The Magical Year of a Teenage Witch
A downloadable storytelling game
There is a time in every witch’s teenage years when their magic is amplified and the foundations of their powers are set. This time is known as their Magical Year. Supernatural entities are drawn to them, spells manifest from the experiences they have, and skills are acquired quickly and easily.
Often witches are encouraged to live in a new place during this year of their life in order to amplify its effects. This is also the time the witch starts putting entries into their Spellbook, a cherished and important possession that will remind the witch of who they are and where their power comes from for decades on.
What life-changing experiences, friendships and powers will you discover in your Magical Year?
Description
The Magical Year of a Teenage Witch is a GM-less journaling/storytelling game that can be played solo or with a group.
The Magical Year uses the Thousand Year Old Vampire system by Tim Hutchings. By answering prompts ordered in sets of three, you will string together vignettes that relate to each other and call back to your previous experiences. You may meet a character in your first prompt, then three prompts later discover they have a secret they're keeping about a place you visited in your second prompt.
You play a young witch coming into their power. By answering prompts, you will discover who your witch is, who their friends are, what magical experiences they have, and which powers they learn as they move through the four seasons of their Magical Year. Along the way you’ll gain and modify Traits to reflect how your witch builds on what they know and determine the kind of witch they'll become.
This is a slice-of-life game with optimistic and upbeat themes. You'll find very little conflict here. It’s designed to spotlight warm relationships and otherwise everyday experiences, enhanced with a little magic.
While the game can be played as a solo journaling game or with friends around a table (or in a voice call), the multiplayer rules also feature a unique way to play the game asynchronously by play-by-post, or over a messager app such as Discord. One player plays a mentor witch and facilitates play for the other players who play apprentice witches.
Art by Wren Hawthorne.
Inspirations & Touchstones:
- Flying Witch
- Non Non Biyori
- Kiki's Delivery Service
- Atelier Ryza
- Golden Sky Stories
- Hilda
What's Included
- Game Rules
- Two Prompt Sheet Sets (Default & Mentor)
- Character Sheet Templates (.docx & .odt)
- Quick Reference Guide
- Tables to Help Create Powers
Actual Plays
Roll for Felicity - Taylor the Teenage Witch
Vibe Playlist
Purchase
In order to download this storytelling game you must purchase it at or above the minimum price of $10 USD. You will get access to the following files:
Community Copies
Support this storytelling game at or above a special price point to receive something exclusive.
Community Copies
Each copy of The Magical Year purchased adds a free community copy for someone to grab if the cost is prohibitive. Any tips will add more copies as well!
If you take a community copy, consider leaving a review, rating or comment to help the game's visibility. However, do not feel obligated.
Development log
- Magical Year Has Launched!Apr 09, 2021
- Beta 1.1 Is Here! Reworked Rules, a Revamped Look & More!Sep 13, 2020
Comments
Log in with itch.io to leave a comment.
this looks right up my alley! sadly college app prices leave me without much to spare (aahhhhh!!) so i hate to say it, but i'll have to wait for community copies to be available. if i could afford to, i'd buy it in a heartbeat <3
I think I just missed it, check is regurarly, but I havent paid enough attention, I hope to play it soon, I cannot wait to jump into another world and character from this world for a little while, it looks amazing from what I have seen and gameplay on youtube!
check it now!
I know most of the comments are people asking, but I'd love an update on more community copies. :) Game looks right up my alley, but being unemployed (thanks chatgpt) means no money for games right now. :(
As a copywriter, I feel you. Someone was very generous with a $10 tip today so I’ll put a new batch up in a couple minutes! I hope you enjoy the game.
I am looking forward to it! These games are so good as writing exercises / to keep the skills up. Thank you! :)
This looks super interesting! I’m very poor but would love to play, is there any chance you’ll add some community copies soon? (: I’d be happy to leave a rating for it
Added another batch!
sweet thank you so much <333
I'd love to play this game I just can't afford it right now. can i be notified when a copy comes up? Thank you so much, if not no worries
Hi! Is it okay for me to ask if there will be community copies any time soon? I would love to play, but I can't afford a copy right now. Thanks!
