Dreamland is an original tabletop roleplaying game system which I’ve playtested since 2014 at conventions like NecronomiCon, GoPlayNW, BigBadCon, KublaCon and YSDC Game Day.
In a fairytale, people talk like a fairytale. One of the most vivid elements of Dunsany and Lovecraft’s Dreamland fantasies is flowery, ornate language which creates the feeling of a fairytale or myth.
The core game mechanic is centered around 300 Word Cards inspired by the writing of Lord Dunsany. Dreamland rewards players for telling stories, for making flowery speeches, and for coming up with names of imaginary creatures, places, and things.
Words are divided into five elemental types called Pillars. By manipulating the Five Pillars of Dreamland—Wonder, Mystery, Loathing, Passion and Faraway—a dreamer can perform miracles, slay dragons and turn deserts into seas. But dreamers must use caution: use too many Words at once and you might lose your Memories, or break the Pillars of Dreamland, with terrible results.
In Dreamland, every challenge is an opportunity for creative wordplay. Furthermore, every challenge is a gamble, as players bet precious Words against the risk of failure or Breaking the Pillars—driving the story and adding consequences to the outcome, whether the dreamer succeeds or fails.
You can a see a playthrough on YouTube and if you are running a game and have questions, feel free to reach out to me on my Facebook page.
