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Forbidden Lands

Forbidden Lands is a fantasy published by Free League Publishing in 2018, featuring a mechanic set in a cursed medieval world where players portray raiders and rogues exploring perilous lands, managing resources, and constructing strongholds using the Year Zero Engine. The game's setting is the titular Forbidden Lands, a once-thriving valley known as Ravenland that fell into ruin following the death of its tyrannical sorcerer-king Zygofer, now a demonic force unleashing monsters, demons, and dark magic across the region; players navigate this hex-based , encountering modular adventure sites like ancient villages, foreboding castles, and treacherous dungeons while dealing with challenges such as foraging, hunting, and hazardous travel. Core gameplay emphasizes player-driven and emergent , with including dice pool rolls using D6s through D12s to resolve actions based on success levels, fast-paced tactical combat, unpredictable wild magic, and a legacy map system where adhesive stickers permanently alter the world; the boxed set includes two rulebooks—a player's guide and gamemaster's handbook—along with maps, character sheets, and components for the introductory Raven's Purge, which revolves around collecting four ancient artifacts to confront an apocalyptic threat. Forbidden Lands has been critically acclaimed for its innovative production and mechanics, earning Gold ENnie Awards for Best Cartography and Best Production Values, and Silver awards for Best Rules and Product of the Year at the 2019 ENnie Awards, highlighting its high-quality map design, rule system, and overall presentation.

Development and Publication

Conception and Design

Forbidden Lands originated as a creative endeavor by Free League Publishing (known in Swedish as Fria Ligan) to revive the spirit of classic fantasy role-playing games from the late 1970s and early 1980s, blending nostalgic elements with contemporary mechanics. The project began as a stretch goal during a 2016 Kickstarter campaign for an artbook featuring the iconic illustrations of Swedish artist Nils Gulliksson, whose work from the golden age of Nordic RPGs, including Drakar och Demoner, heavily influenced the game's aesthetic. This initiative allowed the team to envision a sandbox-style fantasy RPG that evoked the exploratory freedom of early adventure modules, drawing inspiration from 1980s gamebooks like the Fighting Fantasy series and the open-ended dungeon crawls of initial Dungeons & Dragons editions, while avoiding linear narratives in favor of player agency. Development was spearheaded by Free League co-founders Tomas Härenstram and Niklas Osterman, with significant contributions to the setting from author Erik Granström, who crafted the world of Aarklun as a cursed, post-cataclysmic realm to support emergent over pre-scripted plots. The designers emphasized a shift toward player-driven , where groups of raiders and survivors navigate dangers without heroic mandates, fostering a sense of risk and discovery in an unforgiving environment. Initial prototyping occurred between 2016 and 2017, coinciding with the artbook campaign and leading into the game's dedicated launch in September 2017, which allowed for iterative refinements based on backer feedback. Central to the design was the adaptation of the Engine, originally developed for the 2014 post-apocalyptic Mutant: Year Zero, into a fantasy context. This d6-based dice pool system was modified to include core attributes such as Strength, , Wits, and , enabling streamlined resolutions for physical, stealthy, intellectual, and social challenges alike. The philosophy integrated survival mechanics—like tracking hunger, thirst, and encumbrance—to heighten tension during hex-crawl exploration, portraying a "post-apocalyptic fantasy" where ancient ruins and blood mists create a desolate yet wondrous frontier, eschewing traditional character leveling in favor of skill-based progression through experience points. Playtesting during this phase prioritized balancing the risk-reward dynamics of open-world play, ensuring that exploration felt rewarding yet perilous without overwhelming preparation.

Release and Distribution

Forbidden Lands was initially crowdfunded through a campaign launched on September 21, 2017, which successfully raised 2,828,267 from 3,399 backers to support the production of its high-quality components, including a large and detailed miniatures. The core boxed set was released worldwide on December 6, 2018, by Free League Publishing, the English-language arm of the Swedish studio Fria Ligan. In , distribution began in 2018 through a partnership with , leveraging their established network for retail and online availability. A Kickstarter campaign for the second printing of the core set and the first major expansion, The Bitter Reach, was launched on September 12, 2019; The Bitter Reach became available in retail on June 1, 2020. As of , no full second edition has been released, though Free League provides ongoing digital updates, including official errata compiled in the fifth printing and available as a free PDF on their website. In mid-, Free League was developing a new expansion focused on the Alderland region south of the Forbidden Lands. The game remains in print and widely distributed through major retailers such as and specialty hobby stores globally.

