Danielle is surviving

I am a pretty new game designer. Last year I ran a Kickstarter and released my first game. Wise Women is inspired by Slavic folklore. Specifically, I got the idea for the game when I was reading a book about plants in Polish folklore.

I thought I'd like to use the beliefs about properties of plants as bases for abilities in a ttrpg. I ruminated on the idea for several months and then one day I got inspired, and basically sketched the concept and key elements of the system of Wise Women in a day. Of course, it required refinement but I was quite amazed by how fast the ideas flew when they did!

In Wise Women players play witches living in a remote village, where life is difficult and people often fall prey to supernatural creatures. The witches can use plants to cast spells and protect their community, but their abilities are viewed with suspicion and prejudice. Drawing enough suspicion can result in being chased out of the village, into the wilderness, where nobody can survive on their own.

The game is inspired by PbtA but instead using playbooks, it has moves tied to plants that characters possess at any given moment. As such, what PCs can do changes over the course of the game. It also has mechanics for tracking Social Standing of characters.

It is a game about survival, prejudice and community. About having power to help own community but being marginalised by it. About the effect on social pressures and prejudices.