No comments about Ashen Cults (Vampire: The Dark Ages).

3 comments about Wolves of the Sea (Vampire: The Dark Ages Companions).

1. Vampire: The Dark Ages is a nice change of pace from the usual White Wolf vampire cliches. But this book has got to be their finest work. It gives detailed background on the Norse people during the Middle Ages, from the height of the Vikings power to their inevitable fall to the forces of Christianity. Its a setting for a Role-Playing Game, and if you can get your Storyteller to move out of the "civilized " east of europe and into the harsh world of the north, you're in for one hell of a chronicle. For Honor! For Glory! For Asgard!



2. I admit I only bought this book because I collect all VtDA material. I was really surprised of its excellent quality, I expected some kind of cheesy Viking book, but Wolves of the Sea immerses you in Norse mythology and culture. It would be an interesting read even if no vampires were featured in it. The material concerning vampires is top notch, too. Lots of interesting concepts, new discipline uses and excellent merits and flaws.

   The only drawback: it won't be compatible with every VtDA chronicle. On the other hand, it can enrich your campaign and creative players may create memorable characters.




3. If you're playing a norse character, or one will be in your game...buy this book! It's top notch. Even if you're not playing dark ages, if your modern day vampire came from this time period, buy this book. IT's a great read, a fantastic look at Norse society, history, and mythology, and has some truly wonderful and inventive new disciplines from the frozen northern wastes. It's one of the best supplements I've seen In years. I've used almost every single page of it. Trust me. You won't be disappointed. And for a newer white wolf supplement...that's about as high a praise as i can possibly give.

2 comments about *OP Transylvania Chron 4: The Dragon A (Vampire: The Dark Ages).

1. This is the fourth and last installment in the epic TRANSYLVANIA CHRONICLES series of VAMPIRE: THE MASQUERADE supplements. The chronicle started in the Dark Ages and crossed over into modern era VtM in the third installment. Like other Dark Ages material, this series has been instumental in adding depth to VtM by giving the vampires a history. Like past installments in this series, this book contains helpful advice about running a century-spanning chronicle and playing elders (how vampires age, summarizing down time etc.) It has some advice for running this installment as a stand alone and how to get the stories back on track if the characters go in the wrong direction. It includes detailed rosters of major story characters. In short, it seems to be a really well designed module.

   It takes the chronicle to the brink of Gehenna. It gives you front row seats at major events- the fate of the the Tremere antitribu, for example. A really good possible use for this book is integrating individual parts of it into other campaigns as a way of letting characters be witnesses to history independent of the larger TRANSYLVANIA CHRONICLES plot.

   The problem is that it also reveals certain things about the Jyhad- the goals and machinations of specific Antediluvians, for example. There are big surprises here about just who the "great diabolical master of the Jyhad" is.

   And that's why I'm only giving it three stars. This book reveals too darn much and makes decisions that I don't want made for me. Alternate possibilites for "what's really happening" don't seem to be offered. It's important to keep in mind that overthrowing established assumptions in an interactive role-playing game world isn't just a "surprise plot twist". It can play havoc with the direction of longstanding campaigns- previously thought in good faith to be well and faithfully grounded in offical materials. There specifically has to be enough ambiguity for storytellers to make their own personal decisions about "what it all means" without feeling that they are running divergent chronicles. (The assurance that "divergent chronicles are OK" is NOT the same.) The stuff revealed here trashes that utterly.




2. THIS IS NOT THE DRAGON ASCENDANT! This is Ill Omens, the third book of four for the Transylvania Chronicles. I was very angry when I found out that this was Ill Omens and not The Dragon Ascendant when I recieved it in the mail. Get your products straight, please.

4 comments about *OP Transylvania By Night (Vampire: The Dark Ages).