Setting

World of Ravenland

The Forbidden Lands, a vast remote valley once known as Ravenland, serves as the primary setting for Forbidden Lands, a medieval shattered by a magical cataclysm roughly 300 years before the game's timeline, when the sorcerer-king Zygofer opened portals to demonic realms, leading to his corruption and the unleashing of the Blood Mist—a deadly that confined survivors to isolated regions by slaying any who traveled beyond their settlements at night. This event fragmented the once-thriving land, turning prosperous kingdoms into haunted wastelands overrun by monsters and decay, with a great Wall built by a southern king to contain the corruption. Recently in the game's timeline, the Blood Mist finally dissipates, opening the to exploration and revealing long-forgotten ruins such as ancient villages, foreboding castles, and treacherous dungeons. This post-mist era thrusts adventurers into a landscape of rediscovery, where the remnants of ancient civilizations beckon with promises of lost knowledge and treasure, yet demand vigilance against lurking perils. Central to the game's themes is survival amid unrelenting hardship, where ancient curses awaken horrors, rival factions clash for dominance, and no benevolent deities offer salvation—only the raw interplay of dark magic and primal forces shapes fate. Moral ambiguity permeates interactions, as alliances form and shatter in a realm stripped of higher purpose, emphasizing resourcefulness over heroism. The lore of the Forbidden Lands traces the enduring legacy of its ancient kin—humans, elves, dwarves, , wolfkin, and rust brothers—descendants of pre-cataclysm societies who endured the mist's isolation through resilience and adaptation. The atmosphere of the Forbidden Lands evokes desolation and wonder, with overgrown ruins reclaiming marble halls, scarce resources forcing desperate scavenging, and a regressed grappling with barbarism in the shadow of forgotten glories. Vine-choked spires and mist-shrouded valleys underscore the land's unforgiving nature, where every journey tests the limits of endurance.

Key Locations and Factions

The Forbidden Lands feature several prominent locations that serve as focal points for adventures, each tied to the post-mist history of isolation and resurgence. stands as a key village settlement, a hub for adventurers entering the cursed realm, drawing quests for lost knowledge and . Sites like the Necromancer's Tower, if present in expansions, rise as strongholds filled with skeletal guardians and forbidden rituals, where retrieving artifacts becomes a high-stakes endeavor amid traps and restless spirits. Abandoned dwarven forges echo with the ghosts of industry, offering opportunities to uncover enchanted weapons but fraught with cave-ins and curses. The wild woods provide a verdant yet perilous , home to ancient groves and beast lairs that test explorers' navigation skills. Factions in the Forbidden Lands play crucial roles in shaping player interactions and alliances, reflecting the diverse survivors eking out existence in the harsh environment. tribes and clans, such as the Urhur, embody aggressive expansionism, frequently clashing with intruders over resources and territory in a bid for dominance. In contrast, the elves act as guardians of their domains, fiercely protecting ancient lore that can aid or hinder quests. Dwarves maintain hidden enclaves focused on craftsmanship and defense, potentially allying with players who prove worthy through shared labor or artifact recovery. represent agricultural survivors, cultivating hidden farms that offer respite and trade, though their communities are vulnerable to raids and require protection for mutual benefit. Antagonistic forces add tension to faction dynamics, with goblins serving as opportunistic scavengers that ambush travelers and undermine alliances through guerrilla tactics. Skeletons, animated remnants of past wars, patrol ruins, posing relentless threats that escalate conflicts between living factions. Player actions profoundly influence these groups, as forging pacts with dwarves might provide forged arms against goblin incursions, while antagonizing elves could ignite broader wars that reshape the landscape. Each location integrates unique environmental hazards that intertwine with faction activities, enhancing the survival-oriented gameplay. For instance, lingering fog complicates raids and forces strategic use of herbal knowledge from the woods. In dwarven forges, unstable tunnels harbor beast lairs that mirror territorial disputes of nearby farmlands, while necrotic auras weaken traders venturing close. These elements tie directly to quests, such as allying with factions for aid in navigating perils or retrieving artifacts to sway loyalties, fostering emergent narratives in the unforgiving expanse.

