History of Witchcraft: Volume IV
History of Witchcraft: Volume IV dives into the murky aftermath of England's witch hunts during the reigns of Charles II and James II. This isn’t just another stroll through dusty history. It's a grim journey through a time when Glanvill and Webster clashed over the existence of witchcraft, and paranoia began to fade, but not without lingering shadows. The horror in this volume isn’t just about monsters, it’s about people. The political and cultural tides are shifting, but the fear, the power struggles, and the moral dilemmas remain. It’s a world where your choices have weight, shaping the narrative as your characters navigate the remnants of the witch hunts. This book emphasizes storytelling and character development, so forget about endless combat encounters. Instead, you’ll be wrestling with tension, betrayal, and the consequences of every decision. It’s a sandbox for players who enjoy historical settings and appreciate dark, atmospheric stories where things rarely go as planned.
If you're into roleplaying settings where imagination, collaboration, and agency push you to think on your feet, History of Witchcraft: Volume IV delivers. It offers all the familiar trappings of historical horror but with a fresh twist, making it perfect for fans of the genre who want more than just a by-the-numbers adventure. You’ll find plenty of intrigue, a creeping sense of dread, and enough historical detail to immerse yourself without feeling like you’re reading a textbook.
A Universal Sourcebook
This sourcebook is 100% optional. You don’t need it to play any of our games using The Simple Approach, but it’s here to spice things up if you want. It’s also written to be functionally system-agnostic, so feel free to throw its elements into any other roleplaying system your choice.
If you’re looking to use it with a different roleplaying system, don’t worry. There are notes at the end to help with conversion, and if you’re need more advice in translating material between systems, grab the Lightspress Handbook, available wherever you found this book.
Navigating This Book
Here’s a breakdown of the tools and resources you’ll find inside these pages:
Charles II and James II: Explore the historical backdrop of the later Stuart reigns, focusing on the political intrigue, religious conflicts, and societal changes that created the perfect storm for witch hunts, conspiracies, and paranoia.
Glanvill and Webster: Meet the intellectual heavyweights of the era’s witchcraft debate. Joseph Glanvill, the staunch defender of supernatural phenomena, and John Webster, the skeptic who laid the groundwork for rational thought. Their battles of logic and philosophy shaped the era’s understanding of the supernatural and left lasting legacies.
The Final Decline: Dive into the last days of the witch trials, where skepticism began to rise, courts stopped entertaining superstitious accusations, and society slowly shifted away from the fear-driven madness of witch hunts. Learn how the cultural, legal, and theological shifts of the late 17th and early 18th centuries set the stage for the decline of the trials.
The Close of the Controversy: The aftermath of the witch trials left scars on society and religion alike. This section examines the final verdicts, the lasting impact on culture, and the people who tried to reconcile the darkness of the era with the Enlightenment dawning on the horizon. It’s the fallout, and it’s ugly.
Reference: Notes on converting this material into the system of your choice and vice-versa, a glossary of terms we use frequently, and a bibliography of works used in researching this book. Because you’ll need to know how to translate all this into your roleplaying experience, or at least sound smart about it.
The Simple Approach
To understand this book, you need to know the context in which it was written and the philosophy that runs through it. At its core, The Simple Approach emphasizes the elements that truly matter in roleplaying: narrative depth, character complexity, and player agency. While plenty of systems are still obsessed with combat, loot, and grinding, we know roleplaying can be so much more. This system is all about immersive storytelling, meaningful choices, and characters you actually care about. Whether you're uncovering hidden secrets, solving a gripping mystery, or exploring the complexities of romance, The Simple Approach offers a fresh take on traditional genres like fantasy, science fiction, and horror, along with modern and underserved ones like crime & mystery, cottagecore fantasy, dark academia, magical realism, romance, and espionage.
