4 comments about Lancea Sanctum (Vampire: The Requiem).

1. This book details the covenant Lancea Sanctum- its history, the reasons why Kindred join it, the roles of the clans in the covenant, how one joins, its relation to other factions in the World of Darkness, and various in-covenant factions, bloodlines, and heresies.
   
   I actually delayed buying this book because of the heavily Christian flavor to the book, so I was very surprised when I actually went to my local game store and thumbed through the book. It presents a truly diverse and changing (as much as anything Kindred-related can be "changing") covenant with as many iterations as their are Bishophrics (essentially parishes, each city or area with a different one.)
   
   Get this book even if you are turned off by the apparent Christian flavor of the book. You won't be disappointed- there is something in this book for every player or storyteller.



2. I am a member of the Camarilla and that is why I only gave it three stars, for none camarilla members I would give it four.
   First of all, the book is wonderful for making a character for the sanctum or running a campaign around it. I was a little disappointed with the Theban sorcery section, white wolf behind well white wolf decided against putting the Theban Sorcery rituals from nomads and coteries in it so the chapter really isn't complete. White wolf cares to damn much about money and not enough about gaming, but to be fair that greed is how the new system came about and it is far superior for player versus player style games. The reason I lowered a star is that all the good rituals past two dots are high approval for camarilla games, and that urks me.
   The Bloodlines in this book are horrible. The Ventrue bloodline is decent but its extra discipline is no fun. The Meket get a blood line that should be a flaw in and of itself and the other three clans get to piggy back on the Davea line that although the Davea are the parent clan anyone can join.
   Skimping on the cheese aside, this books does have an extremely good insight into the inter workings and view points of the Lancea sanctum, and if you would enjoy a view into those working this is a good book for you. If you are the type that wants new bloodlines and extra cheese you may be disappointed by this book.
   Also the artwork in this book is awesome in my mind.
   Oh and before I forget I would like to send a message to white wolf because I am sure someone from the group looks at these review; PUT A FREAKING INDEX IN YOUR SUPPLEMENT BOOKS, YOU CHARGE ENOUGH FOR THEM YOU CAN AFFORD THE EXTRY THREE OR FOUR SHEETS OF PAPER YOU CHEAP CHILDREN OF UNWED PARENTS!!!!!



3. Lancea Sanctum presents the religious Covenant of vampires dedicated to preying on humanity and fulfilling the role God has chosen for them. A lot of detail is presented on the structure of the Lancea Sanctum, from the role a typical ancillae plays to how the Covenant relates to other World of Darkness entities. Factions, Bloodlines, Disciplines, and new Thebean Sorcery rituals are included to add mechanical support to this broad take on one of the oldest vampiric organizations.
   
   Unfortunately, Lancea Sanctum speaks far too much in vague generalities and adds little new and interesting material to this Covenant. The rites, prayers, and roles observed by members are simplistic modifications of existing church roles that any Storyteller could easily invent. The history of the Covenant starts out interesting, but quickly degrades into a historical survey of questionable use. Finally, the new game mechanics (Bloodlines, Disciplines, etc.) are sparse and largely flavorless.



4. LANCEA SANCTUM is a sourcebook for the roleplaying game VAMPIRE: THE REQUIEM by White Wolf. It is meant for both players and storytellers, to provide information on the vampire covenant and religion, the Lancea Sanctum. The covenant is one of the most important groupings in VAMPIRE: THE REQUIEM, because membership reflects a philosophical choice by the characters rather than the vagaries of circumstance. Of all the covenants, the Lancea Sanctum maybe the most important because it will likely be the first the characters encounter and the most different from their initial impression.
   
   Many, if not most, players will have played the introductory scenario "Mary's Childe" and the Lancea Sanctum is an integral part of that scenario. It is also likely to be misunderstood; the Lancea Sanctum borrows heavily from Catholic imagery and rituals, but demands that its adherents admit their damnation and act accordingly. It is a vampire religion, that worships God by putting the fear of Him into mankind. A book like LANCEA SANCTUM provides useful information to both players and storytellers on this misunderstood but pervasive group.
   
   The introductory fiction for LANCEA SANCTUM is very interesting - the paper is very distinctive, meant to resemble vellum (I think), and the font is made to resemble illuminated script. It also does an excellent job of setting the mood for the covenant; religious fanaticism and monstrous power. The first chapter describes the history of the covenant, specifically its founding and spread throughout the world. Of course, it is written from the perspective of the covenant itself, which gives each covenant book its own flavor and allows competing history with no "canon" that must be followed.
   
   The second chapter is a large one and deals with night-to-night unlife in the covenant. I felt that this is one of the most useful aspects of the VAMPIRE supplements. What motivates an undead monster? What do they do to fill their time? What do they believe in? Thinking about these questions seaprates the roleplaying of a vampire and roleplaying a superhero who gets bad sunburn. LANCEA SANCTUM dewcribes the contents of the vampire religion's holy book, "The Testament of Longinus", the different creeds that define denominations within the Lancea Sanctum, offices, titles, and positions within the covenant, and how each clan can serve within the covenant. It also lists rites, rituals, and holy days for the Lancea Sanctum (which if nothing else, give the PCs the sense that there is something going on in the world besides their personal issues).
   
   The third chapter describes how vampires relate to each other within the covenant; how new vampires are recruited and inducted, and how neonates, ancillae, and elders serve the religion. The following chapters describe factions (which one might expect, given the splintering of real-world religions), bloodlines (which aren't spectacular), bloodline disciplines, Theban Sorcery rituals, and sample characters. The Theban Sorcery section is very interesting, as it suggests that new rituals are hidden throughout the world, and that understanding of the symbolism is provided when the need arises. It's an interesting interpretation.
   
   Overall, I thought LANCEA SANCTUM to be the most useful of the covenant books, in that it described something that is difficult to generalize from human experience (vampire religion) but that has specific and well-known attributes (dogma, rituals, holy days, etc.) Every PC will probably encounter the Lancea Sanctum as a backdrop of midnight masses and vampire evangelists. PCs don't even have to belong to the covenant to go to a mass, which allows even greater exposure to the material in this book.
   
