In Verbis Virtus

In Verbis Virtus

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[ENG] In Verbis Virtus – Ancient Documents Guide
By Abuductor
English guide for the location of the ancient documents found throughout the game. If you have any corrections, suggestions or any kind of feedback, leave a comment. I hope it'll be useful to you.
   
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Introduction
This is a guide for all the ancient documents hidden throughout the game. I've divided it in chapters, and almost every piece of information will be behind spoiler tags. That way if you decide you want to try to find them by yourself, you can choose some vaguer information. I'll remove them if a lot a people say it's a stupid idea.
The "part 1" and "part 2" division is arbitrary. Steam limits the number of characters per section.

English is not my native language, so if some paragraphs sound weird, I apologize.

The following format is used:
  • Document: the name of the ancient document. No spoiler tags are used for this.
  • Difficulty: how hard it is to find it. I tried to base it on logic and not really how hard it was for me. No spoiler tags are used for this either.
  • Type: basically, what it looks like (e.g. a plaque, a book).
  • Off path: whether it's in the main path you would go to progress the story or not.
  • Room: which room it is (e.g. "in the same room as X spell").
  • Location: exactly where it is in the room described above.
  • Directions: how to get there. Might be omitted if it's too easy to find based on the room and location infos.
  • Screenshots: an external link to, well, screenshots of the ancient document location.
Regarding the Type information, there's a symbol that shows up very often in the location of the ancient documents (this one[i.imgur.com]. I don't know what it represents, so I just called the "pendant emblem" because, well, it's identical to the pendant the player character has. If you don't know what I'm talking about, you'll see it eventually.

If you just want to know the total amount of ancient documents in the game, there's 35 of them.

As a general tip for those that want to hunt these documents by themselves: keep at least two save files in different locations. You can usually backtrack through almost the entirety of the chapter as long as you don't pass a certain point.

If there's some information that is incorrect or too imprecise, some typo or you just want to say something about this guide, leave a comment. Any feedback will be much appreciated.

Note: This is not a walkthrough. The information I put here is based on places you have to go to progress the story. So if, for example, I say that an ancient document is located in the same room as the X spell, I'll let you figure out by yourself where that room is. You have to find these places to complete the game anyway.
Chapter 1 — Crossroads of Souls
    Ancient document #01
  • Document: Beyond darkness.
  • Difficulty: Easy.
  • Type: A plaque.
  • Off path? No.
  • Room: In the same room you find the Light spell.
  • Location: On the opposite side of the plaque with the runes of the Light spell.
  • Screenshots: https://imgur.com/a/ZEF63

    Ancient document #02
  • Document: Genesis I.
  • Difficulty: Medium.
  • Type: A book.
  • Off path? Yes.
  • Room: A small room with various pots, a couple of bookshelves and a table.
  • Location: A book on the only table in the room.
  • Directions: After getting the Light spell, go back the way you came. When you get to the first intersection, near one of these artifacts that cancel your spells, turn right. You'll come into the room described above.
  • Screenshots: https://imgur.com/a/5DKxb

    Ancient document #03
  • Document: A ray of light.
  • Difficulty: Easy.
  • Type: A plaque.
  • Off path? No.
  • Room: The large cavern where the Beam of Light spell is located.
  • Location: On the opposite side of the plaque with the runes of the Beam of Light spell.
  • Screenshots: https://imgur.com/a/vuSR6

    Ancient document #04
  • Document: The Observer
  • Difficulty: Easy.
  • Type: Stone slab.
  • Off path? Yes and no. Technically speaking, you can progress without finding this document or even going into the room where it's located. However, you need to know the information it contains to progress and you'll probably enter the room where it is located anyway.
  • Room: A small cavern room with a save point, lots of blue glowing mushrooms and purple crystals.
  • Location: A stone slab on the room wall.
  • Directions: Facing the save point from the direction you entered this room, just go around the large mushrooms on the ground and you'll find it.
  • Screenshots: https://imgur.com/a/6V9oi

