Sosaria is the world which Lord British calls home, and it is the world which is under threat from the mysterious and enigmatic Exodus. It contains many features, including towns, castles, and dungeons. Some areas can be reach on foot. Others must be sailed to, and other still can only be accessed via the mystical Moon Gates, whose positions change according to the phases of the two moons.
Transportation
Ships
- From the manual: Ships are very scarce. The Pirate fleet has sunk most of the regular ships. When you have a ship, you need to maneuver it. To sail a ship, one must learn the ways of the winds. Your ship may not sail against a wind, but must tack around it. Watch out for sudden shifts in the wind for the wind is a fickle elemental force.
In order to get a ship, you have to fight a pirate ship. Approach the pirates so that their cannons cannon cannot hit the party (no cannon fire in the NES port).
While onboard a ship, you can [F]ire cannons to wipe out enemies that are too strong for your party, or enemies that won't drop a chest. The characters earn no experience when they fire cannons. Fighting coast enemies from aboard a ship gives a tactical advantage to your party: enemies have to line up on the boarding bridges. On the other hand, enemy encounter rate is sensibly lower when travelling by ship: the gold you earn will barely cover food expenses. Better leave the ships where the whirlpool cannot easily engulf them (e.g. a river) and proceed on foot.
Not so in the NES port. First of all, enemy encounter rate is not lowered onboard a ship and food consumption is slower. Secondly, pirate ships (and some strong enemies) start appearing only when a party member reaches level 5. Therefore, it is advisable to stay onboard as much as possible when you conquer a ship. In the NES port, the party can only have one ship at a time.
Moon Gates
- For more information, see the Moongates page.
Moon Gates allow to reach two destinations inaccessible by any other means: the lake town of Devil Guard and the dungeon of the Moon/Time.
Horses
- From the manual: Most of thy Party's progress will be on foot. If you art fortunate, you could capture some of the wild horses that roam the plains. Travel on horseback is much faster than on foot.
Despite what the manual says, horses never appear in the wild (never trust a game manual!). They can be only purchased in stables, on the island of Fawn or in the magic town of Dawn.
Horses simply allow to outrun enemies. They are lost whenever you enter a dungeon. They are too expensive at game start, while they are unnecessary later.
Town features
You will find many sorts of aid in the various towns of Sosaria. Some are in the form of shops and pubs where you can buy items and information. Others are in the form of the very citizens that populate the town. It's a good idea to have an understanding of what to expect when paying a visit to a town.
Shops
- The Weapons Shop: Buy and sell superbly hand-crafted weapons. Each weapon is guaranteed not to break for 1,000 fights.
- The Armory: Buy fine armour, or trade in captured booty for gold. Please note that anytime you sell armor or weapons, you need to reequip yourself afterwards.
- The Grocery: While the typical fare here would never be considered gourmet, the food does not spoil on long adventures.
- The Guild Shop: The Thieves Guild offers, at a high price, tools of their trade. The guild shops are difficult to locate as most towns have driven them out.
- The Pub: Relax from a hard campaign and enjoy a cold draught. Bartenders head strange rumors some times. A few pieces of gold may loosen a tongue. Remember though, gossip is rarely totally truthful.
- The Healers: In remote areas may be found Healer Kiosks. Their restorative powers can be purchased, although the tariff is steep.
- The Stable: In two towns the fine horses of Lord British may be purchased. However, they are only sold in lots that match the number of the party, so they are quite expensive.
- The Oracle: In secluded sections of some towns dwell gifted Oracles. With their vision they can provide much understanding of the occurrences in the world around you. Knowledge is a costly thing, so bring a heavy purse.
- NES only
- Inn: Exclusive to the NES versions of the game, you must manually opt to save your game by staying at an Inn. The original computer versions of the game save your progress every time you enter or exit a town, castle, or dungeon.
- Casino: The Casino is a place where you can relax and gamble some of your gold. Win a bet, and you increase your wealth. Lost a bet, and it's gone for good.
- Give Blood: You can give blood (+B) to some Healers: the character lose 100 HP and earns 30 GP. Repeated giving blood & healing allows to raise money faster.
- Temple: Temples contain priests that are prepared to aid a Party on their journey to rescue Sosaria from the evil of Exodus. However, they do prefer those who are willing to leave a donation.
