#midnight magic tarot

[spidermartini]

I am super excited about this deck by artist Sara Richard (on pre-order for March). The art is absolutely GORGEOUS. I can't wait to see the rest of the cards. The Magician has a dragonfly's wings as the infinity sign above his head...that is BRILLIANT. The other animals...the bright colors on the black background.....obsessed.

[miss-tilney-tarot]

I'm staying home sick from work tomorrow and I'd love to do some readings!

Send me an ask or if you'd like a guaranteed reading you can click here and don't forget to include either your username or email address in the note so I can get your reading to you!

Ground rules:

No 3rd party readings

No past life readings

No mediumship readings

Free - One card, one sentence answer. One photo. I will get to it after paid readings are done, and if I am able to, but no guarantees. Feel free to send me an ask!

$1- One card, one sentence answer, photo of card

$5 - One card, in depth paragraph answer, photo of card

$12 - Three card spread, a paragraph per card and a summary, photo of cards

$44 - 10 card celtic cross spread. Deep dive into an issue. Ends up being a paragraph overview, a few sentences per card, and a three paragraph summary of the reading. Delivery time for this reading is 2 weeks (usually within a few days but lets go with 2 weeks).

If you're interested in a paid reading but aren't't sure, feel free to message me!

[thecrackedamethyst]

So what, I can't post directly from Instagram anymore? What is that. Why. You expect me to type the same thing twice in a row? I think not.

Ok I usually do, but only because I can save drafts here and not in Insta, so I have to download them from Tumblr, to my phone, then back up to Insta. What a process.

Anyways. I'm iffy about this deck.

[taarene]

Aries: Taroscope for Four Life Areas

ARIES - Tarot Reading for Four Life Areas

If this reading resonates with you and you'd like to book a personal reading, feel free to PM me :)

This is for Aries in Sun, Moon, Rising or Venus.

The energy you're currently in: 10 of Swords

In this context, card expresses a sense of emotional burden. Here's a quote from the Midnight Magic Tarot book: "The Ten of Swords announces that what seems like a chaotic experience might only be a natural transitional event (...) Appreciate the lessons you've learned from this hard time instead of focusing on the crisis itself."

1. Mental Sphere, Stress and Tensions: Strength + 7 of Cups + Reversed Ingwaz and Wyrd The 10 of Swords talks about this heavy burden, while the 7 of Cups indicates that you've made peace with letting go of what’s old and no longer serves you. Now, you have access to what you need for inner transformation (Strength). However, Ingwaz emphasizes the need for renewal and regeneration. Along with Strength, it highlights where you should start: within yourself. Wyrd is a rune calling you to trust fate and a Higher Power, which is reinforced by the Tower card appearing later in your spread. Trust that what is leaving your life now is doing so for your benefit. I've always seen Wyrd as a powerful rune connected to destiny, and the Tower represents divine intervention.

2. Love and Partnership: Magician + 3 of Pentacles + 10 of Wands + Page of Swords + 7 of Pentacles The first two cards indicate that your relationship is your driving force during this tough time. However, 10 of Wands and Page of Swords, as advice, say: be honest with this person about how much weight you're carrying right now. You will have the opportunity to see if your relationship is built on solid foundations. If it is, then joy awaits you, as shown by the 7 of Pentacles as the outcome.

3. Arguments and Conflicts: Reversed Wheel of Fortune + Hanged Man + Tower + 4 of Swords + King of Cups It seems like you’re in a state of waiting for some catastrophe, although this mindset is mostly due to your exhaustion. The Tower, as advice, asks you to accept that what hinders you must go. The 4 of Swords, as the outcome, promises peace, renewal of mental energy, calm, and relaxation. However, for now, you need silence and distance. The King of Cups suggests that this may relate to your relationship with your father.

