Negotiators Ardus Sheridan and John Marrow arrive in the seaside city of Ordolus to seal a deal with logomancer Glenton Dahl for dream commodities firm Powell-Mercer. Everyone links to a shared dreamworld called the Mindscape, where exceptional logomancers craft realms for others. This indie RPG adventure probes the essence of logomancy and dream connections through persuasive encounters.
Players resolve conflicts via argumentation, logical discourse, and rhetoric in a JRPG style without killing. Befriend locals to gain skills like Proofreading from an editor or Doublespeak from a blacksmith, boosting stats such as persuasion, confidence, and elocution. Fans of Final Fantasy 6-style games with rhetorical battles will find a fresh take here.
Ardus Sheridan and his apprentice John Marrow are negotiators for the dream commodities company Powell-Mercer and have been sent to the seaside city of Ordolus in order to finalize a contract with the region's most recently discovered logomancer, Glenton Dahl. The story starts there as the duo reaches the city limits. What is the nature of the dreamworld that everyone is connected to? What is the true nature of logomancy? Is the emotion felt for a fictional character different from the emotion felt for a real person? Did the ancient peoples of Callosum like slow-roasted brisket?
The Logomancer is a JRPG without killing. Conflicts are resolved through argumentation, logical discourse and persuasive speech. Mastering the elements of rhetoric will allow you to make your point to even the most stubborn audience. The people you meet are your 'weapons' and the skills they teach your 'magic'. Why not befriend an old editor and learn about the power of Proofreading? Or assist a schizophasic blacksmith to learn how to Doublespeak?
In the world of the Logomancer, everyone is connected to a communal dreamworld known as the Mindscape. During sleep, everyone interacts together inside this strange mental world. The mind is a powerful tool in the world of dreams and the few exceptional individuals with the ability to build dreamworlds for others to participate in are called Logomancers.
Using the classical elements of persuasion, social interactions become rhetorical battles. A 'boss fight' could just be trying to convince a store owner to give you a new suit free of charge. This means that stats like 'persuasion', 'confidence', and 'elocution' are much more important than 'strength', 'dexterity', or 'magic attack'. If you've ever wanted to play a Final Fantasy 6-styled JRPG wherein you could improve your characters' Perspicacity, then this game is probably for you.
The Logomancer draws inspiration from the following sources, so if any of these pique your interest, there's a good chance there's something for you in this game: The Lost Room, Inception, Dark Souls, Final Fantasy 6, Persona 4, House of Leaves, Silent Hill 2, and the music of two DTs - Dream Theater and Dark Tranquillity.
