User:Abacos
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Studies: Degree in Physics, Master in Astrophysics.
Location: France
Known languages: English, French, Lombard, Italian, Spanish, Hungarian, (but also: ancient Latin, a bit of German, a little bit of Swahili).
Hobbies: snowboarding, cooking, French-Belgian bande-dessinée, ...and also making diagrams out of role-playing video-games!
Dislikes: acronyms and abbreviations (I will sneer and call you "acronym-maniac"), loanwords (if you need to mix words from different languages, your knowledge of either one is insufficient), hyphenations (they are just placeholders, waiting to be replaced by proper punctuation).
Category: Time Travel and Anachronisms
Timeline of the ages of darkness[edit]
Because "REAL" and "OFFICIAL" are often different from each other.
Official, but self-contradictory[edit]
From this analysis, it is apparent that the official continuity of Ultima 1 includes a plot flaw. See the end of the left timeline. The timeline on the right is self-consistent, and there is no need whatsoever for the self-contradictory timeline on the left.
| Chronology of Ultima 1 | ||
|---|---|---|
| ||
| The Stranger DOES NOT arrive from the future (FALSE) |
The Stranger DOES arrive from the future (TRUE) | |
|
| |
During the following 1000 years:
|
During the following 1000 years:
| |
1000 years later:
|
1000 years later:
| |
OFFICIAL NONSENSE 1:
OFFICIAL NONSENSE 2:
The Ultima series continues as if all of this was logical and normal. |
In conclusion, along this timeline:
This is not canonical (how come?!?). | |
- ↑ Same as in the British movie Sliding Doors, made in British studios and set in London (Great Britain). Look for it and watch it! :)
Real (but unofficial) timeline of the ages of darkness[edit]
Criteria:
- Any time in the past and in the future is the Present sooner or later. There is no privileged point of view along the timeline.
- I consider "alteration of the past" nothing more than a plot flaw. For the statement above, "alteration of the past" is the same as "alteration of the present", and the latter is obviosuly nonsense.
- Still, "alterations of the present" can be nice and functional for comedies ("Back to the Future", "Sliding Doors"), but nobody considers Ultima a comedy.
- I analyze games and add facts to the timeline in this order: Ultima 1, Akalabeth (no time travel), Ultima 2, Ultima 3 (no time travel).
- I give priority to what is said and shown in the games; I do not fully trust manuals; I refuse to read "official spoiler books".
- I try to avoid retroactive corrections to continuity.
Further notes:
- Ultima 2 takes place in two worlds separate from Sosaria: the "Time of Legend" and "Minax's Alternate Earth". Since these two worlds are separate from Sosaria, their timelines are separate, too.
First age of darkness[edit]
- From the rise of Mondain until his official death
Note: the real death of Mondain happened 1000 years before his official death.
- The dark age of Akalabeth
- Mondain, second son of the king of Akalabeth, plans to kill his brother and become heir to the throne. He develops magic powers and creates deep dungeons all over Akalabeth.[1]
- British arrives in Sosaria. Mondain is defeated by British. The defeated wizard leaves Akalabeth, the champion becomes "Lord Protector", i.e. he rules as a king.[2]
- Lord British summons several champions to perform "ethnic cleansing" of the monsters and followers of Mondain in Akalabeth.[3]
- Far from Akalabeth, Mondain starts training Minax as an apprentice.[4] Together, they create Exodus.[5]
- Mondain tries to create the Gem of Immortality.
- Before the completion of the Gem of Immortality, the Stranger arrives from the future using a time machine.[6]
- Real death of Mondain: Mondain is killed by the Stranger.[7]
- At the death of Mondain, the release of the magic energy within his body rends space and time[8]: first, it rends space: i.e. it opens a Time Door between Sosaria and the world known as Time of Legends; then, it rends time: i.e. it travels instantly 1000 years to the future, when it will cause the First Great Land Upheaval.
