With the fall of Mondain and Minax, peace had flowed like molten honey around all of Sosaria. Everywhere, Lord British's subjects were happy and prosperous. A great cancer had been exorcised from the world body. The People were cleansed again, and there was much rejoining in the towns. Even the Orcs had disappeared from sight after the fall of Minax's castle, as chronicled in Ultima II. Twenty years the peace lasted. Twenty years is also the time needed for an infant to become a person.

From the ruins of Minax's castle has come several fragments of a manuscript which hints at a dark secret. There appears to have been an unholy alliance between Mondain and his young apprentice, Minax. Something had fructified from that union, but whether that something was of Man, Monster, or Daemon, the manuscript fragments were eerily silent. What had become of the hell-born prodigy? No clues existed.

Time passed, and the omens began to be troubled. Comets clashed across the sky and rumbles were heard deep in the ground. Then one day, in a fiery birth of molten lava, an island rose up in the middle of the ocean. None could approach it for the heat and steam were too great. Some drunken sailors claimed to have had a glimpse of the island when the steam was momentarily blown away by a strong wind. They swore that a castle existed in the middle of that inferno, but thou knows how reliable is the word of a drunken sailor.

Then, the sweet flowing rhythm of country life was shattered. Orc drums began to pulsate through the hills and mountains, and the horrible raids began. The outlying settlements all moved in to the safety of the village fortresses Shortly thereafter, a Pirate Fleet appeared suddenly, and commerce was swept from the seas. An evil power was rising in the West, and all the earth groaned to its flexing. When tales emerged that the Great Earth Serpent had risen from it's long slumber at the bottom of the ocean, people began to cry that the End of the World was at hand.

Lord British sent his most trusted and talented advisor out to uncover the facts behind these wild rumors. Weeks passed, then a shattered man was found wandering in the groves outside the castle. Some terrible sight had blasted his reasoning. He just kept repeating, "From the depth of Hell...He comes for vengeance." He/ she/it was, remained unclear. The spread of its evil powers, however, was very clear. Lord British sent out a Call for all of the Heroes of the People to rally. That is why thou are here today. Thou heard the Call and answered it.

Thy task before thee is not easy. Evil walks the land openly, attacking all travelers. Thou and thy companions will need to grow stronger rapidly if thy Party is to survive. Seek among the ancient paths for long forgotten Truths and Powers.

One possible clue as to the identity of thy nemesis has been discovered. A derelict merchant ship was recently towed into port. No crewmen were aboard, alive or dead. Everyone has vanished, as if plucked by some evil force off the boat. The only thing found was a word written in blood on the deck: E X O D U S.

Welcome back, oh illustrious adventurers! Long has been thy sojourn in this strange realm, though 'tis a fitting respite for great heroes. Glorious are the names of those adventurers who slew the mighty Wizard Mondain and his evil consort Minax. Lord British's minstrels still sing thy praises for the epic battles waged in the overthrowing of those two crimson necromancers. The chronicles of Ultima I and Ultima II bear witness to thine effects on behalf of the good subjects of the realm of Sosaria.

The time of thy rest is now o'er. Thou wouldst not be here if thou hadst not heard the distant braying of the war horns, or felt in thy blood the cry of kinsmen in dire peril. Thou art Called, and from such a Calling none of the People may turn aside. It is thy duty and thy destiny.

Gather close while thou art briefed on what changes hast transpired since last thou guested forth. A new, much larger Siege Perilous has been discovered. The gateway will now hold four adventurers instead of just one. Two paths thus radiate out before thee. Thou may choose to venture forth alone, in hopes of recruiting retainers once thou arrives in Sosaria. Or, thou may gather together up to three other adventurers of the People who rest here, and sally forth with them at thy side. Bare is the back who hast not kin to protect it! Decide quickly, the horns seem louder.

Some ritual preparation is needed before thy journey can begin. First, study what is contained within this square pouch. It is thy key to open the gateway. Guard it well, lest harm befall thy party. Before examining the disk even once, you MUST follow the arcane rituals described on the back page of the player reference card.

Enclosed in thy pouch is also a rare cloth map, a reference card, and two eldritch manuscripts. Unless thou art trained in mystical matters, open not these two books upon destruction of thy soul! Both of these ancient books were presumed lost for many centuries. By means of portentous visions, Lord British's advisers were led to their ancient resting places. The manuscripts contain very powerful lore whose time has come to be used again. It is said that the wheel of the heavens now heralds a great conflict, and that even the Great Earth Snake will rise from the watery depths. The dreams of the Wise are thus disturbed these days. Great evil walks the land again.

