Ultima IV: Quest of the Avatar/Side Quests

All information to get the rare items is already in the game, if the Stranger talks with every character. Although the NES version has simplified dialogues, most information is still found in the same towns and also at the same pubs.

The sextant

NAME: Sailor Sam, an ugly sailor (Trinsic)
JOB:	I sail the the seas of Britannia!
SEAS:	My specialty is navigation!
	Is it thy specialty?
NO:	Thou must not own a sextant, eh?
SEXT:	Go to the pub in Jhelom and ask of sextants.
NAME: Senora, a beautiful mage (Jhelom)
JOB:	I am locked up in this tower.
TOWE:	I am being punished for my crimes.
CRIM:	Does not matter, I can help thee!
	Dost thou have a ship?
YES:	Then thou dost need a sextant ask the barkeep for he knows more!

The magical wheel

This item is not included in the NES version.

NAME: Allen, a small boy (Cove)
JOB:	I know how to enter the abyss!
ABYS:	The abyss may only be approached by ship!
SHIP:	The ship must have a magically strengthened hull!
	Hast thou such a vessel?
Y/N:	Ask Blissful about the abyss.
NAME: Noxum, a spiny nixie! (Serpent's Castle)
JOB:	I swim the seas!
SEAS:	There are many ships at the bottom!
	Hast thou heard of his majesty's ship Cape?
YES:	She had a magical wheel that would strengthen her hull!
SHIP:	A survivor would know where to search.
NAME: Lassorn, a wounded sailor (Serpent's Castle)
JOB:	I am a sailor.
HEALTH:	I alone survived the shipwreck.
SHIP:	his majesty's ship Cape.
	Ever heard of her?
Y/N:	She was a mighty vessel!
WHEE:	She went down in the deep waters of the bay in the Cape of Heroes!
NAME: Lord British, Sovereign of all Britannia!
VIRT:	The Eight Virtues of the Avatar are Honesty, Compassion, Valor, Justice, Sacrifice, Honor, Spirituality, and Humility!
HONO:	The Paladins who strive for Honor are oft seen in Trinsic, north of the Cape of Heroes!

Rare reagents

Mandrake root

LOOK? You see a tall wizard (in Trinsic). NAME? I am Swindrik. HEALTH? Fully healed. JOB? I cast spells. SPELLS? Spells of great power. Dost thou cast spells of great power? N: Dost thou know their main ingredient? Y: What is the most powerful reagent? MANDRAKE? Ask at the Folley tavern of mandrake.
Greg 'n Rob (in Paws) say: "Welcome to Folley Tavern. What'll it be, food or grog?" FOOD? Our specialty is Folley Filet, which costs 2 GP. How many plates would you like? GROG? Here's a mug of our best. That'll be 2 GP. MANDRAKE? The last person I knew that had any Mandrake was an old alchemist named Calumny.
LOOK? You see a solemn druid (in Yew). NAME? I am Calumny. HEALTH? Well. JOB? I make spells. SPELLS? I invented Quickness! Can thou cast it? Y: It requires ash, ginseng and bloodmoss! MANDRAKE? Mandrake root is found only in the Fens of the Dead and in the Bloody Plains where the ground is always damp.

Seven spells require Mandrake root:

View: very useful, and allows to save money for the gems;
Jinx: useful against large numbers of enemies;
Resurrect: absolutely necessary, although hopefully used not often;
Gate travel: use only in emergencies, because walking allows to fight and earn experience and gold;
Negate: useful against enemies that cast debuff spells (sleep) on the Companions;
Tremor: not useful, ranged weapons are more reliable;
Iceball: not useful, ranged weapons are more reliable.

Nightshade fungus

LOOK? You see a very small wizard (in Skara Brae). NAME? I am Presto. HEALTH? Superior! JOB? I cast great big spells! SPELLS? I can cast Jinx, Kill and View! Dost thou know what these spells have in common? Y: What? N: Guess! NIGHTSHADE? Yes. Ask the barkeep at "The Axe'n Grog" in Vesper about nightshade.
Arron (in Vesper) says: "Welcome to Axe'n Grog. What'll it be, food or grog?" FOOD? Our specialty is Green Granukit, which costs 2GP. How many plates would you like?" GROG? Here's a mug of our best. That'll be 2 GP. You pay? NIGHTSHADE? Of nightshade I know this: seek out Virgil or thou shalt miss! Try in Trinsic!
LOOK? You see a mystic wizard (in Trinsic). NAME? I am Virgil. HEALTH? I am well. JOB? I create magical fields. FIELDS? Poison is my favorite. 'Tis it thine? N: Well I don't care. Y: Bravo! NIGHTSHADE? Nightshade may be found only near lat. J'F", long. C'O" only on the darkest of nights!