    Ancient document #05
  • Document: Genesis II.
  • Difficulty: Easy to medium.
  • Type: Just the document runes.
  • Off path? No.
  • Room: In the small room you enter right after getting the Mark of Command spell, that contains a save point and a portal.
  • Location: There is a small "altar" in the middle of the room. The document is on the side of this "altar" facing the portal.
  • Screenshots: https://imgur.com/a/Gq2fT

    Ancient document #06
  • Document: Only with the thought.
  • Difficulty: Easy.
  • Type: A plaque.
  • Off path? No.
  • Room: In the same cavern/room you find the Telekinesis spell.
  • Location: On the opposite side of the plaque with the runes of the Telekinesis spell.
  • Screenshots: https://imgur.com/a/exq22

    Ancient document #07
  • Document: The history of the temples.
  • Difficulty: Easy.
  • Type: pendant emblem.
  • Off path? No.
  • Room: In the room that was blocked by two fallen pillars.
  • Location: In the small dead end corridor you can't normally jump to, next to a statue.
  • Directions: After entering the room, you'll soon see an opening to your left. The ancient document is up there, next to a statue, on the wall. You can easily see the pendant emblem on the wall where it is.
  • Screenshots: https://imgur.com/a/mj2Pw
Chapter 2 — Fallen Gods and Prophecies (part 1)
There are a total 12 ancient documents in this chapter.

    Ancient document #08
  • Document: Life in the temple.
  • Difficulty: Easy.
  • Type: Just the document runes.
  • Off path? No.
  • Room: The large room where you find the first Saevar (the thing with a glowing red eye and three tentacles).
  • Location: On the base of a large statue.
  • Directions: After crossing the corridor in which you have to avoid incoming fireballs, you'll soon see a large statue to your right. The document is on the base of said statue.
  • Screenshots: https://imgur.com/a/6WfXu

    Ancient document #09
  • Document: The heralds of Iustitia
  • Difficulty: Easy.
  • Type: A plaque.
  • Off path? No.
  • Room: The large room where you find the first Saevar (the thing with a glowing red eye and three tentacles).
  • Location: In the small section blocked by a metal gate opened with the runes of presence.
  • Directions: After figuring out how to get through to gate, you'll see document the on a plaque in the corner of this section.
  • Screenshots: https://imgur.com/a/CSFx8

    Ancient document #10
  • Document: Unnecessary sensations
  • Difficulty: Medium.
  • Type: A plaque.
  • Off path? Yes.
  • Room: The maze area that keeps sucking your HP.
  • Location: A plaque in the base of a statue.
  • Directions: Go back to the first save point in this chapter. Break down the fire barrier if you didn't already. Pass through the door, go right and just keep going forward until you eventually reach it.
  • No screenshots here since the corridors of this maze area all look the same.

    Ancient document #11
  • Document: Details.
  • Difficulty: Medium.
  • Type: A plaque.
  • Off path? Kind of.
  • Room: The maze area that keeps sucking your HP.
  • Location: A plaque in the base of a statue.
  • Directions: Go back to the first save point in this chapter. Break down the fire barrier, pass through the door and go right. Go left in the first intersection. You'll have to turn right shortly after. Now keep going forward. Ignore the first intersection and turn left on the second one. You'll see the document right away.
  • No screenshots here since the corridors of this maze area all look the same.

