Design by Misha Panarin

Art by Celeste Cruz

 Credits

Thanks to Dana and Afro, who playtested this game.

Dana is also to blame for getting me into indie tabletop
roleplaying games.

Thank you to Ludo, who inadvertently helped me get rid

of so many things I did not need.

Thanks to Luna, Rachi, Giu and Wendi, the rest of the

LATAM Breakout gang.

2
Thanks to Marina, who encouraged and supported me
throughout Cantrip’s development process.

Thanks to Matt and Zach, without whom this book would

not exist.

Design by Misha Panarin

Art by Celeste Cruz

Editing by Pam Punzalan

Layout by Francita Soto

Cantrip is based on the Belonging Outside Belonging

framework, first seen on Dream Apart by Benjamin
Rosenbaum and Dream Askew by Avery Alder, and on
Powered by the Apocalypse, by Meguey and Vincent Baker.

3
 Contents
WHAT’’S ALL THIS?...................................6
Int ro du ct ion . . .... .... .... .... .... .... .... .... .... 6
Th e Fa cil ita to r. r . . .... .... .... .... .... .... .... ... 8

To ne an d Ins pir at ion . . .... .... .... .... ... 9

SO HOW DO I PLAY?.................................11
Fil l yo ur ca uld ro n . . .... .... .... .... .... .... . 11
Le ar n th e Pr inc ipl es . . .... .... .... .... ... 12
n ............................................ 14
Ga th er yo ur co ve n..
Ma ke yo ur mo ve ..... .... .... .... .... .... ... 16
s .....
As pe ct s.. ........
........ ........
........
........ ........
........
........ ... 22
........
........

Be gin nin g pla y.. ........

y ..... ........
........ ........
........ ......... 24
........

d ..........................................................
Th e fir st ro un d.. 31

4
 ES TABLISH T HE SE T T
ING............32
T h is m u c h is tr u e
.. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 32
E s ta b li s h th e A c a
d e m y ... .. .. .. .. .. .. 35
PLAY BOOKS..........................
........................ 44
ASPEC T S..................................
........................70
T h e A d u lt W it c h e
s . . .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. . 72
T h e D e n iz e n s ... .. .. ..
.. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. . 80
T h e To w n ... .. .. .. .. .. .. ..
.. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. . 84
T h e We a v e ... .. .. .. .. ..
.. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 88
T h e A c a d e m y It s e
lf ... .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. . 92

5
 WHAT’’S ALL THIS?

d u c t i o n
Intro
who
la y in g g a m e about witches
lep
Cantrip is a ro e s tu d y in g at a magical
age w h il
are coming of p p le with their p
lace in
e y w il l g ra
Academy. Th ir e m otions, their b
udding
rg e , th e
the world at la c ta ti o n s placed on th
em
the e x p e
relationships, v e s , th e s ecrets held by
the ir li
by everyone in c o n s ta n t s cheming of th
eir
and th e
the Academy,
.
fellow witches
ing
fe re n t fr o m other roleplay
y be d if
This game ma o u t o r p la y e d, especially
heard a b
games you’ve s tu ff like D&D, Worl
d of
g fr o m
if you’re comin u . C a n tr ip is a 3-5 player
all of Cthulh
Darkness or C lo n g in g O utside Belongin
g
n the B e
game based o o n big personaliti
es,
fo c u s e s
system, whic h
a n d c o m p le x relationships.
criptions f short,
evocative des in a s mall handful o
to e x c e l
It is designed th is is m e rely a guidelin
e
ions, b u t
2-3 hour sess e w h e n it m akes sense fo
r
ou dec id
6 — ultimately, y
your story to
wrap up.
During play, you will take control of a Main
Character, thrust into their first year at the
Academy, as well as the various Aspects of
the world — whether it’s the faculty and staff,
their fellow students, or the semi-sentient
Weave of magic itself. There is no Game
Master, but there is one player who will take
on the role of Facilitator — we’ll get to that in
a bit.

Play primarily consists of a conversation

with your fellow players. Throughout this
conversation, you will frame Scenes involving
two or more Main Characters, with different
players taking on the role of the various
Aspects that will provide these characters
with surprising opportunities, hazards,
obstacles, and challenges.

TOp- DsO say

otions e y
ork essa
wandw

7
 The Facilitator

most
o f y o u, us ua ll y whoever is the
One e role
r w it h th e ru le s, will take on th
famili a ible
a to r. T h e F a ci litator is respons
of Facilit ls needed, helpin
g
ng th e m a te ri a
for gatheri and clearing up
any
h o w to p la y ,
others learn th e limits of what’s
e ru le s o r
doubts about th r also
w it h in th e g a m e. The Facilitato
possible aracter is gettin
g
th a t e ve ry ch
makes sure at every player
e n ti m e a nd th
enough scre rt a ble — these two
a nd co m fo
is feeling safe ers, but
ib ili ti e s a re sh ared by all play
respons comfortable wit
h
a to r sh o ul d b e
the Facilit
taking the lead.

a y b e m o st , o f the teaching of
Much, m play, as
e g a m e w ill ta ke place during
th , the
d e ve lo p y o ur Main Characters
you and
rt in g C a st , th e ir relationships
Suppo tor,
d th e y in h a b it . As the Facilita
the worl questions but do
n’t
p la y e rs to a sk
encourage st ions yourself.
m a sk in g q ue
shy away fro

8
 Tone and Inspiration
This game take
s inspiration fr
involving the m om a lot of med
agical and supe ia
and clashing w rn a tu ra l coexisting
ith a mundane
inspiration is S w o rl d . The most direct
tudio Trigger’s
and you’ll find L it tl e Witch Acade
that the playbo mia
many of the ch o ks closely rese
aracters in tha mble
of inspiration in t anime. Other
clude Witch Ha sources
House, the Pers t A te lier, The Owl
ona series of vi
Delivery Servic d e ogames, and Kik
e. More tangen i’s
anime like Yuru ti ally, slice-of-life
-Camp and Non
lot of the tona Non Biyori pro
l inspiration. vide a

9
 the
, th e g a m e is also based on
Mechanically n g in g framework,
id e B e lo
Belonging Outs a ly p s e World and the
by A p o c
itself inspired ly p s e d e s ign philosophy
.
e Ap o c a
Powered by th e s , Cantrip borro
ws
P B T A g a m
Speaking of ip le s of teen angst
and
e p ri n c
heavily from th n.
M a s k s : T h e New Generatio
drama in
be
to n e o f C a n tr ip is meant to
Overall, the c a n fl are and fights
can
m o ti o n s
light-hearted. h e s a re mostly incline
d
es e w it c
happen, but th are for each o
ther.
g e th e r a n d c
to stick to sually
p ro b le m s th e y’ll face are u
The kind of o f th em misplaced
an
y b e o n e
low-stakes: ma e I n te rn et is out in the
ir
ct, o r th
important obje ing up
o m , o r a s c h ool play is com
shared ro terious
s h o rt o n e d a ncer, or a mys
and they’re e re their classroo
m was
ri g h t w h
portal opened
meant to be.
what
g in p la y , d e c ide as a group
When you be g fo r. Do you want
o u ’r e g o in
overall tone y rs o n a l adventures o
f
ta ke s p e
languid, zero-s d w o rl d ? Do you want
in a w e ir
young witches u tual exploratio
ns of
c h a rg e d , m
emotionally ri o u s ? Or maybe y
ou’re
d m y s te
the strange an
goofy hijinks?
up for nonstop

10
SO HOW DO I PLAY?

Fill your cauldron

In order to play
Cantrip, you will
need:
📍 Three to five players, one
of whom will als
o act as the
facilitator
📍 These rules
📍 Writing implements, like
pencils and pap
er
📍 Things that can serve as
tokens, like poke
r chips or
coins. Four per
player should
be plenty.

