
Forbidden Lands TTRPG · Forbidden Lands Roleplaying Game
Forbidden Lands
Forbidden Lands is a gritty fantasy sandbox focused on exploration, survival, and treasure. You chart an unknown map, face challenges from the weather and hunger, and explore strange ruins with difficult choices at every turn. The tone is low magic and somewhat harsh, yet the gameplay remains human and hopeful. Sessions feel like genuine adventures, with risks, recoveries, and surprises arising from your decisions rather than pre-written scripts. It is ideal for newcomers seeking guidance, as well as veterans who appreciate player-driven worlds.
Book it for a concise one-shot, a birthday dungeon crawl, or a team offsite that values collaboration under pressure. A professional Game Master prepares a dynamic region filled with threats and rumours, teaches the rules at the table, and adjusts the level of grit to your comfort. You can use pre-generated characters or create your own. Meet and choose from our Game Masters to find the right tone and style.
How to play Forbidden Lands
In play, you roll a handful of six-sided dice based on your attribute, skill, and gear. Every 6 counts as a success; one is usually sufficient, and additional successes provide benefits such as quicker progress or increased damage. If you fall short, you can push and reroll, but rolling 1s can strain your stats or wear down equipment, and that risk fuels willpower for talents and spells. Travel and combat follow clear turns, allowing each player to scout, forage, sneak, or strike in sequence.
Players should come with a rugged character concept, a few goals, and a readiness to make difficult decisions regarding time, supplies, and danger. The Game Master provides the hex map, adventure locations, weather, and factions, then responds to your plans. A one-shot centres on a single ruin or short journey with pregenerated characters and specific objectives. A campaign gradually reveals the map over weeks, manages food and arrows, claims a stronghold, and observes how your choices reshape the region. Playing online is seamless on popular virtual tabletops; see options here.




Frequently Asked Questions
How lethal is Forbidden Lands, and can you modify it?
Short version: danger is real, but avoidable. You can be broken by injury, cold, or hunger. If broken by damage, you roll a critical injury that can maim or kill. Pushing dice risks your attributes and gear. This builds tension, not a meat grinder. A professional Game Master adjusts foes, travel pace, and the generosity of rests and supplies. We also indicate the risks and rewards of retreat. Share your comfort level when you book, or find a Game Master whose style suits you.
Do I need to have experience with the rules, or will you teach us?
No experience necessary. The rules utilise pools of six-sided dice based on your attributes, skills, and equipment. Rolling sixes counts as successes. You can push a failed roll to try again, but rolling 1s can strain your stats or damage items. This risk fuels willpower for talents and spells. A professional Game Master will guide you at the table, provide quick reference sheets, and offer pre-generated characters if you wish. If you are already familiar with the system, we can jump straight into more advanced options.
How does this differ from D&D and other fantasy games?
It is a genuine sandbox. You decide where to venture on a hex map, then deal with the consequences. Resources are important, so food, arrows, and weather influence your strategy. Magic is less common and often feared. Combat is quicker and more unpredictable, and resting is more stringent. There is no scripted storyline to adhere to, only locations, factions, and rumours that respond to your actions. The rules also incorporate stronghold building and downtime threats as essential gameplay, not merely a side mini-game.
What do we actually do while travelling and exploring?
You assign roles, then take turns travelling. One person scouts to avoid ambushes. Another forages or hunts. Someone else navigates and keeps the map. You manage the camp, fire, and watch. Weather and terrain can hinder your progress, and you decide when to prioritise speed over safety. When you discover a site, you explore rooms, parley with the inhabitants, disarm traps, and collect treasure. Between legs, you craft, heal, and plan your next route based on the rumours you have uncovered.
Is magic uncommon here, and can I play a spellcaster?
Yes to both. In the setting, magic is rare and many NPCs regard it with suspicion. At the table, you can play a Sorcerer or Druid, or a non-caster with mystical abilities. Spells draw on willpower and can carry risks when pushed, so you must weigh power against safety. Scrolls and teachers are available, but they are not found on every corner. Inform the Game Master how prominent you want magic to feel in your story.
Can our group claim, enhance, and defend a stronghold?
Yes. The game includes comprehensive rules for capturing a location and transforming it into a base. You can select facilities such as a workshop, stables, or a guard tower, employ NPCs, and oversee projects between adventures. Your decisions will yield advantages and introduce new challenges, with threats potentially targeting your home. This aspect is particularly effective in campaigns that allow for development over time. In a one-shot, we can provide a glimpse of this through a reclaimed outpost or a brief base event to demonstrate how it functions.
Does Forbidden Lands run well for online play?
Very well. The system uses only six-sided dice, so rolls are quick with simple macros. Hex maps, fog of war, and travel rolls work seamlessly on popular virtual tabletops like Foundry or Roll20. A professional Game Master provides ready maps, tokens, and handouts, and manages the pace via voice or video. If you have a preferred platform, check options here: online play platforms.
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