# Vaults of Vaarn - science-fantasy dying earth Knave setting

**URL:** <https://discourse.rpgcauldron.com/t/vaults-of-vaarn-science-fantasy-dying-earth-knave-setting/607>\
**Category:** Making\
**Created:** [December 11, 2021, 9:53pm UTC](https://discourse.rpgcauldron.com/t/vaults-of-vaarn-science-fantasy-dying-earth-knave-setting/607 "2021-12-11T21:53:24Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 12\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![GraculusDroog](https://discourse.rpgcauldron.com/user_avatar/discourse.rpgcauldron.com/graculusdroog/32/242_2.png) [@GraculusDroog](https://discourse.rpgcauldron.com/u/GraculusDroog)\
**Post date:** [December 11, 2021, 9:53pm UTC](https://discourse.rpgcauldron.com/t/vaults-of-vaarn-science-fantasy-dying-earth-knave-setting/607/1 "2021-12-11T21:53:25Z")

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Hello folks,

thought I might start a thread chronicling the ongoing development of my science-fantasy RPG setting, Vaults of Vaarn. I hope this thread doesn’t come off as too self-regarding, some of the project has been released in zines but I consider it an ongoing enterprise and I wanted to contribute a bit more to these forums and perhaps post some design diaries or inspirational art etc.

Vaarn is a blue desert which exists near the end of time, littered with the ruins of the unimaginable faded eras of the past. It’s a post-apocalypse, post-human world. The sun is a dying red giant, and the Urth is inhabited by true-kin (non-mutants), cacogen (mutants), newbeasts (uplifted animals), synths (robots) and mycomorphs (fungus-zombies). I draw pretty openly from _The Book of the New Sun,_ _Dune,_ _Hyperion_, as well as the art of Moebius and the videogames _Hyper Light Drifter_ and _Caves of Qud._

I use _Knave_ as the underlying ruleset, with a few modifications.

The setting has thus far been outlined in three free zines:  
[Issue One](https://graculusdroog.itch.io/vaults-of-vaarn) which is the player’s guide and introduction.  
[Issue Two](https://graculusdroog.itch.io/vaults-of-vaarn-2) which focuses on Gnomon, a thirsty bustling market city.  
[Issue Three](https://graculusdroog.itch.io/vaults-of-vaarn-3) which focuses on the deep deserts of Vaarn and travel procedures.

I also have [a blog](https://vaultsofvaarn.com/) where I post Actual Play reports, bits of lore, and so on.

Happily I am not the only creator exploring the blue ruins of Vaarn. @Gulluth has been working on [Urth Simulacrum,](https://gulluthgulch.itch.io/urth-simulacrum) an automated generation procedure for Vaarnish locations, based on the tables in the zines. He also built an [searchable online SRD](https://vaarn.github.io/#/), which is an alternate way to explore the setting.

I think that’s enough for now. I’m currently working on the fourth zine release, which will take readers to the Wall, a vast decaying superstructure that towers over Vaarn’s coastline. More on that as it develops.

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**Author:** ![GusL](https://discourse.rpgcauldron.com/user_avatar/discourse.rpgcauldron.com/gusl/32/368_2.png) [@GusL](https://discourse.rpgcauldron.com/u/GusL)\
**Post date:** [December 12, 2021, 4:04am UTC](https://discourse.rpgcauldron.com/t/vaults-of-vaarn-science-fantasy-dying-earth-knave-setting/607/7 "2021-12-12T04:04:32Z")

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I’ve heard good things about Vaarn, thanks for sharing.

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**Author:** ![Giovanni\_Tamba](https://discourse.rpgcauldron.com/user_avatar/discourse.rpgcauldron.com/giovanni_tamba/32/462_2.png) [@Giovanni\_Tamba](https://discourse.rpgcauldron.com/u/Giovanni_Tamba)\
**Post date:** [December 12, 2021, 10:07am UTC](https://discourse.rpgcauldron.com/t/vaults-of-vaarn-science-fantasy-dying-earth-knave-setting/607/9 "2021-12-12T10:07:10Z")

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I’m participating in the italian translation of the first zine and I was impressed! The random tables are great, so much stuff to play with! I’ve also played it the adventure “the tomb of nassak-an-rah” during an online convention!

