I want to thank Free League for sending me a copy of Vaesen, allowing me to immerse myself in its atmosphere to write this review. In case you are interested in purchasing it, Vaesen is available at the official store in various bundles that also include extra accessories (discussed below).
In dark forests and forlorn mountains, by black lakes and hidden groves.
At your doorstep.
In the shadows, something stirs.
Strange beings.
Twisted creatures, lurking at the edge of visions.
Watching.
Waiting.
Unseen by most, but not by you.
You see them for what they really are.
Vaesen.
The Atmosphere is the Basis of Play
Scandinavia, 19th century.
In an area that has always been known for disturbing myths and mysterious legends, industrial development arrives. Steam engines, firearms, technological inventions of various kinds. With these, the cities grow. Their extension and development take away more and more space from the folklore that has made that part of the world unique, just as happened years before when the Norse religion was replaced by Christianity. But those legends haven’t gone away, people just don’t know them anymore. Their mysteries preferred to retreat to the countryside, where nature still reigns supreme. Technological evolution cannot disturb their eternal hiding from the lives of Man.
The feel of the atmosphere combines gothic and horror, echoing that aroused by Lovecraft and his myths of Cthulhu but the supernatural from the legends of our world resides here. The passion of the author and illustrator Johan Egerkrans can be seen in every detail and this contributes to the feeling of immersion in a disturbing, living world. Society is difficult and unjust and still cannot manage the periods of change it is going through. It is a society full of prejudices.
The events presented in the book can take place in various cities on the Scandinavian peninsula, such as Stockholm or Helsinki, although the center of everything described is the Swedish town called Uppsala. Leafing through the Vaesen manual I admit I got SO lost in wonderful maps (both generic and specific) that I decided to show them in this review. Passing my finger over the pages my mind wandered and imagined what mysteries could be hidden in those lands. And also reading the specific distances and the means of transport available (each with its speed in km/h) made me want to visit those places.
But what makes Uppsala so special?
Review of the Historical Context of Vaesen
First, we have to take a step back. Why do some people no longer seem able to perceive the Vaesen, or supernatural creatures? Simple, because now only a few have the Sight, or contact with this dangerous world superimposed on our mundane reality.
In the past, those who possessed this gift were many and organized themselves in a Society. It was, in fact, an extended family of people endowed with this peculiar ability who decided to come together to offer their services to the rest of the mundane population. They made a castle their headquarters, and effectively became a supernatural detective agency. The manual contains a very detailed history, complete with major events and profiles of famous members. This helps to create the incredible sense of immersion (as well as facilitating the storyteller’s work). Over the years, however, people grew more and more prejudiced against and skeptical of them (probably also linked to technological development) and for this reason the Society broke up.
But now a group of people, upon realizing they have the Sight, have come to understand that the Vaesen are still present and dangerous. They therefore decide to collaborate and deal with all those mysteries occurring in the suburbs and the countryside. They decided to resurrect the Society.
In the course of the PCs’ adventures, the Society’s castle plays a central role. It provides a base of operations in which to heal injuries and replenish supplies and equipment. Over time, it can be populated with helpers and attendants as well, and expanded structurally to provide facilities serving more diverse functions.
The players take up the roles of members breathing new life into this controversial association.
Investigators of the Supernatural
The protagonists of Vaesen are simple people, but they differ from the rest of the population due to trauma. Some event caused the Sight to manifest and led them to follow the path it revealed. Before that traumatic event, the PCs were very normal people and this is illustrated by the selection of an archetype, one of the ten classes that indicate their areas of proficiency. There is also a creation method with random tables for defining life paths, in case you prefer this approach. In any case, I find it useful and interesting to use the archetypes presented, all very much aligned with the theme of the setting (doctor, hunter, occultist, writer…).
It is also important to come up with a name, an age, and a specific reason they undertook this path, as well as a dark secret. The latter is something each character tries to keep hidden because it could get him/her into trouble. It advises creating links between the PCs for precisely this reason, showing the importance this RPG places on the bonds between characters. In addition to human resources, it is important to take into account the economic ones, specifically, character equipment. Each item allows PCs to perform specific activities or gives bonuses in certain circumstances. As the adventures progress, the characters may also find some means to use magic, but this is very rare.
As for the numerical side, each PC has four attributes, each of which are linked to three skills; they are Physique (Agility, Close Combat, Force), Precision (Medicine, Ranged Combat, Stealth), Logic (Investigation, Learning, Vigilance) and Empathy (Inspiration, Manipulation, Observation).
There are also talents that give unique and circumstantial character features.
Vaesen mechanics review
How do all these factors interact? Despite the discreet customization possible, everything flows smoothly thanks to the Year Zero Engine. This game engine is successful because it manages to provide good depth in the mechanics without falling into excessive technicality to provide good depth in the mechanics without falling into excessive technicality; the result is a very fluid and action-packed narrative. The system is based on dice pools and very simple to explain: you roll a certain number of six-sided dice (determined by the sum of the attribute and skill used) and each 6 represents a success; each test requires a certain number of successes to pass (from 1 to 3). The themed dice available at the Free League store definitely merit recognition, too! Their style coincides perfectly with that of Vaesen (I attach a visual testimony to this review).
