I. The Cycle of the Round

— from the shrine to the dark, and home again —

Every descent follows the same shape. The player wakes upon the Extraction Shrine, reads the night's Quota writ in light upon its altar, and steps into the ruin. Coin sits in chests, ore lies in seams, rope hangs from rafters — but so too do the dwellers of the place stir from their slumber. To leave: pile the tribute upon the shrine and walk through the homeward door.

The Flow

— I — Level Begins at the Shrine Quota revealed. Satchel empty. Timer at zero.

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— II — Scavenge & Plunder Gather valuables for the Quota — and materials (ore, rope, cloth, hide) for the forge.

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— III — The Dark Tide Rises As minutes pass, monsters spawn thicker, faster, and bolder. The level is a kettle on the boil.

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— IV — Return to the Shrine Place each carried item upon the altar. Quota tally climbs. Nothing counts in the satchel — only on stone.

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— V — Quota Met → Walk the Door The exit gate ignites once the Quota is satisfied. Step through to leave with all you carry.

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— VI — The Hub Visit the Stat Vendor & Blacksmith. Spend coin. Repair, craft, upgrade. Rest.

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— VII — Next Level · Quota + A larger ruin. A heavier tribute. Repeat — until you fall, or until your name is highest in the ledger.

The Danger Curve

A sketch of how the level's threat thickens as the minutes drag on.

Materials of the Field

Material	Found in	Forge Use
Iron Ore	Seams in cellar walls	Blades, plate
Coal	Hearths, scuttles	Smelting fuel
Rope	Rafters, wells	Bindings, traps
Cloth / Wick	Bedding, drapery	Lantern fittings
Tanned Hide	Stables, packs	Straps, light armour
Sigil-Stone	Rare — chapel altars	Illuminating Stone

The Stakes

Fall in the dark — and you drop all you carried that was not yet laid upon the shrine. You wake in the Hub with only what coin you had banked before.

Fail the Quota — and the run is ended. The ledger closes. A new run begins from Round I.

Round-to-Round Pacing — a working table

Round	Setting	Quota	Calm Window	Notes
I	Cottage Ruin	~ 100 g	≈ 2 min	Teaches: carry, place, extract.
II	Forsaken Manor	~ 200 g	≈ 90 s	First true monsters. Lanterns matter.
III	Old Chapel	~ 350 g	≈ 75 s	Sigil-Stones first appear.
IV	Watchtower	~ 550 g	≈ 60 s	Vertical play — Double Jump rewarded.
V+	Castle proper	scaling	shrinking	Multi-room sweeps; heavy beasts.