🚀 go-pugleaf

The first thing is that Ultima 9 should, in theme, follow from the previous
games.  IV's theme was "A person or nation needs a value system."  V:
"Even a good value system can become bad if taken to extremes." VI: "This
one is not the only valid value system." VII: "Some value systems, however
are just plain wrong."  VIII: "In extreme situations, one may need to abandon
some principles for the greater good." [IMHO, VIII failed to convince on that
one, but that's what they were going for.]
Following from that, IX should say, essentially, "However, some core moral
truths can always be relied upon."
 
The second thing is that, with the CD-ROM only paradigm, Ultima 9 can be
BIG.  Properly segmented, it could be 3-6 CDs in size...enough room for
larger maps, and more of them.
 
So, how about this plot:
Act I: The avatar shows up on Britannia, with Titan powers, but too late.
It's mostly toast.  The Guardian shows up, laughs a bit, and then says he's
now going to go visit Earth.  The Avatar wanders about a devestated world.
Lord British dies in his arms.  He chats with ghosts.  Finally, he comes
across the Wisps, who express ambivalence at the destruction of the world.
They have the Avatar get for them the History of the Fall of Britannia,
a big book that details exactly what destroyed Britannia, and the events
leading up to it.  In trade for the book, they hook him up with the Time
Lord, who shows the avatar how to sacrifice his Titan Powers to go back in
time...to just after the dream sequence in Serpent Isle, but on Britannia.
 
Act II.  The Avatar goes about, trying to prevent the various froms of
destruction the book fortells, achieving only minor victories. (I.E. instead
of Cove being completely destroyed with all citizens killed, several people
including the romantic interest are evacuated before Cove is destroyed.)
As Major Side Quests, he figures how to travel between worlds.  A trip to
Serpent Isle brings Iolo and Shamino back into the party.  Another trip
back to Pagan is an option, where the Avatar can bring back a bunch of
refugees.
 
Act III: With Britannia devestated, but not completely depopulated, the
Avatar and the Guardian have their final confrontation, after which the
Avatar uses his now massive powers to Create/Open a Gate to a new planet
for everyone to move to, either dying or becoming a non-corporeal, godlike
entity in the process. (Perhaps joining Dupre as a new Law Serpent, with
the Guardian as Chaos.  Or vice versa.)