1. It is really fascinating, how american people think about our region... I have to tell, that I have some wrong feelings about reading this book, but it is far better that I excepted. In the In-game terms everithing is all right. I find the story quite well. But there is some great problem with the history... If someone is interested in early Hungarian history, I gladly tell to him/her more about it, but just the core: 1) the so-called dako-roman continuity theory - whichis in the book, too - is laughable. The first sign of the "roman" really: vlach people is about the 13th.century in Transylvania. they were sheperds not serfs, and have quite wide liberties. 2) i know, that the ethnical struggle is because of dramatically purposes, but I waited for a short column, which said about the true problem: that there was no "race" "ethnicum" before the 18th. century. Nationalism in hungary was invented by that time. Before that there was a "Hungaro-mind": every people in the country regardless of nation(this word was not exsist), language, religion were the part of the Crown of Hungary. Rivalies were bethween nobles and peasants, or bethween nobles, or bethween different countries, but NOT in bethween "races". this is the inventment of the modern area, and sorrowly it affects most of the people of this region -today... But despite of this the book is really great!

   Ps.: If you want to make an other book, which contains hungarian names, please try to find somebody, who can write them right down.:)) Ps2.: Sorry for my wrong English - I know it far to be acceptable in high societies.




2. Transylvania by Night is a remarkably informative source material for White Wolf's Vampire: the Dark Ages. It indulges the reader in the lifestyle, religion, daily life, and many other factors within Eastern Europe in the Dark Ages. This is a must have for storytellers who wish to set their chronicle in Eastern Europe.



3. This is an great source book for anything in the dark ages. It has anything that you will need for any Dark age chronicle you would be running. Has all the important charcters from the Dark ages in it including the stand point of two of the most powerful clans in it.



4. This book provides a ton of material about what the various vampire clans of White Wolf's Vampire: The Masquerade RPG were up to in Eastern Europe at just around 1200 AD. Geographically, the countries and regions that we know as Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria, Transylvania, and Bohemia are covered, and some small amount of their histories (retrofitted to factor in how they were influenced by vampiric machinations) is included. Details about certain major cities such as Prague and Budapest are also presented, along with assorted minor adventure seeds.
   
   There is a ton of profiles on major vampires of the time. Practically every clan is represented (except the Giovanni, since the Cappadocians are still extant at this time, and I don't believe anyone from Toreador or Followers of Set made it in, either). The most famous figure is Lucita of the Lasombra. Vlap Tepes/Dracula does NOT make an appearance, since this is set before his time. Most of the vampires are of the sixth through eighth generations, but there are a handful from the fourth and fifth.
   
   The major focus is on the newly-formed Tremere and especially on the loathsome Tzimisce, including their cultivation of revenant families.
   
   The best feature, to my way of thinking, is that each profile ends with a Destiny section, a "Where are they now?" blurb to tell readers what became of these creatures. A few make it to the 20th Century and beyond. A lot do not, especially the Cappadocians, and some just disappear into legend. I would've liked to have something similar in the "London By Night" book for the Victorian Age setting.
   
   An enjoyable book with a lot of value and fairly good art. It probably would've benefited from more plot hooks, city information, and non-vampire NPCs (the golem-controlling rabbi is one of the few to be described). Worth it, though, for the vampire profiles alone, which are quite detailed.

1 comments about Transylvania Chronicles II: Son of the Dragon.

1. This book keeps the transylvania chronicle started in the Dark Tides Rising going and makes it even better. Players that have started this chronicle should have characters that are already 100's of years old and that are quite strong. But this section of the chronicle really tests their worth and makes the players fight for their survival.

1 comments about Transylvania Chronicles III: Ill Omens (Vampire: The Dark Ages) (Vampire: The Dark Ages).

1. This is the third book in the Transylvania Chronicles and the terror keeps coming for your players. Execellent resource for characters and the story line is very well plotted out. There are some minor details that could have been added to make the story a little better.

3 comments about *OP Clanbook: Ravnos (Revised Ed) (Vampire, the Masquerade).

1. The Ravnos clan has been decimated. The survivors are trying to lift themselves from the ashes of the Week of Nightmares. This is their story.

   This clanbook does a great job of actually recreating a clan. One of its key points is showing how the stereotypical Ravnos, a thieving gypsy, is all but extinct. The survivors are plagued with the same curse, but they break the mold. This book looks at the past history and culture of the clan but it also looks at the current culture which is much different. The Ravnos that seemed a little different from the stereotype are now the minority of the clan.

