List of Ultima characters

This is a list of significant or recurring characters in the Ultima series of computer games, indicating the games in which they appeared.

The Avatar is the main character in the series. The Avatar is first known as the Stranger from another world, who defeats Mondain, Minax, and their spawn, Exodus. The Stranger becomes the Avatar once his goal changes to following the path of the Virtues, and retrieving the Codex of Ultimate Wisdom from the Great Stygian Abyss. This is noted as one of the first uses of "Avatar" in the virtual context. In the fifth episode, the Avatar defeats a repressive regime over Britannia, and in the sixth he brings peace between men and gargoyles. In the first part of the seventh episode, the Avatar infiltrates the Fellowship in order to stop the Guardian from entering Britannia; in the second part, the Avatar prevents imbalance from destroying the universe and receives the title of the Hierophant of Balance. In the eighth episode, the Avatar escapes the world of Pagan by defeating the four Titans, becoming the Titan of Ether. In the ninth and final episode, the Avatar defeats the Guardian by destroying both himself and the Guardian with the Armageddon spell. The Avatar is also the main character in both Ultima Underworld games.

The Avatar can be customized as a male or female in many of the games. Later games allow the customization of skin and hair color as well. The default Avatar is depicted as a blond-haired, blue-eyed male. The character is noted as the first to have a selection between genders and races, and the female version is noted to be "feminine, but not hypersexual." The Avatar's trademark clothing often includes a suit of chain mail, with a white, red or orange tunic over it, and a red cape. An ankh is usually part of the Avatar's clothing. Typically, the character is also shown wielding a sword. In Ultima VIII, the Avatar's face is obscured by a large helmet. The Avatar is voiced by J.C. Shakespeare in Ultima IX.

The Avatar was initially designed to be a blank slate through which players could reflect their own personalityUltima was one of the first computer games to allow players to choose their gender and race. However, the Avatar eventually evolved to take on a more specific appearance and character.

The Eight Companions are the ones who join the Stranger in his quest to attain the Avatarhood in Ultima IV (in fact, only seven of them join the Stranger in the game; the one who has the same profession as the Stranger will not join the party, as that profession's role is fulfilled by the Stranger). They are special in the way that each of them originally practices a particular profession which connects with one of the eight virtues and the town of that virtue. They are the Avatar's first ever followers, and many of them join the Avatar again in subsequent adventures. Starting from Ultima IV, the Eight Companions appear in all the primary games of the series that are set in Britannia, i.e., Ultima IV, V, VI, VII (Part I) and IX, and many of them can be asked to join the Avatar's party in these games. Some of them take up other professions in later games.

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