11
 h e P r i n c i p l e s
Learn t
v e a c h at
Ha

is a lo t like having
ntrip
Play in Ca — s o mebody s
ays
a t io n
a convers e o n e else replie
s.
,s o m
something m ig h t trigger a
s, t h is
Sometime t u r e o f t he game,
l fea he
mechanica , b u t o t h er times t
Move forth,
such as a p ly back and
il l s im
players w s a t io n , either in
-
on v e r you
having a c t o f c h a racter. As
or o u k
character a r a c t e r ’s Playboo
our c h
embody y o r ld ’s A s pects, you
f the w es,
and one o u a t io n s and scen
ibe s it s do
will descr r io u s character
the v a ,
and what
h t p r o p o se a scene
u mig
or say. Yo e a n impassion
ed
ke , g iv with
make a jo g u e , interrupt
o n o lo ut
romantic m t a b li s h a fact abo
or e s
questions g.
e w o r ld w hile playin
th

12
 Tell a story

You can narrate story actions in

either first person
or third person. If you’re not com
fortable acting
out a character’s every word, de
scribing the gist of
what they say is perfectly fine.
Getting fully into
character and saying something
like “c’mere, say
that to my face if you think you’r
e strong enough”
is just as valid as simply describi
ng your character
provoking an enemy and curling
her fist into a ball,
ready for a physical confronta
tion. You do you!

Make some trouble

akes game, where dire

While this is a low-st
satisfying resolution,
issues always have a d
tt er riv al rie s of te n turn to friendship, an
bi
ic h ho pe an d wo nd er triumph over gloom
in wh
al m os t ev er y tim e, you do need some
and doom ur
e the plot forward. Yo
sort of conflict to driv s of
ay bo ok of fe rs so m e pointers to the kind
Pl
ic t yo ur M ai n Ch ar acter might face, and
confl
s of fe r no en d of po ssible complications.
Aspect
ur Circle Three Things
Additionally, when yo u are
hi ch Ar e In Co nfl ic t At The Academy yo
W
al in g th at yo u wa nt these issues to come
sign
n an d be a co ns ta nt source of narrative
up ofte
tension in your game.
13
 a t h e r y o u r c o v en
G

The Facilitator should read out the description for

each playbook and let the players choose which
one speaks to them the most, or which one they
think they could embody the best in order to tell
a fascinating story of academic hijinks, wondrous
magic and high emotional stakes. Once everyone
has chosen, go down the sheet circling choices as
prompted. You should talk about your choices as you
go! Character creation in Cantrip is a collaborative
process, a team effort. Boldly express any cool
ideas you come up with, ask questions of your fellow
players if you’re looking for inspiration, and try to
find narrative connections between the different
playbooks.

Then, the Aspects should be dealt out randomly, with

each player reading aloud the description for their
Aspect. If there are more Aspects than there are
players, then the Facilitator should hold onto the
excess Aspects for now - each player can only ever
hold one Aspect. However, the ones that are not in
play may become relevant during other parts of your
story, so it’s important that everyone knows they
exist and what their basic premise is.

14
 Talk abo
ut the A
to a con spects o
sensus o ne by on
when yo n which e, then c
u’re prom options ome
pted to d y o u will circle
collabor o so. This
ative pro
world of cess, an is also a
Cantrip d will he
group. K a unique lp make the
eep you experien
do this, r charac ce for y
and try t ters in m our
o make t in d a s you
relate to he settin
your cha g e lements
interestin racters
g opport and prov
compellin unities f id e
g source or story
s of con telling a
flict. nd
Rememb
er: you a
on the s re not lim
heets. If ited by t
you, or if none of he optio
you have the optio ns
the shee a cool id n s s p eak to
t, let you ea that is
else is c r group n ot on
ool with know. If
given in it, pencil e v e ryone
the Play it in. The
strong s book and o ptions
uggestio Aspect s
ns, not o h eets are
rders.
Once all
the Aspe
out, if th ct sheet
e Facilit s have b
than one a t o r currently een fille
Aspect, d
t h holds mo
and leav ey should re
e the re keep only
within ea s t in the m one
sy reach iddle of
switchin of all pla t h e table,
g out yo yers. Yo
ur Aspec u’ll be
ts a lot.

15
 Make your move

In Cantrip, the fiction comes first, with mechanics

following the fiction. You are, above all, telling a
story together. The actions you take, the words
you speak and the decisions you make should serve
the narrative you are developing together. Don’t
keep secrets, and don’t be afraid of speaking out
of character to say what you want to happen. “I’d
really like my character to sneak out of her room
to go flying on her broomstick” is encouraged. It
also lets your friends come up with ways to make it
happen that involve other characters.

A Move is something your character does that

is important to them and their identity. The core
mechanics of Cantrip are the Strong, Regular, and
Weak Moves. Take note, though, that if a certain
kind of action isn’t listed as one of your character’s
moves that doesn’t mean you can’t do it. The moves
are there to guide you, not to limit or constrain you.

16
 Moves re
present b
are thus o road desc
pen to int riptions a
free to st e r p r nd
etation, s
retch the o feel
them to s ir definitio
uit your n ns and tw
Star-Stru eeds. For ist
ck’s move e x a mple, the
Quo” mig “Upend th
ht be take e Status
rebelling n literally
against th if she is
and conse e deeply
rvative wit entrenche
might also ch aristoc d
be interp r a c y, but it
like her g reted mor
etting a p e obliquely,
teacher d osition as
espite “on a n assistant
The Posh ly” being
’s “open a a student.
slide the door” cou
bolt on a ld literally
allegorica door, or it
lly allow h could mor
to an exc er to gain e
lusive eve an invitat
magically nt, or mak ion
open up in e a spot
join. the club s
he wants
to
Some Mo
ves will as
or gain To k you to e
kens when ither use
When you y o u make th
gain a Tok em.
the centr e n, take on
al pile and e from
When you put it in f
spend a T ront of yo
central pil oken, retu u.
e. You spe rn it to th
things and nd tokens e
gain token to do coo
yourself v s when yo l
ulnerable u le ave
zero Toke . Everyon
ns. e s t arts with

17
 Regular Moves represent your
character’s most common everyday
pursuits, attitudes and behaviors. When
you’re not sure what your character
would do in a given situation, look at
your Regular moves. Even the most
mundane activity can easily be disrupted
by another player making an Aspect
Move. Perhaps The Hedge is foraging
for mushrooms as she often does, and
stumbles into the monsters from the
Down Below planning a prank. Maybe
she messes up a magic circle in the
forest, unleashing some danger onto
the Academy. Be weird, be clever, be
imaginative, be surprising!

