Dino's Guide to
Ultima VIII - Pagan

People

Contents

The people of Tenebrae and its surroundings

Devon

Devon is the first person you meet on Pagan. Talking to him, you find out that he saved your life when fishing, pulling you from the water in his nets. Devon is later arrested for being an accomplice of Bentic, and is thrown in the dungeons beneath the palace. Once you read Bentic's forbidden research in the same place, you are taken onto the docks to watch Devon's execution. However, your verbal swiftness, along with a mistake from Salkind, allows you to tell the world the truth about Mordea. Devon, now conscious of his powers, kills Mordea in a battle of Tempestry, and claims his rightful place on the throne of Tenebrae. Much later, Devon is once again useful in that he possesses the Tear of the Seas, located in a locked chest in his study to which he has the key. He had fished out the rock much earlier, and decided to keep it due to its particularity. However, he gladly gives it up to you.

Mordea

Mordea is the local tyrant queen before Devon takes her place. She has Toran executed at the start, for having openly spoken his opinion about her. More of her trouble is seen when Vividos tells you that Mordea took the Necromancers' Ceremonial Dagger with an armed force, and you have to retrieve it. While you fetch the dagger from Mordea's room, you must be careful not to step on the carpet or you will wake her up. If you ever attack or wake Mordea, she will kill you calling upon her Tempestry powers to make lightning strike you. She also has Bentic executed when he discovers the truth about her - that Devon is the rightful Tempest and that she is only the second born. When you find this out, you are taken on the docks to watch Devon's execution, and follow him on the block. But once you speak the truth, Devon is conscious of his powers, greater than Mordea's, and puts an end to her tyrannical reign.

Taken from the manual: Ruler and Tempest of Tenebrae, our Lady Mordea governs with strict attention to detail. Her right of rule was inherited from her Tempest father, Keldan, and noble mother, Celidia - both royalty and real power support her claim to rulership. Our Lady is extremely aware of her position, accepting only the utmost in loyalty from her subjects.

Aramina

Aramina, the Tempest's servant, is a very useful woman. She lives in East Tenebrae, but spends all her time, except for Bloodwatch, attending to the needs of the Tempest. Under Lady Mordea, she is entrusted with the key to Mordea's closet and the same key opens the chest inside the closet, which contains the Ceremonial Dagger. When Vividos desperately needs the Dagger back after Mordea stole it, having marched into the cemetery with an armed force, Aramina is the one who has access to the Dagger, and will give the key if reassured of no trouble. Aramina also appears to hide the fact that she is abused and harassed by Salkind, the seneschal, though she avoids talking badly about him or Mordea, unless forced by a Hear Truth spell, because of the consequences that she might have to face as a result.

Salkind

Salkind, seneschal to Lady Mordea, tends to her affairs. When attacked, he curls up into a ball, and looks like a kangaroo, as you may see in my fun section. He lives in a luxurious house in East Tenebrae, with a large garden surrounded by a wall. He had seen Bentic's forbidden research, and knew Mordea's secret, so he locked the book in the palace dungeons. However, when you say you found the book, Salkind lets slip the fact that he locked it up, and so Mordea is cornered. For vengeance, she casts him into the sea. When Devon rises to the throne, he offers Salkind's abode as a place to stay during your adventures in Pagan.

Toran

Toran, husband of Rhian and father of Torwin, is a dead man as soon as you step in Pagan. A good and outspoken man, he is executed for speaking his mind about Lady Mordea. His wife, Rhian, carries life on difficultly with her clothes and gems business, while never ceasing to sob. However, Toran's death is not forgotten, as his son Torwin wants him back. Torwin enlisted himself amongst the healers of Argentrock Isle to be able to get hold of their most prized spell - Resurrection - and use it to bring back Toran. However, when you tell Torwin that Toran is with the Lurker, Torwin commits suicide to rest with his father.

