History of Sosaria

Ancient Sosaria

The first to settle Sosaria was a race of beings, known only as the Ancient Ones, who managed to defeat the Daemons that were trying to claim this world as their own. Binding them to their will, some of these beings vanished to a higher state of being, while others became mortal. They settled the land, in harmony with nature and magic. However, on one fateful day, over half a million years ago, the Xorinite Wisp traded with the mage Zog, giving him the Armageddon spell. Zog was foolish enough to try it. All life died on Sosaria, wiping out every sign of the Ancient Ones. Zog, alone in his empty world, died shortly after.

It would take a long time before life returned to Sosaria, but eventually the land was re-settled by different races, mainly humans. Eight kingdoms surfaced on the four main continents, and civilization started to develop once again.

One day, the youth later known as Lord British entered the lands of Sosaria. Under the guidance of Shamino, he grew up to be the youngest ruler in Sosaria's history. And it was good that he came, because Sosaria was about to face the darkest times ever seen in history.

Age of Darkness

Mondain, a young yet very powerful Wizard, became corrupted with all the power he had at his disposal. Mad with his thirst for more power, he murdered his father, to obtain his Sun Ruby Gem, a very powerful artifact. Wanting to rule over one of the four continents of Sosaria, he created horrible beasts and recruited bloodthirsty monsters to do his bidding. Declaring war on the kingdom of Akalabeth, the one ruled by Lord British, he started a bloody war.

But the war was lost, driving Mondain only further to his ultimate goal: ruling over all of Sosaria through magical means and power. To achieve this goal, he transformed the Sun Ruby Gem into the dark Gem of Immortality, so that his reign of terror could be endless.

Twelve years went into the land before Mondain's corrupting influence swept over Sosaria. Hordes of monsters roamed the land, while the seas were terrorised by horrors of the depths. Famine and pestilence gained ground. The Wizard himself was invincible. Having moved his fortress into the Time of Legends, no one could end his rule of terror. It was a dark age for Sosaria, with the eight kingdoms threatening to crumble under the restless attacks of darkness.

For the first time, the Stranger appeared in these times of darkness. It was said that only a traveller from the stars could defeat Mondain and end the terror. After a long quest, the Stranger was able to obtain a time machine, and traveled back to the Time of Legends, facing Mondain in a duel. Shattering the Gem of Immortality, the Stranger killed Mondain, ending his foul rule. However, the forces released with the shattering were far more powerful than anyone could have foreseen. They deformed the land into a totally new configuration, thundering the four continents of Sosaria apart. Only The Lands of Lord British remained as Sosaria

The Revenge of the Enchantress

While rebuilding the land, no one on Sosaria knew that Mondain had a young apprentice and lover: Minax the Enchantress. Swearing revenge for her mentor's death, she planned horrible things for Sosaria, but especially for the Stranger. Years went by, and the youth became an adult. Then the time was right for her. From the Time of Legends, she sent forth her hordes to burn down Sosaria. But even worse were her plans for the Stranger's world, Earth. Manipulating and ripping apart the very fabric of time itself, she changed reality, letting Earth go down in a holocaust.

Having barely escaped the changes in the timeline, the Stranger went on a desperate mission to destroy Minax, and repair the damage to the timeline. Using the Time Doors to enter the Time of Legends, the Stranger was eventually able to kill Minax. With her gone, time returned to its original state, and her armies on Sosaria were defeated.

Exodus

What no one could have foreseen was that Mondain and Minax had created an even greater evil. Part Daemon and part Machine, he was more powerful than both of them. His name was Exodus. For twenty years, Exodus gathered information about his enemies, calculating the best way to strike and defeat all them. When no one suspected a third Age of Darkness, Exodus started his attack.

First, the Isle of Fire rose from the ocean, where Exodus located his castle. Ripping the Great Earth Serpent out of the Ethereal Void, he used it to guard his fortress, a vile act which would have bitter consequences later. Then the evil started to feast on Sosaria. Pirate fleets and sea monsters swept clean the seas, while hordes of monsters roamed the land. Exodus himself started to poison the very soul of the land itself, slowly starting to twist it to his bidding.

The Stranger returned for a third time. This time, three companions fought at the hero's side to defeat Exodus. Meeting the Time Lord, the Stranger knew that Exodus couldn't be defeated by normal means. Going to the lost island of Ambrosia, the Stranger recovered the Four Cards. Sailing to the Castle of Fire then, they fought their way through Exodus' guards, before reaching the core of the machine. Inserting the Cards, the Machine exploded, thus being the end of Exodus and the last Age of Darkness.

The Age of Enlightenment

Following Exodus' defeat, the land was re-formed again when the forces bound in him were set free, forming the land to its current shape. Long years of poverty and need ensued as the land recovered from the horrors of Exodus. The local city-states were united to a single kingdom in the end, under the rule of Lord British, thus, the kingdom of Britannia was born.

And while the kingdom became politically and economically stable again, after all the horrors, something was missing within the people. Lord British finally saw what was wrong. While the material wealth was secured, the people of his kingdom lacked a spiritual path at which they could direct themselves. Thus, he established the system of the eight Virtues, building the eight shrines, for that they would bring enlightenment to the people and help them through life.

Quest of the Avatar

However, Lord British realised, that the people also needed someone, who would serve them as a role model, living the Virtues, and helping them to understand how the Virtues helped in their lives. An embodiment of the Virtues. A man or woman, who would show the people the boons of a virtuous life. So he called out the Quest of the Avatar: A quest to master all eight Virtues and reach the highest wisdom in Britannia.

Many tried, and while some had partial success, they never reached the goal. Most failed. But the call also reached the Stranger on Earth. Following the call, the Stranger went on the Quest of the Avatar. Becoming a master in all eight Virtues, the Stranger showed the people how to use the Virtues practically, to master life and find inner peace. The Stranger gathered friends, before going on the last part of the quest. Entering the Abyss on what would later be known as the Isle of the Avatar, the hero reached the Codex of Ultimate Wisdom. The ancient book gave the final blessing to the Stranger.

And so the Stranger became the Avatar, the hero of Britannia and embodiment of all the eight Virtues. The people of Britannia had found their role model for a virtuous life. They themselves had found their spiritual path.

The Closing of Doom

After the Quest of the Avatar, Lord British reformed Britannia. A democratic element, the Great Council, was established, to gradually democratise the monarchy. One of the first acts of the Council was, to draw the Codex of Ultimate Wisdom out of the Abyss, so that it could bring Britannia its wisdom, and enshrined it on the Isle of the Avatar.

This act created magic resistance from the Abyss, resulting in it throwing out much mass, which in turn resulted in the ground of the dungeons collapsing, freeing the path to the Underworld. Horrible creatures ascended from it, so the Great Council sealed the seven remaining dungeons, so that their evil never again should taint Britannia.

Warriors of Destiny

However, no one could have known, that these acts would lead to the freeing of the three Shadowlords. Born from three shards of the Gem of Immortality, they personified the three anti-thesis of the Principles: Falsehood, Hatred and Cowardice. They kidnapped Lord British during a expedition in the Underworld, and twisted the mind of Lord Blackthorn, who ruled in Lord British's absence.

Blackthorn, once a virtuous man, became cruel, and installed a tyranny, twisting the virtues into diabolical laws. He outlawed the companions of the Avatar, while installing a inquisition and the Oppression, to suppress any opposition against him. At the same time, the Shadowlords terrorised the cities of Britannia, forcing the people to follow their will like puppets. It was in this time of need, when the Avatar returned to Britannia.

The Avatar fought against the forces of evil, destroying the three Shadowlords after learning how to destroy them once and for all. The hero then travelled into the deepest pocket of the Underworld, dungeon Doom, where Lord British was found, imprisoned by magical means. Freeing him with the Orb of the Moons, it was the end of the tyranny. Blackthorn, freed now from the forces twisting his mind, chose to leave Britannia forever, to give the people peace and redeem himself, after outside forces had tainted him so much.

The False Prophet

The rescue of Lord British caused horrible earthquakes, which, ignited by the clashing magics, started the collapse of the Underworld. This caused a catastrophic effect on the Realm of the Gargoyles and thus to the Gargoyles themselves. And also, they feared the fulfillment of a old prophecy, the prophecy of the False Prophet. Two of the three events had taken place, the Codex was gone, and their world was in shambles. In great fear that the last part, the destruction of the Gargoyles, would take place, they attacked Britannia.

The war was horrible, with many deaths and bitterness on both sides, but time was against the Gargoyles, their world collapsed more with each day. So finally they tried to lure the Avatar into a trap and sacrifice the hero, to stop the prophecy. Freed by the companions in last minute, the Avatar fought against the Gargoyles, freeing the Shrines, liberating the Moonstones.

But then, the truth came into the open. Feeling obliged to end the war, and rescue the Gargoyles from destruction, the Avatar sent the Codex of Ultimate Wisdom, the biggest point of bitterness between humans and Gargoyles, back into the void. Only visible with two special Lenses, both kings learned the truth about each other from it, and the war finally ended with peace. The prophecy had proven to be wrong.

The Stygian Abyss

A difficult time began, in which the Gargoyles had to be integrated into Britannia, and the bitterness of the war was very deep. During that time, Sir Cabirus planned a colony on the Isle of the Avatar, and IN the Abyss, to promote Virtue. The colony was approved by Lord British, and at first everything went all right, but with Cabirus' death, all went downhill, and the Abyss became a prison.

When the Wizard Tyball murdered his brother Garamon, and kidnapped the daughter of Baron Almric, Arial, the Avatar returned, called by the dead Garamon. But the Avatar was accused of the kidnapping, and thrown into the Abyss. There the hero learned the truth: Tyball wanted to kill Arial, to free the Slasher of Veils, a mighty Daemon, which would have been Britannia's end. Killing Tyball and rescuing Arial, the Avatar banished the Slasher into the Void.

Britannia was safe, and the Abyss colony destroyed in the process. The survivors returned to the mainland.

The Age of Armageddon

No great disasters followed in the 200 years following the Gargoyle war. Although that didn't mean that it was totally peaceful in Britannia.

Skara Brae was lost through a big fire, and the city then declared off-limits, after it was revealed that a Liche now ruled over it. Minor internal wars were fought, albeit without much danger to the kingdom. Society became pleased with itself, and Virtue seemed less and less anchored in the people. 180 years later, the Fellowship was founded. A seven year long drought ruined many farmers in Britannia. Magic became less and less reliable, mages became insane. It seemed, Britannia was about to leave its legacy of magic behind.

