Ultima: Runes of Virtue/Dungeon Despise (Hatred)

The first quest that Lord British gives to the character is to retrieve the Rune of Compassion, that is in the depths of the "Cavern of Hatred" (i.e. Dungeon Despise).

The dungeon names are different because Ultima: Runes of Virtue 1 was published in Japan first, and then translated in English.

Dungeon location
Dungeon Despise ("cavern of Hatred" in this game) is located just north of Castle Britannia.

Upper floors
The first floor is very easy. The ladder down can be quickly reached on the south-east corner. Two hearts can be found in crates around the floor.

The second floor is the largest in the dungeon, and apparently the most complicated. It is made of four quadrants.

First of all, go south and to the second quadrant. You can ignore all the doors and continue to the next quadrant, or take a chance of finding some treasure. If you do want adventure, navigate the rooms, take the key and talk to Sherry. The right door is to the right: your prize consists of a gem and two hearts. The teleporters will now bring you back to the start of this floor (choose the north teleporter when you have to).

In the third quadrant, you can find the stairs that lead to the Magic axe (see below). Once you get the weapon and are back here, continue to the north-west.

Run between the heads and dodge the darts. Ignore the reaper and take the stairs down towards the Rune of Compassion.

The magic axe
Take the ladders in the south-west quadrant of floor 2, and you will eventually reach the Magic axe on floor 5.

On floor 3, be careful with the mushrooms. Whenever you take a mushroom, many items and some enemies appear. You may take the mushrooms one by one, or ignore them altogether.

On floor 4 you have to solve a boulder puzzle to trap the tigers and get the treasure. First, push the nearest boulder all the way south; second, push a boulder all the way west/left; then, push a boulder (pay attention!) up one step so that you can push the next boulder all the way east/right; then, push another boulder one step sideways so that you can push a boulder all the way north; finally, push a fifth boulder north so to block the last tiger cages. Step on the tile, collect the treasure and continue.

On floor 5, do the opposite of what the Klip-Klop (also known as Pushme-Pullyu) says: go west/left first. Follow the path and collect the Magic Axe. Back to the floor entrance, you can either climb the stairs up, or explore the rest of the floor, just to be end up at the dungeon entrance. In either case, it is now time to chase the Rune.

The Rune of Compassion


Take the ladders in the north-west quadrant of floor 2, and you will eventually reach the Rune of Compassion on floor 5. Upon retrieving it, the character's Dexterity will raise by 3.