Into the Wild 5e RPG: Inspiration for Wilderness Adventures

I have always loved being in nature, and every summer I try to travel as much as I can. Heading into the wild has always been an important part of my tabletop RPG sessions, and it was a major inspiration behind Into the Wild.

From childhood, I had the privilege of going on hikes and camping trips. Growing up in Iceland, a sparsely populated island in the North Atlantic, I was surrounded by glaciers, snow-capped mountains, and rivers winding through grassy valleys. This dramatic scenery made it easy to imagine fantastical worlds, and I have often drawn from these experiences when running role-playing games for friends.

Over the years, I have come to appreciate the wilderness even more. Wild places, whether in Iceland or anywhere else, are slowly shrinking under the pressure of expanding cities and farmland. Being able to drive for just two hours and find yourself completely alone, whether in summer or winter, is a privilege worth cherishing. Sitting on a lava field under a dark sky lit by dancing auroras, feeling the first frost of winter, is a reminder of how closely our ancestors lived with nature.

The Spirit of Exploration

My older son once “went missing” in a shopping mall. In truth, he was hiding inside a rack of clothes while my wife and I searched frantically. When I finally found him, I asked if he had been afraid. He laughed and said, “Dad, I wasn’t lost, I was here.” It reminded me of Tolkien’s famous words: Not all those who wander are lost.

That fearless sense of discovery often fades as we grow older. Today, GPS, travel guides, and endless online resources make it almost impossible to truly get lost. Yet in tabletop RPGs, we can recapture that thrill. We can wander into unknown forests, cross dangerous rivers, or trek across desolate tundra in search of a rare plant that might save a village. This is where storytelling becomes more than entertainment – it becomes an experience.

Travel as a Core RPG Element

When I run games, travel is never just moving from one point to another. It is a chance to explore the setting, learn about the world’s flora and fauna, and allow survival-focused characters such as rangers, druids, and barbarians to shine.

Even a short journey can become an adventure. A storm might swell the rivers, forcing characters to find a new route or cross dangerous waters. The road might pass through a field of strange mushrooms that release toxic spores when disturbed. Nature itself can be a challenge, even for seasoned adventurers, and it should be more than just a backdrop – it should feel alive.

Literary Roots and Icelandic Sagas

When I first read Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings, it was a revelation. The way he described landscapes allowed me to see them vividly in my mind, and it set the stage for countless RPG settings. In the same way, Into the Wild seeks to capture the allure of the unknown and invites players to face the hazards of nature while discovering its beauty.

I am also deeply inspired by the Icelandic Sagas. These tales of Viking voyages, family feuds, and survival in a harsh land blend history with myth. They remind us that exploration and adaptation to the wild are timeless human challenges.

My Reasons

My main agenda with writing Into the Wild was to help Game Masters and players tap into that feeling of exploration, that sense of wonder, and the joy of experiencing something new. Whether your character is traversing the vast deserts of a world ravaged and left desolated by magic, trekking through a jungle seeking a dangerous tomb, or crossing a foggy swamp seeking proof of the gods’ return, the journey should mean something and challenge you.

I wanted access to rules, ideas, adventure seeds, and character options that could strengthen and help me bring the environment and setting to life, where a field of flowers wasn’t just that. Still, a field where thorn roses bloom and the player characters might find crystal berries or a wilderness sign telling them where to find a fresh water spring, where nature is more than just a backdrop and comes alive, as it is in our lives.

What Into the Wild Offers

The book is designed as a toolbox for making travel and exploration an exciting, integral part of your tabletop RPG adventures, and it is packed with content for both storytellers and survivalists.

Here’s what you will find inside:

• Practical Rules for Wilderness Travel: From overland journeys and foraging to dealing with weather, hazards, and navigation, the book offers systems that make travel more than just downtime. You will find approaches for different play styles, whether you prefer quick travel summaries or detailed, day-by-day wilderness challenges.

• Environments and Terrain Types: Each terrain – from arctic tundras and volcanic landscapes to dense forests and vast deserts – is described with its flora, fauna, hazards, and unique encounters. The environments are not just backdrops but living, breathing parts of your world that can shape the story.

• Survival and Resource Management: Detailed guidance on hunting, fishing, gathering, camping, and finding your way in the wild. These mechanics give players meaningful decisions and tangible consequences for being prepared – or not.

• Adventure Seeds and Wilderness Encounters: Ready-to-use ideas for encounters, hazards, and story hooks that can be dropped into any campaign. These range from mysterious landmarks to strange creatures that inhabit the wilds, making every journey unpredictable.

• Player Character Options: New subclasses for rangers, druids, and other classes that excel in the wilderness. You will also find new backgrounds, feats, spells, and equipment tailored for explorers, herbalists, and survivalists.

• Flora, Fauna, and Crafting: Extensive lists of plants, mushrooms, and natural resources with rules for brewing potions, crafting gear, and making the most out of what nature offers.

• Integration with Any Fantasy Setting: While written with DnD 5e in mind, the content is easy to adapt to other systems or homebrew worlds, making it a versatile addition to any Game Master’s library.

Imagine your party crossing a desert ravaged by magic, navigating a jungle in search of a lost tomb, or trekking through a fog-shrouded swamp in search of proof of the gods’ return. With the right tools, every step of the journey becomes part of the story.

I hope Into the Wild helps Game Masters and players turn travel and exploration into some of the most memorable moments of their tabletop RPG adventures.