Myst

The Bard says:

      Once long ago a race known as the D'ni existed.  They
   burrowed deeply into the rock of their home world and chose
   to exist within the massive caverns they carved from the very
   bones of the world.  Their accomplishments were vast but all
   paled in comparison with their ability to write.  They did not
   write ordinary books.  Using special ink, paper, and a language
   crafted over a millennia they forged links to different worlds
   and even times.  The D'ni empire comprised over a thousand
   worlds  which they called 'ages'.  Alas the D'ni capital city
   was destroyed and the links closed forever, the citizens of the
   great civilization scattered throughout the worlds they linked
   too.  The son of one of these refugees was called Atrus'.
   His grandmother and father passed on the knowledge of D'ni
   writing to the young man and he become quite a talented writer.
   Many years ago he linked to the land of Tsunami with his wife,
   but after witnessing the struggle of the various holy factions and
   the viciousness and greed of its inhabitants, he chose not to
   reveal himself, or any knowledge of the D'ni civilization.  knowing
   full well if the knowledge of the linking books fell into the wrong
   hands their holy war and violent ways would spill into countless
   other ages.  Loath to destroy any link, he entrusted the linking
   book to the Great Library on the Tsunami Mainland, knowing that
   within the vast store of books and tomes it would remain safe.
   Anyone visiting Myst should be wary for though any may travel
   to the island, none return without the help of Atrus, if at all.