Do not dig too deep. Do not disturb the ruins. Do not trust the forest.
Published by Free League Publishing and originally created by Järnringen, Symbaroum has become one of the most distinctive fantasy roleplaying games of the past decade. The game first appeared in Sweden in 2014. An English-language edition followed through a successful crowdfunding campaign and reached players in late 2015, with broader international distribution expanding through 2016.
Lead designers Mattias Johnsson Haake and Mattias Lilja created a setting that feels ancient, dangerous, and deeply interconnected. The game’s visual identity owes much to illustrator Martin Grip, whose artwork helped establish the look of Davokar and the world beyond it.
The Core Rulebook remains the best entry point into the setting. It contains the game’s rules, setting information, bestiary, Game Master guidance, and introductory adventure in a single volume.
A Fantasy World Built on Ruins
The setting centers on Davokar, an immense forest that has grown over the remains of a fallen civilization known as Symbaroum. Centuries ago, the Ambrian people fled their homeland after a devastating war and established a new kingdom on the edge of the forest. Since then, treasure hunters, scholars, nobles, mercenaries, witches, priests, and mystics have pushed deeper into Davokar searching for wealth and forgotten knowledge.
Ancient tombs hide relics. Lost cities conceal secrets. Strange creatures watch from the shadows. Every expedition risks uncovering something better left undisturbed. The setting draws heavily from folklore, dark fantasy, and myth rather than traditional heroic fantasy. Elves are mysterious and unsettling. Goblins occupy a complicated place within society. Witches guard ancient traditions and the forest feels alive.
What’s Inside the Core Rulebook?
The Symbaroum Core Rulebook serves as both a setting guide and a complete game system. The opening chapters introduce the world, including the Ambrian kingdom, the barbarian clans, the city of Yndaros, the frontier settlement of Thistle Hold, and the vast reaches of Davokar beyond civilization. The setting material provides enough detail to support long campaigns while deliberately leaving mysteries unresolved.
Players choose from four playable ancestries: Humans, Goblins, Ogres, and Changelings. Humans can originate from either Ambrian or barbarian cultures, creating meaningful distinctions in background and worldview. Characters are then shaped through attributes, abilities, occupations, equipment, mystical traditions, and personal motivations. The system encourages players to create individuals tied directly to the setting rather than generic fantasy adventurers.
Later sections cover Game Master advice, adversaries, creatures, campaign-building tools, and the introductory adventure, The Promised Land. For many groups, that adventure serves as their first glimpse into the dangers waiting beyond the safety of civilization.
How the Rules Work
Symbaroum uses a rules-light system centered on a twenty-sided die. When characters attempt difficult actions, players roll a d20 and generally aim to roll equal to or below a target number derived from those attributes.
Characters possess eight core attributes: Accurate, Cunning, Discreet, Persuasive, Quick, Resolute, Strong, Vigilant
One of the game’s defining features is its player-facing design and players make nearly all the rolls. When a character attacks, the player rolls. When an enemy attacks, the player often rolls to defend. The approach keeps players engaged throughout every scene and helps maintain a steady pace during combat.
The rules avoid large collections of modifiers and situational calculations. Most character differentiation comes from abilities, powers, traits, equipment, and mystical traditions. A treasure hunter, witch, knight, ranger, or sorcerer quickly develops a distinct identity through those choices.
Corruption: The Heart of Symbaroum
Magic exists throughout Davokar and so do consequences. The game’s signature mechanic is Corruption. Characters accumulate corruption when they use mystical powers, interact with dangerous artifacts, or expose themselves to forces beyond mortal understanding. Temporary corruption can fade with time but permanent corruption remains. Too much corruption changes a character.
The mechanic functions as both a narrative device and a gameplay system. where every use of mystical power carries risk. Every expedition into forbidden ruins presents difficult decisions and players must constantly weigh reward against consequence. The rule reinforces one of the setting’s central themes: ancient knowledge rarely comes without cost.
Martin Grip’s Artwork and the Mood of the Game
Illustrator Martin Grip’s black-and-white illustrations and watercolor paintings establish the tone before readers encounter a single rule. His images depict weathered explorers, haunted forests, ruined temples, witches, monsters, and forgotten places hidden beneath roots and stone.
It communicates information about the setting. Readers can see the wear on armor, the age of ruins, and the unease on a traveler’s face. The visual design encourages a sense of caution. Davokar appears beautiful, but never safe.
A Rulebook Built Around Exploration
The setting presents a frontier society expanding toward ancient ruins. Treasure hunters search for artifacts. Scholars seek forgotten knowledge. Religious factions pursue influence. Witches defend old traditions. Elves watch events unfold from the forest’s depths.
A Game Master can build entire campaigns around exploration, archaeology, political conflict, survival, or corruption without needing to leave the material found in the core book. The result is a roleplaying game with a strong sense of place. Open the rulebook to nearly any page and the setting remains unmistakable.
Davokar feels ancient. Its mysteries feel dangerous. Its treasures feel tempting. The forest watches everything.
