This is really the kind of searing, painful, compassionate work that I direly want whenever the topic of queer games comes up, and I’m sure I’ll be thinking about it for a long time to come.
Both the mechanics and the interspersed short fiction are cutting and smart—I think the poker-like mechanics for spellcasting are really evocative for a situation where everything feels like a risky gamble, and the stress mechanics are an interesting touch in that when the pressure is on, you’re more likely to succeed, but at the cost of it maybe just getting you killed in the end.
I legitimately got teary-eyed during several segments; once again, this is a commendable piece that paints a picture of a flawed and beautiful world, and I’ll be looking forward to seeing any further work you choose to put out.