18
 -
a t t h e ir best
er
t y o u r charact t e ntial, be
ing
pre s e n he i r p o ing
o n g M oves re e r , f u lfilling t e s i t u a tion, ris
St r pow d th
w c a s i n g their e m s e lves an i c a l l y indicate
sho ft h typ
l l y i n c ontrol o S t r o n g Moves r n ing poin
t,
tota ac l e s . rta n t t u
o v e a ny obst e o r an impo
a b
a x o f a sce
n
t o ke n to use.
the cl i m st a
s w h y they co
which i

Weak Moves are the opposite of Strong Moves

- they represent your character in danger,
vulnerable, or overwhelmed, whether by external
hazards or by their own emotional turmoil. Weak
Moves allow their enemies’ plans to advance, traps
to be sprung, and luck to turn against you. When
you use these, you gain a token. When another
player makes a Weak Move, don’t be afraid to make
the consequences dire and immediate - they help
create conflict and tension for scenes. Go hard
against your fellow witches because they’re way
stronger than anyone realizes. They shine brightest

19
when they’re under pressure.
You’ll notice that all witches have a Weak Move that
allows them to establish a fact about some wider,
larger aspect of the world in order to gain a token.
Be as creative and out-there as you want here - the
magical world is inherently weird and fantastical.

Additionally, most witches can cast any spell they know

as a Regular Move. This begs the question: how does
a witch learn new spells? In Cantrip, you learn a new
spell - unless you’re the Star-Struck - by spending a
token with the move “Cast a previously unrevealed
spell”. Pick from your playbook’s list or make something
up on the spot, and write it down somewhere so you’ll
remember that from now on that spell can be cast as a
Regular Move at no cost.

20
 Moves are there to inspir
e you, not to limit you. If
your character would take
an action that seems like
it should gain you a token
(because you’re putting
yourself in immense dang
er) or make you spend a
token (because you’re sh
owcasing your power and
potential) then treat it as
a Move as long as the
group agrees.

If you’re ever having tro

uble figuring out how
to insert your character
into a scene you find
interesting, remember th
ese two things: one, you
can always just kick a do
or open and make a gran
entrance or arrive in the d
nick of time for some
thrilling heroics. Two, you
can always explore the
scene and ask questions.
This lets other players ad
details, characters and sit d
uations to a scene based
on your questions (rememb
er, it’s a conversation!)
which might get your crea
tive juices flowing.

21
 Aspects

When you have Picked Up an Aspect, you are

momentarily in charge of embodying that Aspect
and describing how it manifests in the world at
large, and how it involves itself in the current
scene in particular. Not all Aspects need to be
present at all times. For example, you’d be unlikely
to find a lot of Adults if you’re wandering around
the forest or delving into some hidden chamber of
the Academy.

Familiarise yourself with the pick up when...

statement atop your Aspect sheet. It lists reasons
to start actively playing your Aspect rather than
your Character. If playing your Aspect is difficult
(something that might happen if you’re playing
a Character in the same scene), you can always
trade it away. Either swap with a spare Aspect
in the center or another player’s currently held
Aspect. You will always have exactly one Aspect in
front of you.

22
 th p ro a c ti v e and reactive.
o
Aspects are b nd there
y li fe is fu ll of surprises, a
Academ
e n g e s fo r y o ung witches to
chall
are plenty of lu ll in the narrati
ve,
f th e re is a
overcome. I a u s e trouble for th
e
w a y to c
discuss some t M o v e . Be as creativ
e
n A s p e c
witches with a - w e a re literally dealin
g
ou w a n t
and weird as y u r imagination an
d
e re , s o y o
with magic h u p h as established
about
a s a g ro
whatever you re a l li mits you have
.
th e o n ly
the world are
in
n e n e e d s a n Aspect in play
Not every sc e ch
th in g s u p . S ometimes a wit
order to shake elling
e r h e a rt to a nother is comp
baring h e n moments like
that
it s o w n . W h
enough on
e rs in v o lv e d lean into that
e play
happen, let th a m e morable, touch
ing
c re a te
- trust them to o n m e n t where everyon
e
an e n v ir
scene. Foster , a n d c o nfident about
pow e re d
feels safe, em u ld you be all righ
t
in g s . “W o
asking for th ti n g you right as y
ou’re
in te rr u p
with someone lo g u e ?” is a fine wa
y
b ig m o n o
finishing your ti o n s b u t letting other
om p li c a
of proposing c r they feel like
that
ta te w h e th e
players dic
e scene.
would add to th

23
 Beginning play

lo c k w is e (o r Sunwise,
gc
y h a p p e n s in turns, goin n d the table.
Pla ll it ) a r o u
es would ca ree
as the witch , y o u m a y do one of th
our turn
When it’s y
things:

📍 Narrate a slice of life

📍 Frame a major scene
📍 Get a read on the Academy

Remi
nd
do her Linda to
pa
encha rt of the
ntmen
presen ts
tation

24
 Narrate a slice of life

ay to
n g a s li c e of life is a w
Narrati
th , a n d m a ybe a way to
brea
catch your a p a r ti c ularly inten
se
afte r
decompress o u add texture
, depth
ts y
sequence. I
t le
c h a r a c te r by narrating
s to your ction
and richnes f e o r a small intera
da y li orting
their day to C h a r a c te r or a Supp
r Main ed by anoth
er
with anothe u ld b e p la y
ho sho
Character w a y in g a friend a v
isit,
o u ’r e p
player. If y x a m , g o ing into tow
n to
or a n e , you
cramming f o r ju s t w inding down
pplie s
shop for su a r r a te a slice of life
.
nt to n
probably wa c t M o v e s m ay be used
d Aspe akes sense.
Playbook an n g a s it m
one, as lo
here by any

25
 Frame a major scene

nt of
n e is th e m ost importa
ajor sce arrative, an
d lets
Framing a m r iv e s th e n
it’s what d nd as people
.
the three - a r a c te r s a
shine as ch y of
the witches ’l l u s e th e vast majorit
ere yo u uld aim
It’s also wh s p e c t M o v es. You sho
ok and A used to Fra
me a
your Playbo r n s b e in g
alf your tu short, decis
ive
for about h n e s c a n b e
. Major sce e
major scene n s e n e g o ti ation with th
e a te from
moments (lik m a k in g a q uick escape
ncil or nces
Student Cou , m o r e e la b orate seque
or longer vest Festiva
l,
the forest) in g th e H a r
and prepar your
(organizing u t w h o is sabotaging
uring o
all while fig
why).
efforts and ose
r s c e n e , y ou should p
rame a majo at
When you f u e s ti o n to the group th
cused q Can
a tightly fo k e s a n d m ain conflict.
the sta potion befo
re
establishes ts f o r th is
ingredien d noise com
ing
we find the th a t w e ir
ut? What is this
time runs o r ? F r a m in g scenes in
ll tow e cut
from the be e g in in m e dia res and
you to b ays flash ba
ck to
way allows o u c a n a lw
action: y g that happ
ened
right to the n s o m e th in
s or retco
preparation

26
”.
“off screen
Choose at least two main characters to participate in
the scene. It doesn’t have to be your character, but
remember to check in with your fellow players first.
Ideally, at least one player should be free to play
Aspects.

Consider the following things when you’re setting up a

scene:

y
la s s r o o m , the academ
you? A c
📍 Where are
e town, the
n e ig h b o r in g swamp,
ation
grounds, th ? I s it a familiar loc
libra r y
an endless
re new?
or somewhe eyond
n s o r y e xperience, b
📍 Describe th
e s
ea
e
n d h e a r . I f a particular
like
what you se ls r e le v a n t, or seems
ell fe e to
taste or sm m e r s io n a nd richness
ore im
it will add m s h o u ld be descr
ibed.
e n it
the scene, th entatives of
an
e ? R e p r e s
📍 Who else is
her
esta b li s h e d m inor charac
ter,
Aspect? An
a y b e a s u rprise visit?
or m ened?
t th in g th at has happ
📍 What is th
e la
take
s
, w h a t’ s th e main sour
ce of
What’s at s
tension?

27
 You should open the scene by making a Move
with your character. If you don’t know what to
do, ask another participating player to make
one, or let a player holding an Aspect make a
Move.

In a major scene, you play to find out what

happens. Players whose Main Characters
aren’t in the scene are free to disengage
and enjoy the scene. Otherwise, they should
keep an eye out for opportunities to insert
themselves into it either as a Main Character,
or by playing a Supporting Character or
embodying one of the available Aspects.

If you notice someone hasn’t participated in a

while or is having trouble figuring out a way to
include themselves into the action, ask them
if they’d like to jump in! If they say yes, ask
questions that let them establish facts about
the scene in order to make it easier for them
to do so.

28
 sponsibility for
Everyone shares the re
You may step out
bringing a scene to life.
ments in order to
of your role for brief mo
troduce and play
establish new details, in
(however, try not to
Supporting Characters
yourself. Sometimes
have conversations with
pporting Characters to
you might need two Su
to ea ch ot he r in or de r to set a scene up,
talk n
ickly return to the Mai
but the focus should qu
nership of the story’s
Characters) and take ow
development.
e group agrees it
The scene ends when th
be at the point where
should end. Usually it’ll
ed a satisfactory
the witches have achiev
n posed at the
resolution to the questio
if there are loose ends
beginning, but it’s fine
setback: this could
or they suffer a massive
co me a th re ad yo u ca n pick up in a future
be
major scene.

29
 Get a read on the Academy

When you get a read on the Academy, you step

out of the narration proper for a brief moment.
You get a metaphorical bird’s eye view of the
entire Academy and its surroundings, and you
get to ask a question or make a statement to
collaboratively establish a fact regarding the
feelings, opinions, issues, beliefs and values of
various communities related to the Academy.

First, choose a topic to either ask a question or

make a statement about. It might be something
that happened in a previous scene, something
that has been foreshadowed or planned, or a
wider philosophical point. You can frame it as:

📍 A question: should we make contact with

the ghosts who now roam the library? Is
the student council on the up and up or
are they planning something dangerous?
What’s the deal with this substitute
teacher’s hardass attitude?
📍 A statement: the ghosts in the library are
dangerous. The Student Council is about
to unveil a new scheme that will make
our lives more difficult. This substitute
teacher is hiding a dark secret.
30
 your left, each
Then, beginning on
s the views that
player will expres
mmunity has on
one particular co
ht be a general
this issue. It mig ters,
subset of charac
description of a a
ch as th e th ir d- year students, or
su
d faction, such as
named, establishe on
atures’ Labor Uni
The Magical Cre ce
ive a short senten
(Refoundation). G out
sc ri bi ng ho w th at group feels ab
de
. However, keep
the issue at hand
ews are always
in mind that the vi cts,
fs rather than fa
opinions and belie
ays exceptions
and there are alw a
ber. No group is
among their num
monolith.

r s t r o u n d
T he fi h e very fir
st
ur i n g t
r e w e begin: d rate a S
lice
g b e f o l d N a r
t thin ou the
One las e a c h p layer sh r c h a r a cter to
f play, the i ing
round o t o i n t roduce r a l h a b itat. Liv
in orde r natu
of Life, e m in their .
u p a n d show t h
E a t i n g hot chip
gro ing .
i r b e s t life. Vib
the
31
 ESTABLISH THE
SETTING
This much is true

Whether frowned upon, seen as shameful or

actively persecuted, magic is a rare talent,
uncommonly seen in regular society, and
witches from all over the world come to The
Academy to hone their skills and meet fellow
witches. Hundreds of witches are enrolled at
the Academy at any given moment, and they all
live on its grounds throughout the school year.

The Academy was deliberately built next to

a regular, mid-sized town. There is an uneasy
coexistence between The Academy and The
Town, but their relationship is mostly peaceful,
in accordance with the pact signed between
the townspeople and the witches a thousand
years ago. As part of this fragile peace, the
Academy has agreed to never erect magical
wards or barriers, and it is fully integrated
with the electricity, gas, water, sanitation and

32 Internet service from the town.

From simple cantrips to wondrous spells, magic
exists in many forms. It includes not just spellcraft,
but also the study of magical flora and fauna,
the brewing of potions, communion with ghosts
and objects, and high-flying stunts on a magical
broomstick. The way magic is cast is also highly
varied, unique and, above all, personal. Some witches,
especially more traditionally-minded ones, memorize
incantations and wand movements. Younger witches
have learned to express themselves, their big
personalities, and their unique outlooks on the world
through all sorts of magic. Some witches dance
to summon spirits, or sing a spell with a booming
voice, or craft beautiful jewellery containing a
little magic in each bead. One notorious ex-student
of the Academy was known to carry spray paint
everywhere, allowing her to stencil magical wards
and sigils wherever she wanted.

There is a vibrant and varied witch society at the

school, facilitated by a vast, dome-shaped spell
covering the school grounds that acts as a universal
translator for anyone inside. However, this diversity
also brings some trouble. Traditionalist witches
don’t particularly care for the newer generation’s
more carefree approach to tenets that they had
previously set in stone. Young witches are pushing
the envelope on the nature of magic, the role of
witches in society, and even gender.

33
The Academy has, for a thousand years, been
inhabited by magical creatures, drawn to the
Academy’s naturally strong magic field. Some of these
creatures are employed by the Academy to attend to
the more mundane needs of the school. Goblins, ogres,
fairies, ghosts, talking animals and the like are tasked
with keeping everything clean and functional, whether
the problems at hand are leaking pipes or magical
experiments gone wrong.

Witches are traditionally girls and women, but the

newer generations are known for transgressing gender
in unexpected ways. They may have more than one
gender, or no gender at all, or change their gender
as often as they change their hat, or have a gender
nobody else has. Play around with gender as much as
you like and are comfortable with!

34
 Establish the Academy
How old are the students at the
academy? CIRCLE ONE.

High school College

Define the Academy itself (CIRCLE ONE OR

WRITE YOUR OWN).

A castle by a lake a collection of huts and houses

a modern campus a logic-defying hub filled

with portals

a pocket dimension
a floating island chained
to the earth
a network of floating
platforms on the sea a mountaintop temple

something even weirder

Draw a map of the Academy.

35
 The Academic Calendar

The school year at the Academy has two

semesters, separated by a month-long winter
break. A semester is four months long.
Notably, each month has its own special
school event.

What follows is a suggested month-by-month

school calendar, but you’re free to swap,
edit, add, and remove items as you see fit.
Each monthly event also has Seasonal Moves,
available to all witches only during this time at
school. These are meant to provide mechanics
that drive that specific kind of fiction forward.

