Ultima IV
                                  Solution

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[]                                                                      []
[]   Ultima IV: Quest of the Avatar                                     []
[]                                                                      []
[]       Solution                                                       []
[]        By Stephen Lee                                                []
[]         Internet: [email protected] (valid until 1996 I guess)        []
[]                                                                      []
[]   Version: 1.10  (08 JUL 93)                                         []
[]                                                                      []
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Author's Notes
--------------

I've played Ultima IV before on an Apple ][+, and the music on the
Mockingboard is great!  Too bad the IBM version doesn't have any decent
music.  I miss it a lot!  I've forgotten how good it was...

When I replayed this excellent game, I couldn't find a solution on the net,
so I decide to write one myself, and here it is!

Solution
--------

The objective of this game is to gain access to the Codex of Ultimate
Wisdom. In order to do that, the following goals need to be fulfilled:

(1) Become 8 parts avatar
(2) Have the key of 3 parts
(3) Know the word of passage
(4) Know the pure axiom
(5) Go to the chamber

(1) Become 8 parts avatar:

    You just need to do the right things and avoid doing the wrong things
    (sounds easy eh?).  To know what the 'right' and 'wrong' things are,
    you can meditate at the shrines.  Each of the 8 cities represents a
    virtue, and you should ask about in each for the rune and the mantra,
    in order to access the shrines.  Note that you'll need to locate the
    shrine of spirituality, and get the Silver Horn to gain access to the
    shrine of Humility.

    Visit Hawkwind in Britannia often to know of your progress.  Once
    you are ready for partial avatarhood in a virtue, go to the shrine and
    meditate for 3 cycles.  Repeat until you are avatar in all 8 virtues!

(2) Getting the key of 3 parts:

    You need to find the 8 coloured stones and use them in the Altar room
    of Truth, Love and Courage to get the 3 parts of the key.  The stones
    are mostly found at the Dungeons, except the white and the black stone.
    The altar rooms are accessible via the 8th level of the Dungeons.  You
    also need to figure out which 4 stones to use at each altar.

(3) Knowing the word of passage:

    Ask the parts of the word in Lycaeum, Serpent's Hold and Empath Abbey.
    Paste together to get word of passage.

(4) Knowing the pure axiom:

    When you achieve Avatarhood in each virtue, a rune would appear on
    screen.  Translate.  Paste the 8 alphabets together to get the pure
    axiom.

(5) Going to the chamber:

    The chamber is accessed via the Great Stygian Abyss.  So first you need
    to figure out where the entrance of the Abyss is!  Second, you'll need
    to reach it.  To do that you need the wheel of H.M.S. Cape to pass
    through the pirates.  After that, you'll need the Book of Truth, Candle
    of Love and Bell of Courage to open the entrance.  And while we are at
    it, why not find Mondain's Skull and destroy it at the mouth of the
    Abyss?

    And also, to survive the Abyss, you need the Mystic Armor and Weapons.
    Then hack through the Abyss and find the chamber at the 8th level!  Oh
    by the way you need the stones again to go down each level of the
    Abyss, but you should have them already at this time.

Once you are in the chamber, all you need to do is to answer a few
questions (correctly of course!), and win!

Hints
-----

Can't find your companions?  There is one in every city (including Magincia)  |
except the one that you come from (ie. with the same job as you).  Just look  |
hard.                                                                         |
                                                                              |
The magic wand (5000gp from Buccaneers' Den) is the most powerful weapon.     |
The magic bow (2000gp, same place) follows, but need ammunition (arrows).     |
Both are ranged, and thus more useful than the Mystic Weapons.                |

Reverse the mantra of Pride to get the mantra of Humility.

Lord British will heal your party if you ask for it.

In Magnicia, wait for the snake to approach you with P)ass and T)alk it.
Don't run into it because you'll be attacked before you have a chance to
ask.

Orbs in Dungeons can enhance Str, Int and Dex.  (see table below)

Telescope in Lycaeum let you see the maps of the cities.  (see table below)   |
                                                                              |
The only projectile weapon a shepherd can use is the sling.                   |

Hythloth connect to all 3 Altar rooms.  Also, there is a room in level 8
(just go straight down) which has a lot of chests (money!) in it.  You can
go into the room, defeat the Balrons, get the money, retreat, and enter the
room again for another loot.  You can repeat this until you have enough
money or not enough health.

The manual lists the energy fields' effects incorrectly (mine [Tom's] did,    |
anyway). The correct effects:                                                 |
Violet: sleep                                                                 |
Blue:   lightning                                                             |
Orange: flame                                                                 |
Green:  poison                                                                |

Spoilers
--------

(1) How do I...

Choose job: Look up the virtue your job corresponds to.  When answering the   |
            questions of the gypsy at the beginning, steer your answer        |
            towards that virtue.                                              |

Advance in level: Go talk to Lord British!

Decode these locations in the spoiler: Get the sextant!

Know which stone to use at an altar: The short answer is you use the stones
     that are found in the dungeons connecting to the altar room.  Hythloth
     is white.  The long answer is to use the stones that contain the color
     of the principle: blue for truth, yellow for love, red for courage.
     Note how they mix to get the other colors.  White contains all colors.
     Black contains none.

