The boxed set Planes of Law by TSR arrived today – a campaign extension for Planescape, itself a campaign setting for AD&D 2nd ed. I like it! And I got a shrink-wrapped, as-new copy!
The poster maps are not as detailed as I would have liked. They are big, but that does not mean that they are filled with an endless amount of detail as typical city maps are these days. I love skimming through the books in the box. I’m comparing notes with the sections on the planes in the Dungeon Master Guide, and I’ll be sure to carefully study the Manual of the Planes and the Planar Handbook as well as the material provided by the Planewalker site in addition to the boxed sets.
Minor annoyance: The value of the package was such that the VAT exceeded CHF 5. Once it does that, I have to pay it. If the VAT stays below CHF 5, nothing happens. In this case the VAT was CHF 5.85. I have to pay this tax at the post office when I pick up the package. And I have to pay CHF 10 extra for this service. That’s a surprising extra CHF 15.85! Grrrr.
How did they arrive at CHF 5.85 VAT? I don’t know. The receipt says the package was worth CHF 77 – xe.com tells me that’s about USD 67. But the other receipt says that I paid USD 36.99 plus USD 19.50 shipping, ie. USD 56.49 in total. So even if they included shipping in the package value, that would not have explained the problem! I think it all boils down to lousy handwriting by the guy who filled in the form on the package. The Swiss guys then looked at it, somehow confused ~57 with ~67, and then figured that I had to pay tax.
Bummer. Even if I had wanted to complaing to the US customs, this will be hard to prove. And all I have to gain is CHF 5.85 because I doubt I’ll get the Swiss Post service charge back.
Inability to act → frustration!!
I think I have to go back to reading the material not worrying about the money.
Baator here I come!!
#RPG #Publishing #Setting