| Guards | |
|---|---|
 Guard, from Ultima I manual | |
| First appearance: | Ultima I |
| Last appearance: | Ultima IX |
Guards are normally allies, as they protect the peace in the cities. However, some guards are corrupt, and will attack the unwary. Also, if one is caught stealing or attacking citizens, the local guards will immediately come looking for the perpetrators. However, a sufficient bribe will sometimes get a guard to look the other way.
Guards are usually found patrolling castles and cities, or something else of importance. They usually have little to say, but some are hidden storehouses of information.
The guards of Ultima I, II and III were hard to beat (and, in Ultima II, were the only source of lockpicks), and rarely cared who started a fight, so long as the offending parties were dealt with. The often-corrupt Ultima III-era guards could be bribed to leave, even after becoming hostile. In Ultima IV, guards were weaker, but travelled in large parties; attacking them wasn't a very good idea to further the game. In Ultima V they were nigh impossible, immediately throwing magic axes at your party. Ultima VI guards were also armed with crossbows and were hard to beat. The guards of Ultima VII were easy opponents, as were the ones in Ultima Underworld II.
The guards of Pagan were a different breed. They were much tougher and did much more damage. Also they called Beren, which usually meant death.
The guards of Ultima IX were, per programming, unbeatable.
Lore[]
Chosen for their brawn, guards are mindlessly loyal to their governments. They're extremely strong but generally harmless unless you break the rules.
- from The Second Age of Darkness (Ultima II)
They resemble big bouncers at tough bars - all brawn and no brains. If a crime is detected within a town, or Lord British's castle, each Guard will pursue thee to the boundaries of the place. Most Guards are very difficult to overcome, but rumors have been circulating that some Guards are not completely honest.
- from The Book of Play (Ultima III)