User manual GAMES PC ULTIMA VII-THE FORGE OF VIRTUE

[. . . ] Read on, fellow student of life, and be amazed. -- Erethian HISTORY OF THE ISLE OF FIRE My readers will forgive the sparse and vague details of my retelling, for all this is simply memories gleaned form weeks, nay months, spent buried in the depths of the Lycaeum: Shortly after Exodus' fall at the hands of the Stranger (who would later become known as the Avatar), Lord British created the eight Shrines of the Virtues. In addition, he established three shrines dedicated to the Principles of Truth, Love and Courage, which he had placed on Exodus' home island, known as the Isle of Fire. While all of these shrines were crafted to benefit every citizen of Britannia, Lord British's primary concern was to locate a protector, an Avatar, to assist Britannia in times of need. [. . . ] And, in fact, the castle walls are scorched in places ­ the aftermath of a dragon's assault upon the castle. The dragon has taken up residence here in one of the tunnels of the main cave. During her raid, she stole from me the Ether Gem, a possession of reasonable importance. As soon as I can find a way to retrieve it, her head shall be mine. By far the most intriguing creatures I have come across are the stone golems. I had heard nothing more than mere rumors prior to my arrival here, but seeing the mobile masses of rock have convinced me of their existence. Astelleron was quite a master, indeed, for his workmanship is beautiful. I know nothing of their sentience, for they have never spoken to me. To be honest, I am not even sure they are aware of my intrusion, for I have yet to venture near one of the Shrines. I hope soon to journey back to what I have assumed is Astelleron's hovel and learn more about their creation, but that will come after my other research. Regardless of how the golems were constructed, I am confident more than an ordinary sword would be necessary to stop them. HELPFUL OBSERVATIONS I have had a bit more time to view the island now. There is too much to see and record, but I will put down what I can before something else reclaims my fancy. Having noticed that the silent stone guardians had left the Shrine room unattended after the dragon's attack, I decided to inspect the three statues. I first spoke with the haggard old man, presuming he, or rather it, would represent Truth. I was, however, surprised, for upon initiating conversation (after all, what else should one do with a Shrine of the Principles?), I found myself magically teleported inside one of the dungeons. I chose not to explore, for I hastily remembered a tome to which I was in a hurry to get back. However, I was reminded of an ancient piece of wisdom: never trust the obvious; always look for that which is not there. Afterwards I stepped back into a Moongate and returned to the Shrine room. I learned little from the Shrine of Love, so I set out through one of the Moongates south of the Shrine room, found behind a secret door. Entering the western cave, I passed by several barrels and some supplies, obviously left over from Astelleron's days there. [. . . ] As I plan to be around for a long time, or at least expect my enchantments to, I request that thou dost locate me soon, for there is no doubt this journal will be lacking. At such a time, I will do my best to break from my studies and be civil enough to provide further assistance. Until then, gentle reader, I wish good will and good luck in finding and sharing this history with me. -- Erethian NOTE This manual and the software described in it are copyrighted, with all rights reserved. [. . . ]