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**Author:** ![GraculusDroog](https://discourse.rpgcauldron.com/user_avatar/discourse.rpgcauldron.com/graculusdroog/32/242_2.png) [@GraculusDroog](https://discourse.rpgcauldron.com/u/GraculusDroog)\
**Post date:** [December 12, 2021, 10:44am UTC](https://discourse.rpgcauldron.com/t/vaults-of-vaarn-science-fantasy-dying-earth-knave-setting/607/10 "2021-12-12T10:44:29Z")

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Thank you Gus, funnily enough I’ve been recommending Tomb Robbers of the Crystal Frontier to people who ask me about science-fantasy dungeons (my zines don’t have any keyed locations in them). I think there’s a confluence of tastes there. I’m always in awe of your very detailed thoughts on dungeon design, it’s something I’m still not confident in.

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**Author:** ![GraculusDroog](https://discourse.rpgcauldron.com/user_avatar/discourse.rpgcauldron.com/graculusdroog/32/242_2.png) [@GraculusDroog](https://discourse.rpgcauldron.com/u/GraculusDroog)\
**Post date:** [December 12, 2021, 10:45am UTC](https://discourse.rpgcauldron.com/t/vaults-of-vaarn-science-fantasy-dying-earth-knave-setting/607/11 "2021-12-12T10:45:46Z")

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Thank you! I have heard about the Italian translation, I’m always interested in the process of translating SFF works with unusual or invented words in them.

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**Author:** ![GusL](https://discourse.rpgcauldron.com/user_avatar/discourse.rpgcauldron.com/gusl/32/368_2.png) [@GusL](https://discourse.rpgcauldron.com/u/GusL)\
**Post date:** [December 12, 2021, 5:08pm UTC](https://discourse.rpgcauldron.com/t/vaults-of-vaarn-science-fantasy-dying-earth-knave-setting/607/12 "2021-12-12T17:08:54Z")

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Most appreciated praise. Thank you. Here’s the next one I’m working on - more of a small point crawl with two weird towns and a faction based 30 room adventure (ruined lighthouse oracle and sea/death god shrine). The second (which I’ve shared before is a bigger 140 keys - but more minimal) is a haunted mansion (the cover art of which I’ve shown before)

![Cover CCE2](https://discourse.rpgcauldron.com/uploads/default/original/1X/61492f5e27d8da7b50348c0d219a6e67d7db76b7.jpeg)  
(Point Crawl and Tower)  
 ![Cover CCE](https://discourse.rpgcauldron.com/uploads/default/original/1X/49d1193da3ee65a025e7990b5552187b72c6ce17.jpeg)  
(Haunted Mansion)

I’ve been thinking after the Holy Mountain Shaker Review and some other discussions of trying to explain how and why I write keyed locations - but it may be a big project.

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**Author:** ![GraculusDroog](https://discourse.rpgcauldron.com/user_avatar/discourse.rpgcauldron.com/graculusdroog/32/242_2.png) [@GraculusDroog](https://discourse.rpgcauldron.com/u/GraculusDroog)\
**Post date:** [December 12, 2021, 6:04pm UTC](https://discourse.rpgcauldron.com/t/vaults-of-vaarn-science-fantasy-dying-earth-knave-setting/607/13 "2021-12-12T18:04:09Z")

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Fantastic, I’m glad there’s more in the pipeline. I really like the colour scheme and the head shot/inverted building duality on those covers. Also interested in the how/why of writing keyed locations, I found the HMS discussion on Bones really interesting.

For some WIP making of my own, here’s where I am with the Vaults of Vaarn #4 cover. It will have art on it eventually:

![Vaults of Vaarn 4_1](https://discourse.rpgcauldron.com/uploads/default/original/1X/d2946e71f0e4201255ebaf734dcbb51f154faa52.png)

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**Author:** ![mayv](https://discourse.rpgcauldron.com/user_avatar/discourse.rpgcauldron.com/mayv/32/121_2.png) [@mayv](https://discourse.rpgcauldron.com/u/mayv)\
**Post date:** [December 12, 2021, 6:42pm UTC](https://discourse.rpgcauldron.com/t/vaults-of-vaarn-science-fantasy-dying-earth-knave-setting/607/14 "2021-12-12T18:42:43Z")

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VoV is a huge inspiration of mine! i’m also writing (yet another) science fantasy game and keep coming back to VoV as a great example 🙂

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**Author:** ![GusL](https://discourse.rpgcauldron.com/user_avatar/discourse.rpgcauldron.com/gusl/32/368_2.png) [@GusL](https://discourse.rpgcauldron.com/u/GusL)\
**Post date:** [December 12, 2021, 7:26pm UTC](https://discourse.rpgcauldron.com/t/vaults-of-vaarn-science-fantasy-dying-earth-knave-setting/607/15 "2021-12-12T19:26:05Z")

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Nice! Orange white and black make for a good palette. I think the simplicity of the title (which takes a bit of reading to spot) is great. I wonder if art will detract from that?

