Virtues
Since the Stygian Abyss Expansion is going to be brought in with a series of Events surrounding the Virtues I figured its bout time to get you all into the hype.
First of all here is some basic Info about the virtues:
The Ultima series featured a Virtue system that the player was required to follow in the game as the Avatar. These Virtues were inspired in part by the codes of chivalry and the Eightfold Path of Buddhism, and were created specifically for Ultima.
Strangely enough, The Wizard of Oz also played a part in the creation of the virtues, with designer Richard Garriott stating at one time that the three companions of Dorothy Gale could be linked to the three principles — Scarecrow (Truth), Tin Woodsman (Love) and Cowardly Lion (Courage). This is also alluded to in Ultima VI and Ultima VII, where one can find a copy of the book - the description blurb the game gives alludes to this relationship as well. Lord British claims it is his favorite book.
The Eight Virtues explored in Ultima are based on Three Principles:
Truth
Lycaeum
Book of Truth
Love
Empath Abbey
Candle of Love
Courage
Serpent's Hold
Bell of Courage
These Principles are themselves derived from the Axiom of Infinity, which is represented in Castle Britannia.
The Eight Virtues
The Principles are combined to form the following Eight Virtues:
Virtue: Honesty
Principles: Pure Truth
Towns associated: Moonglow
Mantra: Ahm
Player Class: Mage
Dungeon: Deceit
Color: Blue
Symbol: Open hand
Word of Power: Fallax
Virtue: Compassion
Principles: Pure Love
Towns associated: Britain¹, Cove
Mantra: Mu
Player Class: Bard
Dungeon: Despise
Color: Yellow
Symbol: Heart
Word of Power: Vilis
Virtue: Valor
Principles: Pure Courage
Towns associated: Jhelom
Mantra: Ra
Player Class: Fighter
Dungeon: Destard
Color: Red
Symbol: Sword
Word of Power: Inopia
Virtue: Justice
Principles: Truth, Love
Towns associated: Yew
Mantra: Beh
Player Class: Druid
Dungeon: Wrong
Color: Green
Symbol: Scales
Word of Power: Malum
Virtue:Sacrifice
Principles: Love, Courage
Towns associated: Minoc
Mantra: Cah
Player Class: Tinker
Dungeon: Covetous
Color: Orange
Symbol: Tear
Word of Power: Avidus
Virtue: Honor
Principles: Truth, Courage
Towns associated: Trinsic
Mantra: Summ
Player Class: Paladin
Dungeon: Shame
Color: Purple
Symbol: Chalice
Word of Power: Infama
Virtue: Spirituality
Principles: Truth, Love, and Courage
Towns associated: Skara Brae
Mantra: Om
Player Class: Ranger
Dungeon: Hythloth, (Abyss in U9)
Color: White
Symbol: Ankh
Word of Power: Ignavus
Virtue: Humility
Principles: Truth, Love, and Courage independently
Towns associated: New Magincia²
Mantra: Lum
Player Class: Shepherd
Dungeon: Doom (Hythloth in U9)
Color: Black
Symbol: Shepherd staff
Word of Power: Veramocor
Notes:
1. Britain is the original town of Compassion, Cove is nearest the shrine.
2. Magincia was destroyed by demons for its Pride (Pride's mantra is Mul, the reverse of Humility's mantra). New Magincia, built in its ruins, was founded on Humility.
The Embodiment of the Virtues in the game is the Avatar, the character who the player is roleplaying. He (or she) is commonly seen with an Ankh which represents life.
The relationship between the Principles and Virtues is often explained this way:
Honesty is respect for Truth
Compassion is Love of others
Valor is Courage to stand up against risks
Justice is Truth, tempered by Love
Sacrifice is Courage to give oneself in name of Love
Honor is Courage to seek and uphold the Truth
Spirituality is to seek Truth, Love and Courage from one's own self and the world around
Humility is the opposite of Pride - the absence of Truth, Love or Courage
Humility is the most difficult Virtue to describe, as it cannot really be understood without its Anti-Virtue, Pride. Pride merely has nothing to do with Truth, Love and Courage; Humility is similar, but rather than being a complete antithesis, it exists independently of the Principles and acts as their foundation.
The ghosts of New Magincia also have a few things to say about Humility and pride, from which the following may be constructed:
Humility: The absence of Truth, Love, and Courage is Pride. Pride is the surest measure of goals never attained. Pride goeth before, Shame cometh after. This Shame leads to awareness of Humility, the root from which all Virtues grow. Humility is to strip oneself of all conceits.
The Principles of the Shadowlords
In Ultima V, each of the Shadowlords opposed one of the three Principles.
Cowardice
Courage
Nosfentor
Hatred
Love
Astaroth
Falsehood
Truth
Faulinei
More info found here
Ultima Wikia
Wikipedia