Sleepless in the Mist (11/14/2025)

Players: Sean Nittner, Ty Moore, Aaron A. Reed, Demian Vonder Kuhlen, Daniel Silveira
GM: Matt Steele
System: Symbaroum

At the edge of the Davokar Forest, soldiers stand watch against the beasts and barbarians that dwell in the woods. When your group of young would-be forest explorers is force to hold up in a watch tower by a black mist, you discover that there are more dangerous things await in ancient Davokar. Symbaroum is a dark, gritty, and deadly fantasy setting published by Free League that takes place in the emerging kingdom of Ambria. Brimming with natural resources and mythical treasures, the forest calls out to the Ambrians to be explored and exploited. But the shadowy halls beneath the foliage are fraught with danger, monsters and infectious corruption. And take heed of the warnings of the Elvin wardens of the forest: The ancient evil of Symbaroum stirs in its sleep.

First game of KublaCon Fall, which so far feels like a smaller, cozier, KublaCon. There was no line to get my badge (and they gave me a free box of terrain for running) and sign ups were easy. I get the sense that like the first year of PaxU, Kubla Fall is starting with more capacity than demand (because of all the resources Kubla staff can bring to the table) and that the demand will grow over time. For now though, it’s been a dream.

Matt started the game introducing us to the world by way of the map. We were a people who (mostly) abandoned our home due a curse hundreds of years and returned after fighting a great war that ruined our (newer) home. Now we were back, hoping the curse had been lifted, and hoping that the ancient pact (the Iron Pact) with elves that prevented us from entering the forest had room for exceptions. A lot of the polity rested on hope.

We were adventuerers who sought to enter Davokar Forest by being granted an Explorer’s License, and to do that we were heading along the forest edge to Thistlehold where we would apply for said license. Out motely crew included:

• Kura, the Barbarian Sellsword (Daniel). “Barbarians” were the people who stayed behind after the curse and didn’t take well to the Queen and her Knights returning hundreds of years later to reclaim the land. Lots of blood has been spilled, but Kura was a mercenary, willing to take the people of Ambria to dangerous places…for a price.
• Bartan, the Wizard of Ordo Magica (Sean). A student of the official sanctioned form of magic (as opposed to the barbarian witches), Bartan had a crush on her old mentor who perished, and she wanted to carry on his legacy. She was endlessly curious about flora and fauna they might find along the way, and recording the great deeds of her companions.
• Nilgen, the Changeling Seeker (Ty). A child of the elves left in Ambria to be raised by humans, who only revealed later in life that they were a shapeshifter and creature of the forest. Nilgen was used to mistreatment, and walked with a walking stick (likely from a former injury, not from age). They humored questions from Bartan, who had fairy tale ideas about their destiny.
• Haleor, the Witch Hunter (Demian), a self appointed monster hunter, Haleor spoke of great deeds, but there was little evidence he had ever performed any of them himself. Hateful of the abominations in Davokar forest, the made exceptions for his traveling companions (Kura and Nilgen) who were clearly from the forest but now on the “good” side.
• Ordo, the former Knight (Aaron). The last of House Danva, Ordo had a sad tale he wasn’t going to share. Bartan was instantly enamored and ready to record his legacy. He was kind but closed off. His story too sad to share.

We traveled with three soldiers Holins, Donovar, and Jagartis who were heading to a watchtower. The certainly had stories of their own.

Our advetures

Traveling along the forest line to Thistlehold, we hoped to apply for an explorers license so we could enter the force (still unsure if that would break the Iron Pact). On our way we were enveloped by an unnatural fog, and from it a rider came. She reported through undead breath that her companions, guards at a watchtower were sick, and we agreed to lend aid.

At the watchtower we realized that they had stolen stones (and later a ruby heart) from a nearby temple, which was the cause of their sickness and the attacks from the Frostlight (ghosts of children who had been left to die in the cold). After we found the ruby (clutched in the hands of a guard, frozen to death by the Frostlight) we offered it back and were led, but a Winter Elf (ancient creatures, this one a ghost) back to the shrine. On the way their, exposure to the ruby caused Nilden to gain permanent corruption, making their form beastlike.

Nilgen returned the ruby heart into the column of ice (from where it had been stolen) and we lifted the curse. Surely an act heroic enough to grant us an explorer’s license, but that would be another story.

Some other notables:

• Prios, god of light (aspects: sun and healing)
• Sleepless, undead who fought for the queen in life, and continued doing so in death (only breathed to speak…and didn’t do that often, their voices ragged).
• Duke Badak, appointed by the queen to setup watchtowers at the forest edge. There were 140 between the to major settlements he governed.
• Donmar was young and ambitious to be Queen’s guard. Jagartis was a private now, but had been a sergeant before allowing a royal’s child to die. Demoted, she would now serve on the border.
• Haleor talked a big game but, before now, had never seen real combat (or so Bartan believes). Despite that, he did not flinch from danger!
• Bartan was first into the fog to lean of it’s nature. It caused corruption and was directed by some distant force (later believed to be the Winter Elf). She thought she felt the caress of her mentor’s hand on her cheek when inside.
• The Sleepless we met was Palis Ironheart, now just called Sleepless. She also had a tragic story Bartan wanted to chronicle and preserve.
• Still want to know Ordo’s sad story!

Thoughts on the game

I’m not sure the Symbaroum system is one I’d gravitate towards but the setting elements were compelling and I’d certainly play again in that world. Matt, as always, presented a delightfully haunted story filled with exploration, self-discovery, and a dash of terror.