Runes of Virtue Walkthrough

WORK IN PROGRESS!

 Ultima: Runes of Virtue (1991)

Game Background
Story (Taken from the Manual) "Through the mystic moongate you have been transported to the land of Britannia, where a world of magic and adventure awaits you. Ruling over the lands he united, Lord British guides his people as they seek to master the eight virtues of the Avatar. It is your quest to recover the runes, symbols of these great virtues by the Black Knight."

Difficulty Levels
You can choose from three difficulties.


 * Easy

When you're defeated, you're restored at the start of the level.


 * Medium

When you're defeated, you're returning to the surface at the entrance to the cavern you were in.


 * Hard

Just like Medium, BUT you also lose ALL your gold, food and potions!

Two Player Game
If you connect two GAME BOYS with a Game Link Cable BEFORE turning them on, you and a friend can explore 80 new levels! You can choose Journey Onwards to use a saved character from the One-Player game, or Begin a New Game to play with a fresh character. Either way, it won't affect your saved game. You won't be able to bring any items from the one player game with you, Except Runes.

This game has the same number of dungeons as the main game, though they have different names and another 83 levels of mazes. They are all easy to map and have linear paths. Since it's a two-player game, you'll find two runes at the bottom of each Cavern.

Overview of Controls
 [Movement Keys] Moves party / scrolls through menu options. [Start] Starts up the game / Inventory Screen / Pauses the game. [A] Use whatever items you have in this hand / Changes weapons or items. [B] Use whatever items you have in this hand / Changes weapons or items. [Select] Drops Item.

Interaction
To pick up items, walk over them. To pick up items in shops, you must have enough gold to pay for them. You can talk to people, flip levers, open chest, etc. by bumping into them.


 * To get through some levels you may have to use the same lever or pressure plate more than once.
 * Many levers can be flipped back and forth. See what they do in each position.

Inventory Screen
 : Shows, which armor you use. [Your Picture]: Yes. That's YOU. : Stands for Strength. Show many you can have. Strong characters can take a lot of damage. : Stands for Dexterity. Shows how fast you can move. Faster character can dodge monsters much better. : Stands for Intelligence. Shows how many you can have. Intelligent characters can use magic items more often before running out of energy. : The Selection Box. To change weapons and items, move it over an item and press A or B to put it in your hand. IF you already have an item in that hand, the old item goes back into your inventory.
 * Hint: Food potions, cheese and the ankh are used immediately when you press the button.

It will teleport you back to Lord British's Castle, and restores ALL your hearts and stars. NEVERTHELESS, you'll lose ALL your hammers, keys and boots!

General Principles of Combat
As you explore the world of Britannia to find the missing Runes you will find out soon that not all creatures are a friendly lot. Driven by hunger or hatred they’ll attack you. Press [A] or [B] to attack them. This is what you need to know:


 * Hold down the [A] or [B] button to attack repeatedly with the same weapon.
 * In some places you can get the monsters to shoot each other so you don’t have to fight them all yourself.
 * It is the best to fight the monsters in narrow corridors so that they can only attack you from one side.
 * Non-flashing (as you hit them) monsters are invincible. It’s best to avoid them.
 * Different weapons works on different monsters.
 * Panpipes are useful to freeze the more difficult enemies.
 * Stock up enough potions to use the Panpipes.
 * Range Weapons are very useful to weaken your enemies first, before enganging them in battle.
 * Teleporting through an arrow onto a monster crushes it. They're acting as a wall for the monsters.
 * Time your shots.
 * While you are behind a secret wall, you can usually slaughter the monsters on the regular floor.

Choose of the Hero
Your quest begins by picking on of the four champions, each with his or her own strengths and weaknesses.

Cavern of Deceit
This cave is located in the north of the Castle of Lord British.

Easy Money
Follow the directions below to earn money quicky and safely. The extra bucks will come in handy.



1: From the entrance to the cave, head to the right and pass through the door into a corridor full of mushrooms.



2: Take one of the keys from Finn then go back down the corridor to the lower door. You’ll meet Finn again.



3: After jumping down the hole. Step on the arrow and warp to the left. Then head up and to the right and take the five dollar token.



4: To loop back to the cave’s entrance so you can repeat the steps above, heads down to the arrow shown. From the room with the X you warp back.

Magic Wand
With the Magic Wand you can burn the thick spider webs that block the ship that sails west.

First go north-northeast from the castle and you will find yourself in the Swamp Chamber. Use Finn’s key to open the lower door in the corridor. Heads left to the room filled with bats, then take the ladder down to the next level. Kador the dog has hidden a Hammer in the mushroom. Use it to break the barrel that block the ladder to the next level. Just ignore the ominous warnings and head up and to the left. When you find the Trolls, look for holes in the walls and the secret passage. Get the keys and the mushroom in the locked room, but leave the other mushrooms. Use the secret passages to find the Wand on the floor below.

Rune of Honesty
The Rune of Honesty in the Cavern of Deceit is the easiest of the eight Runes to collect.

Go back to the Swamp Chamber and take the same door that led you to the Easy Money. Once you pass the door, it vanishes. Now collect the key from Finn, but this time you should take the upper door. As you step on the floor plates, it will activate a volley of arrows. Forging a path by heading into the dead ends, which open up magically. Later, flip the switch in Kador’s room ONLY when the Troll is at the top of his chamber. In the Trolls’ room, you should protect yourself by pushing those barrels in from of the Trolls. When you see Finn again, just ignore his advice and follow the path shown. The next thing you have to do is heading to the lower left chamber by using the floor plates. Go down the Level Five (counting the top level as Level One) to get the Rune, which is in the northwest corner and involves a switch-flipping puzzle. Hooray, the first Rune!

Cavern of Cowardice
You can find this cave on the island far to the northeast, and inside you’ll find the Magic Rope and the Rune of Valor.

Magic Rope
The Magic Rope can be used to cross-rivers and narrow channels of the sea or streams in caves.

Wind you way through the first level maze by heading clockwise. Just ignore the signs and be prepared for attacks by enemies. On the next floor, push the boulders out of the doors. After you battle through the winding labyrinth then fight through several more rooms of enemies to reach the ladder. On the level below, look for the hole in the right wall. You need that secret passage. Okay. Throw the switch, get the enemies to defeat each other by running between them and eat a mushroom to open a secret door. The Rope is on the west side of Level Six.