Old School Epic - Gods of the Forbidden North, Brutal North!
Sail to the brutal north where you will find ancient ruins, challenge eldritch horrors, and challenge would-be gods in this deadly OSR campaign!
TYPE
SYSTEM
LEVELS
LANGUAGE
EXPERIENCE
AGE
$15.00
/ Session
Details
Weekly / Sunday - 12:00 AM UTC
Session Duration / 3–4 hours
0 / 8 Seats Filled
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About the adventure
Far beyond the civilized realms lies a land few dare speak of. A frozen frontier where ancient gods once walked… and where something terrible still stirs beneath the snow. You have come north to the remote settlement of Valkengard, a rough trading outpost perched at the edge of a vast and unforgiving wilderness. Beyond its timber walls stretch frozen forests, haunted ruins, forgotten barrows, and the looming shadow of Castle Thar-Gannon—an immense fortress abandoned for centuries. Or so the stories claim. Recently, travelers have vanished. Strange lights flicker in the northern hills. Creatures long thought extinct have begun to roam again. And whispers spread that the ancient powers once worshiped in the North are awakening. If the rumors are true, the fate of the frontier—and perhaps the entire world—may rest in the hands of those brave (or foolish) enough to explore the forbidden lands.
Game style
Dungeon Crawl
Hexcrawl / Exploration
Sandbox / Open World
Game themes
Meet the Game Master
5.0
(5)
Less than a year on StartPlaying
Highly rated for: Inclusive, Teacher, Storytelling
About me
Hi! GM NRod here. Welcome to my page. I first discovered Dungeons & Dragons in 1996 at Pegasus Games in Madison, WI. I went in for Magic cards and walked out obsessed with an orange-covered Advanced Dungeons & Dragons Player’s Handbook. That happy accident turned into a lifelong passion. This year marks 30 years of RPG greatness - most of it spent behind the GM screen. I began running games online in 2020 and have been building immersive virtual tables ever since. My games blend high fantasy, gritty realism, dark themes, horror, hard choices, and meaningful character growth. Whether I’m running a published module or one of my own original worlds, player agency comes first. I build living settings - not railroad tracks. Your choices matter. I welcome all players at my table. Heavy themes may arise, but they remain off-screen and are always handled thoughtfully. Villainy exists in my worlds - but cruelty for shock value does not. I do not allow player-vs-player dice rolls. If characters clash, it’s resolved through roleplay - not forced mechanics. If you’re looking for consequence-driven storytelling, tactical encounters, and a world that reacts to you, I’d love to have you at my table. See you at the virtual table. GM NRod
View Profile →Character creation
Creating your character
Characters will begin at Level 1 and grow through exploration and treasure recovery. Allowed options include the full Advanced OSE classes and races. We will create characters together before the first session so everyone starts ready to explore the Forbidden North.
What to expect
Preparing for the session
Players should be at least familiar with tabletop roleplaying games, preferably OSR style gaming. Discord will be used for voice, and a forge vtt account(free) will be required to access the foundry vtt. Additionally: This campaign uses a classic old-school philosophy: • Player skill matters more than character abilities • Combat is dangerous and not always the best solution • Exploration, planning, and teamwork are key to survival • The world is reactive and unscripted Expect tense dungeon expeditions, wilderness travel, strange discoveries, and the occasional desperate retreat.
What Rodney brings to the table
This is a massive sandbox campaign using Advanced Old-School Essentials, designed for players who enjoy exploration, discovery, and meaningful choices. Expect: • True open-world sandbox play — go anywhere, pursue any lead • Hex-crawl wilderness exploration across a vast frozen frontier • Deadly old-school dungeons where clever play matters more than character builds • Mystery and ancient lore slowly revealed through exploration • A colossal megadungeon lurking beneath the legendary Castle Thar-Gannon • Player-driven stories shaped by your choices and alliances The world will not wait for you. Threats grow, factions move, and events unfold whether the party intervenes or not. Your decisions will shape the fate of the North. What I Provide as GM • 30 years of GM experience • A welcoming and respectful table • Rich descriptions and immersive environments • Meaningful choices with real consequences • Challenging but fair old-school gameplay My games emphasize player freedom, exploration, and emergent storytelling rather than rigid story rails.
Equipment needed to play
Internet
Computer
Microphone
Platforms used
Safety
How Rodney creates a safe table
We will go over Lines and Veils in Session 0/1. This is an adult themed game, and I highly suggest looking at the module reviews if you have any particular triggers prior to signing up.
Content warnings
Safety tools used