The map of Sosaria is, alas, incomplete. The great cartographer, Hawkwind, was gravely wounded by a roving band of Brigands before he could finish the map. None of the towns, castles, dungeons, or other special places are shown. You will have to use pins or markers to indicate where each lies, as you find them. It is rumored that much lies hidden, just out of sight.

The reference card contains the alphabetical commands. While the functions of most commands are obvious, several have subtleties:

Now that everything has been studied, and whomever of the People thou couldst muster has been assembled, it is time to begin the ritual. First insert the disk marked Program Side into thy machine, and, with all gathered around the machine, activate the power. Shortly, a viewport is opened through the gateway. Kinsman engaged in moral combat with a dark creature can be seen. Suddenly the battle ends. You are too late to help, but never too late to avenge. Follow closely the instructions shown on thy living machine. All adventurers must now gather around the machine. Total concentration among the party is necessary for the gateway of the Siege Perilous to open. A moment of transition is experienced, then...

After the darkness of transition clears from thine eyes, a sample view of Sosaria appears. After a moment's inspection, press (SPACE BAR). Thou are now offered three choices:

Only, the first letter of any option need be used to select that option.

Return to the view offers reflection upon the realm's features.

Journey Onward begins the adventure!

The first order of business is the defining of characters and the formation of an adventure Party:

Human 75 75 75 75

Elf 75 99 75 50

Dwarf 99 75 50 75

Bobbit 75 50 75 99

Fuzzy 25 99 99 75

Fighter All All None None

Cleric Mace Chain Prayers Wisdom

Wizard Dagger Cloth Sorcery Intelligence

Thief Sword Leather None Steal and Disarm Traps

Paladin All Plate Prayers Half Wisdom

Barbarian All Leather None Some Steal and Disarm

Lark All Cloth Sorcery Half Intelligence

Illusionist Mace Leather Prayers Half Wisdom, Some S&D

Druid Mace Cloth Both Greater of Both Halfs*

Alchemist Dagger Cloth Sorcery Half Int., some S&D

Ranger +2 Sword +2 Plate Both Lesser of Both Halfs,

*Druids regain their magic points faster than other characters.

Each character, that is allowed magic, has a maximum Magic Point level, which is displayed with the Party statistics. A Cleric with a Wisdom attribute of 25, will have an maximum Magic Point level of 25. If thou art a Ranger whose Intelligence is 15, and whose Wisdom is 10, then thou will be able to only cast second rank, (B), spells. Thy costs a different amount of energy to cast. A character replenishes that energy at a rate of one point per turn on the surface, and one point every four turns in a town or dungeon. Druids regain two points per turn, which is quite an advantage. Initial character races must be chosen carefully, or thy characters may never develop enough mystical force within them to succeed on thy quest.

Having chosen thy companions, and formed a Party, a few last words of advice. The situation on Sosaria is worsening rapidly. The darkness of evil hangs like a pallor over the Lord British's realm.

Without the special items that can be Peered into, a party can now only see that part of their surroundings as is not obstructed from view. Anything out of direct sight is shown blank. Trees, mountains, walls, and other such barriers will block their vision. This new viewpoint may seem somewhat confusing at first, but it rapidly becomes familiar. Remember to check out each part of an area carefully. Many things are hidden just out of sight.

Movement outside dungeons is different from inside dungeons. Outside, the direction keys (Refer to Player Reference Card), move the party North, South, East, and West. In the dungeons, the same keys are used, but they move the party Forward, Retreat, Turn Right, and Turn Left respectively.

As thou dost travel in a party, so doth the monsters. When combat is joined, a special combat screen appears. On this new screen, each member of the adventure Party is shown separately, as is each monster. Each player may individually control their character duri9ng combat, moving, fighting, and casting spells. Beware, the monsters are permitted to attack on the diagonals, while a character can only attack horizontally or vertically. Watch out for monster formations where two or three of them can attack a character at once in a crossfire. Few can survive long against such a withering assault. To Attack, (A), or Cast, ( C), a spell against a monster when it is thy character's turn, thou must give a direction for thine attack to be launched. If a Fighter wishes to attack an obnoxious Orc that is next to him on the right, he can swing his sword by typing (A), then (East Direction). One can almost hear the thunk of steel against the Orc's foul hide. Bows and spells can be used very effectively across the entire battlefield. Be careful of thy Dagger, though. It is considered thrown if the enemy is more than a square away. Many a Wizard has been slain by being overeager in combat and throwing thy Dagger away. Each time a monster dies, the character who struck the fatal blow receives experience points for the deed. When a player accumulates enough experience points, thou will automatically rise in levels.

Thou shouldst consider all parties on the surface as being malevolent. All the good citizens of Sosaria dwell within the towns and castle. Any part encountered on the surface, or in a dungeon is thus an enemy. If thou art strong enough, attack immediately. It thou art new, or suffering from grievous wounds, consider trying to run away. Once a combat is joined, only one survivor emerges.

