Ultima VI: The False Prophet/Lycaeum library and Deep Forest

Exploring the library
The Lycaeum library can be divided in three areas:
 * a "descent", that leads from the surface to the fourth, deepest floor;
 * four "corners", accessed from the fourth floor and rising up like towers;
 * a "core", accessed from the fourth floor, too, and helding the history of Britannia (i.e. the summary of the Ultima series so far).



There are 19 books in the library that can be read and/or borrowed.

Sorting the table by Function, it can be seen that 3 books are quest items; 9 books advertise earlier games by Origin Sys.; 1 book gives more hints about a later quest; and only 6 books serve no purpose.


 * NOTE: the nine video games mentioned in the Lycaeum include: 5 previous Ultima titles; 3 games released by Origin the year before Ultima 6; one game programmed by Dr. Cat before he joined Origin.

Rewards for the books

 * Lord British rewards you with 20 gems for "The Wizard of Oz".
 * Dr. Cat rewards you with 200 gold coins for the "Big Book of Boardgame Strategy".
 * The wisps reward you for the "Book of Lost Mantras" by giving to every member of the party as many gold nuggets as each can carry; you have the option of getting information instead of "substance" (gold); such information is useful for the end of the game, but it is told in an extremely complicated language, requiring superior knowledge of physics and optics. Here is the "translation" into understandable English, line by line:

Make sure you drop any unneeded item before you make the trade with the wisps. Exchange all the gold nuggets for gold coins in Britain. With all the money you can now afford the best equipment, all the magic spells and a lot of reagents!

Nicodemus the enchanter
Although Thariand is the Lord of the Stronghold of Truth (i.e. the Lycaeum), what he says is of little usefulness: the forest southeast of Yew is too thick to get through. Eckhart, from the Stronghold of Love (i.e. Empath Abbey), gives the best advice to find Nicodemus' house.



You need two spells to enter Nicodemus' hut: the "Unlock magic" can be acquired from Horance; the "Dispel field" can be taught by Xiao.

Buy the most convenient blood moss from Nicodemus, for just 2 gold coins per piece. He sells about 14 spells. He also sells yew staves, but some can be found for free in dungeons. When a companion with magic points reaches level 7, the "Enchant" spell can be used to upgrade staves into new spell-casting wands (unlike in Ultima 7, where it upgrades arrows and crossbow bolts).