Narrative-Based Mechanics
At the heart of The Simple Approach are narrative-based mechanics that are easy to learn and designed to grow with you as you play. They let you tweak what’s here and add things we haven’t thought of yet. The journaling system replaces those one-size-fits-none character sheets, giving gamemasters a flexible tool for organizing worldbuilding, adventure design, and session notes and players ample room to allow their character to grow. Every character, setting, and adventure becomes a unique creation shaped by your choices.
Seamless Integration and Flexibility
History of Witchcraft isn’t a standalone roleplaying experience. You can blend it seamlessly with other Lightspress publications to create one-of-a-kind stories and settings or bring elements from other systems into your Lightspress game. If you want to use our material with your favorite system or setting, go for it. The conversion notes in the Lightspress Handbook give you the flexibility to play how you want.
Our Philosophy
We believe the true essence of roleplaying happens around the table, where creativity and collaboration come alive. It’s not about a book, a brand, or a company. It’s about the people playing together, creating something special. Our focus on cooperation, interaction, and investigation ensures that every session is more than just a game; it’s a journey filled with compelling adventures and meaningful connections. We stand by our belief that the heart of roleplaying is found in shared experiences and stories crafted by the players. This philosophy drives everything in The Simple Approach and underpins our commitment to delivering content that champions the true spirit of roleplaying, free from superficial constraints.
Commitment to Creative Freedom
This philosophy also guides our belief that creators should own their work and not be beholden to licensing terms that only benefit fickle corporations. We draw inspiration from historical, mythological, and literary sources, tapping into our shared heritage to fuel creative exploration. We maintain full copyright ownership, ensuring that our work stays independent and true to our vision. Using style guides to keep a cohesive voice and narrative structure, we deliver exceptional content free from external influences, preserving the integrity and creative standards of our work.
Accessible and Affordable Roleplaying
We’re committed to keeping our games affordable so that more people can enjoy them. Our focus isn’t on producing overstuffed, expensive books filled with art to collect dust on a shelf. We’re here to create material meant to be played, not displayed. You won’t find us chasing awards or turning our games into glorified coffee-table books. Our goal is to facilitate roleplaying, pure and simple, keeping the price points low so you can focus on the game, not your wallet.
Stay Connected and Join Us
If you’re tired of the same old grind and ready to try something that actually respects your input, then The Simple Approach is calling your name. We’re not just offering a game. We’re inviting you to join a movement, a way of playing that values your time, creativity, and agency.
For more on The Simple Approach and our unorthodox take on roleplaying, visit lightspress.com. Subscribe to our newsletter, The Manifesto, for updates on new releases, roleplaying advice, and a healthy dose of our opinions. If you’re ready to embrace something different, download the free Lightspress Handbook, your guide to what we’re all about.
History of Witchcraft: Volume IV dives into the murky aftermath of England's witch hunts during the reigns of Charles II and James II. This isn’t just another stroll through dusty history. It's a grim journey through a time when Glanvill and Webster clashed over the existence of witchcraft, and paranoia began to fade, but not without lingering shadows. The horror in this volume isn’t just about monsters, it’s about people. The political and cultural tides are shifting, but the fear, the power struggles, and the moral dilemmas remain. It’s a world where your choices have weight, shaping the narrative as your characters navigate the remnants of the witch hunts. This book emphasizes storytelling and character development, so forget about endless combat encounters. Instead, you’ll be wrestling with tension, betrayal, and the consequences of every decision. It’s a sandbox for players who enjoy historical settings and appreciate dark, atmospheric stories where things rarely go as planned.
If you're into roleplaying settings where imagination, collaboration, and agency push you to think on your feet, History of Witchcraft: Volume IV delivers. It offers all the familiar trappings of historical horror but with a fresh twist, making it perfect for fans of the genre who want more than just a by-the-numbers adventure. You’ll find plenty of intrigue, a creeping sense of dread, and enough historical detail to immerse yourself without feeling like you’re reading a textbook.
