Linguistic Dragon has finished his playthrough of Ultima 4:

A full party of eight, comprised of one each of the eight professions of Britannia. They were like us, yet not – one last reminder of the fact that we must all face ourselves before we can truly gain wisdom. It was a little jarring to see these simulacra just on the other side of the room, knowing we would have to fight our way past them in order to proceed. Though the look Shamino gave his own counterpart was apparently enough to send him fleeing before a single blow was thrown. We were glad for our ranged weaponry, it meant we could fight without having to see up-close just how accurate these facsimiles of ourselves were. However they might have looked like us, though, they were no match for our fighting skills, and after another bout with balrons, gazers, dragons, and demons – we were at the final altar. It was somewhat tremulously that I answered the voice from nowhere this time, and with shaky hands that I placed the black stone in its proper resting place.

And then… darkness. I called out for my companions, but there was no response – I was in this chamber alone. Perhaps this chamber was reserved for those who had become an eight-part avatar. As my eyes grew accustomed to the dark, I noticed a keyhole, shaped just like the key of Three Parts that I had formed in the dungeon altar rooms. A booming voice demanded the Word of Passage, which I called out in reply. And then the voice asked me a series of questions, asking about the nature of the virtues, the principles – and as I answered them, I slowly saw a design being etched into the stone before me, a design that looked vaguely familiar. Then I remembered it – the last page of the Book of History, imploring me to study that image well, for when I next looked upon it, my “life’s quest would be revealed.” The visions I had received at the shrines suddenly came together as I was asked one final question, and as I answered it, I felt the rumble as stone moved, revealing the resting place of the Codex of Ultimate Wisdom.

I had done it.

I had finished the Quest Lord British had bestowed – and taken up a new one, for the Quest of the Avatar, as the Codex told me, is forever.

Of course, he’ll still have at least one more post about Ultima 4, since that is his wont — he always takes time to discuss and review a game after having completed it. Because this is his favourite Ultima, I would expect that he’ll have quite a lot to say about it…yes, even more than he has already said.

As always, you’re advised to click on through and read the whole thing; Linguistic has written far, far more than what I have excerpted here.