Forbidden Lands
Forbidden Lands is a sandbox survival fantasy RPG where you play rogues and raiders exploring a cursed world. Winner of four ENNIE Awards, it features hex-crawl exploration, base-building, and the acclaimed Year Zero engine. Discover lost tombs, fight monsters, and build your own stronghold in this open-world retro fantasy.
Fantasy • 2-4 players • Needs GM • 4/5 complexity • Medium prep
Forbidden Lands casts players as rogues, raiders, and adventurers in a cursed fantasy world where civilization has crumbled. Unlike traditional fantasy RPGs where you play heroes on noble quests, here you are survivors scraping by in a brutal land filled with ancient ruins, terrible monsters, and rival factions.
Theme and Setting
The setting blends Scandinavian folklore with classic fantasy tropes, creating a world that feels both familiar and eerily dark. The Ravenlands were sealed behind a magical blood mist for centuries; now that the mist has lifted, explorers venture forth to claim treasure and territory.
How Play Feels
Death lurks around every corner, and the game makes no pretense about your character's expendability. Forbidden Lands uses Free League's Year Zero engine , a pool-based system where you roll attribute-specific dice (base) plus skill dice, looking for 6s to succeed.
What Makes It Distinct
The more 6s you roll, the better the result. Pushing rolls allows rerolling non-6s at the cost of potential attribute damage or gear degradation.
Where It May Not Fit
You want a very light rules load You mainly want short standalone sessions with minimal carryover.
What this game is about
A strong fit for groups that want fantasy adventure with a clear play identity, with exploration-Driven helping define the experience.
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