If your idea of a relaxing RPG involves sunlight, fresh air, and not being hunted by ancient horrors… Fomoria is probably not for you.
A new tabletop RPG from Free League Publishing is on the way, and it’s diving headfirst into folk horror with a setting that replaces heroic fantasy with something far stranger (and far darker).
And honestly? It sounds like a nightmare in the best possible way.
Welcome to a World Without a Sky
At the heart of Fomoria is a setting that immediately sets it apart.
There is no sun. No sky. No surface.
Instead, players exist in a vast subterranean world known as the Strata, a shifting labyrinth of tunnels, caves, and something much worse. Light comes from eerie “False Stars” embedded in the rock above, and everything around you feels alive, hostile, or both.
You don’t play heroes in shining armour here. You play “the Folk,” descendants of a lost surface civilisation, trying to survive in a place that is constantly changing and very much doesn’t want you there.
It’s less “save the world” and more “maybe don’t get eaten by it.”
A Dream Team of Dark Fantasy Creators
Part of what’s driving excitement around Fomoria is the creative team behind it.
The game is a collaboration between Tania Herrero, known for her atmospheric, art-driven RPG work, and Johan Nohr, co-creator of the critically acclaimed MÖRK BORG.
If you’ve seen MÖRK BORG, you’ll know what that means: bold visuals, bleak worlds, and a design philosophy that leans heavily into mood and style.
That influence carries over here. Fomoria is powered by a modified version of the same rules-light system, meaning it aims to balance accessibility with a strong, distinctive identity.
In other words, it’s designed to be easy to pick up but hard to forget.
Folk Horror, But Make It Tabletop
What really sets Fomoria apart is its tone.
This isn’t traditional fantasy horror filled with dragons and dark lords. Instead, it leans into folk horror, a genre built around ancient traditions, isolation, and the unsettling feeling that something is deeply wrong with the world.
In Fomoria, the horror is described as intimate and ever-present. The environment itself is unpredictable, with tunnels that shift, mislead, and even “breathe” around players.
Maps can’t be trusted. Memory isn’t reliable. And whatever lives down there has been there far longer than you.
It’s the kind of setting where survival feels uncertain - and that’s entirely the point.
Coming Soon to Kickstarter (And You Can Try It Early)
Like many modern tabletop projects, Fomoria is heading to crowdfunding first.
The Kickstarter campaign is set to launch on April 7, 2026, with a full release planned through Free League’s Workshop label, which focuses on creator-led projects.
Ahead of that, a free quick-start is already available, giving players a chance to explore the system with pre-generated characters and an introductory adventure.
It’s a small taste of what’s coming, but probably enough to tell you whether you’re ready to descend into the Strata.
Why This Feels Like a Big Deal
Beyond the game itself, Fomoria highlights a growing trend in tabletop RPGs.
Players are increasingly drawn to experiences that prioritise atmosphere and theme just as much as mechanics. Games like MÖRK BORG proved there’s a huge appetite for bold, visually striking RPGs that break away from traditional fantasy norms.
Fomoria looks set to push that even further, blending rules-light gameplay with a deeply immersive, and deeply unsettling, world.
It’s not trying to be everything to everyone. It’s trying to be something very specific.
And in today’s crowded tabletop space, that might be exactly what makes it stand out.
Into the Dark
If nothing else, Fomoria is a reminder of just how creative tabletop gaming has become.
Not every RPG needs kingdoms, quests, or even sunlight. Sometimes, all you need is a strange world, a few brave (or unlucky) players, and the creeping sense that something is watching you from the dark.
In Fomoria, that feeling isn’t a side effect.
It’s the whole game.