Month of the Cat - Club Enrollment

and Dorm Assignment

📍 Weak Move: spectacularly fail

an audition or tryout
📍 Strong Move: successfully
recruit one of the five people
you need to form a club

36
Month of the Wand - Student
Council Campaign and Elections

📍 Weak Move: become swayed

by a troublesome candidate’s
platform
📍 Strong Move: secure 20% of
the vote for yourself or your
preferred candidate

Month of the Cauldron -

Harvest Festival

📍 Weak Move: overlook a

critical preparation
📍 Strong Move: steal away for
a moment alone with anyone
you choose

37
 Month of the Hat - Talent
Show and Midterms

📍 Weak Move: break a leg

(literal)
📍 Strong Move: break a leg
(figurative)

Winter break

Month of the Broom -

Open House

📍 Weak Move: have an

embarrassing magical accident
involving a bunch of dads
📍 Strong Move: get some juicy
gossip from someone’s parents

38
 Month of the Brew -
Inter-school Meetup

📍 Weak Move: get involved

in petty drama and inter-
school rivalries
📍 Strong Move: learn a unique,
powerful spell from another
school

Month of the Weave -

School Trip

📍 Weak Move: contract a weird

disease that only affects
witches
📍 Strong Move: avoid your
chaperones and sneak out for
some fun

39
 Month of the Witch - Graduation
ceremony and final exams

📍 Weak Move: graduate and get a

good steady job
📍 Strong Move: fill your heart with
happy memories, then graduate
together with all your friends

en each
Having a month-long timeskip betwe
a particularly
sequence of major scenes, or after
help with the
strong resolution to a situation could
heal and for
fiction. Let it be a time for wounds to
emotions to build.
d of conflict
If at any point you’re unsure what kin
scene to
you want to focus on or the kind of
rent month’s
frame, draw inspiration from the cur
and drama.
event. Let it be a source of conflict
er on a
As always, either skip ahead or ling
sense for
particular month if that’s what makes
your group.

40
 CIRCLE 5 VISUALS (or make up
your own)

a hedge maze
Spires crackling with energy

a vast lake a mountainside cavern

a stone courtyard gargoyles

turn-of-the-century tech stained glass windows

ghosts roaming the grounds

vast catacombs
a permanent fair beneath the school
on campus

a temple with a locked inner sanctum

sentient plants huts and shacks

a vast river with rainbow-colored water

endless fields of pumpkins

41
 CIRCLE 3 THINGS THAT ARE IN
CONFLICT AT THE ACADEMY (or figure
out some other conflict)

Hedge and city witches

monstrous manual labor
the transgression
of gender aristocracy and servants
language barriers illegal magic
integration with
non-witch society barriers to access

tradition the source of

magical power
barriers and wards
curses and haunts

42
 NAME THE ACADEMY

something mundane something magical

something monstrous something regal

something arcane something old

something foreign something memorable

something cursed
something unpronounceable

43
 P L A Y B OO

44
OOK S

45
 THE STAR STRUCK

Until rece
ntly, you
normal lif lived a
e.Then yo
your pow u came by
ers under
circumsta u ncommon
nces, and
you forev it change
er. Going d
Academy to the
wa
This world s your best choice
is new to .
wondrous you. It is
and excit
everyone ing, but n
is happy ot
here - yo that you’r
u are call e
Unknowin ed
g, s
without th omebody born
e Gift. Do
friendship you seek
or yearn
seclusion for
?

Play to find out:

How you inspire your friends.
How you succeed despite
your limitations. How you
break with tradition.

Choose a name and place of origin

46
 Choose a look or make something up
Jeans and t-shirt. Hand-me-down tunic and hat. Traditional
garb of your people. Something really out there.

Choose one, and only one, spell:

levitate, project a gush of water, creating steam, lock and
unlock doors, transmogrify into a teapot, make plants grow,
mend a broken thing, mend a broken heart, mute someone,
make something invisible, summon a tiny rain cloud, see
through a familiar’s eyes, soothe or riot emotions, become
small, become large, divine and foretell

Choose two emotions that completely

block your magic:
anger, sadness, hunger, resentment, saudade, joy,
apprehension, agitation, love, frustration, heartbreak,
dismay, despondency, dejection, excitement.

Choose 2 key relationships:

my mother who is very excited about me being a witch,
my sister who is very jealous of my skills, my
roommates who think I’m a curious addition to the dorm,
the student council who distrusts me, the headmistress,
the other Unknowing at school, the magical creatures
who work at the school, the club I joined because it
seemed easy, the troublemaker clique, the aristocrat
who looks down on me, the magical knick knack shop
clerk who doesn’t know any magic.

47
 Choose a pet or magical tool, or make
up your own:
a raggedy flying broomstick, a hat that is bigger on the
inside, a raven that is only up at night, a mouse that moves
through the school’s plumbing, a tarot deck, a never-emptying
teapot, a staff that always remains upright.

Lure:
Whenever someone relies on you to fix a problem by applying
your knowledge of the mundane, the mortal and the everyday,
they gain a token.

Tips:
Explore your kindness and humility. Make your character
fallible and relatable. Bite off more than you can chew.
Embody the mortal world.

Questions: ask one to your left, ask the

other to your right.
�� How did I subvert your expectations of me?
�� What secret part of the Academy did you show me?

48
 Weak Moves
�� Reject magical solutions
�� Cause a massive magical misfire or accident
�� Take a risky leap of faith
�� Lose hope
�� Let your inexperience hurt or embarrass you
�� Establish a previously unknown fact about the Unknowing
and their society.
�� Ask “why do you put up with me?”

Regular Moves
�� Study for an exam
�� Practice your magic on something harmless
�� Revel in non-magical pursuits
�� Be the link between the magical and mortal world
�� Share your dreams and enthusiasm
�� Take action, leaving yourself vulnerable.
�� Cast your spell.
�� Ask “do you think I’ll ever be a witch?”

Strong Moves
�� Have a brief moment of immense magical lucidity and power
�� Upend the status quo
�� Soothe someone's pain
�� Stand up for yourself
�� Get out of harm’s way
�� Ask “how do I make you respect me?”

49
 THE HEDGE
“Mycolog
y” is a pr
underwhe etty
lming nam
you do. Y e for wha
ou live an t
mushroom d breathe
s. You kno
names of w the
insects, p
body par lants and
ts better
know the than you
names of
Your potio you
ns may no r friends.
best in th t be the
eA
they’re ce cademy, but
rtainly th
and most e flashies
unpredict t
miss life a b
as a hedg le. You
feeling of e witch, t
being rev he
feared, b ered and
ut this Ac
seems ve ademy
ry excitin
g too.

Play to find out:

How magic and nature
relate. Whether you’ll be
able to prove hedge witches
are just as good as city
witches. What benefits and
drawbacks a solitary life
can have.

Choose a name and place of origin

50
 Choose a look or make something up
Covered in leaves and twigs. Country clothes, complete
with straw hat. Mushroom-shaped hat. Literally just a
bunch of cloth draped over you. A dress, no shoes.

Choose two hedge witch specialties or

make up your own
Mushrooms, carnivorous plants, sentient plants, divining
with animal bones, dowsing for water or something
stranger, mixing potions, baking, animal ken.

Choose one way in which you’re

having trouble adapting to
Academy life
Your rural slang makes it difficult for others to
understand you, it all moves too fast and it’s all too
loud, you crave solitude, you’re often picked on for
being different, you rarely socialize, you don’t
understand etiquette and norms.

Choose 2 key relationships:

The villagers I keep in touch with, my roommates, the
student council, the headmistress, the flower shop, the
magical creatures who live in the school, the club I
joined to be near my crush, the groundskeeper who
knows all the good mushroom hunting spots, the city
witches who have earned my ire and vengeance, my
mentor who sometimes pops in unannounced
51
 Choose a pet or magical tool, or make
up your own:
A Venus fly trap in a jar, a potion belt, a barn owl that hoots
warnings, a mouse that has memorized all your recipes, a
flute that mesmerizes animals, instant (and we mean instant)
growth fertilizer, a dowsing rod, a mushroom that is also a
pillow.

