Norland

Norland is a medieval colony simulation set after the collapse of a large empire, which left behind numerous successor kingdoms. Players lead a noble family as they attempt to build and sustain a small kingdom, managing city development, political relationships, and survival amid famine, warfare, and social unrest. Each family member has individual skills, traits, needs, and ambitions that shape their behaviour, relationships, and suitability for tasks such as combat, negotiation, scholarship, or administration.

The game features systems for knowledge management, where nobles study texts to unlock new technologies, buildings, and tools, with the risk of losing that knowledge if the individual who holds it dies unless it is recorded or taught to others. Peasants form the labour force of the kingdom, working production chains, constructing buildings, and gathering resources, while also having their own needs, cultural backgrounds, and social tensions that can lead to unrest, crime, or rebellion if mismanaged. Diplomacy, trade, marriage alliances, espionage, and warfare are all part of interacting with other kingdoms and factions, including the Church of Saint Sophia and the Unholy Horde.

Combat involves raising and equipping militias or armies from the peasant population, with morale, equipment, and tactics affecting battle outcomes. The game incorporates random events and calamities, such as kidnappings, plagues, and succession crises, that affect the ongoing narrative. Norland offers multiple starting scenarios and regions, each with different resources and challenges, allowing for varied approaches to building a kingdom’s story.