No one knew of the new evil that arose.

The Black Gate

The Avatar returned to Britannia in this seeming time of peace, to follow the lead of a series of brutal murders. The Fellowship became suspect in the duration of the quest. It attracted the people of Britannia to leave the eight Virtues behind, but it acted like a closed sect, with the higher-ups being secretive. Going deeper into their secrets, the Avatar discovered, that they were only a decoy for a planned invasion of a mighty being from another dimension, called the Guardian.

Contacting the Time Lord, the Avatar learned the whole truth of what had happened. It was the Guardian with the help of three generators, who disturbed magic and Moongates in Britannia, weakening the land for his take-over. Most of the people in the Fellowship were clueless, and would end as the Guardian's slaves. The Avatar destroyed the generators, restoring magic, but destroying the Moongates in the process. Then the Avatar traveled to the Isle of the Avatar, to destroy the Black Gate, with which the Guardian wanted to enter Britannia. Confronted at the Black Gate, the Avatar and the companions killed the most of the inner circle of the Fellowship.

The Guardian was stopped, and the Gate destroyed. But the Avatar was stranded in Britannia, and the Guardian was still very active, swearing to come back and end what he had begun. The Fellowship became outlawed, when it became known that they were tools of the Guardian.

Labyrinth of Worlds

One year later, Britannia was still on its way of recovery. Many hardships had to be overcome. The Avatar was invited to a party in Lord British's castle on the first anniversary of the destruction of the Black Gate. But at the next morning, the Guardian struck, sealing off the castle and it's inhabitants in a blackrock sphere.

Finding a mysterious jewel in the sewers under the castle, the Avatar traveled to other worlds, worlds the Guardian had already conquered or destroyed. Many things and truths were revealed about the Guardian and his methods. There, in the other worlds, the Avatar found out the means to destroy the sphere and cut the power connections of the Guardian in these other worlds, which weakened the sphere significantly. After eight smaller Blackrock gems were absorbed into the big gem, it became instable. The Guardian by then tried to send his people from Killorn Keep, led by Mors Gotha, through the jewel, to invade the castle. In the last moment, the sphere was destroyed with the Horn of Praecor Loth, and the portal to the other worlds closed.

Britannia was once again safe from the Guardian.

Serpent Isle

Half a year later, the Avatar left together with Iolo, Shamino and Dupre for the Serpent Isle, where Batlin, former leader of the Fellowship was sent by the Guardian to further other plans to conquer Britannia. Shortly after that, the Imbalance Storms started in Britannia.

The crisis on the Serpent Isle affected Britannia as well (for more about the nature of the crisis, read under Serpent Isle). The teleport storms caused much destruction and damage. The Gargoyles all fell into a deep, unnatural sleep, and the Emps presumably even died because of the imbalance. (for their exact final fate is unknown to us.) The crisis threatened to destroy Britannia. Thankfully, in the end, the storms were stopped by the Avatar, who restored balance to the worlds, but Britannia would need a long time to recover from them.

The Reconstruction and the Great Cataclysm

The reconstruction efforts went on, but it would take a long time before the land would fully recover from the Imbalance Storms. But people were still very fearful of the Guardian. It had become public knowledge that the Avatar had vanished into the Ethereal Void, probably abducted by the Guardian. People also feared that the Guardian would now try to invade Britannia. A fear that didn’t seem so far fetched, knowing of the feats the Guardian had managed up to now....

Yet almost two hundred years passed in peace. The reconstruction went well: new forms of magic were discovered, Moongates began to function again and people had forgotten all of the misguided ways of the Fellowship and had turned back to the way of the Eight Virtues.

But unexpectedly, the Guardian finally attacked the land, by conjuring 8 giant columns and unleashing the Great Cataclysm which ripped the land apart, and brought death and despair over the people. Over the next twenty years, they poisoned the minds of the people, twisting their ways, while the Guardian prepared to destroy Britannia by letting the moons crash on the planet.

Ascension

Avatar!

The Avatar returned for a final time, to prevent this disaster. He restored the eight shrines of Virtue while showing the people of Britannia their true meaning, and thus freed them from the evil influence of the Guardian.

Then upon learning of the true nature of the Guardian, the Avatar finally used the spell Armageddon while protected by the Barrier of Life, to fuse with the evil being, destroying him and his columns, and thus ending the Age of Armageddon.

TIMELINE

Index:

P.B. = "Prior to Britannia; prior to the date that the Kingdom of Britannia was established."

A.B. = "After Britannia; after the date that the Kingdom of Britannia was established."

Timeline:

[??????? P.B.] Untold ages before humans existed on the world of Sosaria, “great and powerful beings” thwarted an invasion by daemons. These ancient beings bound the daemons to the inhabitants of the world, thus, allowing future generations of mortals to subdue and control daemons. Many of these ancients shed their mortal guises and ascend to become beings of unimaginable power, while the rest give up their powers to become mortal. Zog belonged to the race that was descended from those ancients who chose to become mortal.

[700,000 P.B] Zog gains the knowledge of the Armageddon spell from the Xorinite dimension (the dimension of the Wisps).

Zog casts Armageddon. The ancient world, which will one day be known as Sosaria, becomes barren and lifeless. The races, their history, and the name of the ancient world is forgotten and lost for all time.

[200,000 P.B] The first sign of life appears on the world since Zog casted the Armageddon spell; the Ancient Yew Oak sprout comes into being.

[25,000 P.B] Barbaric human tribes and animal species, along with other races, arrive on the ancient world. The method of their arrival is unknown, possibly moongates or some shamanistic portals.

[6000 P.B.] The first human encounters with dragons occur around this era.

[5000 P.B] It is around this era that the world is given the name of 'Sosaria'. Civilizations begin to form, magic is discovered, and the Cult of Runes is established. Ancient Towns are built. A group of powerful rune cult mages build the landmarks of The Tower of Knowledge and the Pillars of Protection.

[3000 P.B] An order of mystic healers called the Cult of Truth is founded; their powers of healing come from a mystic being, which did not originate from the ether. Their headquarters are built into the depths of the Stygian Abyss, where they oversee the training of the Cult of Runes initiates. Members of their order travel among the ancient towns, offering their powers of healing to the townsfolk.

[1500 P.B] The island of Ambrosia is battered to pieces by "rocks from the sky". It is thought to be destroyed.

[1000 P.B] Humans drive the cyclops race underground.

[700 P.B] Humans leave their ancient homeland continent, which will one day be called the Lands of Lord British, and spread across the globe. One of the kingdoms in Sosaria abandoned having using the name of its ruler in favour of a tradition of having the king’s heirs being called 'The Lost King’. These kings would rule the future Lands of Lord British along with the Kingdom of Akalabeth. The world of Sosaria now consisted of four continents, each dominated by two kingdoms:

The Lands of Akalabeth, which would be later on called the Lands of Lord British, were dominated by the Kingdom of Akalabeth and the realm of the Lost King.

The Lands of the Dark Unknown were divided into the Kingdom of the Black Dragon and the Kingdom of Olympus.

The Lands of Danger and Despair were ruled solely by the Kingdom of the White Dragon.

The Lands of the Feudal Lords were divided into the Kingdom of Barataria and the Kingdom of Rondorin.

[350 P.B] The towns of Yew, Grey, Fawn, Dextron, and Paws are founded, along with the twin cities of Montor.

[306 P.B.] Mondain's father, Wolfgang, is born.

[280 P.B.] Wolfgang becomes King of Akalabeth and allies himself with the Lost King.

[278 P.B.] Wolfgang's first son, Gerarn (Menton), is born.

[273 P.B.] Wolfgang's second son, Mondain, is born.

[271 P.B.] On Earth, somewhere in the British Isles, Richard Cantabrigian finds the Silver Serpent amulet. As he holds it, a blue moongate opens before him.

Richard Cantabrigian arrives in Sosaria through the blue moongate and meets Shamino. Shamino gives him the nickname 'British'. They become the best of friends and in time Shamino introduces British to various court advisors, who are very impressed with the teenager’s understanding of justice, government, and law.

[270 P.B.] Richard "British" Cantabrigian's advice and knowledge of government and law impress King Wolfgang so much that he takes him on as a royal court advisor for the kingdom of Akalabeth.

[258 P.B.] At age 15, Mondain begins to slay animals and leaves their carcasses to rot in the nearby woods. This warped behavior reinforces his belief that he has power over life and death.

Mondain's ways become a cause for worry for his father, Wolfgang, and he tells the youth that he must take a year off from studying magic to instead spend this time studying at an Abbey to learn compassion and humility. He promises Mondain the Ruby Sun Gem as his reward if he learns his lessons well at the Abbey. The next night, Mondain kills his father, and takes the Ruby Sun gem. Mondain's elder brother, Gerarn, or 'Menton' as he now calls himself, returns from studying at the Tower of Knowledge and is horrified over his father’s cold-blooded murder. He confronts Mondain, but through the, albeit untrained, use of the Ruby Sun Gem, Mondain banishes Menton offworld.

Mondain uses the Ruby Sun Gem against itself, to set it off unto a course that would corrupt it into the Gem of Immortality. He retreats to Barataria, a kingdom in the Lands of the Dark Unknown.

With the death of Wolfgang and the disappearance of his two sons, his advisors looked for a successor to the kingdom of Akalabeth. A decision could not be reached. Richard Cantabrigian, now more commonly known as 'Lord British', along with other advisors and council members, maintain the Kingdom of Akalabeth under the direction of The Lost King.

[256 P.B.] A failed assassination attempt against Lord British and several other advisors prompts the Lost King to combine his realm and Akalabeth into one kingdom.

[255 P.B.] In the kingdom of Barataria, Mondain crosses some of the finest warriors with Baratarian bulls via magical means, and minotaurs are the result.

The Ruby Sun Gem is corrupted more and more with each passing year towards becoming the Gem of Immortality.

Mondain returns from Barataria with a combined army of men and minotaurs. He leads this army against Akalabeth.

[254 P.B.] British unites the armies of Akalabeth with those of the Lost King into a sizeable enough force to withstand Mondain's horde. He drives Mondain from Akalabeth.

