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How to Run a Vaesen RPG Session 0
If you’re introducing Vaesen RPG by Free League Publishing to new players—especially those unfamiliar with tabletop roleplaying games—the last thing you want to do is hand them a 227-page rulebook and hope for the best. When I prepped our Session 0 for Vaesen, I knew my group (my kids) needed something lighter, faster, and far more accessible.
So I sat down with paper and pencil and distilled everything they’d need to get playing Vaesen quickly—character creation, the setting, the core mechanics, and the tone of Nordic horror. These notes became the Session 0 guide I’m sharing with you here. Whether you’re a GM prepping your first mystery or a player looking to understand what Vaesen is all about, this quick-start guide will help you hit the ground running.
What is Vaesen RPG
Vaesen is a tabletop roleplaying game of Nordic horror set in a mythic version of 19th-century Scandinavia. The historical setting isn’t strict—it blends elements from across the 1800s, including trains, steamboats, and the rise of political and philosophical movements. The result is a haunting, folkloric world steeped in eerie atmosphere and old-world superstition.
What Is Nordic Horror?
Forget jump scares and slasher tropes. Nordic horror is slow-burning, folkloric, and atmospheric. It draws on Scandinavian myths—trolls, spirits, nature spirits, and other beings older than recorded history. It’s less about gore and more about unsettling wonder. Expect ancient forests, desolate farms, and unexplained phenomena that whisper at the edge of your sanity.
What Does Vaesen Mean?
In this game, vaesen are supernatural beings drawn from Nordic folklore—neither good nor evil, but always dangerous. Most people can’t perceive them. Their influence is seen only through strange animal behavior, odd illnesses, or eerie silence in once-lively homes. Every vaesen has its unique motives, temperament, and rules. Understanding them is the key to survival.
Who Can See the Vaesen?
Only those with the Sight can perceive vaesen. This ability is rare, often triggered by trauma or supernatural encounters. Characters with the Sight are known as Thursday’s Children, and all player characters have it. Your group has been called to reform a secret society devoted to studying—and when necessary—banishing vaesen from the world.
This Society is headquartered in Castle Gyllencreutz in Upsala (intentionally spelled in the archaic form). Part of your campaign’s progression involves rebuilding the castle and the Society itself.
Important Note: Sharing your supernatural Sight openly is a great way to get institutionalized. Be cautious.
What’s the Goal of a Vaesen Campaign?
Your mission is to protect humanity from vaesen—but it’s not as simple as “kill the monsters.” Many vaesen are victims themselves, and human expansion often provokes them. Violence rarely solves your problems. Instead, knowledge, discretion, and diplomacy will serve you better.
What’s a Mystery in Vaesen?
Unlike D&D adventures, Vaesen stories are called mysteries. Each one plays out like a gothic folk tale: slow-building tension, strange happenings, moral ambiguity, and unsettling truths. Most mysteries begin with a hook—usually a letter or rumor—that draws your group from Upsala into rural regions where vaesen activity is suspected.
Gameplay is scene-based, focusing only on important moments—investigations, confrontations, and character-driven developments. Time between scenes is abstracted.
How Does the Game Work? (Conflict Resolution)
Vaesen uses the Year Zero Engine, the same core mechanic as Forbidden Lands, Mutant: Year Zero, and others by Free League.
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You roll a pool of six-sided dice (D6s) based on your attribute + skill.
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Every 6 is a success.
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Extra successes enhance the result (more information, better outcomes).
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You can push a roll to reroll failures—but at the risk of taking a condition (temporary penalty).
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Opposed rolls and GM decisions round out the system.
Vaesen Character Creation: Step-by-Step
Here’s a simplified walkthrough:
1. Choose an Archetype
Your character’s “role” in the world. Options include:
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Academic
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Doctor
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Hunter
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Occultist
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Officer
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Priest
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Private Detective
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Servant
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Vagabond
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Writer
2. Choose Age Group
Affects your starting Attribute and Skill points:
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Young = more Attributes, fewer Skills
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Middle-Aged = balanced
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Old = fewer Attributes, more Skills
3. Assign Attribute Points
Four attributes:
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Physique
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Precision
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Logic
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Empathy
4. Assign Skill Points
Each attribute has 3 linked skills:
- Agility
- Close Combat
- Force
- Medicine
- Ranged Combat
- Stealth
- Investigation
- Learning
- Vigilance
- Inspiration
- Manipulation
- Observation
5. Choose a Talent
A unique perk tied to your archetype.
6. Choose Your Background Details
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Motivation (why you joined the Society)
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Trauma (past event that awakened your Sight)
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Dark Secret (personal flaw or history that can complicate things)
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Relationships (your connection to each other PC)
7. Roll a Memento
A sentimental item tied to your past—these often provide narrative inspiration.
8. Pick Starting Gear
Each archetype provides basic equipment. Don’t stress the loadout too much—gear matters, but story matters more.
Final Thoughts for Your Session 0
Running Vaesen is all about tone and tension. Set expectations clearly:
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Horror here is emotional, not splatterpunk.
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Characters are heroes, but not invincible.
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Solving mysteries takes intuition and empathy, not brute force.
Let your players know that their characters can—and should—feel afraid, uncertain, and curious. That’s what makes the world of Vaesen come alive.
Quick Links & Resources
- Vaesen Reference Sheet
- Vaesen – Nordic Horror Roleplaying
- Truly Madly Deeply, Best-Selling D&D Campaign
Closing Note
Whether you’re prepping your first mystery or guiding kids through the unknown, Vaesen is a hauntingly beautiful experience. This guide should give you everything you need to start strong, without the players having to read the full book cover to cover. I suggest you read the book if you’re the Gamemaster, though.
Ready to play? Your first mystery awaits.
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