[[Image:Ultima VIII - Lithos.jpg|thumb|right|250px|TheEl Avatar talkinghablando tocon theel TitanTitán Lithos]] ''Ultima VIII'' setsinicia offdonde wheretermina ''[[Ultima VII]]'' ended: TheEl GuardianGuardiá hasha graspedagarrado theal Avatar fromdel the VoidVacío, andy nowlo dropslanza himen into theel [[seamar]] of thedel worldmundo Pagan through a [[pentagram]]-shapedtravés de un [[portal (fictionficción)|portal]] en forma de [[pentagrama]]. InEn thela introductionintroducción, theel GuardianGuardián revealsrevela hissu plotplan:
{{cquote| ''YouTú havehas beensido auna thornpiedra inen myel sidezapato forpor farmuchísimo too longtiempo, Avatar. YourTus twodos worldsmundos willserán be crushedaplastados. Primero Britannia first, theny luego la EarthTierra. ITe shallharé paradedesfilr youfrente beforea yourtus conqueredpueblos peoplesconquistados ascomo theel fallenídolo idolcaído ofde aun patheticpatético ideal. ITe banishdestierro youal tomundo the world ofde Pagan. No one hereAquí knowsnadie ofconoce theal... Avatar.'' }}
The Avatar regains [[consciousness]] on the shore after being rescued from the sea by a fisherman (who turns out to be an important character later on in the plot). He soon witnesses the [[execution]] by [[decapitation|beheading]] of a townsman, ordered by the tyrannic ruler of the region, Mordea.