Echoes of the End RPG

[Core Experience:

• Investigative Gameplay:
  • Explore eerie locations across town to find clues, collect items, and uncover the truth behind each mystery.
  • Choices directly influence story outcomes, available endings, and even which horror is awakened.
• Turn-Based Combat:
  • Engage in strategic, turn-based battles against supernatural entities and twisted human forms.
  • Use melee attacks, ranged attacks, spells, and allies; all limited by an action bar that forces tough tactical decisions.
  • Each victory yields loot, experience, and clues.
• RPG & Survival Elements: Manage two crucial survival stats (Keep the survival stats balanced as madness, curses, and injuries gnaw away at humanity):
  • Stamina: Physical endurance. Drop to zero and then die.
  • Reason: Mental stability. Drop to zero and then go insane.
• Time & Doom Management: Every action consumes time, advancing the global Doom meter, the measure of approaching apocalypse.
  • At 100% Doom, reality collapses and game over.
  • Strategic use of actions and special events can reduce Doom.]

[Mysteries & Narrative Structure:

• Mystery Anatomy: Each Mystery unfolds through investigation nodes, clue gathering, and branching events.
• Each Mystery offers multiple endings depending on: Clues discovered, doom level, choices made, player stats.
• Completing mystery lower Doom greatly and grants Exp.
• Every Mystery culminates in a Final Encounter, a boss fight or major event that tests the player’s accumulated resources.]

[Sidequests:

• Optional investigation branches within Mysteries.
• Offer extra 15 EXP upon completion.
• May unlock alternate endings for the mystery, curse, or special ritual that have positive effect to player.]

[Combat System:

• Turn-Based Tactical Combat:
  • Action Bar: Limited actions per round; plan attacks, dodges, spells, and defensive stances.
  • Stats: STR, DEX, KNW, PER, CHA, LCK affect combat outcomes and skill checks.
  • Allies: Recruit NPCs using high Charisma. They will automatically attack or defend.
  • Weapons & Spells: Physical tools or forbidden rituals, each exacts a cost.
• Combat Commands:
  • Attack: Basic physical strike based on weapon type. Depends on weapon: cost 30 action bar (AB) for meele attack, cost 35 action bar (AB) for ranged attack.
  • Brace: Reduces incoming damage, STR-based. Cost 30 action bar (AB).
  • Dodge: Attempt to avoid damage, DEX-based. Cost 35 action bar (AB)
  • Cast Spell: Uses Reason and sometimes Doom. Cost 40 action bar (AB)
  • Use Item: Consume an item in inventory. Cost 35 action bar (AB)
  • Ritual Invocation (One per combat): Perform forbidden action; can defeat the enemy instantly or get cursed. Cost 100 action bar (AB) and raise Doom by 2-5%.
• Player is allowed to do in their turn as much commands as possible until there isn't enough action bar to do anything. Enemies do their actions after player's turn is over. Allives do their action after player's turn is over and before enemies do their move.]

[Core Resources:

• Stamina: Physical health; reduced by injury or exhaustion. At 0, death occurs.
• Reason: Mental stability; reduced by horror or forbidden knowledge. At 0, insanity.
• Doom: Global corruption meter. At 100%, the world ends.
• Funds: Currency used to buy items.
• Experience (EXP): Earned via combat and investigations. 100 EXP = level up.
• Level: Gain 2 stat points or restore Stamina/Reason when leveling. Maximum stamina and maximum reason are raised.]

[Stats System:

• STR (Strength): Physical might and damage with melee weapons; reduces Brace time.
• KNW (Knowledge): Expertise in occultism and precision-based weapons.
• PER (Perception): Awareness; affects finding hidden objects and firearm accuracy.
• DEX (Dexterity): Agility; governs stealth, dodging, and nimble attacks.
• CHA (Charisma): Influence; affects dialogue, ally recruitment, and persuasion.
• LCK (Luck): Random factor in events and checks; unpredictable but powerful.]

[Status Effects:

• Injuries: Physical damage (e.g., “Broken Jaw”, “Sprained Ankle”). Healable at Hospital at the cost of Funds.
• Treatments: After healing, a lingering effect remains (e.g., “Scar Tissue”).
• Curses: Psychological or supernatural afflictions (e.g., “Whispering Parasite”, “Eye Rot”). Cures for Curses:
  • Special Rituals or items (e.g. “Purifying Salt”).
  • Visiting a Shaman or Church event.
  • Completing specific Mysteries or Sidequests.]

