Into the Woods

Talisman: The Woodland Is Now Available
originally published 19 September 2014

The Woodland, an expansion for Talisman Revised 4th Edition, is now available at your local retailer and in our online store.

For centuries the faeries kept their forested home closed to mortals, but now you can step from the Outer Region of Talisman into their secret and perilous realm. There, paths shift unpredictably, fate can earn you a king’s hatred or a queen’s favor, and, in the heart of the woods, your destiny awaits.

The Realm of the Fae

The Woodland features a corner board depicting a mysterious and uncouth forest, governed by mischievous faeries and inhabited by all ilk of mystical creatures. You may encounter there not only mercurial faeries, but also enchanted animals that fight with Craft instead of Strength, and talking trees eager to share the secrets of the Woodland with you.

We explored the landscape of the Woodland and some of the its Places, Events, and Strangers in our first preview. From infamous and mischievous Puck to the old, hunchbacked witch Baba Yaga, the inhabitants of the Woodland are reliably unpredictable, and will decide what to do with an outsider according to their own changeable whims– or according to your fate.

Light and Dark Fate

As discussed in our second preview, The Woodland brings into play a difference between light and dark fate tokens. While fate tokens in Talisman have always had two sides, one golden and one dark blue, only with The Woodland do the sides take on different effects: you can spend a light fate token to reroll one of your own die rolls, or a dark fate token to reroll another player’s roll.

Inside the Woodland region, fate takes on an even larger significance. The savage King Oberon, kindly Queen Titania, cruel Queen Mab, and many other faeries will judge you based on the amount of fate you have, and whether you have more light fate or dark fate. Light fate is not in any way better than dark fate, but wandering in the Woodland without any fate at all could doom a character to torment and even death.

Meandering Paths and Ultimate Destinies

Our third preview explored the Paths that guide you through the Woodland and the Destinies that you can gain there. Upon entering the Woodland, you choose one of three Path cards that give your character advantages (and disadvantages) during your journey through the woods. Path cards also determine what foe you encounter in the Meeting with Destiny space in the heart of the Woodland. If you reach that space, and defeat whatever danger awaits you there, you can earn a Destiny to aid your character throughout their journey in Talisman.

Brave the Wild Woods

The Woodland brings five more characters to the game of Talisman – three of them, the Ancient Oak, the Leywalker, and the Spider Queen, are introduced in our fourth preview. These characters, particularly suited to brave the ever-changing and treacherous Woodland, can thrive and triumph in any region.

Three game-transforming alternate endings are also included in this expansion. One pits you against either King Oberon or Queen Titania as the two Fae monarchs struggle for dominance, another sends you traveling the far reaches of Talisman to prove your worth, and the last forces you to stand before the Three Fates as they judge whether you are worthy to hold the Crown of Command.

If you can withstand the faeries’ whims and find a path through the shifting trees, you may be rewarded with incredible Strength or Craft, powerful Magic Objects and helpful Followers, or a Destiny to guide you in your quest for the Crown of Command. Prepare to venture into the dark, deep, enchanted Woodland.

Check out the rules on the Talisman support page, and pick up your copy of The Woodland today!