Pitched as a “cozy, rules-light TTRPG about witches and their apprentices”, publisher LionWing has announced their plans localising the magical fantasy tabletop RPG Fledge Witch: The Magical Apprentices of Elemeria, and will be running a Kickstarter campaign this summer (or Winter for those of us in the southern hemisphere). While the campaign is not yet live, you can express your interest by joining the waitlist HERE.
Information on how much the publisher is seeking to raise is unknown. However, they have shared the below information and preview imagery of the book.
OVERVIEW
In the enchanting realm of Elemeria, witches are entrusted with the secret knowledge of mana and with the duty of keeping it circulating throughout the land. Mindful of past catastrophes caused by those who envied their magical power, witches live far from civilization, deep in the wilderness. But they cannot live forever, nor can they allow their knowledge to end with them. Which is why every witch takes apprentices, who live and study with them for as long as is necessary.
In Fledge Witch, one player takes the role of the witch, similar to a gamemaster in other RPGs, and directs the game session while also roleplaying the witch. The other players become apprentices under the tutelage of that witch and, together, strive to master the secrets of magic, facing challenges and seeking their mentor’s praise along the way.
With each roll of the dice, the fate of the apprentices is determined, but their knowledge, support of one another, and the unwavering encouragement of their teacher ensure that even in failure, their efforts are celebrated. This is a wholesome and heartwarming RPG for players of all ages and skill levels.
GAMEPLAY
When the witch presents them with challenges, the apprentices will put their Crafts to use by rolling a number of dice equal to their skill in the chosen Craft. Though the witch will offer them a suggestion, they can choose any Craft that makes sense. For example, even if the task is to brew a potion (an obvious application of Potioncraft), an apprentice could call a fairy to help them with Summoncraft or use Lorecraft to find a grimoire to guide them through the process.
Each die can roll either a success or a failure, and the apprentices will need a certain number of successes to pass the challenge. If their skills aren’t good enough, they can call upon their Heart—their memories of their bonds with their teacher and fellow apprentices. Heart can either grant them extra bonus dice or lower the threshold for success. Witches also have Heart, with which they can grant universal bonuses to all their pupils, and every player will earn extra Heart after each challenge.
Failure is just as good a teacher as success, and while it may lead to unfortunate outcomes for the apprentices—whether in the form of disappointment, explosions, or injuries—it won’t be the end of their stories. It’s the duty of a teacher to rescue their pupils from any consequences that are too dire and to find praise for even those apprentices who couldn’t quite prevail over the challenge.
No matter how they fare against the challenges, the apprentices will earn well-deserved praise from the witch at the end of the session and experience points which they can use to improve their Crafts and unlock new magical skills.
MAGICAL CRAFTS
In Elemeria, everyone can learn magic if they put in the effort. Fairies who come into being already able to conjure the elements may have a head start, but even a humble farm boy or farm girl can become their equal as a witch with enough years of study.
And so, as an apprentice, the focus is on one’s knowledge of magical crafts. There are six such Crafts—Summoncraft, Songcraft, Potioncraft, Toolcraft, Lorecraft, and Housecraft—and all are equally important. The ability to chant mighty spells will help little if one can’t decipher the grimoires they’re kept in, nor will brewing potent potions be possible unless one can gather the right herbs and materials. It is, in fact, full mastery of all these Crafts that will allow an apprentice to become a witch. But until then, each apprentice will have their strengths and weaknesses.
Enough prowess in a Craft will grant an apprentice a special skill that will allow them to succeed when failure looms. This can represent aid from one’s magical familiar, the wits to invent a clever solution, or simply being so lovable that others want to help you.
INFLUENCES
Fledge Witch has been influenced by a number of magical fantasy and magical girl anime, manga, and video games. Works such as Kiki’s Delivery Service, Little Witch Academia, Witch Hat Atelier, and the Atelier JRPG video game series can all be felt in the game’s theme, visual tone, and gameplay approach. As a result of these inspirations, Fledge Witch is a game for all ages and all skill levels and truly has something for everyone.
Check out the preview pages below:
