Rogueland
- Ken Oswald
- 55 minutes ago
- 2 min read
If you're looking to play an RPG tonight, Rogueland gives a classic, gritty, OSR-style experience, complete with self-generating adventure details. The game is presented in a 36 page A5 booklet format, really 40 pages when counting the inside and outside covers. It's also another example of systems, like KNAVE, CAIRN, WHITEHACK, DUNGEONMOR (to name a few), that elevate open game elements over closed, board game-like rules. This produces a more intense, immediate, immersive game.
What places Rogueland firmly within the OSR camp is its focus on narrative procedure: players openly describe what their characters do rather than relying on closed, board game-like rules. Perhaps the best part of the game is its open, free form magic system (see more on this below). Player turns are easy and exciting because they are focused on players simply describing what characters do, providing the aforementioned trifocal eye (intensity, immediacy, immersion). Another bonus is Rogueland can be played with minimal GM planning or prep. You can jump straight into a sandbox hexcrawl by turning to page 24, Adventure. Included with the game is a
fantastic 2 page hex map for this very purpose. The map is filled with an epic scale expanse of the unknown, Easter eggs scattered throughout in the form of silhouette locals resembling ruins, towers, and cities. The Adventure section generates the experience and encounters of player characters traveling through hexes. Players can explore individual hexes in detail using other rules and tables in this section. While Rogueland emphasises using supplemental material for adventureing (i.e. other adventure/scenario products or excursions preplanned by the GM), you can certainly use its Adventure section to fill an evening at the table. Open Magic System While not unique to Rogueland (again, Knave, Whitehack, Dungeonmor, and others employ this), its magic provides another strong open gaming element for players to engage. When casting a spell, the player gets to interpret its pregenerated effect (the name of the spell, like Destroy Stone) and describe its intended use ("to remove the treasure vault's stone door"). Art From Rogueland