Gameplay Mechanics

Character Creation

Character creation in Forbidden Lands follows a structured process designed to create balanced adventurers suited for survival in a harsh, cursed world. Players begin by selecting a , which represents the character's and provides inherent traits, attribute modifiers, and a unique . The core kins available are , , , , , wolfkin, orc, and , each tied to a key attribute and offering specialized abilities that influence playstyle. For example, have as their key attribute and the Adaptive , allowing them to roll any with points under GM approval; have Agility as their key attribute, with the enabling full healing of damage and critical injuries through meditation using ; have Strength as their key attribute, along with for multiple pushes on rolls with ; have as their key attribute, featuring Hard to Catch to avoid hits with . These traits emphasize conceptual advantages like resilience for or evasion for , without exhaustive numerical lists of all modifiers. Next, players choose an archetype, known as a profession, from eight options: druid, fighter, hunter, minstrel, peddler, rider, rogue, and sorcerer. Each profession defines the character's role, key attribute, starting skills, initial talents, and equipment, with age templates further customizing attributes and abilities. The six primary archetypes highlighted in core play include equivalents to barbarian (rider or fighter with aggressive talents), bard (minstrel), druid, hunter, warrior (fighter), and wizard (sorcerer). For instance, the fighter (warrior archetype) keys on Strength, starts with skills in Might, Endurance, Melee, Crafting, and Move, and includes rank 1 talents like Path of the Blade (bypassing armor with Willpower) and starting gear such as a one-handed weapon, studded leather armor, and provisions; the minstrel (bard) emphasizes Empathy, with skills in Lore, Insight, Manipulation, Performance, and Healing, talents like Path of the Hymn for aiding broken comrades, and gear including a lute or flute; the sorcerer (wizard) focuses on Wits, offering spell-based talents from paths like Blood or Death, and basic gear like a staff. Age templates—young, adult, or old—affect starting values: young characters receive 15 attribute points, 8 skill points, and 1 general talent for vitality; adults get 14 attribute points, 10 skill points, and 2 general talents for balance; old characters have 13 attribute points, 12 skill points, and 3 general talents for experience. The four core attributes—Strength, , Wits, and —are then assigned, typically ranging from 2 to 5, with the potential for 6 in the key attribute matching both and . These stats form the foundation for rolls and derived values, such as (the sum of all four attributes, representing overall before armor reductions) and , a standard rate of 1 for humanoids that determines zone traversal in and hex movement overland, affected by and mounts. allocate points across 16 skills grouped under the attributes (e.g., and under Strength), prioritizing -linked ones for deeper investment. are selected next: one talent, one talent at rank 1, and general talents based on age (1–3 slots), with an additional 5 experience points available during creation to acquire or enhance general talents like Ambidextrous or Beast Companion, establishing initial capabilities without delving into progression mechanics. Personalization continues with background elements: defining a (a core virtue granting a once-per-session bonus to a failed roll) and a Dark Secret (a burdensome past providing experience opportunities but narrative complications). Starting gear is chosen from profession lists, limited by (tracked via resource dice like D6–D12 for items such as arrows or food, depleting on use), ensuring self-sufficiency for . Gear examples include the hunter's bow with D10 arrows and tools, or the druid's staff and supplies. Finally, group creation assembles up to four heroes collaboratively, establishing relationships between characters (e.g., , rival) for depth, and setting up a shared as a central hub for resting, crafting, and , fostering cooperative in the Forbidden Lands.

