The Role of Class Titles in New Britannia

So it was suggested to me awhile back this might make an interesting topic. Just was is the significance of class titles in New Britannia?

As any long time Ultima fan knows.. Ultima originally started out with a class system. In Ultima IV that system evolved into each Virtue being represented by a character class. Later, the class system was dropped but those class titles remained.

Fighter - Valor
Mage - Honesty
Bard - Compassion
Druid - Justice
Paladin - Honor
Ranger - Spirituality
Tinker - Sacrifice
Shepherd - Humility

These are all pretty basic titles that can just as easily be used to describe a person's general principles, profession or life style (or most any combination of such).

I suppose the question on my mind would be.. will any associate remain between those old class titles and their respective virtues. Should they? Would anyone be aware of it?

As for the appearance of these titles in Tracy's books (I think Paladins are mentioned in BotA), I probably wouldn't want to read anything beyond 'ok he's a paladin'..

 

Not only paladins but sorcery and necromancing as well. is mentioned as well. Pirates, scouts, and bandits would be rogues I suppose. I am sure there are more but thats all I can think of off hand.

 

I would hope some of if not all of these are somehow tied to the game.

 

Tinker - Sacrifice

You listed Druid twice

 

Fixed.. thanks..

 

I don't know that those (apart from paladins) were ever considered classes At least they were never player classes.

 

Not sure, The rogue class and the magic user class have been popular classes in the past. Not sure about in Ultima though.

 

Ultima III had a lot of classes which were then removed Its interesting to think about how the different schools of magic can link to the virtues.

Also, at one point, RG was talking about how theoretically much more than 8 virtues could exist and suggested this could be evident in the new world.

 

I just don't think we're going to see the eight virtues in this game, so I see no way to really link any classes to them.
At least not officially.
Perhaps with truth, love, and courage as the three new virtues, there can unofficially be titles tied to the eight.

Hmmm...

 

The only new virtue I'd like to see added is patience. Lot of people could benefit from learning to have some.

Anything before Ultima IV gets a bit interesting. Ultima III had player races which would be interesting if they could somehow tie that in. Including elves and fuzzies! I've always imagined that fuzzies were actually the Emps from Ultima VII.. but elves were never really referenced again. Likewise I believe half-elf was also available.. Dwarf I think was also there? Might be wrong about that.. would have to look it up.

Ultima III magic would be an interesting subject to delve into from an RP aspect with the Cults of Truth and Runes. A nod to them somewhere in the story would be cool. Representing two primary schools of magic between destruction and healing & utilities.

At any rate.. I do look at class titles in the sense of life style & career rather than reference to game mechanics and that's where I think it should all stay.

 

I don't know that you're really want to make an official connection. It's just that some professions naturally lend themselves more towards one virtue or another. This is at least the case with paladins and fighters.

To look at a profession like Tinkers.. that's got nothing to do with virtue at all.. the association then I think would come from the town's culture rather than as an extention of a tinker's personal beliefs. Minoc had that culture going on in addition to a culture of art and tinkering. I would probably say the same of druids as well.

For mages I think it would be more of an extention of a philosophy of seeking the true nature of things.

 

So, perhaps a mage that specialized in healing and protection could be a Shepherd? Something like that?

 

Well no I wouldn't assign titles like that. Though I see nothing wrong with a mage also being a sheperd.. I wouldn't involve game mechanics in any way. I'm just talking story here.