4. Work and Finances: Reversed High Priestess + Reversed Page of Pentacles + Ace of Pentacles + 9 of Cups + The Emperor The High Priestess here could point to your fear of a despotic boss. Additionally, this person may not see your true potential or what you have to offer (indicated by the next two cards). The advice is the 9 of Cups, which tells you that your place is somewhere where you will be appreciated and where you’ll find joy in your professional relationships. There, professional growth, high earnings, and the realization of your true potential await you because The Emperor represents YOU, Aries (a card associated with your zodiac sign):

"The fly agaric is an iconic mushroom, usually the very image we conjure up when we think of a mushroom. They grow large and strong, and aren't afraid to flaunt their bright oranges, yellows, and reds (colors that broadcast their toxic effects to any creature who dare eat it). Like The Emperor card, the fly agaric has earned respect and can teach you a lot about control and leadership."

Decks used: Midnight Magic Tarot and Runes of Nature’s Power.

[manifestdestinytarot]

185/365 - id•ego•superego

[mochimoonrabbit]

[solitary-witch-murmurings]

Midnight Magic - A Tarot Deck of Mushrooms

It's no secret that I absolutely love mushrooms. I've been looking for a specific vintage-y mushroom deck for a long time but haven't been successful. Recently, though, this one crossed my path and it combines the beauty of mushrooms with a gorgeous dark fairy tale-like theme into this wonderful deck.

The details on the designs is stunning and the end result is so very whimsical. I must admit I haven't heard of the majority of the mushrooms mentioned on the cards, so I'll need to study up a bit. The booklet gives some minimal info on the mushrooms themselves but does provide a lot about card meanings, which I suppose is what matters most.

[midnight-sun-sanctuary]

Due to a recent poor review I received I would like to make an announcement. For context, this individual declared their companion to be fake and myself to be a sham because nothing changed with their mental health.

In the one month they spent with their companion I was never once messaged about any questions or concerns. I also highlighted in our conversation leading up to the adoption that spirits cannot help with medical problems, only spiritual ones. I wrongly assumed this individual knew that spiritual struggles being eased or made less difficult with a companion's help would not fix any mundane medical issue like depression, anxiety, and so forth.

Unfortunately I was wrong in this assumption and feel the need to make this absolutely clear:

Spirit companions cannot fix your mental health. Spirit companions cannot fix your physical health. Working on things from a spiritual side is not a panacea that will solve all your problems. It is a tool to be used with other tools and nothing more. Do not expect a spirit who is there to be a friend, a mentor, and/or a guardian to fix everything for you. They are not perfect or all knowing beings and you have work to do still yourself.

Should you decide to adopt through Midnight Sun Sanctuary please be aware of the notice above. I make no claims that the spirits I house and match with people can help with medical conditions. Some may have skills easing spiritual struggles or removing parasitic energies, but you must still do your own work if you hope to see progress.

[card-a-day]

Midnight Magic: a Tarot Deck of Mushrooms by Sara Richard (please don't use as foraging guide)

The Fool: Chicken of the Wood

Nurture your new passions. Experience this world of wide and beautiful wonders. The journey is about to begin. You got this!

An easy mushroom to identify, Chicken of the Woods is the prize for many beginner foragers. A perfect match for The Fool.

[dionysianivy]

𝐒𝐚𝐦𝐡𝐚𝐢𝐧

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What is Samhain?

Samhain, celebrated from October 31st to November 1st in the Northern Hemisphere and from April 30th to May 1st in the Southern Hemisphere, is a sacred time when the veil between worlds is at its thinnest. During this festival, the boundaries between realms dissolve, allowing the unseen to come forward. It’s a time to honor our ancestors and offer them hospitality as we transition into the darker half of the year. While it marks the end of the old year, Samhain also heralds the beginning of a new one, reminding us that death is always followed by rebirth, making this festival a powerful moment of transformation.

It is pronounced "Sow-en," which means "summer's end" and aligns with Halloween in the Northern Hemisphere. Samhain marks the time when the Earth enters a period of rest, the days shorten, and winter begins its slow arrival. During this time, the air becomes crisper, the nights grow longer, and the warmth of summer fades, symbolizing the end of one cycle and the start of another.

Samhain holds deep significance as it is a time to remember and honor those we have lost. The thinning of the veil allows for a stronger connection with ancestors, spirits, and otherworldly beings. While it’s a time to venerate these spirits and fair folk, who are particularly active during this liminal period, it’s also essential to protect oneself from any harmful entities that may cross through.

