There are a lot of tabletop role-playing games (TTRPGs) besides the traditional Dungeons & Dragons, covering every type of setting and situation imaginable. Though some are undoubtedly better than others, it is easy to find games that can exist in a favorite video game world or feature a certain type of genre, such as space cowboys. I have personally played in several of these worlds, and although traditional DnD is always a fun constant that everyone recognizes, it is an exciting prospect when a group can find just the right TTRPG to work for them and their play style.

Even just in the domain of DnD there are innumerable adventure possibilities available for parties. Yet, the TTRPG world beyond DnD has been expanding at a rapid rate in recent years. There are many reasons why people may want to look for new game systems and settings, but sometimes it can come down to simply falling in love with the world that has been created. That is what happened to me a while ago when I chose to back the quirky and cheerful new TTRPG, The Land of Eem.

The Land Of Eem TTRPG Adds A Dose Of Whimsy

Based On A Fantasy World From Books And Graphic Novels

The Land of Eem has been described by its creators as a game that "combines Lord of the Rings high fantasy epicness with a heavy dose of Muppets-like whimsy and a dash of Mad Max dystopia." It is set within the world of the fantasy series Dungeoneer Adventures and the graphic novels Rickety Stitch and the Gelatinous Goo, although players do not need to have any prior knowledge from those books in order to have fun adventuring through their lands.

Combines Lord of the Rings high fantasy epicness with a heavy dose of Muppets-like whimsy and a dash of Mad Max dystopia.

Land of Eem features a lighthearted blend of humor and fantasy, with players personifying characters such as a gelatinous goo, a mushroom, or even a whale with legs. Despite being set in a post-apocalyptic world of nightmarish events, its stories can lean to the cheerful chaos that leaves everyone at the table laughing more than crying. Whether the party is parlaying with a chicken-footed witch, or finds themselves the prey in a game of sport for an evil hunter and his gang, the game can be adapted to the mood of the table.

The Land of Eem creators have published recordings of their Actual Play podcast streams, which are not only fun to listen to but provide a good understanding of the game.

Using The Sandbox Mechanic, The Players Direct The Game

Easy On The GM, Fun For Roleplaying

As a Dungeon Master (DM, alternatively called GM for Game Master), I found myself immediately intrigued by the sandbox game mechanics that Land of Eem offers. There are some linear adventures available, but there is so much more to be found by letting the players choose their own path. Creativity and collaborative storytelling are key features in this TTRPG, with players often getting to help shape the world around them.

Though at first I was a bit anxious about letting go of the idea of having everything perfectly planned for a session, the fact that players rarely follow a DM's planned ideas anyway made me reconsider. Using "The Mucklands Sandbox" there are plenty of rumors, side quests, and places for parties to explore, with content and inspiration for the DM to use to give suggestions or guidance for the party. As a bonus, using this mechanic can reduce the prep time that a DM needs to have, although they may need to be a bit better on improv during the session.

Despite Its Lighthearted World, The Land Of Eem Is Serious On Details

Intricate Yet Simple Gameplay With A D12 System

Perhaps what impresses me the most with Land of Eem is the sheer amount of content and attention to detail that is included. This isn't just some small side project to promote the books the world is based off of. It is clear that the authors, Ben Costa and James Parks, have a ion for what they are doing. Aside from the already large amount of resources available, the Patreon page offers even more content, and they are about to launch a new Kickstarter for an additional Sandbox setting and a Beginners RPG designed specifically for children.

Land of Eem is designed based on a D12 system, and its dice mechanic allows for a variety of results that go beyond a simple success or failure. Players may find themselves getting a failure that has a little positive plus snuck in, or a success that has a not-so-great twist. This can give many additional ways to roleplay a situation, or simply cause some hilarious chaos throughout the night.

Differences From Traditional DnD

Forget What You Are Used To In Order To Best Enjoy This Experience

The first thing my group and I had to realize when we sat down for character creation in Land of Eem is that you can't go into these rules as though it is typical DnD. Beyond simply changing some of the names of things, such as Courage rather than HP, the unique details of the game require you to not constantly compare it.

The way money, carrying capacity, and even travel is handled is very different and took some getting used to, but yet runs very smoothly. In fact, I have found that I prefer the method of traveling and camping for Land of Eem rather than DnD, as it seems clearer for me to understand.

Even the way that players gain experience has a much stronger emphasis on the roleplay that they exhibited during the session than on simply whether they completed the quest. Players get points from having their character have deep conversations with other party , doing something that leans into their character's major flaw, or ideal, or even if their quirk can cause some trouble for the group.

Players Of All Ages And Familiarity Could Have Fun With This TTRPG

Who Wouldn't Want To Play As A Goo?

Despite its Muppet-like attributes, Land of Eem is a TTRPG designed for older kids and adults. The fantastical worlds and species are fun and offer a way for families and players of all ages to collaborate on the adventures at hand. For younger kids, the Kickstarter project for Land of Eem: Beginners RPG For Kids will likely be a better place to start, although with help from an adult, there is nothing that I have found in Land of Eem that is not family-friendly.

The adventure modules for Land of Eem are typically rated as either "Hijinks", which are fun, lighthearted adventures, "Derring-Do", which raises the stakes and can be a bit riskier for player characters, to "Doom and Gloom", which are naturally a bit darker and more geared towards higher maturity levels. So, using this system, it would be fairly simple for anyone running a game with a young audience to make it a kid-friendly TTRPG experience.

There is just so much available in this whimsical and quirky TTRPG that I find myself hooked on wanting to keep reading about it and finding out all I can. Anyone wanting to see more about the Land of Eem or the books it is based off of should visit the official website for Land of Eem, where there is also a free Quickstart guide available to check out the TTRPG. Now, I only wish my players were available more often, so we could explore the Land of Eem even more.

Source: Land of Eem/YouTube, Patreon, Kickstarter, Land of Eem