A Universal Sourcebook
This sourcebook is 100% optional. You don’t need it to play any of our games using The Simple Approach, but it’s here to spice things up if you want. It’s also written to be functionally system-agnostic, so feel free to throw its elements into any other roleplaying system your choice.
If you’re looking to use it with a different roleplaying system, don’t worry. There are notes at the end to help with conversion, and if you’re need more advice in translating material between systems, grab the Lightspress Handbook, available wherever you found this book.
Navigating This Book
Here’s a breakdown of the tools and resources you’ll find inside these pages:
Charles II and James II: Explore the historical backdrop of the later Stuart reigns, focusing on the political intrigue, religious conflicts, and societal changes that created the perfect storm for witch hunts, conspiracies, and paranoia.
Glanvill and Webster: Meet the intellectual heavyweights of the era’s witchcraft debate. Joseph Glanvill, the staunch defender of supernatural phenomena, and John Webster, the skeptic who laid the groundwork for rational thought. Their battles of logic and philosophy shaped the era’s understanding of the supernatural and left lasting legacies.
The Final Decline: Dive into the last days of the witch trials, where skepticism began to rise, courts stopped entertaining superstitious accusations, and society slowly shifted away from the fear-driven madness of witch hunts. Learn how the cultural, legal, and theological shifts of the late 17th and early 18th centuries set the stage for the decline of the trials.
The Close of the Controversy: The aftermath of the witch trials left scars on society and religion alike. This section examines the final verdicts, the lasting impact on culture, and the people who tried to reconcile the darkness of the era with the Enlightenment dawning on the horizon. It’s the fallout, and it’s ugly.
Reference: Notes on converting this material into the system of your choice and vice-versa, a glossary of terms we use frequently, and a bibliography of works used in researching this book. Because you’ll need to know how to translate all this into your roleplaying experience, or at least sound smart about it.
The Simple Approach
To understand this book, you need to know the context in which it was written and the philosophy that runs through it. At its core, The Simple Approach emphasizes the elements that truly matter in roleplaying: narrative depth, character complexity, and player agency. While plenty of systems are still obsessed with combat, loot, and grinding, we know roleplaying can be so much more. This system is all about immersive storytelling, meaningful choices, and characters you actually care about. Whether you're uncovering hidden secrets, solving a gripping mystery, or exploring the complexities of romance, The Simple Approach offers a fresh take on traditional genres like fantasy, science fiction, and horror, along with modern and underserved ones like crime & mystery, cottagecore fantasy, dark academia, magical realism, romance, and espionage.
Narrative-Based Mechanics
At the heart of The Simple Approach are narrative-based mechanics that are easy to learn and designed to grow with you as you play. They let you tweak what’s here and add things we haven’t thought of yet. The journaling system replaces those one-size-fits-none character sheets, giving gamemasters a flexible tool for organizing worldbuilding, adventure design, and session notes and players ample room to allow their character to grow. Every character, setting, and adventure becomes a unique creation shaped by your choices.
Seamless Integration and Flexibility
History of Witchcraft isn’t a standalone roleplaying experience. You can blend it seamlessly with other Lightspress publications to create one-of-a-kind stories and settings or bring elements from other systems into your Lightspress game. If you want to use our material with your favorite system or setting, go for it. The conversion notes in the Lightspress Handbook give you the flexibility to play how you want.
Our Philosophy
We believe the true essence of roleplaying happens around the table, where creativity and collaboration come alive. It’s not about a book, a brand, or a company. It’s about the people playing together, creating something special. Our focus on cooperation, interaction, and investigation ensures that every session is more than just a game; it’s a journey filled with compelling adventures and meaningful connections. We stand by our belief that the heart of roleplaying is found in shared experiences and stories crafted by the players. This philosophy drives everything in The Simple Approach and underpins our commitment to delivering content that champions the true spirit of roleplaying, free from superficial constraints.