- In the NES version, the Healers cannot resurrect a patient turned into ashes; you have to go to the Temple (+T) in Moon for that.
| Mainland Sosaria | Remote locations | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Service | Lord British Castle |
Royal City Britain |
Montor East |
Montor West |
Grey | Moon | Yew | Devil Guard |
Fawn | Death Gulch |
Dawn |
| Healer | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | |||||
| Healer (NES) | (+B) | (+B+T) | (+T) | (+B) | |||||||
| Pub | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | ||
| Grocery | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | ||
| Armory (weapons) | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | SPECIAL | |||||
| Armory (armors) | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | |||||
| Guild | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | |||||||
| Stables | Yes | Yes | |||||||||
| Oracle | Yes | Yes | |||||||||
| Inn (NES) | Yes | Yes | |||||||||
| Casino (NES) | Yes | Yes | Yes | ||||||||
| Special | Sherry | Prison | Circle of Light |
||||||||
Citizens
- Merchants: The mainstay of Sosaria's prosperity. They operate the shops in town to the benefit of all. Some are not very clever, and if a sharp Thief is in your Party, then a chest or two might be stolen from under the Merchant's nose. If the Thief is caught stealing, the entire town guard will assault you.
- Guards: They resemble big bouncers at tough bars - all brawn and no brains. If a crime is detected within a town, or Lord British's castle, each Guard will pursue you to the boundaries of the place. Most Guards are very difficult to overcome, but rumors have been circulating that some Guards are not completely honest.
- Jesters: They entertain Lord British with their antics. Occasionally they even harass visitors.
- Player Type: Any of the regular Player types may appear in the towns and castle. Speak to all of them, some hold valuable clues to the locations of hidden items.
- Monster Type: Very rarely are renegade monsters seen in towns. These monsters no longer serve the Dark, but now serve Light.
- Lord British: The august ruler over all the People. Widely regarded as a fair ruler, he will richly reward those who serve by his side.
- Sherry (NES only): Once you have visited the lost continent of Ambrosia and collected a flower, go to "Royal City" (Town of Britain) and give the flower to Sherry. In return she gives you a Heart Compass which can be used to leave Ambrosia and teleport the party to Lord British's Castle.
Sosaria map
Sosaria contains many secrets, most of which are designed to be discovered by you throughout your journey. You can learn much by talking to citizens of the towns, or through thorough exploration of the land itself. Beyond here, many of Sosaria's secrets will be revealed. If you do not wish to have them spoiled, do not read below this section.
| LB | Lord Britsh's Castle |
|---|---|
| RO | Town of Britain |
| MO | Town of Moon |
| YE | Town of Yew |
| MW | Montor West |
| ME | Montor East |
| GR | Grey |
| DA | Dawn |
| DV | Devil Guard |
| FA | Fawn |
| DE | Death Gulch |
| EXODUS | Castle of Exodus |
| A | Perinian Depths |
|---|---|
| B | Dardin's Pit |
| C | Dungeon of Fire |
| D | Dungeon of the Snake |
| E | Mines of Morinia |
| F | Dungeon Doom |
| G | Dungeon of Time |
| 0 (New Moon) | SE of Montor (NW corner of the world map) |
|---|---|
| 1 (Crescent waxing) | Isle with Dungeon of Snake |
| 2 (First Quarter) | North end of the enclosed valley |
| 3 (Gibbous waxing) | South coast, straight West of Montor |
| 4 (Full Moon) | South end of the enclosed valley |
| 5 (Gibbous waning) | Isle of Fire; Castle of Exodus |
| 6 (Last Quarter) | Devil Guard |
| 7 (Crescent waning) | Dungeon of Time |
Mainland Castles and Towns
Listed traveling clockwise around Sosaria, starting from Lord British's Castle.
Castle of Lord British
Features: King, Healer, Oracle (NES: Inn)
Description: The Capital of Sosaria during these troubled times, this Castle is the home of Lord Cantabrigian British. Within its strong walls lies a Healer, an Oracle, and those who may possess knowledge of value to thee. Lord British himself will grant thee increased skill as thy deeds warrant it.
Notes:
- Talk to Lord British in order to restore HitPoints and raise levels. However, you need the mark of kings to increase past level 5.
- For 100 Gold you can bribe the guards. Before you can do this however, you have to get the "Bribe" command from a person in "Devil Guard".
- Some rooms can only be accessed with "Keys", which can be bought at "Guilds".
- Avoid the fire and force fields unless you have the respective marks.
Town of Britain
Features: Armor shop, Weapon shop, Pub, Grocery store
Description: This city has grown up around the Castle of Lord British. It is both well guarded and populous, as well as being a safe haven for the harried traveller. While it lacks the exotic amenities of some townes, Britain is well served by its Pub, Grocery, Weaponsmith, and Armourer.
Notes:
- NES: The girl Sherry is giving you a Heart Compass if you bring her some flowers.
Twin Towns of Montor
| Features: Armor shop, Weapon shop, Pub, Grocery store
Description: The Twin Montors are warrior cities that lie opposite each other at the mouth of a southern river. The townes are very similar, and indeed can almost be considered to be one, as each lacks an essential facility that the other has. While both townes have a weapons shoppe and an armoury, groceries and rations are the sole province of Montor West, which also maintains the prison used by both cities. Notes:
|
Town of Grey
Features: Armor shop, Weapon shop, Pub, Guild, Grocery store (NES: Casino)
Description: Grey is noteworthy as being the only easily accessible mainland town with a Thieves Guild. As well as this feature, the towne has shops selling weapons, armour, and rations, as well as the Taphouse pub.
