The Magonomia Experience

We’re getting started on a lighter Quick Start for Magonomia that will be an easier entry to the game than the Starter Rules. The first page explains what Magonomia is like, so the reader can decide whether there’s any point in reading further. Here’s the first draft:


Illustration by Teresa Guido, ©2020 Shewstone Publishing LLC

Learning a new roleplaying game is an investment of your time (and money). It’s fair to ask what the game will be like once you’ve learned it.

Presumably you know the basic premise that everyone plays a wizard in a fantasy version of Renaissance England. Beyond that:

  • The magic is based on authentic sixteenth-century folklore. If feels like the magic portrayed in Shakespeare’s plays, rather than modern fantasy movies. Your wizard won’t be throwing fireballs. They’re more likely to fly on a broomstick or to brew a potion that grants superhuman strength.

  • Your wizard will start with a repertoire of 11 spells, chosen from a list. Each spell does one specific thing, such as turning your character invisible or detecting curses.

  • Teamwork is key. Because everyone plays a wizard, there are five varieties of magic to choose from, each with its own strengths and weaknesses.

  • The mechanics are based on the Fate™ system, specifically Fate Condensed. This is a skill-based system with improvisational elements.

Magonomia is a good choice for you if:

  • You’re captivated by the lore from when Europeans thought magic and faeries were real.

  • An all-wizard campaign sounds awesome to you.

  • You like to think creatively while using your character’s powers and abilities.

  • You like to immerse yourself in the scene your character is experiencing.

Magonomia may not be to your liking if:

  • Power gaming is your thing.

  • You like realistic adventures better than magic. Magonomia is about wizards.

  • You prefer lightweight rules that you don’t have to think about.

  • You dislike games where your character’s plan goes sideways.

Progress on Map Revisions for Magonomia Core Rules

As we posted at the end of February, the Enchanted England map in Magonomia Core Rules has some errors and we’re working on corrections. There’s some progress on that effort: this weekend the cartographer handed over the updated map for final polishing — getting those pesky towns settled into their proper places, and double-checking that notable locations mentioned in the book are also mentioned on the map.

When this is done, we’ll update both the consumer PDF and the digital master for print-on-demand, and order a new set of proofs. The updated map should be in the book before Gen Con.

The updated map will be available as a free download on the Shewstone website. We can’t afford to send out replacement copies to the customers who bought the version with the erroneous map, but we’ll give everyone who’s already bought the print edition (including crowdfunding backers) a coupon to order an updated copy for the cost of printing (plus taxes, shipping, etc.)

Pregenerated character index on Magonomia® wiki

Following up last week’s article about Gemini : we actually have published quite a few ready-made PCs for Magonomia, between the Starter Rules, Early Access, and now the Core Rules Example characters.

We’ve made a list of all the published characters on the Magonomia wiki, including where to download them and what (if any) changes are needed to bring them up to date to the final, published Core Rules.

These should help you get started quickly with a published adventure or homebrew one-shot. Enjoy!