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.
Valherjar: The Chosen Slain
1st ed by Greg Spyridis (2006) Game Monkey Press
A modern-day urban fantasy RPG inspired by classic Norse mythology where the player characters are Valherjar - an elite caste of fallen warriors from all cultures and times resurrected by the Norse gods to fight in Ragnarok. They are divided into six groups by their patron god: Frigga, Heimdall, Odin, Sif, Thor or Tyr. Each warrior is nimated by six runestones implanted in their bodies, and has other abilities such as accelerated healing, ability to not eat or drink, and possible rune magic. It uses an original system called the AOR Gaming System. Resolution is based on rolling 3d6, then taking two dice to add to the appropriate stat to compare to difficulty, while the third die is used for initiative ("Action Opportunity Roll"). Characters have eight attributes: Dexterity, Agility, Strength, Endurance, Intelligence, Perception, Charisma and Will, ranked from 0 to 4 for mortal humans, while others may go up to 6. Character creation is limited point-based, spending 12 priority points among 4 categories (Attributes, Skill, Rune Magic, and Prestige). Each category then has options based on the priority points spent.
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.
Valtyr Chronicles
1st ed by Chuck D. Yager (2009) self-published
A fantasy RPG set in on an original fantasy world, Valtyr. It uses a skill-based dice pool system. Resolution is by rolling a number of d6s based on skill, where every 5-6 is a success. The rulebook is independently published via Lulu.com, while notes are available at the designer's blog.
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.
Vanishing Point
1st ed by Ashok Desai (2005) Sane Studios
2nd ed (2007)
A RPG set in an alternate Victorian world ruled by a totalitarian government, populated by insane and/or enlightened people who have vanished from Mundane Earth - along with strange animals, plants, and other races. It includes an original system. Resolution uses a d8 dice pool system where players roll dice equal to talent, with 8s being open-ended. The highest die is added to attribute and compared to the difficulty or opposed roll. The core attributes are Physique, Agility, Dexterity, Knowledge and Insight - each rated 0 to 6, with 1 being human average. Character creation is limited point-based, with an optional random-roll variant. Players distribute 5 points among attributes over the base for their genus, and the further points for talents. The core rules include 14 races, 38 optional career packages, and 21 pseudo-magical abilities.
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".
Venus 2141
1st ed by Tony Pace (2009) Soyuz Arts
A science fiction tabletop roleplaying game set in the year 2141, where the solar system has been partly colonized. Venus is a colony of nearly 500 million including many Canadians and Russians who are fleeing global cooling on Earth. The people live on bio-engineered "rafts" that float 50km above the surface, supported by various other biotechnology. Mars is engaged in a war of independence, and the Venus colony supports Earth with an economy based on deuterium extraction, low-cost manufacturing, and biotechnology designs. It uses a dice pool system with broad rules for goals and conflicts. Characters have a three-tier skill tree of Field, Focus, and Specialty. For example, a character might have the Field of Coordination, Focus of Piloting, and Specialty of Boat. Resolution uses a dice pool system, rolling two d6s for every skill that is primary to the task (i.e. 2 for Field through 6 for Specialty). Every 4-6 is a success, with sixes open-ending. The GM has limited pools of dice - the Scene Pool and Session Pool - for use in conflicts. Successes in conflict are eventually used to buy goals - either from a set of defined goals for the Field, or negotiated for the conflict. Character creation is by picking six Lifestyles - each of which defines a set of Skills, Gear and Contacts - followed by six free skill picks.
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.
Victoria: A Roleplaying Game of Action and Intrigue in Victorian England
1st ed by Daniel Hodges (2011) Hazard Gaming
A historical RPG set in Victorian era England, focusing on suspense, action, and intrigue - including certain supernatural elements. It uses an original system that is based on the old English dice game "hazard" for resolution. The player rolls 2d6, where each skill has a range in the for success such as 6-8 or 5-9 (called their "main"). The main can be modified by spending plot points.
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".
Vox
1st ed by Michael Fiegel (2009) Aethereal Forge
A surreal RPG with multiple settings, where each player plays both a character with voices in his or her head, and the voice(s) in another PC's head. It uses the PDQ2 game engine, designed by Chad Underkoffler. The core book includes four setting seeds: "Facility," a distant future sci-fi horror setting; "Oversight," a modern-day political conspiracy setting; "Currents," a 1920s Lovecraftian mad science setting; and "Reckoning," an alternate Victorian historical mystery setting.
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: Mon Jul 2 09:15:53 2018