• Dark atmosphere of Nordic folklore.
• Investigation and deduction instead of combat.
• Stunning illustrations by Johan Egerkrans.

The book has a bumped corner.

Vaesen - Nordic Horror RPG Corebook pulls you into a dark version of 19th-century Northern Europe. These core rules from the award-winning Free League Publishing reveal a world where the industrial revolution drives mythical beings out of the forests. Instead of peace, a bloody conflict begins.

Brute force won't stop these monsters 🌲

Investigation and deduction are your only weapons, as you cannot kill these creatures with a sword. Every vaesen has specific rituals and weaknesses you must uncover. Only then can you banish the threat for good.

Stunning illustrations by Johan Egerkrans give every page a thick, immersive atmosphere. Your society of occult detectives also builds its own headquarters in an old castle, adding a great strategic layer to the game.

A system that doesn't get in the way of the story

Year Zero Engine – the same foundation that powers Forbidden Lands or Tales from the Loop – ensures smooth, tense gameplay without unnecessary bookkeeping. It is designed so the plot never hits a dead end. Failing a dice roll doesn't mean the end of your investigation; it brings harsh consequences. The story simply escalates with every mistake.

Don't worry about running out of clues. While the game doesn't hold your hand, it generously rewards proactive play and clever questions. Prepare for a horror experience where you won't find heroism, but a fight to keep your sanity.

The manual is in English.

Vaesen: Investigative horror RPG inspired by Nordic folklore

Discover Vaesen RPG and its latest campaigns. Folklore horror meets detective mystery. A game about investigation, fog, and moral choices. full article…

5. 3. 2026 Karel Krajča  7 min

In dark forests, beyond the mountains, by black lakes in hidden groves. At your doorstep. In the shadows, something stirs. Strange beings. Twisted creatures, lurking at the edge of vision. Watching. Waiting. Unseen by most, but not by you. You see them for what they really are.

Vaesen.

Welcome to the Mythic North - northern Europe of the nineteenth century, but not as we know it today. A land where the myths are real. A cold reach covered by vast forests, its few cities lonely beacons of industry and enlightenment - a new civilization dawning. But in the countryside, the old ways still hold sway. There, people know what lurks in the dark. They know to fear it.

Vaesen - Nordic Horror Roleplaying is written by Nils Hintze and based on the work of Swedish illustrator and author Johan Egerkrans. Vaesen presents a dark Gothic setting steeped in Nordic folklore and the old myths of Scandinavia. The game mechanics utilize an adapted version of the awardwinning Year Zero Engine.

In Vaesen, you play individuals born different. You have the Sight - the ability to see what ordinary people cannot. You know that vaesen have lived beside humanity for untold centuries, in an uneasy peace. Not anymore. Rumors spread of kittens born with two heads, streams red from blood, groves lulling children into eternal sleep, fairies dancing through villages, luring the young into the woods to be forever enthralled.

Embarking on journeys to remote villages in the wilderness, you will uncover the secrets of the Mythic North. Armed with nothing but your courage, conviction, and ability to see the supernatural, you will face the creatures of the forest.

Key features:

• Ten ready to use archetypes let you create a character in minutes - or use the included life path tables and let the dice decide.
• Quick and flavorful rules for combat, investigations and horror.
• Rules for developing the player characters’ headquarters during campaign play.
• A detailed gazetteer of the Mythic North setting and the town of Upsala.
• A score of bloodcurdling vaesen to encounter, all beautifully illustrated by Johan Egerkrans.
• An introductory Mystery called The Dance of Dreams.