   The only real downside to LANCEA SANCTUM is how closely it apes Christianity and historical development. Besides the main Lancea Sanctum denomination, which models Catholicism, there is an Anglican branch, a Baptist branch, and "Unitarian" branch, a Jewish branch, and an Islamic branch. Why not just have competing covenants based on Judaism and Islam, instead of shoehorning them into the "religious" covenant? Why would vampires reinvent Anglicanism? Also, the "Testament of Longinus" is clearly modeled after the New Testament, with gospels, apostolic acts, epistles, and an apocalypse. It comes across as parody rather than convergent evolution. However, these points don't detract too heavily from a great roleplaying supplement.

5 comments about Ghouls (Vampire The Requiem - World Of Darkness - WOD).

1. This book is a great supliment for Vampire: The Requiem. It includes creation rules for starting ghoul characters in a World of Darkness chronicle.
   
   This book is a must for V:tR fans. There are many interesting supliments to ghoul characters, including ghoul family lines (much like vampire bloodlines), and even ghouled flora and fauna.



2. This is a very interesting, informative and entertaining read on ghouls. Especially good are the sections on ghoul families (expanded upon in the covenant books) and how to create/maintain a ghoul character.
   
   Recommended, even if it's a pretty specific subject matter.



3. Ghouls is a supplement for playing the daylight servitors, bodyguards, street informers, thugs and muscle of immortal vampires. Usually a vampire needs servants that can operate during the day, providing eyes and ears to the goings on of the mortal daylight world. However, being that vampire blood is highly addictive and carries with it mystical properties, playing these characters poses great role playing challenges to any troupe or chronicle. Overall, I'm glad to say that Ghouls is an excellent sourcebook on including ghouls in a chronicle that addresses most of the aspects of ghouls that Storytellers might be concerned with, and a few they might not have thought of before.
   
   The introduction of the book, as you might expect, gives an overview of what Ghouls contains. I found it odd that two paragraphs are devoted to explaining the World of Darkness, as though Ghouls might be someone's first WoD book. Also, in a section entitled "Ghoul Myth and Fact," which is said to be a "summary of the basic facts of ghouls existence," the author appears to be working from notes from the original WoD, as according to this section drinking three times from a vampire automatically makes someone a thrall, making no mention of how it is still possible (with good dice rolls) for someone to resist the Vinculum. Being in the primer on what it is to be a ghoul this mistake stands out quite a bit.
   
   The first chapter of the book discusses how it is a person becomes a ghoul, how disciplines work for ghouls, the way the various clans and covenants look at ghouls, and gives a look at animal ghouls, plant ghouls, and ghoul families. Consisting of 50 pages, this chapter is very, very good-except for the first 11 pages, which were so bad I had to put the book down every page or two, and seriously considered asking someone else to review the book, fearing the rest of the book would be like this.
   
   These 11 pages, covering what it is like to become a ghoul, how disciplines work for them, and how the clans see ghouls, do have a few nice bits. Mention is made of how ghouls feel real emotions, unlike the hollow echos that vampires have-a nice idea from the rulebook that I haven't seen addressed in any other supplement. And the threat of disease being transferred to a ghoul from a master is handled well, and little bits (such as how the temperature of a vampire's blood is cooler than a human's) can easily add to a chronicle's atmosphere.
   
   The second chapter concerns the creation of a ghoul character. New merits and derangements are included here, as well as rules on exactly how Disciplines use by ghouls differs from that of their vampire masters. One thing different from the Vampire rulebook is that here ghouls start with two points in Disciplines, to reflect characters created with the rules here are to be more experienced beings.
   
   Some space is devoted to explain the ghoul life, combining role-playing advice with the rules system that ghouls work from, and it's entertaining and helpful read. Even such things as the limits to enhanced vitality that come from ghouldom are covered, with explanation of how disease affects a ghoul; those thinking ghouldom is a cure to their physical ailments will be in for a shock.
   
   The subject of ghoul bloodlines is then covered. A portion of the section is devoted to the game system for both conception and maintaining a ghoul pregnancy. On the one hand, I like this being here so that once a Storyteller decides to allow players to try and create a bloodline there is an impartial rules system for these things to occur. On the other hand I crack up every time as I read over the charts and imagine telling a player "Well, you did synchronize your attempts at conception with her ovulation cycle, but she has the Protean discipline, so you end up getting no bonus dice on this conception roll."
   
   Further detail is given on the five ghoul families mentioned earlier, and each family has its own unique weakness and strength, such as reduced experience costs for certain merits or a mandatory derangement. I had a few minor quibbles with these descriptions, such as the Alley Men existing in large numbers as to be found worldwide, given the problems in ghoul procreation, and the Crassus are mentioned to have some choice in who their undead masters are, which goes against their earlier portrayal as slaves without rights to those Kindred who get to own them.
   
   The chapter rounds out with a little more on animal ghouls and lacrima, with rules given on how each clan's plant ghouls produce a different type of lacrima. It's interesting, but still doesn't do enough for me to be impressed by the plant ghouls.
   
   The third chapter of the book is devoted to storytelling ghouls. Covering such topics as the nifty things ghouls can do during the day for their masters and how to properly roleplay the Vinculum, as well as ways Storytellers can work ghouls into their campaign in ways other than having their players' vampires using them, this section is another excellent read, even if the idea does come up at one point that all ghouls voluntarily choose their state.
   
   The fourth chapter of the book has some ghouls a Storyteller can drop into their campaign. The problem of how to assign dots in the Retainer Merit based on how powerful a ghoul is brought up, but sadly is answered with the reader being told that no game mechanic exists to quantify it. You can tell me all the dice pool modifiers that can apply to trying to get a ghoul pregnant, you can't set up a rules system for this?
   
   
   The last chapter covers creating ghoul families, formulating a background to them, their unique flaws, how they might be structured, etc. This section wasn't as interesting to me as the previous chapters in the book, and I found myself flying through it as I read.
   
   I would like to comment on the art of the book. Other than the cover I felt the artwork of the book was of a consistently high standard, keeping in tune with the subject material and being consistently well-done throughout.
   
   All in all, I think Ghouls is an excellent addition to the World of Darkness. It gives a lot of useful advice, both rules-wise and setting-wise, and after reading it I feel very comfortable allowing my players to have ghouls in my chronicle.



4. I have often thought that the VAMPIRE lines can lapse into treating the stars (the vampires) as humans with super abilities and a few tough super vulnerabilities. Ghouls, that is the human blood slaves of vampires (think Renfield serving his master), serve as excellent foils for the inhumanity of vampires. The mistreated ghoul, the mentally abused ghoul, the tortured and mutilated ghoul bring into sharp relief the fact that vampires are no longer part of humanity. Just as people have few qualms about the suffering of lower life, so too vampires use people as servants, blood donors, and as one-sided relationships to staisfy whatever lingering human needs a vampire still experiences.
   
