Forbidden Lands

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.

Five costumed friends posing together at a lively TTRPG costume party
Five costumed friends posing together at a lively TTRPG costume party
Green ten-sided die with gold numbers 5 and 9 visible.
Green ten-sided die with gold numbers 5 and 9 visible.

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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Genres you can play in Forbidden Lands

  • Survival

    Chilly nights, empty rations, and tough decisions. Survival stories challenge your resolve and teamwork as you manage supplies, outwit…

    View genre: Survival
  • Gritty

    Difficult decisions, limited resources, and lasting consequences. Imagine Game of Thrones, where trust is tenuous, debts must be repaid…

    View genre: Gritty
  • Low Magic

    A gritty fantasy where a whispered charm holds more weight than fireballs. Steel, cunning, and difficult choices propel the narrative, much…

    View genre: Low Magic
  • Wilderness

    Boots on the trail, maps in hand, with miles of uncharted terrain separating you from safety. Imagine the Fellowship traversing the wilds…

    View genre: Wilderness
  • Pirate

    Salt spray, creaking decks, and cutlass duels as you pursue treasure and rivals across treacherous waters. Swashbuckling adventure…

    View genre: Pirate

What players think

  • First of all, I want to say that Sebastian was really great as a DM. For his first run as a booked DM, he did a really good job. The 3 stars refer to the following: 1. We were disappointed that the adventure was labelled a One Shot and yet wasn't a complete story. Discovering that there are two more parts wasn't very positive for us, as it meant there was no satisfying conclusion to the story. 2. As new players, it was difficult for us to understand the English character sheets in such a short time. In German, it would have been much easier. Even receiving the character sheets a few days in advance would have been helpful for preparation. 3. More guidance would be beneficial. Especially for beginners, a more linear one shot would have been preferable. We wasted a large portion of the adventure time doing unnecessary things because we didn't really know how the game worked. Overall, I think the StoryForgers concept is really good and I see a lot of potential in it, especially for introducing new players to D&D. I hope you don't take my feedback the wrong way but as honest criticism. Best regards, Mario

    Mario

  • Bryan was exceptional. We had a group with varying levels of experience, and he managed to keep everyone engaged and involved. His attitude was fantastic, and he made the game enjoyable for all. I particularly appreciated how he could clearly explain what was required from our less experienced players while keeping our more seasoned players on their toes with his extensive knowledge of the game. Everyone in our party had a wonderful time thanks to Bryan.

    Jeremy

  • Dayron was fantastic. Well-prepared, punctual, and had a brilliant sense of humour.

    Corey

  • Dayron was fantastic; he provided an excellent experience. Thank you!

    Casey

    The Merry Meeple

  • The game was incredibly engaging. I arranged a session as a gift for my boyfriend, who is very enthusiastic about it, and he was thoroughly pleased and appreciated Leonardo's professionalism. I don't have much experience with DnD, but I found the game to be quite straightforward and enjoyable.

    Marina

  • A very good GM, Baptiste adapted well to our group and helped us progress in this one-shot. One issue was with the character sheets provided, which were not complete or clear. Some of the French translations were rather approximate. For instance, our cleric was missing spells (no healing spell) even though they were meant to have some.

    Pierre

  • Rachel was fantastic; my daughter and her friends left their game saying it was the most fun they'd ever had, and my daughter wanted to sign up for another game with her straight away. She was friendly, and her approach enabled the players to fully immerse themselves in the game by allowing them to control how they wanted their actions to be carried out. I would certainly work with her again.

    John

  • A pleasant and straightforward introduction to D&D. Amber was adept at explaining and guiding the game, allowing us as players to quickly get into the rhythm and concentrate on the narrative. Collaborating with my colleagues to devise attack strategies was an enjoyable experience and provided valuable insights into each other's characters, thought processes, and differences. Overall, I found it to be a highly enjoyable session.

    Jens

    Triodos Bank N.V.

  • Pim is truly brilliant as a DM! Cheerful, adaptable, and exceptionally experienced. With a group of novice players, he managed to create an amazing experience in just a few hours. He maintained control in an enjoyable manner and engaged every player in the story, regardless of whether they were vocal or reserved. If you embark on an adventure with him, it will certainly be unforgettable!

    Jens

    Triodos Bank N.V.

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