When a monster group is vanquished on land, a treasure chest will usually be left behind. Some chests have much treasure in them, while others may be empty. Many of the chests both above ground and below ground are trapped. Each a Clerical "APPAR UNEM" spell must be cast to disarm the trap, or a Thief must attempt to disarm the chest. Some of the traps include: Acid (injures only the character opening the chest), Poison (same), Bomb (destroys the contents of the chest and hurts everyone in party), and Gas Trap (affects the entire party).

The dungeons have, of late, become particularly treacherous and deadly. Explore carefully and slowly. Map everything. Secret doors abound throughout the different dungeons. Magical winds howl down the corridors, blowing out all light. If thou walks slowly, glimpses of faint mystic writings may be noticed periodically. Recently a rumor has surfaced of an apparition that haunts a deep level of a hidden dungeon. There also exist many traps and pitfalls for the unwary. A thief is an excellent choice to have in a party. If the party puts the Thief in front of the Party, he will have an excellent chance of spotting traps, before the party trips them. Many strange and wonderful places are hidden within different dungeons, such as fountains. Some fountains are beneficial, while others are poisonous. Always drink carefully at a fountain.

Most of thy Party's progress will be on foot. If thou art fortunate, thou couldst capture some of the wild horses that roam the plains. Travel on horseback is much faster than on foot.

Ships are very scarce. The Pirate fleet has sunk most of the regular ships. When thou hast a ship, thou needst to maneuver it. To sail a ship, one must learn the ways of the winds. Thy 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.

The greatest transport are the hidden Moon gates. They are similar, but less powerful, to the Siege Perilous that hast brought thy Party hither. Passing through a Moon Gate when it is active will teleport thy Party to hidden powers. Access to many glens of the old knowledge are restricted by the Moon Gates. No creature of the Dark can ever break through the wards that protect them. The coming and going of the Moon Gates is somehow related to the twin Moons, Trammel and Felucaa, that grace out skies. The cartographer, Hawkwind, was supposedly greatly excited about a discovery concerning the true nature of the Moon Gates, when he was attacked. The success of thy quest may well hinge on thou solving this ancient mystery.

At the top of thy screen, the phases of the twin moons, Trammel and Felucca are represented by numerals as follows:

0 - New Moon 4 - Full Moon

1 - Crescent waxing 5 - Gibbous waning

2 - First Quarter 6 - Last Quarter

3 - Gibbous waxing 7 - Crescent waning

When thou enters the plains of Sosaria, thou art stark naked without a weapon in thy hands. Immediately Wear, (W), thy cloth armour and Ready, ( R), thy Dagger before doing anything. Quickly look for a town and enter it. Inside the town, thy purses of gold will buy better weapons and armor. Thy party's ability to survive depends as much on the quality of its equipment as on the quality of it's leader. Forget not to obtain enough Food. Towns are widely scattered, and starvation is always so unpleasant to watch.

If ever these occurs a need to just rest in one place until a certain time, thou may repeatedly hit (SPACE BAR). This does not do anything but pass time rapidly. Of course, remember that the monsters are still moving and that food is being consumed quickly.

Despite one's finest efforts and diligence, it is not possible to complete thy adventure on a single foray. Do not be dismayed, all that has been accomplished is not lost. As Lord British's champions, thou art aided by his great Wizard. Every time thou enters or leaves a place, the state of thy souls is reflected in the great mirror than hands in Lord British's chamber that he might view thy progress. When thy party Journeys Onward next time, the Wizard will invoke a mighty spell and Restore Game automatically. Thy party will resume adventuring at the last place visited, or the last location thou used the command Quit (Q).

Thou art now as prepared as possible to face the trials of thy quest. Drink deep of the fellowship of thy companions, for the morrow may bring thy parting. Now, from the Main Menu, Journey onward (J). May the Gods of the People grant thou victory.

This be a digest of town shops, citizens and monsters. Refer to it often, especially the monster section - KNOW THINE ENEMY!

There was a time, long ago, when the lands were free of the wretched creatures known as Orcs, Goblins, and Trolls. These creatures did not evolve naturally, but rather are the magical mutations performed by demented magicians. Now these creatures have prospered through many generations and their horrors are well known.

Have with thy person a staff of Yew, preferably cut from a hard and fine grained sapling. If Orcs, Goblins, or Trolls threaten thy party, raise thy staff before them and speak the name of this Rune of dispelling. By casting this Rune, thou shalt be attempting to dispel the magic which is part of their inner being.