Know which stone to use in the Abyss: See the table for the virtue each
     stone corresponds to.

Get to Cove: The intuitive way is to wait for a pirate's ship to appear in
             Lock Lake, which is tedious and need a lot of luck.  However,
             a better solution is to get a ship (by buying or getting one
             from pirates) and sail into a whirlpool!  The ship will
             reappear in Lock Lake and you can now go to Cove.
             A second way is to use the blink spell (blink west then south)   |
             from the right place, which is even easier.                      |

Get around in the Abyss: It's very tedious, I suggest you just bring a lot
    of gems...  In some rooms you'll need to step on/push some tile to open
    a door, make a bridge, etc.  Some rooms need to be entered twice from
    different directions.  When in doubt, map it out!

(2) Where can I find...

My companions: see table below.                                               |

Sextant: ask for item 'D' at theive's guild.
Mandrake: Found at D'G" L'G" and K'F" G'E" when both moons are dark.
Nightshade: Found at J'F" C'O" and C'M" M'N" when both moons are dark.        |

Shrine of Spirituality: Enter moongates when both moons are full.

Runes: see chart below
Mantras: ditto

Silver horn: Buried on an isle off the tip of Spiritwood (K'N" C'N")

White Stone: F'A" E'A" on Serpent's Spine (reached via Balloon)
Black Stone: Stand where the gate of both moons dark shall appear, search
             when moons goes dark.

Balloon: At exit of Dungeon Hythloth.  You may find the X-it spell useful     |
         for this purpose.  Note that the balloon returns there each time you |
         exit from Hythloth.                                                  |

Dungeon Hythloth: Enter from secret entrance in Britiannia.

Wheel of HMS Cape: In deep waters of the bay in Cape of Heros (N'H" G'A")

Book of Truth: A'G" A'G" in Lycaeum
Candle of Love: A'B" B'G" in Cove
Bell of Courage: Bottom of a deep well at sea, N'A" L'A"

Skull of Mondain: At P'F" M'F" on the darkest night

Mystic Armors: A'E" B'G" in Empath Abbey
Mystic Weapons: A'P" A'I" in Serpent Castle

(3) What is...

The word of passage: veramocor
The pure axiom: (You really want to know?) It's 9 14 6 9 14 9 20 25.  I
                believe you have enough intelligence to translate this.

Useful information
------------------

Virtue        TLC  Shrine     Mantra  Dungeon   Location   Orb  Stone   Level
=============================================================================
Honesty       T--  E'C" O'J"  AHM     Deceit    E'J" P'A"  I--  Blue    7
Compassion    -L-  F'M" I'A"  MU      Despise   E'D" F'L"  -D-  Yellow  5
Valor         --C  O'F" C'E"  RA      Destard   K'I" E'I"  --S  Red     7     |
Justice       TL-  A'L" E'J"  BEH     Wrong     B'E" H'O"  ID-  Green   8     |
Sacrifice     -LC  C'N" M'N"  CAH     Covetous  B'L" J'M"  -DS  Orange  7
Honor         T-C  M'P" F'B"  SUMM    Shame     G'G" O'P"  I-S  Purple  2     |
Spirituality  TLC  (1)        OM      Hythloth  (2)        IDS  White   (3)
Humility      ---  N'D" O'H"  LUM     ---       ---        ---  Black   (4)

Phase  City        Location   Moongate   Virtue        Rune       Map (5)     |
=========================================================================     |
1.(O)  Moonglow    I'H" O'I"  I'F" O'A"  Honesty       A'G" A'I"  E           |
2. O)  Britian     G'K" F'C"             Compassion    A'B" B'J"  F           |
3. |)  Jhelom      N'O" C'E"             Valor         B'O" B'O"  G           |
4.  )  Yew         C'L" D'K"  C'F" D'C"  Justice       A'G" A'N"  H           |
5.     Minoc       B'E" J'P"  B'D" K'G"  Sacrifice     B'O" B'M"  I           |
6.(    Trinsic     L'I" G'K"  M'C" G'I"  Honor         B'N" A'C"  J           |
7.(|   Skara Brae  I'A" B'G"  H'O" B'H"  Spirituality  (6)        K           |
8.(O   Magnicia    K'J" L'L"             Pride(7)      (8)        L           |
                                                                              |
Job       Virtue        City        MP(9)  Companion  Location                |
============================================================================  |
Mage      Honesty       Moonglow    2      Mariah     NW by chest             |
Bard      Compassion    Britian     1      Iolo                               |
Fighter   Valor         Jhelom      0      Geoffry    Locked room in inn      |
Druid     Justice       Yew         1.5    Julie      NW camping              |
Tinker    Sacrifice     Minoc       0.5    Jaana      in poor house           |
Paladin   Honor         Trinsic     1      Dupre                              |
Ranger    Spirituality  Skara Brae  1      Shamino    by Ankh at entrance     |
Shepherd  Humility      Magnicia    0      Katrina    SW corner               |
                                                                              |
Keep               Location   Principle  Map                                  |
============================================                                  |
Lycaeum            G'L" N'K"  Truth      B                                    |
Empath Abbey       D'C" B'M"  Love       C                                    |
Serpent's Hold     P'B" J'C"  Courage    D                                    |
                                                                              |
Misc               Location      Map                                          |
====================================                                          |
Britiannia         G'L" F'G"     A                                            |
Paws               J'B" G'C"     M                                            |
Buccaneers' Den    J'O" I'I"     N                                            |
Vesper             D'L" M'J"     O                                            |
Cove               F'K" I'I"(10) P                                            |

