We met at another jam but I hadn't seen the game yet.

My personal opinion is that this is merely a (very interesting and also exciting) basic idea for a game. The setting and the rough gameplay are good and also quite interesting, but it is all very rough and little to no defined. The system itself then has to be designed by the GM and the players themselves. If everything is to be kept more free, I would at least like to see corresponding guiding questions that the players have to ask their characters. Or even a simple system that shows the growth. Especially with the background of self-discovery, that the personal development of the characters then affects their territory in a big way.

It's a really nice basic idea and that's where the game design starts. How can this idea be implemented on the game table?
If that is not the goal of your game, then that's ok. Then it's just not a game for me.