Lure:
When somebody acknowledges and celebrates your differences,
or reveres you as a hedge witch, they gain a token.

Tips:
Make your character fallible and relatable. Embody the
contrast between city witches (who live in apartments and
shout at people) and hedge witches (who live in swamps and
shout at animals). Embrace solitude and intimacy.

Questions: ask one to your left, ask the

other to your right.
�� How do you find me off-putting or strange?
�� How has being my friend caused you grief?

52
 Weak Moves
�� Mess up a potion or remedy.
�� Retreat to solitude or push people away.
�� Jealously guard knowledge.
�� Let your obsessions or upbringing hurt or embarrass you
�� Establish a previously unknown fact about plants, animals
and hedge magic.
�� Ask “why are you judging me?”

Regular Moves
�� Brew a potion or go foraging
�� Find a willing test subject.
�� Act with conviction in your hedge witch knowledge.
�� Take action, leaving yourself vulnerable.
�� Cast a spell you know.
�� Ask “What do you need help with?”

Strong Moves
�� Gain the respect of (or take revenge on) a city witch.
�� Make an astounding discovery.
�� Make a new friend.
�� Freely share knowledge.
�� Get out of harm’s way
�� Cast a previously unrevealed spell
�� Ask “how can I make it up to you?”

53
 THE POSH
Magic has be
en in your fa
bloodline for mily’s
millennia, and
earned you th this has
e respect, ad
and envy of m miration
any witches.
a massive, im There is
maculately ke
family tree of pt
awesomely po
witches, and werful
at the very bo
that tree is yo ttom of
u. You’ve been
everything yo given
u could ever
you also bear want but
the pressure
familial expe of
ctations, anci
traditions and en t
high-class pr
Your every de opriety.
cision is scru
by your family tinized
, and at the
Academy you
might find th
perfect place e
to either let
everyone know
who’s in char
here, or rebe ge
l against aris
witch society. to cr atic
That would be
unladylike, bu
t it might be
fun.

Play to find out:

Whether you’ll accept or
reject your aristocratic
position. How you break the
mold you’ve been cast into.
Whether you’re respected
or merely tolerated.

Choose a name and place of origin

54
 Choose a look or make something up
Regal robes. Fancy rural clothes. Designer clothes. A
striking, tailor-made suit.

Choose your family’s signature,

inheritable spell
Command attention, clear or summon a storm, make a
flowering tree bloom, open a door, put someone to sleep,
summon a magical self-driving carriage, light up a dark room,
cook a meal to perfection, leave a room or object spotless,
part water.

Choose a familial obligation

Not allowed to mingle with the rabble, a chaperone
hounds my every step, I must maintain perfect
attendance and grades, I must become student council
president, I must hold frequent dinner parties for my
classmates.

Choose 2 key relationships:

My roommates, my family, my servants who follow me
around, the student council president who values my
judgment, the headmistress who fears my family, the
magical creatures in town who I owe a favor to, the
country club I hate visiting, the club I joined so I could
be the leader, my hangers-on, rival aristocrats.

55
 Choose a pet or magical tool, or make
up your own:
A letter opener that leaves the seal intact, a jug that
produces any liquid you want, illusory robes, wind-conjuring
fan, unbreakable cane, a pony that can phase through walls,
time-slowing pocket watch, self-writing quill or pen, a
top-of-the-line broom.

Lure:
When someone asks you to leverage your connections, wealth or
status, they gain a token.

Tips:
Make your character fallible and relatable. Find ways to
subvert or avoid your familial obligations. Throw your weight
around.

Questions: ask one to your left, ask the

other to your right.
�� How have I been condescending or hurtful towards you?
�� How have I impressed you?

56
 Weak Moves
�� Make a scene
�� Fail to uphold what’s expected of you
�� Say more than you mean
�� Cut someone down with harsh words
�� Let your upbringing or your haughtiness hurt or
embarrass you
�� Establish a previously unknown fact about witch society or
traditions
�� Ask “why do you find me insufferable?”

Regular Moves
�� Hold a feast or ball at your house
�� Seek help from the aristocracy
�� Excel at magic
�� Cast a spell you know
�� Feign politeness
�� Take action, leaving yourself vulnerable.
�� Ask “what do you need to acquire?”

Strong Moves
�� Bring adversaries together
�� Secure a major advantage through your status
�� Incite fear
�� Refuse to be cowed or ordered around
�� Cast a previously unrevealed spell
�� Ask “what would you like me to be to you?”

57
 THE BREAKER

Yeah, mag
ic’s cool.
start fire It
s, cause e can
shove som x plosions,
e nag into
transdime a
nsional lo
much mor cker and
e. Above
is fun. Th all, magic
ere is no
mayhem e nd to the
you cause
you’re wie when
lding you
and this A r powers,
cademy is
opportun r
ities for c ife with
an audien haos and
ce
excel at it to watch you
.

Play to find out:

How much trouble you can
get away with causing. How
to express yourself through
magic. How to drop the act
and allow yourself to be
vulnerable.

Choose a name and place of origin

58
 Choose a look or make something up
Mod clothes. Greaser clothes. Torn robes. Punk clothes.

Choose two chaotic spells, or make up

your own
Explosions, make something carnivorous, break in half,
restrain movement, freakish speed, set something on fire,
summon a foul smell, disguise yourself, make some noise,
summon deceitful doorways

Choose a problem you often

encounter
You push friends away, you want to do better at your
studies, you only want to fly your broomstick, you
always cause collateral damage, the teachers keep
hounding you, your magic is unstable, you don’t trust the
other troublemakers at school.

Choose 2 key relationships:

My roommates, the student council, the headmistress,
the other troublemakers, the witch in charge of
security, the magical creatures who live in the school,
the club I joined, my parents, the people from the town.

59
 Choose a pet or magical tool, or make
up your own:
Infinite pocket sand, silencing bubble, a very angry badger
who lives under your hat, untraceable stink bombs, magical
spray paint, self-propelled skateboard, a master lockpick, bag
full of slapstick props.

Lure:
When somebody seeks the aid of your destructive, reckless and
illegal methods, they gain a token.

Tips:
Make your character fallible and relatable. Be vulnerable
sometimes. Seek an audience for your antics.

Questions: ask one to your left, ask the

other to your right.
�� What’s the coolest thing you’ve seen me do?
�� What’s one time I went overboard with a prank?

60
 Weak Moves
�� Get caught doing something illegal or forbidden.
�� Hurt a friend.
�� Be shunned.
�� Let your penchant for chaos hurt or embarrass you
�� Establish a previously unknown fact about spellcraft and
magical tools.
�� Ask “do you think I’m cool?”

Regular Moves
�� Pull off a prank
�� Fly recklessly
�� Lie, cheat or steal
�� Take action, leaving yourself vulnerable
�� Cast a spell you know
�� Ask “are you watching closely?”

Strong Moves
�� Take the fall for a friend.
�� Evade danger cunningly.
�� Put on a show for the ages.
�� Share the spotlight.
�� Express your tender side.
�� Cast a previously unrevealed spell
�� Ask “can I show you who I really am?”