A key aspect of Samhain is honoring and respecting the dead. One simple yet meaningful tradition is to set an extra place at the table for any spirit or ancestor, offering them a meal. Many witches also visit cemeteries to pay respects, not only to their own ancestors but also to those forgotten by time, ensuring no spirit is left without recognition.

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Morrigan x Dagda and Samhain

According to legend, the Irish deities the Dagda and the Morrigan consummate their relationship today to ensure the fertility of land, people, and animals for the year to come. The Dagda, “the good god,” is the tribal father god; the Morrigan, “the phantom queen,” is often described as a “battle goddess,” although that only hints at her powers. She begins the Great Rite in the form of an old hag but is rejuvenated by the union, regaining her youth and beauty. On the eve of Samhain, the Dagda, god of strength and fertility, meets the Morrigan, goddess of war and fate, at the River Unius. As he prepares for battle against the Fomorians, ancient enemies of the Tuatha Dé Danann, he encounters the Morrigan bathing in the river. They make love, a symbolic act representing the union of the land (the Morrigan) with its protector (the Dagda). In return, the Morrigan promises to aid the Tuatha Dé Danann, using her powers of prophecy and battle to help them secure victory. Her role as a goddess of fate is essential, shaping the outcome of the war and the future of the land.

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Magic Correspondences:

Planets: Pluto, Saturn

Season: Autumn

Element: Water

Time of Day: Midnight

Tarot: The Death, The Devil, The Magician

Colors: Black, Orange, Gold, Silver, Red, Yellow, Purple

Herbs: Rosemary, Mugwort, Sage, Patchouli, Frankincense, Calendula, Garlic, Bay, Apple Leaf

Fruits: Pomegranate, Apple, Pear, Grapes, Hazelnuts

Vegetables: Pumpkin, Squash, Carrot, Potato, Turnip

Runes: Eihwaz, Jera, Othala

Crystals: Obsidian, Onyx, Carnelian, Cat’s Eye, Labradorite, Smokey Quartz, Black Tourmaline, Granite, Amber

Trees: Birch, Rowan, Hawthorn

Goddesses: Hecate, Banba, Cerridwen, Macha, Badb, Persephone, Cailleach Bheur, Kali, Bastet, Nephthys, Durga, Arianrhod, Baba Yaga

Gods: Hades, Loki, The Dagda, Cernunnos, Osiris, Anubis, Belenus, Arawn

Dragon: Grael

Flowers: Yarrow, Hawthorn, Marigold, Chrysanthemum, Blackthorn

Animals: Spider, Owl, Bat, Cat, Wolf, Dog, Rat, Snake, Raven, Cow

Magical powers: Transformation, Death, Life Cycles, Honoring the Dead, New Beginnings, Spirit Communication, Witchcraft, Faery Magick, Mirror Spells, Reincarnation, Astral Projection, Balance, Wisdom

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Activities to do:

👻 Honor your ancestors

👻 Connect with your loved ones that have passed away. Give them offerings, talk to them, and remember the happy moments

👻 Watch your favorite spooky movies

👻 Clean your altar (if you have one)

👻 Carve a pumpkin with symbols of what you want to attract (heart = love, water drops = healing)

👻 Talk with spirits through tarot cards, runes, or a pendulum

👻 Connect with your magick and your craft

👻 Honor and connect with your deities, leave them some offerings as it's an important celebration for everyone

👻 Light candles around your house

👻 Write wishes and place them on your jack-o'-lanterns

👻 Eat Samhain food or any food that makes you feel close to this sabbat

👻 Do guided meditations

👻 Make a special recipe and add some intentions

👻 Do some spells! October, especially Samhain, is the most magickal time!

👻 Leave some milk outside for Cat Síth!