   Make no mistake, there's some really debased content in this book. It describes how vampires interact with and treat their blood-servants, which includes torture, mutilation, emotional sexual and physical abuse, and any other kind of messed up abuse you can imagine. I think the authors successfully portray the ghouls as victims so that the readers identify with the ghoul's suffering rather than the vampire's power trip.
   
   The core-book explains the mechanics of a vampire making a ghoul, but GHOULS also describes how to make ghoul characters. The idea of playing a ghouls game is an interesting one. There's also plenty of information on how the different covenants and clans view and treat ghouls, how to make bloodlines of ghouls, and how to play games using ghoul characters. There is also information on creating ghouls of animals or plants (!)
   
   So, I found this to be a very interesting supplement. Beyond the role-playing aspect of creating ghouls in-game, there is also playing a game where some or all are ghouls. I had never given it much thought before, but playing ghoul characters seemed like an interesting twist on the game (and this part is very well documented). All the parts on mistreatment of ghouls seems very useful to me in portraying the vile depths to which vampires regularly sink. Vampires seem much more monstrous to me now than before I read GHOULS.



5. It is not the most necessary book in the V:tR series but it does show Kindred in a much darker light and gives much more details about ghouls.

1 comments about Book of the Kindred (World of Darkness).

1. If you already have the sourcebooks for Vampire: The Masquerade or The Guide to the Camarilla, you may not want this book. It provides some information about each of the clans in the Camarilla (Pre Gangrel departure, vampric vernacular, explanations of some terms, the Traditions of the Camarilla as well as the Book of Nod. You may like to buy the book for the stories it contains or for allowing a beginner to read it and get a feel for the World of Darkness rather than throwing the game books at them. I believe that would be the most useful part of this book, for loaning to someone who has not played Vampire: The Masquerade before to learn about what they may have to expect in the games as well as observing current gaming sessions. The stories may give an insight to the new player of the adult horror and themes of Vampire.

3 comments about WoD Skinchangers (World of Darkness).

1. This is a book that many people who were a fan of the Bastet, Kitsune, and other shapeshifter breeds in the old World of Darkness was looking forward to. And with good reason- it was touted as the new World of Darkness answer to shapeshifter breeds. It delivers admirably.
   
   However, keep in mind that the shapeshifters in this book are meant to not have the same political structure that the werewolves in Werewolf the Forsaken have, and often are strange loners with no understanding of their powers.
   
   This is especially true of the Skinthieves of Chapter One. These people, for whatever reason, are able to take the pelt of a killed animal (usually they have to kill it) and wear it, and can then become like the animal from which the skin came. So, for instance, there are Elk-men, Bear-men, Dog-men, and so forth. Unfortunately, this activity takes its toll on a person's morality, as hunting, stalking, killing, and sometimes torturing beasts will harm you mentally after a while (at least in the WoD system.)
   
   The other two chapters deal more with creatures at home in a Werewolf story. It really shows that this was originally slated to be a Werewolf supplement, especially in the chapter about Ridden-like characters (Chapter 2), although the character creation rules are quite different and make for a more challenging antagonist than a standard Ridden or Host character.
   
   The Third chapter is also great, and deals with Unique Skinchangers. Nobody knows where these things came from, or how to get rid of them, but one thing is certain- they are dangerous. Each one of them is great, and the chapter also has a small section about how to make these creatures more individualized.
   
   The Appendix is also helpful- it lists some basic behaviors of major animal types, which can be helpful if you're not that into animals or just want a quick reference guide. Unfortunately the book gives no stats for the animals.... you need the WoD core book for that- although since you need the WoD core book to be playing anything in this book anyway, that works out fine.



2. Another great supplement for the new World of Darkness, this book focuses on humans who transform into animals (or sometimes the other way around...). Those familiar with Werewolf: the Forsaken will probably get the most kick out of this, but theres no need to include werewolves at all. It works perfectly fine with other World of Darkness games, whether your running vampires, mages or just plain mortals. These creatures are not werewolves, not like werewolves (beyond changing shape that is), or anything of the sort. They are people who change shape, the book does a great job showing how diverse and unique these shapechangers can be.
   
   The opening fiction shows an encounter between werewolves and a skinchanger, highlighting the strangeness and unnatural essence of these beings. The introduction goes on to explain what shapechangers are (and aren't), how to make your own unqiue changers, and so forth. First, we are presented with skin-thieves, humans who wear animal skins to change shape, sacrificing part of their humanity in the process. There are character creation guidelines, and powers to construct your own unique skin thieves. Theres also a discussion of how they have a relationship with a totem animal, but not in the same way as werewolves with their totem spirits. There are also a number of sample skin thief templates, such as the black eyed toads (humans who put their eyes inside toads to spy on their surroundings), the invisible man (who becomes a swarm of ants), the coalbacks (an inbred New England family who wear raven skins), tusk runners (who sew themselves inside elephants to take control of their bodies), and the rather disturbing scavenger wolf (a spirit wolf who wears human skins....), amongst others.
   
   The next chapter focuses on spirit-possessed changers, and as such works best for those using Werewolf: the Forsaken or Mage: the Awakening. We get all manner of things like serpent guardians, hyena changers, leopard men, and even a race of fox-shifters similar to the Kitsune from Japanese myth. Lots of good stuff to play with here, and still unique and interesting enough to keep players on their toes. But the next chapter is even more interesting, focusing on unique and unexplainable shape changers (which is one of the real beauties of the new World of Darkness). Things in this chapter don't neccessarily have a rational explanation, they simply exist, even if only to baffle players. Things in this chapter include a serpent woman who may be the devil's daughter, the cursed seventh son of the seventh son, and demonic familiars summoned from Hell. There are even some examples of science gone amok, with animals that have taken on human traits (and vice versa). Guidelines at the end give suggestions for adapting these ideas to just about any culture or location.
   
   The book closes out with a very useful appendix that gives some examples of animal symbolism, listing off associations (and interesting natural facts) about a wide variety of mammals, birds, reptiles, fish and even insects and arachnids. Things like Hawai'ian myths of sharks changing into men, Chinese stories of foxes as cruel tricksters, cranes as symbols of death in Celtic myth and the Egyptian god of centipedes. All very useful not only for those wanting to create new shapechangers, but also those who want some ideas for unique spirits in Werewolf or Mage. Theres also a bar mentioning why Coyote isn't in the book, the answer being that he is too vast and unique as a trickster god to lower himselt to being a mere shapechanger.
   
   All in all, a very cool book, and a great example of the sorts of strange things you can run in the new World of Darkness. As I said before, the book will probably appeal most to those running Werewolf: the Forsaken chronicles, but it works equally well with any of the other games. Indeed, those who want to run a different sort of werewolf game, perhaps one drawing more from European folklore or Hollywood movies, might find this book up their alley. Either way, it's quite an enjoyable resource, and I strongly recommend it.



3. An excellent resource for those wishing to incorporate different types of shapeshifters in their World of Darkness stories. It does have numerous references to ideas and setting material from Werewolf: the Forsaken, but should also be useful for those who don't own that book. The first chapter introduces a player option, the Skinthief, with character creation rules and a large selection of traits to use for customization. Ten sample varieties of skinthief are included, usable either as ready made NPCs or to help showcase the kind of variety available for these types of characters. The second chapter focuses on shapeshifters who are possessed by spirits, and seems to be mostly drawn from real world legends (Japanese fox spirits, vengeful ghost leopards, etc). As a note, Spirit rules are not included here, nor are there character creation guidelines. The third chapter is mostly a gathering place for npc and story ideas, focusing on wierd combinations of humans and animals as drawn from classical and modern horror stories (animals who have been genetically altered, people who have been cursed to transformed by a curse, that sort of thing). Finally, the Appendix has a brief overview of various animals describing how they have been used in myth and legend.

5 comments about Vampire Invictus, The (Vampire).

1. I haven't been much of a fan of the Invictus since I started reading about and playing Requiem. So when I went to my local gaming store and started reading through this book, I was expecting to not be surprised at what was inside.
   
   However, this book ended up being one of the most pleasant surprises I've ever run across in gaming. Of course, the book mostly focuses on power structure, since that's the nature of the Invictus covenant. Yet there are also enormous details about the Invictus' relations in the World of Darkness, the history of the covenant, why and how one joins, what happens as time goes on, and bloodlines and factions- including the very interesting cyclical dynasties. There are also portions of the book that deal with the treatment of Ghouls, a few Ghoul Families created by the Invictus, and Blood Oaths.
   
   This book is fantastic! I can't recommend it enough. Even if you're not going to have any characters in the Invictus, it can be used for NPC creation, or for storyteller information. Get this book, it's worth it.



2. Presenting the vampire Covenant (political faction) known as the "First Estate," Invictus provides well thought out insights and clever plot hooks for the oldest and most powerful vampire Covenant. New Factions, Bloodlines, Disciplines, Devotions, Merits, and Ghoul Families are presented along with a substantial amount of descriptive setting material. In every instance the new game mechanics support organizations and ways of thinking within the Invictus, and provide more than just a list of new toys.



3. Recomended for any VTR players. It has a few blood lines that are kool.



4. I just finished reading this and I have to say Im sold. Vampire is one hell of an rpg setting. Of all the covenants in the new game this is the best one. It exemplifies the kindred like no other covenant and it has rules on how to expand on classic vampire merits like herd and status.
   
   I also love the rules on managing fog of eternity and how vampires live for hundreds and thousands of years to lay out their plans. I also like the rules for vampire dynasties where a group of vampires rules the estate of an elder who is in torpor to lower his blood potency. This rule makes it possible for players to have power early in the game, the potential for great storytelling is excellent.
   
   The book also gives details (foggy at best) regarding the origins of the covenant after the fall of the Camarilla which was the ruling body of vampires during the time of Rome. It also has rules for ghouls who serve this clan and a few bloodlines.
   
   I cannot wait to use this covenant in my games. Next to Ordo Dracul its my favorite. Great supplement!



5. I usually write detailed reviews of my gaming books, but the "Dazed Genoshan" already has a great detailed review of INVICTUS, so make sure that you read his review.
   
   As far as my own opinion, I definitely think that INVICTUS is the best of the line of covenant books:
   -First is its value; the Invictus are everywhere, and the PCs will most likely have to interact with them. So there needn't be Invictus PCs in your chronicle to get a lot of use from this book.
   -Second is its originality. I thought of the Invictus as filling the "political power" niche while other covenants got the "mystic power" niche. This is not completely true - the Invictus have blood oaths that carry occult force, while a house dynasty can create a mystic bond. I thought that giving the Invictus occult abilities would be cheesy, but it is pulled off well and really fits the flavor of the covenant.
   -Finally, it's just well written. I could have easily imagined a book written about "bad guys" or The Man holding people down. Instead of being described from such a simplistic point of view, the Invictus do what they do because it's safe, efficient, and produces results. It's the sort of dictatorship I could imagine lasting millenia.
   
   I think INVICTUS is one of those books that every VAMPIRE: REQUIEM player and storyteller should own.

3 comments about The Blood (Vampire).

1. I anticipated this product as soon as I heard of it. I purchased the Rage for my werewolf game and expected the book to treat it as a good players handbook to help expand characters and develop them fully. While the essays and articles on character conceptualization are good the book has some major egregious mistakes (vampire fangs doing aggravated damage?!?). Nevertheless it is a good book if you want a further explanation on the vampiric condition, expanding on the physiology and psychology of vampires. The artwork is also very well done. A definite addition to the vampire game line.



2. This isn't like other Player's Guidebooks you've read. You'll find no juicy character options here; no optional Disciplines or spell lists or new Clans. (That's what the Bloodlines books are for.)
   Instead, this book focuses on the Storytelling aspect of being a player in the Vampire game. The conceit of the book is that the drama of personal horror is in the players' hands; the Storyteller is there to take your lead and give you situations and characters against which to play out your story.
   
   This book is laid out into three "essays", each written by a different author. The ground these essays cover is familiar, and it is intended to be. Essentially, each chapter covers a different set of rules from the Vampire: the Requiem core rulebook (character creation, vitae and other mechanics, and the psychology of a Vampire's unlife respectively). The intent is to give the mechanics of the games more emotional depth for a player to work with. If you are going to really play a vampire, how can you start to identify with one?
   
   1) Kindred Characters (25 pages)
   This section is probably the most practically useful. It covers each step of character creation, but where the core rulebook covers the "what" of the character's attributes, this chapter digs into the "Why". Why does this character have Social Attributes over Physical? Why does she have a higher Blood Potency than normal? Why did this group of vampires get thrown together?
   
