Come play a wizard in Enchanted England! Follow the footsteps of legendary magicians such as Paracelsus, Christian Rosenkreutz, and Queen Elizabeth’s astrologer and conjurer, Dr. John Dee. Encounter creatures of sixteenth-century literature and legend: the elemental spirits from Shakespeare’s The Tempest; the witches of MacBeth; Black Shuck, the hound of ill omen; the faerie King Oberon and his court. Venture beyond your laboratory in your quest for mystical knowledge, for only by following your destiny can you unlock your potential. Magic is the secret that cannot be told. If you remain true to your purpose, you may even reveal the secret, mystical laws of the universe: the Magonomia!®

Your wizard’s spells are based on real-world magical beliefs from sixteenth-century Europe. This is a time when a magician can practice openly and earn riches and honor. Together, the wizards explore mysteries in a world that unites the intrigue and exploration of the Elizabethan era with legends of faeries, witches, curses, and prophecies. Enchanted England is a place of wonder and peril, a land ripe for adventure!

What destiny do your stars foretell?

Magonomia® Core Rules

Magonomia® is the tabletop roleplaying game of Renaissance wizardry. The player characters are wizards whose magic is based on authentic sixteenth century folklore. Together, they explore mysteries in Enchanted England: a world steeped in invisible spirits, enigmatic faeries, and secret societies.

Magic is the secret that cannot be told.

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A Bestiary of Enchanted England

This is not your typical RPG bestiary. Folklore experts have gone off the beaten path to uncover authentic but little-known legends such as Eala, the haunted swan harp; Kenidjack, the bright-eyed demon of Cornwall; the Laidly Toad Queen; and the mysterious Merchicken of Portland! Familiar favorites such as elves and the afanc have been updated from their medieval origins to imagine them adapted to a Renaissance world. This book is full of lore, plot hooks, and illustrations to help make each of these 37 creatures the centerpiece or a truly memorable story.

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Where to Buy

Indie Press Revolution! (PDF only)

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The Mysteries of Magic

To defend Kingdoms, to discover the secret counsels of men, to overcome enemies, to redeem captives, to increase riches, to procure the favor of men, to expell diseases, to preserve health, to prolong life, to renew youth, to foretell future events, to see and know things done many miles off, and such like as these, by vertue of superior influences, may seem things incredible; Yet read but the ensuing Treatise, and thou shalt see the possibility thereof confirmed both by reason, and example.

—J.F., introduction to Three Books of Occult Philosophy by Heinrich Cornelius Agrippa

Your wizard is one of the few who has mastered one of the noble Sciences of magic. From the start of play, your spells enable wondrous feats such as invisibility, flight, even forecasting the future.

We have built a rich magic system with over 175 unique spells. Forget fireballs: the spells use historical themes such as divination, curses, conjuration, magical amulets, and even creating permanent magical effects through elaborate Grand Enchantments. The unique magic system is simple to learn, yet provides plenty of opportunity for creative problem solving with magic. Innovative divination rules mean spells can always advance the story, but never spoil the mystery.

Your wizard will specialize in one of the five magical Sciences. Each Science has different strengths and weaknesses so a group of different wizards will complement one another.

Alchemy is the practice of mystical refinement: awakening hidden magical properties in things and people. An alchemist has versatile, short-range spells and can bestow magical powers on others.

Astrology is mastery of the ever-changing influences of the planets on earthly things. As above, so below. Astrology is the subtlest Science: it changes conditions in the wizard’s favor and finds answers other magic cannot.

Sorcery is the art of conjuring and commanding spirits, like Prospero from Shakespeare's The Tempest. Sorcery grants the most overt magical powers: flight, moving objects at a distance, and creating illusions.

Theurgy is the study of names of power. Invoking the names spirits or angels, the magician can command both the natural and supernatural sides of the world. Theurgy most excels at divination and combatting supernatural enemies.

Witchcraft is the folk magic of Britain, a hodgepodge of herb lore, charms, and a smattering of the other magical Sciences. The most powerful witches cast spells of prophecy and shapechanging from northern Europe's pagan past.

An Age of Adventure

Wizards in Magonomia® don’t live separately from the rest of the world: they are part of it! You can become one of the Queen’s secret agents, using your magic to foil sinister plots against the Crown. You can join the famous Sea Dogs, exploring exotic lands and using your spells to plunder the Spanish treasure fleet. You can vie for favor and influence at the royal court or use your magic to become the greatest outlaw in the history of the British Isles. Just as Shakespeare wrote both comedies and tragedies, you can make your stories whimsical or epic.

Powered by Fate™

Magonomia is built on the award-winning Fate™ Core System rules. Fate is lightweight enough to learn in half an hour, but it provides rich opportunities for creative gameplay. Fate has incentives to draw players into helping to shape the story, making them active participants. It's perfect for evoking the interplay among free will, Fortune, and Destiny that characterized the magical thought of the European Renaissance.

We've created a friendly introduction to help newcomers learn the Fate rules, revised character creation, and designed an all-new, detailed magic system from the building blocks of Fate mechanics. All the rules you need are included in the Magonomia rule book.

Reviews

“No one is ever going to do a better researched, more textured, or more interesting game about Elizabethan wizards. And Elizabethan wizards are great!" - Richard Marpole, fantasy-faction.com

"if you love playing wizards that are not grossly worldshaking and all-powerful, or ... limited by spell slots, you should definitely give this game a look." DeathByMage

"Add wizards to the politics and magic to the exploration and discovery and you simply have a recipe for wonder." John Sharp, More Than Just Gaming

Look Inside

Art Gallery

Check out the original artwork for Magonomia® Core Rules! All thumbnail images are ©2020-2021 Shewstone Publishing LLC. Artists (in alphabetical order): Hugh Alan, Steven Bachan, Teresa Guido, Jeff Koch, Brad McDevitt, Lindsay Orr, Claudio Pozas, Colin Throm.