Copies are in, lmk if you don't get one!
I've really enjoyed this game so far! I am still on my first season but it's a very relaxing game for me. I sometimes stress about not following the rules correctly when I play board games, but I don't stress about that with this. It's quite nice.
That's great to hear. I'm currently (slowly) reworking the rules to make it a bit less complicated. If you have any feedback you'd like to provide, I'm all ears!
any chance there will be more community copies soon?
Copies are available, apologies for the wait!
this was my first jump into solo journaling games a couple of years ago, and it is terrific! thank you for inspiring my love of this niche genre.
Thank you for playing!!
community copies pls ?
More are live, go go go!
It's such a beautiful full colour work. Is there a physical copy or print on demand available?
Thanks so much! I'm working on an updated version of the game, and may look into making physical copies available. We will see! If you bought the game or got a community copy, you'll get an email update when the new version is done. It'll be a bit, though!
Is there any chance for some community copies please? Id love to play this but no funds. X
Sorry for the late reply, community copies are available again!
I've yet to download this game, but it's been on my radar for a while! Have you considered making a demo available for those who might be on the fence about purchasing?
I actually have! I just need to get around to it. 😅 My personal life is a little wild right now. In the meantime if you want a community copy I am adding some soon after posting this comment!
That's incredibly appreciated!! I'll take a flip through and see what's what, thank you for your kindness!
I really love this game and would love to donate a few community copies. Is the best way to add extra $10 donations on top of a new purchase?
Thanks for your kindness! I’m looking into how I can add an option for just donating community copies.
Quick Q, are there supposed to be more sets than the one I am seeing? The rules sounds like there should be others, but there is just the mentor set, at least from what I can find while reading through everything
Hi! Unfortunately no, the only sets done are the base/default set and the mentor set. I had plans for more but I started a demanding job and life got busy. I do plan on getting back to them someday, though!
Oh my this looks just up my alley I love witchy things and have just been getting into solo journaling, are any more community copies going to happen?
sorry for the late reply but there are copies now!
Oh lol i guess i was a lil late in seeing this their gone now :p
I really love your game! I was really excited to hear that there are more prompt sets to play through, but then got worried when I couldn't find any information about them within the past year. I hope you're doing well!
Hey, thanks for the kind words! Yes, unfortunately I have much less time in my personal life and a new job that's pretty taxing. Someday I hope to get back to it and provide more prompt sets.
Lovely game, swashtalk.
🙏🙏🙏
new batch just dropped!
Hello, I’m new to solo RPG, and I’m so excited to have found this community! Any chance some community copies will drop soon so I can try your game? It looks like so much fun! Thank you.
New batch dropped!
Thanks so much! I can’t wait to try it!
Hi, is it okay to ask when you'll be adding more community copies?
I have a couple I'll release now, good luck!
Thank you!
Hi there! Any chance at a community copy? Thank you!
Some new ones have dropped, go go go!
Hi! I’m an educator hoping that I might be able to use this to get some reluctant friends to write this coming year. Is there a way to sign up for notification when more community copies are available? Thanks!
Sorry for the wait, but another set is up!
Thank you! I was able to get one. I can’t wait to try this plan this school year.
If you can, please let me know how it goes!
I will! It’s going to be an adventure for me but I have hopes this fun thing might help them want to write. Maybe.
When will you add more community copies? :)
I believe I got you a copy, correct? If not let me know!
Yes yes I do! Thank you so much! It's a wonderful game!
gonna keep an eye out for community copies!! very excited to play this, though! it looks super charming :)
A batch is releasing now, email themagicalyearofateenagewitch@gmail.com if you don't get one!
tysm!!! very excited to play :)
Hi. I was wondering if you are willing to put a few more community copies. I would love to grab one and play it straight away.
A new crop of community copies have been made available, email me at themagicalyearofateenagewitch@gmail.com if you aren’t able to snag a copy. Thanks for the interest!