Bentic

Bentic the scholar is an intelligent researcher, as well as the local librarian. He spends all his time studying in his library, seeking knowledge. His thirst for wisdom brings him to his death when he discovers that Mordea is not the first-born Tempest and is caught. However, Bentic is avenged by Devon when the Avatar makes him conscious of his powers.

Rhian

Rhian trades in gems and is a weaver, also trading in clothes. She is the mother of Torwin and wife of Toran. Her tragedy starts as soon as the Avatar arrives on Pagan, when Toran is executed and Rhian remains to run the business in East Tenebrae all alone. With her son among the Theurgists to attempt to resurrect Toran, he soon commits suicide when he learns that Toran cannot be raised, and Rhian suffers one final loss, where her whole family has been decimated because of Lady Mordea.

Orlok

Orlok runs the Shattered Skull tavern in Tenebrae, with the assistance of Jenna as barmaid. He sells his beverages at a higher price than Jenna, cheating to make profit. His cheating is also evident when he makes up stories on how mighty he, his family and his tavern are, to make them buy drinks, when a Hear Truth spell will easily demonstrate the truth about his lied stories. While he will invent all manner of stories about how he lost his leg, eye and hand to make his customers buy a drink, the truth is that his eye patch is fake, he was born without a hand and he lost his leg when he was chopping wood and the axe slipped.

Jenna

Jenna, barmaid at Orlok's tavern and daughter of Darion, inherited fighting from her father. Darion, who is Captain of the Guards and a good trainer, has taught Jenna how to use a sword, and in fact she carries one even in the tavern. She does not take well to what may seem offences to her, so one must be very careful what to say. She will sell food and drinks at lower prices than her employer, Orlok, who thieves on his customers.

Tarna

Tarna is a female guard who is very patriotic and upholds local laws and regulations with great pride. She at first questions the Avatar about him and his business in Tenebrae, and warns against causing trouble. Tarna will also tell of Tenebrae and other topics, explaining some useful things about Pagan.

Shaana

Shaana, the local executioner, will not be very fond of a conversation with you. A very good fighter, Shaana could execute people even if they were not bound. Little is known that she has pursuits other than her occupation which she hides, and that she often visits Mythran on the Plateau. This could imply that she is a Thaumaturge, being one of only three pursuing Ethereal magic among Mythran and the Avatar.

Darion

Darion, the Captain of the Guards and arms master, will train people who need it. He had taught his daughter Jenna how to fight, and she can use weapons thanks to his great experience and the time he spend teaching her. Darion also wanted Cyrrus to become a guard, though Cyrrus' destiny lay among the Theurgists.

Korick

Korick is the Smithy of Tenebrae. Living in West Tenebrae, Korick is the only but best blacksmith in Pagan. His skill is so great that he can even shape silver into foci for the Theurgists, aside from selling fine quality weaponry and armour. However, he appears to hide the fact that he worships the Ancient gods of emotion, and therefore has Zealan beliefs. Korick is a very righteous man, however, who takes pride in his work and strives to do what is right. He is disgusted by dishonour, and caught the criminal who tried to steal from a lady.

Beren

Beren is not only one of the four Acolytes of the Cabal, having a home both at Daemon's Crag and Tenebrae, but also the Town Sorcerer for Tenebrae. People who are attacked call upon Beren, who kills oppressors in order to defend the oppressed. Beren is the one who eventually shows you the way to Daemon's Crag, where you can begin your training in Sorcery. Being a powerful Acolyte, he is immortal and his explosive flame attacks are instantaneously fatal. Although he will kill you on the spot if you attack him or someone else in Tenebrae, his reaction is not so deadly if you attack him at Daemon's Crag. His high rank permits him to be present even in the delicate Ritual of Fire where Pyros is summoned.

Gwillim

Gwillim is Corinth's husband and Cyrrus' father. He is a herdsman, as was his family for countless generations. However, he would be the last, as his only son, Cyrrus, left to become a Theurgist. Another thing troubling Gwillim is the ghost that killed his brother and many others. When asked about it, he becomes upset, and ironically, he mocks that after killing the ghost, you would overthrow the Titans and that you are the type of person who saves worlds.

