No comments about *OP WOD: Mummy (The World of Darkness).

3 comments about *OP World of Darkness 2nd Ed (World of Darkness (White Wolf Paperback)).

1. The World of Darkness setting is highly useful for the player of any of the White Wolf games (Vampire, Werewolf, Changeling, Mage, Wraith, or even Hunter) who wants to know more about the world in which he finds himself. In that respect, this work is almost like a travel brochure, although it is a bit sparse on some details. It's useful for those who need to know where NOT to go. I find it most useful for Vampire, but that seems to be a general bias in the WoD line.



2. This is a pretty decent book if you want to run a non-western Vampire game. Most other gamelines like Mage, Werewolf and Changeling only get brief mentions (if that), and some like Hunter and Mummy came out WAY later than this book so aren't even covered at all. But still, the setting information in this book is pretty decent. I skipped over the first part of the book, North America, and went into the Latin America part. Some pretty good stuff, talking about the Lasomba powerbase, Setite influence in voudon and candomble, Brujah revolutionaries, Gangrel in the Amazon, Ananasi werespiders, Mayan and Incan Dreamspeakers and so forth. All Clans, bloodlines and the like get covered (which pretty much lays out the framework for the next chapters). Then we get the British Isles and Europe. For the most part, we get a lay out of which Clans have influence where. For instance, the Lasombra in Spain and Italy, Tzimisce in Eastern Europe, Toreador in France, Malkavians in the Low Countries, Tremere and Ventrue in Britain, Assamites in Turkey, etc. A little of each country is given with some info on the power structures. Then we got to the stuff I really liked. The chapters on Africa, Arabia and Egypt. The Arabia section gives a real quick overveiw of the Ashirra in the modern nights, not much new (and unfortunately only a little Assamite material), but the Egypt section is great. Lots of Egyptian history, stuff on the Vampire power structures of Cairo and Alexandria. And of course the battles between the Setites, Assamites and Camarilla. Then the Africa section, which was really nice. Its pre-Ebony Kingdom, but gives write ups of each Clan in the region. Again, stereotypical stuff like Assamite assassins, Moorish Lasombra, bestial Nosferatu and Gangrel, Setites everywhere, Malkavian dervishes, etc. Some stuff on the Dreamspeakers, Mokole, Ananasi and Garou too, but not much. Then some (real) brief teasers of Asia, and the western vampires, and finally some stuff on Australia (which was regrettably shorter than I'd have liked).
   Overall, its a good, cheap book for running non-western games, but its pretty broad and stereotypical so you could just as easily come up with stuff on your own by reading about the region's politics and history. Plus, new books like Kindred of the East, Kindred of the Ebony Kingdoms, Blood Sacrifice and Veil of Night (plus the new Assamite and Setite clanbooks) have really fleshed out much of Asia, Africa, the Middle East and Latin America, so this book is sort of dated. Still, its a pretty decent book for the facts contained in it, if nothing else.



