Vaesen: Investigative horror RPG inspired by Nordic folklore

Vaesen - Nordic Horror Roleplay is a tabletop roleplaying game that doesn't lead you through epic battles and piles of corpses, but rather through atmosphere, the silence between sentences, and the feeling that something is still alive in the forests, lakes, and old houses. Something that was here long before factories, the telegraph, and gas lamps arrived. And something that doesn't necessarily get along with the modern age.

If you enjoy storytelling where tension builds gradually, where investigation isn't just an excuse for a fight, and where the "monster" isn't always a problem you solve with violence, Vaesen will fit you like a well-tailored coat—just one that's occasionally a bit damp from the mist.

What the game is about

In this game, you play as an investigator of the supernatural. Someone who sees more than ordinary people—and, most importantly, knows that creatures from legends aren't just folklore. Vaesen are real beings: sometimes terrifying, sometimes tragically bound to a place, sometimes almost "just" in their own logic. If they appear, it rarely bodes well.

Your role isn't to be a trophy hunter. Vaesen guides you more toward uncovering the causes: what was broken, what promise was made, what old rule someone ignored, what was stolen, desecrated, or forgotten. Only then do you look for a solution—which might be negotiation, restoring balance, sacrifice, or even a confrontation. But here, confrontation is usually the last resort rather than the default plan.

The result is a game that can be a detective story, a twisted folklore fairy tale, or a horror where unease settles under your skin before the first initiative roll is even made.

Setting and atmosphere

Vaesen is built on Nordic and European folklore, but it's not a museum exhibit. The world is set in a time when old traditions are being crushed by modernization: railways, industry, and new social orders. And this change is crucial in the background—because vaesen often react to the landscape changing, places losing their meaning, and people ceasing to respect what they once took for granted.

For you at the table, this means excellent ground for stories:

• rural communities that are "hiding something" and strange old traditions,
• cities where filth and fear hide beneath a polished facade,
• deep forests, wetlands, lakes, old farms, and dilapidated homesteads,
• and above all, the rules of an unwritten world that work even when no one believes in them.

Vaesen has a clear tone: melancholy, mystery, cold, fog, candles, whispers, and moral dilemmas. It's not just about "solving the case." It's often about what you are willing to sacrifice to restore balance—and whether that balance is actually fair.

Game system

In terms of playstyle, Vaesen supports investigation, social interaction, exploration, and gradual discovery. It doesn't reward you for banging your head against a wall, but for thinking, asking questions, connecting clues, and letting the world speak.

System-wise, Vaesen doesn't start from scratch. It uses a modified version of the established Year Zero Engine (the same "family" of rules that powers other Free League games, such as Forbidden Lands), and adapts this system to what it needs: less "combat tactics," more tension, character fragility, and a sense of consequence (if you push your luck, it will cost you).

Mechanically, it's an accessible RPG that you can start quickly even with people who aren't used to piles of tables. A character is defined by what they are good at, what they have been through, and what drives them forward. Fragility is also important—you aren't a superhero. Conflict, stress, pressure, and the consequences of decisions carry weight. Thanks to this, Vaesen can evoke tension without constant fighting.

Furthermore, the game typically assumes that cases are connected. It's not just a collection of one-shots. A campaign framework emerges, giving you a base to return to, as well as space for the gradual transformation and deepening of your character: what scarred them, what they carry with them, who they trust, and who they will never trust again.

Art and design

You can't sum up the visual side of Vaesen in one sentence because it's not just decoration—it's part of the game's identity. The visuals are primarily the work of Johan Egerkrans, a Swedish illustrator and author upon whose work Vaesen is built. His style is instantly recognizable: "folklore" doesn't mean cute, but old, harsh, sometimes beautiful, and often unpleasant in a way that makes you look longer than you're comfortable with.

The illustrations do a huge service at the gaming table. They aren't just pictures of monsters for a bestiary—they are emotional anchors. When you flip through the book, you get the impression that you are looking at something that belongs to that place: beings bound to the landscape, customs, and rules that people have broken. Thanks to this, the atmosphere doesn't need to be laboriously "explained"—it starts working the moment you open the book. And if you want to set the mood for players without a long speech, just show one illustration and let there be silence in the room for a moment.

It's also great to know that this visual style maintains consistency across supplements—for some expansions, other prominent artists contribute alongside Egerkrans (such as Anton Vitus, or others depending on the specific supplement), but it still feels like one world. The result is "distinctive" in exactly the right way: not just pretty for the bookshelf, but primarily useful during play.

New expansion: City of My Nightmares

City of My Nightmares takes you from misty forests and remote farms straight into the gothic metropolis of the 19th century – Stockholm. It is a full-fledged campaign divided into four parts that begins as an investigation into a series of brutal murders, but gradually draws you into a much deeper problem: a secret that reaches back to the origins of the Society itself (the organization that gathers investigators of the Vaesen and sends them into the field). The great thing about it is that the urban setting changes the pace and the type of horror—instead of "something lurking in the woods," you also deal with what can hide in a crowd, in alleys, in institutions, in relationships, and in power.

And because it's a city, you get material that is actually useful: detailed descriptions of locations, urban atmosphere, and a foundation for you to play not only this campaign in Stockholm but also your own cases. This includes physical "props" for play (typically a large city map and a newspaper handout that supports the investigative style of the game). Visually, it still holds that typical Vaesen face: illustrations by Johan Egerkrans are complemented by Anton Vitus (especially for some characters and historical figures), so it feels like a dark travelogue through a city where reality tangles with folklore—and you have the means to instantly set the mood for players, even if you want to shift the campaign to "your own" gothic metropolis like London or Prague.

Who is Vaesen ideal for

Vaesen is ideal if you want:

• folklore horror instead of gore splatter
• investigation and working with clues instead of endless combat
• tension and mood where things happen slowly but with impact
• stories that can be sad, fragile, and morally grey
• a world where the "monster" isn't always just an enemy, but often a symptom of its time

It works great for groups that:

• are not afraid of roleplay and conversation
• like it when solutions are born from details
• want to play horror so that it's "in their heads," not just in descriptions of bloody scenes

Conversely, if you are looking for tactical combat, build optimization, and a rules-heavy dungeon crawl, you will need to adjust your expectations. Vaesen will give you strong scenes and story hooks, but it won't push you to resolve every situation with initiative.