Ultima Underworld: The Stygian Abyss

Story

Setting Ultima Underworld is set in Britannia, the fantasy world of the Ultima series. The game takes place in a large underground dungeon, the Great Stygian Abyss. The entrance to the dungeon is located on the Isle of the Avatar, which is ruled by Baron Almric. The Abyss first appeared in Ultima IV: Quest of the Avatar, where it contains the player's final objective, the Codex of Ultimate Wisdom. Ultima Underworld is set after the events of Ultima VI: The False Prophet; in the time between the two games, a man named Cabirus attempted to establish a utopian colony in the Abyss. The eight settlements of the Ultima series each embody one of eight virtues, and Cabirus wanted to create a ninth that embodied all of them. To achieve this, he united different cultures and ethnicities in peaceful coexistence and planned to promote harmony by gifting each group one of the eight virtuous magical artifacts. However, he died before he could distribute the artifacts and left no instructions for them. As a result, the colony collapsed into anarchy and war, and the artifacts were lost. At the time of Ultima Underworld, the Abyss contains the remains of Cabirus' colony, inhabited by feuding groups of humans, goblins, trolls and others. Story Before the game begins, the wizard brothers Garamon and Tyball, who live in the Abyss, accidentally summon a demon, the Slasher of Veils, while experimenting with interdimensional travel. Garamon is used as bait to lure the demon into a room imbued with virtue. However, the demon offers Tyball great power if he betrays Garamon. Tyball agrees, but the betrayal fails; Garamon is killed, but the demon is sealed in the room. Lacking virtue, Tyball cannot re-enter the room alone and plans to sacrifice Baron Almric's daughter, Arial, at the door to gain access. In the game's introduction, the spirit of Garamon haunts the Avatar's dreams and warns him of a great danger in Britannia. The Avatar allows Garamon to take him there, where he observes Tyball kidnapping Arial. Tyball escapes and leaves the Avatar behind, who is captured by the Baron's guards. The guards take him to the Baron, who banishes him to the Great Stygian Abyss to rescue Arial. After the introduction, the Avatar explores the dungeon and finds remnants of Cabirus' colony. Possible scenarios include deciding the fate of two warring goblin tribes, learning a language and playing an instrument to complete a task. The Avatar eventually defeats Tyball and frees Arial.