Core Resolution System

The core resolution system in Forbidden Lands employs a dice pool mechanic using standard six-sided (d6s) differentiated by color: white for attributes, black for skills, and red for gear or tools. To attempt an action, a player assembles a pool equal to the relevant attribute rating (typically 1–5) plus the associated skill level (0–3) plus any applicable gear modifiers, then rolls all dice simultaneously. Success is determined by the number of 6s rolled, with each 6 counting as one success; a single success achieves a basic positive outcome, while additional successes enhance the result's quality, such as greater rewards or fewer complications. Rolls of 1 represent potential banes—white 1s on attribute dice can grant Willpower upon certain conditions, black 1s risk temporary attribute damage (reducing future dice pools), and red 1s may cause gear wear or breakage—but banes only trigger effects if the roll is pushed. Opposed actions, like persuasion or evasion, compare the net successes between participants. After the initial roll, a may once to reroll all non-6 , potentially increasing successes at the risk of activating from the reroll. If the character possesses any points, pushing costs 1 point, preventing Willpower gain from resulting banes; otherwise, pushing is free, and each bane on base dice (attribute or skill) awards 1 Willpower point alongside any damage. This encourages strategic risk-taking, as repeated pushes can deplete attributes, leading to vulnerability. Willpower begins at 0 for each character and serves as a key resource, spent to push rolls safely, activate kin- or profession-specific talents, or cast spells (with higher-level effects requiring more points). It is primarily acquired through banes on free pushes, though certain items provide temporary Willpower. Non-combat actions, such as crafting items, recalling , or negotiating with NPCs, follow the identical dice pool and resolution process, using appropriate attributes and skills like for crafting or Wits for checks. Character progression occurs via experience points awarded for completing milestones, such as resolving quests or surviving expeditions, rather than accumulating kills or minor successes. If attribute damage from banes or other sources reduces a to 0, the enters , prompting a roll on the permanent injury table (using a d66 method) to determine lasting effects, including scars, phobias, or death.

Exploration and Survival

The exploration mechanics in Forbidden Lands revolve around a hex-crawl system, utilizing a large poster map divided into 37 hexes that players uncover progressively as they travel. Movement across the map typically allows for 1-3 hexes per day, with costs varying based on terrain—such as forests or mountains slowing progress—and factors like or mounts. Random encounters are rolled on dedicated tables during travel, introducing perils like ambushes or environmental hazards, which the adjudicates to heighten tension without derailing the journey. Survival is a core pillar, requiring players to track essential resources including light sources, food, and water, represented through a dice-based system where items like rations or torches are assigned dice (e.g., d6 to d12) that deplete on low rolls during use. Starvation or dehydration imposes penalties by reducing a character's Toughness attribute, simulating weakening over time, while exposure without light in dark areas can trigger additional risks. Foraging and hunting mitigate these needs through skill checks, primarily using Wits for survival tasks like gathering edibles or Agility for pursuits like tracking game, emphasizing preparation and role division among party members. Camp management provides a respite from the wilderness, where players can establish temporary bases via a "Make Camp" action to heal wounds, craft items from gathered resources (tracked on cards), and store accumulated loot securely. Permanent strongholds, built from claimed ruins, allow for upgrades such as defensive walls, alarm systems, or production facilities like bakeries, which require resource investments and to enhance long-term and deter threats. These camps serve as strategic hubs, enabling players to consolidate gains before venturing further. Travel is fraught with perils beyond encounters, including dynamic effects that can impede or exacerbate resource strain, and the discovery of adventure sites—such as ancient ruins—that trigger structured mini-dungeons with their own maps and challenges. Entering these sites demands careful , as they harbor traps, guardians, and environmental obstacles tailored to test skills. Loot and secrets drive the exploratory loop, with discovered sites featuring randomized treasure tables that yield artifacts, raw materials, or rather than predetermined rewards, rewarding bold player choices in navigating dangers. This system underscores the game's emphasis on emergent , where uncovering locations or secrets can unlock new paths or advantages without guaranteeing safety.