Place upon thy palm and close in a strong fist any small projectile of wood or stone. Strike it once upon thy breast, while chanting the incantation of Mittar:

MANJI MULA NESPON LEVI MITTAR NOPSEN ALUM CAVI

Hurl this talisman toward thine enemy. Magic in the form of a shimmering sphere of iridescent light will spring from thy hand to strike thy foe. The magic contained therein will enter his body and disrupt his life force.

Depending on the skill and concentration invested in its conjuring, this spell can deliver the blow of an insolent child or a stalwart knight.

Before entering any dungeon, cave, or even houses with unsteady lanterns, be sure that thou hast propertied a goodly supply of Lorum dust. This is easily done by collecting the fine dust from a spider's bath which has been warmed by strong sun for many hours. Gather the dust into a chamois bag and seal the sun's energy within it by singing these words:

OBREY URICUM OBLA SUM

To release the energy, chant these same words in reverse order and cast a small portion of dust into the air. A warm, soft, magical light of short duration will be produced.

Very useful when one desires to bypass a particularly bothersome portion of a dungeon. Dor Acron is cast with the air of the left forepaw of a badger. Store the paw with care, for if it is damaged in any way, which should hinder the badger's movement, thy way will be similarly impeded.

Having made these preparations, when thou desires to enact the augury, gather thy party into a ring. While holding the paw, chant this ancient rhyme:

LIEDLAN SPULGER IDSKRIN

GRUEN BEAST TRENTLE BAN

When this spell is cast, the mage and his companions will be transported to the next lower level of inhabitation.

This rune is closely related to Dor Acron, direction being the only difference in effect. In this case the dried wing of a bird is needed. The bird must be shot through the breast with an arrow, whilst in flight. Thread the wing on a leather thong and tie it to the tip of thy staff.

Once again, gather thy party into a ring and while holding the wing intone this verse of magical movement:

LIEDLAN SPULGER IDSTRIN

FAUN BEAST FENTRI CHEM

As the words are chanted thy party will be lifted through the floor above thee to the dungeon's next higher level.

This incantation is a powerful weapon in battle. It requires a golden rod wrapped with iron and a vial of magical water collected from a meadow pond at the very moment lightning touches its surface. Keep the vial sealed until battle is nigh. Then touch the rod to the vial and level it at thy foe whilst shouting these words:

FLAMIN FLEETIS PONDI

All of the energy will be conducted through the golden rod, and a fiery ball will spin a searing path toward thine enemy. It will unfailingly strike him with a force strong enough to kill most common men and cause great damage to beasts of greater strength.

This incantation requires that a pattern of rays extending from a common origin be drawn on the ground whilst the following chant is recited:

DAG FULNUS ACRON

FRIEDA ACRON BOONT

As each ray is drawn a member of thy party will disappear and then with the final stroke thee too shall vanish. In the next moment at some random location on the terrestrial plan, each of the members of thy part and finally thyself will appear.

This run can only be used on the Sosarian surface. It will always take thee someplace, but thy destination is a matter of speculation.

In order to cast this most terrifying spell, an oak gall must be collected of the sort most often found on ancient trees in dark and gloomy forest folds. Dip the oak gall in molten wax while chanting this verse from the tome of Mantar:

ZANBAR LEECHEN

CERDI MENTAR

Then, when battle is upon thee, crush the oak gall within thy hand. As the gall collapses, a blue ball of screaming horror will fly toward thine enemy. It will invade his mind, and irreparably corrupt his mental process, in direct proportion to thine own intelligence.

This spell is similar in effect, but more enduring that Lorum. Place a golden dagger in strong sunlight until it is got enough to burn skin. Then scrape it heavily against a stone until a golden dust is produced. As the dust collects on the stone, change these words and gather the dust into a silken bag:

OBRUM URICA OBLA SUM

URICA MANI SUM LEVI

When the need for extended illumination arises, hold the silken bag and shake it. A small portion of the bust will release it's energy in the form of an enduring, golden, shimmering light.

The ability to cast a clerical spell is a great power indeed. Fal Divi will open before thee a tremendous range of power otherwise inaccessible to the sixth circle. The performance of this invocation is not a simple task, and often does not succeed.

Sprinkle thy body with holy water and slowly chant the prayer of Fal Divi:

FAL DIVI DOM MI NEA

FAL DIVI REQUI SEM

Refer to the Cleric's Book and do as the spell therein requires. If this prayer is properly chanted, unto thee will come the power to use any of the supplications of the Cleric's Book.

This spell is the first of the multi-pronged attacks, and can be of great aid when thou art attacked by a large band of formidable foes.

When the two moons of Sosaria are new, travel to the entrance of the dungeon of fire. Gather some of the volcanic ash which is abundant there. On the same night, mix this with herbs of cinnamon and ginseng in equal proportion.

