The Buried Kingdom
| The Buried Kingdom | |
|---|---|
| ◈ RIFT MODULE ◈ | |
| INSPIRED BY | The Legend of Zelda (1986) |
| GUIDE | WREN |
| AREAS | 16 overworld screens + 9 vaults (45 total rooms) |
| BOSSES | 10 (9 vault bosses + THE HOLLOW KING) |
| ABILITIES | RETURN_CALL, FERRY_PROTOCOL, BRIDGE_BUILDER, HARMONIC, PULSE_ROD, EMBER_PROTOCOL, TOME_OF_MASTERY, SILVER_PROTOCOL |
| CURRENCY | Kingdom Resources (KR) |
| ENTRY | Ghost Relay (Node 4) — after Puzzle 2 |
| DIFFICULTY | Act I-II recommended |
| REWARDS | AEGIS_PROTOCOL, RETURN_CALL, Kingdom Shard |
| A Zelda-inspired exploration rift with a 4×4 overworld grid, 9 dungeon vaults, an expanding corruption mechanic, and item-based progression. | |
The Buried Kingdom is the first of three Rift modules in Terminal Descent. Inspired by the original Legend of Zelda, it features a 16-screen overworld arranged in a 4×4 grid, nine dungeon vaults with unique items and bosses, and an organic time pressure system driven by expanding corruption.
Overview
The Buried Kingdom is accessed from the Ghost Relay (Node 4) after completing Puzzle 2. The player enters a world where a once-thriving digital kingdom has been consumed by corruption spreading from its core. Guided by WREN — a desperate historian AI — the player must recover eight vault shards and enter the corrupted heart to defeat THE HOLLOW KING.
No HEAT system applies. Instead, corruption spreads 1 overworld screen per 20 turns from the corruption source at D4, creating organic urgency.
Overworld
The overworld is a 4×4 grid (columns A-D, rows 1-4) with diverse environments:
Key Locations:
- B1 - Kingdom Gate — Starting area. Gate Guardian provides KINGDOM_MAP.
- A2 - Observation Point — Telescope showing corruption spread status.
- B3 - Archive Settlement — Hub with REST, TRADE, and LORE services. NPCs: Merchant, Historian, Child-Routine.
- D4 - Corruption Source — Contains Vault 9, NEURAL drain hazard, respawning enemies.
Corrupted screens have stronger enemies and degraded items. Planning vault order based on corruption spread is a key strategic element.
The Nine Vaults
| Vault | Location | Key Item | Boss | Core Mechanic |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| V1: Eagle Archive | East Grid | RETURN_CALL | SENTINEL | Item retrieval across gaps |
| V2: Crescent Lab | North Grid | RETURN_CALL (upgraded) | DIGGER | Shield navigation |
| V3: The Drift | South Grid | FERRY_PROTOCOL | HYDRA_PROCESS | Multi-level exploration |
| V4: Serpent Core | Island | BRIDGE_BUILDER | DRAKE | Gap/elevation navigation |
| V5: Resonance Chamber | Central (hidden) | HARMONIC | CHORUS | Sound-based puzzles |
| V6: Wyrm's Den | Northwest | PULSE_ROD | WYRM | Distance-based combat |
| V7: Phantom Gate | Hidden | EMBER_PROTOCOL | SENTINEL PRIME | Dark rooms, invisible enemies |
| V8: Lion's Sanctum | Northeast | TOME_OF_MASTERY | CERBERUS | Wall penetration |
| V9: Dark Archive | Corrupted core | SILVER_PROTOCOL | THE HOLLOW KING | All combined themes |
Key Abilities
- RETURN_CALL — Retrieve distant items, stun IC at range
- FERRY_PROTOCOL — Cross data-streams and environmental hazards
- BRIDGE_BUILDER — Create temporary walkways across gaps
- HARMONIC — Destructive resonance tone, reveals hidden passages
- PULSE_ROD — Ranged attack, activates switches at distance
- EMBER_PROTOCOL — +2 base damage, light source, reveals invisible IC
- TOME_OF_MASTERY — PULSE_ROD fires through walls
- SILVER_PROTOCOL — Beam damages all IC, anti-corruption (3× to HOLLOW KING)
Final Boss: THE HOLLOW KING
| THE HOLLOW KING | |
|---|---|
| Sovereign of Ruin | |
| ☠ BOSS ENCOUNTER ☠ | |
| LOCATION | V9: Dark Archive |
| ACT | Rift |
| COMBAT STATS | |
| HP | High (Level 7) |
| PHASES | 2
|
| ABILITIES | CORRUPT (damages inventory items), DESPAIR (all actions -20% effectiveness) |
| WEAK TO | SILVER_PROTOCOL (3× damage), HARMONIC (restores morale in Phase 2) |
| REWARDS | AEGIS_PROTOCOL (export), KINGDOM_CROWN (cosmetic) |
| A grief-weaponized entity at the heart of the corruption. Two phases testing both combat ability and collected tools. | |
Phase 1: Standard (100-50% HP)
- Standard attacks + CORRUPT (damages a random inventory item each turn)
- SILVER_PROTOCOL deals 3× damage
Phase 2: Despair (50-0% HP)
- DESPAIR field reduces all action effectiveness by 20%
- HARMONIC must be used every 3 turns to restore morale
- Combines challenges from all previous vault mechanics
Export Items
Completing the Buried Kingdom grants three items usable in The Lattice:
- AEGIS_PROTOCOL — +2 all defensive stats
- RETURN_CALL — Retrieve items and stun IC at range (1 use per node)
- Kingdom Shard (cosmetic) — Geometric gold deck border