    Ancient document #12
  • Document: The pieces.
  • Difficulty: Medium.
  • Type: A plaque.
  • Off path? Kind of.
  • Room: The maze area that keeps sucking your HP.
  • Location: A plaque in the base of a statue.
  • Directions (from document #11): Face the plaque containing the document #11 and go right. When you have to make a turn, go left. Ignore the intersection on your right and keep going until you have to turn left. Again ignore the intersection to your right and keep going (you'll have to make a quick left and then right turn). After reaching an intersection to your right, the document will be on a plaque on your left.
  • No screenshots here since the corridors of this maze area all look the same.
Chapter 2 — Fallen Gods and Prophecies (part 2)
    Ancient document #13
  • Document: The White City.
  • Difficulty: Easy.
  • Type: Pendant emblem.
  • Off path? No.
  • Room: The room with a moving staircase, a wall full of white masks and the Telekinesis spell upgrade.
  • Location: On the wall, behind the initial location of the moving staircase.
  • Screenshots: https://imgur.com/a/u6zEH

    Ancient document #14
  • Document: I want to be of use.
  • Difficulty: Easy to medium.
  • Type: A plaque.
  • Off path? Not really.
  • Room: A small section next to a set of stairs, with water on the ground and a map.
  • Location: On the opposite side of a plaque with the map.
  • Directions: After solving the puzzle involving a moving staircase, you'll come into a room with another one and a save point. If you continue donw the stairs, you'll come into another exit to the maze area. Right next to this exit is an area with water and a map. The ancient document is behind the map.
  • Screenshots: https://imgur.com/a/ZxNq5

    Ancient document #15
  • Document: Crying in the dark.
  • Difficulty: Easy to medium.
  • Type: A strange structure containing the pendant emblem.
  • Off path? Kind of.
  • Room: The dark room with a woman's crying.
  • Location: At the end of one of the paths in this room.
  • Directions: When you see the second Mark of Command, instead of turning in its direction, continue going forward. Then turn right when you can and just keep going until you eventually reach it.
  • Screenshots: https://imgur.com/a/Itke6

    Ancient document #16
  • Document: Call from Chaos.
  • Difficulty: Easy.
  • Type: A plaque.
  • Off path? No.
  • Room: The room with lava and two Will-o'-the-wisps (sentient blue fire balls).
  • Location: A plaque on the wall.
  • Directions: Right after entering the room, look to the wall on your left and you'll see it.
  • Screenshots: https://imgur.com/a/fACHA

    Ancient document #17
  • Document: Will-o'-the-wisp.
  • Difficulty: Easy.
  • Type: A plaque.
  • Off path? Not really.
  • Room: The room with lava and two Will-o'-the-wisps (sentient blue fire balls).
  • Location: A small section with three teal/aquablue light sources.
  • Directions: If you know how to solve the puzzle of this room, then you'll know how to get it. Alternatively, you can wait until you learn the next spell and make this easier. However you need to know how solve the puzzle in this room to learn it.
  • Screenshots: https://imgur.com/a/c3Y9k

    Ancient document #18
  • Document: To Veritas.
  • Difficulty: Easy.
  • Type: A plaque.
  • Off path? Kind of.
  • Room: A cavern after the room with lava and two Will-o'-the-wisps (sentient blue fire balls).
  • Location: A dead-end in the corridor mentioned above, very close to a small white crystal.
  • Directions: After figuring out the puzzle in the lava room with the two Will-o'-the-wisps, instead of going through the larger entrance to the next area (with five blue flaming "things" and the spell cancelling artifact), go through the small entrance on the left. Right after going through this smaller one, turn left after reaching the small white crystal on the ground and you'll see right away.
  • Screenshots: https://imgur.com/a/3ujpP

    Ancient document #19
  • Document: Time and Space
  • Difficulty: Hard.
  • Type: A plaque.
  • Off path? Yes.
  • Room: In the room you get the Teleportation spell.
  • Location: A very small room behind a grate.
  • Directions: From the save point in this room, pass through the first archway close to it and look up. You'll see the pendant emblem above. Then look to your right and you'll see a green light coming from a small room behind a grate. Teleport inside and you'll find the document on a plaque on the ground.
  • Screenshots: https://imgur.com/a/V0ufY
Chapter 3 — A Door To The Stars (part 1)
There are a total 16 ancient documents in this chapter.