👻 Honor the dead and respect life :D

👻 Write your wishes on bay leaves and burn them

👻 Honor the forgotten dead, those who don't have anyone to remember them, and light a candle for them

👻 Cleanse yourself and your house

👻 If you feel comfortable, visit a cemetery

👻 Eat lots of candy

👻 Light a Bonfire

👻 Eat apples (you can also use them as offerings)

👻 Take a walk in nature and appreciate the beauty of autumn

👻 Wear colors associated with Samhain, especially black

👻 Do candle magick

👻 Collect autumn leaves and place them in your house

👻 Use pumpkin seeds for spells—they're great for prosperity, abundance, or even love

👻 Put up photos of your loved ones who have passed, leave them food, and light candles

👻 Place figurines around your home with cats, crows, pumpkins or other Samhain symbols

👻 Throw a Samhain/Halloween feast with the people you love

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Food and drinks:

Meat – pork, especially (it’s completely okay if you don’t want to consume it), pumpkin – anything with pumpkin like pumpkin pie, seeds, bread, soup, corn – sweetcorn, popcorn, cornbread, apples – apple cake, apple pie, apple juice, apple cider, spiced wine, cider, mulled wine, honey, potatoes, roasted vegetables, stew, biscuits, salads made with veggies from your garden, recipes loved by your ancestors, pomegranates, squash

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useful sources: Wicca: A Modern Guide To Witchcraft & Magick; Encyclopedia of Witchcraft: The Complete A-Z for the Entire Magical World by Judika Illes

gifs credit: Pinterest

Tip Jar🕸🎃

[miss-tilney-tarot]

Hello, I'm C. May i ask for a free reading please? I wanted to know if I'll get any opportunity in near future to meet NEW people? I'm at a stage in my life where I don't really get to meet anyone new, just generally speaking. I was wondering if I could make some new friends? Thanks a lot for the opportunity 🙏

Thank you for requesting a reading!

You are at a stage where you just experienced a period of change, and you are settling into what this new stage looks like, looking back at what you had. Before you can move forwards into the new, take time to reflect and even grieve the past.

Just from me, this is such a relatable question and I'm definitely going through that too 🩷

[harleywarley18]

God of prophecy, music, and plague 𖤓°⋆.ೃ࿔*:･𖤓°⋆.ೃ࿔*:･𖤓°⋆.ೃ࿔*:･

I was supposed to post this Sunday but got caught up with stuff so here's a midnight rundown on my relationship to Apollo ;-;

Apollo began showing up around a month after I began my worship to Aphrodite. I was afraid at first. Not of him, but of the idea of worshipping another deity. In the past, I had only ever worshipped one at a time. As a neurodivergent person I was also afraid that my relationship to Aphrodite was just a hyperfixation since I had been playing Hades a lot.

The thought of worshipping Apollo only further worried me. I wanted to assure Aphrodite that she wasn't;t a mere hyperfixation and that she would not be forgotten. The first time I tried to communicate with Apollo via tarot cards, Aphrodite showed up instead and voiced her concerns.

She was afraid that I'd abandon her and forget about her. I knew where this was coming from because I had told her about Hades. Early 2023 I had begun worshipping Hades but after about a month and a half it became too much for me to continue and I kind of just stopped my worship and never went back. I had felt so bad but worship can be so draining sometimes.

Anyways, after reassuring Aphrodite many times I believed I had the okay to begin doing proper research on Apollo before reaching out to him. What interested me about him is his Lo'xias epithet, meaning god of prophecy or messenger of Zeus. I was so drawn to it because throughout my entire life I have always had crazy intuition and predictions.

At first I chalked up to the fact that I'm autistic and can recognize patterns really well. Specifically, I take "data" I've collected about a situation or people and use it to make predictions about what will happen or what they'll do. But, too often did I predict something and it actually happened in a scarily accurate manner. There have been multiple times that it's felt as though I've actually spoken things into existence. For example, while I was ranting to my sister about someone who had talked major shit about me and I said that (for the sake of privacy I will not describe what I said) this specific scenario was going to happen to them. I said it out of anger and in passing but that very weekend exactly the thing that I said would happen to them HAPPENED.

