Major Updates to JWAW (It's Volume One Now)

Hey y'all! After some time away from the game, and then a lot of time back with it working on revisions, I just released Version 3.1 of Journeys Weird and Winding. Most importantly, you'll see that this new version is listed as Volume One, because it is! In addition to working on this overhaul of the game, I also began outlining and developing mini-zines to expand on the game's core mechanics and lore over the course of this year. The goal is one mini-zine a month for 2024. We'll see how it goes!

For this current update, look out for:

• A simpler color scheme with additional visual flairs throughout the guide.
• A revised Leveling system with clarifications on how Players level Skills and Core Stats.
• More clarification on key pieces of lore.
• A revised system for generating and navigating the game's map.
  • Clarification on when Players are "exposed" to Cursed Fog and more options for navigating through it.
  • The return of randomized hexes with more rules to make the transition from one random hex to the next feel more natural.
• A new "Blessed" magic state to mirror the "Cursed" magic state.
• Modifications to some spells, namely the "Part the Fog" Spell, now "Parting Hand" and adapted to match with the changes to navigation.
• New detailed mechanics for Mixing Potions and Making Maps.
• More detail on what amenities are available in Safe Havens, including more detailed Goods and Services.
• Changes to how a Player's Stability and Weird function, so that Players need to be in a "non-magic" place to recover them, encouraging more travel between the Weird and Havens.
• Removed:
  • The Party Leveling System, may bring back but wanted to shift focus to Player Leveling.
  • Detailed mechanics for diving Quests and taking on Missions, plan to bring back with some significant revisions, but right now felt they were too restrictive and would rather it be up to the GM.

After this release, I don't plan on making major updates to this Volume of JWAW. My main focus will be on producing mini-zines to deliver more content, mechanics and lore to y'all. The first zine on the calendar, for a late February release, is Volume Two: Singing Life Into Life. This Volume is looking to be much more focused on the wildlife and natural places of Vaream, deepening how y'all can interact with them through magic and good-old animal husbandry. Make sure to follow so you can be updated when it releases!

As always, thank you to everyone who reads this, looks at the game and maybe even downloads it. 

- Jack