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 navigate an unknown map, challenge yourself against the elements and hunger, and explore strange ruins with tough decisions at every turn. The tone is low magic and somewhat harsh, but the gameplay remains human and hopeful. Sessions feel like genuine adventures, with risks, recovery, and surprises arising from your choices rather than scripts. It’s 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 extra successes provide benefits like quicker progress or increased damage. If you don't meet the target, you can push and reroll, but rolling 1s can strain your stats or wear down your equipment, and that risk fuels willpower for talents and spells. Travel and combat use distinct 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 tight objectives. A campaign 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.

Game Master gestures excitedly while players move miniatures during a tabletop roleplaying encounter.
Game Master gestures excitedly while players move miniatures during a tabletop roleplaying encounter.
Green ten-sided die with gold numbers 5 and 9 visible.
Green ten-sided die with gold numbers 5 and 9 visible.

Common 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. That builds tension, not a meat grinder. A professional Game Master adjusts foes, travel pace, and how generous rests and supplies are. We also indicate risk and reward for 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 gear. Rolling sixes counts as successes. You can push a failed roll to try again, but rolling 1s can strain your stats or damage items. That 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're 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 crucial, 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 encompass stronghold construction and downtime threats as essential gameplay, not just 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 track of 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, negotiate with inhabitants, disarm traps, and collect treasure. Between legs, you craft, heal, and plan your next route based on the rumours you've 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 rely on willpower and can involve risk when pushed, so you must balance power against safety. Scrolls and teachers are available, but they are not found on every corner. Let the Game Master know how prominent you want magic to be 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, recruit NPCs, and oversee projects between adventures. Your decisions will yield advantages and introduce new challenges, while threats may focus on your home. This aspect is particularly effective in campaigns that allow for development over time. In a one-shot, we can demonstrate it with a reclaimed outpost or a brief base event to illustrate how it functions.

Does Forbidden Lands operate smoothly 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.

Booking Form


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Genres you can play in Forbidden Lands

  • Survival

    Chilly nights, empty rucksacks, and tough decisions. Survival stories challenge your resilience and teamwork as you manage resources…

    View genre: Survival
  • Gritty

    Difficult decisions, limited resources, and lasting consequences. Picture 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 expensive choices propel the narrative, much…

    View genre: Low Magic
  • Wilderness

    With boots on the trail and maps in hand, you face miles of uncharted terrain before reaching safety. Picture the Fellowship traversing the…

    View genre: Wilderness
  • Pirate

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

    View genre: Pirate

What players have to say

  • Joran had 6 children aged 12 completely engaged for the full four hours. Most of them were playing for the first time. They were actively entertained from start to finish. At no point did anyone seem bored or irritated. Joran was also perfectly prepared and had excellent game materials.

    Haiko

  • Ruby was fantastic; this was our group’s first DnD experience, and she helped everyone grasp the rules and enjoy themselves.

    Adam

  • We had a fantastic time, the lads really enjoyed their campaign and Evan was excellent. I would definitely recommend Evan. Thank you!

    Cheidhia

  • Geert was great fun and full of enthusiasm! We were in stitches laughing :D

    Wessel

  • It was a brilliant experience for the girls! Thank you, Marie! You were incredibly well prepared, the girls were captivated by your every word, and it felt like you had been playing together for years! Looking forward to seeing you next time!

    Annick

  • Tom was brilliant! He was really great with the kids and very patient with his explanations. It was a wonderful evening and definitely worth doing again! The children asked the next day when we would be doing this again.

    Danny

  • 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 an excellent job. The 3 stars refer to the following: 1. We were disappointed that the adventure was labelled a One Shot 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 significant portion of the adventure time doing unnecessary things because we didn't fully understand 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 see it 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 positive attitude made the game enjoyable for all. I really appreciated how he could clearly explain what was needed from our less experienced players while keeping our more seasoned players on their toes with his deep knowledge of the game. Everyone in our party had a fantastic time thanks to Bryan.

    Jeremy

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

    Corey

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