The Shrouded City: Echoes Beneath

An Urban Dark Fantasy Roleplaying Game

Welcome, Seeker. Your city isn't what it seems. Beneath the grime and neon, ancient horrors stir, forgotten magic lingers, and the very fabric of reality wears thin. The Shrouded City: Echoes Beneath is a tabletop roleplaying game where you are a Seeker, someone touched by the supernatural, compelled to face the arcane horrors that hunger in the shadows.

Every step you take, every decision you make, creates ripples—Echoes—that can alert unseen powers, empower rival factions, or corrode your very soul. This is a world of grim discoveries, desperate survival, and the constant threat of the Veil tearing wide open.

What is The Echoes Engine?

At its heart, The Shrouded City uses the Echoes Engine, a dynamic 2d8 dice system where every roll matters:

• 12+ (Success): You achieve your goal.
• 8-11 (Complication): You achieve your goal, but with a significant drawback.
• 7- (Failure): Things go wrong, leading to a direct setback.

Crucially, every roll generates Echoes for the Game Master (GM). These Echoes are the GM's fuel, spent to escalate the narrative, introduce new threats, and deepen the pervasive dread. The more you act, the more the city pushes back.

Your Seeker: Burdened by Power

Create a unique character burdened by their connection to the occult:

• Choose an Archetype: Are you The Bound (volatile magic-user), The Seer (urban oracle), The Warden (resilient protector), or The Shadow (master of stealth)?
• Assign Aspects: Define your core strengths: Presence, Acumen, Prowess, and Vigilance.
• Define your Calling: What drives you into the darkness? Revenge, truth, protection, or something else entirely?
• Embrace your Burdens: Face ever-present difficulties like Addiction, a Dangerous Debt, or being Feared by Mundane Authorities.
• Discover your Origin: Are you Human, Echo-Born, Spirit-Bound, or something stranger? Each grants unique Boons and Drawbacks.

Navigate the treacherous balance between your mundane life and the horrors beneath. Your physical and mental well-being is tracked through Harm and Corruption, making every choice impactful.

What You'll Get:

This itch.io page provides everything you need to start playing:

• Full Rulebook: The comprehensive guide to The Shrouded City: Echoes Beneath.
• Quickstart Guide: A streamlined introduction to the core rules and concepts for fast play.
• Printable Character Sheet: A one-page, interactive PDF character sheet to track your Seeker's journey.

The Shrouded City awaits. Are you ready to face the Echoes Beneath?

Created by Black Iron Press Find more from Black Iron Press on itch.io: https://blackironpress.itch.io