Three spells only require Nightshade fungus:

View: see above: Mandrake;
Jinx: see above: Mandrake;
Kill: not useful, ranged weapons are more reliable.

More spells

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Undead

This spell requires garlic and sulphurous ash.

Gate travel

NAME: Jingles, a young mage! (Paws)
JOB:	I seek the wisdom of magic.
MAGI:	My master knows the gate travel spell!
MAST:	My master is Mentorian.
	Dost thou know him?
NO:	He lives in a hidden village in Lock Lake reachable only by ship, ask of the gate spell!
NAME: Mentorian, a tall wizard (Cove)
JOB:	I study the magical arts.
ARTS:	There is truth in magic!
	Dost thou disagree?
NO:	Good.
GATE:	Since thou dost bear the ankh I shall tell thee. A gate spell requires ash, pearl, and mandrake root!

Resurrect

NAME: Shazom, a dying young wizard (Moonglow)
JOB:	I am apprentice to the great wizard Nigel!
HEALTH:	I will soon die.
DIE:	Pass on.
NIGE:	I will soon need to use the spell he calls 'recall'.
	Hast thou met Nigel?
NO:	He lives at the Lycaeum.
YES:	Seek him out for he will teach thee.
NAME: Nigel, at thy service, a noble wizard (Lycaeum)
JOB:	I teach magical spells.
SPEL:	I have a specialty!
	Dost thou know what it is?
YES:	What do I call the spell?
RECA:	Yes, resurrection it takes ash, ginseng, garlic, silk, blood moss, and mandrake!

NES version

In the NES version, there are more spells to be found: sleep, reflect, negate, destroy, jinx, squish, tremor and defeat. However, the "Undead" spell is not available.

Spell mixes

NAME: Flatbush, a slender youth (Vesper)
JOB:	I am an apprentice mage!
MAGE:	I am the Calumny's favorite!
CALU:	He lives in Yew!
	Hast thou been to Yew?
Y/N:	Calumny knows the quickness spell! Seek him out!
NAME: Calumny, a solemn druid (Yew)
JOB:	I make spells.
SPEL:	I invented quickness!
	Can thou cast it?
YES:	It requires but one bloodmoss!
MAND:	Mandrake root is found only in the Fens of the Dead and in the Bloody Plains where the ground is always damp.
NAME: Seanna, a slinky mage. (Buccaneer's Den)
JOB:	I am a sorceress.
	My dear friend, may I help you?
YES:	How about with thy magic?
MAGI:	How about the sleep spell... sleep... sleep....
SLEE:	A sleep spell requires but one part silk! sleep... sleep... sleep...
NAME: Cosima, an elderly woman (Moonglow)
JOB:	I am an alchemist.
ALCH:	I know how best to mix reagents!
	Dost thou know how to best mix spells?
NO:	The secret's in the reagents!
REAG:	A sleep spell actually requires but one part spider silk!
NAME: Starlight, a mage dressed all in black (Buccaneer's Den)
JOB:	I use black magic!
MAGI:	I cast powerful magic missile spells.
	Dost thou?
YES:	Thou should try my mix of reagents!
MIX:	Try one black pearl and one part sulfurous ash!
NAME: Carlyle, a wise mage (Skara Brae)
JOB:	I write magic.
MAGI:	One lives by believing in something.
BELI:	Great discoveries are made by those whose feelings run ahead of their thinking.
	Dost thou believe in magic?
YES:	Magic missiles need but 1 part ash!

