Editing Ultima (series) (section)

===Main series===
====The Age of Darkness: ''Ultima&nbsp;I–III''====

In ''[[Ultima&nbsp;I: The First Age of Darkness]]'' ([[1981 in video gaming|1981]]),<ref>{{citation|magazine=[[Computer Gaming World]]|date=September–October 1982|volume=2|issue=5|page=2|title=List of Top Sellers}}</ref> the Stranger is first summoned to Sosaria to defeat the evil wizard [[Mondain]] who aims to enslave it. Since Mondain possesses the Gem of [[Immortality]], which makes him invulnerable, the Stranger locates a [[Time travel|time machine]], travels back in time to kill Mondain before he creates the Gem, and shatters the incomplete [[artifact (fantasy)|artifact]].

''[[Ultima&nbsp;II: The Revenge of the Enchantress]]'' ([[1982 in video gaming|1982]]) details Mondain's secret student and lover [[Minax (Ultima)|Minax]]'s attempt to avenge him. When Minax launches an attack on the Stranger's homeworld of Earth, her actions cause doorways to open to various times and locations throughout Earth's history, and brings forth legions of monsters to all of them. The Stranger, after obtaining the Quicksword that alone can harm her, locates the evil sorceress at Castle Shadowguard at the origin of time and defeats her.

''[[Ultima&nbsp;III: Exodus]]'' ([[1983 in video gaming|1983]]) reveals that Mondain and Minax had an offspring, the eponymous Exodus, "neither human, nor machine", according to the later games (it is depicted as a computer at the conclusion of the game, and it appears to be a [[demon]]ic, self-aware [[artificial intelligence]]). Some time after Minax's death, Exodus starts its own attack on Sosaria and the Stranger is summoned once again to destroy it. ''Exodus'' was the first installment of the series featuring a [[role-playing game#Game systems|player party system]], which was used in many later games.

====The Age of Enlightenment: ''Ultima&nbsp;IV–VI''====
''[[Ultima&nbsp;IV: Quest of the Avatar]]'' ([[1985 in video gaming|1985]]) marked a turning point in the series from the traditional "[[hero]] vs. [[villain]]" plots, instead introducing a complex [[alignment (role-playing games)|alignment system]] based upon the [[#Virtues|Eight Virtues]] derived from the combinations of the Three Principles of Love, Truth and Courage. Although Britannia now prospers under Lord British's rule, he fears for his subjects' spiritual well-being and summons the Stranger again to become a [[spiritual leader]] of Britannian people by example. Throughout the game, the Stranger's actions determine how close he comes to this [[ideal (ethics)|ideal]]. Upon achieving enlightenment in every Virtue, he can reach the Codex of Ultimate Wisdom and becomes the "Avatar", the embodiment of Britannia's virtues.

In ''[[Ultima&nbsp;V: Warriors of Destiny]]'' ([[1988 in video gaming|1988]]), the Avatar returns to Britannia to find that after Lord British had been lost in the [[Underworld]], [[Lord Blackthorn]], who rules in his stead, was corrupted by the Shadowlords and enforces a [[political radicalism|radically twisted]] vision of the Virtues, deviating considerably from their original meaning. The Avatar and [[The Companions of the Avatar|his companions]] proceed to rescue the true king, overthrow the tyrant, and restore the Virtues in their true form.

''[[Ultima&nbsp;VI: The False Prophet]]'' ([[1990 in video gaming|1990]]) details the invasion of Britannia by [[Gargoyle]]s, which the Avatar and his companions have to repel. Over the course of the game, it is revealed that the Gargoyles have valid reasons to loathe the Avatar. Exploring the themes of [[racism]] and [[xenophobia]], the game tasks the Avatar with understanding and reconciling two seemingly opposing cultures.

====The Age of Armageddon: ''Ultima&nbsp;VII–IX''====
''[[Ultima VII: The Black Gate]]'' ([[1992 in video gaming|1992]]) sees the Avatar entangled in the plan of an ostensibly virtuous and benevolent organization named the Fellowship (inspired by [[Scientology]])<ref>''Prima's official strategy guide – Ultima Ascension'', page 271</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.gamasutra.com/view/feature/1571/the_history_of_computer_.php?page=3 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071027093514/http://www.gamasutra.com/view/feature/1571/the_history_of_computer_.php?page=3 |url-status=dead |archive-date=October 27, 2007 |title=Features – The History of Computer Role-Playing Games Part III: The Platinum and Modern Ages (1994–2004) |website=Gamasutra |access-date=2012-09-02}}</ref> to create a gateway for the evil entity known as the Guardian to enter Britannia. Though all of the main line of ''Ultima'' games are arranged into trilogies, Richard Garriott later revealed that ''Ultima&nbsp;VII'' was the first game where he did any sort of planning ahead for future games in the series. He elaborated that "the first three didn't have much to do with each other, they were 'Richard Garriott learns to program'; IV through VI were a backwards-designed trilogy, in the sense that I tied them together as I wrote them; but VII-IX, the story of the Guardian, were a preplanned trilogy, and we had a definite idea of where we wanted to go."<ref>{{cite magazine|title=NG Alphas: Ultima&nbsp;IX: Ascension |magazine=[[Next Generation (magazine)|Next Generation]]|issue=22 |publisher=[[Imagine Media]] |date=October 1996|pages=154–5}}</ref> An [[expansion pack]] was released named ''[[Forge of Virtue]]'' that added a newly arisen volcanic island to the map that the Avatar was invited to investigate. The tie-in storyline was limited to this island, where a piece of Exodus (his data storage unit) had resurfaced. To leave the island again, the Avatar had to destroy this remnant of Exodus. In the process of doing so, he also created The Black Sword, an immensely powerful weapon possessed by a demon.