With tarot cards, especially, my readings are always insanely accurate. Even my sister, who is not a believer in anything that I do, is wary about my readings because she knows that whatever the cards say will happen will actually happen. Furthermore, when I first moved to college I had visited a metaphysical store with my cousin and there the owner overheard me say that it had been so long since I had really done tarot that I probably couldn't ever do it again. And she said to me "tarot reading is like riding a bike, you learn once and never forget. She then brought out her own personal oracle cards and had me do a reading on her and her husband. She wanted me to use the cards to tell them who they are. According to them, everything I had said was more than true.

With Apollo, I thought I could use his help to groom and cultivate this proclivity of mine.

After having properly reached out to him, I've come to the realization that I love more than just his prophetic aspect. I stated in my previous post that I had been struggling due to a situation that occurred earlier in the school semester. Even when I was back home, I was struggling with panic attacks and bouts of major anxiety. What always helped, however, was taking my dogs out on their walk and feeling Apollo's rays of sunshine beaming down on me.

Every single time I stepped out of the house-heart racing, hands shaking, ears ringing-suddenly it would all melt away into nothingness the second I felt the sun on my face, enveloping my person, weaving its heat through my curls and over my ears. Even if it had been storming, when the time came to walk the dogs, the sky would magically become clear enough to allow the sun to shine through.

Eventually, I started keeping the tarot cards I dedicated to Apollo under my pillow and asking him to visit me in my dreams. The first night I saw a beautiful, swirling ball of light above my bed, with orange and yellow flares coming out of it. The second night, however, I woke up in a dream. I was in the back of this van sitting next to this man. He looked young with beautiful, black curls. He had his arm wrapped around me and my head rested on his shoulder.

I remember him feeling so warm. He felt like home. He felt like snuggling up under the covers in a cold room. And I just lay there, hands holding his, watching the scenery of the drive we were on. I woke up that morning with the sun shining on my face, clearly attempting to wake me up.

I've heard a lot of people say that Apollo feels like a golden retriever boyfriend or nice frat boy. And while I respect that everyone's experiences with deities is different, Apollo to me feels like some guardian. Maybe an older brother or a father or an uncle. I think people expect Apollo to be boyish and naive because he's always been described as a young thing. We forget that he is just as wise, if not more, as his cousins and aunts and uncles.

Praise Apollo, averter of evil, dark-haired, messenger of zeus!

[holybibly]

Bunnies, I'm in a good mood today, so I'm going to give you a little teaser of my upcoming work with Hwa. I'm going to raise the bar for fanfic writing by creating the most gothic and decadent universe possible. It's a vicious mix of Interview with the Vampire and Dracula, so if you don't like bloody luxury, I feel so sorry for you.

It has always been like this, and it will always be like this—people avoid the village that stands beside the sinister Gothic castle where, according to legend, a beautiful midnight somnambulist holds the guilty legacy of his bloodthirsty ancestors. Dressed in an ancient coronation robe, the magnificent prince of vampires sits alone in his dark, vast house, under the watchful eye of his mad and terrible ancestors, who stare at him from faded portraits, each of them prolonging their dreary posthumous existence through him. He spreads the tarot cards, tirelessly constructing endless constellations of indeterminate possibilities, as if a chance fall of cards on a regal, bloody velvet tablecloth could take him out of this cold, shuttered room and into a land of eternal summer and human warmth, erasing his heart's ancient sadness and allowing him to feel the love for the one who embodies both life and death simultaneously.

His voice is full of the distant echoes of long-forgotten love poems, like an echo that has resounded beneath the layers of the earth: "You have traveled to a place from which there is no return; you have traveled to a place from which there is no return. And he himself is like a dark dungeon filled with lonely echoes—a system of repetition, a closed circle. He is so handsome that his beauty appears unnatural; his beauty is an anomaly, a perfect defect, for in none of his hypnotic features is there even a suggestion of the poignant imperfection manifested in the imperfection of human existence. His beauty is the sign of a fatal disease; his blood is full of poison; and his black tears are the sign of the absence of a soul in him. 

The elegant hands of the beautiful denizens of darkness are the guides of the hand of fate. The nails on his hands are long and sharpened like steel daggers. These nails and teeth—beautiful, glistening in the darkness like snow under the light of the moon—are visible signs of his inescapable fate, which he so desperately tries to escape with magical powers. His claws and teeth have been honed by centuries of brutal wars and bloody orgies; he is the last descendant of a poisonous, barren tree that took root in a time when men worshipped blind gods and the forces of nature. 

