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Human Lore
Return to: Lore and HistoryA Glossary of People, Places, and Things Within The Human Lore
As the traditional People of Britannia, the Humans are a race that need little introduction. This lore focuses on those that helped influence Lord British’s realm and played a major factor in making the Britannia of Origin what it is.
People – Creatures – Places – Culture – Things
Lord Blackthorn– Friend of Lord British (at least for now), but also the *thorn* in his side. Blackthorn does not believe in plans that British has set in motion in hopes of bringing all shards back together again. Because of that, he is doing everything he can to prevent it. Further, foreshadowing from Todd McFarlane’s toys hint at the fact that somethign terrible will happen to him, as he appears to be almost half human/half monster. An image from the Codex of Ultimate Wisdom also hints at this fate.
Lord British– The ruler of all Britannia. Also hinted at as being the one to cause the Cataclysm that creates the devastated world that Ultima Online 2 takes place in.
Sir Dupre– A companion of The Avatar in Ultima lore. Also the founder of The House of the Lion. A Paladin by trade.
Exedur (EXE-duhr) – An Assassin that is haunted with images of destiny. A prophet that sees the destruction that Lord British will ultimately cause. Because of this, he becomes a confidant of Blackthorn’s in trying to prevent it from occurring.
Eris (EH-ris) – From Ahriman – “Eris was another character slated for the anime feature. She’s a human spy/assassin for the Technocrat Lectors. She was sent to sabotage the new alliance between the Britannians and the Juka, but as your classic femme fatale, she falls for the hero (Kasim) and ends up joining the fight against Adranath. She’s a great tragic character (the kind you commonly see in anime) – beautiful and deadly…Eris, alas, gave her life to stop Adranath.”
Lady Gavrielle (gah-vree-EL) – Nystul’s granddaughter and Lord Blackthorn’s lover. A sorceress.
Sir Geoffrey – (Real World Origin – English/French; Meaning – Peaceful) Also a companion of The Avatar in Ultima lore. Now a trusted aide and chief bodyguard to Lord British. A Paladin by trade.
Gideon – (Real World Origin – Hebrew; Meaning – Destroyer) Regent of New Britannia after Sir Dupre and before Sir Maximilian. He was murdered by Kavah’s (see Meer Lore) spectral assassins. From Ahriman 12/21/00 – “It was during Gideon’s reign that the Fist of Virtue was constructed by the mages of House Griffin. For this reason, it’s often called Gideon’s Fist of Virtue.”
Lady Gwenno– A friend of Lord British and in Ultima lore a companion of The Avatar. Married to Master Iolo. Like her husband, a bard and archer.
Master Iolo– A friend of Lord British, this bard & archer was also a companion of The Avatar in Ultima lore. Married to Lady Gwenno.
Kadir (kah-DEER) – (Real World Origin – Arabic; Meaning – Green) An arch-mage determined to “root out and eliminate all traces of necromancy from the shores of New Britannia. This sorcerer’s fanaticism eventually led to the deaths of hundreds of innocents, many of them Meer.” Further, “Kadir is sort of a combination of McCarthy, Torquemada, and some of the players of the Salem Witch Trials. Kadir did indeed believe he was doing what was best for New Britannia. His fanaticism, however, led him to adopt bloodthirsty methods and he was eventually driven insane by the influence of the Malevolence (a wonderful twist of irony). He’s a very complex, very disturbed figure in New Britannia’s history.” – Ahriman 12/21/00
Sir Kasim (KAH-seem) – (Real World Origin – Arabic; Meaning – Divided) From Ahriman – “Sir Kasim was to be one of the main characters in the Ultima Origin anime movie. He’s a member of the Paladins of the Vigil, noble knights who dedicated themselves to fighting the scourge of necromancy on New Britannia. He’s a very interesting character who is haunted by his dark past (he used to be a cutthroat). He didn’t found any of the Houses but he did help defeat Adranath’s plan to use the Bloodstone to raise a massive undead army.”
Mariah – (Real World Origin – English/French; Meaning – Variant of Latin Mary bitter) Companion to the Stranger prior to the Cataclysm. After the Cataclysm, founder of the Britannian Noble House, The House of the Griffin.