Corinth

Corinth is the daughter of the late Corinth and Lleu. Her father Lleu wanted to preserve his wife's memory, who did not survive his daughter's birth, by giving his daughter the name of his wife. Wife of Gwillim and mother of Cyrrus, Corinth is very proud of her son, who is achieving success although he is the son of poor farmers. In fact, the picture to the left might look like Katrina from previous Ultimas, and Corinth appears to be a farmer just as poor and humble. She is very welcoming, and has always done her best to help her son Cyrrus achieve his goal, although Gwillim was not in favour of the decision. It was Corinth that convinced Cyrrus to pursue his wishes and go to Argentrock Isle to study and become a healer.

Kilandra

Kilandra once had a daughter named Elaina, who had got sick. When she begged to have Mordea heal her, Salkind said that she was having a bath and could not be disturbed. The child died as a result. Kilandra has been a little mad ever since, talking to the fish. Kilandra is a fisherwoman and lives by the fish, at the Fisherman's Reef. She often visits her daughter at the Cemetery, and somehow can communicate with her. Her daughter has the key to the door in the ghost cave, as Kilandra says.

Vividos

Vividos is Lothian's apprentice and Scion. He requires the Ceremonial Dagger when Lothian is dying, and when the Avatar retrieves it from Mordea, Vividos performs the Ceremony of Eternity upon Lothian, where she dies. Vividos is well competent in the ways of the Necromancer, but directs the Avatar to learn from the library. He first commissions the Avatar to retrieve Dead Man's Elbow (in the patch) or simply sticks (without the patch), and then sends him into the catacombs to fetch the Ancient Necromancers. Vividos' ultimate task to set on the Avatar is to send him on a pilgrimage.

Lothian

Lothian the Necromancer is dying when the Avatar goes to speak with her, so Vividos speaks to the Avatar instead. Vividos needs the Ceremonial Dagger that Mordea stole, so when the Avatar retrieves it, Vividos uses it to kill Lothian and send her to the Mountain King, thus succeeding her at the head of the cemetery.

Mythran

Mythran is the most experienced Thaumaturge on Pagan. He is a practitioner of Ethereal magic, and has other connections with Ether, such that the inside of his house in located in the Ethereal Void, and he thus travels to other worlds to obtain his reagents. Some people think Mythran is a Zealan, which would be supported by the fact that he possesses a Zealan Ceremonial Shield as well as great knowledge on Pagan history and what happened with the Zealans. While there is no concrete proof for this theory, it can neither be verified nor falsified. Mythran also has his hands on other magical artifacts such as the Recall Item, Korghin's Fang and the morphing object, as well as having a Recall Pad in his own house.

The people of Argentrock Isle

Stellos

Stellos is a living legend, having witnessed history, being about two centuries old.

From the manual (history section): Several years after the torrential rains ceased, a mystical voice contacted Stellos, a wizened follower of Stratos, while he was praying at Argentrock Isle. The voice identified herself as Stratos, ruler of Air. Stellos began telling others of the Mystic Voice, but they thought nothing of his insane ranting ... until he began performing miracles. Quickly it spread through the land that Stellos could aid the sick and draw truth from the lips of liars. Word of his powers reached Kalen, who brought to Stellos the body of his betrothed. The elderly man took Kalen's love to Windy Point and asked for the power to return her to life.

Stratos explained that the woman's body had been separated from her spirit for too long. It would be possible to breathe life into her, but only at great cost. Hoping to repay Kalen for his work in ending the rains, Stellos agreed to the unknown fee. Stratos permitted the determined man to send his spirit into the realm of Air. Farther and farther he went, facing tremendous winds. There he finally found a shimmering cloud at the very verge of the sky itself and something he later called the ethereal void. As he entered the cloud, the light of day confronted him; he was the first and, to this day, only Pagan to see sunlight in many generations. On the dark island below, his mouth opened and from it flowed the breath of life into the body of Kalen's beloved.

