From the cassette inlay:
The tiny principality of DORCASIA was a pleasant fertile land until the wizard ZENDOS used his evil powers to cast the country into perpetual darkness until all citizens pledge obedience to him.
It is known that through the SPELL OF DARKNESS Zendos has trapped the spirit of each month into one of 12 GOLDEN TEMPUS RUNES or RUNIC HOUR GLASSES hidden deep within his mysterious magical castle.
As the land dies in the grip of the black desolation a hero must be found to locate and destroy the 12 hour glasses thus releasing the months and returning Dorcasia to the natural forces of the seasons.
Each glass has a RUNIC inscription around its base which you must read and understand. Only saying these words will lift that part of the spell. To protect the hour glasses Zendos has places them in 12 separate rooms in his castle, each room linked to a different exterior gateway by a devious route.
Depending on which entrance you select Zendos casts spells which change the locations of rooms within his castle to confuse you. The menacing creatures and challenging problems which confront you at every turn mean that only the brave and the clever will succeed.