Esoteric Ebb Walkthrough – Day 2

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. Inspired by classic CRPG games, Esoteric Ebb features deep and branching dialogs with a staggering amount of choices. In this part of the walkthrough, we investigate the Tea Shop, find an elven corpse and track down the owner of the Tea Shop.

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Day 2

The Tower

When I woke up the next day after the long rest, it was already 9: 11. I discussed stuff with the Chimes and started my day. There’s a chest high up on a shelf here that you can’t reach, not alteast without magic. Check the copper calendar on the wall. Exhaust all the options to get +5 experience.

From the pile of books near the bed, you can memorize the spell “Bless”. You can prepare the spell at the shrine on the left. Bless adds 1d4 to all ability checks. If you read all the books through you can gain some minor experience. If you talk to Ettir now, you can do a moderate-difficulty Constitution check and ask her about Urth.

This will update the quest “Valkyrie” after you have exhausted the dialogue options. If you try to flirt with her  you will get an impossible Charisma check so back off. But this will update the quest “Philogynistic Agenda”.

Once you have exhausted all her other dialogue options and gotten minor experience gains from her, leave the tower.

Goblin Garden

Before we start the day we should go get Snell. Go across town and down to Goblin Garden and pick up Snell.

If you use Behold on Lady Sageleaf again and you pass the wisdom check to get a fair bit of information, you will realise she isn’t what she looks like which is what I asked her when I engaged with her again.

She got her followers to leave and then tells you that she is a dragon. Eventually you will hit a Daunting difficulty Wisdom check to find out about her throne.

I cast Bless and rolled on it since I had no other way out. With Lady Fair and Bless active I rolled a 26. What you will find out if you succeed is that she loves her subjects, the goblins wholeheartedly. And that she is the last daughter of Tisereldanour. You will end this conversation with +15 XP and an achievement. Snell will now come back into the room and you can leave. Before leaving the area, you can check Nessan’s table for some Incense and an apple. Head to the Tea Shop now.

The Tea Shop

Once you get there, use the password Darrow gave you last night. After entering the tea shop, you will notice it reeks. Step behind the counter and check the brewer.

Check the different components and investigate the smell for a minor experience gain. Once you check the valve you can force it open which will lead to a Constitution check.

You will see dry tea leaves and the quest “The Tea Shop that Blew up” will be updated. You can pick up the tea leaves, the Ukkul Leaves which are an item that gives you -3 Charisma. Next check the surface and the boxes. Next, check the broken tea cups on the floor.

You will gain +5 experience and nothing more. Next check one of the seating booths in the upper part of the shop. Going through the options you will get an Effortless difficulty Wisdom check to look over the debris.

You will find a “Melted Illym Brooch” which will give you +2 Charisma and -1 Wisdom and Advantage against Elves (whatever that means). It’s a magical item that survived the explosion, Snell suggests showing it to Sage. You can also pick up a “Burnt Brachen” which will give you -1 Wisdom if equipped. Next up, check the flipped table to the left. You will get an Impossible Strength check to flip it over and check it.

You can try to flip it if your build is different from mine, but leave it alone for the moment. Next, check the rubble at the foot of the table. There is an Effortless Intelligence check here that you can do first.

You realise it wasn’t a single explosion but multiple explosions that took place here. Nine to be exact. The rest of the options don’t add much other than flavour. Next, check the burnt magazines at the foot of the rubble. Checking the copper zines will lead you to a Moderate Wisdom check.

You will find the item “The Undercommon” here. It’s made of magically indestructible paper. It will give you +1 Intelligence and -1 Constitution if you want to equip it. You can also pick up three Shards of Jor here.

Next, check the Iron Door besides the magazine stand. There is an Effortless difficulty Intelligence check here to figure out what happened.

You will realise that magical spell of the Eigth or Ninth level was used here. Check the broken table behind you now for 27 Crowns. Finally check the Frame in the northern corner of the room but this adds nothing of note to the investigation. I went back to the table and equipped all +Strength equipment I had and cast Blessed and surpisringly cast a Natural 20 to flip the table.

You will find a corpse behind the table. Inspect the body with Snell. Checking her hand will lead to a Challenging difficulty Dexterity check.

You will find a chain that will immediately disintegrate into dust. If you get the spell “Speak with Dead” you can possibly find out more. Checking the ears will lead you to discover that it was an Elf. This will complete the investigation at the tea shop and give you an achievement. You will now be in the Lich House with Visken and the Duck.

The Lich House

Talking to Snell will add the quest “Elven Connection” to your questing tree. As you don’t have Speak with Dead or any 3^rd level spells your only option right now is to talk to Visken. He will give you six points to go over. Turns out it’s actually eight points. If you go through all the points, what you will learn is that you need to find “Speak with Dead”. The spell allows you to ask 5 questions to the deceased. Ask Visken for help with it, and this will add the Quest “Crypt Keeper” to your questing tree. He will tell you about his guy, Bondavol. His location is in the crypts, and one of the coffins in the west has a handle that can be pulled to access Bondavol’s chambers. He is the one who can teach you the spell. We can go into the crypts now, or we can go look for the owner of the Tea Shop, who should be in the warehouse up in Waterlane View. Let’s go look for the owner first, and I believe we should be a level higher before venturing down below.