- Before Lord British's paladins arrive, Minax escapes from Sosaria to the Time of Legends and the Time Door closes behind her.[9]
- One thousand years of darkness
- The Stranger falls into a magic sleep for 1000 years.[10] Lord British finds the sleeping Stranger and hides him/her.
- The Time Machine is lost.
- Under the rule of Lord British, the landlocked kingdom of Akalabeth expands and conquers most of the continent, thus becoming the Lands of Lord British. Eight kingdoms emerge in the four continents of Sosaria.
- Mondain's followers keep spawning for 1000 years. Since Mondain is dead and Minax is in another dimension, the mastermind supporting Mondain's followers must be Exodus, whose existence is kept secret.
- Lord British keeps fighting against Mondain's followers.
| Personal comment Richard Garriot once declared in an interview that he introduced the space combat sequence in Ultima 1 just because he had some memory left on the disk. Therefore, I choose to ignore the Starwalkers altogether. |
- The end of the first age of darkness
- Rumors that Mondain is still alive get widespread. Mondain is nowhere to be found because he's dead since 1000 years.
- Eight princesses appeared; they are the only ones who know the secret of the time machine; they are imprisoned by eight different kings.
- Now that the time machine is a reality, Lord British summons the Stranger from a magic gate known as "Dangerous Seat" ("Siege Perilleuse" in French). The same and one Stranger exists twice simultaneously for a while: a "questing Stranger" and a "slumbering Stranger"; the latter is kept hidden by Lord British.
- The "questing Stranger" finds the Time Machine and uses it to travel back in time.[11]
- Official death of Mondain: Mondain is officially declared dead short after the departure of the "questing Stranger" with the time machine. The "slumbering Stranger" awakens and is cheered by all the populace.[12] Lord British lets the Stranger go back to his/her homeworld.
- ↑ Mondain, second born of Wolfgang, a great king of old, wished to gain his brother's inheritance, so he used his great powers for evil. Many years Mondain traversed the lands of Akalabeth spreading evil and death as he passed. He created deep dungeons, so deep and extensive that their lower depths had never been explored. In these dungeons he unleashed more evil. (Akalabeth manual)
- ↑ There arose from the land a man, pure and just, to battle the Dark Lord. British, Champion of the White Light, did battle with Mondain deep within the labyrinth of dungeons, eventually driving him from Akalabeth forever. British of the White Light was proclaimed Lord British, Protector of Akalabeth. (Akalabeth manual)
- ↑ Alas, much damage had been suffered unto the lands. It is thy duty to rid Akalabeth of the foul creatures which infest it, whilst trying to stay alive! (Akalabeth manual)
- ↑ Mondain had been training an apprentice, a protegee with amazing powerful, natural, magical abilities. (Ultima II manual)
- ↑ There appears to have been an unholy alliance between Mondain and his young apprentice Minax. Something had fructified from that union. [...] What had become of the hell-born prodigy? (Ultima III manual)
- ↑ After but a few instants thou dost feel a strong magic pulling thee from thy craft... A moment later, thou art face to face with the evil Mondain himself! Good luck, this is it! (Ultima I text transcript)
- ↑ Thou art victorious! A rain of silver lightning heralds the death of Mondain. (Ultima I text transcript)
- ↑ Ancient books show no mention of [time doors] prior to the defeat and demise of the evil Mondain. [...] Mondain had gained such power that, upon his death, the physical laws of nature suffered a great upheaval. When the smoke cleared, all that remained were corridors in time and space, what we commonly call our "time doors". (Ultima II manual)
- ↑ The most fearful rumor was that, at the time of his demise, Mondain had been training an apprentice, a protegee with amazing powerful, natural, magical abilities. The rumor was squelched when colleagues of his conqueror entered his castle and found no sign of anyone. (Ultima II manual)
- ↑ A thousand years pass in but a moment's time as a strange sleep overcomes thee. (Ultima I text transcript)
- ↑ As soon as thou hast pressed the large black button, lights begin to dance across the control screens. Generators shake the very floor beneath thy feet. The small craft begins to tremble and rattle as thy journey through time begins... (Ultima I text transcript)
- ↑ Upon awakening, thou dost find thyself in new surroundings. A stately youth in violet robes [Lord British] helps thee to thy feet whereupon thou dost see the thousands who gaze upon thee in adoration. (Ultima I text transcript)
Golden age of Time Doors[edit]
| Personal comment How come everybody assumes that the Stranger is the only one who travelled through the Time Doors? Does anything prevents anyone else from doing it? Think of Seggallion. |
- Short after the departure of the Time Machine, Time Doors start opening in Sosaria.[1] Time doors DO NOT link to different ages of Sosaria; instead, they link to different ages of another world similar-but-different to the Stranger's Earth: Minax's Alternate Earth.
