You ever hear about the soft magic/hard magic system categorization? If you haven't, I'll summarize it here: some people like to depict awe-inspiring everlasting wonders and mysteries of the universe. Some other people like numbers.

Personally, I'm somewhere in-between.

Esoteric Ebb is based on the 5e ruleset. This system is built on layers of fantasy tropes and decades of common understanding among players and DMs. But one of the core pillars of my homebrew setting (working title: The Esoteric Coast) is to look at this generic fantasyland aesthetic through the eyes of modernist ideologies and realism. Or at least what I would consider 'realism' to be.

How would a nation be affected if every law-enforcer came equipped with Charm Person? A spell that is, ostensibly, mind control? Or what about Restoration? All diseases and ailments, suddenly gone. And how would the economy be affected by the simple existence of Plant Growth? You know, the spell that could easily allow a medieval farm to compete with genetic engineering of the 21st century? None of this even touches upon the reality-shattering change of removing mortality with resurrection spells, that all have component costs, of course. Suddenly life has a price on it, even more so than in our own reality.

Some of my players often joke about starting up a business, using Create Food and Water, which creates bland-tasting, but nourishing and good-looking food, and then using Prestidigitation to make it tasty as hell. With just a few third level spell slots and a quick cantrip, you can make yourself a food truck with near zero expenditure. If there were any practical ways of 'learning' magic, wouldn't every single political or economic force in the world scramble to exploit them? You could argue that a world with these fairly basic and low-tier magics should (if the spells aren't limited by gods or physical laws or angry DMs) fundamentally change from a fantasyland to... something very different.

I like to call it Arcanapunk. Primarily because it's a very silly title (all 'punk'-titles are). It's a world where the hard magic system of something like 5e has allowed its people to actually just go wild, and rush through an era not too dissimilar to our own industrial revolution. Except powered not only by technology (which is inevitable) but also by incredibly world-breaking magics. On the Esoteric Coast, folk call it the Arcane Era - a couple hundred years where magic suddenly became a commodity. When nations grew powerful beyond their wisdom and men wielded mago-industrial forces into a fiery and destructive climax.

Why am I telling you all this? Because Esoteric Ebb is all about putting a lens to these 5e mechanics and asking, 'Uh... what if that actually happened?'

Snurre Appledent approves of this lore dump.

How does this translate mechanically then? Well, let's talk clerics. In 5e, clerics are objectively subjectively the best spellcasters. They gain access to some of the more unique divine spells, but also gain access to all spells of a given level and simply prepare the ones most useful. Utility, healer, support, damage, etc. They're great.

The Cleric is not a normal cleric. He's a very talented (albeit unstable) Arcane Cleric. That means... a lot of things, but primarily the consequences are:

• He actually studies his spells and memorizes them like a wizard.
  
• But he also memorizes them insanely quick.
  
• He has the ability to tap into all three categories of magic (Arcane, Divine, Primal).
  
• He can regain a small amount of spell slots on short rests.
  
• Abilities that normally are used through Channel Divinity, are instead used with spell slots.
  
• Most spells are re-balanced to account for the unique gameplay of Ebb, and how it differs from normal tabletop play.
  
• With certain feats, he can change the parameters of his spellcasting even further (an example: dangerous Blood Magic).
  
• He's such a good boy.

As you wake up in Esoteric Ebb, you have one spell on you. Cure Wounds. This is your basic healing spell, and it's the only spell you actually have to have with you in order to play the game in any way that isn't completely broken. How do you get all the other spells?

Exploration! Many can be looted as spell scrolls, either in random containers, or pickpocketed off characters. Those characters can then of course also offer you the spell scrolls if you say the 'right' things. Other spells can also be taught by experts you come across. Since the Cleric is such a BEAST, he can usually pick up new esoteric skills with the roll of a few dice (and perhaps through some deep, spiritual discussions).

Some are more hidden than others, but locating spells is one of the core pillars of the experience.

