Virtues of Ultima: Encyclopedia - Virtues of Ultima

Virtues of Ultima

The Ultima series of computer role-playing games featured a Virtue system that the player was required to follow in the game as the Avatar. These Virtues were inspired in part by the codes of chivalry and the Eightfold Path of Buddhism, and were created specifically for Ultima.

Strangely enough, The Wizard of Oz also played a part in the creation of the virtues, with designer Richard Garriott stating at one time that the three companions of Dorothy Gale could be linked to the three principles — Scarecrow (Truth), Tin Woodsman (Love) and Cowardly Lion (Courage).

Virtues of Ultima - The Three Principles

The Eight Virtues explored in Ultima are based on Three Principles:

These Principles are themselves derived from the Axiom of Infinity, which is represented in Castle Britannia.

Virtues of Ultima - The Eight Virtues

The Principles are combined to form the following Eight Virtues:

Notes:

1. Britain is the original town of Compassion, Cove is nearest the shrine.
2. Magincia was destroyed by demons for its Pride (Pride's mantra is Mul). New Magincia, built in its ruins, was founded on Humility.

The Embodiment of the Virtues in the game is the Avatar, the character who the player is roleplaying. He (or she) is commonly seen with an Ankh which represents life and luck.

The relationship between the Principles and Virtues is often explained this way:

• Honesty is respect for Truth
• Compassion is Love of others
• Valor is Courage to stand up against risks
• Justice is Truth, tempered by Love
• Sacrifice is Courage to give oneself in name of Love
• Honor is Courage to seek and uphold the Truth
• Spirituality is to seek Truth, Love and Courage from one's own self and the world around
• Humility is the opposite of Pride - the absence of Truth, Love or Courage

Humility is the most difficult Virtue to describe, as it cannot really be understood without its Anti-Virtue, Pride. Pride merely has nothing to do with Truth, Love and Courage; Humility is similar, but it rather than being a complete antithesis, it exists independently of the Principles and acts as their foundation.

See also The Codex Symbol, which explains the relationships between the virtues through colors.

Virtues of Ultima - Lord Blackthorn's Code of Virtues

In Ultima V, Lord Blackthorn, the tyrant who ruled in Lord British's absence, codified the Britannian Virtues into a set of draconian laws.

Blackthorn's Code is a good illustration of the fact that the Virtues always come from one's own self rather than the norms of society; codifying ethics into law doesn't automatically make evil people good. Further, unethical lawmakers can take the Virtues and turn them into something that is quite contrary to what Virtues actually stand for.

Virtues of Ultima - The Principles of the Shadowlords

In Ultima V, each of the Shadowlords opposed one of the three Principles.

Virtues of Ultima - The Virtues of Mandrake

The joyful Mandrake the bard, in Ultima VI, has his own set of three Principles, which also form eight Virtues.

Eight of the virtues are derived from these three principles:

The relationships between the Virtues and Principles isn't 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".

Virtues of Ultima - The Gargoyle Virtues

The Virtues of the Gargoyles were first explored in detail in Ultima VI.

The Gargoyles have three principles based on Order, and its opposite, Chaos.

The Gargoyles have eight virtues based on their three principles.

Virtues of Ultima - The Ophidian Virtues

The Virtue system of the Ophidians, in Ultima VII Part Two: Serpent Isle, is formed around the following three Principles:

In the Ophidian symbology, the Great Earth Serpent is the keeper of Balance, and lies around "in a vertical plane"; the opposing serpents of Chaos and Order wrap themselves around the Great Earth Serpent, each spiralling in a different direction.

The Ophidian system is comprised of six Forces, three from Order and three from Chaos; the Forces of Order are Ethicality, Discipline and Logic, while the Forces of Chaos are Tolerance, Enthusiasm and Emotion. Their descriptions are as follow:

When combined by pairs, these Forces form the Three Principles of Balance (not to be confused with the three Principles of Order, Balance and Chaos above). The Principles of Balance, their descriptions and relations to the Forces of Order and Chaos are illustrated in the table below:

There also exists Anti-Forces associated to the Forces of Order and Balance. These Anti-Forces arise from Imbalance between the Forces, and are essentialy perversions of their corresponding Forces. The Anti-Forces also manifest themselves as a kind of malevolent spiritual being, collectively called the Banes of Order and the Banes of Chaos.

The Anti-Forces (and Banes) are:

Virtues of Ultima - Triad of Inner Strength

The Fellowship, in Ultima VII, followed the Triad of Inner Strength, consisting of three rules:

1. Strive For Unity
2. Trust Thy Brother
3. Worthiness Precedes Reward

Virtues of Ultima - Killorn Keep

In Ultima Underworld II, the inhabitants of Killorn Keep -- a parallel universe to Britannia -- observe the Guardian's eight virtues:

• Sobriety
• Punctuality
• Obedience
• Vigilance
• Conformity
• Efficiency
• Silence
• Diligence

See also

• Ultima
• Britannia
• Virtue
• Virtue ethics

Categories: Ultima | Virtue | Ethics

Adapted from the Wikipedia article "Virtues of Ultima", under the G.N U Free Docmentation License. Please also see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki