RPG Encyclopedia: V
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- Valence
- 1st ed by Colin Fredericks (2005) Valent Games
- A space opera science fantasy game set in an original background in the year 3029 A.D. There are ten races divided into four megacorporation cultures, along with four remnant cultures, and scattered independents. The human empire has disintegrated after an artificial slave race (now known as "demons") rebelled. The other races include the reptilian Caractingessen, aquatic silicon-based Valorians, plant-like Nesti, snake-like Sa'crontor, aptly named Ogres, the artificially perfect Archangels, and others. There is also magic, known as "lording". Action resolution is 1d20 + attribute + skill vs difficulty. Character creation is selecting defaults for race, selecting one of 17 classes, followed by advantages, disadvantages, and skills.
- Valley of the Pharaohs
- 1st ed by Matthew Balent (1983) Palladium Books
- A fantasy/historical RPG set in ancient Egypt, using a variant of the Palladium System. Character creation is random-roll caste (Nobility, Clergy, Bureaucracy, Commons) and attributes (Strength, Speed, Intellect, Power, and Persona); with a chosen occupation within the caste (Soldier, Priest, Scholar, Merchant, Thief), and partly chosen skills based on occupation.
- Vampire Hunter$
- 1st ed by Mark Arsenault, Paul Arden Lidberg (1999) Nightshift Games
- A horror spoof RPG about mercenary employess of a worldwide franchise monster-extermination service. The system is the "Cinematic Adventure System", which uses totalled dice vs difficulty.
- Vampire: The Dark Ages
- 1st ed by Kevin Hassall, Jennifer Hartshorn (1996) White Wolf
- A variant of the Vampire: The Masquerade RPG set in medieval times, including the complete rules adapted for that time period.
- Vampire: The Masquerade
- 1st ed by Mark Rein•Hagen, Graeme Davis, Tom Dowd, Lisa Stevens, Stewart Wieck (1991) White Wolf
- 2nd ed (1992)
- Revised ed (1998)
- A popular horror RPG, set in a Gothic-Punk "World of Darkness" inspired by Anne Rice's novels where clans of vampires vie for supremacy. It uses a dice-pool system (the "Storyteller" system), rolling a set of d10's equal to (attribute + skill) where each roll over target number is 1 success. Character creation is limited point-based.
- Västmark
- 3rd ed by Krister Sundelin (2003) Rävsvans Förlag
- A Swedish-language historical fantasy RPG set in the Saxon kingdom of Västmark in the year 1192. The setting is based on various chivalric myth and legend as well as history. The Third Crusade rages in the Holy Land, causing enmities between the Holy Roman Empire, France and England is temporarily laid aside in order to free the Holy Land. However, there is an ancient darkness rising on Lyonia, an island southwest of Britain.
- Venetia Obscura
- 1st ed (2000) editore il Pentacolo Nexus Editrice
- An Italian-language sci-fi RPG, set in an obscure future Venice where different factions fight for control. The game is very combat centered, but the setting of Venice is very well treated. The title is Latin, meaning "Dark Venice".
- Vento Nero
- 1st ed by Agostino Carocci (1987) Giochi magazine #5
- An Italian-language humorous one-shot RPG. It is a short adventure with a very simple set of rules, set on a Sicilian island (Filicudi) during a nuclear disaster. It was published in issue #5 of the first year of Giochi Magazine (1987). The title tranlates as "Black Wind".
- Vermine
- 1st ed by Alexandre Amirà, Remi Barbarin, Julien Blondel, Arnaud Cuidet, Miroslav Dragan, Philippe Fenot, Johan Scipion, Pascal Bernard, Michaël Croitoriu, Loïc Portnoë, Léonidas Vesperini, Gaylord Desurmont, Gr´gory Privat (2004) 7ème Cercle
- A French-language post-apocalyptic RPG, set in Europe of 2037 after three decades of deteriorating chaos rather than a single cataclysmic event. Humanity has fallen and vermin have taken over. It uses an original system with dice-pool mechanics and limited point-bought character creation.
- Vice Squad: Eighties Police Adventures
- 1st ed by Mark Bruno (2003) Politically Incorrect Games
- A modern-day police action mini-RPG, published as a 48-page electronic download and part of the "genreDiversion" series of one-shot, setting-lite games. It is in the genre of 1980's TV cop and action shows such as "Miami Vice" and "The A-Team". Character creation is limited point-based and includes a selection of cliches -- a player can use a selected cliche to gain an advantage in play. Action resolution is roll under Attribute + Skill on 2d6.
- Victoriana: A role-playing game of Vile Villainy & Glorious Adventure
- 1st ed by John Tuckey, Scott Rhymer, Richard Nunn (2003) Heresy Gaming
- An urban fantasy RPG, set in an alternate 1867 with magic, dwarves, eldren (elves), halfings, gnomes, beastmen, and ogres. In addition to the added fantasy elements, it combines together a range of historical events from 1838 to 1898 for its recent history. Religion is dominated by the Aluminat Church, which substitutes for Christianity. It uses a variant of the Fuzion system. Character creation is limited point-based after picking a class (Proletariat, Bourgeois, or Gentry) and a race. Lower classes are given more attribute points to balance their lack of money and influence.
- Victorian Adventure
- 1st ed by Stephen Smith (1983) Kestrel Design / SKS Distribution
- 2nd ed (1985)
- A historical mystery/adventure RPG set in 19th century England, using a simple system.
- Viking
- 1st ed by Mads Lunau Madsen, Troels Christian Jacobsen, Malik Hyltoft (1990) Bogfabrikken Fakta
- A Danish-language historical RPG about the daily lives of Sandinavian vikings in 800 A.D. It concentrates on historical detail and has no fantasy or mythological elements. There are optional rules for folk magic, including using runes for prediction and herbal concoctions. There are two adventures published: "Glemt af Valhal" (Forgotten by Valhalla) and "Rejsen til Nordhavet" (The Journey to the North Sea).
- Viking
- 1st ed by Fabian Fridholm, Carl Johan Strôm, Marco Behrmann, Mattias Svendsen (1994) Neogames AB
- A Swedish-language historical/fantasy RPG. It uses a skill-based system with no classes or levels, using mainly d6's.
- Vikings & Valkyrs
- 1st ed by Laurence Gillespie (1985) self-published
- A game based on the Icelandic Eddas, which uses a class-based system with six stats rolled on 3d6, similar to AD&D. However, there is an original skill system and magic system. According to the back cover, the designer had done "eight years of graduate level research of Old Icelandic sources". Volume I was "Character Classes, Skills, Magic"; Volume II was "Combat, Runes, Songs of Power". An advertisement suggested that a third volume was coming soon, to be called "Monsters and Treasures of Middle Earth" -- but it is not clear whether this was ever published.
- Villians and Vigilantes
- 1st ed by Jeff Dee, Jack Herman (1979) FGU
- 2nd ed (1982)
- A generic superhero RPG. It uses a simple d20-based system (roll low) with random-roll character creation. The 3rd edition is retitled Living Legends and is being published by Unigames.
- Violence: The Roleplaying Game of Egregious and Repulsive Bloodshed
- 1st ed by "Designer X" (1999) Hogshead Games
- A "new style" RPG from Hogshead, at 24 pages. A parody of AD&D and other games, with tables for "random tenement generation" and "wandering victim treasure types".
- VP: Via Prudensia
- 1st ed by Gimle Larsen, Ask Agger (1994) Modtryk
- A Danish-language universal RPG system with no specific setting. It is a 128-page A4-size book with a color cover. The rules are similar to GURPS and focused on combat. There is only a single edition and no supplements, but it has had some popularity within Denmark.
John H. Kim <jhkim@darkshire.net> Last modified: Tue Jul 22 13:51:48 2008