As soon as the flaming sun sets, he rises from his luxurious bed and goes to the table, and sitting at that table, he plays his patient game until hunger awakens in him—an insatiable, scorching hunger that burns his whole being. 

[maryhale1]

The Divination witch ✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨

In shadows deep, where moonlight weaves,

A witch of lore her magic breathes.

With eyes like stars, and hair of night,

She calls upon the ancient rite.

In forest's heart, beneath the trees,

She feels the whisper of the breeze.

Her hands outstretched, she seeks the signs,

In nature's code, the stars align.

Her cauldron bubbles, secrets swirl,

As midnight mist begins to curl.

The tarot cards, they tell a tale,

Of love, of loss, of futures pale.

With crystal ball, she peers through time,

To worlds unseen, to dreams that climb.

The past and present intertwine,

In threads of fate, her soul's design.

She reads the runes, their symbols stark,

In twilight’s glow, in ember’s spark.

The fire speaks, the water sings,

Of endless realms, and hidden things.

Through realms of shadow, light, and shade,

She dances in the truths displayed.

A witch of vision, pure and wise,

She sees beyond the veiled disguise.

For she is more than myths and lore,

A guardian of what came before.

In every glance, in every spell,

She holds the keys to Heaven and Hell.

So when you seek what lies ahead,

The paths unknown, the roads to tread,

Find her where the night is deep,

The witch who dreams while others sleep.

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[theresattrpgforthat]

any ttrpgs for spooky dark boarding school stories? gotham academy, the boarding school: las cumbres, wednesday, that kinda thing?

THEME: Dark Boarding Schools

Hello there, at first I felt like this overlapped with all of my magic school recommendations, but once I did some digging, I realized that there's a lot of big differences! That also means that there was a good number of games I haven't recommended before, so I hope there's something here that fits what you're looking for.

Tangled Blessings, by Cassi Mothwin.

On the eve of your final exam at Brackroot Academy, what mysteries, secrets, dread, and drama will you recall from your last four years of schooling?

Tangled Blessings is a solo journaling or two-player RPG inspired by dark academia media, ghost stories, and graduate school. Featuring a wizarding college, wandering specters, assigned houses, curses, devils’ bargains and more supernatural flavor, Tangled Blessings blends horror and the fantastical to help players craft a story that spans their time at the academy — culminating in one final showdown against their rival.

If your favorite stories ever involved sneaking around an ancient building, uncovering dangerous secrets, studying in a dusty library, practicing spells on the lawn, or making perilous deals with creatures lurking in the darkness… This game is for you.

Tangled Blessings is a game about discovering the dark secrets hidden behind the allure of a secret magical world. You use a tarot deck to determine your character’s placement at the school, the nature of their rival, and the ghosts and creatures that will emerge throughout your years at the school. Each year is represented by a series of card draws, which will represent events that you have to decide how you respond to. If you play this game using the 2-player variant, each of you will play each-other’s rivals, comparing your results to see how the school year affects the both of you. The game culminates in a Final Exam that will determine whether you or or rival comes out on top.

St. Hornbeck, by belsaas.

Welcome to St. Hornbeck College/

Atop a small hill in the woods just outside the small town of Southfield, WI sits a College. Old, copper-rimmed limestone buildings huddle together against the harsh winters, while herds of students wander between them in search of wisdom, kinship and the occasional party. Soon, those herds of students will include you. There are two main reasons for enrolling at St. Hornbeck. Firstly, they have a leading program in the field you want to major in (yes, whatever you may choose). Secondly, there are only a handful of colleges that accept monster-teens in America…

This game relies on traditional teenage tropes to inform your character background, and leans fully into the allegory of monstrosity being a metaphor for young adulthood. Gameplay occurs over a series of scenes, marking various days in the calendar of the school year. In each scene, you can roll for or choose complications related to your monstrosity as a way to invite tension and obstacles for your characters to overcome. If you want to see something that’s a bit darker, you might want to check out this game’s inspiration, by snagging Midnight Oil from Jay Dragon’s Patreon.

