Beyond the Wall and Through Sunken Lands - TTRPG Flip-Through and Review

In which I cover two related games from Flatland Games.
Beyond the Wall is a coming-of-age RPG for young adults and children (but it is definitely not childish!) It is inspired by the works of Ursula LeGuin and Lloyd Alexander. Where to get it: preview.drivethrurpg.com/en/p...
Through Sunken Lands is a sword-and-sorcery variant of the same system, with some added rules and mechanics, inspired by the works of Robert E. Howard and Michael Moorcock. Where to get it: preview.drivethrurpg.com/en/p...
Music compiled by Thrash Commander: • Chrono Trigger - Secre...

[@duggygee6387]

I like how Beyond the Wall does what it sets out to do: play an RPG without a lot of prep. Rolling up PCs is a ton of fun as well. The expansion "Further Afield" is a fantastic supplement. It makes everyone at the table help out with world building yet keeps things mysterious for the PCs.

[@RedMageGM]

I haven't had a chance to get Further Afield! I'll have to check that out!

[@TheFantasticIsFact]

One of the best things to come out of the OSR, even a decade on.

[@RedMageGM]

Agreed!!

[@thereluctanthireling]

Many years back when after I had fired up the TTRPG interest after a long break this was one of the first books I picked up and basically my gateway into the OSR surprisingly. I've since drifted into more usage of LoTFP, Labyrinth Lord or OSE but still a fan of these books and character / setting creation process.

[@RedMageGM]

Yeah, the creation process is the standout here!

[@Mankcam]

Another good review! I like how the Ability Bonus range is not as powerful as 5E I would ditch the original Saving Rolls in lieu of the 3E saves (or just use Core Abillties like in 5E). I dislike rolling under for core abilities, and rolling over for saves and combat - I just want consistent core mechanics Everything else looks really good, brimming with lots of flavour. Really like the premise and the way it looks so quick to make characters consistent with the genre flavour Magic looks well done, it is a much better system than standard D&D. Absolutely love the Earthsea/Prydain vibe going on with Beyond The Wall! Well it feels a bit too Anglo-centric for Earthsea, but all the other trappings and themes are there. BtW is very rich in flavour, and totally brings me back to that natural vibe that was sometimes in High Fantasy Through Sunken Lands looks great as well, very sword & sorcery I wonder how easy is it to make Core Characterisitcs use a Roll Over mechanic?

[@RedMageGM]

That's usually my issue with roll-under systems, is that they often also use roll-over, for certain things. I really do prefer that consistency.

[@patrickgaron1728]

Having a strong theme makes this OSR game rich and original compare to all other OSR IMO. A lot of the rules and details for the GM support that themes : the the playbooks, knowing the 'name' , designing the village, the scenarios... All the 3 books enrich the games and the experience.

[@RedMageGM]

Absolutely! Given the sheer number of relatively similar (mechanically speaking) RPGs out there these days, having that theme and GM support makes this stand out.

[@patrickgaron1728]

@@RedMageGM I enjoy reading the those books. My interest exanded to get all the Adventure in Middle-Earth 5e because of theme of Middle-Earth was rich and omnipresent in all the rules, character classes. Same for their published adventures, there are inspiring for any RPG that you run with roleplay and making social encounter important and making journeys relevants and showing you how to do it. I wish through the sunken lands would have went a little further with more specific rules and system, more magic, feats... Maybe in another books.

[@RedMageGM]

It's hard to beat the richness of Middle-Earth!