    Ancient document #20
  • Document: Chronicles of the fall - I. Madness forged in iron
  • Difficulty: Hard.
  • Type: Pendant emblem
  • Off path? Yes.
  • Room: Outside the temple.
  • Location: The exterior side of one of the the temple walls.
  • Directions: After entering the temple main hall, go right where you can see the outside. You can see some rocks from this position. Teleport there and keep teleporting up until you'll reach the ancient document on the wall.
  • Screenshots: https://imgur.com/a/vNlIj

    Ancient document #21
  • Document: The last pilgrims in the Civilization of Death.
  • Difficulty: Hard.
  • Type: A plaque.
  • Off path? Yes.
  • Room: The temple main hall (the first large room you enter in the start of this chapter)..
  • Location: On the top of the ring with 3 statues near the ceiling of the room.
  • Directions: Go to the upper area of the temple main hall (doesn't matter which side you go). When you get there, teleport to that circular area above in the center of the room. The document will be next to a statue.
  • Screenshots: https://imgur.com/a/udNP2

    Ancient document #22
  • Document: Chronicles of the fall - VII. The tale of the taste of blood.
  • Difficulty: Hard.
  • Type: A scroll that materialize in front of you.
  • Off path? Yes.
  • Room: The temple main hall (the first large room you enter in the start of this chapter)..
  • Location: One of the side rooms in the upper area of the temple main hall.
  • Directions: Go to the upper area of the temple main hall (doesn't matter which side you go). Go to the place with 4 lanterns with blue flames and a dark circular "thing". Go behind this circular "thing" and you'll see a statue head. Grab it. Now go back and, having this circular "thing" facing your back, go left and then enter the room on the left. Place the head on the statue and a scroll will materialize in front of you.
  • Screenshots: https://imgur.com/a/VXhB2

    Ancient document #23
  • Document: Duel with a nightmare
  • Difficulty: Easy.
  • Type: Pendant emblem.
  • Off path? No.
  • Room: A large hallway with two paths blocked by ice walls.
  • Location: The base of a statue in the intersection point of the hallway.
  • Directions: Starting from the temple main hall, take the left path and you'll easily reach the hallway in which the ancient document is located.
  • Screenshots: https://imgur.com/a/PRpDL

    Ancient document #24
  • Document: The Planetarium.
  • Difficulty: Very easy.
  • Type: A scroll that materializes in front of you.
  • Off path? No.
  • Room: The planetarium. A large room with 8 white faces on the ground, 2 staircases, one path blocked by an ice wall and a locked door.
  • Location: On the little area on the top of the stairs.
  • Directions: It's nearly impossible to miss this one. Just go up the stairs in the planetarium and approach the Mark of Command. A scroll will materialize in front of you.
  • Screenshots: https://imgur.com/a/XoT9j

    Ancient document #25
  • Document: The 3 emissaries
  • Difficulty: Hard.
  • Type: Pendant emblem
  • Off path? Kind of.
  • Room: A cross intersection with one path blocked by a spinning fan, one path with a save point, a wall with another spinning fan and a path leading to the planetarium.
  • Location: In a hole close to the lava.
  • Directions: From the planetarium, instead of taking that path that leads back to the temple main hall, go to the opposite direction. You'll reach a small intersection with lava below you, a spinning fan blocking your way to the left and save point going forward. One of the "holes" actually has a grate above the lava level. The ancient document is there.
  • Screenshots: https://imgur.com/a/Wp3le

    Ancient document #26
  • Document: Chronicles of the fall - V. The darkness of the enchanter.
  • Difficulty: Medium.
  • Type: Pendant emblem.
  • Off path? No.
  • Room: The large room where you get the Freezing beam spell.
  • Location: Behind an ice patch, below the platform with the plaque contain the Freezing beam spell.
  • Screenshots: https://imgur.com/a/5H1SH

