Horror RPG Vaesen is getting an eerie new campaign book, and it's available to pre-order just in time for Halloween.
Written by the lead writer of the original Vaesen tabletop RPG, 'Death of Songs' provides a handful of new mysteries set in a fantastical version of 19th-century Europe. In this alternate history, folk tales are real and monsters stalk civilization – but only some can see them with a gift called the 'Sight.' As usual, you play one of those gifted few and are part of the Society that studies and hunts these creatures… but it seems as though the organization could be harboring dark secrets of its own, because you're uncovering a mystery with "roots in the history of the Society itself."
Vaesen: Death of Songs is available to pre-order from publisher Free League's store and will be available in early Q1 2027, but anyone that buys now will gain instant access to the PDF version.
If you want a more beginner-friendly entry point, the Vaesen Starter Set is available for under $30 at Amazon (or a heavily-reduced £18.75 at Zatu in the UK).
It sounds as though this could be one of the more seismic storylines in the Vaesen series. Promising an "epic campaign" that will shape the lives of both vaesen and humans across the continent, Death of Songs offers four new mysteries to play through as well as a section dedicated to campaign play in the Swedish city of Upsala. While it seems as though it's a standalone product, it also continues the plotline introduced in the core rulebook's adventure, 'The Dance of Dreams.'
Personally, I'm seeing this as my excuse to finally check out the Vaesen system. I've been interested in it ever since the RPG launched back in 2020 thanks to that gothic theme, incredibly atmospheric illustrations, and the idea of an unseen world operating alongside our own. While I adore Lovecraftian horror of the kind you'd find in Arkham Horror or Call of Cthulhu, Vaesen stands out to me because it explores mundane creatures as well as the purely monstrous – it's just as interested in troublesome trickster imps as it is a troll. It feels ripe for memorable storytelling, and this new book's emphasis on a hidden conspiracy only adds to that idea.
I've also got a lot of faith in Free League. As the studio behind The One Ring (which recently had a crowdfunding campaign that smashed its target by 32 times in a day) and the excellent Alien RPG Evolved Edition, it has an enviable reputation.
Are you going to be playing any RPGs or Halloween board games this spooky season? Let me know in the comments.
This modern-day D&D horror adventure feels like Resident Evil mixed with Control, and it's perfect for Halloween. As for other recommendations, don't miss the best tabletop RPGs.
- See the latest offers on horror board games at Amazon
