Hello! Sorry to ask, but is there a chance that community copies will be restocked in the future? The game sounds very lovely and I'd love to be able to give it a go. If not, thanks anyway!
A short, open-ended solo journaling RPG about a witch arriving to their new Steading, taking inspiration from stories like Terry Pratchett's Tiffany Aching series. The main mechanic is a dual dice system of two different d6s that dictate the direction of the flow of power from the steading into the witch, vice versa, or an equal understanding.
There are four mini-scenarios: Beginnings, where you define the character and speciality of your witch; and three further rituals where you develop your relationship with the land of your steading. Each scenario has a small table of suggestions to kickstart your ideas.
At the end of the game, you'll have an established character you can use in other games (including Grimoire by the same creator).
I rather like this quiet little game. It's quite alright to use external inspiration aids in addition to or replacing the tables under each scenario, which is what I did.
I'm a witch specializing in plants and greenery: growing them, speaking with them, how to use them in many types of spells and charms.
Today I come to this new steading. The cottage here is quite simple: one main room and one bathroom, connected by a short hallway. The walls are made of gray stone, the floor of dark, clean wood, the roof of dried bamboo.
Behind the house is a garden with a large variety of herbs, and around the entire house is a lavender garden for protection.
The First Ritual
In the northeast corner of the house is a bottle the color of smoke full of silver stardust. The bottle belonged to some previous witch.
I take out a black, smooth stone the size of the palm of my hand. While holding the stone in both hands, I close my eyes, then speak with the kami.
As the ritual nears its end, the power of the steading flows into me. I am filled with a feeling that reality is steady, firm. I needed that because reality is usually quite shakey.
The Second Ritual
One day I receive a letter delivered by the messenger bird. (Chim khách in Vietnamese.)
I prepare for a meeting this night by packaging containing a pinecone from an enormous and ancient tree, nestled in soft, black fabric. I head out to the place when night starts.
After waiting silently, a stag slowly steps towards me. From his mouth hangs a bundle smelling of burnt wood, from a mighty and ancient pine reduced to ashes. I take it solemnly and gift the seed cone to the stag. He leaves, disappearing amongst the trees of the forest.
I bury the bundle leaving no mark except for white flowers already growing, already budding.
For the first time I feel the earth full with the potential of life.
The Third Ritual
Several months after, I feel prepared to place my stone in the corner of the main room, beside the bottle from the previous witch.
The steading has become a place growing green and healthy full of the lifeblood of the kami.
I finally am at peace, entirely, firmly standing in reality.
Well worth $3! I've really only played it twice, but one of the characters I made with it - Oriole of Bone and Ash - I'm using ALL THE TIME. Plus it's just a lovely concept <3
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Hello! Sorry to ask, but is there a chance that community copies will be restocked in the future? The game sounds very lovely and I'd love to be able to give it a go. If not, thanks anyway!
A short, open-ended solo journaling RPG about a witch arriving to their new Steading, taking inspiration from stories like Terry Pratchett's Tiffany Aching series. The main mechanic is a dual dice system of two different d6s that dictate the direction of the flow of power from the steading into the witch, vice versa, or an equal understanding.
There are four mini-scenarios: Beginnings, where you define the character and speciality of your witch; and three further rituals where you develop your relationship with the land of your steading. Each scenario has a small table of suggestions to kickstart your ideas.
At the end of the game, you'll have an established character you can use in other games (including Grimoire by the same creator).
I rather like this quiet little game. It's quite alright to use external inspiration aids in addition to or replacing the tables under each scenario, which is what I did.
A sample playthrough.
Beginnings
I'm a witch specializing in plants and greenery: growing them, speaking with them, how to use them in many types of spells and charms.
Today I come to this new steading. The cottage here is quite simple: one main room and one bathroom, connected by a short hallway. The walls are made of gray stone, the floor of dark, clean wood, the roof of dried bamboo.
Behind the house is a garden with a large variety of herbs, and around the entire house is a lavender garden for protection.
The First Ritual
In the northeast corner of the house is a bottle the color of smoke full of silver stardust. The bottle belonged to some previous witch.
I take out a black, smooth stone the size of the palm of my hand. While holding the stone in both hands, I close my eyes, then speak with the kami.
As the ritual nears its end, the power of the steading flows into me. I am filled with a feeling that reality is steady, firm. I needed that because reality is usually quite shakey.
The Second Ritual
One day I receive a letter delivered by the messenger bird. (Chim khách in Vietnamese.)
I prepare for a meeting this night by packaging containing a pinecone from an enormous and ancient tree, nestled in soft, black fabric. I head out to the place when night starts.
After waiting silently, a stag slowly steps towards me. From his mouth hangs a bundle smelling of burnt wood, from a mighty and ancient pine reduced to ashes. I take it solemnly and gift the seed cone to the stag. He leaves, disappearing amongst the trees of the forest.
I bury the bundle leaving no mark except for white flowers already growing, already budding.
For the first time I feel the earth full with the potential of life.
The Third Ritual
Several months after, I feel prepared to place my stone in the corner of the main room, beside the bottle from the previous witch.
The steading has become a place growing green and healthy full of the lifeblood of the kami.
I finally am at peace, entirely, firmly standing in reality.
Well worth $3! I've really only played it twice, but one of the characters I made with it - Oriole of Bone and Ash - I'm using ALL THE TIME. Plus it's just a lovely concept <3
I cannot CANNOT WAIT TO PLAY THIS GAME
Absolutely lovely. The Tiffany Aching game I've always wanted.