I think keying locations is necessary for location based exploration, but of course keys are tricky - it’s almost technical writing, but then the best way to inspire the referee is with poetic details because they are both inspiring and save space.

This review/discussion of Descent to Avernus covers a bit of it.

> **[Descent into Avernus - Dungeon Keying](https://alldeadgenerations.blogspot.com/2020/01/descent-to-avernues-discussion-of.html)**
>
> In the last post All Dead Generations looked at the general design principles in Wizard’s of the Coast’s new campaign tome Baldur’s Gate: De...

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![GraculusDroog](https://discourse.rpgcauldron.com/user_avatar/discourse.rpgcauldron.com/graculusdroog/32/242_2.png) [@GraculusDroog](https://discourse.rpgcauldron.com/u/GraculusDroog)\
**Post date:** [December 13, 2021, 11:24am UTC](https://discourse.rpgcauldron.com/t/vaults-of-vaarn-science-fantasy-dying-earth-knave-setting/607/20 "2021-12-13T11:24:35Z")

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Yes I also really like the ‘placeholder’ cover now. I think for art I may add some smaller elements rather than something large and overpowering. The theme of the issue is about vertical environments and climbing so I want to try some tiny characters climbing the letters, and little birds flying in the background. We shall see if it works.

I will have a gander at your Avernus review, thanks for link.

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**Author:** ![GraculusDroog](https://discourse.rpgcauldron.com/user_avatar/discourse.rpgcauldron.com/graculusdroog/32/242_2.png) [@GraculusDroog](https://discourse.rpgcauldron.com/u/GraculusDroog)\
**Post date:** [December 13, 2021, 11:25am UTC](https://discourse.rpgcauldron.com/t/vaults-of-vaarn-science-fantasy-dying-earth-knave-setting/607/21 "2021-12-13T11:25:54Z")

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Thank you, glad to hear its been inspirational! I really want to see more science fantasy projects out there, it’s one of my favourite genres (self evidently I think). I’m quite looking forward to the releases of Prismatic Wasteland and Icosa, whenever they arrive.

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**Author:** ![GraculusDroog](https://discourse.rpgcauldron.com/user_avatar/discourse.rpgcauldron.com/graculusdroog/32/242_2.png) [@GraculusDroog](https://discourse.rpgcauldron.com/u/GraculusDroog)\
**Post date:** [February 1, 2022, 11:24am UTC](https://discourse.rpgcauldron.com/t/vaults-of-vaarn-science-fantasy-dying-earth-knave-setting/607/22 "2022-02-01T11:24:37Z")

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Brief update, made a new Vaarn dungeon called [The Fount of Illustrious Flesh](https://www.patreon.com/posts/61804419). It’s set inside a buried, dysfunctional cloning facility that was originally constructed to create ‘shadows’ of the Autarch. It’s Patron-only for the moment but thought I’d share some of the art I did.

![IMG_4856](https://discourse.rpgcauldron.com/uploads/default/original/1X/d7bd1efa3e7bb24f392cae29cc1fbc8c18224a59.jpeg)  
This is some early Autarch stuff, I was going for a bronze-age despot look. Assyrian kings and sun-god motifs.

![IMG_4855](https://discourse.rpgcauldron.com/uploads/default/original/1X/fbdf55579a8b602853d03077ee97e8514553fd8b.jpeg)  
A finished Autarch statue.

![IMG_4858](https://discourse.rpgcauldron.com/uploads/default/original/1X/6259304d5266a3e2f68fba98cb767f6cab9f1f8b.jpeg)  
Early sketch work for Janus, an antagonist character within the Fount of Illustrious Flesh. He’s a homage to Typhon from _Book of the New Sun_.

![IMG_4859](https://discourse.rpgcauldron.com/uploads/default/original/1X/8eb2a84d55aa541e8f3d038b6e4f93b25bd74b53.jpeg)  
Ink stuff for Janus. Didn’t really like this one in the end, I thought the pose was goofy.

![IMG_4860](https://discourse.rpgcauldron.com/uploads/default/original/1X/079d414cdd6e907cbf537447f9964610f5551243.jpeg)  
The final Janus I used for the Patreon release. Prefer the pose here. Proportions of the legs are small but wanted to emphasise his torso bulk and the two heads.

![IMG_4861](https://discourse.rpgcauldron.com/uploads/default/original/1X/1639c17edc505e54df6a675ddd9c505e3ba6d632.jpeg)  
Mimir, the Fount’s other antagonist NPC. A classic ‘head in a jar’ villain.