[252 P.B.] For his services and bravery in ridding the land of Mondain and his army, the Lands of Akalabeth are renamed the Lands of Lord British, and the capital of Akalabeth is dubbed 'Britain', both actions were decreed by the Lost King. Various heroes enter the service of Lord British at this time, ridding the local realm of the remnants of Mondain's initial force and, in the process, each earning the title of Knight.

Continuing his vile experiments, Mondain crosses his own servants with reptiles and creates the Thepa, also known as lizardmen in the common tongue.

Shamino returns to the Lands of Danger and Despair and establishes his own kingdom in alliance with the King of the Kingdom of the White Dragon. He meets and falls in love with Beatrix, the daughter of the White Dragon king.

[251 P.B.] Mondain's use of magic to perform vile things causes the various kings of Sosaria to come together at a council and agree to outlaw the practice of magic. The Cult of Truth and the Cult of Runes, seeing this act as tyrannical, go underground to continue their practices.

The presence of sea monsters was confirmed as the frigate Pembroke is sunk by one in plain sight of a small armada.

Lord British brings over several friends from his homeworld of Earth: Gwenno, Iolo, Dupre, Chuckles, and Geoffrey.

Mondain completes the transformation of the Ruby Sun Gem into the Gem of Immortality and he becomes immortal in the process.

Mondain recruits help from “starwalking monsters of unparalleled savagery”.

Minax is born in this year.

Mondain discovers a method of breaching time and space and sends his stronghold into a timeless void known as 'The Time of Legends'. It is from here he controls his growing armies and Sosarian lieutenants.

Three powerful mages enter Mondain's service and bind themselves to the Gem of Immortality. They forsake their life and become the three infamous liche-kings for Mondain.

[240 P.B.] At age eleven, Minax is apprenticed to Mondain. At this age, Minax wields terrible powers, powers she can not yet understand nor control. Mondain takes her away before she is discovered by anybody else and teaches her to control and harness her magical abilities.

[235 P.B.] In the Lands of the Feudal Lords, a bloodthirsty warlord known as Belo Ondariva ascends to power, along with his house, and threatens to conquer all the lands. After several battles, the Ondarivas are defeated by the short-lived alliance of Rondorin and Barataria. Belo and the other bloodthirsty Ondarivan's are slain by a still-noble faction within their own family. Some survivors of the good Ondarivan faction flee to the Lands of Lord British.

[215 P.B.] Mondain and Minax bind the psyche of a powerful daemon into a dark cylinder of a mystic substance and begin using their combined powers to bring the hybrid of metal and spirit to life, thus, the device known as “Exodus the Destroyer” is "conceived".

The Stranger from Earth, the destined-to-be Avatar, appears in Sosaria for the first time, entering through the moongate known as the "Siege Perilous".

With the imminent threat of Mondain hanging over his head, Lord British overrules the banning of magic by the Sosarian kings in previous decades, so that their own mages may be trained to help in the coming battle against Mondain. The Cult of Runes and the Cult of Truth both emerge from hiding.

After a visit from the stranger, and after receiving an update as to the status of the Lands of Lord British, Shamino leaves the Lands of Danger and Despair. He leaves behind Beatrix, his betrothed, to assist British with the forthcoming battle with Mondain.

The Stranger uses a time machine to step outside of natural time to penetrate Mondain's stronghold. In the ensuing battle, the Stranger shatters Mondain's Gem of Immortality and then slays Mondain. The Gem, now shattered into three separate shards, is scattered amongst the crumbling ruins of Mondain’s castle as the stranger makes his escape.

The release of magic at Mondain's death causes great upheaval, rending time and space as his stronghold is thrust back unto the natural world of Sosaria and into the ocean off the coast of the Lands of Lord British. The other three continents vanish entirely.

In the Lands of Danger and Despair, now their own separate world, the Ophidian Orders are established after the enlightenment that came from being contacted by the Great Earth Serpent. The name of the world is changed to Serpent Isle. A hideous race of previously unknown beings descend from the mountains… they were called goblins. The goblins destroy both Shamino's Kingdom and the Kingdom of the White Dragon. Beatrix, Shamino's betrothed, dies during the siege on Shamino’s Castle.

Shamino is trapped in the Lands of Lord British. Nobody knows of the Serpent Pillars at this time.

The three liche-kings who bound themselves to Mondain's gem somehow maintain their immortality despite the destruction of the gem, mayhaps due to the fact that they were already dead and, thus, were not affected by its destruction. A large band of knights and powerful mages led by Sir Verynor, of the lands of Olympus, tracks down the three liche-kings and one by one entombs them for all time, for they knew not how to destroy them.

[210 P.B.] The first orc appears in a farmer's field, despite the fact that only a malevolent wizard would have created the orc and not stepped forward to claim it. The people refuse to admit that a new, evil power is growing.

[200 P.B.] Ten years pass since the appearance of the first orc. Minax, now grown up and most competent in the use of time traversing, begins her plans by traveling through the Silver Moongates to the era outside of time known as "Legends". She attacks the homeworld of Lord British and the Stranger who slew her lover and master, Mondain. Thus, the Earth’s timeline is altered for the worst.

The Stranger returns to Sosaria, barely able to escape Earth's timeline change, thanks to Lord British's intervention. As Lord British prepares to make a stand before the might of Minax’s orcen armies of vengeance, the Stranger returns to the altered timeline of Earth to restore his world to the way it was before Minax’s meddling:

[[[The following events take place upon Earth, outside the normal Earth timeline.]]]

In New San Antonio, the Stranger purchases Enilno, the Quicksword, from Sentri, the Swashbuckler

With the help of strangers known as Antos, the hero finds a way to breach the place of legends and confronts Minax.

In the place of legends, outside of time itself and armed with the Quicksword, Minax is defeated by the Stranger inside the castle Shadowguard. As with her master's castle, Shadowguard is hurtled back from the time of legends unto the physical world of Sosaria.

The Stranger returns to Earth a moment after the timeline was changed; yet, now time was back to its normal flow. Nobody on Earth, besides the Stranger, was aware of what had happened, as such is the nature of time restoration.

[[[ Timeline resumes its normal flow upon Earth. ]]]

With the death of Minax, her armies upon Sosaria scatter mindlessly. The majority of her orcs are hunted down and destroyed.

[180 P.B.] Twenty years pass...

The diary of Minax is found in the wreckage of castle Shadowguard. In her diary, there were hints at the fact that Minax and Mondain had been lovers and had produced an 'offspring', yet, little else is discovered.

The 'offspring', Exodus as it is called, sets out to expand its power by collecting knowledge and information on a range of subjects for a 100 years. "Much of the information is trivial, such as the detailed description of the color of the sky on a particular day… while other bits give instructions for the manipulation of the world." Exodus remains safely hidden at the bottom of the ocean.

[160 P.B.] The city of Moon is founded by the young wizard, Erstam. Erstam begins studying the means of extending mortals’ lifespan.

[80 P.B.] 120 years have passed since the death of Minax. The generations that witnessed the terror of Mondain and Minax have passed away and a new generation now enjoys the prosperity of this age, which was dearly paid for by the blood of their grandfathers.

“Comets flashed across the sky and rumbles were heard deep in the ground. Then one day, in a fiery display of molten lava, an island rose up in the middle of the ocean.” Castle Death, the fortress of Exodus, is built by Exodus’ servants upon the Isle of Fire.

Monsters begin attacking Sosarian settlements.

A Pirate fleet appears at sea, sweeping all other commerce ships before it.

Exodus summons the Balance Serpent, which is also known as the Great Earth Serpent, from its home in the Ethereal Void, and it takes a position at the harbour entrance to the Isle of Fire.

Upon Serpent Isle, which was once called the Lands of Danger and Despair, the War of Imbalance breaks out due to the fact that the Earth Serpent, or Balance Serpent, was taken out of the void by Exodus’ doing. Without the Balance Serpent to keep the balance between the Order and Chaos serpents, the two serpents begin to fight. It is at this time that the Silver Tree of Life, currently present in the Lands of Danger and Despair, is destroyed. The Avatar, traveling back in time from the future Serpent Isle back to the time where the War of Imbalance was at its height, restores the Silver Tree of Life and then returns to the future.

[74 P.B.] A ship is found sailing, devoid of crew, with the word "Exodus" scrawled in blood on its deck.

Lord British commissions several people to map out the land in preparation for whatever evil onslaught Exodus is preparing to bring forth.

[73 P.B.] Sentri crosses over from Earth to Sosaria.

[72 P.B.] The cartographer Hawkwind discovers the inner workings of the moongates, yet, before he can communicate this knowledge, he is attacked and gravely wounded outside Castle Britannia.

Shamino returns from his mission of mapping the interior of Castle Death, on the Isle of Fire. The experience renders him temporarily insane.

The last in the long line of Lost Kings perishes. With no heir to claim the throne, the Lands of Lord British begin to splinter off into bickering city-states.

[71 P.B.] The Stranger reappears in Sosaria and journeys with a party of adventurers on a quest to vanquish Exodus.

The lost island of Ambrosia is rediscovered.

The Stranger consults with the Time Lord for the first time and gleans the means by which he might destroy Exodus.

The Stranger and his companions destroy Exodus in his Castle. This triggers a violent series of cataclysms that rearrange much of the land, destroying several cities in the process. The destruction is likely the result of Exodus losing control over his transformation mechanisms, which he used to raise the Isle of Fire to the surface with earlier on. Due to his interface with the natural world being destroyed, most of the towns of the Lands of Lord British are utterly destroyed in this cataclysm, except for Fawn, Montor East, Moon, Yew, Paws and the capital town of Britain. The Tower of Knowledge and the Pillars of Protection are both destroyed. The cult of Truth disappears from history altogether from this point on.

General Jakher, commander of Lord British's army, defeats the forces of Exodus in a massive battle on the Bloody Plains. Thousands of soldiers die on both sides, including General Jakher. Large catacombs are built beneath the Bloody plains to contain the fallen soldiers of both sides.

Nearly seventy years pass as the world recovers from the devastation and anarchy that Exodus had brought. Famine, plagues, rioting, and wars divide the city-states for decades. Lord British keeps the city-states together as best as he can.

It is noted that Lord British and many of his offworld associates do not seem to age.