Once you've collected spells, you need to prepare them. While you're able to learn every spell you come across (and very quickly at that), you can't actually keep that many of them in your head at once. Normally in 5e, you, practically, prepare spells once a day. The Cleric is built different, of course. He can prepare spells whenever he wants - as long as he is at a shrine. These can be found all over Norvik and allow him to quickly and easily change which spells he has available to cast.

The amount of spells you're able to prepare varies however. The calculation is: 2 + your current cleric level + your natural intelligence modifier (if it's positive). This means you'll most likely only be able to prepare three or four spells as you start out. But as you quickly reach higher levels you'll get to diversify your 'utility belt' of magic. Even if you're dumb as a rock.

Reading up on the specific mechanics of your spells can make it a lot easier to understand their benefits and/or social consequences.

Since spells are such a core part of how you make it through Ebb (healing, finding solutions in quests, 'winning' encounters, etc), apart from HP, your second most important resource are your spell slots. Starting off, they're very limited. As you level up, you progressively gain many, many more.

But they're the ones that keep you alive, and spending them on the 'correct' protective spells when you're in trouble, or having one ready for a tense and sudden encounter with a certain assassin... it'll let you actually survive, instead of comically falling apart. You regain spell slots on long rests (i.e. when you start a new day). But apart from that, your main source of spell slot restoration is consumables. Knowing when to burn that incense and when you cast that final Cure Wounds of the day (and more importantly, when to conserve your strength) is essentially the one big mechanical skill you learn over the course of playing Ebb.

Clerics in Norvik are strictly prohibited from indulging in recreational substances. Except esoteric enhancers, of course.

So what happens when you actually cast these spells? Well, there are a lot of different effects, as you can imagine if you've ever looked over the 5e spell list. But I've narrowed down the effects in Ebb to three (somewhat vague) categories.

Concentration spells last for up to several hours, but you can only benefit from one of them at a time.

Buffing spells change your numbers. Prayer of Healing costs a 2nd level spell slot, and restores your Hit Points. Bless is a concentration spell that gives you an additional 1d4 on every single roll you make over the duration.

Unlocking spells open new paths for you. Comprehend Language allows you to read and understand any language you come across. Not too useful in a dialog (you'd need Tongues to actually speak with someone in a foreign... tongue), but casting it gives you access to interesting parts of the story you'd normally be unable to uncover. Speak with Dead on the other hand... is one of those spells that inspired this entire project to begin with. Being able to actually interrogate every single corpse you come across (as long as it has an intact mouth!) adds a ton of interesting scenarios to the experience. Not to mention that it might make solving a mystery a hell of a lot easier...

Finally, there's the active spells, which are a bit more proactive. Similar to unlocking spells, they can only be cast on specific targets. But when they're ready, they hit hard. Inflict Wounds acts as a quick and easy solution to any violent altercation. As long as you can hit it. Charm Person gives you a sinister yet horrifically effective way of getting information out of your targets, or just temporarily making people actually like you. Unless they succeed on their saving throw, in which case you've made an enemy for life. Detect Secret (one of the few homebrew spells in the game!) allows you to explore the ancient halls and tunnels of Norvik, and uncover their hidden doors and traps a lot easier.

Some spells can only be cast when the Cleric determines them to be useful. These are highlighted during dialogs, when the opportunity strikes.

Spells are neat. They allow you a glimpse into this weird realm of esoteric delights where I'm essentially trying to explore this Post-Arcanepunk reality. Norvik is a city filled with the wonders of the Arcane Era. There are potions from the Hexbrew Mega-Coven sold at every corner shop. Every kid hopes for a pocket bike on his birthday. Anyone with a decent salary can afford an Unseen Servant to keep up with chores around the apartment. Esoteric Ebb allows you a glimpse into this weird magical world. And you get to play as someone who has an insanely profound understanding of, and ability to wield, that magic.

Become the World's Worst Cleric, and so on. Hope you enjoy it!
-Christoffer Bodegård