61
 THE SENIOR
You messed up som
ehow. You've
earned the ire of yo
ur teachers
and now you’re stuc
k with the
first-year witches.
You should be
having fun as a seco
nd year, but
now you have to gu
ide the new
arrivals! What coul
d you
possibly have to le
arn from
people who can’t ev
en fly a
broomstick without
falling off
the saddle? This su
cks! It’s so
unfair! What you di
d wasn’t that
bad, was it? You’re
sure you’ll
find some way to cl
imb back to
your previous posit
ion, and
maybe having a little
gaggle of
awe-struck young wi
tches to
command won’t be
so
unpleasant.

Play to find out:

How you can use your position
responsibly or otherwise. How to
impress the first years. What
you can learn from the young
and inexperienced. How you can
teach and learn at the same
time. How you can keep the
younger witches out of trouble…
or help them cause it.

Choose a name and place of origin

62
 Choose a look or make something up
Austere robes. Flowing garments. Colorful silk. Mundane
clothes. Sailor suit.

You know five spells from any of the

other playbooks’ lists. Choose how your
experience manifests in your spellcraft
Cast in complete silence, greatly enhance your spell's
effects, increase a spell's duration, exert fine control over
your spells like threading a needle, block/counter/reflect
other people's spells, grant your power to another
temporarily

Choose one thing from senior life you’re

missing out on, and one you can help
others gain access to
Advanced tutoring, wild parties, decidedly unwild tea parties,
field trips, access to the special part of the library,
part-time jobs, freedom to visit the town, scholarships and
grants, the locked ingredient cabinet, classroom
reservations, senior-only school clubs

Choose 2 key relationships

Your second-year friends, your second-year teachers,
your thesis advisor, your roommates, your part-time
employer, recently graduated witches, the teacher you
got in trouble with, the club you joined out of obligation,

63
the club you got kicked out of
 Choose a pet or magical tool, or make
up your own:
A talking book, a box of very severe magical makeup, clothes
with magical fabric, a farsight orb, a curious and literate
snake, a small band of birds who can follow simple commands,
a tandem broomstick.

Lure:
When somebody depends on your experience, knowledge and
school connections for help, they gain a token.

Tips:
Make your character fallible and relatable. Strive to impress
the younger witches, but leave yourself vulnerable. Seek to
teach and protect them, but also be open to learn from them.
Try too hard.

Questions: ask one to your left, ask the

other to your right.
�� What cool, impressive thing did I do?
�� What extremely uncool older kid thing did I do?

64
 Weak Moves
�� Accidentally reveal a secret
�� Throw your weight around.
�� Be left out.
�� Overreach.
�� Fail to be there for your friends.
�� Be resentful.
�� Let your seniority or your desire to impress lead you to
hurt or embarrassment
�� Ask “can I show you something?”

Regular Moves
�� Juggle your two lives.
�� Embody tradition and novelty in equal measure.
�� Lead the group.
�� Take action, leaving yourself vulnerable.
�� Ask “do you want to go with me?”

Strong Moves
�� Found a Coven with another witch
�� Command respect.
�� Get others out of trouble.
�� Let someone else seize an opportunity.
�� Open a locked door.
�� Stand between danger and someone else.
�� Get out of harm’s way.
�� Ask “can you show me how?”

65
 THE SYBIL
Back hom
e, in the s
mountain ecluded
top temp
raised in, le you we
you were re
commune at peace.
d with the You
stars, the spirits, th
threads o e
river of ti f fate, th
me and th e
mountain e soul of
. Yo th e
Weave on u swam through th
wings of p e
subtly re r
ading futu ecognition,
drawing o re events
n a deepe and
than mos r understa
t witches nding
comprehe can even
nd. Nothin
‘casting a g so cras
spell’, rig s as
you’ve be ht? Well.
en sent to Now
your othe study, to
r magical ho
biggest p skills, and ne
roblems in your
spells ba volve bas
ckfiring a ic
being out. nd the In
This suck ternet
s.

Play to find out:

How your relationship to
magic changes by being at
school. How you draw on
new knowledge to fuel your
power. How you command
admiration, awe and shock.

Choose a name and place of origin

66
 Choose a look or make something up
Robes and tunics. Body covered in tattoos. Pelts and furs.
A billowing cloak.

Choose two ways you become a conduit of

magic (some might call these “spells”)
Speak to stone and branch, foresight, flawless navigation, deep
stasis, astral projection, telepathy, reshape and reform, portal,
give life to clay, step through dreams, commune with spirits,
blink, phase out, ward, affect gravity

Choose the aspect of modern witch

life you find baffling, confusing and
upsetting
Electricity and electronics, books, social cliques,
schedules, socializing, sharing a dorm, dealing with
authority and hierarchy, the bustle of urban life, the
constant distractions, the rules of etiquette and
manners, the practical approach to magic

Choose 2 key relationships:

My roommates, the student council, the headmistress,
my former mentors, the librarian, the fortune teller in
town, the girl who thinks I’m the coolest, the spirit I
just befriended.

67
 Choose a pet or magical tool, or make
up your own:
Fortune-telling bones, a dowsing rod, a channeling staff,
magic thread, ward-scribing ink, a hunting hawk that can see
the invisible, candles and incense, wooden wishing tablets, a
pocket-sized shrine

Lure:
When somebody seeks your wisdom and your intimate
connection to the Weave, they gain a token.

Tips:
Make your character fallible and relatable. Be weird,
powerful and mystical. Struggle with modern society.

Questions: ask one to your left, ask the

other to your right.
�� What’s the most awe-inspiring feat of magic you’ve seen me
do?
�� What gift did you give me to welcome me into your group of
friends?

68
 Weak Moves
�� Lose control of the Weave
�� Be condescending and smug
�� Fail to understand something about modern life
�� Let your immense power or your absent-mindedness lead
you to hurt or embarrassment
�� Establish a previously unknown fact about the Weave itself.
�� Ask “can you show me how to work this?”

Regular Moves
�� Focus, channel and project magic
�� Inspire and impress with your knowledge
�� Take action, leaving yourself vulnerable
�� Cast a “spell” you know
�� Ask “are you looking with more than your eyes?”

Strong Moves
�� Change something irrevocably
�� Surpass your limits
�� Be a bridge, a conduit, a gate
�� Settle an argument decisively
�� Explore
�� Cast a previously unrevealed spell
�� Ask “can I teach you something?”

69
 ASPEC

70
C TS

71
 d u l t
T h e A
t c h e s
Wi

72
73
 d
, a s s i s tants an
ers u
e s s , t h e teach r i t y fi g ures yo
dmistr l the au
tho ly well-
The hea a f f - a l e . M o s t
ching st ur daily
lif
ust not
non-tea i t h i n y o
sa n d t o j
od,
ntend w wer trip l the go
must co n e t o p o
incl u d e s a l
, but pro ct also ecially t
he
meaning Th i s a s p e
iet y - e s p
it, man. itch soc
getting be r s o f W
.
p s t a n d ing mem i n d e d witches
u lly-m
o r e t r aditiona
m

Moves:
📍 Appear unexpectedly to stop the group’s
plans
📍 Change the rules without warning
📍 Recruit the characters to organize a
school event
📍 Provide foolish advice.
📍 Enforce strict adherence to tradition.
74
 Pick up when:
you want authority figures to throw a wrench into well-
laid plans, or when it’s time for some school spirit.

Trade away when:

you want to put a stop to the teachers’ power trip, or
when you have to explain yourself to authority figures.