   This section gets past the "dots" on the character sheet. It gives a player a lot more to think about as far as character cohesion and story hooks to give the Storyteller that resonate with the player. Rich stories come from rich backgrounds, and the Kindred Characters chapter gives players plenty of tools to add depth to her character before the first Scene even begins.
   
   2) Properties of the Blood (63 pages)
   This section should be called "A Year in the Life of a Vampire". It is a deep analysis of the mechanics of the game that the players would use every night: each rule for vitae is described from a story perspective. What is each stage of the Vinculum (enslavement through a blood bond) like? How do different kinds of vampires choose to use it? What does it feel like to use blood to fuel Disciplines or to heal wounds? What about feeding?
   
   This section also covers the non-mechanical aspects of other non-vitae systems like Torpor, Frenzy and Humanity.
   
   More than any other chapter in this book "Properties of the Blood" vividly illustrates how the various rules detailed in the core rulebook can be dramatized in play.
   
   Vampire Psychology: (28 pages)
   I was a bit confused by the title of this chapter, since the previous chapter seemed to cover "vampire psychology" quite thoroughly. What this chapter actually covers is "Landmarks in the Requiem" and "Psychology of the Disciplines".
   
   The Landmarks detail all of the significant experiences that all kindred who survive their Requiem share. This section proves very useful as it gives a Storyteller a list of all of the events to weave into each character's chronicle, and for the player it describes what impacts it could have on her psyche.
   
   The Disciplines section covers the psychological impact of each Discipline, dot by dot, with an emphasis on the related Derangements that could develop with inappropriate use. Again, the intent of this section is to give the players more options to wring every drop of drama from each game mechanic.
   
   This book is strictly for the "storyteller" and "method actor" gamer types (as opposed to "power gamers" or "action seekers", etc). There is plenty of mental cud to chew when thinking of character development. Since I land firmly in the "storyteller" camp of gamer (clearly the intended audience of the book) I loved it. One of my biggest challenges with any game is dramatizing the game's mechanics in a meaningful and entertaining way. Since the popularity of Vampire: the Requiem relies so heavily on this capability, this is an essential book for the product line.



3. The more and more I read Ray Falk's books the more I don't want to play Vampire anymore. Half the book is an exact "reprint" of stuff out of the core. How big is that text font? It is fine if you want to make this an expert with "Vampire for dummies"...or maybe a free PDF for those having trouble with depth in their stories..BUT a "players guide" for $25.00??!! This book is Awful, ridiculous, and completely unnecessary.

3 comments about Mage Guardians of the Veil (Mage the Awakening).

1. Following White-Wolf's popular "splat book" style, this is the first in a series of books for the new Mage: the Awakening game examining the Orders which modern Mages divide themselves. And what a start! From the first previews I saw, the Guardians of the Veil fascinated me. This book does much to clear up misconceptions on them, and makes them alot more playable.
   
   The Guardians of the Veil are the secret police, spies and assassins of Mage society. This is both true and completely false. As the book goes on to show, the Guardians of the Veil do what must be done to protect magic. Duties that nobody else would take upon themselves. The first chapter explores their history, from taking up the role of the fallen Visus Draconis after the collapse of Atlantis to the Mystery Cults of antiquity and the political (and economic) intrigues of today. It also gives a very interesting look at Guardian influence and flavor in different regions.... The Catholic Church's Opus Dei, Voudon cults in West Africa, media moghuls in the US, Gnostic heresies, Taoist and Buddhist sects in Asia, Shi'ite mystics in the Middle East, Hindu devotees to Shiva and similar groups all serve as cover/initiation for Guardians.
   
   The second chapter is even better, explaining the belief, purpose and structure of the Guardians of the Veil. WHY they do what they do. In this chapter we get information on the Order's laws and objectives, their use of parables and koans, optional systems for gaining Wisdom, titles and duties (based on Status rating), Path roles (with five sample concepts per Path), relations with others, and a whole lot of information on spying, both mundane (the Cold War, cryptography, etc) and supernatural. We also finally get a system for the 49 Masques, archetypal roles that the Guardians of the Veils use in their magic. Each Masque can be bought as a Merit which the Mage can master, gaining particular benefits and drawbacks as a result, as well as providing a supernatural disguise by fulfilling the archetype.
   
   The third chapter gives a very detailed look at Guardian recruitment and indoctrination, through the Gray Veil, the Crimson Veil and finally the Black Veil. We also are presented with information about rank, relations (and relationships) within the Order, information on why the Guardians generally don't recruit from inside intelligence agencies anymore, and a very good look at Labyrinths, the secret societies the Guardians create to attract potential initiates (and to weed out the unworthy). The next chapter looks at the Factions and Legacies of the Guardians. All five factions are given write ups: the Faceless (subtle assassins who supress their ego), the Inheritors (who cover up secrets other Mages aren't meant to see), the Messianics (religious zealots who want to install a righteous leader), the Ordeal Keepers (who perfect their minds and bodies through intense rites) and the Prophets (who gather and collect information) along with a sub-Faction for each of them.
   
   The Legacies presented are pretty interesting too. My favorite are the Eleventh Question, a GotV specific Legacy of genius detectives and investigators (think Sherlock Holmes, Monk or Detective Goren from Law and Order: CI), but we also get the Bearers of the Eternal Voice (Mastigos who are masters at manipulating others through their lies) and the Votaries of the Ordained (Moros who protect people and places of great destiny). Theres also a Left-Handed Legacy, the Austere, a corrupted Legacy that fuses their body with strange Atlantean technology. This leads to the chapter on magic, which explains the mudras and tools used by the Guardians, common applications of magic for spying (and preventing others from spying on you), and the Guardians' rote specialties (Investigation, Stealth, Subterfuge) are all examined, and we are presented with about a dozen pages of new Rotes, along with Artifacts and magically enhanced items.
   
   The book finally closes with a number of sample Guardian of the Veil NPCs the Storyteller can throw into a game as allies, antagonists or whatever. A hand full of them are given names, backgrounds, details and full statistics, while others are simple concepts the Storyteller can elaborate on such as "the assassin", "the conspiracy nut", "the investigative journalist" and "the police negotiator".
   
   All in all, this is a wonderful book, especially if you plan on playing a Guardian of the Veil, or are running a game which features the Order prominently. I'm slightly biased, since the Guardians were already my favorite Order to begin with, but for those who want to understand more about the Mage: the Awakening setting, this is an essential buy. Especially if you have difficulty getting behind the GotV mentality, and tend to portray them as "a bunch of spies and assassins". This book clears up alot of the misconceptions, while adding depth and interest to the most secretive of the Orders.