Combat and Progression

In Forbidden Lands, combat begins with initiative determined by each participant drawing a card numbered 1 through 10 from a shared , establishing a fixed order from lowest to highest number for the duration of the encounter unless modified by talents. Rounds represent about 10 seconds to a minute of action, during which each hero or monster performs one slow action (such as attacking with a , shooting a , or casting a ) and one fast action (such as moving within a range band, dodging, or preparing equipment), or two fast actions instead. Range is abstracted into bands—such as engaged (), short (up to 25 meters), medium (up to 50 meters), and long (up to 100 meters)—with modifiers applied to attacks based on distance; for example, ranged attacks at medium range suffer a -1 die penalty, while engaged allows full melee effectiveness but limits dodging. Damage in combat is inflicted by rolling a dice pool of base dice equal to the relevant attribute (typically Strength for melee or for ranged), skill dice for the attack type, and gear dice for the ; each success (a 6) beyond the first adds 1 to the weapon's base damage rating (1 for daggers, 2 for swords, 3 for heavy weapons like axes). The defender may or as a fast action with an opposed roll using or Move, canceling successes equal to their own; any remaining is then reduced by rolling the armor's gear dice (e.g., armor rolls 4 dice), where each success absorbs 1 point, though banes (1s) can degrade the armor. Unabsorbed subtracts directly from the target's primary attribute—Strength for physical wounds—rather than a separate hit point pool; when an attribute reaches zero, the character becomes Broken, triggering a roll on a D66 that may result in severe , unconsciousness, or , with lingering scars possible from repeated crises. Healing occurs primarily through rest at a safe camp or stronghold, restoring 1 attribute point per day if not Broken, or fully after several days of recovery; the skill can accelerate this as a slow , restoring points equal to extra successes rolled. Potions crafted via the Alchemist profession or talents like provide immediate minor restoration (1-2 points), while magical disciplines such as offer instant effects at the cost of Willpower Points (WP). challenges, such as or , can deplete attributes before even begins, emphasizing preparation. Character progression eschews traditional levels, instead awarding experience points (XP) at session's end based on achievements like exploring new hexes, discovering sites or secrets, defeating monsters, finding treasure, building stronghold functions, activating prides, suffering dark secrets, risking life for allies, or performing extraordinary feats—typically 1 XP per category met, up to 10 per session, rather than per enemy killed. XP is spent during downtime to advance skills (5 XP times the new rank, e.g., 15 XP for rank 3) or talents (3 XP times the rank, e.g., 9 XP for rank 3), requiring a quarter-day of rest and sometimes a teacher or successful practice roll; talents enhance combat and survival, such as Fast Shooter for quicker ranged attacks or Path of the Beast for companions. Power scales through accumulated gear (acquired via crafting, trading, or loot) and recruited allies (hired guards or companions), which provide additional dice or abilities without direct XP investment. Group tactics revolve around a shared pool of Points generated by pushing rolls (rerolling non-success/non-bane dice, gaining 1 WP per bane on base dice), which heroes can spend individually or coordinate for rerolls, spellcasting, or activation to turn the tide in fights. Monsters employ simplified stats with fixed attack/defense ratings and special abilities like poison (adding ongoing damage) or flight (ignoring certain range penalties), allowing the to resolve their turns efficiently without full hero-like complexity.

Components and Expansions

Core Set Contents

The Forbidden Lands core set provides a comprehensive array of physical components to facilitate its gameplay for 1-4 players plus a , with modular elements supporting both the included campaign and custom adventures. Key physical components include over 300 cards covering talents, spells, items, and events, which players use to enhance abilities and resolve random occurrences during play. The set also contains 44 custom six-sided for the game's pool resolution , 16 pre-assembled but unpainted plastic miniatures depicting heroes and monsters to visualize encounters, and a large 24x36-inch for tracking exploration across the game world. Supporting these are a 224-page rulebook detailing creation, mechanics, and progression, a 64-page Legends & Adventurers booklet introducing the introductory scenario "The Blood Moon Ritual," and player screens for quick reference during sessions. Digital aids consist of PDF versions of the rulebook and map, freely downloadable from Free League Publishing's website to aid preparation or , with official VTT modules available for the core set and expansions. Production emphasizes quality, with high-end printing featuring spot varnishes on cards and books for durability and visual appeal, while the miniatures arrive ready for optional painting to suit player preferences. Accessibility is prioritized in the set's and , priced at $50-60 USD for the full boxed set, with replacement components available directly from the publisher to maintain long-term playability.