    Ancient document #27
  • Document: The change of the temple.
  • Difficulty: Easy to medium.
  • Type: Pendant emblem
  • Off path? Not really.
  • Room: One of the rooms with a constellation hologram. The one with a save point, reached by going through the door behind the spinning fan mentioned in the ancient document #25.
  • Location: Going up the blocked stairs.
  • Directions: Just teleport on the stairs, go up and it'll be on the wall.
  • Screenshots: https://imgur.com/a/DprV9

    Ancient document #28
  • Document: Ba'Hal
  • Difficulty: Medium.
  • Type: Pendant emblem.
  • Off path? Mostly.
  • Room: The big room with three large hammer-like objects that keep swinging non-stop.
  • Location: A small platform with two blue glowing columns.
  • Directions: Right after you enter this room, look to your right and down. You'll be able to see a small platform with two blue glowing columns. Teleport your way there and you'll see the document on the wall.
  • Screenshots: https://imgur.com/a/lZgcD
Chapter 3 — A Door To The Stars (part 2)
    Ancient document #29
  • Document: Of justice and empires - Iustitia
  • Difficulty: Easy to medium.
  • Type: Pendant emblem.
  • Off path? Kind of.
  • Room: A room with a spinning fan on the ground and one fan on each side (after the section with the Rak'Emesh (very large enemy)).
  • Location: On the floor, after passing through one of the lateral spinning fans.
  • Directions: After the encounter with the Rak'Emesh, pass through the spinning fan blocking your way. Then, instead of going down, go through the fan on the other side. You'll see the pendant emblem on the floor.
  • Screenshots: https://imgur.com/a/LQ7t0

    Ancient document #30
  • Document: The doll's eyes.
  • Difficulty: Easy to medium.
  • Type: Pendant emblem,
  • Off path? Not really.
  • Room: The large room that was behind the wall the Rak'Emesh broke, that you first reach by going through an orange portal behind a spinning fan.
  • Location: Behind the orange portal.
  • Screenshots: https://imgur.com/a/XeJBT

    Ancient document #31
  • Document: Chronicles of the fall - VI. The three gifts.
  • Difficulty: Easy.
  • Type: Pendant emblem.
  • Off path? Kind of.
  • Room: The second room that contains a large pit with green energy flowing up. It also has a closed gate that can be opened with the Telekinesis spell.
  • Location: The other side of the pit.
  • Directions: When you enter this room you'll be facing a greenish window. Turn left. You'll see a pit with some green energy coming out of it. Teleport to the other side this pit and you'll find the ancient document on the ground.
  • Screenshots: https://imgur.com/a/SxCEj

    Ancient document #32
  • Document: Of destiny and myth - Aequalitas.
  • Difficulty: Easy.
  • Type: Pendant emblem.
  • Off path? No.
  • Room: Near one of the rooms that enable another planet in the planetarium. The one after the puzzle with the light beam, three colored cubes and the two orbs.
  • Location: On the wall, behind some ice.
  • Directions: After solving the puzzle involving a light beam, three colored cubes and two orbs, you'll go through a corridor and reach one of those devices that enable a planet in the planetarium. Before going down the stairs, look behind you and you'll see see a patch of ice on the wall. The ancient document is behind the ice.
  • Screenshots: https://imgur.com/a/vK4ot

    Ancient document #33
  • Document: Nu'Maha - Order and Chaos
  • Difficulty: Medium to hard.
  • Type: A scroll that materializes in front of you.
  • Off path? No.
  • Room: The room with tick noises, after going through the portal in the planetarium.
  • Location: Below the ground.
  • Directions: If you look to the ground, you'll see checkered floor tiles. This is the puzzle of the Checkmate achievement. After you solve it, you'll be rewarded with the ancient document. I won't spoil you how to solve the puzzle here. It's not a very hard puzzle, so give it a try. If you want to know how to solve it, go to the last section of this guide.
  • Screenshots: https://imgur.com/a/OPrsT

    Ancient document #34
  • Document: The path to Zenith.
  • Difficulty: Impossible not to get.
  • Type: A plaque.
  • Off path? No.
  • Room: The room with tick noises, after going through the portal in the planetarium.
  • Location: A plaque on the wall on the upper floor.
  • No screenshots since you have to get this one.