The use of this magical mixture requires that thou speak the Rune of Noxum before hurling the ashen mix toward thine enemies:

NOXUM MENTON

LANU FLAMA

As thou dost, it will catch flame and rush at thy foes, thwarting each with a devastating blow.

The sun hath made it's consecutive cycles and thou hast gained great experience in magic. Thy skill and power have now reached the sphere of direct magical determination.

With the intonation of this spell, though dost draw on the magical force of all life and focus it upon thy foe.

Sing the song of Decorp and the air will shake with the war of magic rushing to thy command. Upon whomever thou shalt indicate, the Magic shall descent, and their life shall be extinguished - always and completely:

NON CRONO DI VANI

PAS NUMEN TI SONI

Until this time thou hast enacted thy Runic power to bring magic into this world. Now, as an advanced Adept of the Assembly of the Sixth Circle, thou may use the magic of this world to move beyond it.

First, gather a fistful of sand, and while repeating the enchantment of Altair let it flow from thy hand onto the ground:

ALT MAN FUL MINAR

LAE FIN CRIM BONTAIR

As it falls, time itself will slow and finally stop, allowing thy party to move freely in this suspended state. The world will be temporarily frozen and at the mercy of thy will.

Dag Mentar is a powerful multi-pronged conjuration that will wreck havoc among thy foes in a manner worthy of it's advanced rating. On the darkest night of the summer, trap an owl, old and wise. Sacrifice the owl upon a stone altar, keeping only its eyes. Enchant them with the following verse:

FENDI MENTAR DIVI

CREMBI MENTAR BONI

When battle is nigh, repeat the stanzas until the heaviness of magic in the air becomes oppressive to the labor of thy lungs. Smash the eyes between thy hands. Thy foes will be struck a savage blow with damage directly related to thine intelligence.

On the night of a full moon, acquire the liver of one who is dying of the black rot. Hang the organ deep within the forest to dry, and allow six fortnights and a day to pass. Grind it into a fine powder while chanting these words:

DON CORPUS MIEDA FUTZ

RIEDA DON NEMI

Store the powder in several small vials. When the need arises, throw a vial above the heads of thine enemy's party. It will magically shatter, releasing the loathsome rot upon their company. They will be quickly transformed into putrid vestiges of their former beings, with little strength left for battle.

This exorcism has no name, for the words should never be written or spoken - save the occasion when life is to be banished unto the Realm of Night. This most powerful invocation carries the name of the Dark One.

The enactment of this Run requires thine utmost concentration. With a staff of yew, trace upon the ground the protective pentagram. Light a candle at the point most generally in the direction of thine enemies. Cast some sulphur dust into the flame and speak the name of the Evil One. All foes who hear this utterance shall be dashed violently into certain destruction, possessing no more life than the stones upon which they lie.

Evil takes many forms throughout Sosaria, and some of the most evil are the Undead. Skeletons, ghouls, and zombies roam free in dungeons, forests and open terrain. Although they are formidable opponents in battle, there is a basic weakness in their essence. These servants of evil are vestiges of former living beings now inhabited by an evil force.

If thou shall encounter undead creatures, raise thy ankh of truth before them. If thou dost stand strong in the spirit of Good, evil shall be dispelled from their beings and only their rotting corpses shall remain.

Often the chest which thou shalt find along thy journeys will contain a trap, the intent of which is to damage thee and thy party. Since thou dost have the innate ability to know the true nature of evil, thou can overcome this difficulty.

To open a chest with no risk of injury to thyself or thy party, pour a few drops of holy water into the lock and invoke the air of the One who is all truth by raising the holy ankh over the chest. It will open freely and allow thee to grasp it's inner treasures.

Thy powers for healing will be often needed. The healing of minor wounds can be accomplished with this simple supplication. Through the channel which thy selfless devotion creates in thee, Truth and forces of Good can act directly in this world.

Merely lay thy hand upon the one who is to be healed, and his wounds will be mended beneath thy touch. In the beginning thine ability will be limited, but with thine other powers, thy capacity to act as a healer will grow and be strengthened by experience.

The powers of thine enlightenment shall gradually unfold before thee. Resting at thy hand is the ability to enchant objects in a manner which will make them glow. Whilst holding thy staff aloft, repeat the name of this enchantment. Doing so, the power of the Truths within thee will cause thy staff to glow with a soft blue light.

Realize, however, that this light will no be long sustained. For the power brought through thee unto thy staff will slowly radiate away and soon will dim and fade.

Part of thine enlightenment is the realization that there are no boundaries. When this truth is known unto thee, the material world is far less limiting that ordinarily supported.

