Dungeon Solution for Ultima IX

Almost all of the dungeons of Ultima IX have the same goal: to find the glyph inside the column. Sometimes there are extra tasks, but this is the main reason to enter them. The dungeons of this game are tedious and at times annoying.

(UNDER CONSTRUCTION)

Despise
Despise is the first dungeon in the game, and therefore it also is the easiest. The path is linear and there are no difficult puzzles or fights.

After entering, first free Castro and Felix at 05 with the nearby key and get all information. Then use arrows to shoot the sun-face above the door and enter the column room and jump up the columns to get the yellow Kiran Stone at 01, then push button to open gate. You can get Wyrmguard Armour at 06. Get the bucket from 24 and put it to 07 to open the door and descend down to the next level.

Pull the lever to open the door, then search the body of Mourdin near the deadly fountain. Get the key, the shoot the symbol at 11. Take the key and reveal the secret passage and take the teleporter 14 to reach 13. Take the blue Kiran Stone at 02, the teleport back. Follow the path, pushing buttons and levers, until you reach a fence, which you have to climb over. Pull the lever, then get the key to enter the cathedral at 15. Ignate the balziers to get a healing ray activated.

Quick pull the lever 16 to save Thadious and he'll give you the green Kiran Stone (if you didn't save him, it gets complicated). Then use the magnet at 17 to get a new key. Read the book at 20, then push the button on the fountain to reveal secret chamber. Next go to the lake and look behind the waterfall at 19 to get the red Kiran Stone 04. Now retrun to 20 and put the Kiran Stones on the right pedestals to get the Kiran Shield.

You finally reach the column where you are greeted by the brainwashed Iolo at 21. Battle him but show mercy when he surrenders, then take the Glyph at 23 and leave the dungeon.



Hythloth
For being the second dungeon in the game, Hythloth is especially annoying, Not only is is a huge labyrinth, it also is dark and has numerous annoying puzzles. It also has an optional section, which is seperately covered.

Turn the valve at 04 and press the stone to open the secret door, then take the green statue at 03. Next get the Swamp Boots at 06, before entering the elevator to pull a lever upstairs. Go back down and jump into the pool at 08 to get the red statue at 09, then turn the valve to get back out. Taking the armour at 10 will cause the walls to converge, but running to the eastern door will save you.

Turn the valve at the southern room, then enter room 11, where you follow the instructions on the map, on which platforms to jump on, in order to get to the pedestal where you put the green statue on. Get the blue statue at 12, put the red statue on the pedestal at 14. Then go to room 13 and turn the valve in order to reach the yellow statue. Return to the elevator at 9 and finally place the yellow statue upstairs.

Now go to 20 and place the blue statue there, before walking further to room 17, where the column is. After killing the Wyrmguard (he's no friend of yours), go to the column and get the glyph from it. Then get the key at 20 to unlock the wrinch at 21, then enter the teleporter at 22 and jump into the well to swim to the exit.

The Optional Path

This optional path is the way for masochists, so be warned...

You should already have the purple statue and the key that came out of a pipe. Next turn on the lights in the order A to H as shown on the map to open the gate at 26. Walk to room 28 and shrink yourself by drinking from the birdbath. Enter the small corridor and turn the valve, then make your way to the hole at 29. In room 30, turn the valves A to D then reach the last valve E.

Drop down the hole at 31 to reach the blue statue at 32, then put the purple one on the pedestal at 33. Backtrack and put the blue statue on the pedestal at 34. Enter the nearby water to get another statue, the go to the nearby well next. Reach chamber 35 to get the orange statue.

Now put the rust statue on the pedestal at 27 and the orange one on the pedestal at 23. The dive into the water at 36 and turn the valve. Now go back to the water where you found the orange statue and swim to the exit.



Deceit
Despite losing all your equipment, Deceit isn't that difficult, it is more tideous and repetetive, and at some times even annoying (the sequences with aiming).

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Covetous
Covetous is the only dungeon that has more than two levels. It is very difficult because of the huge number of Skeletons which alwas regenerate and the inability to cast spells.

Level 1

First go to 03 and take the big gear. Then go to the stairs that lead to 05. Turn off the water, put the gear into the mechanism, then turn the water back on. Now backtrack to 02, where you meet Lothar. Defeat him with the Gringolet, then use his key to unlock the elevator.

Level 2

Push the mine cart at 07 to free the way, then use the next mine cart (drive in it) so that you can get the key at 09. Afterwards find Skully near 08 and promise to help him, take him with you. Now backtrack to the elevator und unlock the next level.

