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The Valar Project
"The Book of Erotic Fantasy"
Date: Friday, August 29, 2003
Author: Jsfolfman
Provided By: None
Page: 1 of 2
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Introduction
Where to begin? The most obvious point would be simply to state that the Valar Project (VP) is an attempt to quantify and demystify that which heretofore has been lacking or altogether absent in the RPG world, sex. There it is, I said it, sex. Sex, sex, sex. Ok, now that we have that bit out of the way we can get to the crux of the matter. It's not that there haven't been innuendos and asides to the "S" word; the issue is it's been all innuendos and asides. There exists a myriad of methods for determining damage when battling an Orc. Need a little alchemy help? No problem. One can find volumes on the habits and social customs of Middle Earth inhabitants sans one crucial factor; what happens when the bedroom door closes? Suppose it's not two Elfin having a go at it, but rather another mystical creature and the local working girl (who happens to be of the human variety). Up until now it's been eerily similar to a classic movie; both partners can be in the same bed as long as they keep one foot on the floor and the scene ends before anything steamier than a lips-pursed kiss.
It's not just about sex, though. The main impetus is on the relationships caused, ended, pursuant to and surrounding those sexual encounters and feelings. I think it can be said that the focus is on the relationship part rather than the sex part, sex being an outcome or byproduct of the relationship. How characters interact with each other is extremely important in any campaign and sexual tension, or lack thereof, plays an important role in determining relationships; possibly as much as any other factor. How would your actions differ if you were on an adventure with someone you were attracted to as opposed to someone you found repulsive? It matters. You can't say, well so-and-so is Lawful Good, as am I, so we should always get along. Suppose the other person is an attractive female? Think of your actions in the real world and then extrapolate to the gaming world.
GenCon
I recently attended GenCon 2003 in Indianapolis and had the opportunity to sit down with the brain-trust behind the VP and get the inside scoop on what got the project rolling and why. I spoke with Anthony Valterra the CEO, Susan "Lupa" Geluardi the VP / Art Director and Gwendolyn "Gwen" F.M. Kestrel one of the co-writers (the other remains anonymous). I chose to observe the booth for a bit before I made my presence known. I wanted to see how the group conducted themselves and how the other attendees received the whole notion of putting a little T&A in RPG. I casually strolled around the exhibit, glancing over from time to time and watched people, timidly at first, approach and peruse the display. I finally made my way over and began my visual inspection of the preview edition on sale at the show.
For $10 you could purchase a 32-page microcosm of the Book of Erotic Fantasy. It was a condensed version of what you could expect from the retail item expected to hit store shelves this October. There were chapters on Prestige classes, spells, deities, etc. The photographs ranged from a stunningly beautiful Vestal Virgin to a disturbingly erotic Succubus and hauntingly evil Fallen Cherub. I will include a couple of images from the preview at the end of the article. Don't worry, they won't be too offensive. I wouldn't want to influence our younger audience members. I also don't want to give away too much of the book. If you want to see more, you will have to purchase it yourself. I'm sure the VP crew won't mind my inclusion of a couple of the tamer images.
The Picture
Speaking of images, it can't be said enough how exquisite these pictures are. Whether you are admiring the sculpted torso of a Dominator or the precisely detailed horns of a demon, the painstaking, meticulous work is obvious. I use the word meticulous to describe the imagery; I will use it as well to laud the text. In case you have been under a rock and never heard of Boris Vallejo, you might not understand the significance of using live models and photos as opposed to illustrations. I mentioned, multiple times I seem to recall, to Anthony that for me the use of living, breathing models and real images brought a much-needed realism to the genre. There may be nay-sayers amongst you who cry, "It's RPG, moron, it's not supposed to be real!" True, but then why are there limits on a characters ability to battle, drink, lie, cheat, socialize, etc; because you need limitations to inject realism into the game. You need rules. We, human beings, must have rules in order to ascertain how we react and interact. Scantily clad females, and males, only offer so much as simple drawings. Infuse the action with flesh and blood depictions of wenches and witches and you've upped the ante. The mores and ideals forced upon an artist rendering of a Pleasure Golem take on greater meaning when those attitudes are transferred to someone that actually exists; albeit only as a pseudo entity and one that you can in no way hope to get a date with.
Did I mention meticulous
I have been reading some reaction to the book on the web and it's been a mixed bag. There are some who think it's a concept whose time has come; while others think of it as nothing more than pornography and that it cheapens the genre. I happen to fall into the former category. I also tend to think that those who espouse the latter philosophy are merely satisfying their voyeuristic tendencies and focusing on the male and female subjects. While the pictures play a large part in the overall scope, you cannot begin to understand the entire project without making a concerted effort to READ the companion. I say companion because I consider it to be a companion book essential to creating a fully realistic RPG adventure and d20 compatible to boot!
I have read the preview from cover to cover and came away completely impressed. Impressed with the professionalism, impressed with the presentation and particularly impressed with the meticulous (there's that word again) research and detail that went into it. How does one go about defining the gestation period for an Elf? If you were Gwen, you consult Harvard medical studies and just about every tome you can find. You pore over a vast multitude of scholarly work, previous RPG volumes and the likes of the Kama Sutra and The Joy of Sex etc. How do you decide what attributes to give a particular self-gratification spell? It sounds simple, but in reality it's very complex. It is not something you and your buddies can knock out after a few pints and still have time for a little D&D before breakfast.
I include a small passage below to give you an inkling of what to expect. This section is under the heading "Sex and the Alignments" and it describes a "Lawful Good" character. Remember, we are only dealing with the socio-sexual aspect of the character. These are meant to be supplements or companions to the PHB (Player's Handbook). There are no judgments made on homo-, bi- or hetero-sexuality. A character's sexuality will vary from day to day and situation to situation.
Lawful Good - Be Virtuous in All Endeavors
"A lawful good character acts with thought, looking ahead to the implications of his actions. He earnestly endeavors to be honest and respectful with any potential partner. Some choose to be celibate or chaste. Others wait for sex until a permanent relationship, such as marriage, is formalized.
A lawful good alignment does not prohibit sex outside of marriage. It just means that the character must clearly communicate what he is offering and what he expects from his partner. Are they intending to spend just one night of passion together with no obligations? Are they beginning an ongoing relationship with commitments excluding other partners? What happens if a partner conceives? Even paladins can have robust, varied sex lives, but they need to come to clear terms with their lovers in advance."
Wow, pretty racy, huh? Seriously, there are other passages that are strictly adult swim only. I wanted to give you a sample of the thought and detail that went into producing such an endeavor.
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