Empty-Dungeon-Adventure
http://luminosity.livejournal.com/964337.html
This is probably the least of code you can use to create a text adventure, that you can scale out.
https://github.com/unixarcade/Empty-Dungeon-Adventure
Things it does not include
a game loop, lots of variables to control a character, story, and many other things you could want
The good news is that it is empty enough which is a good starting point when you want a point to start. This project is for fun it is for people who either know little or nothing you could use the statements follow them out and make the game and world more rich. It can also be used by experienced developers to rip out a text adventure quickly.
Since projects that are too full just as games with rules that are not very open in the way they will be used will make for a game that does not allow you the branching of your choice and the impression of your persona upon the game and how you would play it.
That and emptiness well it allows us to be the sacred vessel.