    Ancient document #35
  • Document: On the reversibility of death
  • Difficulty: You basically have to get it.
  • Type: Pendant emblem.
  • Off path? No.
  • Room: The final area.
  • Location: In the middle of this area.
  • Directions: After beating the final boss, it will be on the middle of the map. I suppose it is possible to finish the game without getting this one, but it's pretty hard to miss.
  • No screenshots since it's pretty obvious.
How to solve the chessboard puzzle
In the that you tried to solve the puzzle, got frustrated and decided to look at the answer, I'll give some tips before giving the answer itself so you may give another go if you want. As usual, I'll put it behind spoiler tags.
Tip #1: That annoying tick sound is not there just to annoy you.

Tip #2: Look around the room. Maybe there's some things you can move around.

Tip #3: It's not Morse code.

Tip #4: The difference in tone is irrelevant.

Solution: First and foremost, face the board on the ground as if you were entering this room for the first time (find the portal if you have to).

There's no singular answer to the puzzle. You have to listen to the ticking sounds to figure out the answer. It will play 6 sequences of ticks, with a longer pause between them. Each sequence will have 1 to 8 ticks. You also have to put these sequences in pairs, i.e. sequences one and two is a pair, sequences three and four is another pair and sequences five and six is the last one.

Look around the room. There are 3 "statues" you can move with Telekinesis. Got it yet?

If you never played chess, each cell can be represented by a pair of values: one for the horizontal position and one for the vertical position. The first value in the pair you get with the ticking sounds represents the horizontal position of the cell (or which collumn) and the second value in the pair represents the vertical position (or which row). So, for example, let's say you listen to it and it goes:

tick-tick
tick
tick-tick-tick-tick-tick
tick-tick-tick
tick
tick-tick-tick-tick-tick-tick-tick-tick

First, translate it to numbers: 2 1 5 3 1 8
Then put then in pairs: (2, 1) (5, 3) (1, 8)
Finally, put the "statues" to these positions:

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 1 |░|X|░|▓|░|▓|░|▓| 2 |▓|░|▓|░|▓|░|▓|░| 3 |░|▓|░|▓|X|▓|░|▓| 4 |▓|░|▓|░|▓|░|▓|░| 5 |░|▓|░|▓|░|▓|░|▓| 6 |▓|░|▓|░|▓|░|▓|░| 7 |░|▓|░|▓|░|▓|░|▓| 8 |X|░|▓|░|▓|░|▓|░|

Remember, this is just an example. Yours will be different.
5 Comments
黑手 24 May, 2022 @ 7:47am 
OMG, u r so patient. I should have seen it sooner.:slimehungry:
roomer8 6 Nov, 2020 @ 4:04am 
I wonder why parts 2,3 and 4 of Chronicles of the fall aren't present ingame. I was sure they were somewhere, but in the end this guide confirmed they aren't anywhere. Thanks for the help!
Lowfar 26 Feb, 2017 @ 7:04pm 
Thank you for this guide, it is very useful!
MarkUsAll 7 Oct, 2016 @ 12:32pm 
I don't think that is the case, since there is a fragment of the past in the chess puzzle, after which you inevitably go to the ending. Of course it might be possible so if someone knows for sure ;-)
Planned Pandahood 30 Apr, 2016 @ 4:12pm 
Document #33 Nu'Maha - Order and Chaos, mentions opening a door at the top of the atrium to those that have found every fragment of the past... I haven't collected all the ancient documents but I am wondering if there is a secret area only open after you find them all