Dolmenwood general discussion thread [+]

[darjr]

I could have sworn we had this thread.
I’ve started by own in-store game and will probably start a home game too. Might take some of the folks from the public game, I could have 12 players easy.

Also there will be a QuickStart in the Free RPGDay offerings.

COMING SOON: Dolmenwood Quick-Start: The Weaver & The Redcaps

Coming on Free RPG Day, June 27th 2026! A short introduction to Dolmenwood, perfect for newcomers or for introducing friends, containing: A clear, friendly rules introduction. 6 pre-generated characters ready to play. A brand-new short adventure to get parties straight into the thick of...

necroticgnome.com

The Weaver & The Redcaps

Format: 16-page zine + PDF.
Authors: Gavin Norman, Chance Dudinack, Brad Kerr. Cover artist: Fran Morton.
Coming on Free RPG Day, June 27th 2026!

A short introduction to Dolmenwood, perfect for newcomers or for introducing friends, containing:

• A clear, friendly rules introduction.
• 6 pre-generated characters ready to play.
• A brand-new short adventure to get parties straight into the thick of fairy-haunted danger. Designed by Chance Dudinack and Brad Kerr.

Following the release on Free RPG Day, this Quick-Start will be available in PDF at a later date.

 

[Bill Zebub]

I could have sworn we had this thread.

That's what I thought about the Shadowdark general thread!

Then I figured out the owner...not really even the 'owner' but just the OP...of that thread has blocked me. And others, as it turns out.

I wish Enworld had some kind of workaround for that.

 

[Bill Zebub]

Back on topic, I've been Dolmenwood-curious for a long time, but it uses a system I don't play, and don't really want to play. So I haven't been sure what to do. I kind of want to own the books.

 

[darjr]

Back on topic, I've been Dolmenwood-curious for a long time, but it uses a system I don't play, and don't really want to play. So I haven't been sure what to do. I kind of want to own the books.

The campaign book is amazing.

I think it’d work reasonably well in many OSR games.

And really how you run 5e and your group that might work too.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

I wish Enworld had some kind of workaround for that.

Apparently it's a software update for the message board system. Beyond ENWorld's reasonable capacity to do anything about it. I've been zapped from a thread I care about as well.

As for Dolmenwood, an open table/West Marches/sandbox style of play seems ideal for this. I would love, love, love to be a Dolmenwood player.

 

[Tigris]

@Bill Zebub I had a similar experience about a thread owner ignoring me XD

Could someone refresh my memory, what exactly is Dolmenwood? I know I have heard the name before but cant remember what the game was about.

So since this is a plus thread, what would you say are the things making it stand out / your favourite part of it?

 

[darjr]

@Bill Zebub I had a similar experience about a thread owner ignoring me XD

Could someone refresh my memory, what exactly is Dolmenwood? I know I have heard the name before but cant remember what the game was about.

So since this is a plus thread, what would you say are the things making it stand out / your favourite part of it?

OSE folks did OSE because they had this epic campaign that they were rolling out in a zine called Wormskin.

When it came time to publish they decided to go with a bespoke game system that is clearly OSE related.

It’s the name of the system and campaign.

 

[cbwjm]

Dolmenwood sounds very whimsical with fairies and such and I guess a lot of it could play like that, but as I read through the campaign book, I realised just how dark the setting is.

It should be easy enough to run in other systems, especially if you don't worry too much about the classes, monsters might take some work but you might also have analogues in your system of choice.

It has a lot of neat details like pondering a problem by smoking a pipe gives you a chance to solve the problem, various herbs and fungi can give you bonuses but might come with a potential penalty. In our campign there is a hireling who is wandering around with deep purple skin after a mishap in winter's daughter.

I like the enchanter as well, fun class which uses magic a little bit like a sorcerer but can potentially learn their most powerful magics at low level, but to cast it would mean it's gone forever, unless granted again by the fairy nobles.

Ithink that, even if I was going to use a different system, I'd want the 3 core books, there's information spread through all of them that I think you'd need to truly capture the feel of the setting.

 

[TwoSix]

It’s a B/X derivative with several of its own classes (Enchanter, Friar, Bard, Hunter, Knight) as well as almost entirely new races, including cat fae, mushroom people, and bat people who love music and arson.

It’s also woven tightly around a very specific setting that’s sort of a fairy medieval Britain, and the supporting setting info and flavor text is very, very well done.

We’re about a dozen sessions into it, and outside of the general weirdness of a modern D&D group trying to play old-school (the group is generally flustered by the lack of modern-style skill checks), it’s been quite fun.

 

[Voadam]

The Dolmenwood Campaign Book PDF, the hex crawl setting of the book trio, is also 50% off as one of the big highlighted deals of Gm's day (for the next two days).