Keys/locations in Ultima Underworld

---

This article is about key locations, that is, locations of keys that unlock things, in Ultima Underworld: The Stygian Abyss. For key locations, that is, locations of interest in that game, see The Abyssal Colony.

---

Spoiler Warning

While the encyclopedic nature of the codex means that many pages will have information that could spoil some minor aspects of the game for newer players, this page is known to contain information that provides major spoilers to elements of game plots, quests, and/or puzzles. Continue reading at your own discretion.

There are not many keys in Ultima Underworld: The Stygian Abyss but the game has no keyring available, thus the player must be judicious about when to throw away a key due to limited inventory space available. Therefore here is a complete overview of the keys, complete with notes about special properties of said keys.

Notes

The key code below the key icon is a unique identifier for the key, since some keys can look similiar. It is not used anywhere in-game, just here in these articles for clarity when refering to a particular key. The first number is the sprite number that represents the key while the second number is the lock code that tells which locks it can unlock.

The First Level

Links: location walkthrough

Key	Description	Where it is found	What it opens	Notes
6-1	The handle of this key is tarnished from heavy use.	Found in Alfred's backpack in the beginning of the game.	The key opens about half of the locked doors on the level, mostly the wooden panel doors.	Without it you can't leave the starting area without bashing your way out.
2-2	This key seems to have been made from stone, and is cold to the touch.	There are two copies of this key: 1) In the far southeast, in a room south of the orb room. 2) At the bottom of the spiral stairs near the savage green goblin camp.	The key opens the other half of the locked doors on the level, mostly the skull doors.	The tarnished key opens more crucial pathways while this one opens more optional ones.
13-3	You see a key.	In the grey goblin area, it is carried by Queen Retichall	Opens the main portcullis, the treasury, and the secret backdoor to the pillars puzzle room.
10-4	You see a key.	In the green goblin area, it is carried by the doorman Drog and King Vernix	Opens the main portcullis, the treasury, and a chest in the treasury	If you kill the doorman to get this key, be sure to bring it out of the camp with you because the main portcullis will lock behind you and you can't reach the switch even with a pole.

Level 2

Links: location walkthrough

Key	Description	Where it is found	What it opens	Notes
9-5	The gem inset in this key has been chipped badly.	Off the southern corridor, in a passage to the stairs, guarded by a spider.	The key unlocks most of the doors in the mountainmen area.	Opens optional passages. Not crucial, but handy.
11-6	Three yellow gems adorn the handle of this key.	In Ironwit's labyrinth in the north-western quadrant of the level, in the small dangerous path room to the north east.	In Ironwit's labyrinth: The potion room and the storage room.	Hop to the room and then stay on the path, except know when to go off the path. Good luck!

Level 3

Links: location walkthrough

Key	Description	Where it is found	What it opens	Notes
0-8	Upon the small key ring which is attached to this key is a small disc which has the letters 'E' and 'W' imprinted on it.	In a bag with a note in the northern tunnels of the central island	1) Doors in the thieves camp in the south of the level 2) On level 4 it opens a door east of the center to cascade pools	A note found with this key says: "Look for Thieves hideout behind storage room"
3-9	A lizard figure adorns the small gem which is attached to this key.	In a bag in the northern tunnels of the central island, near the thieves' key.	Doors in the area of the red lizard men, allowing further passage	Near the bag with the key are remains that can be identified as being a red lizardman.
7-10	The picture of a lizard embellishes the gem inset in this key.	In a pouch in a tunnel in western end of the central island	Doors in the area of the green lizard men	This key is in a tunnel with a couple of skeletons, locked behind a badly damaged door that has no key. You can bash, pick, or cast your way in, or you can stand outside and taunt the skeletons until they bash their way out.
7-11	Etched upon this key in extremely tiny print is the phrase "Key to Courage."	In the isolated Tower of Courage area in the Northwest, in a gold coffer in the tower with a badly damaged door.	Door leading to the Key of Courage, in the tower across the walkway from the tower where this key is found.	The same graphic but not the same key as the green lizardmen key

Level 4

Links: location walkthrough

Key	Description	Where it is found	What it opens	Notes
12-13	The handle of this key is set with a smooth stone of obsidian.	Held by Rodrick, the Chaos Knight, in the far North.	The door to Silas' Maze, behind a secret door.	This key is required to enter the maze, the door is otherwise unopenable without the key.

Level 5

Links: location walkthrough

Key	Description	Where it is found	What it opens	Notes
13-15	This key feels strangely clammy.	Held by the hostile Dire ghost that appears in Nolant's tomb, in the far in the southeast of the level.	Unlocks the tomb, and the portcullis for the way back	Neither the tomb door nor the protcullis can be opened without the key.

Level 6

Links: location walkthrough

There are no keys or locked doors on level 6. There is one annoyed door however.

Level 7

Links: location walkthrough

Key	Description	Where it is found	What it opens	Notes
5-24	The handle of this key is set with a large toth.	The remains of a poor soul in the northeastern quadrant near the stairs down (access from level 8)	The doors to the lava jumping puzzle, thus creating a veritable shortcut right to Tyball’s labyrinth.	Those doors can also be bashed, picked, and cast open.
10-25	This key seems to have been carved from a bone.	On the corpse of Naruto's Friend in the pit spider area in the West.	Opens two doors in the lava chasm to a passage that eventually leads to the imp's hideout.	Naruto says this key leads to an item that helps to get through Tyball's labyrinth.
13-23	Crude runes are scrawled on this key.	Copies of this key are held by: 1) The troll jailer in the prison 2) Tyball.	Opens up the front door of the prison, the security gates and the low-security cells
4-27	The handle of this key is the intact skull of an imp.	Held by Tyball	1) Frees Arial from her shackles. 2) Opens the door to the main part of the eighth level. 3) Opens the high-security doors in the prison.	Without it you can't proceed to the main part of the eighth level.
8-26	This key feels quite warm, almost as if it is alive.	Held by Smonden, in a high security prison cell	A door just to the North that leads to the staircase to the Key of Courage	You need this key to assemble the Three Part Key and thus complete the game.

Please note that the crystal splinter technically isn't a key and thus has a separate entry.

Level 8

Links: location walkthrough

Key	Description	Where it is found	What it opens	Notes
14-28	You see a key.	Held by Carasso, who is locked behind a door that has no key, but can be bashed or picked or cast open.	Opens a door in the East to a way to the Chamber of Virtue without having to walk on lava.

---

Key Locations
Games	Ultima VI ☥ Ultima Underworld ☥ Ultima VII ☥ Ultima Underworld II ☥ Ultima VII Part Two ☥ Ultima VIII ☥ Ultima IX