A first look at Destan's Valus sourcebook

[MACLARREN]

Believe me. Playing in Destans present Sins campaign has by far been the absolute best campaign that we all have ever played. I am quoting the rest of the group here because I know we have all said this many times. So, yes I have played in the Valus since the 80's and love playing in a Valus campaign. I'm just sorry that our present campaign is coming to a close at our next session, but it has been a great experience and I'm sure that our next campaign will be just as good if not better. It's probably NOT for everyone though but it is a very challenging and cruel world that tests your morals. I think all of you will enjoy it if you give it a chance. Keep posted to the Sins Thread, it's about to get interesting with Baden getting back to Kellus and Myself and with the introduction of some new KEY characters that people are going to love.
Raylin

 

[pogre]

Destan,

I was wondering if you might provide a pronouciation guide for some of the people and terms you use:
Ippizicus = rhymes with hip-his-itches?
Havrim Gol = have-rim goal?
Val Hor = Vale Whore?
Huthian = Who-thee-in?

Sorry I missed you at G-Con. Somehow, I could not see telling my players I was going to miss a couple of days of football practice to go to a gaming convention I was glad one of my D&D players was able to attend - he said you has a nice short chat. Thanks for signing the book.

 

[Tav_Behemoth]

Having seen it at Gen Con, I can say this really is a great-looking book! It was a pleasure to hold it, and to meet Destan and Tadashi. My only regret is that I didn't find the booth until I'd already spent my entire gaming budget from now until D&D's 300th Anniversary. Come 2274, I'll remember to make a prioritized list of the things I want before I venture into the dealer's room!

I’ve included a racial preference chart, something that’s been dropped from the newest editions of the game, and it’s broken down by race (e.g., human and dwarf) as much as it is nationality (e.g., Carrik and Rhelm). This information may or may not be used by DMs to help influence social skill checks. A chapter within the sourcebook, dedicated solely for the would-be DM of a Valusian Campaign, discusses the mechanics behind such information.

Too cool! I put a First Edition-style racial preference table in Masters and Minions: A Swarm of Stirges as well. We should get together and cross-reference our charts to decide whether Valus's rovik and trulls hate, tolerate, or prefer the minotrice and ashmalkins from Masters and Minions

 

[WizarDru]

Ippizicus = rhymes with hip-his-itches?
Havrim Gol = have-rim goal?
Val Hor = Vale Whore?
Huthian = Who-thee-in?

Well, I'm not sure about Havrim Gol, but for the other three:

Ippizicus is Ip-piz-ick-us, iirc.
Val Hor rhymes with Pal More.
Huthian, I believe, featured a 'u' sound like 'huh?', 'hull' or muffin.

 

[JoeGKushner]

I got a chance to stop by the booth and talk to the publishers. Good people and sound like they have a lot planned for the setting. One good thing was that they already have an adventure/sourcebook to help support the setting.

Now I have to sit down and finish my own reading to get to the review.

 

[Psion]

Joe, if I can ever get someone from ENWorld to reply with how I ship review copies to you, Alan, and the others, you'll get a copy in the mail soon. If you know the process, please email me

(Time Warped Response)
"You can just give me a copy at GenCon."

Sorry guys. Ever since I started into Traveller d20 full time, I've been browsing the boards less.

It's a shame that people who didn't/weren't able to pick up the flyer won't have the pretty full color map.

 

[Psion]

And looking a bit deeper at the book and this thread

Racial intolerance? That doesn’t sound like much fun …
It may not be. It’s provided for folks who want an additional level of gritty realism; others can easily ignore it. Different aspects of the Valusian setting will appeal to different groups. I wanted a mature world – and by ‘mature’ I don’t simply mean a dark setting with some impending evil hanging over it. I wanted a world that “could have been” – much of Valus is based on historical research and real world cultures. It’s not always pretty because the history of the world is not always pretty.

This is a point I like. I find it grating that many settings whitewash away aspects of humanity that I have a hard time beleiving would be absent from fantasy human societies. I mean it's all well and good to recognize and minimize it in our own society, but in fantasy setting, it's a hurdle that makes the world feel more realistic as well as having great potential to create compelling stories.

 

[grodog]

(Time Warped Response)
"You can just give me a copy at GenCon."

LOL, no worries Alan

It's a shame that people who didn't/weren't able to pick up the flyer won't have the pretty full color map.

Actually, if anyone would like a copy of the flyer, have their FLGS email DW at sales@diffworlds.com and we'll ship them as many copies of the flyer as they would like to give away in their store.

For those who don't know, the flyer in question is 11x17 and double-sided color on glossy paper; the front and back are the front and back covers of the Valus book, while the interior is an 11x17 rendition of the cover map.

I'm pretty sure that we'll be putting up a .pdf of the flyer on the web site, too, so that you can download it for use in your home games, too.

 

[Lela]

Quick question Destan,

As I was reading though the classes, I noticed the Cleric (BRILLINAT!!!) and their domain lists. It says that a Neutral Cleric can choose Good and Evil but not at the exclusion of the other. I don't have the book in front of me but I know the wording made me a touch confused. Just checking, but does that mean a Neutral Cleric who chooses Good must also choose Evil (and vice versa)?

If so, my hat's off to you. That was a stroke of genius so simple I'm surprised it haden't crossed my path to date.

 

[Chaos Drake]

I'm pretty sure that we'll be putting up a .pdf of the flyer on the web site, too, so that you can download it for use in your home games, too.

Do let us know when.