Ultima IV: Quest of the Avatar (NES)/The Great Stygian Abyss

The black stone of humility

 *  See also Ultima IV: Quest of the Avatar/The Great Stygian Abyss

Seven stones were found in the seven dungeons (the White Stone, too, more or less), but the Virtues are eight: the Black Stone of Humility is still missing.

For all the previous stones, information could be found in the corresponding city. In this case, it is the village of Vesper, instead. There is a secret passage near the Guild shop. There, a ranger (Merlin from Cove) explains where and how to get the Black Stone. He is the only character who says anything about it. Alternatively, in the unlikely case that you still have to achieve partial Avatarhood in Humility, the same information can be obtained by meditating for three cycles at the Shrine of that virtue.

The Black Stone of Humility can be found by stepping into the Moonglow Moongate when both moons are dark, then search the ground.

This last stone is only used in the Great Stygian Abyss.

Getting ready: checklist

 *  See also Ultima IV: Quest of the Avatar/The Great Stygian Abyss

This is the information scattered all over Britannia:
 * The Ankh in Cove and the ranger in the White Stone cave state that you need the Eight Stones (see ../Dungeons/);
 * The fighter in the White Stone cave states that you must be an eight-parts Avatar (see ../The Shrines of Virtue/);
 * The seahorse in Cove (Blissful) states that you should meditate in this order at the shrines of Honesty, Compassion, and Valor and learn how to enter the Abyss; this means that you should use in this order: the Book of Truth, the Candle of Love, and the Bell of Courage (see ../The Strongholds of the Principles/);
 * The nixie in Serpent's Hold (Noxum) states that you need the Key of Three Parts (see ../Dungeons/);

Furthermore, the guards in a shrine on an islet near the Abyss Island will explain that the Stranger also needs to be and strictly alone. He/she should also be at level 8. Only when all the requirements are satisfied, the guards will open the way to access the Great Stygian Abyss.


 * Requirements that were removed from this remake: the magic ship wheel, the Pure Axiom, the Word of Passage.

The Great Stygian Abyss



 *  See also Ultima IV: Quest of the Avatar/The Great Stygian Abyss

The shortest sea route to reach the Great Stygian Abyss starts from a peninsula east from Minoc (north from Vesper). Sail straight north; when you reach the three volcanoes, turn east. Near the west coast of the Dark Island, you can see a shrine: the three guards give you more information about the requirements to enter the Abyss. Keep sailing north and enter a gulf to the east. Defeat any pirate ship and land at the innermost end of the fjord. The entrance to the Abyss is in the middle of a lava field.

At the entrance of the Great Stygian Abyss, ring the Bell of Courage, then open the Book of Truth, then light the Candle of Love. The aforementioned order is learned by meditating three cycles at the Shrines of Compassion Valor, and Honesty.

If you give a wrong answer at any one of the eight altars in the Abyss, you will be ejected from the Great Stygian Abyss, and you will find yourself in the island shrine.

The chamber of the Codex

 *  See also: Ultima IV: Quest of the Avatar/The Great Stygian Abyss

After you put the eight stone in the altar, the Stranger finds him/herself into a room with a sentient Ankh. The three keys unite and form the Key of Three parts, that open the way to the Chamber of the Codex of Ultimate Wisdom (in this NES remake, the final test of virtues was split up into seven questions asked in the previous seven dungeons).

You can finally read the Codex of Ultimate Wisdom, that also reveals (instead of asking) the One Pure Axiom: Infinity!

After reading the Codex, continue up the stairs and enjoy the ending. Congratulations!