Moon has become a despicable city full of unscrupulous wizards and dishonest mages. Erstam's experiments have met with some success. He has barely aged since searching for the secrets of immortality. Erstam conducts shady deals with contacts in Montor East and Fawn. Both of these cities are crumbling economically and physically.

[0000 A.B.] The current calendar begins.

City-states band together and form Britannia, electing Lord British as Sovereign ruler and Monarch. The Kingdom of Britannia is thus formed.

The system of virtues is established. Yew is given the representation of Justice, and Britain the representation of Compassion. Moon is cleansed of the corrupt mages inhabiting it, much to the dismay of Erstam, and the city is renamed to Moonglow, representing Honesty. Construction on five towns, representing a virtue each, commences.

The Council of Wizards is established, made up of surviving mages from the old Cult of Runes. The mages do away with the old system of magicka levels based on jewel types and embrace the eight circles of magic, expanding the usage of magery to its fullest extent.

Construction on the eight shrines of virtue begins by order of the Council of Wizards.

Azure, first of the great tinkers of Minoc, crafts the eight runes of virtue.

The Council of Wizards creates the eight coloured stones of virtue. Each stone is placed within one of the great dungeons. The wizards hope to stem the evil within the dungeons through the use of these magical stones.

Lord British commissions three Shrines of Principle to be built on the Isle of Fire, the former abode of Exodus.

"The Quest of the Avatar" is announced by Lord British. The quest is meant to offer a new way of life to the citizens of Britannia to find happiness through spiritual fulfillment.

Magincia loses sight of its embodiment of the virtue of humility and the city turns to decadence, materialism, and pride.

[0005 A.B.] Fawn and Montor East are in near ruin and are abandoned. Erstam and the people of Montor East, Fawn, and many residents of Moon that lived there before its cleansing, protest Lord British's system of virtues and leave Britannia for Serpent Isle after discovering the Serpent Pillars.

The three great keeps of the principles are erected: Empath Abbey, the Lycaeum, and Serpent's Hold. Serpent’s Hold is built upon the ruins of Montor East.

Meanwhile, on the other side of the world, the gargoyles summon the spirits of Mondain, Minax, and Exodus to inhabit their three Shrines of Principle. Exodus' summoning causes the Isle of Fire to sink under the sea, not to be seen again for over three centuries.

Sir Percy rids the islands near the Cape of Heroes of evil dragons and becomes the first member of the Order of the Silver Serpent. The Order of the Silver Serpent is officially established by Lord British, with Serpent's Hold serving as the order's headquarters.

Sentri is given the title of Baron and oversees Serpent's Hold.

[0045 A.B.] The town of Magincia is destroyed by daemons under the leadership of a powerful daemon known as 'Virtuebane', presumably due to the pride of its inhabitants.

[0057 A.B.] A master shipwright, Hawkins, builds a grand vessel named the H.M.S. Cape. The Cape is fitted with a magical wheel that strengthens the hull, while the rigging is designed in such a way that it becomes the fastest ship on the seas. Shortly before Master Hawkins’ death, the plans for the H.M.S. Cape are lost and his son takes over the family trade. Rumours abound that the plans are not lost, but are indeed kept safe by Hawkins’ son.

[0079 A.B.] The H.M.S. Cape sinks beneath the waters of the Cape of Heroes.

A Minoc tinker invents a "lighter than air device" that makes use of a big balloon filled with hot air. It is stolen by thieves and is anchored down near the dungeon Hythloth.

[0080 A.B.] The stranger, the hero who vanquished Mondain, Minax, and Exodus, returns to Britannia.

The stranger gathers eight companions to represent the eight virtues. They were: Geoffrey, Mariah, Katrina, Jaana, Julia, Shamino, Iolo, and Dupre. Most of them are friends of Lord British from Earth. It is possible Lord British commanded these persons to accompany the stranger when he began the Quest of the Avatar.

Lord Simon and Lady Tessa disclose to the hero the location of the mystic arms and armour. They are recovered and put to great use, since they were crucial in their role in allowing the hero to survive the lava of the Great Stygian Abyss.

The stranger recovers the magical wheel from the sunken wreck of the H.M.S. Cape, beneath the Cape of Heroes.

The stranger and his party recover the “lighter than air device” from the mountains around the dungeon Hythloth.

The stranger retrieves the artifact known as the "skull of Mondain" from the ruins of Mondain's sunken abode, at Sorcerer's Peaks. This is the location of the castle of Mondain that returned to the world after Mondain was vanquished in the Time of Legends. Three volcanic plumes are nearby, a consequence brought about by the three shards. (The removal of the skull caused two things to happen: To begin with, a volcanic island arose on Sorcerer's Peaks, which Blackthorn's castle will be built upon later on, and the Shards were knocked loose. Later on, when the raising of the Codex caused the Underworld to be formed, the Shards were carried from that location to a resting place directly beneath Empath Abbey, where they were later found by Captain Johne.)

The stranger throws the skull of Mondain into the lava of the Abyss, opening the Abyss permanently and destroying the skull at the same time.

The stranger descends into the Abyss with eight companions, and enters the Chamber of Virtue at the bottom. The Codex is found, at which point the stranger reads from it and officially becomes "The Avatar".

The Avatar returns to Earth.

[0086 A.B.] Lord British forms the Great Council. The government changes from a monarchy, with a sovereign ruler, to a monarchic republic governed by both Lord British and the Great Council. Lord British still holds veto power, however.

Monks of Empath Abbey begin making their own brands of wine. The taste becomes the stuff of legend.

[0089 A.B.] Monsieur Loubet crosses over from his homeworld, bringing with him a magical flying carpet. Shortly after his arrival in Britannia, Loubet sells the magic carpet to a mage named Bandaii.

[0097 A.B.] The Great Council raises the Codex from the Great Stygian Abyss and enshrines it on the Isle of the Avatar. Two great magical guardians of sentient power are erected to guard the entryway into the Shrine of the Codex. Only those sanctioned by a shrine of virtue as being on a sacred quest may pass the guardians and enter the Shrine of the Codex.

Geological instability induced by the raising of the Codex causes the formation of the Underworld. Creatures begin pouring out of the dungeons once again.

[0098 A.B.] The Council of Wizards, under the direction of the Great Council, magically seals the eight dungeons.

A great drought engulfs the northeastern quadrant of Britannia, drying up Britannia's third-largest lake, Lake Generosity, and creating the desert known as the Drylands.

The village of Vesper is abandoned and is reclaimed by the desert.

[0101 A.B.] Blackthorn is born.

[0102 A.B] The knight Seggalion inadvertently leaves his homeland of Ashtalarea through a blue moongate, and becomes a sailor and pirate in Britannia.

Lord British and the Great Council commission the building of several lighthouses around Britannia, thus, making sea travel safer.

[0103 A.B.] The monks of Empath Abbey stop taking vows of silence for good.

[0109 A.B.] The fortress of Bordermarch begins to be constructed upon an isle in the seas north to northwest of the Valarian Isles.

[0115 A.B] Seggalion retires from his career as a pirate and builds Farthing on an Island to the southeast of Jhelom from the booty from his old profession.

[0124 A.B.] Bandaii, the mage, presents Lord British with the magical flying carpet he bought from Monsieur Loubet, as a gift.

[0127 A.B.] Lord British commissions the writing of the Book of Lore "at the dawn of the Fifth Age."

[0131 A.B.] Blackthorn, now a mature noble, is introduced to Lord British and from that day forth the two become close friends. Blackthorn's deeds of virtue and his exemplary knowledge of politics impress Lord British so much that he makes Blackthorn a personal court advisor and bestows upon him the title of 'Lord'.

[0136 A.B.]

1st day of the 1st month of the year 136 The ghosts of ruined Magincia are finally laid to rest through magic.

12th day of the 3rd month of the year 136 The town of New Magincia is founded.

Two powerful mages, by the names of Flain and Elistaria, turn their backs on the virtuous path lead by the honest mages of Moonglow and dabble heavily in Daemonism and the dark arts. Elistaria commissions the construction of the Keep of Windmere in the seas north of the Drylands, whilst Flain constructs a small tower in Skara Brae.

Perhaps as a safeguard whilst planning the journey into the Underworld, Lord British magically locks his Orb of the Moons within a sandalwood box in his castle before the descent. He knew that the Avatar would know to recover it and rescue him in case something went awry in this journey.

[0137 A.B.]

19th day of the 6th month of the year 137 The Ararat, Captain Johne's ship, sets sail for Britain to attend the summer-solstice festivities. The crew includes: Sutek, the mage; Astarol, the Bard; Nosfentre, the warrior; and Faulina, the mage.

21st day of the 6th month of the year 137 Captain Johne's ship, the Ararat, sinks through a whirlpool and is lost in the Underworld.

22nd day of the 7th month of the year 137 Captain Johne finds the three shards of Mondain's gem in the Underworld.

23rd day of the 7th month of the year 137 Captain Farrel of the Jolly Merchant, a ship docked at Minoc ready to depart for Britain, is contacted by the Great Council and ordered to scour for the wreckage of the Ararat during its voyage to Britain. The Jolly merchant sets sail and is never seen or heard of ever again.

2nd day of the 9th month of the year 137 Sutek leaves the company of Johne and his three companions to explore the underworld, seeking a means of escape.

23rd day of the 9th month of the year 137 In a state of madness, Captain Johne slays his three companions with the three shards of Mondain's gem. From the blood of his companions the Shadowlords are born.

30th day of the 10th month of the year 137 Sutek returns to Johne after his exploration of the underworld and learns of what happened to Johne's companions and of the Shadowlords.

Sutek escapes from the underworld through a labyrinth of old abandoned mineshafts beneath the dungeon Despise, taking with him the knowledge of the shards and the Shadowlords. He remains in hiding, scrying for a means to destroy the evil of the Shadowlords.

26th day of the11th Month of the year 137 A female child, perhaps twelve or thirteen, appears in Lord Shalineth's court. She proceeds to prophesize of an unknown hero, entering a place of great darkness, and using three magical artifacts. Near the end of her prophesizing, she loses hold over the vision and is killed by unknown magical forces.

27th day of the 11th Month of the year 137 Lord British begins his exploration of the Underworld through the waterfall in the river Maelstrom, leaving his close friend, Lord Blackthorn, as regent during his absence.

1st day of the 12th month of the year 137 Lord British is captured and imprisoned by the Shadowlords in the Underworld.