Level 3

Follow the path and blow up the blockade at 12 to finally find Skully's grave at 13. He in return gives you the key to the last level. Do not forget the Crown of Radiance near by. Unlock the elevator for the last level.

Level 4

First get the Bladed Staff at 15, before making your way to the column at 21. The brainwashed Julia waits there, but staying calm and reminding her of her past will turn her peaceful. Take the glyph, then backtrack. Now you have two options how to reach the final boss: Confront Khelereth at 18 and kill him, then take his crystal ball and blow up the last grate to get to the exit.
 * Sacrifice the Gringolet at 16.
 * Return to level 2 and blow up the grate at the NW. In the next level defeat the giant skeleton, then blow up the next grate.



Wrong
Despite at first looking frustrating, Wrong actually is a fun dungeon. Once you've learned the right timing to slaughter the guards before they can catch you, you are untouchable. Aslo the dungeon itself is quite varied and complex.

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Shame
Shame can be confusing. The whole dungeon has next to no enemies (although one of them is REALLY tough!) and essentially is one huge puzzle area. This can lead to frustrating moments, even with this solution.

Push button 01 to shut off the barrier, then stay close to the door to pass. Shoot the sun at 02 to turn the eyes and then make your way to 03, where you provoke the eye to shoot, then evade to let it hit the wall-face instead. In room 04 touch the armors, then manage to let the statue's energy balls hit the newly appeared wall-faces. Push the button in room 05, and provoke the statue to hit the moving wall-face (very difficult). Then kill the zombie and push the button in the hidden area.

In room 08 push the left, then the right button. Touch every statue when it is black, until all seven of them are black. The eighth which then appears must be touched when red, to get the black orb. Now backtrack and manage to enter room 07. Here you have to figure out which button summons which face, and then use it to blay billiard with an energy ball, until the wall opens. In the next room don't touch the red floors, shoot the sun symbol to get more space, reach the button to get to room 09. There, pull all the levers without being seen by the eye, then go to room 10, where you put the orb on the pedestal to lower the stairs. On the upper floor, touch each of the lights, then touch the black statue. It will be re-colored until it is white, then a teleporter appears.

Say the mantra, then walk up into the cave of the chalice at 21. Do not give in to Blackthorn, who destroys the chalice. Take a spare one, then backtrack. Jump down near the wall and get the Lightning Sword at 17, since the Wymguard Eve at 18 is very strong. Afterwards take the glyph out of the column at 19 and leave the dungeon.



Destard
This is the closest to classical Ultima Dungeons. Destard is mostly about survival and only few puzzles actually have to be solved. It is filled with a number of real nasties.

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The Abyss
The Abyss can be very confusing. The seperation into four elemental planes, mixed with tough enemies and an hard to understand puzzle can cause a nervous breakdown.

In the first level, you should find and kill the Dragon to get his key in order to open the chest with some nice Blackrock Armour pieces (use the X-chest if you are lazy). Then jump into the hole to reach the next level, the shaft. In the shaft, you need to get four energy globes.

You start at 17. Push the lighter stone in one chamber to open the secret door to chamber 22. Stay on the face on the ground and jump away when an energy ball approaches, then take the orb and use the teleporter at 17. At 05, go to 08 and push both buttons to take the orb. Go to 08, douse the blaziers and use the teleporter to 09. Try to get through the traps to reach 13. Put something on the pressure plate, up the stairs and oer a balance beam, touh the ankh and the lighter stone. Now go to 16, run through the trap and take the orb, before using the teleporter to 17. Go to 30 to push the hidden switch, then backtrack to 19 where you melt the ice crystals to get the orb, then take the teleporter to 21.

At the bottom of the shaft, put all four orbs on the pedestal to unlock four more teleporters in the four chambers. Teleport back up and search for them. Each leads to an elementary plane where a mook has to be killed to shut off one barrier and open the exits.

In the air plane you can collect orbs to get a Lightning Sword, but you should already have one from Shame. Instead find the Dragon and kill it, in order to deactivate barrier 1. Use the new teleporter to exit. On the fire plane, use the leaft way until you can enter the center area, where you defeat the big Daemon to shut off barrier 2, then exit. On the Earth plane, first find the big Creeper Plant, where you can find a Blackrock Armour, before killing the big Golem and exit. On the water plane move upstream, until you find the Sea Serpent and kill it with Mana Arrows, before exiting.

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Guardian Dungeon
The final dungeon of the game. It actually is rather long and boring and linear, giving you little of a challenge, now that your equipment is so good. Note that there is absolutely nothing plot-relevant in this dungeon and it is entirely possible to bypass it and directly go to the final confrontation.

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