A field guide for the resistance
Britannia is under threat from the forces of the Shadowlords. Only you can save them.
Resistance briefing · Britannia occupied
Lord British is lost below the world. Above, Blackthorn rules through compulsory virtue while the Shadowlords turn Britannia toward Falsehood, Hatred, and Cowardice. Reassemble the old fellowship and prepare a kingdom-wide resistance.
The situation
Lord British is trapped below the world. Above, the three Shadowlords bend cities toward Falsehood, Hatred, and Cowardice while Blackthorn's regime punishes virtue without choice.
“True virtue must be chosen—not imposed.”
Newly charted
The surface and Underworld are decoded from your original Ultima V data, with 73 searchable campaign locations.
The road ahead
Your campaign progress will appear here.
Recommended setup
Ultimapper 5 overlays a HUD and follows your position in DOSBox-based releases. Pair it with this guide's atlas for route planning.
Private counsel
Ask for a gentle hint, an efficient route, or a precise reminder when Britannia has you at an impasse.
Lost in the Underworld, stumped by a puzzle, or unsure which quest to tackle next? Ask the seer for practical guidance grounded in Ultima V’s mechanics and quest flow.
Resistance roster
Balance front-line strength, ranged pressure, and enough Intelligence to survive the Underworld. Select any recruit for a tactical assessment.
Potential companions
A successful resistance needs a balanced team. While the tables below provide detailed stats, this chart offers a quick visual comparison to help you identify the strongest, smartest, or most agile companions for your party. Use the buttons to switch between attributes.
Britannia is home to many who would join your cause, but choose wisely. A smaller, well-equipped party can be more efficient. Mages are invaluable, but some potential recruits may have ulterior motives. Use the search bar to find a specific companion or click the table headers to sort.
| Name | Class | Lvl | STR | INT | DEX | Location |
|---|
Campaign support
Use these loadouts as departure gates, not as another walkthrough. The Grand Quest tells you where to go and in what order; this ledger only confirms what should be in hand before the next dangerous leg.
Before Grand Quest 01.5
0/4 secured
Leave only when the upper-floor burglary can be completed in one controlled visit.
Before Grand Quest 02
0/4 secured
Begin the pilgrimage after the resistance can cross terrain quickly and navigate without guesswork.
Short on gold? Capture a pirate frigate for free. The Jhelom fallback is about 600 gold before the Avatar’s Intelligence discount.
Before Grand Quests 03–04
0/5 secured
Treat every shard or regalia run as a self-contained expedition with a planned exit.
Before Grand Quest 05
0/5 secured
Doom is a one-way commitment. Make the permanent save before crossing its threshold.
Drawn from the original game data
Explore both worlds, then enter every city, castle, keep, dwelling, and dungeon. All 128 floor maps are decoded from the original Ultima V game data.
The Avatar's living journal
Build a mobile resistance first, complete the eight Shrine and Codex cycles, destroy the three Shadowlords, recover the Regalia, then descend through Shame to the Underworld and Doom to rescue Lord British. Open Next steps beneath any objective for the exact route, supplies, dialogue, and escape plan.
Your next objective
Recruit the companions who make the opening route safer.
After the strategic opening
These pursuits are arranged by the point where they deliver the most value. Complete each group before its named Grand Quest when practical; none of them gate the campaign.
Campaign route
The active chapter, its preparation, and its walkthrough now travel together.
Restoring the Shrines of the Eight Virtues is the primary way to increase your party's attributes and is required to learn the final Word of Power. Every shrine uses the same simple loop:
Recommended: complete each Shrine → Codex → Shrine cycle before accepting another Shrine quest. Multiple shrine quests can remain pending, and the Codex may resolve a different virtue than the one you most recently visited.
AHM.MU.RA.DAWN) → BEH.CAH.SUMM.OM. Shrine access: enter any moongate at exactly midnight (12:00 AM). The shrine is in the Ethereal Void, not Skara Brae; step into the active gate above a buried moonstone at midnight.LUM.Tip: Ask NPCs about MANTRA unless noted; some steps require the Resistance password DAWN.
Completing all eight shrine quests grants the Word of Power for Doom: VERAMOCOR.
The three Shadowlords cannot be beaten in normal combat. You must recover their shards from the Underworld and perform a banishment ritual at the castles of Truth, Love, and Courage.