Sir Maximilian – (Real World Origin – English; Meaning – The Greatest) Creator of the Paladins of the Vigil during the Necromancer Wars on New Britannia. From Ahriman 12/21/00 – “Sir Maximilian was a Silver Serpent Knight and a member of the House of the Lion. The Paladins became a sub-order of those knights, so their ranks do come from the Lions. Sir Maximilian eventually became the Regent of New Britannia, after Regent Gideon was murdered by Kavah’s spectral assassins. It was during Gideon’s reign that the Fist of Virtue was constructed by the mages of House Griffin. For this reason, it’s often called Gideon’s Fist of Virtue. The reign of Maximilian was marred, however, by a brief but bloody inquisition led by the arch-mage Kadir, who was determined to root out and eliminate all traces of necromancy from the shores of New Britannia. This sorcerer’s fanaticism eventually led to the deaths of hundreds of innocents, many of them Meer. It was a dark time in New Britannia’s history. After putting a stop to the inquisition, Maximilian stepped down in disgrace. Maximilian’s dying act, however, was slaying a vicious dragon named Korothrax that had been terrorizing the Britannian countryside. Thousands attended the aged knight’s funeral to pay their respects, and Maximilian is now known as The Repentant.”
Minax– The witch-queen. From the final Prequel Britannian story – “Blackthorn made out the long curves of a silver serpent, slithering with a gentle, sensuous whisper. But the silver was only moonlight, baring the languid outline of a woman’s flesh. Her naked legs were drawn up into the seat, furtively sheltering the rest of her body. Immodest strips of dark clothing seemed to vanish in the deep shadows. Her black hair glistened like a feline’s coat. Every movement of her skin against itself was magnified into a constant, tantalizing sigh that breathed from the very stone of the tower.”
Moriah – (Real World Origin – Hebrew; Meaning – God Teaches) Great Lady of the House of the Griffin and current Regent of New Britannia.
Nystul (NIGH-stul) – Adviser to Lord British and conspirator with his Lord to attempt the joining of the shards. Also the courts’ Master Mage, perhaps the greatest in all the land.
Shamino– A Ranger by trade, friend of Lord British, and in Ultima lore a companion of The Avatar.
The Stranger– The one to shatter the Gem of Immortality, which caused the world to breaks into millions of different shards. In the timeline of Ultima Prime, he is referred to as “The Avatar” and is the savior of Britannia on multiple occassions. In the shadow shards, he doesn’t seem to appear again after the Gem shatters (at least to our knowledge).
The Time Lord– Little is known about this entity other than the fact that Lord British has consulted with him in the hopes of bringing the shadow world shards of Sosaria back together with the one true world.
Daemon– Used for protection purposes by powerful mages. They are bound to a specific location. Twice the height of a human, weighing more than three horses, with razor-sharp claws, wings, fangs, and a stench so putrid that it can almost not be believed.
Mongbat– Small omnivorous creature. Appears to be a monkey with wings. A good comparison would be the Witch’s minions in The Wizard of Oz.
Goblin– New to modern Ultima games, this smallish creature looks to be the smaller cousin of the Orc.
Orc– Almost human in shape, these creatures are one of the fiercest and most organized of mankind’s enemies.
Ettin– A huge and hideous 2-headed humanoid, this is definitely not something you want to come across alone.
Korothrax the Dragon – From Ahriman 12/21/00 – “Maximilian’s dying act, however, was slaying a vicious dragon named Korothrax that had been terrorizing the Britannian countryside.”
Vesper– From Ahriman – “Vesper is on southeastern coast of New Britannia. It is indeed a beautiful city and home to the Great Lighthouse of Vesper, a marvel of architecture, magic, and technology. It has earned a reputation as a haven for political dissidents, especially those expressing dissatisfaction with Regent Moriah’s ban on technology.”
Castle Britannia– The home of Lord British and the center and heart of the kingdom of Britannia.
Great Stygian Abyss (stihj-ee-uhn uh-biss) – The location of the Codex of Ultimate Wisdom. At this time, the exact location is not known.
Stonegate– The place out of myth that Lord British and Nystul plan to cast the Spell of Rejoining. “Wedged in a spine of foreboding mountains, the fortress of Stonegate from a distance resembled several castles stacked atop each other. Turrets and towers of grey stone leapt toward the sky in a chaotic dance. The granite walls were high and heavy. The fortress had a dour aspect, like a golem squatting among the sharp cliffs, waiting for an unknown master.”
Britain– Capital of Britannia and city of Compassion.
Moonglow– The city of Honesty.
Jhelom– The city of Valor.
THE GREAT HOUSES – See the extensive article on this subject here.
