The Story of Mandragora: An Interview with Brian Mitsoda

As you travel through Faelduum, master six classes, complete daring quests, and encounter terrifying monsters, you’ll also discover a sprawling, interconnected world you can truly succumb to. We talked to Brian Mitsoda, the Narrative Lead of Mandragora: Whispers of the Witch Tree, about immersing the player in a dark fantasy you’ll never want to escape from.

This article was originally published on Xbox Wire on March 21, 2025.

Defy Your Fate, Inquisitor

Mandragora: Whispers of the Witch Tree is set in the world of Faelduum. Inspired by myths, folklore, and fairy tales, this is a land where magic is very real, but outlawed. City-states are governed by tyrannical archmages, and justice is done upon magic-using ‘heretics’ by Inquisitors. You play one such Inquisitor, whose fateful decision at the start of the game sets them on a path of defiance that will lead them to the darkness festering in the heart of Faelduum. “Personally, one of the things that drew me to the project was the strong Castlevania influence, as that’s one of my favorite games series of all time,” says writer Brian Mitsoda, who shaped the lore, characters, and worldbuilding in Mandragora together with the team at Primal Game Studio. “The dark fantasy elements reminded me of Berserk, and there was also a bit of traditional folk tale and fairy tale influence.” Some of that influence can be seen in the monsters. From wild wolves to bloodthirsty vampires and other creatures of the night, there’s a veritable bestiary out for your blood. Blades (or spells) at the ready, then. Steam post image

Entropy Is Coming

At the beginning of your Inquisitor’s quest, they discover that monsters are bleeding into Faelduum through tears in reality created by the mysterious, parallel plane of Entropy. The path forward is clear: Entropy must be cut off if Faelduum is to survive. And to do that, you’ll have to contend with legions of beasts and even more challenging bosses. But even with world-ending stakes, Brian thinks it’s important to keep players focused on having a good time. “The most important part of the game is the gameplay, so for me, I always ask how I can complement it without bringing it to a grinding halt,” says Brian. “For example, if you’re fighting a bandit, I want you to know why they’re in your path aside from the fact that they’re called ‘bandits’ and they’ve got enemy HP bars over their heads. If you want to know more, you can get some information from the environments and bestiary. If you pay attention to background dialogue, you’ll learn more about the state of the area.” Characters are vividly brought to life by a cast of incredible voice actors—including Aysha Selim (Overwatch 2, World of Warcraft)—with many unique regional accents fleshing out the geographical scope and cultures of Faelduum. Steam post image

Ripples Through Reality

“I’ve been playing video games since I was old enough to hold a controller, but what made me want to write them is that, unlike traditional mediums, the player can have a more active role in deciding everything—from their relationship with a character to the way the world is changed by their actions. There’s an active element in game design that makes everything feel a lot more personal.”

With Brian’s background in branching narratives, it’s no surprise that players will be presented with choices at various points in the game. “We let the player define who the Inquisitor is with their dialogue and story choices, so the main character’s fate isn’t set in stone,” says Brian.

And though the world is extremely dark and cynical, he believes there is “hope for redemption” for your Inquisitor. But that choice lies in your hands.

Finally, Brian has one piece of advice for new Inquisitors set to begin their quests in Mandragora: “Don’t sleep on the Caravan character quests. You get to learn a lot more of their secrets if you do these. Really happy with the way they came out!”

Mandragora: Whispers of the Witch Tree is available for PC via Steam, Epic Games Store, and GOG.com, plus PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X|S. Stay up to date by following us on Facebook, X, Bluesky, and Instagram, and join our Discord server to connect with fellow Inquisitors.