Ars Magica is still an unusual RPG in that players control more than one character.
The game is centred around the stories of a covenant – that’s a group of magi. The magi have companions and Grog servants. In Ars Magica, you control a mage, a companion and a Grog.
The original game was designed by Jonathan Tweet (a D&D designer) and Mark Rein-Hagen (Vampire: The Masquerade creator).
I don’t think it is a COVID-19 response. Still, in my heightened search for publishers that are offering free to download games, I’ve noticed that Atlas Games are giving away a digital copy of Ars Magica 4th edition in exchange to signing up to their newsletter.
Ars Magica is actually on to its fifth edition, but the fourth is a good a way as any to experiment with troupe style play.
You can read about the sign-up for free Ars Magica 4e deal here.
Share your views in the comment thread below.