FALLAX.DAWN) → ask Felespar (Yew) → MALUM.DAWN) → AVIDUS.IGNAVUS.DROW) → INOPIA.VILIS.INFAMA.VERAMOCOR at the entrance.For the Shadowlord quests you need Deceit, one of Wrong/Covetous, and Hythloth. Others are helpful for the Amulet and the finale.
You will shout these names at the appropriate sacred flames during the banishment ritual (see Step 4).
Enter the dungeons using the Words of Power. Descend to the Underworld and reach each shard as noted:
FALLAX). Underworld route trends west to a central isle across water; bring the Grappling Hook and Magic Carpet. (You can VAS REL POR out.)MALUM/AVIDUS). Cast AN GRAV to dispel magical fields; bring enough mixed spells for the route. The Underworld access from either dungeon leads to a winding southwest labyrinth.IGNAVUS). Blink across mountain "rooms" with IN POR and use the Magic Carpet over swamps; the shard lies in a northeast clearing.Stand one tile south of the sacred flame, shout the Shadowlord's name, wait one turn, then use the corresponding shard as it stands on the flame:
With the Shadowlords gone, recover Lord British's artifacts. These make the Underworld and Doom manageable.
Location: Stonegate (north of the east edge of Lock Lake / south of Minoc).
How: After destroying all three Shadowlords, bring the Grappling Hook, Skull Keys, and the Magic Carpet. Use a skull key on the center door, answer the demon's riddle (WELL), then ride the carpet over the fire pits and trapdoors to grab the Sceptre and exit.
Function: Dispels magical fields.
Location: Rooftop of Blackthorn's Castle.
How: From the entrance, ride the Magic Carpet and outrun the guards. Go up to L2 → L3 → rooftop, then skull key the center room, take the Crown, and fly off the roof to escape. Save frequently: being captured here can permanently erase a companion.
Function: Negates enemy magic.
Location: Underworld burial ground of Lord British's fallen knights.
Quick route: Drop through the waterfall east of Skara Brae on the Magic Carpet, follow the river junctions (Down → Left → Down), circle the lake, go southeast through the swamp and mountain pass to the burial ground, and take the Amulet. Exit: cast VAS REL POR or intentionally die to return to the castle.
Function: Reveals the hidden entrance to Doom.
Location: Lord British's private study.
How: Play "Stones" on the harpsichord (6-7-8-9-8-7-8-7-6-7-6-5-3) to reveal the secret room and claim the Box.
Function: Proves your identity to the king.
The final challenge. This is a one-way trip, so make a permanent save before you enter. Ensure you have all four royal artifacts, including the Sandalwood Box, and that the Shadowlords are defeated.
Enter Dungeon Shame with INFAMA and descend to the Underworld. Follow the path to the central Underworld, use the Amulet to reveal Doom's entrance in the darkness, then speak VERAMOCOR to enter Doom and reach Lord British.
Next required quest
Begin in Moonglow: learn AHM, meditate three cycles, and seek the Codex.
Full liberation ledger
Resistance opportunities
These jobs are optional and can be completed in any order. They make the ordered campaign safer, faster, and better supplied.
Field reference
Search the grimoire, decode mantras and Words of Power, time the moongates, or skim hard-won campaign advice.
Magic is cast from prepared reagents and consumes Magic Points. A character's level determines the highest circle of spells they can cast. Use the search to quickly find a spell.
| Spell Name | Circle | Effect | Reagents |
|---|
These "passwords" are essential for progressing through the game. Mantras are used at the Shrines of Virtue, while Words of Power unlock the dungeons.
| Virtue | Mantra | Dungeon | Word of Power |
|---|
Casting VAS REL POR opens a gate to any moongate based on the current moon phase. Use a pocket watch to time your arrival.
Shrine of Spirituality: enter any moongate at exactly midnight (12:00 AM) to reach the shrine in the Ethereal Void, regardless of the usual town destination. Skara Brae is where you learn its mantra, OM; you can use a moongate anywhere for this journey.
| Phase | Destination |
|---|
Notes: Based on Ultima V moongate order seen in-game and the walkthrough’s examples (e.g., Phase 1 → Moonglow, Phase 2 → Britain, Phase 4 → Yew, Phase 5 → Minoc, Phase 6 → Trinsic, Phase 8 → New Magincia).