RPG Review: ‘Vaesen’ from Free League

Vaesen from Free League Publishing is the Nordic horror roleplaying game. While some table-top RPGs focus on fantastical adventures through fictional lands, Vaesen is very much at home in our own world, or at least in something very near it. Players face mysterious creatures often recognizable from Nordic folklore as well as many that will be new to most gamers. They will have to use their wits as well as their might to unravel the mysteries of the unseen, learning that knowledge of the old ways often reveals more secrets than any sane person can comprehend.

Vaesen is set in the 19th century, as industrialization is sweeping through Sweden. It’s a volatile era, as machines take over much of the agricultural work done for centuries by human hands, sending thousands to the cities in search of new work.

It’s also an era of dramatic politics, when many Norwegians seek independence, new money from industrialists disrupts social norms, and scientific minds question what has long been accepted. Players take on characters known as “Thursday’s Children,” people who have experienced a trauma that has altered them, literally, by allowing them to see Vaesen, the normally unseen magical creatures that exist all around us. Because of this gift, or curse, characters find themselves included in an esoteric Society that works to keep the peace between humans and these creatures.

Unknown Creatures

With so much change in the world of the game, the Vaesen are especially temperamental. The game features numerous creatures, including well-recognized ones like Werewolves, Giants, and Ghosts. Each of these is presented through the lens of Nordic folklore, which may be different from other perspectives, such as Giants being terrified of church bells and Ghosts appearing in mirrors if their names are called. There are also many more Vaesen that players may not have heard about, like the fire-immune Lindworm, the well-dressed but vengeful household Vaettir, and the bug-like Spertus that grants luck, but at terrible cost to the owner’s soul.

Players create characters who can solve the mysteries plaguing victims. They are all tied together by their ability to see Vaesen, but beyond that, they may come from a wide variety of backgrounds, from wealthy nobles to academics to military people to vagabonds, writers, and servants. The game system is simplified to four main attributes: Physique, Precision, Logic, and Empathy, which may be augmented with Skills. Rather than hit points, damage is managed by Conditions, with the mental impact of dealing with the unseen world as potentially harmful as the physical.

Mystery-Solving Gameplay

Games of Vaesen are readily organized around a central mystery. For each story, the characters receive word of strange goings-on, which leads them into a new place to meet NPCs, uncover clues, and finally confront the Vaesen. There may not always be a rogue Vaesen to blame for the conflict. It could very well be a right-seeking though misunderstood Church Grim attempting to protect holy ground, or a Wood Wife driving away poachers. The rulebook contains thorough instructions for the Gamemaster to weave in mundane drama in order to craft rounded stories for the players to explore.

With its straightforward, unique system, Vaesen is a solid roleplaying game for veteran gamers as well as newcomers to the genre. Although the dice serve as randomizers for authenticity, rather than having players crunch numbers for a dungeon-crawl, most of the play in Vaesen is through listening carefully for clues and unraveling the mystery. Once the creature is known, the players can seek out ways to make things right. Winning is not always about “defeating” a monster; instead, it is finding a way for our world and theirs to coexist.