   I loved how this book took a clan that has long been portrayed in a fairly two dimensional light and added depth and variety to it.

   The flaws, in my opinion, are that the book focuses almost exclusively on culture and role-playing, its a little light on rules and new powers. Dont get me wrong, I loved the powers that are included, I just wanted more. Call me greedy.

   If you ever liked the Ravnos before you will love them now.




2. My number one favorite clan...

   This book gives great details on the destruction of the Ravnos antediluvian, the subsequent Week of Nightmares and the restructuring of the clan.

   I highly recommend this book to any fans of this clan and anyone interested in the Week of Nightmares meta-plot.




3. Starting around 1999, White Wolf began revising their World of Darkness gamelines and pushing towards the Final Nights. Unfortunately, one of the first casualties were the Ravnos, when their Antediluvian woke up in Bangladesh, ran amok and was eventually destroyed, cursing his childer with his dying breath. We learned that the Ravnos were not merely wandering Gypsies, but a clan of demon-princes of India and the Near East, the rakshasa, ghul and djinn who created deadly illusions and fought with the Kuei-jin for control of Asia.
   
   Unfortunately, the Clan's Indian heritage was never fully explored. Still, Clanbook: Ravnos revised was a definate (and much needed) improvement on behalf of the Clan. Beginning with a short fiction that showed Ravnos as tomb robbers, we are presented with some views that are very different from the stereotypes. As the book points out several times, the Ravnos are predators even more so than other vampires; their primal Beast urges them to commit crimes repeatedly. They aren't happy-go-lucky tricksters and kelptomaniacs... no, they are thugs, murderers, terrorists, car jackers... the most vile and decadent of criminals, becuase their very soul tempts them to sin.
   
   The book also explores what is left of the Ravnos' history in India, explaining the story of Zapathasura (the Ravnos antediluvian) and his childer, their war with the Kuei-jin, Ravnos dominance of Harappa and Mohenjodaro, the different castes of Ravnos (Chandala, Sudra, Vaisya, Kshatriya and Brahmin), other Kindred in India, the Ravnos in the west, the British raj, current goings on in India (and the rest of Asia) and the Week of Nightmares. But the book is versitle enough for all Ravnos, mentioning the Clan's history in the west as well (particularly Africa and the Mediterranean, but also the Gypsies, whom the clan followed out of India centuries ago).
   
   Other useful sidebars explore their relationship with the Gypsies (which aren't too good, considering most Rroma rightly consider them to be blood sucking parasites), how to avoid contact with Lupines, the Path of Paradox (Mayaparisatya as it's called in India), new applications of Chimerstry and Animalism, the Ravnos relations with their Beast, the war with the Kuei-jin, membership in the Anarchs and Sabbat, reasons for their hatred of the Gangrel, and so forth. A good chunk of the information is meant for the post-Week of Nightmares era. Thats not a bad thing, but this book REALLY pushes metaplot.
   
   Thats probably my biggest problem with the book, actually. Don't get me wrong, the Week of Nightmares is a big thing, but at times it seems the book really tried to push the idea that western Ravnos fared better than their kin in India. To be honest, I found the material about the Ravnos activities in India to be somewhat more interesting. But thats easy enough to ignore. Also, I'm a little uncomfortable with using Bhopal as a backdrop to supernatural events. Over 15,000 people died in the real life Bhopal incident (and Union Carbide has never paid the survivors reparations).... that'd be on par with using 9-11 as a backdrop for supernatural conflicts. It's just bad taste imho. But all in all, this is a pretty good book, barring a few minor details.

3 comments about Libellus Sanguinis 2: Keepers of the Word.

1. Is it possible to have a vampire game set in White Wolf's World of Darkness without the Toreador, Tremere or Brujah? I haven't found a way to yet, nor do I want to. All three are staple clans and make enjoyable player characters as well as NPCs. Libelius Sanguinis II shows a more indepth look at these clans than the basic Vampire Dark Age book. And show us it does, the first section, devoted to the Toreador, proves that death does not impede ones love for another or the world of wonder about them. The Tremere shows us, once again, that they are still not well trusted amongst the other clans. For they fear that the Upserpers will not stop what they started with the diaborie of Saulot. The Brujah are, as they are in modern times and as they were from the beginning of time: Idealists. Dubbed 'Zealots' for their willingness to seek their goal of choice. This book does a fine job on each of these clans as well as adding very playable new Merits and Flaws, new Clan specific high level disciplines, combined disciplines, and even new Thaumaturgy paths to aid the Tremere in their current battle for survival.