Mystic Weapons

LOOK? An injured fighter (in Castle Britannia). NAME? Seesha (female) HEALTH? I have a grievous wound. WOUND? Deep. JOB? I fight for my country. COUNTRY? Britannia. Fight ye for Britannia? N: Hmm. Y: Then seek out the smith named Zircon in Minoc for he made the mystic arms, only they will save thee in the abyss!
LOOK? A tall mage wearing strange armour (in the Lycaeum). ARMOUR? I wear mystic armour. Art thou a partial avatar? N: Alas. Y: When thou art eight parts avatar, seek Zircon in Minoc and ask of mystics! NAME? Scatu (male) HEALTH? Well! JOB? I advise. ADVISE? Thou would be well advised to visit the Seer often!
LOOK? A seasoned blacksmith (in Minoc). NAME? Zircon (male) HEALTH? Quite well. JOB? I forge weapons. WEAPONS? I make the very best! Seek thee a weapon? N: Hmmm. Y: Ask at the counter! MYSTIC? Ah, yes, the mystic weapons and armour, my greatest work! Those I gave unto Sir Simon and Lady Tessa.
LOOK? A tall pirate with a green beard (in Buccaneers Den). NAME? Green Beard (male) HEALTH? Jolly good mate! JOB? I'm buying armour for my crew! ARMOR? I hope to get some magical plate! Know where to buy mystic armour? N: Wish I did! Y: Where? NOWHERE? Oh, I see.
LOOK? A wise lord (in Paws). NAME? Sir Simon (male) HEALTH? I am fine. JOB? I am the keeper. KEEPER? Of what I cannot say! MYSTIC? Mystics can be found by an eight parts avatar! Hast thou attained enlightenment in all eight virtues? N: Alas. Y: The mystic armour lies in the center of the oak grove!
LOOK? A wise lady (in Paws). NAME? Lady Tessa (female) HEALTH? Well. JOB? I am the keeper. KEEPER? I cannot say. MYSTIC? Mystics can be found by an eight parts avatar! Hast thou attained enlightenment in all eight virtues? N: Alas. Y: The mystic weapons lie in the training room of Serpent castle!

Mondain's skull

NAME: Sebastian, an injured person (Britain)
JOB:	I know a terrible secret!
SECR:	Mondain's influence has not left the world!
MOND:	An artifact remains! I heard at Buccaneer's Den!
	Wilt thou find and destroy it?
YES:	Then ask at the pub there of the skull!
NAME: Servile, a meek shepherd (Vesper)
JOB:	I can help thee!
HELP:	I know of the skull of Mondain the Wizard!
SKUL:	To use it for any reason is a sign of great evil, and no virtue!
	Hast thou heard of it?
Y/N:	It is an evil artifact!
NAME: a reaper (Castle Britannia, beyond locked door)
JOB:	I kill adventurers!
KILL:	There is a thing which can kill many!
THIN:	Knowledge of it is found at Buccaneer's Den!
	Will you seek this thing?
YES:	It brings great power!
NAME: Ragnar, a solemn ranger (Buccaneer's Den)
JOB:	I travel.
TRAV:	The lands of Britannia.
	Art thou here looking for information?
YES:	On what?
SKUL:	Be warned that if thou dost ever use the skull, except to destroy it, all thy virtues will be lost!
NAME: Jude, a ragged soul (Yew)
JOB:	To redeem myself!
REDE:	I will not speak of my sin!
SKUL:	I used it!
	If I help thee wilt thou swear to only use it at the mouth of the abyss to destroy it?
YES:	It can be found at lat-P'F" long-M'F" on the darkest night!

NES-only items

In the NES version the party can include up to four companions, while the other ones can be left at the hostel in Castle Britannia. Because of this, some items were created to upgrade two characters considered weak, otherwise players would have seldom used them.

The sheep flute for the Shepherd: it allows to cast "Sleep" on all opponents unlimited times with no MP consumption;
the humble robe for the Shepherd: it is one of the best armor in the game, only inferior to the Mystic Armor;
the dragon scale to create the legendary axe for the Fighter: it is the second best melee weapon in the game, only inferior to the Mystic Sword.

The flute and the robe are found in Magincia ruins, but they're not available at the beginning of the game because they are protected by poison fields and a locked door, respectively.

The scale is found in the Serpent's mountains, that can only be reached by air. If it's brought to Zircon of Minoc, he will use it to create the legendary axe.

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