mama werewolf

Your mama is a werewolf, with long sharp teeth.

And despite that, she’s your mama, for good or ill. She cared for you, as much as she could. She tried to keep you safe. This curse came from her father’s kin, but it doesn’t seem to live within your blood. She wanted you to have a normal life. She’d howl it as she stalked the woods, red dripping from her muzzle.

She doesn’t look it all the time. But your mama is always the wolf. It’s part of her. And it’ll always be part of your family.

Whatever ‘family’ means to you now.

Inspired by Mama Werewolf by Brandi Carlile - for Record Collection 2k23 jam

Mama Werewolf is a game exploring the relationship between a werewolf mother and her child. It is played in eight Stanzas over the course of one month.

After each stanza, each player will write a letter to the other's character. The letters remain unseen until the end of the game, when they all get sent.

You do not need dice or cards to play this game - the mechanics are driven entirely by nature. Leaves and flowers act as your move tokens. You will find one stone to be your Silver Bullet. Which event you begin the game with depends on the phase of the moon when you begin. And each event is further contextualized by one player's local weather. 

Mama Werewolf is a cooperative storytelling game that is driven by emotions and conflict. The events are only a set up for the plot beat that you decide on for your story. Moves are not abilities, but rather the emotional reaction your character is bringing into the scene. 

Some may find this game cathartic, and others may find it challenging. Play with someone you trust, and utilize safety measures if you need them.