The player is aided by a notebook that contains the list of graphemes the player has encountered up to that point, and they may type in a word they assume is the meaning for a grapheme, which is then displayed above that grapheme the next time they encounter it. Once the player encounters enough graphemes,...
The player is aided by a notebook that contains the list of graphemes the player has encountered up to that point, and they may type in a word they assume is the meaning for a grapheme, which is then displayed above that grapheme the next time they encounter it. Once the player encounters enough graphemes, the notebook offers tests to see if a player has correctly translated the graphemes by displaying drawings of nouns, verbs or adjectives which the player must match the correct grapheme to; if the player correctly matches all graphemes to meanings on the page, those graphemes will be considered solved, and their real English meaning will be displayed above them - if all graphemes from a sentence are solved, a full English translation is shown. The graphemes themselves may also provide hints towards the meaning, with languages having determinatives . Some areas introduce stealth gameplay; if players are caught, they are sent to the entrance of the area, where they may try again. The protagonist awakens from a sarcophagus situated at the ground level of a large spiraling Ziggurat. The protagonist must decipher each caste's language, using the knowledge gained to help them ascend to the next level. First, they encounter the Devotees, who seek a god-like being believed to be at the top of the tower. The Devotees are blocked by the imposing Warriors, who have a sworn duty to drive away those they consider "impure", while awaiting a message from the revered Bards on the level above. They mock the idea of ascending further up the tower, as a deadly monster stalks the passage to the next level. The protagonist is able to elude the monster and join the Alchemists, a group of miners and scientists conducting esoteric research. They attempt to unlock a giant gate to the tower's highest level, where its mythical creators reside. Beyond the gate, the protagonist finds the technologically advanced Anchorites, who wear virtual reality headsets at all times, shutting themselves away from the rest of the tower which they consider doomed. The protagonist discovers they were created to reconnect the castes; they are then tasked with dismantling "Exile" and translating between the castes using communication terminals on each level. Through the protagonist's efforts, the Devotees win over the Warriors by playing music and invite the Bards' servants down to their abbey; the Warriors assist the Alchemists in dealing with the monster; the Alchemists teach the Bards about their shared ancestry and help the Devotees with their dying plants; and the Bards perform a concert for the Warriors. Eventually, the Anchorites are able to connect with the other castes through the terminals as well. Nearing the end of their mission, the protagonist climbs to the highest point of the structure to find a ceremonial altar, but it does not activate.