The old man, prepared to greet the lovers, returned to his body only to discover he had lost his vision - forever blinded by the sight of the sun. Kalen began to weep, but Stellos bade him stop. He was himself truly joyful at the sight he had witnessed far above the darkness of the clouds. To show his gratitude, Kalen commanded the rocky ground to form the walls for a stone construct to house and protect the old man. Here Stellos could pass on his knowledge of healing and purification throughout the ages, for with the power of resurrection came immortality. Stellos and his pupils became known as Theurgists, and together they were proclaimed the Order of Enlightenment. The Order was never wanting for students, for one Titan's violence was yet unquelled, and with the fires came always the wounded.

From the manual (people section): Stellos is a wise and kind man for whom the term elderly is more a measure of appearance than chronology, for his dealings with Stratos have left him immortal. Ever concerned for the welfare of others, he is perfectly suited for his role as instructor at the Order of Enlightenment. The only man alive from our tumultuous past, Stellos is a still-breathing legend who matches perfectly the stories of his heroic encounter in the realm of Air.

Cyrrus

Cyrrus is the young son of Gwillim and Corinth, who are farmers living in the Herdsman's Valley. He received influence in his earlier years as to what he should become. His father wanted him to be a farmer and continue the family tradition, which would end if he should choose a different occupation. Darion wanted him to be a guardsman. However, Cyrrus' vocation in life was to become a Theurgist as he always had wanted, and he had always loved tending to sick or injured animals. It was his mother who urged him to follow the path which he thought best for him. Therefore we find Cyrrus among the qualified Theurgists at Argentrock Isle. His function is to reveal Torwin's location when the Hear Truth spell is cast, and he does this when Torwin steals Xavier's focus.

Xavier

Xavier is also one of the major Theurgists of Argentrock Isle, and is the man who gives the Avatar the test of Wisdom and sends him to do the Test of Centeredness at Windy Point. His healing focus goes missing later on, when Torwin takes it to hopefully resurrect his father Toran.

Torwin

Torwin is first seen as one of the most promising aspiring Theurgists, having passed the first two tests before anyone else. However, he cannot seem to pass the third test. He later on steals Xavier's healing focus to attempt to resurrect his father Toran, but when the Avatar makes known to him that Toran's body is with the Lurker, Torwin commits suicide, leaving behind Xavier's healing focus and Torwin's ring. The Avatar is meant to return the healing focus to Xavier, and the ring to Towrin's mother, Rhian.

The people of Daemon's Crag

Malchir

Malchir has been the Master Sorcerer for as long as even Gorgrond can remember. When Gorgrond was a toddler, Malchir was already in his current position. He is one who protects his sanctum jealously, viciously attacking those who venture within without having been summoned. Those who think that Malchir was murdered by the Avatar in cold blood are wrong, as it is Malchir who attacks first, with the excuse that no one can violate his privacy. Malchir is called "Makhir" in the manual, and here is what it says about him:

From the manual - Makhir - Few know much about Malchir, the Master Sorcerer, and those who know anything at all are his fellow followers of fire. It is said he is a dark man, but no one knows whether his bitterness led him to, or is a result of, his status. There are those who speculate he bears a greater resemblance to the Daemons he commands than to normal men.

Vardion

Vardion is the First Acolyte, running the Enclave in Malchir's absence. He suspects Bane is up to something, and devises a plan to get rid of her. According to the player's choice, it is either Bane or Vardion who is killed by a Daemon. If he lives, he remains First Acolyte even when the Avatar becomes the Master Sorcerer.

Bane

Bane is one of the Acolytes on Daemon's Crag, and plans to kill Vardion to become First Acolyte. It is up to the player's chosen loyalty to determine who will live, the other being killed by a Daemon. If she lives, she is promoted to First Acolyte.

Gorgrond

Gorgrond, one of the Acolytes in the Enclave, is not known for intelligence. In fact, he is not clever enough to realise that he is easy to manipulate by the people he is most loyal to. From the argument between Bane and Vardion, Gorgrond sides with Vardion, and will be upset if you get Vardion killed. Gorgrond is also very provoking, and treats people as if they were his subjects.