As thou descendth deeper and deeper into the bowels of the earth, though shall likewise be descending into greater evil. Being thyself of a good nature, this tends to give thee a natural buoyancy, as if in water. Speak the name of this supplication whilst touching thy staff to the ceiling of a dungeon passage. This will cause the ceiling to become translucent; thee and thy party will freely float to the next higher dungeon level.

The range of thine ability for spiritual movement is not limited to ascension. Far below the earth's surface, and far below the deepest recesses of the deepest dungeon, flow the molten streams and rivers which feed the earth's core. Here also resides The Great Evil. Due to thy natural buoyancy, downward travel is somewhat more difficult and less desirable than upward. If thou must descent into evil, speak the name of this supplication whilst tapping thy staff upon the floor. The floor will become translucent; thee and thy party will slowly sink to the next lower dungeon level.

This is the most difficult of the spiritual movements. The planar motion allowed here must begin within a dungeon chamber.

Lib Rec differs from the two previous supplications in the following way: Instead of the earth allowing thy physical form to pass, now thy form itself shall become translucent. As thou dost fade in one location thou shalt slowly appear in another.

To initiate this motion, speak the name of this invocation whilst circling thy staff above thy head. As thou stoppeth the spinning staff so wilt thy journey stop.

Alcort is a specialized form of healing. Poison is a horror all beings fear for with it comes almost certain death. Only with the assistance of the divine power can thou halt the ravages of this great evil.

With thy touch, the poison coursing in the veins of thy companion shall be transformed into a life-giving fluid which soothes the body and brings peace unto the soul.

Thou can rest confident that thou hast delivered one from the grasp of poison. This power has been promised by the One whose covenant has never been broken.

Occasionally during journeys unto the lower depths of the subterranean, thy party may run into great trouble. This could be the death or near death of a party member, starvation besieging thy entire party, or becoming lost with little hope of finding thy way.

This supplication is the beseechment of the greater Truth to aid the weary traveler in escaping his rocky tomb. If thou raiseth thy holy ankh into the air and cryeth out the name of this invocation, thee and thy companions shall rise forth from the depths, guided by the divine truth unto the Sosarian surface.

Thine enlightenment hath expanded and will continue to unfold like the star-filled heavens above.

The first light which thy Truth created for thee was wondrous indeed, and luminance of this sort will continue to be of great service to thee. Yet in order to fulfill some greater needs, more enduring illumination is required.

If thou dost now meditate on this enchantment, thine entire self will radiate with the light of Truth. Know that even this light cannot be sustained indefinitely, for it doth draw from thine own inner force.

The grasses have grown and seeded many times since thy journey began. Thou hast trod many paths and gained much wisdom. Thou hast now the power to perform actual miracles. To take one who has been shredded by an opponent's sword, quivering on the threshold of death, and restore him to life; this miracle is now thine.

Prepare a small tin of fine scented oil and ask this it be blessed with the perfection and holiness of truth. Anoint the wounds with the oil, allowing it to penetrate deeply. Before thine eyes the flesh will draw together and be restored, and the blood will once again begin to flow through his veins.

If thou should lose thy way, either in the gloomy crevices of a dungeon, or in a dark forbidding forest, the miracle of Vieda can light thy way. Meditate on thy need for guidance for a goodly time, and when thou dost feel sufficiently purified, rub a small quantity of Holy water onto thine eyelids.

If thou hast meditated sufficiently, the greater Truths shall miraculously unfold before thine eyes. Whether thou art in a dungeon or on the surface, a vision of thy current surroundings will come to thee.

Occasionally thee and thy companions will be set upon by creatures of great might and evil. Opposing these foes can be a difficult task at best. The liturgy of Truth provides also for this need.

Should thy party encounter an evil foe of great strength thou may wish to call upon the miracle of Excuun. By holding the holy ankh of Truth in the direction of thy foe and speaking the name of this great miracle, thou can direct the pure light of the holy force of Truth at thy foe, and the life within on of thy foes shall cease.

This enlightenment hath led thee to step beyond almost every limitation of this earth. It is now within thy power to step into the realm of death and draw one who has been there engulfed back into the world of life.

Release thy spirit and allow it to venture into the very shadow of death, touching the spirit of the one who slumbers there. Lead thy poor companion back from the shadow of death and life will once again be his. If, however, thy companion's strength of will not strong enough to make the return journey, the backlash from this failed miracle will turn his body to ashes.

The letters which head this page represent the second words of anti-creation. They are the words which release the fury of Truth upon the world. No entire word is ever written, for should even the letters which represent their sounds be brought together on a page, the release of power would cause destruction of untold magnitude.

If thou should encounter a situation so evil as to require their use, speak them softly only to the air beside thee. Most of thy foes will be struck down with a force so strong it will end this life, and all other potential lives within them.

