My First Brew at the Pumpkin Spice Café
I recently sat down for my first session of Pumpkin Spice: A Magically Cozy RPG by Acheron Games. It was exactly the kind of evening I needed.
Pumpkin Spice is a tabletop roleplaying game set in a witch-run café. I was immediately a fan of the cozy fantasy vibes, warm drinks, and a low-stakes magical adventure.
Getting Started Was a Breeze
One of the first things I noticed was how approachable the mechanics are. Character creation was quick and intuitive, and the quiz-style character creation element was a huge hit at my table. My quiz outcome had me playing a Hereditary Witch who also served as the GM of our café. Each question also came with a backstory prompt, and by the end of character creation I had a pretty fully-fledged character, backstory and all, with no prep.
For anyone who's curious about TTRPGs but intimidated by complex systems, Pumpkin Spice is the kind of game I'd point you toward. You're here to tell a story and have fun, and the rules get out of the way to let that happen.
Opening Day at the Café
Our session kicked off with opening day. My fellow witches and I marked the occasion with a friendly competition: who could craft the best brew and earn the honor of making the very first drink for our first customer? It was lighthearted and full of personality, and I don’t say that because I won. The competition judge rolled a dice and the dice chose me as the winner. As we say, the dice tell a story.
Then came our first Medium visit.
A Medium, in Pumpkin Spice, is a magically-connected individual who arrives at your café seeking a very specific drink. The catch is they don't tell you exactly what they want. You have to read the situation, use your wits and your inferences, and craft something that speaks to what they need. Get it right, and they replenish your café's fount of magic. Get it wrong... well, you try again next time.
We got 2 out of 3 ingredients correct on our first Medium visit. Not perfect, but pretty good for a group of witches on their opening day. We're hoping they come back soon so we can earn our full magic refill.
The Magic That Happens Around the Table
Here's the thing about TTRPGs that I find myself coming back to, session after session: the game on the table is only part of the story.
During our Pumpkin Spice session, something else was happening alongside the witches and the café. We captured content to support a local business. I connected with a couple of event photographers, something I'd genuinely been looking for. Another witch at the table ended up in a conversation about a job opportunity.
None of that was on the character sheet. None of it was in the rules. It happened because a group of people sat down together and started playing.
That's the power of TTRPGs. They create conditions for real human connection. Whether you're in a cozy café game or a boardroom team-building session, something shifts when people step into a shared story together.
Should You Play Pumpkin Spice?
If you're looking for a welcoming, low-barrier TTRPG with a genuinely charming premise, absolutely yes. It's warm, it's creative, and it's the kind of game that makes you want to come back next week.
Keep an eye on thePumpkin Spice BackerKit campaign. This is one worth supporting.
Interested in bringing the magic of TTRPGs to your team? I run tabletop roleplaying experiences designed for corporate groups — building connection, creativity, and collaboration through shared storytelling. Get in touch to learn more about what a session could look like for your team.