Arcadion

Arcadion is the only Daemon Sorcerer in the Enclave, and his task is to assist new recruits in preparing for the tests of the Obsidian Fortress. He is known most widely for having the same name as the daemon we know from Ultima 7, but there is nothing that proves that they are one and the same. Despite the fact that their equal name may very well be just a coincidence, I think the developers wanted to put some sort of easter egg or memory from Ultima 7, although it is never explained whether they are the same or not and, if they are the same, how he got to Pagan.

The speaking dead

Necromancer

Ancient Necromancers rest in their tombs in the Lower Catacombs, within the mountain. Their tombs are normally decorated with marble, and their remains are placed on high altars or raised marble floors, usually with a flight of stairs. These Necromancers are sometimes disturbed by the passing by of an Apprentice Necromancer who seeks their counsel as well as their magical knowledge, though this happens little more frequently than once every generation. The last Necromancer there is to visit is Galious, who was the successor of Moriens, and who wrote the spell necessary to create a golem and gain access to the Hall of the Mountain King. However, Moriens' body is never found, despite the fact that his tomb stands in the Cemetery, and is the residence of the Necromancers.

Khumash-Gor

Khumash-Gor was once a great Zealan soldier, until he was assassinated. In memory of his once great honour, he was buried in the Zealan Shrine, and prizes the Obelisk Tip. No, the figure to the left is not Robinson Crusoe, it is Khumash-Gor's actual skeleton, which explodes and is replaced by a ghost, when you enter the tomb. As you are warned by the Zealan gods, Khumash-Gor will defend his treasures jealously even in death, but a mere Grant Peace spell will get him out of the way. According to history books, Khumash-Gor was one of the few who managed to reach the Zealan gods, after which he unified the warring Zealan tribes for a time, until he was assassinated, and the Zealan culture fell once again back into its state of warring tribes.

Common NPCs

Peasant Adult

Peasant Adults are encountered in Tenebrae, mostly in the poorer western regions. When attacked, they will summon Beren for help, who will bring the attacker to bits.

  • Armour Class: 10
  • Dexterity: 10-15
  • Damage: 2-5
  • Hit Points: 10-20
Peasant Child

Peasant Children usually live in Tenebrae, and those do not usually attack you, but it does happen to sometimes encounter a band of children which will attack you. This may happen in a wooden house on water in West Tenebrae and, sometimes, in the Obsidian Fortress at the Endure Heat test. When they do attack, they usually gather in large numbers to outnumber and defeat their enemy.

  • Armour Class: 5
  • Dexterity: 1
  • Damage: 7-14
  • Hit Points: 10-15
Theurgist

Theurgists studying at Argentrock Isle are usually too busy to fight, but can sometimes have a bad day and might cause some trouble. Usually, when attacked, they will simply teleport away, however.

  • Armour Class: 12
  • Dexterity: 12-16
  • Damage: 5-10
  • Hit Points: 17-24
Sorcerer

Sorcerers in Daemon's Crag are novices to the Enclave, attempting to master the first tests in order to become Disciples and advance in rank. They do not carry weapons, and are too busy to start fights, but when attacked, they will unleash the sorcery spells that they would have prepared, proving to be very dangerous.

  • Armour Class: 12
  • Dexterity: 12-16
  • Damage: 5-10
  • Hit Points: 17-24
Guard

Guards of Tenebrae, highly trained with bardiches, their job is to protect Tenebrae from any threats within the city, now that there is peace. They are well trained and will engage in combat with anyone seeking to cause trouble within the city.

  • Armour Class:25
  • Dexterity: 15-25
  • Damage: 8-15
  • Hit Points: 35-65

The Titans

Lithos

Lithos, also known as the Mountain King, is the Titan of Earth. His name, "Lithos", means "stone", and he resides in the Hall of the Mountain King, reached through Stone Cove. Lithos, being in power over the element of Earth, has the power over earth and all that is in it. Therefore, he also has power over the dead who are buried on land. However, people who die at sea do not form part of Lithos' legion, and instead become part of Hydros' army of undead minions.

