Esoteric Ebb

Esoteric Ebb is an isometric, Disco-like TTRPG-turned-CRPG set in a bizarre post-Arcanepunk fantasy setting. You are The Cleric, an expert in esoteric events and a glorified government goon.

The Setup

Five days until the first-ever election, a tea shop explodes in the heart of the city. You wake up in a morgue with half the river in your boots, surrounded by ten thousand rotting apples, several corpses, and one zombie. Out of your depth and with no official backup, you delve into your beloved city to investigate the impossible mystery no one wants you to solve.

Core Gameplay

Explore the streets and tunnels of a fantasy metropolis. Debate devils, drunk sphinxes, and all manner of fantastical fools in a world where mythological creatures sell newspapers at corner shops and ideologies overtake the ramblings of dead gods. Juggle factions and play them against each other. Make choices that will come back to bite you - shifting alliances, risky dungeoneering, and open-ended quests set throughout Norvik. Become the city's savior, its demise, or bumble your way into absolute power.

Mechanics

Inspired by classic CRPGs, Esoteric Ebb features deep and branching dialogs with a staggering amount of choices. Each Ability Stat has a conflicting viewpoint and loves to interrupt important conversations. Roll to wrestle dwarves, steal anything in sight, or keep yourself from looking like a complete fool - in true TTRPG fashion, failure can often be way more interesting. Use The Cleric's reality-shaping magic for unique narrative choices: control minds, detect secrets, or speak with anyone living or dead. Turn-based encounters use dice rolls to determine life or death, but you always have a bizarre solution to any problem. Your quest log, skill tree, and mind map combine into The Questing Tree, where each quest branch can alter your playstyle through game-changing feats.