Village Witch #1 - Twitch the Village Witch

Village Witch is a lovely solo RPG journaling game by Eliot Crow about a witch finding their place in the world. As the titular witch, you play through seasons, drawing tarot cards, and pondering prompts as you weave a story. Good stuff.

Twitch the village witch is many things, but chief among them this spring in the swampland is really, really, really bad at physical healing. Leaving behind a small family to go on her witchy way to leaving the world better than she found it, Twitch was under the impression magic would flow freely out of her and into her many patients and new friends in the swamp. Unfortunately, in the first few days of her time at the swamp village, she has been nothing but a disappointment. Twitch hasn’t healed anyone. It’s kind of a mess.

There was the man with the broken leg, whose bones Twitch couldn’t reset no matter what she tried. He left without even taking some consolation herbs. There were two cousins who needed help with stomach aches and general weakness, who left Twitch’s cottage in exactly the same state as how they’d arrived. Sure, Twitch had only been a village witch for a few spring days, but that’s no excuse. What’s the deal with her magic?

After another physical healing failure, Twitch decided to skip her requisite sulking and go for a walk to clear her mind. My magic makes no sense. I feel magical, but I can’t do magic, she thought to herself. As Twitch slowly plodded through a bit of swamp, she saw a glimmer of something in the ornate muck of the village. Reaching down, Twitch discovered a golden locket. She cleaned off the mud and popped the locket open. Inside was a small, sweet photo of two women she’d seen running shoppes around town. That would be her next stop.

Twitch ventured to the tea shoppe, where the owner, Essie, was slinging drinks and selling dried teas out of her numerous glass jars and hollowed barrels. Once the store cleared, Twitch brought the locket to Essie’s attention. To say she was delighted would be quite the undersell. Essie couldn’t thank Twitch enough. This locket was an engagement gift from her wife, Viv. Viv, by the way, could actually use some village witchery. Reluctantly, Twitch agreed.

After the tea shoppe closed, Twitch and Essie ventured to the leather good workshop where Viv spent her days. On their walk, Essie told Twitch that a sudden and overwhelming “blankness” has taken over Viv, draining the color from her eyes and the vim from her step. It’s been hard to watch, and it would be incredible if Twitch could bring Viv back to her old self, or even a new, less drab self.

They made it to the store. Twitch took one look at Viv, seated on a stool and mindlessly working, and understood exactly what Essie was worried about. Twitch pulled up a stool beside Viv, who barely noticed her. There was a soft grunt from Viv. A gulp from Twitch. Then silence. Twitch was in over her head. Her magic made no sense and—perhaps that was the problem? Instead of trying to understand her magic, maybe Twitch needed to spend more time understanding her patients and their situations?

Twitch put all her conceptions about magic out of her head. She turned to Viv and started having a conversation with her about fears and dreams. Over the course of an hour, a lightness bloomed over Viv. She was returning to herself. Twitch could feel Essie bubble up with hope.

Well, alright then… Maybe Twitch is still a work-in-progress village healer, but her time with Viv has proven she’s a good-for-something village witch. Instead of bones and potions, Twitch resolved to focus more on compassion and listening. With more spring to go in the swamp, Twitch retired to bed with a renewed sense of purpose.