The questions you really ask.

💰 Money

• Why does it cost €9.90 and isn't it free?

  The Quickstart, the cheat sheet, the interactive HTML character sheet and the chatbots of the 12 NPCs are free: with these materials you can play 5-10 sessions without spending anything. The full 9.90 € manual is for when you want to create new PCs, read the complete system, expand your campaigns and have the reference at hand. €9.90 is the price of a pizza: if you like the Quickstart, the manual pays for itself with one evening of play.

• Is there a discount if I buy several copies / for my group / for my club?

  Yes. Write to me at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. with the number of copies and I'll reply within 24 hours. Generally: 3–5 copies −15%, 6–10 copies −25%, 11+ direct contact. For gaming clubs, libraries and associations: a free copy for educators for anyone who buys 4+.

• Can I resell it, photocopy it, share it?

  The manual is covered by standard copyright: personal use and use at your gaming table yes; redistribution no. If you're a Master and want to send the PDF to three friends to play together, go ahead. If you want to resell it, contact me instead for official resale or to become an ambassador. The Quickstart and the cheat sheet are free to share anywhere.

• When does the print edition come out?

  Pre-order via Kickstarter planned for autumn 2026. Estimated delivery: spring 2027. Limited print run (500-1000 copies) with hardcover, estimated price 24-29 €. To get notified when it opens, sign up for the newsletter or follow us on Telegram.

🎴 System

• Why cards and not dice?

  Three reasons. One — controlled variance: dice have zero memory, cards instead “remember” (after an Ace you know you won't pull off an Epic Moment before the reshuffle): it creates narrative tension. Two — strategic choice: Jokers are wild cards, the player chooses suit and value. That's the difference between luck and direction. Three — they're everywhere: a standard deck costs €2 at the supermarket.

• Does any deck really work?

  Yes, literally the one in your drawer. You just need 52 cards + 2 Jokers, with all 4 suits (hearts, diamonds, clubs, spades) and the two Jokers (red and black). The themed deck we sell is a brand asset (4 illustrated aces, 12 face cards = 12 NPCs, custom back): nice on the table, but not required to play.

• Doesn't “every power has a price” make characters useless after 3 turns?

  No, and it's the most important question about the system. The side effects are narrative, not mechanically destructive. Tempus ages a year per use — but it's a story event, not a penalty that stops him. The side effect is there to make you tell interesting things: when Lady Mirage uses her illusion 2-3 copies appear and she no longer knows which is the real one. It's role-play material.

• What are PF, PP, AGI? And PE?

  The four game abbreviations. PF — Strength Points / physical resistance, how much harm you can take. PP — Patience Points / mental stability: you don't spend them, they're a state (at 0 you lose control and the Master takes the wheel for a scene). AGI — Agility Points, initiative and dodging. PE — Evolution Points, growth between sessions. The 50 character-creation points are split between PF + PP + AGI + the cost of powers.

• How long is a game / a campaign?

  Single session: 2-3 hours (the Quickstart “Heist at the Cinema Modernissimo” fits in one evening). Mini-campaign: 4-8 sessions with a beginning, middle and end. Long campaign: 10-20 sessions — the Evolution system (chapter 7) holds up without problems.

🆚 Compared to other TTRPGs

• How is it different from D&D / Pathfinder?

  Philosophy: D&D is optimization and builds, ESE is interpretation and storytelling. Roles: D&D has rigid classes, ESE has no classes (you choose powers and effects). Combat: D&D is tactical on a grid, ESE is cinematic (“a clash of cards = a scene”). Length: D&D 300+ pages, ESE 122 (Quickstart 12). It's not “better than D&D”: it's the TTRPG you play on holiday, with the group that has never played.

• And compared to FATE Core / PbtA / indie narrative systems?

  ESE is in the same vein (narrative, not simulationist). The main difference is the deck of cards as a variance engine: the others use dice (FATE 4dF, PbtA 2d6+stat), the deck gives variance with memory and the Jokers are levers of direction. The other difference is the Bonelli/Pratt tone: explicitly Italian in sensibility.

🤖 The 12 NPCs with the AI chatbot

• Are the chatbots really free?

  Yes. The ones on our site are hosted by us and cost nothing: they run on an AI model in the background (we pay for the calls, within a reasonable limit). If you prefer to use your own model (ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, Grok), we give you copy-paste prompts: they work on everyone's free tiers. No need to subscribe to ChatGPT Plus or Claude Pro.

• How do you use them in play?

  Three ways. 1 — The Master uses them for inspiration before the session. 2 — The players talk directly to the NPC during a scene (on the phone, at the table) and read the answer out loud: it's the NPC speaking, not the Master acting it out. 3 — Between one session and the next, to recover context.

• Do the NPCs have secrets? Can they be “broken”?

  Each NPC has three levels: what it knows, what it doesn't want to say, when it reveals it. The secrets unlock only with the right combination of questions+context: you can't “extract” them with a direct prompt. Public examples: Tempus has a wife who believes him dead; Shade has lost the memory of who he was; Sara Petrov has a brother who is Sergeant Steel.

• What if the chatbot says something that ruins my campaign?

  The Master is always the final canon. If the chatbot says something that doesn't fit, ignore it: the NPC in your story didn't say that. The chatbot is inspiration, not sacred scripture. Tip: keep a note with “what is canon in my campaign” and give it as context before asking.

👤 About the author

• Who are you? Are you a professional game designer?

  No. I'm Giulio Fuerte (Giulio Maria Cappellano), creator of Fuerteventura.tv. The TTRPG is my first published game: I spent the last 6 months writing and producing it with AI as an operational assistant (illustrations, layout, translations, the site's code). It's not a publishing-house product: it's a one-person self-publication. That's why it costs €9.90 and not €39.

• Are the illustrations made with AI?

  Yes, openly. Adobe Firefly and Grok generated the photos of the 12 characters, under explicit art direction (Bonelli/Pratt tone, b/w with a single spot color). The mechanical icons, the cover and the logos are hand-made SVGs. If that's a dealbreaker for you, I understand: I'm considering a v3 illustrated by an Italian artist.

• Are you open to criticism, suggestions, errata?

  Yes, always. This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. — I reply to everyone within 48 hours. If you find an error, an inconsistency, a site bug or a rule that doesn't work at your table, let me know: reports go into the public errata and the next version incorporates them.

🛠 Technical & logistics

• What format does the manual come in?

  Printable PDF (A4 and Letter), optimized for reading on screen (clickable links, navigable index) and for printing at home (wide margins, readable in B/W). For the physical hardcover: Kickstarter in autumn 2026.

• How do I receive the PDF after purchase?

  You buy with Stripe, you receive the download link in your email within 30 seconds. If it doesn't arrive, check your spam. If still nothing, write to me and I'll send it to you by hand.

• Which languages are available?

  Full manual: Italian (ready). 4-page cheat sheet: Italian, English, Spanish (ready). Full EN and ES manuals: translation in progress, expected for autumn 2026.

• Do you have a community? Discord, Telegram?

  We're opening a Telegram channel t.me/estatoepico in June 2026: there we'll gather announcements, errata, player session reports, future expansions. Discord not for now — we prefer to start light and grow if it makes sense.

• Can I use it at conventions / clubs / schools?

  Yes. Use at the table, in gaming clubs, libraries, conventions and educational settings is welcome. For groups and educators there are dedicated discounts and a free copy for those who buy 4+ copies: write to me at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. and we'll organize it.

Still have questions?

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