Commitment to Creative Freedom
This philosophy also guides our belief that creators should own their work and not be beholden to licensing terms that only benefit fickle corporations. We draw inspiration from historical, mythological, and literary sources, tapping into our shared heritage to fuel creative exploration. We maintain full copyright ownership, ensuring that our work stays independent and true to our vision. Using style guides to keep a cohesive voice and narrative structure, we deliver exceptional content free from external influences, preserving the integrity and creative standards of our work.
Accessible and Affordable Roleplaying
We’re committed to keeping our games affordable so that more people can enjoy them. Our focus isn’t on producing overstuffed, expensive books filled with art to collect dust on a shelf. We’re here to create material meant to be played, not displayed. You won’t find us chasing awards or turning our games into glorified coffee-table books. Our goal is to facilitate roleplaying, pure and simple, keeping the price points low so you can focus on the game, not your wallet.
Stay Connected and Join Us
If you’re tired of the same old grind and ready to try something that actually respects your input, then The Simple Approach is calling your name. We’re not just offering a game. We’re inviting you to join a movement, a way of playing that values your time, creativity, and agency.
For more on The Simple Approach and our unorthodox take on roleplaying, visit lightspress.com. Subscribe to our newsletter, The Manifesto, for updates on new releases, roleplaying advice, and a healthy dose of our opinions. If you’re ready to embrace something different, download the free Lightspress Handbook, your guide to what we’re all about.
History of Witchcraft: Volume IV dives into the murky aftermath of England's witch hunts during the reigns of Charles II and James II. This isn’t just another stroll through dusty history. It's a grim journey through a time when Glanvill and Webster clashed over the existence of witchcraft, and paranoia began to fade, but not without lingering shadows. The horror in this volume isn’t just about monsters, it’s about people. The political and cultural tides are shifting, but the fear, the power struggles, and the moral dilemmas remain. It’s a world where your choices have weight, shaping the narrative as your characters navigate the remnants of the witch hunts. This book emphasizes storytelling and character development, so forget about endless combat encounters. Instead, you’ll be wrestling with tension, betrayal, and the consequences of every decision. It’s a sandbox for players who enjoy historical settings and appreciate dark, atmospheric stories where things rarely go as planned.
If you're into roleplaying settings where imagination, collaboration, and agency push you to think on your feet, History of Witchcraft: Volume IV delivers. It offers all the familiar trappings of historical horror but with a fresh twist, making it perfect for fans of the genre who want more than just a by-the-numbers adventure. You’ll find plenty of intrigue, a creeping sense of dread, and enough historical detail to immerse yourself without feeling like you’re reading a textbook.
A Universal Sourcebook
This sourcebook is 100% optional. You don’t need it to play any of our games using The Simple Approach, but it’s here to spice things up if you want. It’s also written to be functionally system-agnostic, so feel free to throw its elements into any other roleplaying system your choice.
If you’re looking to use it with a different roleplaying system, don’t worry. There are notes at the end to help with conversion, and if you’re need more advice in translating material between systems, grab the Lightspress Handbook, available wherever you found this book.
Navigating This Book
Here’s a breakdown of the tools and resources you’ll find inside these pages:
Charles II and James II: Explore the historical backdrop of the later Stuart reigns, focusing on the political intrigue, religious conflicts, and societal changes that created the perfect storm for witch hunts, conspiracies, and paranoia.
Glanvill and Webster: Meet the intellectual heavyweights of the era’s witchcraft debate. Joseph Glanvill, the staunch defender of supernatural phenomena, and John Webster, the skeptic who laid the groundwork for rational thought. Their battles of logic and philosophy shaped the era’s understanding of the supernatural and left lasting legacies.
The Final Decline: Dive into the last days of the witch trials, where skepticism began to rise, courts stopped entertaining superstitious accusations, and society slowly shifted away from the fear-driven madness of witch hunts. Learn how the cultural, legal, and theological shifts of the late 17th and early 18th centuries set the stage for the decline of the trials.