- Several Sosarians start traveling through the Time Doors. These adventurers include Father Antos, Iolo and Gwenno.
- For about 15 years, Sosaria is at peace.
- ↑ At last, the world was beautiful again, and life was to be enjoyed, savored. So it was for several years, long enough for a child to grow to adulthood. They were exciting years, for the strange appearance of the time doors opened a great era of new learning, a renaissance of timelessness. Creativity burst forth and new works proliferated. (Ultima II manual)
Second age of darkness[edit]
| Personal comment Most fans try to ignore Ultima 2, and pretend it happened on Sosaria, or that it did not happen at all ("ahistorical"). Not me: the facts of Ultima 2 happened on another world, that is neither Sosaria nor the Stranger's home. I call it "Minax's Alternate Earth". |
- From the revelation of Minax until the first great land upheaval
NOTE: facts that did not happen on Sosaria do not belong to the timeline of Sosaria; they literally belong to a different "time and space" (see below, #Time of Legends and #Minax's Alternate Earth).
- After about 15 years, some people who arrived from Minax's Alternate Earth tell of a global destruction of their world caused by Minax.[1]
- Lord British summons the Stranger. The Stranger accepts the mission of doing a pre-emptive strike against Minax, before she wreaks havoc in Sosaria.
- After the departure of the Stranger, Minax attacks Sosaria and displaces the whole castle of Lord British to her Alternate Earth. All the people inside the castle are displaced with it, including Lord British, Brother Antos and Andre the French Chef.
- Later, Castle Britannia returns in Sosaria (probably thanks to Lord British's magic powers). The aforementioned Father Antos, Iolo and Gwenno come back through the Time Doors. Some adventurers from Minax's Alternate Earth arrive in Sosaria through the Time Doors, too: Dupre, Sentri and Chuckles.
- Further later, the Time Doors disappear forever. Minax's Alternate Earth is officially declared "ahistorical" and "not anymore existing". In reality, it simply cannot be accessed anymore by any means from Sosaria.
- The ruins of Minax's castle magically materialize in Sosaria, thus confirming the defeat of the sorceress. [2]
- (At the end of the Second Age of Darkness, the Stranger does not come back to Sosaria: he finds a way straight back to his homeworld.)
- ↑ "Only the ability to move in [Time Doors] enabled any living thing to survive, as far as is known. Since that awful day, survivors have devoted themselves to grasping the meaning of the event and to rethink the concept of time and its dimensions. [...] Two complementary theories persisted. One was that evil was derived from a single, overpowering source that was Minax; the other one was [not a theory, just a nonsensical hypothesis contrary to strict logic]." (Ultima II manual)
- ↑ From the ruin of Minax's castle has come several fragments of a manuscript which hints at a dark secret... (Ultima III manual)
Third age of darkness[edit]
- From the the first great land upheaval until the second great land upheaval
- Twenty years after the defeat of Minax[1], the First Great Land Upheaval takes place. During it, three continents become unreachable. At the end of it, the Isle of Fire rises from the ocean.[2]
- The cause of the First Great Land Upheaval: at the death of Mondain (1000 years in the past), the release of the magic energy within his body rended space and time: first, it rended time: i.e. it traveled through time from 1000 years in the past; then, it rends space: i.e. it causes the First Great Land Upheaval, that is not just a series of earthquakes, but rather a "magic-quake".[3]
- Just before the Great Land Upheaval, Shamino came to visit the Lands of Lord British. After the Great Land Upheval, Shamino cannot return to his homeland, and settles in Montor West.
