Name: Greg Fleeman
Character Name: Braden
Shard: Lake Superior
Greg Fleeman came into Ultima Online with dreams of adventuring through fantastic landscapes, slaying dragons, and saving damsels in distress. Instead, he spent most of his time dead at the hands of UO’s countless Player Killers. On the verge of quitting the game for good, he stumbled across a player-run community that changed everything.
With murderers waiting outside of town, and thieves running rampant inside, Fleeman said he became instantly distrusting toward any player that approached him. In a game built on social interaction and cooperation, Fleeman found himself quickly becoming antisocial.
One day while exploring the south end of Moonglow island, an area not protected by guards, Fleeman said he happened across a home and spotted several avatars standing on the steps. Fearing he would become a target, Fleeman turned tail and sprinted back to the safety of the city.
“I was sure I was about to die,” Fleeman said. “It turns out that what I thought were people were actually vendors someone had at their house.”
Vendors are NPC characters that can be stocked with goods available for purchase to any passerbys. Fleeman quickly realized he’d run away from glorified mannequins.
“I felt kind of foolish, but that was the climate in game at the time,” he said.
Read more of Greg Fleeman’s story in Braving Britannia: Tales of Life, Love, and Adventure in Ultima Online.
BRAVING BRITANNIA 