The Curse of Azriel

About

You captain a modest coastal trader in a world crumbling from past ideals. Your goal is to build a thriving mercantile empire by buying, selling, and upgrading ships while navigating treacherous waters. The game blends resource management with roleplaying elements as you encounter ports, crew dynamics, and the lingering influence of a forgotten hero. Choices in trade routes and interactions shape your progress toward owning a full ocean-worthy fleet. The game stands out for its layered lore about a once-virtuous order fading into obscurity. Players manage complex economic systems while uncovering fragmented history through environmental storytelling. With its 1983 release on Atari ST, it offered surprisingly deep strategy for its era. Classic forums note its addictive progression and the challenge of balancing profit with the moral decay of the world around you.

Storyline

The story so far... Over nine hundred years had passed since Lord Azriel had last walked the world. It was said that He came to purge the world of evil and bring scholarship and enlightenment to those that sought it. In those days the world had been a terrible place ruled by barbarian chieftains on land and ruthless pirates at sea. Lord Azriel brought order to the chaos and created the roots of civilisation by forming a world of justice and equality and inspiring men to strive for a better life through commerce and trade. Since His passing however, His deeds were gradually forgotten. Pirates were rife once more upon the oceans, slavery became a profitable business and thieves and cut throats infested every city. His good works were remembered only to a few faithful followers who, now outcast by society as religious zealots, were forced to confine themselves to a small island where they could lead a monastic and simple life. They raised an immense tower and within its walls the servants lived, worked, prayed and died. Although the servants of Azriel led a simple life, as an order they were far from poor.