Lord Blackthorn comes under the influence of the Shadowlords, declares martial law, and enacts his repressive code of virtue. Just before the Book of Lore goes to print, the regent orders his code of virtue added to the book. Blackthorn seizes the crown of Lord British as a symbol of his new authority. Blackthorn commissions Toede, an architect, to construct for him a castle upon the island where Mondain's abode once stood.

Iolo, Shamino, and the other companions of the Avatar are declared outlaws. The companions form the resistance against Blackthorn’s oppressive regime.

Learning of this resistance, Lord Blackthorn creates the 'Oppression', an organization devoted to destroying this resistance. Blackthorn calls many dark-hearted fellows into his service including Flain, Elistaria, and Judge Dryden. Judge Dryden is appointed inquisitor, and the Court of Justice becomes the Court of Inquisition.

In an attempt to save one of the crown jewels, the jester Chuckles has the sceptre of Lord British transferred by courier to Lord Malone of Serpent Hold. Unfortunately, the courier passes through Trinsic while a Shadowlord is present and the Shadowlord steals the sceptre and disappears.

[0138 A.B.] Lord British befriends the gargoyle Sin'Vraal, believing him to be a daemon. Sin'Vraal is a gargoyle thrall in service to the Shadowlord Astaroth. Lord British convinces Sin'Vraal to turn from his evil ways and flee. Sin'Vraal flees the service of Astaroth in the Underworld for the Drylands of Britannia, near the buried ruins of Vesper.

[0139 A.B.] Iolo and Shamino anonymously commission Sir Arbuthnot, the royal minter, to mint a magical coin in the image of the symbol of the Codex to use in summoning the Avatar back to Britannia.

4th day of the 4th Month of the year 139 Lord Shalineth, the head of the Lycaeum, completes the book “Paths of Destiny” as an aid for the Avatar upon his return.

5th day of the 4th Month of the year 139 The Avatar is called through the moongates by Iolo and Shamino.

[0140 A.B.] The Avatar recovers the magical flying carpet and the Orb of the Moons from Castle Britannia.

The Avatar meets with the wizard Sutek, who has scryed the nature of the Shadowlords and the gem shards.

The Avatar destroys the remaining Shards of Mondain's Gem and the three Shadowlords in the process.

The Avatar rescues Lord British from the Underworld by means of the Orb of the Moons.

The Avatar returns to Earth.

Blackthorn, by the usurper's own choice, chooses the option of banishment by Lord British to an unknown land, by means of the Orb of the Moons. (It is later discovered that Serpent Isle was the place of Blackthorn's exile.) Back on Earth, the Avatar sees the banishment of Lord Blackthorn in a dream.

[0141 A.B.] The bones of Zog are discovered. It is discerned through magical divination by the Council of Wizards to be the oldest Britannian fossil.

The Underworld collapses. The gargoyle lands on the other side of the world begin to disappear, bit by bit. Pockets of Ethereal Void can be seen about the place, suggesting that the Void is tearing the place apart. Speculation on why these pockets of Ethereal Void went on to suggest that they were created as a result of magics that the gargoyles used to bind the Codex to this world that clashed with the magics used by the Great Council to raise the Codex.

Flain, the dark wizard of Skara Brae takes up a very young apprentice by the name of Horance.

[0146 A.B.] Hawkins, the great grandson of Master Hawkins, who built the H.M.S. Cape, turns to piracy. It is believed his ship, the Empire, has similarly masterful rigging as the H.M.S. Cape. He becomes the most bloodthirsty and feared pirate to ever sail the waters of Britannia.

[0153 A.B.] Captain Hawkins' ship, the Empire, is destroyed when its crew mutinies. Their treasure is buried on the island later known as Spektran, and a map is created and split among nine pirates.

Sutek, perhaps disturbed by the intrusions of the pirates, takes up abode in the former castle of Blackthorn. He begins experiments for mysterious reasons.

[0154 A.B.] Horance is now a fully fledged mage. His beautiful sonnets and poetry are loved by all in Skara Brae and unlike his dark Master, Flain, Horance is good and kindly.

Flain discovers the location of a dark and ancient tome dating back to the days of Mondain. He uses Horance to retrieve the tome from its resting place. Shortly after, Flain is mysteriously killed by supernatural forces and Horance falls ill for some time. Upon awakening, Horance inherits the tower at Skara Brae.

Not long after Flain's death, Horance begins to lose his mind, and his beautiful sonnets turn to "rhyming doggerel".

[0155 A.B.] The cyclops Iskander Ironheart is born.

[0156 A.B.] Captain Johne sets out to explore the dungeon Hythloth, and befriends the gargoyle Beh Lem.

In a massive earthquake, the island of Bordermarch sinks beneath the ocean and is lost. Lord Simon and Lady Tessa barely escape the island in time. A similar fate befalls Windmere, Farthing, and the lighthouses of Britannia.

gargoyles begin attacking Britannia, capturing the shrines one by one.

Quenton of Skara Brae is murdered by Michael, aka Blade.

[0161 A.B.] The knight Gertan and several others are heavily wounded in an attempt to retake the Shrine of Compassion from the gargoyles.

4th day of the 7th Month of the year 161

The Avatar is called through a red moongate by the gargoyles, who attempt to sacrifice him. He is saved by Iolo, Shamino, and Dupre and escapes via a moongate to Lord British's throne room.

[0163 A.B.] The Avatar returns the Codex to the Void, thus, restoring peace between humans and gargoyles. The Avatar returns to Earth.

Penumbra enters a magical sleep, waiting for the Avatar to reappear and awaken her.

A small group of self-righteous knights, mages, and paladins set out for Terfin after hearing rumours of an 'evil wizard’ within. Sutek defends himself but is turned to stone by his own hand. His statue is cast into the ocean, several miles northwest of the Island, and Blackthorn's old abode is torched.

Terfin is founded on the island where Blackthorn's castle originally stood. Lord British offers the survivors of the gargoyle race lands on this island to use as a new home; the land is given to the gargoyles to rule as they see fit.

[0165 A.B.] Sir Geoffrey learns of the existence of a secret assassin's guild known as 'The Black Circle', an underground organization with a print on every facet of Britannian society. Their deadliest rank of assassin is the feared 'slayer'. With the help of a reformed and repentant ex-slayer, Sir Geoffrey and the Great Council prepared to bring to justice many a corrupt noble and politician with links to the Black Circle.

The very next night, the entire guild of the Black Circle forays a desperate coup against Lord British in Castle Britannia. Yet, they are beaten and destroyed by the Order of the Silver Serpent and the elite castle guards. The ex-slayer who assisted the Order is pardoned for his assistance in destroying the Black Circle.

[0166 A.B.] The ex-slayer, who assisted Sir Geoffrey in the previous year, gathers a party of unusual companions and leaves Britannia on a quest to destroy a powerful being upon another world.

[0167 A.B.] Various companions of the Avatar foil a scheme that revolved around the theft of the runes of virtue and kidnapping the mayors of the eight towns by one who calls himself 'The Black Knight'

[0172 A.B.] Iskander Ironheart slays the seven gazer princes that stole the eye from the cyclops tribal leader. After this, he is embarrassingly known as "Wonder Boy".

[0173 A.B.] Sir Cabirus obtains permission from Lord British to found a new town of virtue on the Isle of the Avatar. He sends calls out throughout the land for anyone who would join him. Goodhearted and intelligent representatives of five races answer the call: trolls, lizardmen, goblins, gargoyles, and humans. The humans consisted of three factions; the knights of the Crux Ansata, formed from a group of Jhelom fighters; the seers of the Illuminated Moonstone, formed from mages of Moonglow; and finally, Baron Almric and his colonists.

Mordra crosses from Pagan to Britannia.

Horance begins to turn dark and violent, and the townsfolk of Skara Brae begin to fear him. It is not known at this time that Horance became possessed with the first of Mondain's liche-kings. It may have been Flain who released the liche-king, but the full circumstances of those events remain a mystery.

Horance abandons Flain's old tower and builds his new dark tower on an island north of Skara Brae.

Horance sends his minions to capture Trent's wife, Rowena, but ended up killing her in the process.

Caine attempts to mix a potion that can trap Horance. Due to Mayor Trent's ineptitude, however, the formula explodes, destroying the entire town and killing all its inhabitants instantly.

[0174 A.B.] Lord British sends an expedition of knights and mages to restore Skara Brae and cleanse the evil therein. All are lost in the attempt.

[0178 A.B.] Sir Cabirus establishes the Abyssal colony within the Great Stygian Abyss. Balron Alrmic begins construction of a small keep and village upon the Isle of the Avatar, near the entrance to the Great Stygian Abyss.

[0179 A.B.] Five dark druids enter Spiritwood and perform a ritual to envoke the dark half of nature, hoping to take its power for themselves. Unfortunately, the dark energy takes on a sentient form and devours the souls of the five druids. It calls itself 'Silas'. After possessing the body of a ranger of the Kal'Luura line, and several other murders later, Shamino and a band of rangers drive the creature back into Spiritwood where they believed that they destroyed it.

[0181 A.B.] Lord British leads a second expedition to cleanse Skara Brae of the liche infestation, but it is forced to retreat. The power of the liche is beyond anything encountered in Britannia before. Skara Brae is declared lost and people are forbidden from entering it by decree of Lord British.

Baron Almric's fortress is completed.

[0193 A.B.] Stonegate is occupied by a small colony of wingless gargoyles.

[0195 A.B.] Lord Vemelon, mayor of Jhelom, and a party of warriors invade Stonegate, slaughter the occupying gargoyles, and claim the keep as Vemelon's private estate.

[0207 A.B.] An infamous peeping-tom case leads to the outlawing of white, so called X-ray, potions. Eventually, however, an even whiter "light" potion takes its place in the market and is even more popular than the previous potion.

Sir Cabirus dies in the abyss. It is rumoured he was poisoned.

The Abyssal colonists begin to quarrel and the colony falls apart. All of the gargoyles die.

Baron Almric seals the Great Stygian Abyss’ doors and turns the colony into a prison.

[0227 A.B.]

29th day of the 2nd Month of the year 227 Denyel, husband of Mythra, enters a cave on an exploratory expedition and never returns.

Tyball allows an extremely powerful demon known as the Slasher of Veils to kill Garamon, accidentally trapping it within the Great Stygian Abyss' Chamber of Virtue.