THE ROYAL SENATE – Founded by Lord Erethian and Lord Dupre, this governmental body shares power with the regency. It’s composed of elected representatives from each Britannian city, as well as the leaders of the Britannian Noble Houses and the leader of the Order of the Shepherd.
VIRTUE GUARDS– Those that follow Lord British prior to the Cataclysm.
SERPENT KNIGHTS– Elite forces from Lord British’s army. “The Silver Serpent Knights did indeed come from British’s elite guard, but they were later established as New Britannia’s Order of Chivalry.” – Ahriman 12/22/00
CHAOS GUARDS– Those that follow Lord Blackthorn prior to the Cataclysm.
BRITANNIAN RANGERS– Led by Shamino, they fight for the cause of Lord British.
PALADINS OF THE VIGIL– Noble knights who dedicated themselves to fighting the scourge of necromancy on New Britannia. The Paladins became a sub-order of the Silver Serpent Knights, so their ranks do come from the House of the Lions. From Ahriman on 12/20/00 – “The Paladins of the Vigil were created by Sir Maximilian during the Necromancer Wars on New Britannia, which occurred roughly 100 years after the Cataclysm. Kavah, the twisted Meer sorcerer who had resurrected Adranath, fled Avenosh after the Lord of Necromancers was defeated by the Lore Council. Kavah ended up on the shores of New Britannia, making his lair in the crypt called Covetous. After spreading the art of necromancy throughout the Lands of Virtue, his reign of terror was ended by the combined might of the Britannian Great Houses. So although the Paladins of the Vigil were originally created to fight Kavah and his undead scourge, they continue their quest to eradicate necromancy from the shores of New Britannia. Further, the Paladins and the Shadow Hunters have worked together in the past, since they share similar goals.”
Codex of Ultimate Wisdom– The most powerful tome in existence. Viewable through a blue lens in Nystul’s rooms, it is actually located in the Great Stygian Abyss. The script itself defies shape and oozes over the browning parchment in complex, delicate patterns. Filled with forbidden knowledge that is rumored to give the reader the ability to even change the world.
Vortex Lens– “In the center of this circle was a small podium. Upon it lay a disk of blue crystal, in which glimpses of a black place shifted and twirled.”
The Eight Virtues– These represent the highest ideals of Britannian society, as set forth by Lord British himself.
HONESTY – The pursuit of truthfulness, with respect to oneself and with respect to other beings. COMPASSION – The quality of empathy, of recognizing and sharing the feelings of others. VALOR – The courage to uphold virtue, even in the face of a physical or psychological threat. JUSTICE – The wisdom that perceives what is right and wrong in human action. SACRIFICE – The placing of the interests of others and the ends of virtue over one’s own well-being. HONOR – The courage to stand for truth regardless of the circumstances. SPIRITUALITY – The concern for one’s own inner being, and awareness of the love that unites one’s own inner being to those around one. HUMILITY – The recognition of the worthiness of all beings, and the perceptions of one’s own place among them, regardless of one’s own personal accomplishments or mistakes in the world.
Spell of Rejoining– Based on information that Lord British has gained from the Codex of Ultimate Wisdom, this is the spell that British and Nystul are working on in hopes of rejoining the shadow worlds back together with the one true Sosaria.
Shadowghast– Lord Blackthorn’s sword. Forged of red moonlight, the hilt contains a length of clear crystal banded by iron which holds a finger of Mondain. In Nystul’s words, a “vile artifact”. Once someone is killed by this blade, they cannot be ressurected.
White Falcon– Sir Geoffrey’s sword. Made of platinum. When attacking, it let’s out a screech like a hunting hawk and flashes white light.
Binding Circle– Magical force used to prevent someone, usually a demon, from using mana. Used against Blackthorn by Lord British after he shows his intentions of stopping the king.
Necromancer Wars– Occurred on New Britannia roughly 100 years after the Cataclysm. The War between the Necromancers, led by Kavah, and the Paladins of the Vigil and the Shadow Hunters.
Regent– Ruler of New Britannia after Lord British disappeared in the Cataclysm. In order of their reign –
LORD DUPRE – Immediately following the Cataclysm GIDEON – Murdered by Kavah’s spectral assassins SIR MAXIMILIAN – Leader in the Necromancer Wars MORIAH – Also Great Lady of the House of the Griffin
Fist of Virtue – Constructed during Regent Gideon’s reign by the mages of House Griffin, used to protect the continent of New Britannia from evil.
Last modified: April 9, 2011