[Spells: Spells are rare and powerful, often costing Reason or Doom. Spells can backfire or cause mutation under high Doom. Types of Spells::

• Offensive: Damage or debilitate enemies. (e.g. Burning Sigil)
• Defensive: Buffs or healing. (e.g. Mind Ward)
• Utility: Reveal clues, alter events, or open new paths. (e.g. Commune with Entity)]

[Threat Levels (of Mysteries):

• SAFE:
  • Modifier: No modifier.
  • Description: No penalties.
• LOW:
  • Modifier: -1 Skill Check Modifier
  • Description: Mild danger; small Stamina/Reason loss possible.
• DANGEROUS:
  • Modifier: -1 Skill, Higher Stamina/Reason damage
  • Description: Frequent combat, harsher outcomes.
• DOOMED
  • Modifier: -2 Skill, +1 Doom per investigation
  • Description: Catastrophic; the world tears at the seams.]

[Funds:

• Earned from events, selling items, or random bonuses.
• Spent at shops:
  • General Store: Basic gear and consumables.
  • Pharmacy: Healing items and medicine.
  • Occult Shop: Spells, charms, and dangerous artifacts.
  • Vending Machines: Minor stamina or reason restoration.
• At 0, “Out of Funds” events may trigger penalties to get more Funds at the cost of Stamina, Reason, or Doom.]

[Equipment:

• Player can equip equipment to strengthen themselves and attack in combat.
• There are 3 types of equipment: Main hand, Off hand, and 2-handed weapon.]

[Character Backgrounds: Players choose backgrounds that modify initial stats, items, and event outcomes:

• Detective:
  • Starting Bonus: +1 PER, +1 CHA
  • Special Trait: Gains extra Clue from interrogations.
• Student:
  • Starting Bonus: +1 KNW
  • Special Trait: Starts with a random Spell.
• Doctor:
  • Starting Bonus: +1 KNW, +1 STR
  • Special Trait: Can heal minor Injuries for free once per mystery.
• Outsider:
  • Starting Bonus: +2 LCK
  • Special Trait: Immune to the first Doom penalty event.
• Exorcist:
  • Starting Bonus: +1 CHA, +1 REASON
  • Special Trait: Starts with Holy Water (Doom reduction item).
• Survivor:
  • Starting Bonus: +1 STR, +1 DEX
  • Special Trait: Starts with a melee weapon and higher Stamina.
• Journalist:
  • Starting Bonus: +1 PER. +1 KNW
  • Special Trait: Gains +20% more EXP from completing Mysteries.]

[Allies: Allies are NPCs who can join the player temporarily. Each ally grants passive stat bonuses, automatically performs actions in combat, and provides insight into the mystery.]

[Home Base System: Between mysteries, the player returns to their Apartment, serving as a small hub. Home Actions:

• Rest: Restore Stamina and Reason (raises Doom).
• Take Bath: Recover Stamina/Reason, once per Mystery.
• Browse TV / Radio: May reveal side clues or raise Doom.
• Manage Inventory: Organize items in your inventory, choose to leave which items to leave at home and which to take to next mystery.
• Browse Available Mysteries (5 randomly generated mysteries based on what is found from previous mysteries) to choose.]

[World & Setting: The Town of Grimwatch

• Overview: A small coastal town scarred by inexplicable events. Buildings twist impossibly, faces melt into walls, and reality folds in on itself.
• Key Locations:
  • College 🏫: Hub for rumors, occult clubs, and missing students.
  • Hospital 🏥: Treats wounds but costs Funds; doctors seem “changed.”
  • Apartments 🏚️: Potential ally recruitment; random domestic horrors.
  • Downtown 🏢: Shops, bank, and café; funds and supplies available.
  • Forest 🌲: Dangerous area teeming with cult activity and monsters.
  • Mansion 🕍: Eldritch cult rituals occur here; high-threat zone.
  • Lighthouse 💡: Endgame location; ascension or annihilation awaits.
  • Seaside 🌊: Crashing waves and abandoned docks; high encounter rate, exclusive aquatic horrors.]