Baron Almric, who was quite possibly the grandson of the original Baron, had a daughter, Arial, who was kidnapped.

The Avatar is summoned by Garamon, and appears in Arial's bedroom during the kidnapping. Being accused of the crime, the Avatar is sent into the Abyss to either rescue Arial or die trying.

Deep within the Stygian Abyss, the Avatar kills the wizard Tyball and rescues Arial.

With the help of Garamon, the Avatar releases enough power to open a dimensional gate at the base of the Abyss, which the Avatar uses to banish the Slasher of Veils from Britannia.

The volcano within the Stygian Abyss erupts, destroying the remnants of the settlement. The inhabitants escape with Garamon’s help as the lizardmen flee down underground rivers to a new site.

With its reason for existence, and most of its settlements and settlers, gone, Baron Almric's townsfolk abandon the Isle of the Avatar.

[0296 A.B.] Lord British contacts the Avatar in a dream, sending him from Earth to Eodon for a brief time. In the valley of Eodon, a place which was once part of Earth, but is now its own world, the Avatar defeats the evil ant-men creatures known as the Myrmidex. Along the way, he also destroys a gigantic corrupt moonstone, which was threatening the stability of reality itself.

[0320 A.B.] Several "minor wars" among feuding nobles break out. Batlin fights in these wars after training in Minoc.

[0329 A.B.] The "minor wars" of Britannia end. Batlin moves to Britain and becomes a bard for a while.

[0331 A.B.] Batlin meets Abraham and Elizabeth, fellow adventure-seekers, in Britain. They agree to split up and search the world for their destinies for 10 years, then return to Britain after that time had passed and meet up again.

[0335 A.B.] Felcrodon, a theoretical metaparaphilosopher, proposes in his theory that there are *not* any rays of undetectable, invisible energy bombarding Britannia. The populace breathes a sigh of relief at this news.

[0339 A.B.] Batlin visits Skara Brae, and has an encounter with Horance and Caine where he learns that there are no answers to his questions on life and death. This profound spiritual experience renders him temporarily insane. Once this passes, he comes to the conclusion that because life and death are without meaning, then it means that ethics, morals, and virtues are meaningless. Afterwards, Batlin begins to hear the Guardian's voice, two years before founding the Fellowship.

[0340 A.B.] Burnside becomes Mayor of Minoc.

[0341 A.B.] Batlin, Abraham, and Elizabeth gain permission from Lord British to found the Fellowship. The first branch hall is established in Britain.

The Britannian Mining Company (BMC) is founded. The town of Vesper is rebuilt as a small colony to provide housing for the miners working for the Britannian Mining Company.

The Britannian Mining Company petitions Lord British for permission to reopen the door to Dungeon Covetous.

The Britannian Mining Company begins supplying blackrock ore to Batlin.

The construction of the three generators and the Black Gate commences.

[0342 A.B.]

Day 23 of the 5th Month Rohdon, shipwright of Britain, officially commissions the ship "Dragon's Breath". This ship was formerly the Constellation, until it was heavily damaged and later rebuilt.

[0343 A.B.] The Tetrahedron Generator goes online.

Kalideth, a mage, who is slowly going mad because of the Tetrahedron Generator, is killed by the cyclops Iskander Ironheart in an act of self-defense.

[0347 A.B.] Spark is born.

[0350 A.B.] The Seven Year Drought begins.

[0355 A.B.]

Day 2 of the 7th Month The House of Games opens for business in Buccaneer's Den.

[0356 A.B.] The Fellowship branch in Moonglow is founded by Rankin.

[0357 A.B.] Finster, an outspoken candidate for political office in Britain, is murdered.

The Seven Year Drought ends.

[0358 A.B.]

3rd day of the 1st Month of the year 358 Russell, the shipwright of New Magincia, officially commissions the ship "Nymphet".

19th day of the 3rd Month of the year 358 Clint, the shipwright of Britain, officially commissions the ship "The Beast".

Finnegan is elected Mayor of Trinsic.

Several ships built by Owen of Minoc sink, including one with Korl's brother on board.

[0359 A.B.]

24th day of the 6th Month of the year 359 Kethron, the shipwright of Moonglow, officially commissions the ship "The Lusty Wench".

Patterson is elected Mayor of Britain, defeating the farmer Brownie in a landslide victory.

[0361 A.B.]

During the 5th month Inamo immigrates from Terfin to Trinsic.

The Time Lord is trapped by the Guardian in the Shrine of Spirituality.

During the 10th Month One week before the murder, Christopher, Spark's father, argues with Klog and tries to leave the Fellowship.

Christopher and Inamo are killed around 2 am. The Avatar appears the next morning through a red moongate, after being called by the Time Lord.

At that same moment, the Isle of Fire rises from the sea again, due to Erethian's magical interference.

Spark joins the Avatar's party at age fourteen. He wishes to avenge his father's death.

The Avatar meets the toddler, Kristy, an orphan in Castle Britannia.

Lord British, knowing beyond any doubt that the child Nell bears belongs to him, writes a secret will that will make the child's true heritage known to all, should he ever die. He decides though that the boy should not know who his true father is ... yet.

[0362 A.B.] The Avatar destroys the liche-king inhabiting Horance. The ghosts of Skara Brae are freed and Horance, though dead, vows to rebuild Skara Brae.

The Avatar meets the cyclops Iskander Ironheart and learns of Eiko and her sister, the daughters of the mage Kalineth.

1st day of the 8th Month of the year 362 This is the date of the astronomical alignment. The only time the Guardian can enter Britannia through a Black Gate. The astronomical alignment only happens once every eight hundred years.

At a final confrontation, Hook, Abraham, and Elizabeth are killed by the Avatar and his party, while Batlin escapes. The Black Gate is destroyed at the moment of the astronomical alignment, just as the Guardian is attempting to pass through.

This leads to the banning of the Fellowship by Lord British and their Fellowship halls are destroyed or converted for other uses.

Blackrock is outlawed. Both the mining of the substance and its possession is strictly forbidden. All known mines containing Blackrock are collapsed and sealed. The Kingdom of Britannia offers rewards for the handing over of any remaining Blackrock.

[0363 A.B.]

1st day of the 8th Month of the year 363 Exactly one year later, Lord British has a party at Castle British, and the Guardian casts a spell that entraps Castle Britannia within a huge dome of Blackrock. Over the course of six weeks, the Avatar frees Britannia and removes several veins of power from other worlds the Guardian has enthralled. (During the imprisonment in the castle, Lady Tory and Nelson are murdered by Patterson, who was working under the orders of the Guardian. The Avatar slays Patterson in self defense.) During this time, the Avatar meets Bishop and Altara, two prominent members in the resistance against the Guardian upon the world of Atarka.

15th day of the 9th Month of the year 363 Mors Gotha leads a small invasion of Killorn/Atarkan forces into Castle Britannia; she is defeated by the Avatar and calls forth to the Guardian for help. Mors' pleas are unanswered and Mors Gotha dies. The Avatar frees the castle by blowing the Horn of Praecor Loth and destroying the Blackrock dome encasing the castle.

Rikey, son of Lady Tory, is raised by Sir Richter at Serpent's Hold.

Sir Geoffrey, having suffered a sparring defeat at the hands of Master Syria during the castle confinement, reflects on his ability to protect Lord British. Over the next ten tears, Sir Geoffrey relentlessly trains and studies with every master of every weapon type in the land, until he becomes a master of all combat fighting styles.

It is at this time that the Guardian recalls Commander Bane Tirrilius from an offworld campaign. Commander Bane Tirrilius is known as being a seasoned and long-lived veteran responsible for capturing nine of the Guardian's sixteen worlds in thrall. Bane is sent to the pits of carnage, to prove he still possesses his battle prowess of old, and defeats four of the best pit-fighters single-handedly in one battle. The Guardian offers Bane the mantle of 'Gotha'.

After learning of the death of Mors, Bane willingly takes up the mantle of Gotha and is henceforth known as 'Bane Gotha', taking up a personal vow of vengeance against the Avatar for the death of Mors Gotha. Bane Gotha is granted extraordinary powers from the Guardian, powers that no mortal has ever received from the Guardian before or since.

With the original Scintillus mages dead, the Scintillus Academy is taken over by the Guardian and their knowledge is stolen. The Guardian allows his Cabal of mages to control the Scintillus Academy, rebuilding it into a training facility solely for those mages who serve the Guardian. Branches of the Scintillus Academy are built upon all worlds controlled by the Guardian.

[0363 A.B.]

15th day of the 3rd Month of the year 364 Approximately six months later, the Avatar and party pass through the Serpent Pillars to Serpent Isle.

Imbalance storms begin on Serpent Isle a few months before the Avatar's arrival.

Imbalance storms begin on Britannia. The Royal Mint is teleported and exchanged with a building from Serpent Isle.

The Great Earth Serpent contacts the Avatar, reminding him of his liberation by the Avatar's hand in the days of Exodus, the destroyer. He asks, once again, for the Avatar's help to restore him to the void.

The party meets Erstam, the mage from the old city of Moon in Britannia, who left Britannia in protest against Lord British and his virtues.

Batlin is killed at the Wall of Lights whilst trying to control the power of the banes for himself. The banes are released, possessing Iolo, Shamino, and Dupre, who go on a murdering spree across the three major towns of Serpent Isle. The Avatar tracks his possessed companions to the ruins of the castle of the White King, where he liberates them from their bondage.

Mortegro, the necromancer, is struck by imbalance lightning outside an ophidian temple and is believed to have been killed. He is transported to Britannia, a deed, which is later speculated on, that came about due to his proximity to the Avatar, which may have saved his life and determined the destination.

Dupre sacrifices his own life to restore the Chaos Serpent. His soul becomes one with the Chaos Serpent.

The Avatar restores balance upon Serpent Isle, but is drawn into the Ether in the process. He falls into the hands of the Guardian, who banishes him to the world of Pagan.

[0364 A.B.]

With the imbalance storms now but a memory, repairs are made to the Golden Ankh. Xenka discerns that Serpent Pillars exist in the world of Serpent Isle as well as in Britannia. Prophetically, she is able to foresee the next rising of the Serpent Pillars, and the companions return to Britannia in the Golden Ankh. Some artifacts from the Serpent Isle are taken back by the scholar Gwenno.