Lost Years, by Summerwood Games.

The boarding school in this game is any boarding school, every boarding school. The walls are old stone or red brick, the dormitories are filled with young people going through the agonizing process of becoming themselves, classrooms retrofitted with ceiling tiles and modern lighting.

There are spaces of this school that belong only to us students, sacred rites performed in them that mean nothing to others and everything to us. We smoke cigarettes in the basement, make out in the tack room, make meaningful eye contact across the cricket pitch. I will tell you two truths and a lie: no one can take these years from us, none of us will be the same when we leave, no class will teach us more than we learn from one another. Can you see now which one is the lie? We couldn’t.

Lost Years is a Belonging Outside Belonging game set in a boarding school menaced by a mysterious force that threatens to empty the students of everything that makes them themselves. Meant for 3-5 players, it can be played as a one-shot but is most suited for multi-session play. 

Lost Years looks to be a game that focuses on the emotional highs and lows of being a teenager trying to survive in a strange environment away from the eyes of their parents - but still under the control of some form of authority. Your characters will fill the roles of various tropes from boarding school media, such as the Sporty One, or the Witchy One.

Because this game is BoB, the school itself will fill the foreground, with various locations such as the Attic and the Greenhouse being fleshed out by different players around the table. If you want a game that focuses on the themes of dark academia and how they affect the relationships of these students, you might want to check out Lost Years.

Never & More, by Small Stories.

NEVER & MORE is a quick-play roleplaying game and Edgar Allan Poe-inspired hack of John Harper's Lasers & Feelings.

You are the newest recruits of The Society of Ushers, an occult secret society. Your mission is to prove yourself to your superiors, master the rituals required to move up a rung, and learn how to talk to ravens. Your direct superior and teacher, the Belfry-Devil, has finally deemed you suitable to circulate by yourselves amongst greater society, trusting you to remain faithful to the Ushers in the face of attempted poaching, targeted seduction, and superior parties.

This isn’t necessarily a game about academia, but I think it carries similar elements of learning, dark secrets, and hierarchy. Lasers and Feelings games balance your characters between two qualities; in this case, you are torn between your desire for safety and your hunger for knowledge. You can play this as a one-shot or draw it out if you like, just keep in mind that these types of games usually don’t have resources for character advancement, so your characters won’t gain any new abilities - although whether or not they learn from their mistakes is up to you.

Precarious Prep, by Seaworks.

Welcome to Precarious Prep.

Something dark is going on at Precarious Preparatory School, and one detective - your GM - needs somebody on the inside. In the daytime you'll take classes, get to know the students and faculty, figure out who you can trust. The better you do in class, the faster you'll level up. At night you'll investigate the campus, search for clues, and unlock puzzles. Report your discoveries to the detective to gain points.

Instead of having 6 universal stats, Precarious Prep uses a curriculum - the stats your character takes on are determined by the course load you pick up each trimester. The better you do in classes, the more firepower you’ll have in your investigations. Classes can be fully relevant, partially relevant, or irrelevant to the checks you need to make throughout the game, so coordinate with your team and round out your education with a variety of skills.

Precarious Prep uses something called Discovery Points to indicate how close your students are to revealing what exactly is going on at this preparatory school. Your characters use the things they are learning in class to investigate the mystery, while trying to avoid generating enough suspicion to get them kicked out. Many of the rules strive to generate a number of different gambles that the players can take while trying to gather information - will you do something that increases your chances of success while also increasing your chances of getting expelled? Can you get enough information before the school year ends - or before one of you gets killed?

This game is still in open beta, which means it’s free, but also that it might still have some kinks that need to be worked out. The designer is very eager for feedback, so if you take a look at this game, you might be able to contribute to the final product!

I’d Also Recommend….

The Gardening Club, by Wizard of Ox.

[midnight-sun-sanctuary]

An example of a completed portrait for an adopted spirit. Please note too I am always working to improve my artwork as well and hope to provide even better portraits in the future.