Works

I recently had the pleasure of working on something for the 5 Powers jam over on itch.io!

You can check out the submission here:

This is a set of alternate and expansion rules for the base WuDe game which I intended for darker and fantasy campaign settings. It introduces some new mechanics, and also includes a redesigned character sheet to accommodate them.

If you’re unfamiliar with WuDe, the game centers around the use of the Element Dice system, a narrative framework that uses interpretations of 6-sided dice to guide RPG storytelling.

The system is based on the East-Asian philosophy of Yin & Yang and the 5 elements, using dice faces to represent the different elements and black and white dice to represent yin and yang, respectively. For more about Element Dice, check out the 5 powers blog.

I unfortunately am writing this post much after the fact and no longer have all my design notes, so the breakdown will be brief, but there are some thoughts/process notes below the cut for those interested.

Again, thank you very much to Ralf Meyenberger for hosting the jam and providing wonderful support. Please check out WuDe if you have the chance! It’s a really interesting system.

Enjoy!

In the Language of Flowers is a Fiasco playset set in the rose-colored world of catholic girls’-school yuri: where affections are fleeting, and the lines between love and friendship are as evanescent as the seasons. At the insular St. Sacred Lily Girls’ Academy, players can enjoy the unique blend of antiquity, outlandish romanticism, and teenage melodrama that etches classical works indelibly into the pillars of yuri culture.

You can download Language of Flowers for free here, or for pay-what-you-want on itch.co:

itch.io download (v 1.1 PDF)

direct download (v 1.1 PDF)

This is a concept that is very near and dear to my heart, and the playset is something I’ve been sitting on for a long time. I hope that fans of the genre will find joy in what’s here. Though my goal was to recreate the tone of a classical yuri setting, I tried to add enough modern elements that it feels fun and accessible even to those not super familiar with older titles.

There are, in hindsight, many things I could have done differently, but hopefully I stuck a good balance and managed to do my favorite genre some justice.

Huge thanks to my my friend Eupho for her support and suggestions, as well as to my playtesting group for their enthusiasm and feedback. This scenario would not exist without you!

I would love to hear your thoughts of comments if you do try In the Language of Flowers! Please don’t hesitate to reach out either here or on twitter.

I plan to release this playset in Japanese as well, but it might take awhile.

Gokigenyou.