Landfall battle on Verity Isle |
We're almost done, folks. I've explored the whole world, I'm armed with magic wands (and plenty of spells), and I have the three-part key to the abyss. I just need to take care of a few last things before I'm ready to unlock it and retrieve the Codex of Ultimate Wisdom, which definitely won't have any negative consequences later in the series.
First, there's the whole Quest of the Avatar aspect. I'm still lacking an eighth in honesty, which is attained in Moonglow. I started the game there, I didn't locate the town's rune, and I never went back except for reagents. It's well past time to correct that.
Now that I have more experience in the game's dialog system, and also because commenter Abacos advised me that everyone responds to a maximum of two unique keywords, I'm in a better position to find the fetch thread that eluded me the first time around.
I walk around, talk to everyone with thorough follow-up on every potential topic, and eventually find it at the inn.
Prior dialog: "I am your friend. Honest friends are few!" |
But don't take the gold! That would be dishonest. |
Before
going to the Shrine of Honesty, I Gate back to Jhelom and find my horse
waiting. Then we Gate back to Moonglow, ride up to the north side of
the island, and Blink to Dagger Isle and the shrine.
Avatarhood is attained! And the eight runes seen spell "IFITNNYI,"
which I'm pretty sure is supposed to be "INFINITY" in the correct order,
although an anagram generator tells me it could also be "nifty, I in!"
or "FYI, I in TN," or perhaps "fit in yin," if we really want to
shoehorn in some more Tao symbology. But I'm pretty sure it's INFINITY.
Several posts ago, a magic seahorse in the hidden city of Cove told me that I could learn how to enter the abyss by meditating at the shrines of Honesty, Compassion, and Valor for three cycles each, and now that I have the runes I can finally do this.
I re-meditate at Honesty first, though I have to wait about 30 cycles first before my mind is clear enough.
Compassion takes more than 80 cycles.
Valor takes about as long.
Nothing! No clues about the abyss at all! Tristan Miller said the shrine clues were bugged, so maybe that applies here? If so, that stinks - either the way into the abyss is intuitive, or Ultima IV is effectively unwinnable without spoilers.
Either way, there's still stuff for me to do.
I return to Britain. Hawkwind does not comment on my newfound Avatarhood, but Lord British acknowledges this and promotes Shamino to level 7.
Before I go there, there are two more sidequests I wish to complete.
Jude the Beggar, I was told in Buccaneer's Den, knows of the skull of Mondain, and I correctly guess that he is in Minoc's poor house.
I promise to destroy it, and he tells me to search P'F" by M'F" on the darkest night. That puts it smack-dab in the middle of the volcanic islands far to the south. I return to my ship and sail back there.
The Isle of the Abyss is just a few screen's width east - I sail there immediately. Unfortunately, I have to fight off all of the pirates there yet again to enter.
I save - the consequences of accidentally invoking the power of Mondain's skull has dire consequences indeed - and then stand into the proper spot to rid the world of this cursed artifact.
As long as I'm here, maybe I can figure out how to enter? Is it simply a matter of using the bell, book, and candle?
It is! One last thing to do before entering, though.
I sail back to the mainland so that my ship might be retrieved, Gate to Trinsic, and Blink north to Paws to speak with Sir Simon and Lady Tessa, who had promised me "mystics" when I become an Avatar.
I Gate/Blink to Empath Abbey and search the groves.
Actually, I find eight mystic robes. |
And Serpent's Hold.
Eight mystic swords. Honestly I think I am better off with my ranged weapons.
Almost done here above ground. I go to Britain and sell off all of my non-mystic armor - it's worth nearly $8000. One last visit to Lord British too - he promotes Geoffrey to level 7.
With the cash, I go to Buccaneer's Den and buy a third magic wand, for Iolo, and a magic bow, which is usable by anyone but Katrina and Geoffrey. Shamino, who has been stuck using a non-magical crossbow, gets this. Then I sell all of my extra weapons except for the mystic swords (which would fetch $3500 each!) and buy 99 flaming oils so Katrina and Geoffrey don't have to feel left out.
One last trip to the Isle of the Abyss. One last fight against the hundred and one dalmatian pirates.
Flaming oils leave damaging hotspots where they land. |
I enter the abyss.
Merry Christmas, Avatar!
ReplyDelete