Choose two absurd rules, set

in stone:
Curfew, must wear a witch hat at all times, going
into town is forbidden, going into town is mandatory,
unreturned library books will catch fire inside your
bag, mandatory weekly bed check, teachers must be
addressed as Your Most Excellent, badly made potions
must be drunk in full by the brewer, speed limit on
broomsticks.

75
 u d e n t
h e S t
T
Body

76
77
 n e w a r r iv als, some
ome al
f e ll o w s t udents - s g t im e . M any inform y
Your
e e n h e r e for a lon c li q u e s , but nobod
who have
b ious
x is t a m o ng the var r o f the annu
ally
h ie s e p o w e
hierarc t h e primacy
and
t r y doing a
e s t io n o u c a n
would qu ybe y
t u d e n t C ouncil. Ma
elected S
?
little coup

Moves:
📍 Harass, bully and pester the weak and
the different
📍 Make plans, go into town, throw a party
📍 Establish a new fashion trend.
📍 Ask for help with a problem that can’t
be solved alone

78
 Pick up when:
peer pressure weighs down on your fellow characters,
or when the Student Council is up to something sketchy

Trade away when:

the Student Council’s schemes disrupt yours, or when
you’re interacting with your fellow students. Also trade it
away if you want to run for student council!

Circle some recurrent

characters:
the one other hedge witch at the Academy

the haughtiest poshest the Student Council

aristocrat you can imagine treasurer and secretary.

the witches who are in a band the theater witches

the musical theater witches the troublemaker clique

the witches who can hook you up the star jock

79
 T he
i z e ns
Den

80
81
 as
a demy h
y e a r s ,t h e A c
, f a i r i e s, ogres
f oul s
dreds o blins, gh
For hun o n s t e r s , g o
t h e groun
ds,
d m t e n d pair
employe c r e a t u res to n g a n d even re
nger bi
and stra r s , fi x the plum e m , i f any, are
he floo ry few o
f th
ere may
sweep t n t s . V e a c t , t h
accide In f e
magical a r r a n g ement. w i n g u nder th
ith this t ste
happy w r e r e s entmen
than me
be more
.
surface

Moves:
📍 Sabotage something important.
📍 Seek help from witches
📍 Reveal a previously unknown aspect of
the Denizens
📍 Stoke the fires of revolution
82
 Choose their reputation
(circle two):
Overzealous incompetent disrespectful
lazy
helpful sarcastic
unscrupulous highly
welcoming hierarchical
extremely begrudgingly
formal obedient proselytising elusive
brazenly loud union strong

Pick up when:
someone interacts with the Denizens, or when
something at the Academy needs fixing.

Trade away when:

you are centrally involved with the creatures who
keep things running - whether they’re on the clock or
pursuing their own goals in their free time.

83
 T he
Town

84
85
 t h e A cademy
om
a s k i p away fr - magical
p a n d r , n o n
ho ula ed
A short n . N a m e it. Reg s t l y u n concern
tow , mo
lies the v es here re
l e l i v e t h e i r l i
s , t h o u gh a mo oks
peo p
i v e s o f witche t h e h i dden no
l find ices
with the e r s o n might m s a nd serv
ing p al i t e
discern s w h e r e magic n dane sh
ops
a n n i e a r , m u
and cr gul
- a n d even re d own low
.
are s o l d ho n t h e
g r u n b y a witc
bein

Moves:
📍 Make an outrageous demand
📍 Shun and isolate witches
📍 Establish an unexpected fact about
town life
📍 Try to fleece, con or deceive the
witches
📍 Find common ground and
understanding with witches

86
 Circle two desires:
Financial stability the destruction establish the
of the Academy superiority
full integration
to make witches of the
with witch society
subservient mortal world
to hunt down
steal witches’ secrets
any witches to marry
to cooperate witches and
to absorb the Academy
and coexist mortals
into the town
violence against
connection and hierarchy
scapegoats
solidarity and order

Pick up when:
someone goes into the town - or mortal society in
general - or interacts significantly with it, or when
the town is scheming against the Academy or making
demands of it.

Trade away when:

you’re out in the Town or directly involved with a non-
witch.

87
 T he
e a v e
W

88
89
 tly
a g i c i s inheren
m
e x i s t s because a s a mind o
f
d e m y an d i t h
The Aca d a n gerous, e c t h as been
ea n d nt a s p ,
unstabl s e m i-sentie t h e c enturies
Th i s ou t the
its own. n a m e s through W e a v e. It is
any Th e
called m i t i s k nown as w e l l s p r ing from
ently witches
,a
order to
but curr e r f o r j e c t i n
of pow ss and p
ro
perties
source , h a r n e i c a l p r o
ey tap out the
mag t
which th n d d r a w e v e n p eople. I
lls a and
cast spe a l s , objects m a n y magical
s, an i m r th e y-
in plant u r c e o f life fo i n t h e Academ
he so wit h
is also t g o u t s ide and
es livi n tile.
creatur u l a n d the hos
e helpf
both th

Moves:
📍 Grant immense temporary power at a cost
📍 Make magic backfire
📍 Punish and reward the use of magic
arbitrarily
📍 Communicate through signs, symbols and
apparitions
📍 Alter something irrevocably
90
 Circle two desires:
Human dependence expansion
seclusion
playfulness restoration
balance
sentience entropy
reshaping revenge
the world create mysteries test and
challenge
obscure and punish

Pick up when:
a player performs great magic or pushes their own
abilities, or you want to interact with something
supernatural.

Trade away when:

you test the limits of your magic or leave yourself
vulnerable to the Weave’s machinations.

91
 T he y
a d e m
Ac
Itself

92
93
 es
i t s o w n. Witch
o f ing
a y h a v e a mind w n . B u t the th
ave m ir o rise
The We e a m i n d of the d e n t s by surp
ly hav stu its
definite c h e s m ost new d e m y Itself -
lly cat Ac a
that rea e o u t d one, the a i n ed in it,
the
t o b c o n t n,
is that,
not
s , e v e r ything m i n d o f its ow
d a
s groun also has ands of
walls, it o c c u p i e s -
e t h o u s
ace it tion wit
h th
very sp n v e r s a
ant co
in const t h a t inhabit
it.
nd s
little mi

Moves:
📍 Shift through space, rearranging rooms,
hallways and buildings.
📍 Show convenient shortcuts at a cost
📍 Hide and reveal things
📍 Belch forth secrets and mysteries for
witches to solve
📍 Bring people together or separate them
94
 Circle two drives
To test and challenge to nurture and coddle
to surprise and awe to limit and constrain

to discourage to give to encourage intimacy

rule breaking and take
to create obstacles
to be playful to be dangerous

Pick up when:
a player is traversing the premises or is looking for
trouble at school, or the Academy itself is about to act
on one of its drives.

Trade away when:

you engage with the Academy as its own entity, or you
want to turn its unpredictable and surprising sentience
into a useful tool.

95
 ung witches
an d em ot io na l game about yo
n
Cantrip is a fu miliar witch
es . W he n pl aying it, the fa
ntur
and their adve e you while guid
ing you
m ly w el co m
will war
school tropes world. It evok
es
uc h m or e or iginal fantasy
through a m nced drama
an im e fr ie nd ships, the enha
of
the nostalgia ls, and the
ie s, th e bi te of fantasy nove
mov
of high school t. It combines
all of this
of W it ch cr af
cance
cultural signifi like canvas over
which to
ts a dr ea m
d presen
seamlessly an
chy world.
te yo ur ow n take on the wit
crea
s te r
- D a n a , p la y te

96