The Avatar is stolen from the Ethereal Void by The Guardian and banished to Pagan. And so begins a long quest to master the powers of the four elemental Titans that rule over the volcanic world, in the hopes of finding a way back to Britannia.

In Britannia the imbalance storms brought creatures and sentient beings from other worlds. Among these outworlders are a handful of monks from the Order of the Ethereal Void, a contemplative order dedicated to fostering understanding of the Ether and all contained within it. The monks meet with Lord British and, shortly thereafter, construction is begun on a grand-scale temple not far outside of Britain. Through its plainly-garbed initiates and acolytes, the order begins to aid the community by starting public works projects, giving sanctuary and succor to the poor and downtrodden, and offering sermons and classes to foster spiritual and personal growth--regardless of race or creed.

Yet many citizens of Britain feel out of touch with the large, busy city that has grown around them. A group of separatists venture into the Serpent Spine Mountains, settling past the Lone Fox Pass upon a secluded plateau.

[0365 A.B]

The rebuilding of Skara Brae is completed, under the spirit mage Horance. Horance is accepted into the Council of Wizards as its first ever undead member.

The village of Lone Fox Pass grows quickly, fed by downtrodden citizens from Britain, Minoc, and especially Paws, all drawn to the cold, natural beauty of the mountainside and its promise of opportunity. Occasional sightings of strange creatures are reported.

The Druids of Yew begin to find brutally slaughtered animals throughout the Deep Forest. Oddly, only the heart is taken in each case. Some woodspeople of Yew claim to have heard stories of horrific creatures standing two men tall, who spare nothing and no one they encounter. Others claim that an evil cult of dark Druids have infested the wood and seek to perform a powerful ritual.

[0366 A.B.]

Feridwyn of Paws pays an urgent visit to Britain to report to Lord British. Creatures from the nearby swamps have begun to regularly raid the village, sometimes attacking the inhabitants. Due to these skirmishes and the still terrible economy of Paws, many people have fled elsewhere seeking relief. For the first time in several years, Lord British ventures outside of Castle Britannia to see Paws for himself. The king and the great council agree to, among other items, lowering business taxes for shops in Paws. A wall is also built on the south side of the town, including two guard towers to defend citizens from future raids.

Due to this need for new guards, both in Paws and elsewhere around Britannia, The Order of the Silver Serpent begins to vigorously recruit new members and provide guards for every township across the world. The knights grow to command a massive army, with Serpent's Hold training over three thousand new recruits in the following five years.

The Temple of the Ethereal Void is completed. The ranks of the temple's order continue to steadily grow. While most do not have the time to devote to the Order's teachings, the monks begin to gain the respect of Britons and other Britannians for their service.

The Deep Forest steadily becomes more dangerous. A lumberjack is one day found missing, and for several weeks a group of Rangers and Druids attempt to find a clue as to his whereabouts. Nothing is found.

[0367 A.B.]

The Order of the Silver Serpent creates an unprecedented demand for armor, weapons, and ships to be supplied. Industry within Britain also begins to require more machine parts and equipment. Minoc, the city of artisans, engineers, and tinkers begins to increase their production capacity to create these goods. Over the course of the next several years, this emphasis on mass-production takes precedence over more artistic pursuits. Several members of the now largely abandoned Artisan's Guild and some local tinkerers decide to move to Vesper. Amidst the sleepy mining operations and frontier sands, a new Artisan's Guild is created. Tinkerers labor far into the night producing strange contraptions. The works of the artisans become the talk of Britain and shown in exhibitions.

Within the Serpent Spine Mountains, great avalanches collapse the Lone Fox Pass. Those few villagers with homes between the new town and Britain are forced to settle in the village proper. Effectively cut off from the rest of Britannia, the friendly community develops a larger, more secure township and becomes self-sufficient.

[0368 A.B.]

A wandering Ranger finds a once hidden cave entrance in the northern part of the Deep Forest. His unease at the sight and smell of the cave remind him of the sporadic slaughters that have plagued the wood, and he wisely decides to bring a party of other woodfolk from Yew to investigate. They are never heard from again. Druids and Rangers begin to warn townsfolk and travellers alike that no one should travel in the northern mountainous sections of the Deep Forest.

[0370 A.B.]

The eight year old William, "son" of Nell and Carrocio, is sent to Empath Abbey for further education in the virtues and the ways of law. He still does not know that he is the son of Lord British

[0371 A.B.]

The Artisan's Guild takes the unprecedented step of admitting a gargoyle to their ranks, Ven-Lem. His bizarre inventions and quirky personality win over the hearts and minds of artists and art fanciers alike. Other gargoyles, seeing Ven-Lem's success, begin to branch out from clerical or labor positions to become writers, painters, and add to the rich tapestry of culture in Britannia. Yet more than two hundred years of integration have not healed all differences between the two races. A healthy minority of Britannians actively dislike the prospect of Gargoyles being their true social and economic equals. The disgust leads to boycotts of some exhibitions including Gargoyle artists.

Meanwhile, down south, Paws begins to drag itself from the pit of poverty. Through the new laws enacted by Lord British, many townsfolk migrate and new buildings are erected, such as a marketplace, a sawmill, and an alchemy shop. The town becomes an active yet calm town, where industry and bustle are only distant sounds upon the wind.

[0374 A.B.]

Kristy, the orphan the Avatar met at Castle Britannia thirteen years ago, joins the Order of the Silver Serpent, becoming the youngest woman to ever join the Order.

On the planet of Atarka, home of Kellorn Keep, plans are laid down by the agents of The Guardian. His goal: to invade Britannia, by means of a massive army. The Guardian's supreme commander and right hand, Bane Gotha, allows his subordinates to encourage and rouse the empire into action with dreams of conquest, bringing culture to a loutish 'heathen' world, and finding new land to colonize. The priests of The Guardian sermonize and cast Britannia as a land of wretched chaos, needing the hand of conformity, strength, and order in the form of 'The Red Titan'.

[0375 A.B.]

This year marks the beginning of the Atarkan invasion and the events leading up to the Avatar's return to Britannia

5th day of the 4th month of the year 375 Atarkan armies arrive by yet unknown means in three huge fleets in the south east of Britannia. After they land on the Isle of the Avatar to unload a small group of soldiers and mages they sail, undetected by Britannian ships, westward to get into position for their attacks.

7th day of the 4th month of the year 375

The war begins … An Atarkan fleet lands on the Isle of Deeds before dawn. Serpent's Hold is destroyed after a three-day siege, and everybody there is put to the sword. The keep and surrounding buildings are left in ruin. Only a few manage to escape after they realize that the fight is lost.

10th day of the 4th month of the year 375

A lone ship headed for Serpent's Hold spots the burning ruins and is fired upon. The small, fast ship is barely able to make it to Trinsic to report what had happened. Throughout Britannia, the armies are mobilized as Sir Sentri is given command of the royal Britannian navy; he then sets off on a long seafaring campaign to find this enemy fleet, unaware that there are several.

27th day of the 5th month of the year 375

The second fleet invades the Valorian Isles. Jhelom, under the command of Master Syria, put up a fierce battle, but the city falls.

As the Jhelom invasion is happening, the third fleet lands and conquers Skara Brae, defeating both the guards and rangers. Shamino, and a handful of rangers, swim away to safety, to avoid being captured. Horance is 'banished' by the Atarkan's Cabal of mages.

12th day of the 6th month of the year 375

Trinsic is besieged by the Atarkan armies as the first fleet that destroyed Serpent's Hold lands south of the city and sets up camp.

Over the following months many bloody battles rage across Britannia. Yew, Minoc, Moonglow, and Vesper are captured, prompting a massive army of gargoyles and humans to gather within Britain.

Under the lead of Jergi, the gypsies, who roam the northern part of Britannia at this time, decide to travel to the south hoping they will find peace there.

14th day of the 9th month of the year 375

A part of the Britannian army marches south from Britain to Trinsic. By the time they get there, Trinsic has suffered many casualties and the walls are almost breached. Nystul carries the Horn of Praceor-Loth, the artifact used by the Avatar to destroy the Blackrock dome around castle Britannia.

A massive battle occurs around and within the walls of Trinsic. The battle goes extremely well for British's army until the other two armies from Atarka arrive at Trinsic with the Cabal and assist with the siege. The Cabal of Mages unleash death from the skies above Trinsic and British's army is defeated. What is left of Trinsic is razed, and the captured prisoners are put to the sword. Barely a hundred survivors escape by ship. Nystul is critically wounded and the horn is lost in the battle. It is unknown what happened to ship with the survivors including Nystul.

21st day of the 9th month of the year 375

Sentri's royal fleet encounters the Atarkan fleet many miles east of Trinsic in the Ocean. To their surprise, all the pirate ships of Buccaneer's Den come to their aid and assist Sentri in the huge sea battle. Losses on the Atarkan fleet are high, but both the Royal Armada and the Pirate fleet take staggering losses and retreat to Buccaneer’s Den with the Atarkan ships in pursuit. Most of the pursuing ships are destroyed by the cannons around Buccaneer’s Den, and the remains of the defeated Atarkan fleet sail back to its unknown base. Sentri's ship is lost during the fighting.

The standoff in the ocean has little effect on the victorious forces of Atarka who, by this time, have conquered most of Britannia except for Britain.

The city of Britain is besieged.

19th day of the 10th month of the year 375 The siege of Britain lasts many weeks, thanks to the leadership and tactics of Geoffrey but eventually they can withstand the mages and enemy army no more, and Britain falls and the armies enter the capital. Castle Britannia is besieged. There is treachery from within the castle’s walls as Lord Crondall, head of the royal guard in the castle, betrays Lord British to Bane Gotha.

20th day of the 10th month of the year 375

Lord British orders Geoffrey to lead the other castle defenders to escape below, while he surrenders in order to save the denizens of Britain from further unnecessary bloodshed. British closes the secret passage behind Geoffrey, knowing full well that Geoffrey would refuse to abandon him.

Lord British surrenders the crown jewels and is imprisoned within his castle.

Most of the members of Lord British’s Great Council are executed, whilst others escape Bane Gotha's wrath. The town mayors are stripped of most of their powers and Atarkan governors now rule each town under a member of the Senate.

Britannian soldiers and civilians who were killed during the attack on Britain are buried by the Atarkans in a huge mass grave outside of Britain.

