Chase Nordic Horrors With Free League’s Vaesen RPG Starter Set

October 29, 2025 by brennon

Free League Publishing released another brilliant Starter Set for one of their role-playing games. You can now explore the world of Nordic Horror in Vaesen through this great starting point.

Vaesen Starter Set // Free League Publishing

When you dive into Vaesen, you'll be exploring Northern Europe in the 19th Century, where myths are real. Based on the stunning art by Johan Egerkrans, you'll be drenched in this Gothic world, packed with Nordic folklore and dark myth, where you take on the role of members of a secret society who have been gifted the Sight, allowing you to see the Vaesen of the world.

Unlike other games of horror, Vaesen challenges your investigators to not just hunt and perhaps kill Vaesen but understand them and why they might have suddenly become a threat to humanity. Violence isn't always the option and in some cases can make things worse!

Condensed rules for action skill tests, combat, damage, and fear.
The complete introductory mystery, The Haunting of Castle Gyllencreutz, lets the players explore the headquarters of the Society itself.
Codex Occultum, the Society’s old journal of vaesen to be used as a resource for the players.
Five pre-generated and illustrated player characters.
A large full-colour map with the Mythic North on one side and the town of Upsala on the other.
A map of Castle Gyllencreutz.
Three handout sheets.
Five rules reference cards.
Ten initiative cards.
Ten engraved custom dice for the game.

As you can see, the game comes with all that you'd need for your introductory adventures within the world of Vaesen. As is the case with other Free League Starter Set, it comes packed to the rafters with gubbins to help you play out that introductory mystery, The Haunting of Castle Gyllencreutz, but also much more.

Vaesen Starter Set - Contents // Free League Publishing

These Starter Sets are a great stepping stone into a new role-playing game and they aren't particularly expensive either. The retail price from Free League for this set is only just over £24! If you're tempted by a different style of role-playing game, I can heartily recommend Vaesen, especially with a starter set like this that gives you loads to sink your teeth into.

Making use of the Year Zero mechanics from other games, Vaesen is well-placed for narrative intrigue and cinematic action, where the players are always at the forefront of the story.

What do you make of this new Starter Set for Vaesen?