Runes

The eight runes are a series of symbolic artifacts which allow their bearer access to the Britannian Shrines of Virtue that they might meditate and learn there. They appear in Ultima IV,  VI,  VII, and   IX,.

Description
Each stone rune corresponds to one of the Eight Virtues and its accompanying shrine. One side is carved with a symbol evoking the virtue connected to the rune, whilst the other bears one of eight runic letter. When placed side by side, these engravings spell out the word "infinity," referencing the singular axiom which binds together both the Principles and the Virtues.

Throughout Britannian history, the runes have been depicted as being of different sizes - being small enough to hold in the palm of one's hand in Ultima IV and as large as a small shield in Ultima IX - indicated that more than one set of runes may have been used from age to age.

Age of Enlightenment
The runes were first introduced at the beginning of the Age of Enlightenment, around the same time as the establishment of the shrines. It seems likely that they were crafted by Britannian hands, given the existence of professional rune carvers such as Azure of Minoc. Whatever their exact origins, they eventually became hidden from much of the populace, and would require much seeking on the part of the Stranger before the hero would obtain all them.

Eventually, the Stranger would recover and make use of all eight runes in their pilgrimage toward Avatarhood. After the hero's attainment of the wisdom of the Codex, however, these artifacts were not be seen again until the days of the Gargoyle War, and were notably absent from the realm during the reign of Lord Blackthorn (although the shrines continued to function without them).

When the runes resurfaced, it was claimed that Lord British had previously managed to secure them when the Great Council retrieved the Codex from the Abyss. The sovereign eventually sent the eight artifacts to the leaders of each of the eight cities, although through happenstance or misfortune, many of them were eventually lost or bequeathed to other guardians. The returning Avatar would once more need to gather the scattered runes, as their power was necessary to dissipate the magical barriers which the invading gargoyles had placed upon the moonstones in their seizure of the shrines

Age of Armageddon
In the centuries following Lord British and Lord Draxinusom's eventual accord, the runes faded from prominence as public belief in the Virtues waned. They were eventually gathered and placed in the Royal Museum as artifacts of a past age, where they could be found resting at the time of the Avatar's return at the beginning of the Age of Armageddon.

Twenty years before the hero's last visitation to the realm, the runes would be stolen by agents of the Guardian, and were corrupted by the Destroyer of Worlds such as that they became sources of power for his dark columns. These bewitched runes, known as glyphs, spread an aura of wickedness and immorality throughout the realm, twisting the souls of the Britannian populace and turning them to evil. In their last quest before their reunification with the Guardian and subsequent apotheosis, it fell to the Avatar to retrieve and purify the runes, such as that they might be used to cut off the Red Titan's lines of power in the land and render him vulnerable in their final confrontation. As the hero journeyed to Terfin to undergo this last trial, their eight companions installed the eight runes in the columns which had once housed them as glyphs, transforming the structures into beacons of virtue and thwarting the Guardian's schemes.

Runes of Virtue
In Ultima: Runes of Virtue, the runes were stolen by the Black Knight, and hidden within their corresponding dungeon. The hero had to delve into all eight dungeons of Britannia in order to retrieve the pilfered runes, and then return them to Lord British, thus foiling the Black Knight's plan.

Ultima IV

 * Honesty: The Rune of Honesty lay near Mariah's gold in Moonglow.  A small child known as William could reveal this fact, and would do so should the Stranger ask him, having been prompted by his friend Christen.
 * Compassion: The Rune of Compassion could be found at the end of a hallway in Britain's Britannia Manor. The Stranger could learn of this after asking the bard, Pepper of the Rune, having learned of her knowledge of the artifact from the beggar, Sprite.
 * Valor: The Rune of Valor was buried in one of Jhelom's towers. It's location was only known by the imprisoned architect Nostro, whom the hero could rescue after hearing of him from Lord Robert.
 * Justice: The Rune of Justice was locked in a prison cell in the Yewian High Court. Judge Talfourd would instruct the Stranger to search their should the hero express penitence for their sins.
 * Sacrifice: The Rune of Sacrifice was ensconced in the fires of Zircon's forge in Minoc. To learn of its location, the Stranger would need to consult the siblings Azure and Mischief.
 * Honor: The Rune of Honor was buried in the southwest corner of Trinsic. The hero could learn of its location after consulting a young boy named Terrin, at the behest of the merchant Winthrop.
 * Humility: The Rune of Humility was buried in Paws. In order to glean knowledge of its location, the hero would have to travel to Magincia and consult with Nate the Snake, who would direct them to ask the ranger Barren.
 * Spirituality: The Rune of Spirituality was stored in Lord British's treasure chamber. Only the Ankh of Spirituality knew where it lay, and it would only divulge this information if told the appropriate mantra.