3. This is a pretty decent book if you want to run a non-western Vampire game. Most other gamelines like Mage, Werewolf and Changeling only get brief mentions (if that), and some like Hunter and Mummy came out WAY later than this book so aren't even covered at all. But still, the setting information in this book is pretty decent. I skipped over the first part of the book, North America, and went into the Latin America part. Some pretty good stuff, talking about the Lasomba powerbase, Setite influence in voudon and candomble, Brujah revolutionaries, Gangrel in the Amazon, Ananasi werespiders, Mayan and Incan Dreamspeakers and so forth. All Clans, bloodlines and the like get covered (which pretty much lays out the framework for the next chapters). Then we get the British Isles and Europe. For the most part, we get a lay out of which Clans have influence where. For instance, the Lasombra in Spain and Italy, Tzimisce in Eastern Europe, Toreador in France, Malkavians in the Low Countries, Tremere and Ventrue in Britain, Assamites in Turkey, etc. A little of each country is given with some info on the power structures. Then we got to the stuff I really liked. The chapters on Africa, Arabia and Egypt. The Arabia section gives a real quick overveiw of the Ashirra in the modern nights, not much new (and unfortunately only a little Assamite material), but the Egypt section is great. Lots of Egyptian history, stuff on the Vampire power structures of Cairo and Alexandria. And of course the battles between the Setites, Assamites and Camarilla. Then the Africa section, which was really nice. Its pre-Ebony Kingdom, but gives write ups of each Clan in the region. Again, stereotypical stuff like Assamite assassins, Moorish Lasombra, bestial Nosferatu and Gangrel, Setites everywhere, Malkavian dervishes, etc. Some stuff on the Dreamspeakers, Mokole, Ananasi and Garou too, but not much. Then some (real) brief teasers of Asia, and the western vampires, and finally some stuff on Australia (which was regrettably shorter than I'd have liked).
   Overall, its a good, cheap book for running non-western games, but its pretty broad and stereotypical so you could just as easily come up with stuff on your own by reading about the region's politics and history. Plus, new books like Kindred of the East, Kindred of the Ebony Kingdoms, Blood Sacrifice and Veil of Night (plus the new Assamite and Setite clanbooks) have really fleshed out much of Asia, Africa, the Middle East and Latin America, so this book is sort of dated. Still, its a pretty decent book for the facts contained in it, if nothing else.

1 comments about Dark Kingdom of Jade (Wraith: The Oblivion/World of Darkness).

1. This book is one among the better books in the White Wolf's Eastern World of Darkness setting, in my belief it is right next to Kindred of the East. Set in the Dark Kingdom of Jade with its unique family system, eastern philosophies and honor systems, the book greatly expands and completes the view of the Eastern world of Darkness. I find the Dark Kingdom of Jade setting more better related to the idea of the Chinese underworld (less so than the Japanese and Buddhist) than say the somewhat boring and flawed Dark Kingdom of Iron, Stygia in the main Wraith game. I recomend that you get this supplement if you really like the Kindred of the East as it will greatly expand the Eastern World of Darkness. On the downside of the game, they're certain things within the game that doesn't seem to fit. It is somewhat difficult to explain but the world is just somewhat more restricted and the idea of free adventure is somwhat stunted by the feeling of political games between the wraiths. But one thing is true though, the Eastern underworld is much more horryfying than the western one.

5 comments about *OP YotS Heralds of the Storm 1 (World of Darkness (White Wolf Paperback)).

1. I read this book with a bit of trepidation because of the cheesy cover and the very cheated feeling I had after finishing the clan novel series. However, unlike almost all WW books, this book was written by someone who is a little more upbeat and can keep the pace of the book moving by not getting bogged down in this angst-ridden tone that other books of the genre seem to have.

   I wasn't expecting the Vampire Hunter angle, but it really worked here. The plot had a few snags, but overall it moved really quickly and had enough action and realistic character development (something almost absent from V:tM books) to keep me interested. Plus, I live in Chicago and the author actually seemed to know a bit about the city (rather than having the just-read-the-Guide-to-Chicago feel of the clan novel series)

   Overall, I would recommend this book highly to action, horror, vampire and V:tM fans alike.




2. This is the first volume outside of the Predator & Prey introductory series that deals with hunters, humans who have pierced the shroud of darkness around the Masquerade and are actively seeking to do away with creepy guys. I have honestly been less than enthusiastic about the P&P tales, but "Heralds of the Storm" turned out to be a very pleasant surprise.

   Thea Ghandour is a member of the Van Helsing Brigade, a clan of monster hunters that works in and around Chicago. Her compatriots, Romeo, Parker, Jake, Dean, Carl, and Lilly, are young men and women with a strong sense of cause. Each has developed special talents that help in their battles and have kept them alive so far. They do not lack for courage, but frequently hide their fears behind anger and bickering.

   The book opens with an attack on a vampire's lair near Chicago. Even as they infiltrate the site, they realize something isn't quite right. It goes too easily. Most of the guards are gone or are quickly handled. The guard watching the security is dead. After killing the Vampire with minimal injury, the entire lair is destroyed by explosives as they leave. Thea and the others suspect that someone was there before them, and that they are being set up.

