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Forbidden Lands

Exploration in Sandbox – Following The Legend of Long-lost Fire Wyrm’s Arrows

I show efficient and engaging way to handle map exploration in my Forbidden Lands sandbox. Though the party haven't discovered a large part of Ravenland, the travel and survival were the main parts of our game.
I show the efficient and engaging way to handle map exploration in my Forbidden Lands sandbox. Though the party hasn’t discovered a large part of Ravenland, travel and survival were the main parts of our game.

The company of aspiring ruin pillagers sets out under Grulf the Ailander. The challenging mountains of the Thynde Range are closing in above the horizon. Thus, the central part of most sandbox games begins — the exploration. I love how the Forbidden Lands mechanics really bring that out. And with just a few additions of my own, it quickly became the primary plot-driver.

Read More »Exploration in Sandbox – Following The Legend of Long-lost Fire Wyrm’s Arrows

How and Why Integrate Pre-made Module into Sandbox RPG – Arrival at the Hollows

While exploring a pre-made village or region, GM and players have a chance to interact with the game world, developing characters, plot, and integrating various parts of the sandbox for a satisfying campaign.
While exploring a pre-made village or region, GM and players have a chance to interact with the game world, developing characters, plot, and integrating various parts of the sandbox for a satisfying campaign. | Photo by Markus Spiske on Unsplash

When Mara, Hrod, and Bruni descended from the foothills of Thynde Range, they saw a welcoming sight of a more civilized region. In the distance, smoke from the chimneys rose, and crop fields and pastures appeared after a short while. They were nearing the Hollows – a pre-made module I was about to integrate into my sandbox RPG campaign. However, I wouldn’t be myself if I didn’t approach this creatively.

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Making sense of random rolls in sandbox RPG – A Tomb-plunder to Pay Your Bills

If you assume that the random rolls make sense, you'll find even the wildest ones to make sense in your sandbox RPG. Just practice your improvisation skill.
If you assume that the random rolls make sense, you’ll find even the wildest ones to make sense in your sandbox RPG. Just practice your improvisation skill. | Photo by Pineapple Supply Co. on Unsplash

Bruni – the dwarven lush and fencer, Mara – an itinerary tradeswoman, and Hrod – a golden-hearted goblin scoundrel – are on their way. From? Where to? I asked myself the same questions as we sat at the table for our first session. But in our sandbox game, it wasn’t me to answer them – I just had to make sense of what the random dice rolls would say. What was it?

Read More »Making sense of random rolls in sandbox RPG – A Tomb-plunder to Pay Your Bills

Meet Your Humble Ravenland’s Graverobbers – I love random player-character generation!

Rolling the dice may spark imagination to create an unusual idea - especially when you do a random player-character generation.
Rolling the dice may spark imagination to create an unusual idea – especially when you do a random player-character generation.
| Photo by Ugo Mendes Donelli on Unsplash

It’s our very first session of the Forbidden Lands campaign. From the very first moment, I see players’ interactions reflecting their alter-egos, the relationships seem like they’ve been there for a long time now. But in fact, we’ve finished creating them just seconds ago. That’s all thanks to random player-character generation and its powerful ability to inspire.

Read More »Meet Your Humble Ravenland’s Graverobbers – I love random player-character generation!

RPG in the Time of Plague – How did I start to run a sandbox campaign? 7-item to-do list

Sandbox RPG campaign in the time of plague
This sandbox campaign was mean to the characters. But it all started out of the mean time for myself. Photo by Jeremy Bezanger on Unsplash

Little time for preparing sessions, having to schedule them to late hours and simultaneous drive to play something exciting – it’s all made me run my first sandbox RPG campaign. The concept appeared to me from time to time on the Internet, but I wasn’t very familiar with it. But when I read in the Forbidden Lands GM’s Guide that “15–30 minutes of preparation is plenty most of the time”, I was sold on it immediately. So why and how I did actually start my first sandbox campaign?

Read More »RPG in the Time of Plague – How did I start to run a sandbox campaign? 7-item to-do list