Vaesen | Investigative Folk Horror | New Players Welcome
Vaesen, Year Zero Engine | Campaign
About the adventure
You have the Sight, the ability to see the unseen, the vaesen — nature spirits, shapeshifters, spirits of the dead, monsters. As industrialization changes 19th-century Scandinavia, humans and the unseen increasingly come into conflict, and it's up to you and those like you so intercede. Sometimes you're called on to negotiate between and the vaesen, sometimes you need to banish the vaesen, and sometimes you need to confront humans who are doing wrong. And who are you? You might be a scholar, an occultist, a doctor, a consulting detective, or a vagabond. Whoever you are, gaining the Sight hasn't left you unchanged. Whether you were born with it or gained it through some encounter with vaesen, your accessing the Sight was traumatic, and you carry that trauma with you. Likewise, you are driven to use your Sight, and you carry a dark secret. Finally, you have been recruited to join a newly revived Society, a group of people like you dedicated to researching and investigating the vaesen to reestablish order between humans and the unseen of the world. As a member of the Society, you have been given access to the Society's old headquarters, a neglected castle in Upsala. Between mysteries, you will explore, repair, and expand the castle, and pursue your own personal goals.
📜 Vaesen is an investigative folk horror game set in a mythic 19th-century Scandinavia. We'll use both the official Lost Mountain Saga campaign as well as other mysteries to tell our stories. 📜 This is a beginner-friendly game designed to be engaging for experienced players. 📜 Balance of roleplay, exploration, social encounters, and combat. 📜 This is a welcoming, open table and there is no space for racism, sexism, ableism, homophobia, or transphobia
5.0
(6)
1 year on StartPlaying
12 games hosted
Highly rated for: Inclusive, Teacher, Creativity
Game Master Reviews (6)
Proficiencies
Players say this GM is great at:
Inclusive
Teacher
Creativity
Tara (aka SongbirdT)
Played 1 sessions
We ended up with two very different play styles at our game, but John made space for all of us to have fun. My husband and I really enjoyed our first Mothership adventure, and hope we get then chance to play a game that he runs again soon!
Jonathan
Played 1 sessions
He was amazing. He was very open and forthright, looking to make it a great experience for me, the player. He was flexible, accessible, and a very talented GM!
Ellelalith
I'm a broad-spectrum geek with some RPG experience, but far from expert. I've enjoyed playing several different games with this GM and would recommend him for many reasons. He's good at working with groups with players who have different skill/experience levels. Players feel respected and heard, and players' safe/comfort zones are his first priority. You can raise any topic with him (e.g., I'm okay with coming across dead bodies, but I'm less comfortable when the NPC died by suicide) and he will address your concerns discreetly and compassionately. Gunnhrafn is someone you want to introduce young people to the joy of RPGs. In the past, I've asked him for advice on behalf of teenage gamers who were unsure of how to deal with a difficult personality in their group. He had a wealth of age-appropriate materials on game etiquette and advice on resolving their situation. If you want your kids to grow up to be good company in any RPG, let them learn with him. This GM doesn't just allow for player creativity, he thrives on it. It's like being in an advanced improv class, really. If you want rigid conformity and a script that's carved in stone, look elsewhere. If you want to hang out with cool people and go on an adventure, or travel back in time, or solve a mystery, or get in touch with your inner "Theatre Kid" (or any combination of those), ask for Gunnhrafn.
Jayne
John was probably the most prepared DM I've ever played with. He created a world that was deep and pulled in our character's backstories in a way that was engaging. He is great about coming up with interesting new locations and situations.
Steve
John is an excellent world-builder. He does an excellent job creating and explaining the depth of a story environment. I thought he also did an excellent job of responding to player input and player backstory into the flow of the campaign. The scenarios have depth and relate to activities going on in the larger world. He also does an excellent job making up names that really add depth to the environment.
