Esoteric Ebb: Sphinx's Riddle Solution

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Esoteric Ebb Sphinx Riddle Feature Image

Published Mar 23, 2026, 11:32 AM EDT

Shane Limbaugh (He/Him) is a Contributor from the US. While he hasn't been writing about games for very long he has certainly been playing them. His degree in Game Design and Criticism let him better understand the fundamentals of the industry and the games themselves. There aren't many games he hasn't at least put hands on thanks to his time working at GameStop.

Esoteric Ebb has tons of secrets to uncover, but probably the most interesting of all is solving the Sphinx's riddle. She doesn't give you much help in solving it, and you'll only really be able to complete it if you understand some more of the worldbuilding.

That said, it's actually something you can solve as early as day two, but to do that, you'll need to do some pretty specific things. It isn't particularly difficult to achieve, and the reward is well worth it.

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This guide will cover how to start and solve the riddle, as well as what you'll get for completing it. If you're a few days into the game, you may want to start from an earlier save, but you can do it in a single day if you've already started her riddle.

How to Solve the Sphinx's Riddle

Before you get to work on solving the riddle, you'll need to actually start the riddle. If you haven't already visited the Drunk Sphinx, you'll need to do that sometime after 18:00 when the bar is open.

She's pretty hard to miss, so go up and engage with her. She'll have you solve an easier riddle (the answer is wine), and then she'll offer up a much harder riddle.

Esoteric Ebb Spectral Halberd Feautre Image

After she gives you the riddle, you'll get a key to the tavern, which you can use to get in during the day, and it will be an important part of the riddle. Now all you've got to do is grab a couple of cantrips, and you'll be all set.

How to Get Dancing Light

There are two ways to get dancing light. You can snag it the moment you wake up by engaging with the pile of apples next to where you woke up, or you can get it in the same room you find Meek the Mimic in.

If you take the apple route, make sure you pick out all the bad apples to lower the DC of the Constitution check, making it much easier. Keep eating the apples until you eventually happen upon a scroll and learn the cantrip.

If you decide to find Meek, you'll find the cantrip on the table in that same room. This way will probably take a little longer, especially if you don't have Detect Secret, which also helps you get into the Undercoast. Now you just need one more cantrip.

How to Get Druidcraft

This one couldn't be easier, honestly. You'll need to talk to Nes'Wikkalla, 'Nessan' of the Garden. She can be found in the Garden, the same place you speak with Lady Sageleaf.

Nes'Wikkalla can only be spoken to in the afternoons, so you won't be able to do this until after 13:00. After a little conversation, she'll see if you'd like to try and test your Primal capabilities with a Wisdom check.

Failing the check lowers the DC by 2, and it can be done as many times as needed.

Once you manage to succeed this check, she'll have some respect for you and help you learn the Druidcraft cantrip. This is the last piece you need to solve the Sphinx's riddle.

Solving the Riddle

Head to the Drunk Sphinx during the day once you have the key to get in. It's important to note that you can't complete the riddle without going during the day since you can't reach the spot you need to during the night.

Walk up onto the stage behind Olzis and stand just behind her. From here, you can activate Dancing Light and then Druidcraft. This will light the two braizers and then turn the door into light.

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Now all you have to do is enter The Beyond and claim your prize. You don't need to speak to Olzis until after you've snagged your grand prize. And what a prize it is.

Rewards

So what do you get for all this trouble? Well, something that any DnD player worth their salt knows is a beacon of pure chaos, The Deck of Many Things.

Once you've got it in your inventory, you can pull out up to three cards from it, but be wary, as you may get something positive or you may get something that effectively kills your playthrough.

You'll also earn Olzis respect, which can help with a certain Charisma check to woo the Gynosphinx. Because everyone knows it wouldn't be a DnD RPG if you couldn't attempt to woo a monster five times your size.