- Orcs and pirates attack Sosaria. The existence of Exodus is revelaed.
- Lord British summons the Stranger and three more heroes to fight Exodus. They all came through the magic gate known as "Dangerous Seat" (this may account for the longevity of three out of the five Mariah, Jaana, Julia, Katrina and Geoffrey).
- The four heroes find and defeat Exodus.
- At the death of Exodus, the sudden release of the magic energy it accumulated over 1000 years causes the Second Great Land Upheaval, that is another magic-quake. Sosaria is magically reshaped into Britannia.[4]
- ↑ Twenty years the peace lasted. (Ultima III manual)
- ↑ The omens began to be troubled. Comets clashed across the sky and rumbles were heard deep in the ground. Then one day, in a fiery birth of molten lava, an island rose up in the ocean. (Ultima III manual)
- ↑ For reasons still unknown, the destruction of Mondain caused great upheaval. As much as three-fourths of Sosaria simply disappeared, wrenched from the world as if it had never existed. Among the missing lands were Shamino’s kingdom (the Lands of Danger and Despair)... (Ultima VII.2 manual)
- ↑ The final destruction of Exodus rocked the known world. Mountains rose, land masses sank. Most of the surface area of the world became fused together into one large mass. It is over this new continent, now called Britannia, that Lord British rules. (Ultima IV manual)
Timelines of other worlds[edit]
The world known as "Time of Legends"[edit]
- The Time of Legends is not part of Sosaria, and therefore it follows a separate timeline.
- The Ultima 2 manual clearly states that it follows a timeline separate from the Earth and the Alternate Earth, too.
- Time doors appear in this world. Minax comes in from Akalabeth/Sosaria.
- Minax builds the castle of Shadowguard.
- In Shadowguard, Minax generates an army of monsters and opens more time gates connecting this world to different ages of Sosaria and of an Alternate Earth. There is no evidence that Minax reached the home world of the Stranger.
- Using the time doors, her magic powers and her monsters, Minax heavily influences the history of the Alternate Earth.
- Using the time doors, her magic powers and her monsters, Minax displaces the Castle of Lord British from Sosaria to the Alternate Earth.
- The Stranger comes in through a time door connecting to the Alternate Earth. He enters Shadowguard and defeats Minax.
- As Minax dies, this world collapses. The Stranger manages to leave before the time doors disappear forever.
The parallel universe known as "Minax's Ahistorical Earth"[edit]
- Minax's Alternate Earth is not part of Sosaria, and therefore it follows a separate timeline.
Note: this is not the Earth where the Stranger comes from. This parallel dimension became different from it when Time Doors appeared during Pangea age.
Pangaea age:
- Time doors appear in this age.
- Through the time doors, Minax's monsters come in from the Time of Legend and Earthmen come in from the future.
- Pirates from the future sail the Panthalassa ocean, while other time travelers establish the village of Baradins Town.
- The Stranger arrives in this age. He visits Baradins Town and learns about the whereabouts of Father Antos and the Planet X.
- The Stranger leaves this age through a time door.
- Sooner or later, time doors start collpasing: all time-travelers in this age are sucked in and sent back to their original time zone. Time doors disappear for several millions years.
1423 B.C.:
- Time doors appear in this age, several million years after they collapsed (during Pangea).
- Through the time doors, Minax's monsters come in from the Time of Legend and computer programmers come in from the future.
