A Descent into the Buried Empire · Tronsoft Games
Launch the game from the Tronsoft Games library. You start on the Ravine Ledge at the newly opened stairwell. Read the story window, then act: type a command and press ENTER, or click any button in the context-action bands beneath the story. Both do exactly the same thing.
| Category | Commands | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| Movement | N, S, E, W, UP, DOWN | NORTH, GO EAST, D |
| Observation | LOOK, EXAMINE, SEARCH, READ | EXAMINE WINCH, SEARCH RUBBLE |
| Objects | TAKE, DROP, OPEN, CLOSE, USE | OPEN SATCHEL, USE OIL CAN |
| Conversation | TALK, ASK | TALK TO OSTRAYNE, ASK OSTRAYNE ABOUT TOLL |
| System | HINT, SCORE, INVENTORY, HELP | HINT, I |
The quick row at the bottom of the screen opens the Map (visited chambers only), Journal (journal, quests, achievements, stats, talk log, and transcript tabs), Inventory, Save manager, and Settings.
The game is strictly turn-based: one command, one response, no timers. Exits for the current chamber are listed in the left pane and in the Movement band. Some ways are barred until a condition is met — a needed item in hand, a mechanism operated, or a certain ghost satisfied. The game always tells you why a way is barred.
Points are awarded for collecting significant items, operating the altar,
and finishing the game — 100 points maximum. Check progress any time with
SCORE or the Stats tab. Nothing you do can make the game
unwinnable.
Recover the broken crown from the Throne Vault and carry it back to daylight on the Ravine Ledge. The altar in the vault wants three offerings first: what grew below, what poured below, what shone below.
There is no death and no dead end. The worst that can happen is that Ostrayne is disappointed in you, which the Warden-Mage would insist is punishment enough.
Stuck? HINT gives progressive help for your current
obstacle: a nudge first, then a pointer, then the full answer. The complete
solution is in the manual (docs/manual.pdf).
Open Save in the quick row to create named saves, restore, or delete them. Saves live in your browser's local storage on this device. Settings offers amber or green phosphor themes, text size, help, about, and full restart.