Major Expansions and Supplements

The first major expansion for Forbidden Lands, Raven's Purge, was released in December 2018 alongside the core game as a standalone campaign book. This 224-page hardcover module introduces a non-linear epic campaign centered on the legendary Stanengist elven crown and its rubies, featuring nine key players, eight illustrated adventure sites that can be explored in any order, and a climactic finale allowing players to influence the fate of the Forbidden Lands. In 2020, The Bitter Reach expanded the game's world northward through a Kickstarter-funded campaign launched in June and released in August. This deluxe campaign book details the icy wastelands beyond Ravenland, adding two new magic disciplines (Elemental Magic and Ice Affinity), a new profession with associated talents, enhanced travel and survival rules for cold environments including fuel management and 40 random encounters, eight new monsters such as the Frost Dragon and , ten adventure sites, and the "Wake of the Winter King" storyline with eight key players leading to a player-driven finale. A separate & Cards Pack provides tiles and components compatible with the core rules. The Bloodmarch, released in June 2023 following a campaign earlier that month, shifts focus to the volcanic, demon-infested western regions accessible via the reopened Shadowgate Pass. The 200-page campaign book includes three new magic disciplines (Magma Song, , and Dream Magic), specialized travel rules for the wasteland with 27 random encounters, 16 new monsters like the Fire Wyrm and , eight adventure sites, and the "Legacy of Horn" narrative involving ten key players and an epic finale. It requires no prior expansions but pairs with its dedicated Map & Cards Pack for full integration with core mechanics. Also launched via in 2023 and released in July, Book of Beasts serves as a comprehensive supplement, adding 28 new monsters to the core set's roster, including the , Iron Dragon, and Twisted Ent, along with tailored random encounters, legends, resource harvesting rules, and mechanics for traps, rare tomes, , and solo play. This illustrated 200-page hardcover emphasizes lethal threats and environmental integration, fully compatible with existing rules without prerequisites. Additional supplements include digital PDFs such as updated hero sheets, the Solo Expansion (June 2023) with rules for solo play, new professions, and expanded lifepath generation, and minor add-ons available through official channels, but no major expansions have been released since as of November 2025. All expansions maintain compatibility with the core rulebook, introducing modular elements like new cards, maps, and miniatures that enhance exploration and survival without mandating previous purchases.

Reception and Impact

Critical Reviews

Critics have praised Forbidden Lands for its immersive exploration, which evokes a sense of freedom in navigating a cursed through hex-based travel and random encounters. Reviewers highlight the game's modern interpretation of classic hex-crawls, blending old-school fantasy with streamlined mechanics from the Year Zero Engine, resulting in engaging survival challenges that emphasize player agency over linear quests. The production quality, including detailed maps and modular components, has been lauded as exemplary, contributing to an atmospheric experience that feels both nostalgic and innovative. Some criticisms focus on the survival mechanics, particularly the resource tracking for , , and , which can feel fiddly during extended campaigns despite their thematic relevance. Reviewers note that while the system effectively conveys peril, it may lead to rules overhead in prolonged play, potentially overwhelming groups less inclined toward granular management. Additionally, the emphasis on survival limits opportunities for town-building or intrigue compared to the expansive focus, which some find unbalanced for varied campaign styles. Community feedback on platforms like reflects strong approval, with an average rating of 8.5 out of 10 from 98 users as of November 2025, appreciating the replayability driven by and multiple expansions. Discussions on emphasize the game's high replay value through randomized elements but caution that game master preparation for dynamic events can be time-intensive. As of November 2025, Forbidden Lands maintains sustained interest, featured in ongoing podcasts like actual-play series that explore its mechanics in depth, and often compared to Mutant: Year Zero as an accessible introduction to the Year Zero Engine's push-your-luck dice system. Its popularity is evident in active online communities, such as the r/ForbiddenLands subreddit with over 21,000 members sharing homebrew content and session reports. The game has garnered nominations for prestigious awards, underscoring its impact in the tabletop RPG space.

Awards and Recognition

Forbidden Lands received significant recognition in 2019 through the , where it won Gold for Best Cartography for its innovative designed by Tobias Tranell and Nils Gulliksson, and Gold for Best Production Values due to the high-quality components including miniatures and the adventure zone deck. It also earned Silver medals in Best Rules and Product of the Year categories, highlighting the game's clear mechanics and overall excellence. In the same year, Forbidden Lands was nominated as a finalist for Best at the , organized by the Academy of Adventure Gaming Arts and Design, underscoring its strong reception among industry professionals. These accolades contributed to the game's influence on the tabletop landscape, particularly in elevating the profile of Free League Publishing's Year Zero Engine, which powers Forbidden Lands and has since been adopted in other titles like Vaesen and Alien , fostering a family of interconnected systems. Following , Forbidden Lands has not secured additional major awards but continues to be featured in RPG recommendations and retrospectives as of 2025, affirming its enduring appeal in fantasy despite the absence of a second edition.

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