Aris Arcanum

Aris Arcanum is a Victorian-era, magic-infused roguelike about Clyde, a scholar once destined to lead the grand library of Aris. Now its overseer of Atramancy—the art of manipulating occult Ink—he must descend into the corrupted library, confront the force that offered knowledge but brought madness, and try to preserve Aris’s order and reason.

The Ink is an alien entity sealed deep within the library. Scholars studied it for its power to enhance magic, but those who embraced it became consumed: their minds twisted and their bodies marked by wounds of dark sludge. With his mentor Mira lost to the curse, Clyde battles warped scholars and other monsters while uncovering layers of cosmic horror and twisted reality.

Spellcraft and combat

You balance Clyde’s physically frail body against the limitless potential of Ink magic. Combine abilities with Ink and scribe your own spells to face the challenges of the Archives. Combat is designed to be fair but challenging.

The corrupted library

As Clyde descends through the library’s otherworldly stacks, reality crumbles. Endless shelves and books give way to an all-consuming void. You collect Knowledge to maintain your progress and grow wiser and more powerful with each death.

Builds and progression

You can experiment with thousands upon thousands of builds to find your preferred approach. Each death resets the run, but Clyde’s magical talents mean he is no worse for the wear; death is a setback rather than an end to his progress.