A Forest RPG of Wayward Cults

Wolden is a rules-light, flavor-heavy game in the OSR/NSR vein of roleplaying games, which encourages player facing decision making, and has open and dynamic environments that react to character actions.

It centers around the heart of an expansive forest, a nexus that has drawn various cults that now guard and protect its secrets, while striking outwards for power and adventure.

Stylized, young black witch mid-ritual.
Left page showing Purgis Pact carousing options, right page with black and white illustration of a beautiful, long-haired witch in a gown holding a skull and a broom.

Origins

After releasing Hypertellurians, I already started tinkering with new systems, and one of those would become "Woaden", which I've written about before. That game was already quite advanced a few years ago, with characters sheets, lots of art, 8 factions, over 60 powers, and plenty of playtesting. However, it languished unfinished, while other projects enjoyed priority. At some point the game was renamed to "Wolden", for a variety of reasons, not least of which was many folks assuming it was related to Odin (also known as Wōden), which it was very much not.

Then, for this year's ZineQuest, I wondered about reducing the scope of the game, and packing it into a zine (or perhaps a series of zines). I would put in the core rules, somewhat reduced and reworked, and just 2 of the 8 factions (now called cults). Add to that an adventure (released separately), and we'd be good to do.

So that's exactly what I've done, and here is the Kickstarter page!

Stylized illustration of fey and centaur lovers.
Illustration of a horned forest creature with too many arms on one side, and a table of powers on the other.

What to Expect?

  • Fast, yet strategic resolution mechanic for combat, extended challenges, travel and exploration, and downtime.
  • Two cults with their own names, titles, traits, powers, equipment, and carousing tables:
    • The witches, warlocks, and wizards of the Purgis Pact, with their grimoire magic, and four full grimoires, each with four or more spells.
    • The faun, fey, and other forest creatures of the Cenacle of Woodwose and Inflorescants, who spill flowers, not blood.
  • Original illustrations with hand-drawn art, by Henriette Boldt, Anna Katerina Molla, Frank and Karen Reding.
  • A sizable adventure, which will be available digitally (and not part of the zine, but: stretch goals?).

Visit the Kickstarter page▸