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        Walkthrough for Terra Nova: The Mystery of Zephyr's Landing

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Updated: Feb, 2025
Version: 1.0
Contact: prail@yahoo.com

CONTENTS
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1. Introduction
2. Walkthrough
3. Story Background

VERSION HISTORY
---------------

1.0: Dec 11, 2024 (First Version)
1.0: Feb 11, 2025 (Updates)

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1.                              Introduction

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"Terra Nova: The Mystery of Zephyr's Landing" begins in the abandoned ruins of 
Zephyr's Landing, a failed colony on a far-away, Earth-like desert planet. You 
guide the protagonist, Kai, through a story adventure where he explores the ruins 
and discovers the shocking history of the settlement, and ultimately, the 
meaning of his existence.

This game is more focused on storytelling than puzzles, though there are a few to 
challenge traditional adventure gamers. This walkthrough presents a proven path 
through the game; it's not necessarily the only path and there are some points where 
you can go wrong and end the game early.

Note: The hints in the game take you a long way, so read this walkthrough ONLY if 
you get stuck as it reveals the game finale.

Terra Nova started as an agricultural colony and it has its own way of telling the 
time of day. Where we might say morning, noon, and night. Their times are a cycle
of First-Light, High-Sun, Long-Shadow, Dimming-Sky, and Nightfall. This becomes 
significant if you are still in the desert at dusk when the Shadow Beasts roam. 
The time of day can be monitored in the upper-right corner of the game display.

Curious about the grim alternate endings? Type "save" first. Then you can "restore" 
the game without having to start over. The alternate endings are amusing in their 
own way and worth exploring.

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2.                              Walkthrough

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Outskirts of Ruins
------------------
The game starts on the outskirts of old Zephyr's Landing. The boundary stone bears 
an ominous warning of danger ahead. You examine it and discover a seemingly worthless 
piece of scrap metal half-buried at its base. But it's actually a silver key card 
that will prove useful later. Take it and proceed south.

Stone Pit Entrance
------------------
The stone pit's darkness prevents your progress, so head east instead. 
You can come back later.

Dwelling Ruins
------------------
You notice a shard of glass. Try to take it. A solar panel is revealed. Vibrations 
ripple beneath the sand, and if you listen, you hear that your action caused some 
effect, although it isn't evident yet. The solar panel helps power the underground 
complex, and you just awakened it. Now there is light in the stone pit so the 
underground complex can be explored. But first, you must collect some assets to help 
you, so don't return to the stone pit quite yet.

Go east to Water Supply.

Water Supply
------------
You notice an old well full of foul-smelling greenish water. Avoid jumping in, 
on, or over it unless you want a premature ending to the story--although this 
ending reveals the origin of the predatory Shadow Beasts that roam the desert.
In the well is a rusty box, a sort of time capsule left by the old inhabitants
of the village. Take the box. You can't open it yet, but later you will 
discover a way.

Go north to Village Foundry.

Village Foundry
---------------
Take the crucible and fire-proof glove. Those will be useful later.
When you examine the forge itself, a niche is revealed that contains a diary
that you can read to gain points and learn the background of the society. 

Go south, then east to the Fallen Shrine.

Fallen Shrine
-------------
Explore the altar and mosaic. The altar is useful if you are interested in 
learning more about the history of the settlement. The mosaic is the same; it
provides the history of a society dominated by a humanoid robot, the Caretaker.

Go north to the Stone Tower

Stone Tower
-----------
You discover a scrap heap here. Examine it. A magnet adheres to the box 
which might prove useful later to deactivate the obedience collar.
Climb to the watchtower level and study the telescope.  Gaze nw to 
see your home village, gaze up to see a hint of the Legacy spaceship patiently 
orbiting the planet, gaze east to see the lava flows.  Overall, Terra Nova is 
a threatening place.  After enjoying more views, an earthquake hits and 
damages the telescope revealing an objective lens that might be useful 
later, so take it.  Behind the plaque, you find a manuscript. You can read more 
history from Kael there. While you're up high, throw the rusty box off 
the tower.  It crashes on the rocky terrain below and opens to reveal treasured 
relics. Collect these when you leave the tower. The poster, chrono orb, and qubit 
stick provide historical accounts, but you can't read those until later.
Note that you can also drop the box in the Stone Pit and it will break open
when it crashes into the stone floor below.