''[[Ultima VII Part Two: Serpent Isle]]'' ([[1993 in video gaming|1993]]) was released as the second part of ''Ultima&nbsp;VII'' because it used the same game engine as ''Ultima&nbsp;VII''. According to interviews, Richard Garriott felt it therefore did not warrant a new number. Production was rushed due to deadlines set to the developers, and the storyline was cut short; remains of the original, longer storyline can be found in the database. Following the Fellowship's defeat, its founder [[Batlin (Ultima)|Batlin]] flees to the Serpent Isle, pursued by the Avatar and companions. Serpent Isle is revealed as another fragment of former Sosaria, and its history which is revealed throughout the game provides many explanations and ties up many loose ends left over from the Age of Darkness era. Magical storms herald the unraveling of the dying world's very fabric, and the game's mood is notably melancholic, including the voluntary sacrificial death of a long-standing companion of the Avatar, Dupre. By the end of the game, the Avatar is abducted by the Guardian and thrown into another world, which becomes the setting for the next game in the series. ''[[Ultima VII Part Two: Serpent Isle#The Silver Seed expansion|The Silver Seed]]'' was an expansion pack for ''Ultima&nbsp;VII Part 2'' where the Avatar travels back in time to plant a silver seed, thus balancing the forces that hold the Serpent Isle together. Like ''Forge of Virtue'', the expansion contained an isolated sub-quest that was irrelevant to the main game's storyline, but provided the Avatar with a plethora of useful and powerful artifacts.

In ''[[Ultima VIII: Pagan]]'' ([[1994 in video gaming|1994]]), the Avatar finds himself exiled by the Guardian to a world called "Pagan". The Britannic Principles and Virtues are unknown here. Pagan is ruled by the Elemental Titans, [[god]]-like servants of the Guardian. The Avatar defeats them with their own magic, ascending to demi-godhood himself, and finally returns to Britannia. A planned expansion pack, ''The Lost Vale'', was canceled after ''Ultima&nbsp;VIII'' failed to meet sales expectations.

''[[Ultima&nbsp;IX: Ascension]]'' ([[1999 in video gaming|1999]]), the final installment of the series, sees Britannia conquered and its Virtues corrupted by the Guardian. The Avatar has to cleanse and restore them. The Guardian is revealed to be the evil part of the Avatar himself, expelled from him when he became the Avatar. To stop it, he has to merge with it, destroying himself as a separate entity. The [[Ultima IX: Ascension#Original plot|unreleased version of the plot]] featured a more [[apocalyptic and post-apocalyptic fiction|apocalyptic]] ending, with the Guardian and Lord British killed, Britannia destroyed, and the Avatar ascending to a higher plane of existence.

====Collections====
* ''Ultima Trilogy'' (1989) – an early compilation of the first three ''Ultima'' games released for the Apple II, Commodore 64 and DOS by Origin Systems.
* ''Ultima: The Second Trilogy'' (1992) – a later trilogy of the second three ''Ultima'' games released by Origin Systems for Commodore 64 and DOS.
* ''Ultima&nbsp;I–VI Series'' (1992) – a compilation of the first six ''Ultima'' games and published for DOS by [[Software Toolworks]]. Includes reprints of the instruction manuals and original maps.
* ''Ultima Collection'' (February 1998)<ref>{{cite web|first=Harley|last=Jebens|url=http://headline.gamespot.com/news/98_01/14_larry/index.html|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20001019032222/http://headline.gamespot.com/news/98_01/14_larry/index.html|title=Origin's Ultima Overdose|website=[[GameSpot]]|archivedate=October 19, 2000|date=January 14, 1998|accessdate=September 2, 2022}}</ref> – a [[CD-ROM]] collection of the first eight ''Ultima'' computer games published for DOS and Microsoft Windows 95/98, including their expansion packs. Includes a complete atlas of each game's map, a PC port of ''Akalabeth'', and a sneak preview of ''Ultima&nbsp;IX''.