From Editable Codex
Trammel and Felucca in Ultima IX
The Planet Britannia is circled by two moons: the twin moons of
Trammel and
Felucca. Both of them show Britannia always the same side, while they circle around it in 28 days. While barren and lifeless, they play a big part in the working of the blue
Moongates. It is pending on their phases, where the blue Moongates lead to on Britannia.
Trammel is the bigger of the two moons. In the gate systems of Ultima III and Ultima IV, it is the phase of this moon that determines the gate that is currently open. In later Ultimas, Trammel is the moon whose phase is the destination gate for the first half of the night.
Trammel and Felucca in Ultima VI
Felucca is the smaller of the two moons. In the gate systems of Ultima III and IV, it is the phase of this moon that determines the gate that is the destination. In later Ultimas, Felucca is the moon whose phase is the destination gate for the second half of the night.
The moons played a part in the story of Ultima IX. Sadly, the story was badly written, and actually made no sense at all.
[edit] Appearance in the games
Ultima IX in-game graphics
Strangely enough, for the fact that these two moons play a big role in the games, their graphic representation was strangely lacking. In Ultima III, they were only represented with numbers, in Ultima IV and V with small moon phase icons. The first "real" look at them was in the intro of
Ultima VI, at the sacrifice scene. However, their phases were totally off, the moons lying on the side. Other than that, again the moon phase icons were used. In Ultima VII, the only hint of them was the moon models on the orrery in
Moonglow.
In Ultima IX, the moons where shown in-game and in a cutscene, however, they didn't look alike. While in the cutscene, Trammel and Felucca where both white, in-game Trammel was a little reddish. Still, probably the best graphical appearance.
