quote:

---

Name: Pixie (plural: Pixies)
Disposition: Outgoing, free-spirited, tricksters.
Locale: Usually found in forests and jungles.
Organization: Live in small villages.

Physical Description
Pixies are very small, very beautiful humanoids (ranging between 2.5 to 3 feet tall) with elongated elf-like ears and relatively large wings protruding from their backs. A pixie's complexion can range in a variety of colors including shades of blue, orange, and green. Pixie wings are often translucent. They use their wings to fly (although they cannot reach much higher than a few feet off the ground) and rarely actually touch the ground, preferring to hover when not moving. A pixie's wings are constantly flapping at a very quick pace.

History
Pixies were created by the Guardian in an attempt to thwart the work of the Avatar in Alucinor. As an experiment, he created the pixies as beautiful diminutive creatures, believing this to be the perfect way to lull the good races of Alucinor into a false sense of security.

The pixies were given free reign over their exploits on behalf of the Guardian and he trusted them to cause as much chaos as possible. The Guardian ordered the pixies to work towards the destruction of the good races and warned them not to betray him. He told them that only when they had completed their mission would he grant them gifts and make them even more beautiful! The female pixies used their allure to distract would-be heroes from their adventuring. They entered the human, elven, and gargoyle towns to cause disruptions and mayhem whenever possible through subtle deceptions and rumor mongering. The male pixies used far more direct methods, including assassinations and sabotage, although usually remaining out of sight.

Over time, the female pixies acclimated into the other races' societies and although some people remained suspicious of them, pixies were generally considered friendly. The male pixies remained out of sight for the most part, however, acting as the unseen enforcers of the female pixie's plots. Eventually, their subtlety became so effective that even the most astute townsperson would never know that the latest brawl or decaying crops had been the work of the pixies. The female pixies learned much of the other races, including their relationship with the Avatar and his undying love for his people. This troubled the female pixies somewhat, but they pushed aside any feelings of guilt in the hopes of pleasing their master.

Unfortunately for the pixies, however, they plied their trade of deception too well! The Guardian, witnessing their outward friendliness and even helpfulness to the good races, assumed the pixies had switched sides and quickly decided his experiment was a failure. He had to act quickly while the Avatar's hold on Alucinor was still fragile if he had any chance of destroying it. The Guardian turned his back on the pixies and began to plot more direct attacks against the people of Alucinor.

The lack of support from their patron sent an immediate shockwave through the pixie community. Without the Guardian's direction and promise of gifts they had lost their purpose in life. Soon, a divide formed between the male and the female pixies. The males continued to beg the Guardian for forgiveness in an attempt to gain his favor again. But the females, having spent far more time with the good races than the males, felt a bitter betrayal when compared to the unconditional support they witnessed from the Avatar to his people. Eventually, the two sides parted ways.

The male pixies ventured off into a dark corner of Alucinor and began pleading and begging into the night, hoping to bring the Guardian to them. The Guardian finally arrived, but the male pixies found too late that the Guardian had no tolerance for those he saw as unfaithful. Before hearing any of their explanations, he angrily cast a spell on them. Instantly the male pixies' beautiful forms became twisted, their skin turned purple, and their striking faces became unrecognizably warped. The Guardian had turned them into imps. In a fit of despair and madness, the imps fled from the Guardian to live a life of tortured exile, unable and unwilling to repent.

Meanwhile, the female pixies retreated into the jungles of Alucinor and began building a small society, all the while reflecting on their behavior and the destruction they caused in the name of their forsaken leader. They had witnessed the other races fail or stray from the path of Virtue, only to be helped by the Avatar and the other good people of the world. The feelings of guilt and remorse nearly overwhelmed them, until finally the pixies decided to return to the outside world and begin exploring these strange concepts of honor, sacrifice, and humility.

The pixies live in relative harmony with the other races now, although the darkness still calls to them, relentlessly tempting them to turn their backs on their new existence.

Organization
Pixies live in small villages that appear to be natural outgrowths of the forest. In truth, the pixies have the ability to bend tree branches and other flora to create their homes. Pixies have little concept of "family" like most other races, instead referring to all their kind as "sisters." To be a pixie means to be a member of the largest family in all Alucinor.

Pixies have a loosely structured community, and most of their beliefs are centered on trying to better themselves and integrating more into society. Many pixies still feel their past actions may cause the other races to attack them, but they force themselves to push past this and interact more with those other cultures.

Pixies have no recognized rulers. Having already been betrayed by their first leader, they seem to want very little direction or guidance on how to live their lives. When there is a disagreement, their cheerful nature allows them to resolve conflicts amongst themselves with little need for outside intervention or mediation. Their towns are often kept orderly by a simple need to maintain a positive outlook on life.

Disposition
Pixies tend to be very outgoing creatures, taking great pride in their appearance and beauty. Of all the virtues, humility seems to be the hardest for pixies to understand. Pixies love attention and do whatever it takes to be seen and noticed. They are the life of every party!

Despite their jovial attitude, pixies just can't pass up the opportunity to play tricks on travelers and even on their friends. These tricks are rarely violent these days, although they can sometimes be a nuisance. This compulsion to perform various mischievous acts provides the perfect way for the pixies to release their darker side in a relatively safe and healthy manner, helping them to avoid falling into the shadows that are always calling to them.

Pixies are very uncomfortable around unhappy people and will often spend hours (even days) trying to cheer up a gloomy person. More often than not, they are successful in their attempts, as their seemingly jovial outlook on life seems to saturate all others around them. Pixies enjoy helping others, hoping their actions will atone for their race's past deeds.

Attire
Pixie clothing tends to leave little to the imagination and is usually highly ornamented. They can never have too much attention, and always wear clothing that shows off hints of their femininity. It is this allure that makes pixies so fascinating to others and was their greatest weapon during their dark times.

Combat
Pixies can be very dangerous opponents when threatened or when on a quest that requires them to fight. The Guardian imbued them with an unnatural strength and cunning, which they now use when questing on behalf of the Avatar. They use their diminutive size to create a false sense of confidence in their opponents, striking quickly once their foe is off his guard. Pixies warriors spend a fair amount of time practicing with their weapons, but most prefer telling stories and making others laugh over the rigors of combat training.

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by RedTiger
always a wealth of knowledge holla^2. I love the character classes they're using for UXO. They're unique and open up alot of characteristics that are going to make for some really interesting gaming. Looking forward to this more and more.

---

quote:

---

Finger: It seems pretty cool that EA is finally doing a new Ultima MMORPG. Many players have fond memories of the first days of the original game - do you think you can recapture that feeling all over again?

Andy Dombroski: It’s a tall order, but one we are enjoying taking on. Frankly we have so many more visual and audio tools at our disposal that we can blow the previous Ultimas out of the water.

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by Kiff
I hope I didn't make your head explode with all of this

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by Kiff
Seems like extra work for the programmers. DAoC has it so only the ppl in the killing group can pick up the loot. I think only SB and UO were the only ones where whomever had the fastest clicking ablitly got the loot. Don't most games now protect the drops? But I guess it adds something more. And if it's not a hassle it will be cool.

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by Kiff
Haha...I can't wait to see a screenshot of that guy.

---