Central Tolstad

On your way to Waterlane you can run into a Kargameshian Vendor, Oyugui.

Talk to her before trying to pickpocket her because if you have the coins you can buy some nice stuff from her. The reason I suggest buying things off her rather than pickpocketing is her Gargoyle bodyguard.

I purchased the spell “Comprehend Languages” and “Empty Efreeti Bottle” which gives +1 Intelligence and +1 Wisdom coupled with a -1 to Constitution and advantage against Elementals,  from her. My feats are mostly dex based so I have a few crowns. Exhaust all her dialogue options and it will add the quest “Golden Line” to your Quest Tree. Once you are done talking to her and listening to the plight of Kargamesh head to the Windmill.

The Roller Mill

Inside you will find all the Nationalist kids involved in the “Young and Stupid” quest from earlier -Rollo Malach, Urth Nisse, Toli Tolpare and Stenbusken. Talking to them will reveal that someone from the palace have given them information that the Askanii-Reeds Trade Company has important documents hidden in their Waterlane offices. This will give you the Quest “Norvikian Resistance”.

The conversation will then evolve or devolve into anti immigration rhetoric. You can feed into their vendetta against the freestriders but I chose not to. Once you are done climb down the ladder and head into Waterlane view. But you can pick up Incence and Kardemum cake from the shelves near the door. If you have high enough Dexterity or Strength you can open the door to the back office as well. If you do get inside you need to pass an Effortless difficulty Wisdom check to navigate the darkness. Going through all the steps, you find out that the roller mill was union busting and you also pick up a “Sending Pebble” which gives you +1 Wisdom and +1 Charisma. You can also use it to send messages to most of the people you have met. Most messages will net you +5 Experience. Head to Waterlane View now.

Waterlane View

You will notice a small shrine here, a statue of Urth where you can set up your spells. If you check the door at the western corner opposite the Reed Office you can get a Concentrated Rhubarb Ale (which gives a minor Charima buff) by passing an Easy Charisma check.

Head up to the roof and close to the Griffon. You need to negotiate with it to get to the Warehouse. Petting the Griffon is a bad idea. Sneaking Past it will require a Challenging difficulty Dexterity check and Dealing with it through understanding and empathy requires a Challenging difficulty Wisdom check. You can use “Speak to Animals” if you have the spell.

I cast the spell and spoke to Master Giorgio Valzantigo. The griffon. Looks like he brought our Yellow Adventurer to these shores. Anyway speaking to him will let you pass. Once you are through use the path leading to the Warehouse and enter through the goods-hatch.

You will need to pass a Moderate Dexterity or a Challenging Strength check to get in to the guild warehouse.

Guild Warehouse

Take a lay of the land inside the warehouse. Pick up the Potion of Healing from the crate to begin with.

Quest: Ruffled Feathers

Next check the crate – within which Drummer, the owner of the Tea Shop is hiding.

There is a Moderate difficulty Strength check to open the crate.

Even if you fail the check, Snell will open the crate. You will lose HP if you fail. Speaking to Drummer will give you a fair few options incuding a Moderate difficulty Strength and a Challenging difficulty Dexterity check. Exhaust the other options first this will reduce the difficulty of the checks.

Once the difficulty is manageable do either check. You find out he was smuggling on the side for the Freestriders and the deceased Elf was an information broker. This will add the quest “A Freelance Hag” to your questing tree. He tells you of a secret tunnel and that the entrance is hidden in the Church of Urth, along the windows. Spoiler: We get there in a different way later.

You can choose to let Drummer go or confiscate his documents. I chose to confiscate his Citizen Registry document so he couldn’t leave town. This will end the quest “Ruffled Feathers” and allow you to take root for a new feat. You will have three options – Infectious Paranoia (Dexterity) – Advantage on Initiative Rolls (combat), Survival of the Fittest (Constitution) – Advantage on Death Saving Throws, Reading the Room (Charm) – Advantage on Behold Checks. I chose Reading the Room, I like Behold as a mechanic. You can choose whatever catches your fancy. Finish up inspecting the room. I had levelled up as well, so I dumped the point in Constitution. Pick up the apples from the baskets. Then check the Pocket Bikes.

You cant reach the potions near the door so check the scrolls. You will find the spell “Enhance Ability” here. Check the sack next for Crowns. If you try to take the helm from the box of sand, be prepared for a Dexterity Check.

Get the helm and exit the warehouse by climbing the rope back out. I then entered the Askanii-Reeds trading company offices.

Askanii-Reeds Trading Company Office

Inside I found Agent Viira. There is a mirror to your immediate right that you can check. There is a safe behind the mirror, but you can’t do anything about it since Viira is here.

Probably have to come back later. There is a sword hanging next to the fireplace, it’s called Kattegatt and it gives +1 Strength, +1 Dexterity and +1 Wisdom, probably the first item I have seen in the game with no drawbacks. You need a Dexterity check of 19 to pickpocket it. It is easier to come back later when Viira isn’t here. Check the “guy” in the fireplace next.

