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.

The Rune of Honesty
''The Rune of Honesty in the Cavern of Deceit (located in the north of the Castle of Lord British) is the easiest of the eight Runes to collect. You'll find the Magic Wand here as well. ''

First go north-northeast from the castle and you will find yourself in the Swamp Chamber. 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 is recovered!

The Rune of Valor
The second Rune is to be found in Cavern of Cowardice (on the island far to the northeast), and inside you’ll find the Magic Rope as well.

On the same level where you can find the free food, just head down and then go to the right. Use your Magic Rope (see by Locations of The Most Important Items) to cross the stream and jump down the hole. Now, pick up the two keys on this floor, then flip the switch and head toward the lower left side where you’ll find a hole leading to the next level.

The first two rooms contain tables and a set of chairs that jump from room to room. Follow the warp arrows and head to the left side of the maze and the ladder that resident in a dead end.

Watch out for the Reaper and its volleys of arrows. To reach the hole, you’ll have to defeat the troll and the bats first, and then take a secret passage up into the room that is blocked by a boulder.

This chamber is full of warp arrows. Follow the arrows heading to the left and eventually you’ll see a hole in the wall. Take the secret passages and you’ll come to a warp disc.

The warp disc transports you to a little room with a hole in the floor. Drop down to the next and final level. To pass the statues: Remember: First fast, THEN slow.

The Rune of Compassion
In the Cavern of Hatred, located just a bit north of the Castle, you may acquire the Rune of Compassion.

The Rune of Sacrifice
'' You'll find it in the Cavern of Selfishness. It's on the island to the northeast; look north of the Cavern of Cowardice. Use the Magic Rope to get there.''

Things to remember on the way down through this dungeon: bring cheese, burn spider webs, use Lightning on the Black Knight (get it nearby, then return), use a Trumpet to freeze Eep Eeps.

The Rune of Justice
''This is in the Cavern of Injustice, located south of the Cavern of Selfishness. Tip: Bring lots of food.''

The Rune of Honor
''You will it in the cavern of Dishonor, which is one the island south or the one with the Castle. It's on the southwest side. While there, be sure to use your rope, grab a mushroom, and travel through the swamp to find the Star Key.''

The Rune of Humility
''The paths through this one and the Abyss are very linear. The Cavern of Pride is in the southeast corner of the southern island.''

The Rune of Spirituality
''The Abyss is the only cavern where you have to fight Dragons.’’

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 Deceit, 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.

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

Go back to the Swamp Chamber in Deceit. 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.

The 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.