Adventures in Valerick TTRPG
Scope
The motivation behind building Adventures in Valerick TTRPG
I am building this for TTRPG purposes, specifically as it own kinda standalone (though drawing heavy influence from DnD/Pathfinder) d20 system and setting and rule set and lore. This is meant to be its own TTRPG type of thing. I am super stoked for this project. Well its evolved and devolved. It could be its own standalone rules but they are loosey goosey enough as I've been growing them that they fit 5e, 3.5, PF1 and PF2 with minimal shifting and fiddling so like, I'm having a ball and will continue to do so in this regard!!!
The goal of the project
An eternal setting for my own games. Like forever. I truly hope I am not late to this ride for myself, as I work Construction for a living, and am near 30 and only just realizing what I truly want my passion here to become. In the next couple years I would love to start trying to stream games even in setting, which would be amazing, but that seems highly unlikely unless I get my arse in gear in real life too, get a place where I got better internet connectivity, somehow have more free time, more fiscal stability, and better equipment for the task.
Welp I'm almost 32 now. I've been here quite a while, have followers following the world now (that shit is weird. I love it, but its still weird!!!) However I have a better computer, I'm running a game every sunday. Streaming em likely is either off the table or is still quite a way away and even then, not likely. I've had a blast getting more engaged on the discord though, have people I hang out with in the VC semi-regularly and hope that side of things continue with this, as its so cool how a creative project becomes this interesting online menagerie of creativity, as well as making acquaintances and friends. Truly marvels of modern technology.
As to audience experience, it may seem recently we going into really dark regions, but that isn't all true. Ive realized a big part of what Valerick is for me, its about harsh realities, difficult odds, and finding ways to survive and thrive within them. This world is a harsh one (take that literally or about my writing project the answer is yes) yet people find ways, including wholesome ways, to vibe and thrive, to do more than just scrape by. They find value an friendship and companionship with like minds and find ways to succeed. Much like real life Valerick has dark clouds all over, dark spots, shadowy scary places, people and creatures. But ultimately much like our own home, the people there? Its the one they have, so they find ways to make the best of it. Some have tragic stories. Others have malicious stories. However some have genuinely good and hopeful stories. That hopeful aspect is always there, and it is always possible.
Welp I'm almost 32 now. I've been here quite a while, have followers following the world now (that shit is weird. I love it, but its still weird!!!) However I have a better computer, I'm running a game every sunday. Streaming em likely is either off the table or is still quite a way away and even then, not likely. I've had a blast getting more engaged on the discord though, have people I hang out with in the VC semi-regularly and hope that side of things continue with this, as its so cool how a creative project becomes this interesting online menagerie of creativity, as well as making acquaintances and friends. Truly marvels of modern technology.
As to audience experience, it may seem recently we going into really dark regions, but that isn't all true. Ive realized a big part of what Valerick is for me, its about harsh realities, difficult odds, and finding ways to survive and thrive within them. This world is a harsh one (take that literally or about my writing project the answer is yes) yet people find ways, including wholesome ways, to vibe and thrive, to do more than just scrape by. They find value an friendship and companionship with like minds and find ways to succeed. Much like real life Valerick has dark clouds all over, dark spots, shadowy scary places, people and creatures. But ultimately much like our own home, the people there? Its the one they have, so they find ways to make the best of it. Some have tragic stories. Others have malicious stories. However some have genuinely good and hopeful stories. That hopeful aspect is always there, and it is always possible.
Adventures in Valerick TTRPG's Unique Selling point
It is a world of magick and technology. Magick is dangerous, even deadly, heavily regulated, heavily limited. Steam and a strange Magntech, this odd mix of magnetics and magickal energy, two competing technologies. It is a world reborn, still much left to be reclaimed, and many hidden dangers and long forgotten treasures. I also am hoping that while not unique, my way of doing things like action economy, the magick system and other things of that ilk, will interest people.
Here we are, and though it may be a small number compared to some, 34 people is massive to me!!! On top of that, I've got my second game I'm running in setting (though using 5e rules atm, after this one my next campaign I wanna run in PF2e. For variety and to widen my understanding.)
I've got locomotion, magitech and many other wild and fun elements. Its been so fun to write, and the exploration is a huge hook as well. So many lost nooks, crannies, oddities, and the mystery of the Sundering, and the existence of the Aether and the Void, the realm of Dreams and the Realm of Nightmares is proving to be a huge curiosity for every group whom visits wishing to explore stories and live an Exemplari experience in Valerick thus far.
Here we are, and though it may be a small number compared to some, 34 people is massive to me!!! On top of that, I've got my second game I'm running in setting (though using 5e rules atm, after this one my next campaign I wanna run in PF2e. For variety and to widen my understanding.)
I've got locomotion, magitech and many other wild and fun elements. Its been so fun to write, and the exploration is a huge hook as well. So many lost nooks, crannies, oddities, and the mystery of the Sundering, and the existence of the Aether and the Void, the realm of Dreams and the Realm of Nightmares is proving to be a huge curiosity for every group whom visits wishing to explore stories and live an Exemplari experience in Valerick thus far.
Theme
Genre
A Noble-Dark Magi-tech/Steampunk esque setting. It is in the midst of an industrial-esque revolution of sorts, but culturally is not yet past certain high medieval/reinassance ideals and traditions (Knightly orders for example). My goal is to capture a strange feel of mixing say 1500s-very early 1800s, while dashing in magick and fantasy to really blend up how it all interacts.