In Pagan history, when Lithos shook the earth incessantly, it was Moriens who went to see why the Titan was doing it. Lithos was apparently upset by the fact that he was not properly respected. Moriens resolved to fix the situation, and from then, a pact was formed, in which all the dead would be given to Lithos. Moriens became the first Necromancer, and the Necromancers, till this day, are responsible for fulfilling the pact with Lithos and interring the dead, sending them to him. Lithos keeps his corresponding blackrock fragment - the Heart of Earth - in the Pit of the Dead.

Stratos

Stratos, known also as the Mystic Voice, is the Titan of Air, and appears to be the kindest of the Titans. Stratos confers upon her followers, the Theurgists, the ability to heal people. This started long ago in Pagan history when Hydros had killed Alexis, Kalen's lover. Kalen, after using his Necromantic powers and the Tear of the Seas to seal Hydros at Carthax Lake, begged Stellos to do something about Alexis. Stellos would pay an unknown price to have Alexis raised, and did the resurrection.

After visiting the Plane of Air and seeing the Sun, Stellos was blind, but Kalen had his lover back. Kalen, to thank Stellos, manipulated the earth at Argentrock Isle to found a monastery for Stellos where he could teach other Theurgists. Stratos would allow Theurgists to use her magic, Theurgy, through the Breath of Air, her corresponding blackrock fragment. In its absence, the link is cut and the magic does not work. Stellos also dies.

There is an essay about Stratos on the Other Codex (Internet Archive), discussing whether Stratos was good or evil.

Hydros

Hydros is the most treacherous and deceitful of all the Titans. Also known as the Lurker, she continues to gain victims from the sea thanks to her minions even though she is imprisoned in Carthax Lake. Kalen, long in Pagan history, had imprisoned her after she had killed his lover, Alexis. He had used the Tear of the Seas, her corresponding fragment of the blackrock obelisk, to cut off connections with the sea, knowing that her waves could not wear away the blackrock.

When he was about to use it to take away all the water from around her and kill her, he was stopped by her pleading. She would return Alexis' body, and confer upon him and his bloodline the power of Tempestry, if he refrained from killing her. He accepted the deal, and Hydros remains at Carthax Lake until she is freed by the Avatar, who she deceives into thinking that she would give him her power of Tempestry while breaking the deal.

Pyros

Pyros, another Titan in captivity, was bound by five Theurgists using the Tongue of Flame. Since then, Pyros had to do the bidding of the Sorcerers, being under their control. He would also have to allow them to use their magic. Pyros, the Lord of Flame, holds control over the volcano of Mount Morgaelin, and could submerge Pagan in lava should he become free. However, when Pyros is freed by the Avatar, he only resorts to showering the land with fire. He resembles very much a daemon, and in fact daemons are his own legion of undead. After facing the Avatar in the Plane of Fire, however, even he faces a defeat by his corresponding blackrock fragment - the Tongue of Flame - that once was used to captivate him and another time to free him.

Avatar

Avatar, the fifth Titan. Unlike the other Titans, the Avatar starts off as a regular human being, only becoming a Titan at the end of his sojourn in Pagan. It was the Zealan gods in the Shrine of the Ancient Ones who first mentioned to him that there was a fifth element and that he was to become the Titan of Ether. In that same place, within the Tomb of Khumash-Gor, the Avatar found his corresponding blackrock fragment - the tip of the obelisk that had been formed so much time ago. Once the other Titans were defeated, the Avatar used the Obelisk Tip on himself to gain the power of a Titan, and, with all five fragments charged, reformed the Obelisk and left Pagan through it.

External Info

Mike's RPG Center has a list of NPCs including their name, location, job, and notes. Funnily enough, the title of this list is "Citizens of Brittania".