Ivy
John is great for beginners and experienced players both. He allows players to be creative as long as it's within the game's purview and doesn't interfere with other players. Very inclusive without the "long suffering" tone I've experienced with other DM's. Gives us a consent in-game checklist. His games are very enjoyable and fun.
Additional details
How to prepare
To play, you will need: 📜A reliable internet connection and ability to access our Discord, Foundry VTT, a Google Drive, and (if we choose to use it) LegendKeeper. 📜A reliable microphone for voice chat via Discord and Foundry. Web cameras are optional. 📜A free Discord, Foundry, and (if we use it) LegendKeeper account. To prepare for our free Session Zero, you should: 📜Join our Discord and Foundry VTT servers. 📜Fill out our modified Monte Cook RPG Consent Checklist so we may establish our game's expectations for lines, veils, ask first topics, and issues and themes of interest. 📜Access our character creation guide.
What I provide
📜Digital 24/7 access to the main Vaesen book through our Foundry VTT site, as well as a guide to character creation and quick-reference sheets of the game's mechanics. 📜A Discord site for voice and text chat to be used before, during, and after our game session, and if we wish, a LegendKeeper site for us to record campaign details. 📜The Lost Mountain Saga plus other published and custom scenarios that meet player interests. 📜Mechanics for players to establish and achieve short and long-term goals for their characters and to build those interests into our campaign. 📜My 26-years experience as a GM, and my ability to run games that are both beginner-friendly and enjoyable for long-time players.
Gameplay details
To help ensure everyone enjoys our game, I will send out a modified version of the Monte Cook RPG Consent Checklist prior to Session Zero. Other safety tools we'll use during play include the X-card, Script Changes, and an Open Door policy, as well as Debriefing and Stars and Wishes and Roses and Thorns in text channels in Discord. As an investigative folk horror game, will encounter themes of violence, abuse, other dark themes. I don't engage in graphic descriptions of violence, abuse, or gore, but because each of us have different tolerance thresholds, I strongly encourage players to make use of our safety tools, and we can revise our lines and veils as needed. During Session Zero, we will discuss player interests, the framework for our campaign, and then discuss character creation. During game play, we'll use Discord for voice and text chat, along with Foundry VTT to manage skill checks, combat, and the like. While we will use some maps and images, much of our game will be run using theater of the mind, and during each session, we will have at least one 10 minute break, roughly halfway through each session. I strongly encourage feedback, both in what you like about current play, what you would like to see happen, and what isn't working for you. I see my job as trying to create the best experience I'm able to for each player.
Content warnings
• Alcohol Use
• Animal Death
• Blood
• Character Death
• Child Abandonment
• Child Death
• Confronting Abuser
• Controlling Parents
• Cults
• Death
• Deep or Large Bodies of Water
• Devils / Demons / Fiends
• Domestic Abuse
• Drowning
• Drugs (addiction, use, withdrawal)
• Emotional Abuse
• Execution
• Fire
• Freezing
• Guns
• Hostages
• Illness
• Kidnapping
• Medical Issues
• Mind Control
• Murder
• Nightmares about Traumatic Events
• Real World Religion
• Suicide
• Trauma
• Violence
• Violence against Children
• Lifechanging Injury
Safety tools used
• Aftercare
• Breaks
• Debriefing
• Lines and Veils
• Monte Cook RPG Consent Checklist
• Open Door
• Session 0
• Stars and Wishes
• X, N, and O Cards
How will character creation work
We will discuss and begin character creation during our Session Zero. If you would prefer a pre-generated character, please ask.
Players can expect
Combat / Tactics
Low
Roleplay
High
Puzzles
Medium
Experience level
Open to all
Platforms used
• Discord
• Foundry VTT
• Theater of the Mind
$15.00
/ Session
Each player will be charged when a session starts.
Details
Bi-weekly / Wednesday - 12:00 AM UTC
Mar 26 / Session 1
2.5-3 Hour duration
3 / 6 Seats filled
Schedule
Requirements
Experience required: Open to all
Age: 18+