Ultima VI

 * Honesty: The Rune of Honesty had been entrusted to Beyvin of Moonglow by Lord Aganar, and had been buried alongside its keeper at the time of his death.
 * Compassion: The Rune of Compassion had been entrusted to the bards of the conservatory by Tholden of Britain, and was in the possession of the child, Ariana, at the time of the Avatar's quest regarding the Gaygoyle War.
 * Valor: The Rune of Valor had been lost during a tournament held by Lord Zellivan at Jhelom's Sword and Keg. A rat had stolen the Rune as the fighters of the city competed for the honor of carrying it, and had absconded with it to its nest. The Avatar would have to enlist the help of Sherry the Mouse to retrieve it.
 * Justice: The Rune of Justice had been stolen by the thief Boskin, who would reveal its location should the Avatar promise to help secure his freedom from the Yewian prisons. It had been hidden by the criminal under a potted plant at the local pub, The Slaughtered Lamb.
 * Sacrifice: The Rune of Sacrifice was in the possession of mayor Selganor of Minoc, who would allow the Avatar to take it only after they successfully joined the Artisan's Guild.
 * Honor: The Rune of Honor had been set upon a pedestal in the middle of Trinsic by Lord Whitsaber. It was free for the taking, but remained untouched until the Avatar came to claim it - testifying to the upright nature of the citizens of the city.
 * Humility: The Rune of Humility was safeguarded by Lord Antonio of New Magincia. He would grant the Avatar use of it only after the hero correctly discerned the most humble person in the city.
 * Spirituality: The Rune of Spirituality had been given to Quenton Delancy of Skara Brae, but had been lost after his murder. The hero could discern its location by reading the poetry of the dead man's wife, leading them to a basket kept within his daughter's home.

Ultima VII
During Ultima VII, the eight runes all lay within Britain's Royal Museum. They served no function in the course of the game, and taking them from their resting place was entirely optional.

Ultima IX
During Ultima IX, the eight runes had all been transformed into glyphs and each had been installed into the column nearest to the dungeon which opposed the virtue it represented. The Avatar could restore them to their original state by taking them to their corresponding shrine along with an appropriate sigil. After reciting the correct mantra, the glyph would be transformed back into a rune.


 * Honesty: Found in the Dungeon Deceit; may be restored using the Writ of Honesty at the Shrine of Honesty
 * Compassion: Found in the Dungeon Despise; may be restored using the Heart of Compassion at the Shrine of Compassion
 * Valor: Found in the Dungeon Destard; may be restored using the Dagger of Valor at the Shrine of Valor
 * Justice: Found in the Dungeon Wrong; may be restored using the Quill of Justice at the Shrine of Justice
 * Sacrifice: Found in the Dungeon Covetous; may be restored using the Tear of Sacrifice at the Shrine of Sacrifice
 * Honor: Found in the Dungeon Shame; may be restored using the Chalice of Honor at the Shrine of Honor
 * Humility: Found in the Dungeon Hythloth; may be restored using the Crook of Humility at the Shrine of Humility
 * Spirituality: Found in the Abyss; may be restored using the Ankh of Spirituality at the Shrine of Spirituality

Trivia

 * Each rune retrieved in Ultima IV grants (only) the player's character 100 XP.
 * In Ultima VII, Mayor Finnigan of Trinsic can relate to the Avatar how the Rune of Honor was stolen from the pedestal on which Whitsaber had placed it and was never returned - later finding its way to the Royal Museum. A  modification for the Exult utility adds an optional quest in which the hero may restore the rune to the city.
 * The Keyring Mod for Exult gives the Avatar the option to meditate at the various shrines in Ultima VII using the runes - and should the hero complete all of the quests ordained by the shrines, they will be able to teleport to the Shrine of Spirituality without contacting the wisps, thereby circumventing Alagner's demise.