Notes:
- None.
Town of Moon
Features: Pub, Grocery store, Healer (NES: Temple)
Description: Mysterious Moon has a reputation for being the home of Magic, yet the Magi are far and few between in this towne. The amenities are simple, with a grocer, a pub, and a healer
Notes:
- None
Town of Yew
Features: Grocery store, Healer (NES: Temple)
Description: Nestled within a near complete ring of mountains, and concealed within the depths of a great forest, Yew is a quiet towne, where many come for contemplation and prayer. Concealed within the forest within which the towne has been constructed lie the Aliment Grocery, a Healer, and the Circle of Light, a place where prayers are reputed to come true.
Notes:
- Yew is hidden deep in the Mountains to the west of castle Britannia. Enter the pass on the west side of the mountainous area going east toward the castle.
- Very limited view because of the dense forest. Beware of some lava pits.
- If you have the Mark of Fire (or a lot of HP), approach the priests in the temple. They will give you the "Pray" command which can be used at the "Circle of Light". You then get the "Silver Horn" which allows you to pass the "Great Earth Serpent", guarding the entryway to "Castle Exodus".
Remote Castles and Towns
Town of Devil Guard
Features: Horse stables, Guild, Pub, Grocery store, Healer
Description: This towne is concealed within a valley entirely surrounded by impassable mountains, which can only be entered through a moongate. Within the towne are a Stable, an establishment offering both Rations and Healing, a Thieves Guild, and the Le Grogshop Pub.
Notes:
- Devil Guard is in a hidden mountain lake area, and the only way to reach it is via the Moongates.
- Speak to the woman in the hospital twice to learn the 'Bribe' command. (To access this command on the NES, press Select when viewing the main list of commands to reach a second list.)
Town of Fawn
Features: Guild, Pub, Grocery store, Healer (NES: Casino)
Description: Lying upon a northern Island, the Towne of Fawn can not be reached save by ship. Within the towne are a healer, a grocer, a pub, and a Thieves Guild.
Notes:
- Fawn can only be reached with a ship.
Town of Death Gulch
Features: Armor shop, Weapon shop, Pub, Grocery store
Description: Upon an eastern island, this towne of wretched villains is carved back into the mountains themselves, making it nearly impregnable for any normal foes. Once thou hast entered the towne (bribery is useful here) thou canst seek out those with valuable knowledge, or visit the various stores. The Armoury may be raided, but take care to bribe the guards before thou doth enter.
Notes:
- There is a big field of lava. But there is no need to talk with the person there.
- For 100 Gold you can bribe the guards. Before you can do this however, you have to get the "Bribe" command from a person in "Devil Guard".
- You can also use the way through the forest labyrinth if you don't want/can't bribe the guards.
- There are lots of treasure chests near the armory. But be careful of the guards when you open the chests! It's an easy way to get much gold. Just leave the town, then re-enter and all the chests are back again.
Town of Dawn
Features: Armor shop, Weapon shop, Horse stables, Guild, Pub, Grocery store, Healer, Oracle (NES: Inn)
Description: Hidden within the Depths of the Forest, and concealed with Powerful Magic, the City of Dawn can be reached be travelling west from the Castle of Lord British, then South 35 leagues into the forests to the south. When both Trammel and Fellucca are new, then shall Dawn appear before thee. Within the Towne are a Healer, an Oracle, a Grocery Shoppe, the Thieves Guild, a Stable, and the Ballyhoo Pub. The Weaponsmith and the Armourer are worthy of note however, as in addition to the mundane stock sold by their counterparts elsewhere, they forge and sell items of Magic.
Notes:
- Dawn appears only when both moons are "New Moon" (configuration 0,0; for further information check the section about Moongates). To reach Dawn, you have to go 8 steps west and 35 steps south from Lord British's castle. It is located in the middle of a big forest, 8 steps west and 4 steps north of Montor West.
- Alternatively, you can find this town by walking four steps north and nine steps west of Montor West.
- Dawn's weapon shop has far better weapons for sale than in other towns (but they are more expensive of course).
- NES: You can find the "Gold Pick" in a treasure chest (the very left) in the guild. Be careful of guards, though!
Castle of Exodus
Features: None
Description: Within these walls lies the Daemon Exodus, defended by terrible monsters, and hidden within a maze of passages blocked with fields of Force and Fire. To even approach the Castle, one must first pass the Great Earth Serpent bound by dark Magicks to be the Guardian of the Castle.
Notes:
- Located on an island to the southwest of the Sosarian continent. To pass the silver snake, you must have the Mark of the Snake and knowledge of the secret word which you must yell.
- The castle contains many strong monsters, which are immune to anything less than the most powerful weapons!