Virtues
This article is about the Virtues from the main Ultima series, not including Ultima Online. For for the Ultima Online Virtues, see Virtues in Ultima Online.
Virtue is the way of life to find inner fulfillment and give the best to the people around you. At least, this is, when the virtues are well-meaning. Virtue can also be twisted into something different; to tighten the grip of tyranny for instance.
The Virtues of Britannia[edit]
- Main article: The Eight Virtues
The Principles of the Shadowlords[edit]
- Main article: The Principles of the Shadowlords
Lord Blackthorn's Code of Virtues[edit]
- Main article: Lord Blackthorn's Code of Virtues
The Gargoyle Virtues[edit]
- Main article: The Gargoyle Virtues
The Ophidian Virtues[edit]
- Main article: The Ophidian Virtues
Triad of Inner Strength[edit]
The Fellowship, in Ultima VII, followed the Triad of Inner Strength, consisting of three rules:
- Strive For Unity
- Trust Thy Brother
- Worthiness Precedes Reward
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.
Killorn Keep[edit]
In Ultima Underworld II, the inhabitants of Killorn Keep – a parallel universe to Britannia – observe the Guardian's eight virtues. These were created by the Guardian to hold maximum control over his subjects and prevent any kind of doubt against his rule over his already conquered worlds.
| Virtue | Description | Symbol |
|---|---|---|
| Sobriety | Sobriety is the state all followers of the Guardian should maintain. It is one free of any chemical or magical substances that may impede the Inner Voice from being heard. | Empty bottle |
| Punctuality | Punctuality is a habit to be formed by all those who call the Guardian their Master. It is the commitment to being prepared on a moment's notice to carry out the Guardian's orders. | Clock |
| Obedience | Obedience is something required of all the Guardian's servants. It is complete submission to any and all the Guardian's demands and wants. | Closed fist |
| Vigilance | Vigilance is the constant state of mind any servant of the Guardian should maintain. It is the backbone of the Guardian's defenses, to watch for foreign and domestic foes. | Open eye |
| Conformity | Conformity is complete acceptance of all the Guardian's beliefs and values. It is the lack of desire to succeed or surpass any person's accomplishments or ideas. | Guardian mask |
| Efficiency | Efficiency is the prevention of any waste. It applies to every function of life, from food, energy, money, even lives. | Abacus |
| Silence | Silence is the need for all the Guardian's servants to not speak against the order. It is essential for the stability and safety of our world. | Closed mouth |
| Diligence | Diligence is the ability to seek out a goal and continue toward it. It is especially important to the armies of the Guardian to ensure victory. | Sword |
Zealan Beliefs[edit]
The Zealans of Pagan had a belief system which centered on six basic human emotions. In the woes of the war, three of the emotion gods were imprisoned and the other three lost their power due to the death of their followers (it was their followers that gave them their powers).
| Emotion | Embodiment | Symbol |
|---|---|---|
| Hate | Odion | Flame |
| Love | Amoras | Hand with heart |
| Balance | Apathas | Scales |
| Joy | Felicitar | Sun |
| Grief | Doloras | Eclipsed sun |
| Fear | Timyra | Teardrop |
The Virtues of Mandrake[edit]
The joyful Mandrake the bard, in Ultima VI, has his own set of three Principles, which also form eight Virtues.
| Principle |
|---|
| Wine |
| Women |
| Song |
Eight of the virtues are derived from these three principles:
| Virtue | Principle |
|---|---|
| Drunkenness | Wine |
| Sensuality | Women |
| Harmony | Song |
| Lust | Wine, Women |
| Laziness | Wine, Song |
| Dance | Women, Song |
| Indulgence | Wine, Women, Song |
| Happiness | Absence of Wine, Women, Song |
The relationships between the Virtues and Principles is not explained in the game, but the one presented in the table is the only logical deduction that has been made.
Presumably Happiness, just like Humility is to Pride, is the opposite of Sadness.
Somewhat related to this, in Ultima V it is explained that the mantra of eating is "yum".
This article includes material originally taken from Wikipedia article Virtues of Ultima. Wikipedia material is licensed under GNU Free Documentation License.