- The whole castle of Lord British and its occupants are displaced to this age by Minax.
- The Stranger arrives in this age. He visits the village of Le Jester and receives a clue about the Hotel California. He visits Lord British's castle and meets Brother Antos, who sets him on a quest to find Father Antos.
- The Stranger leaves this age through a time door.
- Castle British is displaced from this age to 3400 years in the future. It is unknown whether this is the doing of Minax or Lord British.
- Sooner or later, time doors start collpasing: all time-travelers in this age are sucked in and sent back to their original time zone, while the collapsing time doors eject all the time-travelers that left from this age. Time doors disappear for about 3400 years.
| Personal comment We know that characters originary from the Earth obtain extreme longevity in Sosaria/Britannia (e.g. Lord British). Some Sosarian enjoy the same long life. For example, the long-living Iolo and Gwenno lived for a while on the Earth (in Minax's alternate dimension, but still the Earth). Could it be that the extreme longevity is a side effect of crossing any magic gate between different worlds (Dangerous Seat, Time Doors, Moon Gates)? |
1990 A.D.:
- Time doors appear in this age, abour 3400 years after they collapsed (in 1423 B.C. or shortly later).
- Through the time doors, Minax's monsters come in from the Time of Legend and Earthmen come in from other ages.
- The whole castle of Lord British and its occupants are displaced to this age. Iolo and Gwenno move to the city of New San Antonio.
- The Stranger arrives in this age. He visits Lord British's castle (where he meets Brother Antos again), Port Bonifice (where he learns more about Father Antos), and New San Antonio (where he meets the magic clerk of the Hotel California).
- The Stranger leaves this age through a time door, and he reappears later, after having met Father Antos.
- The Stranger meets Sentri in the prison of New San Antonio. He purchases the Quickblade and releases the fighter from jail.
- The Stranger leaves this age through a time door forever.
- After the last departure of the Stranger, Castle British is displaced from this "Ahistorical Earth" back to Sosaria. It can be assumed this was due to the magic powers of Lord British. Sentri, Iolo and Gwenno go to Sosaria, too.
- Sooner or later, time doors start collpasing: all time-travelers in this age are sucked in and sent back to their original time zone (except for those who went to Sosaria, like Sentri), while the collapsing time doors eject all the time-travelers that left from this age. Time doors disappear for about 120 years.
XXII Century A.D.:
- Earthmen "terraformed" all planets in the Solar System and colonized most of them.
- Time doors appear in this age, about 120 years after they collapsed (in 1990 A.D. or shortly later).
- Through the time doors, Minax's monsters come in from the Time of Legend and Sosarians come in from other ages.
- In 2111 A.D., Minax manages to turn the powers of the Earth against each other. The result is the total devastation of the Earth. Survivors escape to space or through Time Doors. Some time travelers end up in Sosaria.
- In 2112 A.D., the Stranger arrives in this age. He visits Pirates Harbour and meets Chuckles the jester.
- The Stranger uses a space rocket from Pirates Harbour and explores the Solar System. He visits Jupiter and meets Dupre in the Village of the Preppies.
- The Stranger travels to the Planet X, where he meets Father Antos.
- The Stranger leaves this age through a time door forever.
- Later, Father Antos, Chuckles and Dupre manage to reach Sosaria, where they will stay forever.
- Sooner or later, time doors start collpasing: all time-travelers in this age are sucked in and sent back to their original time zone (except for those who went to Sosaria, like Dupre and Chuckles), while the collapsing time doors eject all the time-travelers that left from this age. Time doors disappear forever from this world.
After the last disappearance of the Time Doors, this world and timeline became inaccessible. Because of this inaccessibility, Britannian sages declared this timeline "ahistorical". Britannian sages also assumed that whenever the Time Doors disappear from one age, all men killed resurrected and all destroyed objects and lands were magically regenerated (as if removing a projectile from a wound is all it takes to make the wound disappear).