So far so good. Early guns, late period plate armor, cavalry, magisters, demons, musketeers, its a blast!!! Its been so fun and though it may be a two genre hybrid by some technical definition, the important thing is its definitely me
So far so good. Early guns, late period plate armor, cavalry, magisters, demons, musketeers, its a blast!!! Its been so fun and though it may be a two genre hybrid by some technical definition, the important thing is its definitely me
Reader Experience
Inviting, but threatening. Mystical, but also approachable, learnable. A place of knowledge, yet a place of strangeness and great danger.
Reader Tone
Looking at Noble/Neutral Dark. It is dangerous, but manageable, but don't slip up. There are issues of persecuted groups, moral grey areas (Cough cough Magisters, cough cough. Oh and Templars and their ilk of course) and very relatable issues (governments/rulers operate not on a moral compass but on a power compass, and will behave as such). The threats are real, more often than not, but sometimes the approach the powers that be wish to use will seem....horrifically excessive. But the reality is....they may not be. That's always the question.
Recurring Themes
One of the big themes I want to capture is that individual morality does not always dictate what is the actual morally 'good' choice. Because the scope of an individual, and their viewpoint, can oft be....skewed, or very small scale, not thinking about the larger picture. This theme I hope, is driven home the first time one reads and comes to understand how the Magisterium operates, and the harsh rules governing magisters, and the arcane arts, especially when they read about how horribly wrong it can go.
Another theme I hope to touch a lot on is the crux of large organized groups, such as guilds, governments, etc. They do not operate on a moral compass. They operate on a power compass. Power can be political, economic, militaristic, but its about power. Those sorts of organizations don't make decisions for moral reasons, even if they try to claim they do. Its always about power in some way.
Finally the value of community. I hope to use the roleplaying/adventuring group dynamic, where appropriate of course, to help teach the value of community networks, that idea of caring about your neighbors, about each other. Using NPCs, providing the PCs with challenges as group where they need to rely on each other to cover their weaknesses. Occassionally, perhaps they even need to seek the aid of an ally or contact for their specialization or expertise. The idea that no one is good at EVERYTHING, but we are at our best when we acknowledge what we aren't good at, and try and find friends/coworkers/and social companions whom cover our weaknesses while we cover theirs.
Lofty themes and goals I know. But I've always been one to look to help teach/reinforce useful life lessons.
Another theme I hope to touch a lot on is the crux of large organized groups, such as guilds, governments, etc. They do not operate on a moral compass. They operate on a power compass. Power can be political, economic, militaristic, but its about power. Those sorts of organizations don't make decisions for moral reasons, even if they try to claim they do. Its always about power in some way.
Finally the value of community. I hope to use the roleplaying/adventuring group dynamic, where appropriate of course, to help teach the value of community networks, that idea of caring about your neighbors, about each other. Using NPCs, providing the PCs with challenges as group where they need to rely on each other to cover their weaknesses. Occassionally, perhaps they even need to seek the aid of an ally or contact for their specialization or expertise. The idea that no one is good at EVERYTHING, but we are at our best when we acknowledge what we aren't good at, and try and find friends/coworkers/and social companions whom cover our weaknesses while we cover theirs.
Lofty themes and goals I know. But I've always been one to look to help teach/reinforce useful life lessons.
Character Agency
I am going for a good mix of agency but also pacing. You can change the world, and your reach can go far. But you need to build to that. The world of Valerick is a vast, multicultured, busy, and filled with many dangers. It feels like (Though its only been tested in like 4 session mini adventures, not a full length campaign) that I've found a great way to do this from a gameplay perspective as well with how I've decided to work the concept of like 'races and classes and what most might call feats'. The Race/Profession-Speciality and Talents idea feels good, feels highly customizable, where you choose which features (so long as if they have any prerequisites you meet them) to take at each level up instead of it being a locked in thing. Allows more customization which in turn helps agency and story-telling. Can't wait to test it in a bigger run.
Focus
Drama
Cormac Ironcliffe is dead. The High King of Suranth, the Tundra Realms, has died. So now the Conclave of Crowns has been called, and many eyes domestic and foriegn watch and wait for the process of selecting the next High King (or Queen) from among the six High Chieftans to begin.
However some parties may not be so content to just...watch and wait....
However some parties may not be so content to just...watch and wait....
Gore-tooth Elfslayer A monstrous black orc, seems to have garnered the attention and favor of Iracundia. The Depenwood is in grave danger, as a greenskin horde menances it from the eastern reaches of its forgotten forests. If reports speak true, this orc has been touched by Ruin. A Ruinous Champion once again walks Valerick.
A Deep Rooted Sickness Deep beneath Nightvale, beneath the seat of Valerian power, the bustling one million + person metropolis, something dark and long forgotten is rumored to gather. Very little information can be gleaned at first.....though the Rat-Catcher's Guild have been very very busy as of late.
Missing Mage In the eastern stretches of Kang-Chorath's swampy jungles, a most ancient and strange place was discovered. Magick seeped from the place, it was clearly a place of power, but millenia older than any such other. Tiberus Alco'veni, the Grandmaster of the Magisterium, Archmage of the Emerald Order, put together an expedition almost a year ago to go explore and study the place. Not hide or hair of him has been seen or heard from since.
Deep and Forgotten Things Tortuga is a well known city of cut-throats, theives, killers and corsairs. Over the last couple months, folks been disappearing off the docks, without a trace at night, and in the last few weeks, three entire ships went missing. Something dark and wrong is occuring in Mora's capital. The question is, can the city's various....'legitmate' business groups be convinced to stop fighting with, killing and blaming each other, and work together enough to confront the offenders and stop them before its too late.
The above are just large scale suggestions of course. This isn't a campaign plot. But anyone could be used as a hook for an adventure or a campaign. Feel free.