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Ghosts
Ghost
Ghost, from Memoirs of Sir Cabirus
Variants: Dire Ghost<br\>Red Haunt<br\>Spirits
First appearance: Ultima II
Last appearance: Ultima IX

Ghosts are the spirits of those whose bodies have died, but whose spirits are unable to go on. There are two sorts of ghosts; If the spirit is strong enough, it will retain its form and personality, and thus remain peaceful - these are called spirits.

However, should the mind be lost, the ghost will start to look much more ethereal, and become aggressive. Ghosts can float through walls, and attack with magic. Often, only magical weapons can finally bring these wandering spirits to a final rest.

If ghosts aren't summoned to do a wizard's bidding, they can be found in dungeons, graveyards, or wherever they met their end.

Ghosts have remained similar in all Ultimas, with a few notable differences:

In Ultima II, a ghost could extinguish light, whether created by torch or by spell. In Ultima IV, ghosts first displayed their ability to pass through solid objects, and in Ultima V they were able to vanish from sight. As of Ultima VI, ghosts extended their invisibility to allow themselves to attack unseen.

Pagan ghosts were only susceptible to magical weapons in melee combat, but could be defeated by using the Grant Peace spell. They would ambush their enemies by appearing out of thin air, and had the ability to summon ghouls to their aid. Pagan ghosts could also pull their heads off, which would in turn seek out the Avatar and explode in close proximity (on rare occasions, these floating heads could be found independent from their ghostly bodies). Strangely however, ghosts in Pagan are unable to pass through walls.

In Ultima IX, ghosts took two forms. The traditional ghosts resemble transparent humans, who would attack the Avatar with their ethereal weapons. Spectres resemble floating, vaguely human, apparitions which would drain the spellcaster's mana, and could only be destroyed with magic

In both Ultima Underworlds, we also meet two new varieties of ghost, which are both much more dangerous: the Dire Ghost and the Red Haunt.

Lore[]

Ghost-u5d

A ghost (Ultima V, dungeon)

The restless spirits of those trapped between planes, Ghosts can pass through walls, so use extreme caution when they are thought to be nearby. Evil Ghosts are often found in ruins, battlefields and crypts.

- from The History of Britannia (Ultima IV)

Spirits of the uneasy dead, these bodiless creatures compensate for their lack of strength with excellent dexterity and the ability to disappear at will. Although ghosts do not inflict much damage with a blow, defeating them will require cunning.

- from The Book of Lore (Ultima V)

Ghosts are generally found in cemeteries and other places of the dead, though their movements are all but unlimited. These ethereal spirits pass easily through solid walls and other obstacles, making them difficult to chase and difficult to elude. Though they do not possess great strength, their mobility and ability to use magic make them a force to be reckoned with.

- from Compendium (Ultima VI)

Ghost2

Our Seers have been at a loss to explain the presence of the several types of spectral beings which are sometimes found within the Underworld. We do not know whether these are the spirits of Britannia's dead or merely beasts of an ethereal nature. The typical Ghost is no match for an experienced warrior, as two or three well placed blows will quench its essence, and in such a short fight the specter cannot seriously injure its foe. More dangerous are the rarer, more powerful ghostforms. The White Ghost, which differs from a typical ghost by being opaque and blazingly white in hue, is more substantial in this plane and thus much mor difficult to slay. Therefore, combat against this foe typically takes much longer - and the White Ghost can easily slay its foe in such a span of time!

- from Memoirs of Sir Cabirus (Ultima Underworld)

This magical spirit of the dead has the power to move through solid walls and has been known to use magic. It can appear anywhere, but tends to frequent graveyards or places significant to the life of the deceased.

- from The Book of Fellowship (Ultima VII)

Pghost

The dead of Britannia do not always lie quietly. Occasionally, one who has died will not depart in good order, but instead something called a ghost will arise in his place. Ghosts are frequently malevolent, and can sap heat from the human body, as if drawing it off into some infinite reservoir of cold. The pale white ghost is easily dispersed into air, but the dire ghost and the reddish haunt have a more tenacious hold on their unnatural existence.

- from A Safe Passage Through Britannia (Ultima Underworld II)

Manifestations of the remains of the deceased, ghosts are known for their ability to ignore most natural laws, floating about at whim. Presumably in deference to their origin, ghosts tend to gravitate toward locations relevant to the dead.

- from Beyond the Serpent Pillars (Ultima VII Part Two)

Ghosts3

These ethereal creatures carry the embittered spirits of people who were wronged or cursed in death. Oft encountered near their final resting place, they kill with the gentlest touch. In consuming the energy of life, they feed the rage of the undead till whatever wrong done to them has been righted. At will, ghosts can phase in and out of the ethereal void. Thus, the constraints of wall and door have little hold upon them. In this plane, these apparitions resemble humans, albeit in a translucent form. To defeat a ghost requires light feet and sturdy magic.

- from Journal (Ultima IX)

The spirit of a mage defeated in battle may return as a spectre. In seeking revenge, a spectre draws magical strength from its foes. Their sapping of your mana limits attacks in return, as they are immune to weapons of iron and steel. In combat, spare no magical attack, for a failure to defeat a spectre may leave your spirit eternity to contemplate your error. Spectres resemble ghostly skeletons of a barely human form.

- from Journal (Ultima IX)

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