2. The Guardians of the Veil are one of five "Orders" in Mage: the Awakening, representing the social group that a player character can choose freely; by contrast, the "Paths" represent the fundamental direction and 'flavor' of a character's magic, and in the context of the game, is NOT something the character can choose. The brief description in the main rulebook describes an interesting combination of a secret police force and a conspiracy mostly for the sake of conspiracy, and this sourcebook goes a long way toward reconciling those seemingly contradictory aims.
   On the one hand, even mortal organizations need to be at least somewhat concerned about double-agents and other corrupting influences within; the notion that Mages retain this need even after Awakening is intriguing, to say the least. On the other, even in the real world, there's nothing quite like the thrill of being a part of something bigger than yourself, but secret. The Guardians use this human impulse to an excellent advantage to further their own doctrine of "not all mortals are worthy of Awakening": those who do not pass certain subtle tests of aptitude and character are shunted through an endless blind alleys of cross-linked conspiracies with no real substance, referred to as the Labrynth; the details of this global web of illusions are mostly left to the Storyteller, but the raw materials for constructing your very own series of false conspiracies are provided.
   
   Another element that I enjoyed was an in-depth discussion of how disguise works as an in-game concept. It goes beyond the popular "rubber mask" transformations of 'normal' espionage fare into what makes a disguise believable, with or without magic. While it is by no means a teaching tool for changing identities along with clothes, it does allow most gamers to understand more interesting in-game details.



3. When I got the MAGE AWAKENING core book, I found it uninspiring. At the core of that feeling was a vagueness about what being a Mage was about. Vampires hunt for blood and amass power, Werewolves fight unruly spirits, but what do Mages do? Go to work, study some spells, go to Consilia once a month? Might as well be the Rotary Club!
   
   Then I picked up GUARDIANS OF THE VEIL, and then I saw that Mages do have a job, a purpose. And that is to protect magic by shielding it from the eyes of Sleepers (who draw in the Abyss through their Disbelief) and unworthy mages (who push the Supernal further away with vulgar spells and Paradox). Sometimes you even have to break a few eggs, and always constant vigilance! GUARDIANS OF THE VEIL was what I needed to shape what I perceived as the formlessness of Mage into something dynamic. I think that GUARDIANS OF THE VEIL will open up new ways of approaching MAGE once you've read it.
   
   GUARDIANS begins with the beginning - Atlantis. The Guardians' account of things is presented as historical fact (which helps the players get into the mindset of factional dogma), and that account is that after the fall of Atlantis magic became more difficult. Paradoxes pushed the supernal away, making the link between mage and the higher realms ever more tenuous. The secret history of the Guardians is spelled out, with a minimum of placing the protagonists at the center of every historical event. The order developed a culture of secrecy, to protect the mysteries of magic from being debased by disbelievers. To accomplish these aims, it is sometimes necessary to subvert even other magical orders.
   
   There is quite a bit of information on finding magical students and thwarting others (the Labyrinth, initiation into the order (the Veils), positions of authority within the order (Cultor and Epopt), and order discipline. Guardian dogma is explained, with different Factions holding to different interpretations and how they relate to other mages. New legacies and rotes are described, as well as specific mudras. Sample items and artifacts are listed, as well as sample NPCs.
   
   Two bits in the book caught my attention as particularly original. The "Masques" are merits bought by a Guardian that allow him to take on a persona, sort of a Platonic form. He plays a part so well that he represents that form, gaining some play modifiers for acting his part. There is one for every combination of virtue and vice (representing abstract perosnality stereotypes). The idea of becoming a mask you wear intrigues me.
   
   Also, this is a secretive, conspiracy minded group. A lot of the ordeals and secrets are explained, but parables are sprinkled throughout the text. They make a point to the wise, but I can't figure out most of them and no explanation is given. I guess I wouldn't think much of an order's secret wisdom if I could get the point right away - very clever in my mind.
   
   GUARDIANS OF THE VEIL is a great book for both protagonists and antagonists. It gives an idea of what mages do with their time and how th mysteries of the ancient world affect mages today.

2 comments about World of Darkness: Mysterious Places.

1. Mysterious Places is an excellent companion to Antagonists (1588464784) and Ghost Stories (1588464830), althoughy it's premade settings have more in common with the latter than the former.
   
   As part of the "World of Darkness" role-playing system, Mysterious Places provides a variety of backdrops (along with inspiration and a few monsters) for any mortal, Vampire, Werewolf or Mage chronicle. Storytellers playing "mortal" games might find this book most useful (unlike Antagonists, which has several entries with supernatural protagonists in mind), but with a few adaptions, any of these stories could be challenging and interesting for even the most jaded players.
   
   The only thing this books could use is a greater variety, and perhaps more for supernatural characters to interact with and challenge.



2. MYSTERIOUS PLACES is a supplement to the core book WORLD OF DARKNESS, commonly called the "mortals" line. This means that the material is not specific to any particular supernatural race but can be used with any of them, or be part of a non-supers story. I think of MYSTERIOUS PLACES and its companion books, ANTAGONISTS, and GHOST STORIES as Storyteller aids; they have characters, places, or storylines that you can drop into your current chronicle either as something to do when things get slow (as one writer put it, "when the plot seems to be going nowhere, have men with guns burst into the room") or as story seeds to get your own creative juices going.
   
   MYSTERIOUS PLACES is specifically a collection of (mysterious) locales, each of which is presented with a history, associated characters, at least one plot device, different possible reasons for the player characters to become involved, and potential resolutions to the problems that the location poses. There is also information on how to adapt the setting to other types of territory: how to run a particular scenario in a downtown location rather than a rustic village, for example. The mystery is really what drives the plot for each location, so a lot of investigation is called for (in this case, the "guns" from the above quote are metaphorical). I believe the writeup for each location has enough depth to sustain a dedicated group poking at shadows without the Storyteller needing much prep ahead of time. It's not written in a story-line format, such that the investigators must do A to get to B to accomplish C; however, one could reasonably sit down, open the book, and play a few sessions straight from the chapter, provided the ST is familiar with the material from that section and limits the amount of outside influence in the story. It seems that MYSTERIOUS PLACES has this in mind, since each of the locations is designed to emphasize isolation.
   