2. I thought that this book had many good aspects to it, mainly that it covered the differences between the clans in the modern nights and in the dark ages. At times it got a bit confusing, but on the whole it was pretty good.



3. This book had some of the most evil powers i have every seen. I hope that the other two books have the same stuff in them but for different clans. I wish it would have given a little more background for the clans in the vooks though.

4 comments about Book of Storyteller Secrets (Vampire - the Dark Ages).

1. My freind has this book and I barowed it from him for a few days.It helps me all the time when I'm the story teller.



2. This book is a required tool for any Dark Ages Story Teller.



3. Words can't describe the usefulness of this book. It is truly one of the most magnificent sourcebooks White Wolf has published in that its form is simple, but gives a vast amount of information.

   The primary resources in this book are its design-a-fief chapter, its notes on the Tremere's Gargoyles, and its relics. Though it is, essentially, a rule book supplement, it gives insight into several "historical" stories, including the diablerie of Brujah by Troile.

   Do you need this book to play a game of Vampire: the Dark Ages? No. Do you need it to run a serious chronicle? I say yes. An "authentic" city gives your game the flair it was meant to have.




4. I think a good source book is one which can be used by a storyteller regards of when/where your own story is set. While I could use of the information here for history or for lost artifacts, I was disappointed by the rather sketchy nature of the information in the book. It does give you good historical background and some more information on older clans. The mystically items have potential.

5 comments about Clanbook: Salubri (Vampire, the Dark Ages).

1. Long are the nights, and full of death and hatred. But there is a clan that rather engages in healing and helping than murder and destruction. This clan, whose members are rarely seen, is Salubri, the clan of Saulot's childer. Saulot, gentle Saulot, first vampire to achieve Golconda. Saulot, merciful Saulot, who was murdered through betrayal and treachery. Saulot, angellike Saulot, who will be the fate of the Ba'ali.

   translation from a tablet, suspected to be part of the Book of Nod

   Uther Algaan, Assamite Elder - yes, even assasins have an education, you brainless Tremere warlock !




2. While taking place in the dark ages, the information on the Salubri is far better than what you'll find in any of the other Vampire books. Most of the information explains the attitudes of the Salubri towards their fellow (and rival) clans as well as exactly what goes into the background of one of these enigmatic vampires. Also, the clan's history and possible ties to the (literally) demonic Baali clan are presented as well. I found it to be a great source for even modern characters, as the attitude of defending and healing the weak hasn't really gone out of style. Now, if they'd only come out with a modern-day clanbook.



3. These are one of the most powerful clans in vampire the Masquerade. But they have been small in numbers for so long that you have to go back to the dark ages to be one. This book has a very good background story for the salubri. Lets you in a few sercrets never before heard of until this was released.



4. I'm gonna have to get this book sometime. I have always been intrested in the smaller clans; salubri, cappadocian, and kiasyd are all real cool.

   By the old rules there are only 8 salubri alive at a time but now since they are part of the sabbat I'm not sure. I have read through the Book of Nod and I don't remember the passage from the previous reviewer but it did talk about saulot being baal's brother and betraying him to Cain when he started his demon worshipping.

   Ohh well I hope they come out with a revised Salubri book.




5. Something that explains the how and why behind the Childer of Saulot. Most interesting. The explination of the split of Valeren into the warrior aspect (antitribu's Valeren) and it's healing aspect (main-not considering numbers-power Obeah) The mystery about the Baali intrueges me. I can only say that Saulot must have been closer to Malkav, not just in the physical sense, but in the MENTAL sense. The clan was splitting before the Tremere ever came along, much like Saulot's mind........

   Primogen Darodine of San Francisco "Fractured is the mind, fractured is the soul, diseased is the blood, you are what you eat. What am I?"