Alien Module 2: Vargr
- Thread starter AndrewW
- Start date
now the Vargr do intrigue me as i know very little about them. to me they have always seemed to be either comic relief or just a band of pirates.
should i see vargr and think to myself Reaver from the firefly universe?
a creature that cannot be reasoned with, that kills for sport, that raids and vanishes, almost a legendary figure??
or just a big puppy dog?
Chef
should i see vargr and think to myself Reaver from the firefly universe?
a creature that cannot be reasoned with, that kills for sport, that raids and vanishes, almost a legendary figure??
or just a big puppy dog?
Chef
Nah, most Vargrs living in Imperial space are ordinary folk for the most part. Humans think they smell funny (and vice-versa), and they may be more concerned with local politics than global (hence Charisma instead of Social Standing), but they're not Reavers by any stretch.
Even the pirate Vargr wouldn't be THAT wild. Remember that they independently invented Jump Drives and have a large star-spanning presence.
Even the pirate Vargr wouldn't be THAT wild. Remember that they independently invented Jump Drives and have a large star-spanning presence.
kristof65 said:
We evolved from hairy apes, why do we have hair on the top of our heads?
I like the cover myself (I like all the 3I covers, I wish the black books would have them too). I dare say it'll send the grognards into apoplectic fits of rage, but nothing pleases them anyway
.
alex_greene
Guest
Heh. I am quite a mellow grognard, and apoplectic fits of rage are not really my thing. Leaving a book on the shelf if I don't like it, only to relent a little later down the line when I get money to complete the set - that's my style.
Me, I'm looking forward to this book. I can't do so much with the Aslan, because they keep registering as bloody Luxans when I run them as characters. Luxans, or Klingons. I'll have to cycle through human Samurai and Vikings, maybe Sioux Native Americans, before I finally get to run the Aslan as Aslan.
I won't, however, make the mistake of running or playing the Vargr as if they were Uratha from Werewolf: the Forsaken.
Me, I'm looking forward to this book. I can't do so much with the Aslan, because they keep registering as bloody Luxans when I run them as characters. Luxans, or Klingons. I'll have to cycle through human Samurai and Vikings, maybe Sioux Native Americans, before I finally get to run the Aslan as Aslan.
I won't, however, make the mistake of running or playing the Vargr as if they were Uratha from Werewolf: the Forsaken.
First off, my comments about the hair are completely, 100%, thoroughly nitpicks of the cover artwork. Other than that, I like the artwork and cover design, and this book already has a reserved spot on my Traveller book shelf.
At 300,000 years ago, we had already diverged away from apes enough that the hair on our heads was a distinct feature. Hair like that probably wasn't a distinct feature on the canine stock that Vargr were derived from, I'll bet. Even today no breed of dog I'm aware of has a head of hair like that, unless it's a long hair breed groomed that way.
But that's not my key gripe about it. The "hair" thing makes me think of "furries" artwork, where any and every animal you can think of is anthromorphized, typically by making them stand upright and adding hair. So I take the hair as saying "this will make them look more human." And despite being uplifted Terran animals, they are aliens, NOT humanized dogs.
The only reason I don't have the same complaint about Aslan is that their hair resembles the mane of a lion, and explains why Terrans dubbed them Aslan upon meeting them.
It's a minor point, though - until/unless someone actual sculpts an official line of miniatures for the Vargr looking like that, I'm not going to get upset about it - I'm just putting my opinion out there, since it was my first reaction to the cover/product.
EDG said:
At 300,000 years ago, we had already diverged away from apes enough that the hair on our heads was a distinct feature. Hair like that probably wasn't a distinct feature on the canine stock that Vargr were derived from, I'll bet. Even today no breed of dog I'm aware of has a head of hair like that, unless it's a long hair breed groomed that way.
But that's not my key gripe about it. The "hair" thing makes me think of "furries" artwork, where any and every animal you can think of is anthromorphized, typically by making them stand upright and adding hair. So I take the hair as saying "this will make them look more human." And despite being uplifted Terran animals, they are aliens, NOT humanized dogs.
The only reason I don't have the same complaint about Aslan is that their hair resembles the mane of a lion, and explains why Terrans dubbed them Aslan upon meeting them.
It's a minor point, though - until/unless someone actual sculpts an official line of miniatures for the Vargr looking like that, I'm not going to get upset about it - I'm just putting my opinion out there, since it was my first reaction to the cover/product.
alex_greene
Guest
Since the term "Vargr" derives from a Nordic source, it suggests that the ancestors of the Sword Worlders discovered the Vargr first - just as the Turkish colonists who interbred with the Daryen to become the Darrians may have been the first humanoids to encounter the Aslan.
Cleon the Mad
Mongoose
kristof65 said:
Well, why do some humans, even if they aren't going bald and have a full head of hair decide to shave their heads? Why do some human males shave off their beard, yet others only trim theirs or even just let the beard grow out?
Since we've only seen the cover art, we can't assume every single Vargr is drawn that way. Seriously, that might just be a hairstyle. The Vargr did something, maybe hair extentions or some such. Who knows. Best to not judge a book by it's cover IMO.
alex_greene
Guest
I presume that the cover represents one of the end moves of a dominance confrontation: the further Vargr has just drawn his blade, but is holding it away from him, ready but not yet striking. The defiance in this individual's face is not matched by that of the Vargr in the foreground, whose head is lowered slightly.
The Vargr at the back of the pic is demonstrating his willingness to commit to lethal action to back up his rep. The one in front looks like he's either going to have to commit to the fight himself or back down and acknowledge his own loss of face; the background Vargr's reputation - his Charisma - will be saved at the cost of the foreground Vargr's own.
If this was a movie, a few frames on there'll either be the biggest fight ever, or the one in the foreground would be kneeling before Katana Wolf Guy.
I am so looking forward to this book. Can't you tell?
The Vargr at the back of the pic is demonstrating his willingness to commit to lethal action to back up his rep. The one in front looks like he's either going to have to commit to the fight himself or back down and acknowledge his own loss of face; the background Vargr's reputation - his Charisma - will be saved at the cost of the foreground Vargr's own.
If this was a movie, a few frames on there'll either be the biggest fight ever, or the one in the foreground would be kneeling before Katana Wolf Guy.
I am so looking forward to this book. Can't you tell?
kafka
Mongoose
As I said over at the COTI, I like the cover and Mongoose art more generally. High complement, if you would know me better.
If I were to choose, I would have something different than a dueling scene like a corsair in a Vacc suit. First, because this is a game of the Far Future and looking at the cover art (one does not get that impression). Second, a duel motiff is done for Aslan and is better suited for that. Charisma should be portrayed.
And, as much as these covers do speak of menance the interior art must do much more so. Too often the Vargr have been tamed in their art to simply be doggies in Vacc suits...the art really has to speak to peril and unpredictability of the Vargr nature. I have seriously taken a liking to how White Wolf handles the lycans for my inspiration of what is a Vargr.
If I were to choose, I would have something different than a dueling scene like a corsair in a Vacc suit. First, because this is a game of the Far Future and looking at the cover art (one does not get that impression). Second, a duel motiff is done for Aslan and is better suited for that. Charisma should be portrayed.
And, as much as these covers do speak of menance the interior art must do much more so. Too often the Vargr have been tamed in their art to simply be doggies in Vacc suits...the art really has to speak to peril and unpredictability of the Vargr nature. I have seriously taken a liking to how White Wolf handles the lycans for my inspiration of what is a Vargr.
lastbesthope
Mongoose
I thought Aslan looked cool, but this is way better.
Traveller Dog Soldiers anyone?
LBH
Traveller Dog Soldiers anyone?
LBH
Rikki Tikki Traveller
Cosmic Mongoose
lastbesthope said:
Say that to a Vargr's face and see how long you live! You might even get to laugh before he cuts out your still beating heart and eats it in front of you...
That's how MY Vargrs react to the "doggy" jokes anyway.
lastbesthope
Mongoose
I was more referring to the werewolf movie "Dog Soldiers" but I can see how that would be ambiguous.
LBH
LBH
Rikki Tikki Traveller
Cosmic Mongoose
Unfortunately, most Vargr have never seen that movie, so there you go...
Actually, I just watched that movie a couple of weeks ago! You would think I would have gotten the reference!
Actually, I just watched that movie a couple of weeks ago! You would think I would have gotten the reference!