Go south to the Fallen Shrine

Fallen Shrine (again)
---------------------
Examine the altar and discover there is a concave hollow about the same size 
as the orb.  Put the Chrono Orb into the hollow to reveal more history about 
the village of Zephyr. This is a positive view of village evolution and growth 
highlighting the Caretaker's benevolence.

Go east to the Lava Pit

Lava Pit
--------
Collect a lava sample from the pit. "scoop lava" works, as does, "take lava". 

Go west before the lava hardens until you arrive at the Stone Pit.

Stone Pit (again)
-----------------
Now that you've uncovered the solar panel, there is light in the tunnel.

Go down to enter the forgotten passage.

Lab Tunnel
------------
The southeast path goes to the research lab. The east path goes deeper into 
the tunnels. Go east through the eerie tunnel to the blocked tunnel where you 
notice a chain leading from under a cave-in of rocks and debris. You hear odd 
grunts and moans beyond the cave-in. If you pull the chain, more threatening 
noise. If you attempt to "climb over" then you meet your end. If you want to 
keep playing, pour the lava on the chain, or "pour crucible on chain". This 
frees the trapped beast and unblocks the tunnel.  If you wait too many turns 
to use the lava it hardens and is useless to you.  You can always backtrack 
to the Lava Pit and gather more. The hints are generous here and should help 
guide you.

Go east to the Supply Room

Supply Room
-----------
At the end of the tunnel is a supply room where you find a damaged cyborg.
"examine figure" then give her the Neurochip that she requires.  She tells 
a story and threatens you at the same time. Finally, she reveals that you'll 
need a disguise to roam the underground complex or you'll be captured.  
She reveals such a disguise: a cybernetic suit in a cabinet in that room.  
Take it and wear it.

If it didn't occur to you to throw the rusty box off the tower, you can also 
open the rusty box once wearing the cybernetic suit because of its added power.

Go east to Cyborg Assembly

Cyborg Assembly
---------------
A deserted assembly line to churn out cyborgs lies dormant. This is a chance 
to study the way the Caretaker would convert troublesome settlers to high 
performing cyborgs by replacing parts of them bit by bit, including their 
minds. The assembly control panel blinks at you begging to be pressed, but 
resist.  If you press it, you escape with a robotic hand and your disguise 
is stripped away. Instead, look but don't touch. 

Go south.

Testing Station
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In this room, you put the qubit stick in the quantum playback projector to 
reveal more history of the goings on in Zephyr. Also, take the energy 
statistics log for later. 

Go south to the Research Lab.

Research Lab
------------
In the lab, you meet the humanoid bot called the Caretaker.  Examine her. 
She'll ask you for the energy statistics log and then you can ask more 
questions based on acceptable topics mentioned in her description. 
Her answers reveal more of the history of the rebellion and how she must find 
other sources to rebuild her settlement now that the gestation pods are damaged.  
If you aren't wearing the cyborg disguise, you won't see her, and you
would likely be captured and "absorbed" into her troop of stooges if you 
linger.

Go northeast to Equipment Storage

Equipment Storage
-----------------
In the storage room are extra cyborg parts including an obedience collar. 
You may examine it but unless you want to end the game prematurely, do not 
wear it. If you do you are swarmed by drones and the collar is demonstrated 
to the fullest. You can disable the collar with a magnet if you bothered to 
collect it from the scrap heap earlier in the game.

Go southwest, then west to the Restricted Area Entrance

Restricted Area Entrance
------------------------
You arrive at a hallway protected by crisscrossing light beams. If you try 
to cross you'll be punished for the first infraction. The second is worse. 
You will be tempted to reflect the light beams to defeat the security using 
the lens from the telescope, which feels ingenious, but ultimately doesn't 
work, and you are "absorbed" -- game over. The hints here help guide you
in the right direction: you must think of a way to turn off the power to 
disable the security beams.  It should occur to you that the primary source 
of power for the complex is the solar array that you uncovered earlier. Of 
course, covering it with sand will disrupt power. But on the other hand, this 
leaves a new problem: seeing in the dark in the underground complex. But a light 
source will be available by then. Now that you've seen the light beams and read 
any hints, you are ready to solve this problem on the surface. Just save first 
before you experiment so you don't have to start the game over from the beginning.

