Your first investigation.
Take your time. Find one clue, compare it with another source, and explain what you believe.
Get comfortable with the controls.
| Action | Keyboard | Touch |
|---|---|---|
| Walk | WASD or arrows | Drag the joystick; release to stop |
| Talk or inspect | E, near a person or door | Talk |
| Open the atlas | N | Select the minimap |
| Attack in a dungeon | F or Space | Attack |
Follow the evidence.
- Read the current objective at the top left.
- Track a destination in the atlas. The red dot is you; the gold marker is your target.
- Move close and press E to talk or inspect.
- Collect clues from different sources. Return to the Case board and compare them.
- Read feedback before trying again. Use Help or Replay tutorial when needed.
Take an optional expedition.
Archive → Sealed Vault. Harvest Storehouse → Flooded Mine. Chapel → Crypt. Speak with the resident near the entrance for guidance.
Step outside a red warning ring, wait for the attack to finish, then face the enemy and counterattack. Repeated hits do not cancel an attack already in motion. Defeated enemies have a 75% chance to drop a hint; read it in Loot hints. A missed drop does not stop your progress.
Prepare, recover, and return.
East Ward jobs can award supplies or route notes. Complete the inn’s guest-ledger job to unlock rest. Use supply restores two health and consumes one item. At zero health, recover with discoveries intact. Return to the entrance stair to leave a dungeon.
Choose Continue on your next visit to this same website. Logging is optional; No still allows play. Keep your browser’s site data to retain progress.
Read or download.
- English subtitles · SRT
- Both video transcripts · Markdown
- Evidence worksheet · Print or save as PDF
- Complete classroom kit · ZIP
Read the complete video transcript
Welcome, Warden
Welcome to Cipherfell. You are the Warden of the Seal. Your job is to investigate before you trust. This guide shows the controls, the evidence loop, and optional dungeon combat. You do not need to finish every activity at once.
Start on your terms
Choose New Game to start, or Continue for a saved journey. Research logging is optional: choose No to play without it. Return to the same browser and address to keep your progress.
Move, then stop
Use W, A, S, D or the arrow keys to walk. On a phone, drag the touch joystick. Walk along the road, release the controls, and stop beside a doorway. You can take your time while learning the layout.
Read the objective; use the atlas
Read the objective at the top left. Press N or select the minimap to open the atlas. The red dot is you; the gold marker is your destination. Choose a location to track it, then walk there. Tracking does not teleport you.
Talk and inspect
Approach a person or doorway and press E, or use Talk on a touch screen. Read the conversation and inspect the available evidence. If nothing opens, move closer. In dungeons, keep E for interaction: Space or F is your attack.
Build an evidence trail
A claim is not proof. Explore, collect clues, and return to the Case board. Compare what different sources tell you before making a decision. If the puzzle is locked, use the objective to find the evidence you still need. The guide will not reveal the answer.
Use help without losing the thread
Open Help if you forget a control, and use Replay tutorial to see the guided introduction again. In a puzzle, read the feedback and request a hint when you need one. Before trying again, say what the new information changes about your reasoning.
Choose an optional expedition
Dungeons are optional side trips. Enter the Sealed Vault through the Archive, the Flooded Mine through the Harvest Storehouse, or the Crypt through the Chapel. Read the expedition goal and speak with the resident near the entrance. Your main case remains available when you return.
Dodge, then counterattack
Face the enemy and press F or Space, or tap Attack. The red ring shows the danger area. Step outside it while the enemy prepares, then return during recovery. Repeated hits do not cancel a committed attack. Watch the health bar and leave room to retreat.
Loot hints are a bonus
Defeated enemies have a seventy-five percent chance to drop a hint. Open Loot hints to read what you found. Some victories give no hint, and defeated enemies stay defeated. Resident advice and town route notes provide other ways to get help, so a missed drop does not stop progress.
Prepare in the East Ward
Complete East Ward jobs for supplies or route notes. Finish the inn's guest-ledger job to unlock rest. In a dungeon, Use supply restores two health and consumes one item.
Recover, return, continue
At zero health, recover without losing discoveries. Return to the entrance stair to leave. Continue later in the same browser. Now find one clue and explain your reasoning.