rieya's words are really about the distance between the floor and the buttons. The graphics are unable to display buttons at different heights. Therefore, the valuable portion of Rieya's advice is the last one: press the south button last. Together with the fact that pressing the north button activates the sequence (notified by the release of purple sparks), Rieya's hint is truthful and helpful.