Mitsa: Roleplaying in the Late 19th-Century Philippines

The twilight of a century. The eve of a revolution.

The last quarter of the 19th century was a time of revolutionaries of all types: illustrious scholars, shrewd businessmen, travelers, artists, fighters. Rizal’s famous novels captured the spirit of this time — but they offer only a glimpse at this moment in history

Mitsa is a short reference document for roleplaying gamers and designers looking to situate adventures or scenarios in the colonial Philippines of the late 19th century. It has been compiled specifically with a view to creating characters, designing conflicts, and enriching setting.

Its 40 pages are divided into four sections:

• Filipinos: Details on how ethnicity and social class functioned in Philippine society
• Antes de 1896: the influences of government, religion, and economy on the milieu
• Las Islas Filipinas: a snapshot of different locales, transport and communication
• Tipos del Pais: a series of random event/object tables with descriptions

Note: Mitsa contains only setting information and story prompts. It is meant to be used in conjunction with existing game systems and has no rules of its own.