Thank you so much. So excited.
I just wanted to say thank you for creating this awesome game and making community copies available! I'd never played any RPG before so I wasn't sure whether I'd be able to get into it, but I was completely enthralled. I'm planning to play again ASAP now I've got the rules down, and hopefully get a bit more creative with my responses :) Thanks again!
Ah, that's great! Means a lot to me, thank you.
Helloo, I was wondering if there were any more community copies available? I adore the concept of this game - it sounds so heartwarming and sweet! Tysm in advance :)
I have added more copies! If you don't grab one, please email themagicalyearofateenagewitch@gmail.com and I'll get you one.
I would really love to play this any chance of more community copies please
Sorry this is so late, but I have added more copies! If you don't grab one, please email themagicalyearofateenagewitch@gmail.com and I'll get you one.
Thanks from what I've read of the PDF so far I'm going to have a blast with this thank you for the copy!!!
This is a less sad, extra bells and whistles version of Vampire. Easy to pick up and understand, and SUPER simple to play.
My witch Stanley has learned to blow stuff up by pointing at it, then learned to nullify spells that require a constant source of magic to cast. In his FIRST THREE MONTHS.
Are you still reading this? Stop it. Buy this game if you can. The creator deserves it ☺️
Ah, thank you! Stanley sounds like a very good witch.
Hi! I have heard WONDERS about this game... Any chance to snag a community copy in the near future?
Hi, thanks for the kind words! I’m adding another round of them in about 15 minutes. May the odds be in your favor!
EEEEE THANKEE! I can't wait to get started!
Hi! is there any plans to add more community copies soon?
More are about to be added!
i see! Thank you !
any chance if a community copy for my wife?
now is your chance!
Keeping my eye out for community copies, this game sounds exactly like my sort of thing!
Go go go!
Hello, do you plan to add more community copies? The game looks very interesting :'0
Gez, I added five a couple hours ago! :D
Here’s a few more, go go go!
Thanks, I'll be sure to try It! :]
My 9yo asked to play a prompt-driven RPG like Thousand Year Old Vampire, but without the "creepy theme", and a user on rpggeek.com pointed this out. Printed it last night and hoping to help her play it soon. Thanks!
I love this! Let me know if you have any questions. The rules are a little intense especially during character creation, but I hope you all enjoy it once you get going!
I would love to play this! Sorry to ask, but how often are community copies added? I really need something lighthearted and cozy like this in my life right now, haha
Just added some more, go go go! Let me know if you don't get one.
Is there possibly a way to be notified when more community copies become available? Or, around how often do they get added? ty!!
Hi! I don’t think there’s a way to be notified and they’re added every few days, but they go FAST. I’m adding a few extras now, if you don’t get one email themagicalyearofateenagewitch at gmail and I’ll hook you up!
I got one! Tysm <3 !
I've been having total fun with this.
I saw this on kickstarter and it looks loke a freakish copy, have you seen it? I left a comment and got nothing. https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=pfbid0cm8sBfXVBsWBmfLS77iYbv5z9HaNeN...
Hi, thank you for the kind words! Glad you’re enjoying the game.
And thank you for sharing this project, I hadn’t heard of it yet! So when I made this game years ago, I was surprised there weren’t already more games like it. I see the similarities, but I also see how we arrive at similar places with similar inspiration.
I don’t know if the designer is aware of my little game or not, but even if they do take inspiration from Magical Year, I’m flattered. Magical Year only exists because Tim Hutchings was kind enough to allow me to use his TYOV system. Koriko looks great, I wish it success, and will look forward to getting my hands on a copy!
(And maybe it’s inspired me to do a physical release of Magical Year 2.0 down the line, we’ll seeeeee)
You had me at Kiki's Delivery Service! Is there any chance there will be more community copies soon? Thanks in advance for you generosity <3
More added! If you aren’t able to grab what you need, email themagicalyearofateenagewitch@gmail.com and I’ll set you up. Thanks!
No, thank you so much <33 I just got it.