Once a body hath turned to ash, the soul which once inhabited it is sent on to it's next life. It therefore takes a miracle of enormous magnitude to reclaim it.

Realize first that the spirit must leave another body and another life in order to return to thee. If thou perceives that the need for the return of thy companion is so great as to be willing to give five marks of thy wisdom in sacrifice, then beseech the One who is Truth and Wisdom. Allow a tear from each of thine eyes to fall upon the ashes. As thy tears mix with the ashes, so shall they reconstitute before thee, and life shall be restored.

Spacebar) Pass one game turn without taking any action. Food is consumed.

In the upper left hand corner of the Z)tats box is the character's name, followed by sex, Race, Profession, and attribute point totals. Displayed just below that is their status (Good, Dead, Poisoned, or Ashes).

Their possessions - gold, food, keys, gems, torches, powders - are shown adjacent to the status box. The character's experience, level, Magic Points, Hit Points, and Maximum Hit Points total are shown directly below the status box. Any Cards, or Marks which the character may have found during their adventure are listed in the lower left hand corner of the Z)tats box.

The remaining boxes are reserved for listing the different types of Armour, and Weapons which the character owns. In addition to listing the different type of Armour you want to wear, and which Weapon you wish to Ready for that character. To do so, simply move the pointer to the desired weapon/armour, and click on it. The selected item will then be highlighted (provided it is legal for that character to use.)

First. select Organize a Party from the main menu. Next you must select Create a Character from the Party Organization Menu. This will bring up the player creation screen. The figure below shows the player creation screen. To select the character race, sex, and profession, simply move the pointer to the appropriate box with the mouse, and click on it. The character JACOBEAN below has been selected as a Male, Fuzzy, Wizard. To distribute the 30 remaining attribute points use the mouse to click on either the decrease arrow (<--) or the increase arrow (-->) surrounding each of the four attribute point totals. The number of points left to distribute is displayed after the word "Points".

Clicking on the Cancel box will clear all of the entereis that were made for that character and return you to the Party Organization menu.

When you are satisfied with your choices, click on the Save box. This will save your character's attributes to disk and replace the Empty space on the Register with your character's name.

Up to four characters may be placed into the current party. This is done by first selecting Form a Party from the Party Organization Menu. This will display the character register. To the left of each character name and type is the party status of that character. A diamond next to the character indicates that the character is not in a party. Clicking on a character's name will select/deselect that character. When you are satisfied with your party selection, click on the Exit box to return to the Party Organization Menu.

Selecting Disperse a Party from the Party Organization Menu will clear all characters from the formed party and clear the map of Sosaria to its original state by removing all the monsters, ships, chests, etc. Disperse a Party will not, however, reset the movement counter that keeps track of the number of moves that have been made in your game.

If you wish to delete a character from your register select Terminate a Character from the Party Organization Menu. This will display the current register of characters. Clicking on the character's name will bring up a dialog box asking you to confirm your decision to terminate that character. Click on the Okay box to confirm, then on the Exit box to return to the Party Organization Menu.

As you move about the world of Sosaria, note that your party is represented by a single icon. Once you enter combat you will see all of your characters (which will flash when it is each character's turn to take an action.) There are two ways to control the party's movement:

Depending on your party's current location, there is a default command which is activated by clicking directly on your party icon in the play window. The default commands are:

In Towne: Transact;

On Surface: Attack;

In Combat: Attack;

On a Frigate: Fire Cannon;

On a Chest: Get Chest;

On a Horse or Boat: Board;

On Towne, Castle, or Dungeon Entrances: Enter;

Whenever you are asked "Which Character?" by the game, you may indicate either by typing the number (1-4) of the character, or by pointing and clicking on the appropriate character window at the right of the play screen.

The Walkthrough

Here is the basic walkthrough of the game. It is actually pretty simple. Check out the following pages for more detailed tips and clues.

That's it! The hardest parts of the game is raising money(for food and attributes), and finding a ship( to go to Ambrosia and Castle Death).

* Always use 4 players. Despite what the manual says, you can't recruit from the Game. There are no advantages to playing with less and many disadvantages.

* Note the pluses and minuses of each player type. For instance, either a Bobbit or Fuzzy would be a good druid, because the druid's magical ability is based on half of the mental skill (wisdom/intelligence) you have more points on. Druids recover magic points twice as fast as other players, which is handy when you need several cure spells quickly. A Rangers advantage is the powerful weapons they can use and their limited ability to steal & disarm chests. Their weakness, is in their magic ability. A Dwarf or Elf would make a bad Ranger because either would have a maximum of only 25 magic points.

* Manage resources carefully. Keep a close eye on gold and attribute points. Don't try to buy more attribute points then a player type is capable of having because you will lose the gold, but the attribute will not be increased. Don't use the <J>oin gold command if your group has collectively more than 9999 pieces. The counter will just cycle around.