(1)  Enter Moon Gate at Moonglow when both moons are full
(2)  Enter from secret entrance in Britiannia
(3)  F'A" E'A" on Serpent's Spine (reached via Balloon)
(4)  Stand where the gate of both moons dark shall appear (I'F" O'A" ?),
     search when moons goes dark
(5)  Shown in the observatory in Lycaeum                                      |
(6)  A'I" B'B" in Britiannia                                                  |
(7)  Opposite of Humility                                                     |
(8)  B'N" B'N" in Paws                                                        |
(9)  number times Intelligence                                                |
(10) Go into Lock Lake by sailing into a whirlpool or use blink spell         |

+======================================+
|City/Price(gp)| A | B | C | D | E | F |
+======================================+
|Skara Brae    | 2 | 4 | 9 | 6 | 4 | 8 |
|Moonglow      | 2 | 5 | 6 | 3 | 6 | 9 |
|Buccaneers' D.| 6 | 7 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 1 |
+===================================================+
|Spell         | A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | MP |
+===================================================+
|A)waken       |   | X | X |   |   |   |   |   |    |
|B)link        |   |   |   | X | X |   |   |   |    |
|C)ure         |   | X | X |   |   |   |   |   |    |
|D)ispell      | X |   | X |   |   | X |   |   | 20 |
|E)nergy Field | X |   |   | X |   | X |   |   |    |  A Sulfurous Ash
|F)ireball     | X |   |   |   |   | X |   |   |    |  B Ginseng
|G)ate Travel  | X |   |   |   |   | X |   | X |    |  C Garlic
|H)eal         |   | X |   | X |   |   |   |   |    |  D Spider Silk
|I)ceball      |   |   |   |   |   | X |   | X |    |  E Blood Moss
|J)inx         |   |   |   |   |   | X | X | X |    |  F Black Pearl
|K)ill         |   |   |   |   |   | X | X |   |    |  G Nightshade
|L)ight        | X |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |    |  H Mandrake
|M)agic Missile| X |   |   |   |   | X |   |   |    |
|N)egate       | X |   | X |   |   |   |   | X |    |
|O)pen         | X |   |   |   | X |   |   |   |    |  MP: Magic Points
|P)rotection   | X | X | X |   |   |   |   |   |    |
|Q)uickness    | X | X |   |   | X |   |   |   |    |  SB: Skara Brae
|R)esurrect    | X | X | X | X | X |   |   | X | 45 |  MG: Moonglow
|S)leep        |   | X |   | X |   |   |   |   |    |  BD: Buccaneers' Den
|T)remor       | X |   |   |   | X |   |   | X |    |
|U)ndead       |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |    |
|V)iew         |   |   |   |   |   |   | X | X |    |
|W)ind Change  | X |   |   |   | X |   |   |   |    |
|X)it          | X |   |   | X | X |   |   |   |    |
|Y)(up)        |   |   |   | X | X |   |   |   |    |
|Z)(down)      |   |   |   | X | X |   |   |   |    |
+===================================================+

Last Words
----------

Some of the info in the tables are missing.  I don't want to open up the
game again to fill those in, but they are probably not required to finish
the game.

If somebody can write a section on going through the Abyss it would be
great.

Ditto for Weapon and Armor availability and prices.

How about a map generating program?  I've seen one for the Apple ][, but
anyone has an IBM version?  (For U5 also)

If you improve on this file, please send me a copy if possible.

If anyone has a copy of U4/U5 for the Apple ][ or a MockingBoard they want
to get rid of, try contacting me at the address at the top.

Machine-Dependent Note: If you are still lucky enough to play this game on
an Apple ][ with MockingBoard, I still remember you can sample the music by
pressing 1-9 (maybe 0 too) at the title screen.  I'm not sure I remember it
correctly, but that's the idea.  It works with Ultima VI on the IBM PC, too.

Useless information, but maybe someone cares: The Book of Wisdom has writing  |
on the cover.  When translated, it reads: "Being a compendium of the          |
processes and effects of combining human will and natural forces as           |
discovered and recorded by the greatest sorcerers since the beginning of      |
time." [Thanks TW]                                                            |
                                                                              |
Update on version 1.10                                                        |
----------------------                                                        |
                                                                              |
Added a lot (a lot!) of info from Tom Weissinger {[email protected]}.   |
Daniel Brian Lake {[email protected]} told me the second method of    |
going to Cove, as well as where the companions can be found.  Thanks Tom and  |
Daniel!                                                                       |

                              -*-   End   -*-


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