   In the final analysis, I believe that MYSTERIOUS PLACES is effective as a collection of story-seeds, with sufficient depth to the scenarios to be played from the book with no other preparation, although the ST needs to be able to run extemporaneously or have a good memory. As an aesthetic note, I found that I wasn't too fond of the scenarios as written on the first read, but I am more excited about them on the second and third. There are always changes that I would make for a better story, things to be added or subtracted. And this is probably the goal of the book, which is to take each location and make it your own. [As an addendum, I was pretty underwhelmed by the opening fiction. It involves particle physics, and as a particle physicist, it's hard to see any cosmic horror any smashing electrons and positrons together, unless you are working out the Feynman diagrams by hand . . . Sanity score ... dropping... ugh]
   
   I am listing the "mysterious places" below, and I'll try to reveal as little of the mystery as possible. If you don't want any spoliers, here is a good place to stop.
   
   
   1. The Swimming Hole: At the bottom of a body of water, there is a cave where you can trade your blood for wishes. As ol' Ben Franklin used to say, "If men were granted half their wishes they'd double their trouble." Even more interestingly, the force protects the water and the owner wants to drain it; too bad for everyone nearby.
   
   2. The University: An unlikely cult has awakened a powerful force that seems to be the embodiment of the university itself
   
   3. Swamp Indian Hollow: An undertaker makes "puppets" out of dead bodies, swamp grass, and stuff. The puppets live. What I find particularly creepy is that they don't even have enough will to be malicious (like zombies); they hide and wait. Neither does their creator have any plan for global domination; he just can't stop making the puppets. Oh yeah, and you can "wear" the puppets too, to effectively be one. That's pretty messed up right there.
   
   4. The Village Secret. There really is a fountain of youth; it cures what ails ya and you can live a long, long time that way. Why haven't we heard about it yet? Because of the village.
   
   5. The Statue of Weeping Alice: Someone discovers that when you make a sacrifice to the statue in the town square, good things happen. The greater the sacrifice, the greater the good. If you've ever met human beings in a crowd, you know where this is going. The fun part is where do you draw the line
   
   6. Hillcrest Center for Assited Living: Lotsa old people = lotsa secrets. Some people take secrets to their grave; this is your last chance to catch them before they do.
   
   7. The Whispering Wood: An arboreal Bermuda Triangle, except you need to be BAD to get there. And once you are, you ... change ... to show what kind of bad you are.
   
   8. The Junkyard: sort of a mechanical version of #6.
   
   9. The Empty Room: It's not really empty if you're stuck there, huh? For this mystery, I'd rather cut away all the fluff to get to the bright, shiny core: you're trapped in an empty room, you don't know how you got there, and you don't know how to get out. That's good enough for me.

2 comments about Vampire Carthians (Vampire).

1. I actually feel like I went through a really cool political science course with nifty vampire powers after reading this book. What VII is to the Sabbat, Carthians is to the Anarchs. I'm not going to sit down and tell you all the bloodlines, cool powers, and factions--of which there are plenty. What I will tell you is this book does an impressive job of covering complex political diversity in a game session that is very interesting and entertaining. It covers political evolution, and how societies (kindred and mortal)change over time. I really can't praise the covenent books enough.
   
   Hobbie



2. Carthians presents extended information on one of the five major political factions presented in Vampire: The Requiem. A lengthy discussion of what Carthians are like, how their diverse political experiments function, and what happens when those experiments fail is presented. New game mechanics including Bloodlines, Disciplines, Devotions, and a covenant specific ability called Carthian Law are all included as well.
   
   If you like the idea of the Carthian Movement, an idea focused around taking the best of human thought and applying it to vampiric life, but wanted more information then this is the product for you. This product provides a full description of the movement including subfactions, major beliefs, and interrelationships with the rest of the vampiric world. While many new mechanics are added to support this group the vast majority of the book is a flavorful presentation of the Carthians that creates an interesting, believable organization.

2 comments about Mage Legacies the Ancient (Mage the Awakening).

1. Long awaited since Mage: the Awakening first came out, this supplement reveals the remainder of the mysterious Legacies from the core book, along with a few others. Most of the 13 Legacies presented in this book are supposed to be ancient, as the title implies, dating back to the first civilizations that arose after the collapse of Atlantis. Their magic is primal, sometimes mirroring mortal occult practices (the Dreamspeakers draw on shamanism and indigenous beliefs, the Thrice-Great share similarities with western ritual magick, and the Thread-Cutters arose from Indo-European cultures). As you might notice, some of the Legacies are tributes to the older Mage: the Ascension game, though their Awakening incarnations are very different indeed. The book also throws some light on the Elemental Tamers, Legacies who claim to pre-date Atlantis! And there are hints of other Tamer Legacies, left intentionally vague for STs to use or ignore. As always, each Legacy gets the same basic write-up, along with the background, Attainments, plot-hooks and sample characters. In order, here are the Legacies:
   
   * Dreamspeakers - A tribute to the old Dreamspeakers from Mage: the Ascension, these Primal Thyrsus shaman speak to the Dream-born spirits of the astral realm. Certainly one of my favorite Legacies in the book. They draw on many different cultures from American Indian traditions, Aboriginal Dreamtime lore and Siberian shamanism, to Buddhist mystics, evangelical Christians and Etruscan witchcraft (which, indeed, their signature character practices). Ironically, becuase they draw on cultural magic and generally reject the Atlantis mythos, the Legacy is strongly associated with the Free Council. I found this to be a good write-up, and an interesting take on shamanism in the Awakening setting.
   
   * Elemental Masteries - Actually five seperate Legacies, each with their own seperate write-ups, the section starts with a very brief introudction explaining the background (and interconnectedness) between the Elemental Masteries. Despite what the corebook said about them using Atlantean symbolism, the five Elemental Legacies claim to pre-date Atlantis, and are often at odds with more traditional Orders because of it. However, they've been influencing Sleeper society for millennia, in various roles. For example, the Tamers of Rivers were involved in mystery and fertility cults, the Tamers of Winds served as priests and educated professionals, and the Tamers of Stone were the builders and sacred artisans. The Legacies were as follows:
   
   The Tamers of Fire are a firey and passionate Obrimos Legacy whose Attainments use Forces to create, direct and even become fire! Optional use of Mind can be used to inspire and lead others as well. The Tamers of Rivers are a Thyrsus Legacy of wandering healers, mostly associated with old fertility Goddess cults (and, indeed, most are still female). Their Attainments use Matter to create and manipulate water, with optional Life use for healing. The Tamers of Stone are a Moros Legacy of builders and architects, whose Attainments use Space for finding ideal sites for building (and optional Matter use for shaping and building things). And the Tamers of Winds are an Acanthus Legacy that focus on learning, memorization and knowledge. Their Attainments use Forces for enhancing sounds, telekenitically moving things and even flying! And they have the option of using Mind to enhance their mental facilities.
   