   When Thea gets a brief, anonymous phone call her fears are confirmed. But the gang has no clue on how to proceed. Before they can do much research, several brigade members are attacked and killed by zombies. Thea arrives in time to prevent things from being even worse and finds herself being helped by a stranger, who identifies himself as Maxwell Carpenter and pulls Thea and her unconscious friends from the building. Then he erases her memories and disappears.

   Thea awakes in a hospital. When Romeo tells her she was pulled from the building by a super zombie who can pass for human she remembers what happened. Frantic research reveals that Carpenter was a 1920s gangster and was definitely dead. Many more phone calls and arguments later they finally meet with Carpenter. He asks them to help him get into the Temple of Akhenaton in downtown Chicago and gives them some time to consider their answer.

   Carpenter has his own agenda, the complete destruction of the Sforza clan that caused his death years earlier. Thea and the Brigade find this out and are torn over whether they should cooperate with Carpenter or kill him for the monster he is. What they decide, and the horrific results of that decision fill the remainder of this volume and the next two novels of this promising and exciting trilogy.

   This may be Andrew Bates first novel, but he shows considerable skill and talent. His characters have none of the stick figure quality which often troubles World of Darkness novels. Bates has a good sense of timing and a fine eye for detail as well. My only gripe is that the novel's designer decided to sacrifice page numbers for decoration. As a reviewer, I found this quite irritating. Otherwise this series looks like a winner from the folks at White Wolf.




3. I picked up this book as an impulse buy, so I wasn't expecting much from it. I had never read a World Of Darkness novel and I had no idea who, or what, Hunters were. This book knocked my socks off.

   My only complaint is that I wish the back cover had been a little LESS descriptive. Knowing that the trilogy serves to introduce the M-words to the World Of Darkness universe dulled a bit of the impact the ending would have held.




4. This book didn't exactly give me what I expected, but still delievered quite the page turner. The story mainly centers around a Hunter, who seems to have some unwanted assistance, but suprisingly the story continues to branch out in numerous ways switching perspectives to give a reader a full view of the entire story.

   My main complaint with this book, was a problem that befalls most white-wolf books though. The characters seem to perfect, why are Thea and her workaholic room mate, both, apparently, so sexy? Infact most of the characters who are good guys, seem to all be made up as incredibly attractive. I don't think that's overly problematic, but it seems to be something that plagues many white-wolf books, and to those who are extremely picky it can seem rather silly.




5. Let me say this up front, because it affects how I read things: As a rule, I HATE books that end on a cliff-hanger (the single exception being "The Lord of the Rings").

   This is the first of a trilogy featuring Thea, a young, club-hopping monster hunter and her comrades in Chicago who are being manipulated by a creature who has his own motives. Like many World of Darkness novels, there is a bleakness and despair that threatens to drag the story into depression, but Bates avoids that by keeping his style light and contemporary.

   However, the plot was obviously padded. Instead of a tightly-plotted adventure, there are extraneous sub-plots with Thea's roommate that go nowhere, and the story suddenly changes viewpoints to a secondary character on a side-quest that has no bearing on the primary plot.

   Bates' style is fun and easy to read. I will be looking for more books by him, as long as they can stand on their own. "Heralds of the Storm" cannot.

2 comments about Libellus Sanguinis 4: Thieves in the Night.

1. White Wolf does it again - the fourth book in their Libellus Sanguinus series offers intriguing new information on the Vampire clans in the Dark Ages, interspersed with myriad tales, myths, tidbits that can easily spawn 100 new story or character ideas. This book details the history and status of the Malkavian, Ravnos, and Nosferatu, shedding much-needed light on the intricate inner workings of these clans. All new character templates offer some fresh ideas on who might find their way into these cursed brotherhoods, and the resource information is a must for all Vampire storytellers, whether playing Vampire: the Dark Ages or Vampire: the Masquerade.



