When I first started thinking about the idea of an alternate replay of The Black Gate, I knew that I would have to catch up with Richard Garriott to talk to him about it and the series in general. I had a lot of questions that couldn't be answered by playing the game or reading about it at my favorite fan sites.

Luckily Richard loves to talk about the history of Ultima as much as I enjoy listening, so he obliged me an hour of his time to pick at his brain.  What I learned was that, despite my feelings to the contrary, it was never his intention to tear the world the world he created in the final three games. It was obviously the grand finale for the avatar, but it didn't mean the end of the Ultima series.

 

After talking to him for an hour, there was one thing I wished for: that someday Richard or someone else will dust this franchise off and give it another go. Ultima is unlike any other role-playing game series I have ever played and it will always have a special place in my heart. These games that have shaped the way I think about entertainment, characters and values in games forever and I’m thankful for the experiences I’ve had for two decades. I know that sounds a bit fanboyish, but I don't really care - I am an Ultima Dragon, after all.

 

You can read the first part of my conversation with Richard below:

 

Eight Virtues in a Duffel Bag: The Richard Garriott Interview - Part I

 

 

 

Passion Play:

Unlike Paul on the road to Damascus, there was no enlighten for me as I made my way to Britain - unless you count the Guardian’s helpful interjections. Just north of Trinsic a trio of Fellowship members put on a passion play... about the Fellowship. Good to see they were thinking outside the box. Now they aresleeping inside a box.

Men Killed: 2

Women Killed: 1

Passion Killed: 0

Dungeon Destard Entrances:

A unicorn and a trio of adventurers walk into the dungeon Destard. The adventurer says to the beast "How do you know if someone is a virgin?" The Unicorn replies "I don't know - the Avatar just stabbed me in my face."

Adventurers Killed: 3

Mythological Creatures Killed: 1

Virgins Killed: 1

 

Paws:

Now that's what I call service: when you can buy your meat and your fix in the same place, that is. Nobody in this town will ride the snake ever again.

 

Men Killed: 6

Women Killed: 5

Children Killed: 2

Homeless Killed: 2

 

Total Kills: 20

 

 

 

The walled city of Trinsic has fallen.  A full accounting at a time to be determined, but here are the details.

Trinsic Murder Stats:

Men Killed: 10

Women Killed: 3

Children Killed: 0

Respawns Killed: 6 *

* The respawns included a horse, 2 dogs, a cat and two of Chantu the Healer's patients. These kinds of NPCs seem to respawn, so killing them is pointless.

 

Kill Order Chain:

Caroline (Fellowship member) -> Dell (Provisioner) -> Markus (Trainer) -> Apolliana (Barmaid) -> Petre (Stable Hand) -> Gargan (Shipwright) -> Klog (Fellowship Leader) -> Ellen (Klog's Wife) -> Chantu (Healer) -> Gilberto (Town Guard) -> Finnegan (Mayor) -> North Guard -> East Guard -> South Guard.

Only two survived the carnage - both companions: Spark and Iolo. No doubt, these two will eventually get tired of my wickedness and leave the party. When that happens I will have choice but to kill them. These are the rules, after all.

Image courtesy of Silva's Ultima page.