* Don't spend a lot of gold on armor. Get Exotic Armor as quickly as possible on an isle near the towne of Grey. The isle is in the bay which is at the Southeast quadrant of the continent of Sosaria. Use <O>ther to DIG.

* Exotic Weapons are found the same way by digging On an isle near the towne of Fawn which is located on the group of islands at the just north of Sosaria, northwest of the castle of Lord British.

* Exotic Weapons are absolutely essential to fighting your way through the castle Death to reach Exodus but are not the most effective weapons elsewhere because they have no long distance ability. Outfit each player that is capable of wielding distance weapons with the best possible. Even a sling is better than an Exotic sword if you defeat your foe before he gets within striking range.

* Increasing player attributes is done in the shrines of Ambrosia which can be reached by entering the whirlpool while at sea. Use <O>ther to SEARCH each of the four shrines to get the cards. <E>nter to raise attributes.

* To get a leg up with new players, join all gold and materials from 4 new characters to a single player and save the game. Reboot. Disperse the party and delete the 3 players that now have nothing. Create 3 new ones to go with your fourth. The extra gold makes starting out a bit easier. Avoid starting a game with 4 brand new players whenever possible or learn to handle death.

* All players need dexterity and Strength but Wisdom and Intelligence are only for magic users. Players that use prayer spells require Wisdom but not Intelligence. Sorcerers are the opposite. Exceptions are, Druids that use half of whatever mental skill you have more of (so max out your best), and Rangers, who use half of the lesser (max out your worst and match it with the other).

* You will obtain hit points automatically when you talk to Lord British as your experience increases (this is done by defeating monsters). You can get up to 550, unless you have the Mark of Kings, in which case you can get up to 2550.

* If your party gets poisoned near Castle Britannia anyone with the clerical skills to cure and don't want to spend the gold at a healer, you will find a curing fountain almost immediately inside the Dungeon of Fire, hidden in the alcove directly south of the towne of Britain.

* Completing the game requires LOTS of gold for powerful weapons, attributes and useful items like keys, gems and powders. You would probably never acquire enough gold to purchase all you need, but there is a shortcut. Death Gulch on large island to the east of Sosaria is a treasure trove of wealth. If you have a thief with good dexterity and all of your players have the marks of Fire and Force you can clean up by stealing all the chests you find within it. If you have no powerful fighters, you may want to bring along a lot of powders to freeze time while you run outside to safety. Use the <O>ther command to BRIBE guards to get out of your way. Enter without a key by going through the maze to the south of the towne entrance.

* Dawn is deep within the forest and only appears when both moons are in the new phase. Start at moon gate #4 (southernmost part of Sosaria, west of Montor West). Go right from here until you can emerge from the small area locked in with mountains by going north. From there, go 6 steps north and 2 west, then wait for the new moon cycle (or west 8, south 35 from castle Britannia).

* 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.

* Devil Guard is in a hidden mountain lake area and is accessible only by using moon gates 3, 5 & 8.

* The Castle Death is 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 <Y>ell EVOCARE.

* Although it may seem obvious, now is a good time to explain the marks. You get them by touching the hot metal rods that are found in the dungeons. Unlike the cards, ALL of your players should hold all four of the marks. The mark of Fire allows you to walk unharmed through fire and lava, which may be necessary to get some of the hints. The mark of Force, similarly allows you to walk through force fields that are sometimes used to protect gold. The mark of the Snake allows you to pass the silver snake if you know the magic word. and finally, the mark of Kings will cause Your hit points to be raised to a maximum of 2550 as you gain in experience.

* Be advised that ships are very hard to come by in Ultima III, since most of your travels will be on land, you will have to leave any boats you may have acquired from time to time. Because of their relative scarcity, you don't want them parked anywhere in the open, because they will be destroyed if the whirlpool comes along. The best way to leave them and be assured that you will be able to find them later is to park them on the other side of the silver snake and exit via the moon gate. If you wish, you can even fill up this entire waterway with boats and eventually be able to walk right into the castle Death from entrance at the moon gate.

* In spite of the scarcity of ships, it will often be to your advantage to park one between the mainland of Sosaria and the island where the towne of Death Gulch is located. Because of the convoluted water ways around here, you can often leave a boat at this location for a long time before it is swallowed by the whirlpool and it is very convenient to just walk across the boat and gain access to the place where all the gold is. It is also handy to have a boat waiting near castle Britannia. Even given this advantage though, I would not place one there unless I had at least one reserve boat parked in the safe area near castle Death.

* After approaching Exodus, use the <O>ther command to INSERT the cards of Love, then Sol, then Moons, then Death one at a time, from left to right.