It is on this date that the war against Britannia ends in a complete victory for the Guardian. The Kingdom of Britannia is no more and the occupying forces take control of the land.

[Note that during the Atarkan war, the events of Pagan were taking place. As each city in Britannia fell to Atarka, the Guardian sent taunting updates to the Avatar whilst he struggled through Pagan. On the world of Pagan the Avatar must create his own Blackrock gate to try and return to Britannia. He does this by taking the four hearts, or totems, from the four Titans of Pagan. According to the 'gods' of Pagan, doing so also will give him the powers of the Titan of Ether. By taking the hearts of the four titans, destruction and chaos is released upon the people of Pagan. Pyros rains down fire, undead attack the capitol of Tenebrae from Lithos, storms and tidal waves are unleashed by Hydros, and the powers of healing cease to function without gentle Stratos. The Avatar enters the Ethereal Void and attempts to return to Britannia]

Despite a few pockets of resistance that are swiftly crushed, Paws, Cove, New Magincia, and Spektran quietly accept Atarkan occupation. The Lycaeum and Empath Abbey are spared as they are not seen as threats, nor of holding any military or strategic value. All books and literature regarding the history of Britannia, the virtues, and Avatar-hood are destroyed by the Cabal per the Guardian's orders.

[0376 A.B.]

Many companions of the Avatar are arrested. Others, including Geoffrey, team up with the survivors of the Order of the Silver Serpent. They set up residence in a remote, secret hideout.

Destroyed parts of Britain are being rebuilt. The Atarkans want to use Britain to show the glory of the new government.

Lord Crondall, the traitor, is given the keys to Castle Britannia and he guards it fiercely from any who would attempt a rescue of the deposed monarch.

Shamino, a survivor of the battle for Skara Brae, gathers together the survivors of the Ranger Guild. For nearly a year, they assault lone Atarkan patrols, killing them and retreating into the Deep Forest or Spiritwood. Unfortunately they don’t know that the Order of the Silver Serpent, a potential partner in the resistance, still exists. One day the Rangers are pursued into the woods near the eastern side of the Great Forest. The Atarkan patrols torch the great ancient forest and a part of it is burnt to ashes. Shamino and the other Rangers are assumed dead after that.

All gargoyles are rounded up and enslaved on Terfin at the Guardian's command. Ships come and go between the three Isles of Terfin, Ambrosia, and the Isle of the Avatar. Any ships not bearing special insignia entering the surrounding waters are summarily destroyed.

[0377 A.B.]

One year after the crushing of Shamino's raiding parties, the bulk of the armies leave Britannia by unknown means. Many Britannians begin to accept that the old ways and systems of Britannia are no more.

[0378 A.B.]

The rebuilding of Britain is finished, including a huge wall that surrounds it. Only 3 ways lead into and out of the city and they are heavily guarded by Atarkan soldiers.

All Britannians must now register as official citizens of the new Britannian protectorate. Any who refuse are imprisoned as traitors. All new Britannians, as well as any Atarkans who settled here, must carry papers of citizenship with them at all times. Papers of citizenship are required for property ownership, business ownership, purchasing, selling, and travel between the cities.

[0380 A.B.]

Five years pass since the end of the war. Rumours and reports of attacks against Atarkan guards increase…

The inquisition triples its efforts to locate the rebels, but completely fail.

Strange comets appear across the sky; seers and mages are unable to fathom the meaning of this…

28th day of the 10th month of the year 380

YOU, the Avatar, return to Britannia …

History of Ultima

Ultima I - The First Age of Darkness

The beginning of the First Age of Darkness is marked by the coming of a sorcerer named Mondain. The father of Mondain had refused to share his secret of immortality with his son, and their disputes ultimately led to the father's death. Torn with anguish and no doubt by his fears of persecution, Mondain turned his dark powers against the kingdoms of Sosaria. In desperation, Lord British called forth a champion to rise to the defense of the realm. The hero who responded to his summons would many years later come to be known as the Avatar. It was through the actions of this Avatar that Mondain's foul gem of power was shattered and Mondain himself did come to a very sad end indeed.

Ultima II - Revenge of the Enchantress

The triumph of the Avatar did not last long, for in slaying Mondain he brought the wrath of Minax down upon the land. Minax was the young lover of Mondain and a sorceress with magical powers even greater than Mondain’s. She had the power to command legions of foul creatures, and in her quest for vengeance over the death of her lover, she brought much misery to the people of Sosaria. Again the hero who would come to be known as the Avatar returned to Britannia in the first recorded use of the Moongates. The Avatar slew Minax’s minions and did eventually destroy her as well. While there have been speculations as to the motivations of the Avatar, there is insufficient evidence to show that the Avatar was driven to violence by jealousy over Mondain’s romantic involvement with Minax. That being said, such theories are hereby denounced and should not be given consideration.

Ultima III - Exodus

Ultima III No one in all of Sosaria, not even the Avatar, could have realized that by ending the lives of Mondain and Minax, the Avatar would be orphaning their only child. The name of this unusual child was Exodus, and he was neither machine nor human. Exodus rose from the bottom of the Great Ocean to carry out a campaign of revenge and destruction against the land of Sosaria. So terrible were the forces unleashed by Exodus that the hero whom we would come to know as the Avatar required the assistance of a mysterious being known as the Time Lord to thwart them. And thus it was that the Avatar did deal with Exodus in a similar manner as he had dealt with his mother and father. Since that time much speculation has been given to the potentially immeasurable good such a creature as Exodus could have brought the land had he been persuaded to become beneficent, but I wish to formally disagree with those who say the Avatar should have handled the situation differently.

Ultima IV - Quest of the Avatar

Ultima IV After the smiting of Exodus, the people of Sosaria, who lived in terror during the onslaught of these evil magical beings, did unite together as a measure of self-protection under the sovereign rule of Lord British. Thus was formed the kingdom of Britannia. Led by wise Lord British, the land did come to flourish. The eight major townships rose upon the foundations of the old city-states. A renaissance of culture and civilization was highlighted by the formation of great institutions devoted to the study and advancement of the arts and sciences. It was at this time of growth and prosperity in the kingdom of Britannia that Lord British put out a call for one to show the way of spiritual growth and virtue. The call was answered by the hero who would come to be known as the Avatar. It was at this time that the champion of Britannia did come to earn the title of ‘Avatar’ by establishing the Eight Virtues and by seizing the Codex of Ultimate Wisdom from the depths of the Stygian Abyss. It has been said that the primary motivation of the Avatar has been personal redemption for the fate of Mondain, Minax and Exodus. While there has been no proof of this, I say that even if it were true, all the positive things brought forth in the world through the virtues would be enough to make amends for almost any misdoing.

Ultima V - Warriors of Destiny

Ultima V It seems that by removing the Codex of Ultimate Wisdom the Avatar had inadvertently set into motion a cosmic chain of events which led to the release of three Shadowlords from remnant shards of the black gem of Mondain. These Shadowlords were sinister agents of evil. Soon they managed to dethrone Lord British and hold him prisoner in a foul dungeon. Denied his wisdom and compassion, the kingdom of Britannia quickly grew oppressive and cruel. This was the Britannia that greeted the return of the Avatar. After a score of valiant struggles, Lord British was liberated, his throne regained and the Shadowlords banished from our world. However, Lord British’s escape from the underworld did cause a tremendously destructive series of earthquakes as the vast network of subterranean caverns collapsed. Much of the gargoyle race did perish in that tragic cataclysm.

Ultima VI - The False Prophet

Ultima VI After the tremors that shook Britannia subsided, gargoyles, inhabitants of the other side of the world who now found their homeland virtually destroyed, began to appear on the Britannian side of the world in increasing numbers as aggressors. They launched vicious attacks against the human race and many were they who lost their lives in defense of our realm. The gargoyles even attempted to assassinate the Avatar. They set a Moongate trap which lured the Avatar into their clutches, but the Avatar was rescued by his companions. So it was that Lord British did once again call upon his champion to set the world right. Ending this violent racial conflict was the greatest challenge that the Avatar had ever faced. At last it was revealed that the Codex of Ultimate Wisdom, which had been removed from the underworld by the Avatar, was actually the property of the gar-goyles. Therefore, the Avatar placed the Codex into the great ethereal void where it would be possessed by neither human nor gargoyle. Two lenses, used to view the Codex, were given to Lord British and gargoyle ruler King Draxinusom. As the cause of the conflict between the two races had been removed, it was hoped that the rift between the two would eventually be closed. Those who would say that this terrible and destructive war could have been prevented entirely had the Avatar not appropriated the Codex from its true owners are merely dissidents who are grossly misinformed.

Ultima VII - The Black Gate

After many adventures throughout the land, the Avatar disappeared from the land, returning nearly two centuries later! This time, however, the hero appeared without summons, for no one knew of any cataclysms that required reparations. Yet it was not long before the Avatar was again facing great evil, this time in the form of an insidious organization called The Fellowship that had insinuated itself into Britannian society. In addition, a magical island, once home to the very Exodus of the Third Age of Darkness, had risen to the surface, indicating a further threat to Britannia. During this seventh period of service, the Avatar was able to uncover the dastardly plot of The Fellowship and remove the evil presence forming on the island.

Ultima VII Part II - The Serpent Isle

Ultima VII Part 2 After many adventures throughout Britannia, the Avatar disappeared from the land, returning nearly two centuries later! This time, however, the hero appeared without summons, for no one knew of any cataclysms that required reparations. Yet it was not long before the Avatar was again facing great evil, this time in the form of an insidious organization called The Fellowship that had insinuated itself into Britannian society. In addition, a magical island, once home to the very Exodus of the Third Age of Darkness, had risen to the surface, indicating a further threat to Britannia. During this seventh period of service, the Avatar was able to uncover the dastardly plot of The Fellowship and remove the evil presence forming on the island.

Ultima VIII - Pagan

Ultima VIII Banished to an unfamiliar land by the Guardian, the Avatar was forced to find a way out of the world known as Pagan. Whilst upon this land, the Avatar discovered several new forms of the arcane outside the Eight Circles of Magic. They would prove useful in escaping, but would it be in time to save his beloved Britannia?

Ultima - Ascension

The last of the guardian saga. For the final time you have been called to Britannia to restore the Virtues and bring peace to the land. The guardian has brought his wrath upon Britannia and is close to completing his conquest. Old friends return to assist the Avatar to defeat the guardian for all time...