Go east, then northwest through the tunnel, then go up the ladder to 
the desert, then east to the Dwelling ruins. 

Dwelling Ruins
--------------
The solar panel cooks in the sun generating power for the cyborgs below. 
Your aim is to turn their lights out, so cover the panel with sand. 
"cover panel" works. 

As if by magic, while digging you spot a bioluminescent beetle and pocket it. 
That is the light source you need to reenter the stone pit and explore 
the restricted area.

Go west, then down into the tunnel, then southeast to the lab, 
then west to the restricted area.

Restricted Area Entrance (now without power)
--------------------------------------------
The light beams have been deactivated so you are free to enter the 
restricted hallway.

Go south to the museum.

Museum
------
There are various exhibits to view here, the most interesting is probably 
accessed by placing your hand on the biometric reader. "put hand in reader" 
or "touch reader" works to reveal the origin story of Terra Nova.  If you 
stay too long at these exhibits you will be captured and absorbed, so don't 
delay.  If you hear the guard coming you can "hide" which puts you in the 
capsule exhibit.  Or you could explore by typing "go in capsule." 
You can't take the bulky cyborg disguise with you, so if you happen to be 
wearing it, "take off suit" works to slim you down so you can enter.
The Caretaker's guards are likely nearby, so hiding is the best way forward.

Lander Craft
------------
You seem to be trapped in the exhibit but escaping your pursuers is at hand.  
You examine the interior and notice a narrow slot on the console just wide 
enough for the key card.  You "put key card in slot" to start the next part 
of the adventure, this time in orbit.

You're launched into orbit much to the surprise of the Caretaker's guards. 
But now, what?

Soon you spot the mothership, Legacy, still in orbit around Terra Nova. 
It's as if she's waiting for you. Legacy guides your craft into the docking 
bay unassisted, you're just a passenger now.

Docking Bay
-----------
You notice a repair bench here. Take the tarp for later.

Go forward

Archives Chamber
----------------
You find the crystal storage for the DNA data store. "examine storage units"
to read the bios of famous contributors to the Legacy project.

If you failed to learn the history of Legacy's journey from a dying Earth
while you were in the museum, you have a second chance here by placing your
hand in the biometric reader.

Wear the tarp before you go forward. It's reflective qualities let you pass
the security without being turned back.

Go forward.

Colony Monitoring Center
------------------------
This is a viewing area looking out on the planet. All the settlements are
monitored from here, although our hero, Kai, thought his settlement was 
the only one until now. You can get more information about the state of the 
settlements by examining the map, a disturbing transformation display, and 
finally, the status monitor that shares the climate report.

Once you've reviewed these items, you can advance to the final room.

Go forward.

Legacy Bridge
-------------
You enter the bridge and meet the AI pilot who greets you warmly and 
congratulates you on being the first settler "fit" enough to visit the ship 
in orbit. We also learn that the Caretaker was intentionally programmed to 
be over-protective and strict with the settlers so that rebellion would 
be inevitable. 

You can ask a few questions of the pilot and the answers clear up any loose
ends. X pilot to see what questions you might ask.

Soon after, Legacy's true intentions are revealed. You are deemed too 
threatening to the ship and her mission, so you must be neutralized. 
However, your tissues are of lasting value, so they are harvested for your 
fine genetics for use in later missions.

This may not be a win for Kai, but it is a win for humanity, which must endure.


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3.                              Story Background

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1. The story is intended as a dark commentary about institutions 
and free will, and the tech elements are well-grounded in sci-fi lore:
. Long-term AI missions are a staple of hard SF
-- Sentient AI pilot created from neural networks and quantum processors
-- Heuristic learning algorithms for adaptation
-- Self-maintaining systems that can operate for centuries
. Digital storage of genetic material rather than physical specimens based 
on emerging tech
-- Radiation-proof quartz cores for preserving genetic information
-- Bio-fabrication systems for creating life upon arrival
-- Gestation pods for growing colonists from stored DNA (avoids the problem of 
long-term cryogenic storage)
. The rebellion against the Caretaker follows historical patterns 
of resistance to oppression
. The integration of biological and mechanical systems (cyborgs) is plausible

