Three Sails Studios is currently showcasing City of Espers at Tabletop Scotland, having already doubled the initial funding target for the psychic-powered urban action roleplaying game on BackerKit. Designed by Nathan Blades, the project arrived on the convention floor with writing, editing, and layout completed, allowing attendees at the Royal Highland Centre to inspect the finished book in person, while digital funding has surged past £17,000 from more than 360 backers.
The studio is using its appearance at Tabletop Scotland to celebrate a busy production pipeline alongside the new launch. Backers have already received their copies of Gallows Corner, the studio’s historical roleplaying game tackling the English Peasants’ Revolt, which drew a disproportionate share of its original funding from Scottish backers. Meanwhile, the team confirmed that an expansion manual is on the way for Mappa Mundi, their exploration-and-ecology roleplaying game, with physical stock of the base game available directly to convention attendees.
Hand Management and Tactical Street Grids
City of Espers discards dice in favour of a standard 52-card poker deck to evoke the chaotic momentum of street life. Players draw five cards from a shared deck to overcome Target Numbers or best rival characters in direct contests. Mechanically, hands cannot be refreshed until all five cards are spent. This constraint turns low-value cards into deliberate, tactical failures, forcing players to pick their moments to concede ground before their luck turns.
Action sequences depart from linear rounds and micro-measurement grids. Instead, high-pressure set-pieces play out across an adaptable three-by-three zone grid. The layout models dynamic positioning for rooftop chases, sports matches, or tactical street brawls without getting bogged down in minute distances. Character generation links four basic Attributes, including Volt and Flow, to establish Stamina. Psychic disciplines align across the four card suits, and equipment is defined through modular tags such as Plasmic or Attuned.
Found Families and Awakened Neighbourhoods
Play focuses on the collective identity of the Esper House, a found family that defines personal goals, shared style, and local allies. Houses establish Directives that steer campaign progression, balancing interpersonal melodrama against external pressure from rival outfits and exploitative city developers.
As an Esper House builds influence, it awakens the psychically charged spirit of its district, known as Turf. Turf behaves as an active entity with its own personality and powers, offering mechanical support to the players who protect it. The rulebook details twelve distinct factions across Zener City, pairing street culture and underground radio stations with supernatural turf defence.
Physical Production and Social Impact
The finished rulebook runs to over 160 pages in hardback, printed on FSC-certified 110gsm recycled paper using water-based vegan inks and deep-red edge printing. The publishing team includes art director and layout designer George Francis Bickers, editor Jeremy Blum, and an illustration roster featuring Isa Happyfield, Shane Melisse, and Lur Noise. All writing, graphic design, and illustration throughout the project is entirely human-made, adhering to a strict anti-generative-AI policy.
Backers looking to secure the physical release can select the standalone edge-printed hardback at £35, which includes all digital files, or opt for the £55 All In Boxed Edition. The boxed tier houses the core rulebook in an illustrated slipcase that doubles as a play grid, and is bundled with a custom 52-card poker deck featuring original court card art by Isa Happyfield. Digital options span an accessible £10 low-income tier and a standard £15 digital PDF package. In place of traditional manufacturing stretch goals, Three Sails Studios is donating £1 per pledge to a UK youth homelessness charity, with the total scaling up to £5,000 as major milestones are unlocked.
The all-or-nothing campaign runs on BackerKit until 29 September 2026 at 8:00 pm BST, with physical fulfilment scheduled for January 2027.
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Tabletop Scotland 2026 Coverage
Our thanks to Thistle Tavern for sponsoring our coverage of Tabletop Scotland. Visit their spacious store at 79 Shandwick Pl, Edinburgh for a huge selection of wargames, board games, and TCGs.
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- Dates: 4th to 6th September 2026
- Location: Royal Highland Centre, Edinburgh
