Ultima IV: Quest of the Avatar (NES)/Dungeons Despise and Covetous

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See also: Ultima IV: Quest of the Avatar/Dungeons Despise and Covetous
  • Enter from Despise, north of Britain.
  • Get the Yellow and the Orange stones.
  • Get the Key Parts from the Altars of Love and Courage.
  • Leave from Covetous and use a Gate spell.

The magic balls in both these dungeons raise dexterity (INT); the balls in Shame also raise strength (STR).

Suggested party (upgrade companions with lowest dexterity):

  • Wand wielder: Jaana has lower dexterity than Mariah.
  • M. cloth or ring: to optimize armors, Iolo (m. cloth) goes with Jaana (ring), Shamino with Mariah.
  • Magic axe wielder: Dupre has the lowest dexterity of all Companions.
  • Zero magic: Geoffrey has far lower dexterity than katrina.

Dungeons Despise and Covetous[edit]

L. Map of the floor Walkthrough
D1 U4 NES d3 Despise L1.png
U4 NES d3 Despise L1rooms.png
The east fountain refreshes all health, the west one is poisonous (inverted from the original computer ports). There are two rooms and three doors.
D2 U4 NES d3 Despise L2.png
U4 NES d3 Despise L2rooms.png
A floor without obstacles or secrets.
D3 U4 NES d3 Despise L3.png This is the cross-shaped portion of the floor.
Take the south stairs first, in order to reach the Stone on the 5th floor.

In the circular portion of the floor there are 4 chests.
D4 U4 NES d3 Despise L4.png
U4 NES d3 Despise L4rooms.png
This is the larger portion of the floor.
There are secret passages in the central room; in order to reveal them, the triggers are at the same "height" in the middle, along opposite walls. Both fountains cure poison. The first magic orb is on this floor: it raises Dexterity by 5, but deals 200 damages. The stairs lead to two "dead-end areas" full of chests.
D5 U4 NES d3 Despise L5.png U4 NES d3 Despise L5rooms.png
It is easy to miss this floor. Coming from the larger area of the 4th floor, there is a secret passage on the north side of the single-tile stair room: the Yellow Stone of Compassion is hidden there. In the central room, defeat all enemies, then seek carefully for a black trigger in the wall: a northwards bridge will appear.

Art thou willing to grant a blessing?
No? I cannot give the stone to one who lacks compassion!
Yes? How much do you give? There is none more worthy. Open the box and take as thy own [the] Yellow Stone of Compassion!

D6 U4 NES d3 Despise L6.png The fountain cures poison. There are 14 chests.
D7 U4 NES d3 Despise L7.png Climb back to floor 3, and take any of the other stairs. Short passages lead to this floor.
A secret passage allows to bypass the long corridor.
D8 U4 NES d3 Despise L8.png
U4 NES d3 Despise L8rooms.png
Two Magic Orbs are found on this floor.
There is a way to get through all rooms without backtracking (except from the Magic Balls). First, from the stairs, start by going east. In the first room, go north for the first Ball, then continue east. At the second room, exit to the north. Take the second orb, then take the passage westwards. The third "room" is actually just a door. In the fourth room leave to the south. In the fifth and last room, leave westwards. After that, the Companions will eventually reach the Altar Room.
A U4 NES d0 Altar2.png The Companions enter the Altar Room of Love from Despise from the north. Covetous is to the west.
You lack one stone to use this altar.
C8 U4 NES d6 Covetous L8.png
U4 NES d6 Covetous L8rooms.png
The Companions should come from the Altar Room of Love, that is to the north.
C7-b U4 NES d6 Covetous L7.png
U4 NES d4 Destard L7rooms.png
Peer at a gem to locate the secret passage that leads to the Orange Stone of Sacrifice. As usual, there is a translation error: answer "yes" to the keeper's question.

Art thou one who would withhold the gift of thy own blood from a dying companion?
No? Then it is hardly possible to grant thee the stone of sacrifice!
Yes? Then thou art worthy to receive the Orange Stone of Sacrifice. Please open the box.

A U4 NES d0 Altar3.png After getting the 7th stone, go back to the two altar rooms of Love and of Courage and collect the last two thirds of the Three-Parts Key.
C7-a U4 NES d6 Covetous L7.png
U4 NES d6 Covetous L7rooms2.png
In the central room to the east, step on a tile in the center-left alcove to open a secret passage that goes upstairs.
C6 U4 NES d6 Covetous L6.png There are three magic orbs on this floor. Each of them raises Strength and Dexterity by 5, but deals 400 damages.
The single ladder up leads to corridors with 14 chests, and also one of the two double-ladders leads to a corridor with 15 chests.
C5 U4 NES d6 Covetous L5.png Only the single-tile room allows to reach up to the 4th floor. There aare 29 chests on this floor.
C4 U4 NES d6 Covetous L4.png
U4 NES d6 Covetous L4rooms.png
Coming from below, the way "up" in the room is in plain view. If you want to go back down, prepare a couple of "Dispel" spells and search for the trigger that open the secret passages. There is just one room on the floor, the rest are doors. Five chests to open.
C3 U4 NES d6 Covetous L3.png
U4 NES d6 Covetous L3rooms.png
The fourth Magic Orb is on this floor. If you want to backtrack downstairs, a trigger is in the south-east corner of the room.
C2 U4 NES d6 Covetous L2.png A floor without obstacles.
C1 U4 NES d6 Covetous L1.png
U4 NES d6 Covetous L1rooms.png
The southern fountain fully restores health, the northern one cures poison. If you want to go back down through the room, the trigger is between the wall and the two bodies in the south-east.