His name is Tinnitul, a Mephit – a fire spirit. In order to prove your superiority to the spirit you need to pass a Daunting Constitution check of 14.

Alternatively you can bribe him 500 Crowns if you got them. There is a spell scroll on the table for the spell “Protection from Evil and Good and Etcetera”. Again, better to wait when Viira isn’t there. Speak to Viira now. You will find out about the hag, her name was Lisa – this will update the quest “A Freelance Hag”. You will also find out how the Freestriders are accommodating smuggling all over the city. If you ask her for help to access the warehouse she will give a document called AEFA and start the quest “Captial Dominion”. You can hand out these documents to business in town – Visken’s Lich House and the Drunk Sphinx are two locations you can visit. She needs three. You can get minor XP buffs from all the other questions. Basically, it is going to come down to a choice between the Freestriders, the Azgalists, or not getting involved. The Stairs leading downDDD to the docks outside and another path to the warehouse and the stairs leading up leads to the roof.

Waterlane View

Speak to the bookbinder in his house on the right of the AR Trading offices.

You can give him one of the AEFAs. Head to the Drunk Sphinx now.           

The Drunk Sphinx

You will find Razz, an assassin for hire here this time around.

On certain nights he will try to kill you in the Pillars Crossing but here he was just being an unhelpful asshole. Speak to Rixbiter and give her an AEFA. Next charm her (this requires a Charisma Check, toss her a tip to lower the difficulty) to tell you about where the hag is, who happens to be her friend. She will tell you how to get to see the hag.

Go to the north corner of the room next to the Sphinx. Say the magic words and jump.

Once you have control, Take the path left and you will be at the Northern Caverns.

The Northern Caverns

Pick up the Shard and head down the crystal path.

You should be in front of the Hag’s house. But first check near the water, if your dexterity is 12 and above you will notice a body in the water.

You can find a Potion of Supreme healing on him. There are some Shards of Jor around the crystal outcropping pick them up and enter Lisa’s hut.

Lisa’s Place

Quest: A Freelance Hag

Pick up the Potion of Healing, the Kardemum Cake and Crowns off the table. Next, Behold Lisa.

You can steal a Wooden Spoon off her which gives you + Wisdom. Asking her about the teashop updates the quest “A Freelance Hag”. Exhaust all her dialogue options. Asking her abou the Elf will update and complete the quest “A Freelance Hag”. You find out the Elf we met earlier on our first night is the one that died in the explosion, which means that was a ghost. You can infact fight her and try to take her to the stockade. You can also ask her to read your future, wherein she will tell you that you are blessed. You get to ask her one of 4 questions.

Asking her about how Divination magic works will lead to you getting the quest “Strings of Divination”. You need to get her a Maw Pie from Rixbiter. You can attempt to read the bones as part of that dialogue chain but it will require a Moderate difficulty Wisdom or Intelligence check. Take your pick. If you succeed “Strings of Divination” will update and you will gain the item “Augury”. If you pick up some Lingonberries from the City below the City she will make you a wand. Leave.

Northern Caverns

Back outside you can talk to the lake about buying the land rights for 25000 Crowns or if you pass the Charisma check 10,000 Crowns.

Waste of time really. Take the opening in the wall to the right of the lake to come into the City below proper. If you keep heading south you will reach the Roots. The eastern tunnels path is blocked by a giant Hail Snail and we will come back later to go to the Southern Caverns. If you check the statue in the south, you can talk to a telepathic ant who will tell you the location of a secret stash in the Undercoast. Inspecting the other statue will grant you a secret word.

The ant wants to be reunited with his hivemind at the Undercoast, so you can choose to oblige him and pick him up as an item Cranium Ant. He will give you -2 Strength if you equip him. Exit the area through the Lich House.

The Lich House

Give Visken the AEFA. If this is your first time here after getting the spell Comprehend Languages you can read the Ancient Tome on the desk.

This will teach you the spell “Mage Hand”. I then headed to the Church.

The Church

I headed to the Crypts through the gates on the left.

The Crypts

Inside I found the Duck.

Speaking to him will cause a Moderate difficulty Strength check which will get you the spell Thaumaturgy. In the left corner check the Stone Coffin.

Rotate and pull to open the way. Go in and check the coffin for a Dreampatch, 30 Crowns and a Shard of Jor. You will see a skull on an altar here.

Engage with it to wake up Haelon Bondavol. This will cause a massive constitution check and you will loose roughly 10 HP. This will upload the quest “Crypt Keeper”. Exhaust all his options, you will find out his history, Visken’s history and the fact that Darrow might be a vampire. Your goal is to get him to tell you about the Esoteric Ebb. All this is in service to lowering the difficulty for the Daunting difficulty Intelligence check.

Success will see you learn Speak with Dead. You pickpocket an Emerald off him for a Dexterity check of 15 which gives you +1 Wisdom and -1 Intelligence.

As it was close to midnight, I returned to the tower to end Day 2. I did run into Jehanne on my way, but honestly I wanted to get the long rest and wake up early tomorrow – so I didnt engage.

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This completes Part 2 of the walkthrough for Esoteric Ebb.