
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, test yourself against the elements and hunger, and delve into strange ruins with tough choices at every turn. The tone is low magic and somewhat harsh, but gameplay remains human and hopeful. Sessions feel like genuine adventures, with risks, recoveries, and surprises stemming from your choices, not scripts. It’s ideal for newcomers seeking guidance, as well as veterans who appreciate player-driven worlds.
Book it for a compact one-shot, a birthday dungeon crawl, or a team offsite that values cooperation 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 suit your preferred 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 is a success; one is usually enough, and extra successes provide benefits like 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 use clear turns, so each player scouts, forages, sneaks, or strikes in order.
Players bring a rugged character concept, a few goals, and a willingness to make tough decisions about time, supplies, and danger. The Game Master provides the hex map, adventure sites, weather, and factions, then reacts to your plans. A one-shot focuses on a single ruin or short trek with pregenerated characters and tight objectives. A campaign uncovers the map over weeks, manages food and arrows, claims a stronghold, and observes how your choices reshape the region. Playing online is seamless on common virtual tabletops; see options here.




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 required. The rules use 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. This risk fuels willpower for talents and spells. A professional Game Master will teach at the table, provide quick reference sheets, and offer pre-generated characters if you prefer. 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 go 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 regulated. There is no scripted storyline to follow, only locations, factions, and rumours that respond to your actions. The rules also incorporate stronghold building and downtime threats as core gameplay, not just a side mini-game.
What do we do during travel and exploration?
You assign roles, then take turns travelling. Someone scouts to avoid ambushes. Someone forages or hunts. Another navigates and keeps the map. You manage the camp, fire, and watch. Weather and terrain can be challenging, and you decide when to prioritise speed over safety. When you find a site, you explore rooms, negotiate with inhabitants, disarm traps, and collect treasure. Between legs, you craft, heal, and plan the 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 view 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 risks when pushed, so you must balance power against safety. Scrolls and teachers are available, but they aren't found on every corner. Let the Game Master know how prominent you want magic to be in your story.
Can our group claim, upgrade, 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 guard tower, hire NPCs, and oversee projects between adventures. Your decisions lead to advantages and new challenges, and 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 roles work smoothly on popular virtual tabletops like Foundry or Roll20. A professional Game Master provides ready maps, tokens, and handouts, and manages the pace over voice or video. If you have a preferred platform, check options here: online play platforms.
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