2. Three clans seem to stand on the very fringes of Cainite society. Not because they are lone wanders like the Gangrel, nor because they follow a path of corruption like the Followers of Set. These Cainites are the margin simply because they are too difficult to control or deal with. The Ravnos follow a path that only the gypsy can fully understand. Nosferatu cling to the shadows, shunned due to their appearance. The Malkavian are avoided for they are fully mad and seek to know "Why?" By far these are three of the most difficult clans to play because of their marginality. This volume lets players know the deep intricacies of each clan and how each survives the Long Nights while being almost shunned by mortal, and Cainite.

   Ravnos are fueled with the blood of wanderers. They move where ever their winds or whims take them. To many they are seen as a nuisance, or even worse as vagabond thieves that or only good for execution. How little they see this clan may be more closely knit than all others because of their treatment. How few notice these Cainites are everywhere. They can walk around as if unnoticed because all others wish to shun and avoid them. The Charlatans are masters at deception, and their section serves to illuminate the vast ability at trickery they possess. Their chapter holds not only more Chimestry abilities, but also a new background to help a Charlatan avoid prying eyes of mortal, Church, or even Cainite.

   Next are those atrocious looking Nosferatu. Each carries an ancient curse to twist their bodies into monsters while also twisting their hearts into something else. Nosferatu are the less seen and less understood of the thieves. They possess powers to communicate over distances that boogie the mind. They almost have an Internet before electricity is even discovered. This section delves into their advances in Obfuscation as well as giving more backgrounds for the Nosferatu to cultivate his or her network of information. No secret will ever be safe with these Cainites around.

   The last clan in this volume are the Malkavian. Just as a Nosferatu is twisted and deformed on the outside, the minds of the Malkavian are likewise twisted. Each Madman sees the world from a very different point of view. This section takes their madness out of the comic realms and puts the dark edge that they have always had back into the clan. Instead of lunatics running around the street dressed as clowns, these are brooding, plotting, methodical Cainites. Each seeking answers to an age old question, yet never finding what they need. This chapter expands their knowledge and power letting players fully enjoy the painful madness of these tortured souls.

   In summary, if you need to create memorable characters from the margin, this is the book you need. The clan specific applications of disciplines will grant fresh life to overused, well-known disciplines. Adding this to any core books can only help increase the dynamics of a game. Enjoy, and just keep asking yourself... "Why?"

2 comments about *OP WoD: Hong Kong (World of Darkness (White Wolf Paperback)).

1. The book is great, if you are running a cronicicle with kuei-jin, some mages, Dark Kingdom wraiths, or Shen Shapechangers. But westerners stay away. The culture difference would be brutal (;->). Otherwise, a good book. PS- Don't try and do the story, but get the sword



2. Disregard the idea of a story it brings if you want. It could limit you. But storytellers know how hard it is to create and keep a full guide of an area, complete with NPCs. This guide has it all, even the maps, havens, characters, plots, you'll ever need to get a full world of darkness crossover. If you like storytelling with all types of characters this is the book to have.

No comments about Time of Judgment (World of Darkness RPG).

1 comments about Dark Ages: Players Guide to High Clans (Vampire).

1. The books for Dark Ages Vampire have been uniformly great. The new direction that Matt McFarland has taken the entire line is refreshing and his insights have proven a breath of fresh air in a book-heavy system.

   Truly, you do not need this book to play the game. However, you will be at a great disadvantage to your fellow players who do have it. I know I wish I had this book when I created my last character!

   The true highlight of this book is the best rendition of koldunic sorcery (the Tzimice's priest-mages) EVER!!! If you have wondered as a GM wha tthe heck kolduns could do, or wondered as a player wondering what made a Tzimice mage different from a Tremere, your answer is here, laid out in a frightening explanation of why these wisemen still control Eastern Europe.

   Other highlights are Abyssal Mysticism (the Lasombra get some great infomration laid out here.), a healthy grouping of Combination Disciplines, and an indepth discussion of how th High Clans adopt mortal institutions into their unlives.

   In short, buy it! You will love it!!

No comments about A World Of Darkness: The Promsed Lands (Vampire The Masquerade).

No comments about Orpheus Shadow Games (Orpheus).