   Finally, there is a fifth, rare Elemental Legacy representing the element of void, ether, akasha... The Tamers of the Cave are a Mastigos Legacy that represents the "fifth element". They are noble martyrs, sacrificing themselves for the good of the all. Their Attainments are all focused around the 'etheric mirror', which they construct through the Death Arcanum. I loved the Tamer of Rivers and Tamer of Winds, but I found the Tamer of the Caves to be an especially interesting Legacy, and a novel take on the 'fifth element'. Very good stuff here.
   
   * Forge Masters - A Moros Legacy, the Forge Master represent the master smiths and artisans of ancient civilizations, which viewed creating tools (and weapons) as a magical art. Their Attainments focus on using Prime to augment their creations, and eventually create idealized objects out of thin air! This section includes some notes on the Perfected Metals of Atlantis, and a couple of new Rotes as well. Interestingly enough, although they are a Moros Legacy, the chapter hints that in some parts of the world other Paths might follow the Legacy as well!
   
   * Skald - As their name implies, members of this Acanthus Legacy are wandering bards, poets, musicians and story-tellers. After the fall of Atlantis, they charged themselves with memorizing the history and lore of various cultures. Once again, they draw on cultures as diverse as Nordic skalds, Homeric poets and Armenian gusan. The Legacy's Attainments use Mind (and, optionally, Spirit as well) to influence the way others think and act. The section also includes an optional Merit, Skald Cant, a secret language which helps memorize things and when dealing with spirits. Once again, I found this to be a very interesting and enjoyable Legacy that I could see myself playing.
   
   * Sphinxes - Another fascinating Legacy, the Sphinxes are a Mastigos Legacy associated with the Mysterium. Originating in Renaissance Spain, the Sphinxes are obsessed with uncovering the mysteries of the universe. They are all about looking for patterns and hiden meaning, researching things like chaos theory and linguists. That sort of stuff. To this end, their Attainments are all about using Fate to analyze and (at higher levels) manipulate probability, with optional Mind effects to notice hidden details. Interesting stuff, and good fluff for information on the cosmology of Awakening. Their signature character, Babel, is pretty fun too.
   
   * Thread Cutters - A Moros Legacy loosely associated with the Guardians of the Veil, the Thread-Cutters are something of a tribute to the Euthanatos Tradition from Mage: the Ascension. Again, these Mages reject alot of Atlantean tradition, instead having become strongly attached to various Indo-European traditions such as the Indians, Persians, Greeks, Romans, Etruscans and Celts. They believe in serving Fate itself, whether through Creation, Preservation or Destruction, and thus are sometimes at odds with more mainstream Guardians. Indeed, some consider the Legacy Left Handed! The section includes a new Death Rote for entering the Underworld, and again, the signature character is unique and interesting. I was pleasantly surprised by the inclusion of this Legacy, and look forward to using it in future games.
   
   * Thrice-Great - Drawing on Hermetic ritual, this Legacy is associated with both the Obrimos Path and the Silver Ladder. Appropriately enough, they believe in using magic to bring the spirits of the Celestial Courts under humanity's control and recreating the ladder of Atlantis! Once again, this Legacy is a tribute to the Order of Hermes from Atlantis, and draws on the same sort of stuff - astrology, Gnosticism, Neo-Platonism and so forth. Their Attainments are all about using Spirit to interact with the Celestial spirits of the planets. The section also includes another new Merit, Celestial Name, which confers a bonus when interacting with Celestial spirits. Great stuff for a spirit centered chronicle!
   
   * Echo Walkers (Left Handed) - A new Left Handed Legacy, meant for Storytellers to use as antaognists, this fanatical Obrimos Legacy believes in dissecting the human soul to get a glimpse of the primordial beings that existed before humanity! Nephilim, Fomori, whatever you want to call them. The magic they use to do so is essentially the equivalent of spiritual rape, which puts them at odds with pretty much everyone else, but the Attainments they gain from their studies allow them to enhance themselves with Life, making them quite formidible! Very creepy and thematic, and it's nice to see a Left Handed Legacy that isn't Moros or Mastigos.
   
   * Logophages (Left Handed) - Although sometimes associated with the Guardians of the Veil, this second Left Handed Legacy can be followed by any Path or Order. As their name implies, the Logophages eat knowledge, stealing it from other Mages. These guys are great antagonists. Interestingly enough for players who remember the old World of Darkness, their chapter includes their own take on the story of Cain and Abel. And the signature character, Queen Scotch, is a great antaognist to throw at players. Very original stuff here.
   
   All in all, the book is excellent. I especially appreciated the fact that the Legacies in the book provided so many different takes on the history and cosmology of the Mage setting, including a fair number of Mages who don't neccessarily believe in Atlantis, or accept the common beliefs of the five Orders (the Dreamspeakers, Elemental Masteries, etc). Yet also have other Legacies that expand on the history, background and culture of Atlantis, like the Skalds and Thrice-Great. In addition, it was nice to have some examples of how culture influences magic (something that the forth-coming Magical Traditions promises to show more of). As a player who remembers Mage: the Ascension, I found the new take on some of the old material especially nice. I strongly recommend this book, in addition to other supplements such as Secrets of the Ruined Temple, Tome of the Mysteries, the Shadows of... series and the forth-coming Magical Traditions, for greatly expanding the setting of Awakening. Plus, you get to see most of the Legacies from the core book (except for the Bokor and Clavicularis, which were covered elsewhere). And, do yourself a favor and read the introductory fiction, which is a good example showing two Legacies in action.



2. This is the only legacy book for Mage the Awakening that I have bought, principally because I wanted to see how the Threadcutters and the Thrice Great were treated (these two legacies correspond to the Euthanatos and the Order of Hermes from the old Ascencion game). I was very pleased with the write-ups and I think they are even better than their predecessors. Im glad I purchased this, not sure if I'll buy another legacy book but Im really pleased with this one (although I may buy another if they decide to do a treatment on the Cult of Ecstacy).
   
   Great addition to the mage setting.