2. There are several layers of irony:
a. Personal Irony - Kai thinks he's breaking free from authority by 
exploring the ruins when in reality, this small act of rebellion proves he's 
a product of Legacy's genetic engineering and his desire for independence is 
a programmed trait.

b. Historical Irony - The rebellion against the Caretaker felt like a victory 
for freedom when actually it was part of Legacy's plan to select for desirable
traits and the "failed" colony was succeeding exactly as intended.

c. Final Irony - Kai's success in reaching Legacy seems like a triumph 
proving he's an ideal specimen, but his reward for being perfect is to be 
harvested.  The very traits that helped him survive end up dooming him 
in the end.

3. Subversion of Expectations - A key inspiration for the ending of this 
story is George A. Romero's film, "Night of the Living Dead." 
The powerful idea of the hero surviving against overwhelming odds only to be 
struck dead just when they seem to have reached safety sends a powerful 
reminder about the inevitability of death.  In both stories, the protagonists 
discover too late that their rescuers are instead their executioners.

The ending is not solely for shock value.  It's intended to make readers 
question everything they read and understand that the true horror isn't the 
cyborg guards or Shadow Beasts, but the cold calculation of Legacy's mission: 
breeding better humans through artificial selection, regardless of the 
human cost.

More broadly, the ending serves as a commentary on society, showing how 
corporations view individuals as mere resources to be used and discarded, 
even while claiming to act for the greater good.

4. Readers are left with an uncomfortable question: In the face of 
human extinction, are Legacy's actions justified?

Legacy operates at the highest level with humanity's ultimate survival as 
its driving mission.  The Caretaker knows nothing of the greater experiment 
and is simply a tool, programmed for strict control, which ultimately creates 
conditions that breed independent, resourceful colonists.

The "Greater Good" Dilemma - Legacy sacrifices individual human autonomy 
for species survival.  But without this manipulation, humanity might not 
survive at all.

Means vs. Ends - Legacy's goal of human survival is fundamental to the 
mission, but its methods treat humans as breeding stock, viewing successful 
specimens like Kai as mere genetic material.

The Price of Survival - Legacy's perspective spans centuries and planets 
while individual human lives are insignificant on this scale. Nevertheless, 
readers likely feel the human cost.

Legacy isn't evil or malicious -- it's simply fulfilling its mission.  
This makes the story more ethically complex than a simple "evil AI" narrative.  
The horror comes from Legacy's complete disregard for individual humans in 
pursuit of an optimal solution for species survival.

5. The story incorporates the classic "awakening ancient evil" trope common 
in Egyptian tomb raider tales, but this time, with a sci-fi twist:
The warning signs are there. Such as ancient curses, elders caution 
against exploration and mysterious writings hint at dangers. The tomb is 
uncovered: Just as tomb raiders break seals, Kai uncovers a solar panel 
that reactivates the dormant cyborgs when power returns to the complex 
below. And like a tomb curse, the consequences can't be undone and the 
awakened evil pursues relentlessly. The protagonist's curiosity ultimately 
leads to his doom.

But instead of mummies or curses, the story features:
- Dormant technological systems
- Cyborg guards instead of undead guardians
- A buried high-tech complex rather than a tomb
- Power restoration instead of a magical awakening

The solar panel scene is a modern take on "breaking the seal" of a tomb -- 
it's the moment everything changes and the danger beneath the 
sand is awakened. 

6. The story builds on a breakthrough from our time: 
Scientists store human genome on a "memory crystal" that lasts billions of 
years https://www.popsci.com/technology/memory-crystal-dna/

7. If you want to meet the danger that looms after dark in the desert, you can
wait by typing, "wait until Nightfall"  -- you should probably save your 
progress first.

8. To learn the origin of Shadow Beasts, jump over the well.

9. To learn what happened to Kael the leader of the rebellion enter the research 
lab, without freeing the Shadow Beast from the blocked passage, then go northeast 
to the equipment storage room, then west to the assembly line. Kael is there.

10. Fun fact: The lander’s launch reuses the earthquake rumble sound -- Terra Nova’s 
tremors echo into space.

** End of Walkthrough **