The Close of the Controversy: The aftermath of the witch trials left scars on society and religion alike. This section examines the final verdicts, the lasting impact on culture, and the people who tried to reconcile the darkness of the era with the Enlightenment dawning on the horizon. It’s the fallout, and it’s ugly.
Reference: Notes on converting this material into the system of your choice and vice-versa, a glossary of terms we use frequently, and a bibliography of works used in researching this book. Because you’ll need to know how to translate all this into your roleplaying experience, or at least sound smart about it.
The Simple Approach
To understand this book, you need to know the context in which it was written and the philosophy that runs through it. At its core, The Simple Approach emphasizes the elements that truly matter in roleplaying: narrative depth, character complexity, and player agency. While plenty of systems are still obsessed with combat, loot, and grinding, we know roleplaying can be so much more. This system is all about immersive storytelling, meaningful choices, and characters you actually care about. Whether you're uncovering hidden secrets, solving a gripping mystery, or exploring the complexities of romance, The Simple Approach offers a fresh take on traditional genres like fantasy, science fiction, and horror, along with modern and underserved ones like crime & mystery, cottagecore fantasy, dark academia, magical realism, romance, and espionage.
Narrative-Based Mechanics
At the heart of The Simple Approach are narrative-based mechanics that are easy to learn and designed to grow with you as you play. They let you tweak what’s here and add things we haven’t thought of yet. The journaling system replaces those one-size-fits-none character sheets, giving gamemasters a flexible tool for organizing worldbuilding, adventure design, and session notes and players ample room to allow their character to grow. Every character, setting, and adventure becomes a unique creation shaped by your choices.
Seamless Integration and Flexibility
History of Witchcraft isn’t a standalone roleplaying experience. You can blend it seamlessly with other Lightspress publications to create one-of-a-kind stories and settings or bring elements from other systems into your Lightspress game. If you want to use our material with your favorite system or setting, go for it. The conversion notes in the Lightspress Handbook give you the flexibility to play how you want.
Our Philosophy
We believe the true essence of roleplaying happens around the table, where creativity and collaboration come alive. It’s not about a book, a brand, or a company. It’s about the people playing together, creating something special. Our focus on cooperation, interaction, and investigation ensures that every session is more than just a game; it’s a journey filled with compelling adventures and meaningful connections. We stand by our belief that the heart of roleplaying is found in shared experiences and stories crafted by the players. This philosophy drives everything in The Simple Approach and underpins our commitment to delivering content that champions the true spirit of roleplaying, free from superficial constraints.
Commitment to Creative Freedom
This philosophy also guides our belief that creators should own their work and not be beholden to licensing terms that only benefit fickle corporations. We draw inspiration from historical, mythological, and literary sources, tapping into our shared heritage to fuel creative exploration. We maintain full copyright ownership, ensuring that our work stays independent and true to our vision. Using style guides to keep a cohesive voice and narrative structure, we deliver exceptional content free from external influences, preserving the integrity and creative standards of our work.
Accessible and Affordable Roleplaying
We’re committed to keeping our games affordable so that more people can enjoy them. Our focus isn’t on producing overstuffed, expensive books filled with art to collect dust on a shelf. We’re here to create material meant to be played, not displayed. You won’t find us chasing awards or turning our games into glorified coffee-table books. Our goal is to facilitate roleplaying, pure and simple, keeping the price points low so you can focus on the game, not your wallet.
Stay Connected and Join Us
If you’re tired of the same old grind and ready to try something that actually respects your input, then The Simple Approach is calling your name. We’re not just offering a game. We’re inviting you to join a movement, a way of playing that values your time, creativity, and agency.
For more on The Simple Approach and our unorthodox take on roleplaying, visit lightspress.com. Subscribe to our newsletter, The Manifesto, for updates on new releases, roleplaying advice, and a healthy dose of our opinions. If you’re ready to embrace something different, download the free Lightspress Handbook, your guide to what we’re all about.