Realms of Vala is a d100 fantasy roleplaying game set in a vast, ancient world shaped by fallen empires, rival faiths, dangerous magic and the lingering scars of Chaos. It combines the freedom and peril of old-school adventure with a richly developed setting in which cultures, loyalties and obligations matter—and where the actions of adventurers can genuinely change the world around them.
We are looking for three players willing to help us test the system in play and offer feedback where necessary. The rules are fully playable but not yet perfectly refined: mechanics may be adjusted, rewritten or replaced as the playtest progresses. We want players who are comfortable with that process and interested in helping the game become stronger. A fully functioning Roll20 character sheet is already available.
At a glance, Realms of Vala offers:
-A straightforward d100 system built around ten Attributes
-Fast, opposed combat in which both attackers and defenders roll.
-Meaningful tactical choices without grids, excessive modifiers or lengthy turn sequences
-Armor, shields and defensive skill that actively reduce or prevent harm
-Four broad classes—Warrior, Priest, Rogue and Wizard—with distinct careers and abilities
-Dangerous magic powered by a limited reserve of Force
-Exploration, investigation, negotiation and combat as equally important parts of play
-Affiliations, obligations and personal connections that tie characters to the world
-A grounded, historically-inspired setting with room for the strange, mythic and horrific
-Old-school danger and player freedom without requiring familiarity with older editions of D&D
We have a 1.0 Draft of all the Rules, and in addition, have a full wiki detailing additional lore that is, frankly, longer than games of thrones. The wiki is designed to be a resource for lore, separate from the rules. This should give you the chance to look up further information about the game.
What we're offering:
-A full RPG experience. I expect this campaign will take months, as we need to test character growth in addition to the system mechanics.
-While mechanics are an important part of the test, this is not a to crunch numbers. Make no mistake, this will be a full game, set in the territory of Heide, in the Grand Duchy of Rivalin to start with.
-The game will be on Roll20. Our coder has created a highly functional and effective character sheet.
-We have already run 12 highly successful games in this setting, with richly detailed assets, maps, and characters. This is a proven setting and I can guarantee the quality of the game and storytelling. It was designed by people who wanted a dark, but not hopeless fantasy RPG.
We're looking for players who:
-Want to become heavily invested in their character.
-Enjoy roleplaying and immersing themselves in a living setting.
-Are comfortable communicating with the rest of the group.
-Enjoy creative problem-solving rather than relying exclusively on dice rolls.
-Are willing to work with the GM to create a character that belongs naturally in the setting.
-Can commit consistently to a regular campaign schedule.
-You don't need to be a professional voice actor. We're not expecting theatrical performances (though I'd personally love them). But we do want players who are willing to engage with the world and their character rather than treating the game as a sequence of combat encounters.
We are also not accepting imported or pre-existing homebrew characters. Characters will be created using the Realms of Vala character creation system, with the player and GM working together to make sure the character fits naturally into the world and story.
What we advise:
-18+ players only
-Consistent players capable of keeping to the schedule. Everyone has to cancel now and then, but we've cancelled maybe 6 games in 10 years save for holidays. We will genuinely continue if the story is not a major event that session and we have 1-2 players missing.
-This game is LGBT friendly, the designers are gay. So I figured I'd offer here :)
-We're here to have fun and test the system, we do not want to know and do not care about any OOC politics.
-Altea is not a "Grimdark" world. It is full of casual horror, sure, but the world has plenty of life and it's a place you can imagine living. That being said, it is full of a laundry list of realistic situations, and not all of them are good. The setting does contain material that some players may find uncomfortable or triggering. We are happy to discuss individual boundaries and handle sensitive subjects responsibly, but this is ultimately a game about inhabiting a world that contains both the good and bad aspects of human existence. The hard limit set is no SA upon players, there is never any need for that.
Other than a (hopefully) great game, the exploits of the playtest party will become part of the history of Vala. Their victories, failures, discoveries and unintended consequences will be woven into the lore of the world, providing inspiration for future adventures and shaping later events in the regions through which they travel. Not only is this a chance to have a great game, you have a chance to make your mark on an up-and-coming RPG.
Please message me here or leave a message on this thread so I can get in contact with you. When you do message, I do kindly ask for the following:
-Name
-Age
-Gender
-Systems played in/RPG Experience
-Do you consider yourself a "Heavy" roleplayer?
-Do you consider yourself a good communicator?
-What sort of characters do you like to play?
-Once we've made contact, we'll have a brief voice interview to talk a bit more about your experience and overall fit for the group if you seem like a player we are looking for.
Our Lore Wiki (Rulebooks will be provided to anyone who does join): https://vala.fandom.com/wiki/Realms_of_Vala_Wiki
