Valhalla is Calling With Kobold Press’ New Northlands Worldbook

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Kobold Press is heading to the the land of battle axes and berserkers with their latest TTRPG supplement. The new Northlands Worldbook brings a mead hall worth of Norse mythology and mechanics into both D&D 5.5E and Tales of the Valiant. And while it’s primarily geared towards Game Masters, the supplement does include a surprising number of new player options.

Notably, the book was first launched late in 2025 after a successful Kickstarter, but will soon be made available to the general public in July 2026. You can, however, pre-order it now from your local game store and Kobold Press. Below, we slap on our horned helmets and charge into all the details.

What is the Northlands Worldbook about?

Kobold Press’ Northlands Worldbook is a new supplement which provides both setting information and character options inspired by Norse mythology and Viking culture. Fans of Kobold Press’ Midgard setting may recognize some of the material (which has been briefly documented in other sourcebooks), but the content is broad enough that it can be dropped into just about any D&D 5E compatible world.

Notably, there are two versions of the book available, one for Tales of the Valiant and one for the 2024 D&D 5.5E rule set (although both systems are fully compatible with one another). And while there are some subtle mechanical differences between the two options, in general the content is virtually identical.

The book features the following chapters:

• Chapter 1: Overview of the North: This chapter provides a look at daily life in the Northlands, focusing on cultural pillars such as fate, renown and hospitality. It also establishes the setting’s history with a comprehensive timeline of the region.
• Chapter 2: Epic Regions: This section details the various kingdoms and settlements across the North, including the Land of Giants (Jotunheim) and various realms like Bjornrike and Trollheim. It also highlights specific adventure locations, ranging from ancient ruins to the palaces of legendary figures.
• Chapter 3: Heroic and Dire Factions: This chapter introduces nine different organizations divided into five Heroic and four Dire factions. It also provides guidance for Game Masters on how to integrate these factions into campaigns.
• Chapter 4: Heroes of the Sagas: This part of the book focuses entirely on player options. It includes eight new subclasses (the Path of the Titan Barbarian, the Skald Bard, the Nornbound Cleric, the Ring of Fenris Druid, the Viking Fighter, the Oath of Valhalla Paladin, the Trickster Warlock and the Spirit Caller Sorcerer). It also includes five new species (Bearfolk, Beastkin, Giantkin, Trollkin and Werekin) and introduces “Character Threads” and new feats that connect players to Norse-style epics.

• Chapter 5: Magic and Miscellany This chapter serves as a resource for gear, with new weapons, armor and specialized vehicles like longships and dog sleds. Additionally, it contains an extensive collection of over 80 new magic items and 80 new spells (including those with a focus on rune magic).
• Chapter 6: Gods of the North This section explores the northern pantheon, detailing major deities such as Wotan and Thor, alongside minor gods like the Norns. It also delves into potential adventure hooks surrounding these divine figures.
• Chapter 7: Northlands Campaigns This chapter provides specialized mechanics for northern adventures, including rules for naval combat, raiding and a Viking-style insult contest called “flyting.” It also covers reputation, dueling rules and generators for Norse-inspired prophecies and omens.
• Chapter 8: Northlands Bestiary The final chapter contains a collection of 40 new monsters and 18 NPCs across a wide range of Challenge Ratings.

How much is the Northlands Worldbook?

The hardcover version retails for $49.99 USD, while the PDF is $29.99 USD (notably, this price applies to both the Tales of the Valiant and D&D 5.5E variants). You can also purchase a bundle that includes both the physical copy and the PDF for $59.99 USD (a 25% discount if you were to buy the to two products separately).

It’s not a bad price point considering how much content you get, and it’s comparable to past Kobold Press products and actually a fair bit cheaper than similar Wizards of the Coast D&D 5.5E books.

When will the Northlands Worldbook be released?

The book will be released in July 2026, at which point you should be able to find it online and at most local game stores. (We’ll update this page with an exact date, once it’s been confirmed by Kobold Press).

What other tie-in products are available?

There are two other optional products that tie-in to the Northlands Worldbook.

• Northlands: Rune Card Deck: This contains 56 cards that support the new Rune Magic system, allowing you to access divine boons and curses which can be used in play. The box set retails for $14.99 USD (not including shipping and handling).
• Northlands Saga: This is a complete campaign set in the frozen north and features 11 separate adventures taking players from Levels 1 to 12. The hardcover retails for $39.99 USD and the PDF retails for $24.99 USD (a bundle is also available for $49.99 USD).

Why we’re excited about the Northlands Worldbook

• Vikings kick ass: Norse mythology and culture has appeared in numerous D&D supplements over the past 50 years, but there’s still a ton of new ground to explore and the concept is just as awesome as ever.
• New Norse character options: The subclasses and species sound absolutely amazing and have potential use in multiple 5E settings beyond Midgard and the Northlands.
• Setting and lore: While longtime Kobold Press and Tales of the Valiant fans may already be aware of the Northlands, it’s still a fantastic setting with a ton of juicy lore, locations, factions, gods and monsters. It’ll be interesting to see how much of the book is brand new material.
• Art that Ragnaroks: The initial illustrations that have been released (including in the free PDF preview) are absolutely stunning and this may be one of the best looking books we’ve seen from Kobold Press (which is a high bar to beat).

Final thoughts

Vikings have been a part of D&D since the earliest days of the game, but if anyone can breathe new life into the concept, it’s Kobold Press. The new Northlands Worldbook sounds like it packs in a ton of content and if you missed out on the Kickstarter, it’s a great chance to pick it up now.

We’ll be keeping a close eye on the book and will be doing a complete review closer to launch. In the meantime you can pre-order the Northlands Worldbook now from your local game store and Kobold Press.