D6s can be added to the pools for these tests based on various factors. Help from someone grants 1 to 3 extra dice. Some items can have similar effects. Once per session you can invoke an Advantage of various types that adds 2 dice. If more successes than required are achieved, they provide additional benefits based on the circumstances. Failure to pass a test, on the other hand, can cause Conditions (negative statuses) that weigh on the character’s body and/or mind. In the absence of the classic hit points, they are also used to track “damage”. One can also elect to suffer a penalty, in order to “push”; this allows you to keep successful dice results and re-roll all failures for a given test.
With these simple mechanics, narration is divided into Mysteries (or adventures, or cases to be solved) and then into scenes. This allows you to experience only what aids in creating an exciting story.
You Have to Know How to Fight for Your Life
Among these scenes there will obviously be some combat, a fundamental element in almost every role-playing game. It is divided into rounds and begins with the initiative roll, which takes place by drawing one of the 10 numbered cards (I am attaching some pictures of Vaesen‘s thematic deck of cards in this review); once this is done, proceed from the lowest to the highest value. During their turn, each creature has a slow action (such as an attack) and a fast action (such as a move or a dodge) available to them. Each success allows you to inflict Conditions on the target, until their death. Armor and covers can prevent this from happening.
To better manage each conflict, it is important that the narrator draw a map of the area in which it takes place. This allows you to represent thematically distinct areas. There are no calculations in precise squares or units of measurement, but each zone is “one shift” from the neighboring ones and each weapon has a certain range in “number of zones”. Objects that can provide cover or that can be destroyed to access otherwise blocked areas should also be noted on the map; all this gives a discreet dynamism to a system which, as mentioned, does not aspire to complicated technicalities.
Then there are a series of simple additional rules for particular circumstances (grappling, fleeing, chasing, ambushes and sneak attacks) and damage (fear, explosions, fire, poison, falling damage, hunger and thirst).
The Vaesen, Creatures of Myth
First, a distinction must be made: fights lead to the death of opponents only if they are humans (or animals). The Vaesen are a different matter. Creatures belonging to Northern myths can only be slowed down or kept busy with conventional weapons. To give them peace, to appease them or to end their life, rituals are needed, one for each creature. They refer to the true legends of those lands and are extremely fascinating.
The same charm accompanies the creatures themselves. There are so many and, even if there is a method to create new ones, you aren’t likely to feel the need to (especially because we are not talking about a game in which hordes of monsters are faced). They are divided into five categories: nature spirits, familiars, shapeshifters, spirits of the dead, and monsters. Each creature has a very detailed description that, in addition to presenting its characteristics (different from those of the PCs), offers much more. Appearance, habits, magic and specific conditions, typical behaviors, secrets and tastes. Their magical nature (which can be divided into categories: enchantments, curses and troll magic) stands in delightful contrast to the ever-increasing technological aspect looming over the cities. Each of them has all the credentials needed to be the focus of intriguing adventures.
The thematic deck I mentioned earlier also includes 23 cards depicting the same number of monsters, with a brief description of them on the back.
More Content from Vaesen
The manual also gives the narrator various tips, both about the game world and possibilities in customization, and how to structure and regulate the various Mysteries to be investigated. Another useful accessory is the game master’s screen that displays all the main rules on the inside, very nice to see; it also includes an amazing and huge map, with all of northern Europe on one side and Uppsala on the other.
To help novice storytellers (or lazy ones, like myself) there is also a ready and complete adventure. It is suitable for newly created characters (although they can improve their skills and the development of the headquarters with their accumulated experience) and can be completed in two or three sessions. It is called “The Dance of Dreams” and, without spoiling it, provides for an investigation into a revenant who has not found peace after his murder, which took place years before. This mystery struck me deeply for the care with which it was made, resulting in much more than a filler or a sop. Inside we also find dedicated maps and drawings of clues and game objects (such as a note sheet).
The manual ends with the character sheet (with which to create and track your own character) and the headquarters sheet (on which to note the progress of the castle). They are both very simple, but well made.
Vaesen Material Review
As you can see in the images of this review, the quality of Vaesen is most deserving of praise. The physical materials are extraordinary; the cover of the manual just craves to be stroked, the pages are a pleasure to flip through, the dice are solid and satisfying to roll. Even the deck of cards and the GM screen are sturdy and practical. All are flawless.
But let’s talk about the illustrations. Johan Egerkrans has always been one of the illustrators who most enchanted me and here he spared no effort. Marked contour lines, dirty lines full of meaning, expressive faces and colors always suitable to reinforce the represented theme. Each illustration could be framed and hung on a wall. Some have been taken from other old works of his, but I don’t see anything wrong with that; he only drew from themed ones, so that’s fine. I also loved the maps and the management of space on the pages. This is one of those manuals that doesn’t disappoint but is satisfying simply to own. I must admit that, especially with this one and Mörk Borg (but not only), Free League has proved to be a publisher with very high quality standards.
Final Considerations
I was anticipating reviewing this title mainly for its aesthetics, but I was impressed with every aspect. It manages to be streamlined but also fairly deep, although its main strength absolutely lies in the content concerning the setting.
If you want to discover and experience Nordic mythology and folklore in a genuine way, this is the product for you.
If you want to engage in a good horror story with gothic features, but want to try something different from the usual sprawling cosmic horrors, this is the product for you.
Of course, the prices are not too low and are close to those of the most famous RPGs, but honestly I find that they are completely in line with the quality offered. I believe I’ve already made it clear throughout this review but, in case you missed it, I liked Vaesen SO much that, as far as I’m concerned, Free League products deserve absolute trust.
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