Newsgroups: alt.games.whitewolf Subject: WORLD OF DARKNESS: FAQ 4 of 5 From: [r j kirkpatric] at [ualr.edu] (RJK) Date: 17 Jan 94 09:07:21 CST Date: Sun, 7 Nov 93 20:50:22 -0800 From: [d--r--e] at [efn.org] (Deird'Re Brooks) To: Multiple recipients of list <[vampire l] at [wizards.com]> Subject: WoD FAQ, pt 4 VIII. Product List for Storyteller ---------------------------------- FAQ Drudge's Disclaimer: If a name isn't provided in I wrote the review, so any judgments are my opinions. If there is a name in above a block of text, it's their opinion, not mine. I won't promise that this list is in order of publication. Each product is listed with a brief description of what it contains. VIIIa. Vampire: The Masquerade ------------------------------- Vampire: The Masquerade First or Second Edition. The basic rules and background of the game. The second Edition is a nicely bound Hardcover. If you are on this list and do not have this book - HEATHEN. Go buy it. Vampire: Player's Guide First or Second, again. Provides some useful expansion on the Clans, as well as four interesting new Clans and 1 or 3 new Bloodlines, depending on the Edition. Again, Second Edition is Hardcover. Also provides information for expanding the Disciplines beyond level 5. Vampire: Storyteller's Handbook First edition. Nice hints for running Chronicles and Stories. There are some interesting little rulings buried in the suggestions, too. The sample enemy/ally characters are useful for a rush job when something happens and the ST needs instant stats. This book also provides three new Bloodlines and associated Disciplines. Player's Guide to the Sabbat If you want to show the weak Camarilla what evil _really_ means, this book is for you. I feel it is one of the better products to see the light of day. It describes three new Disciplines, more Thaumaturgical Paths, new Merits and Flaws, and two new Clans who happen to be the power behind the Sabbat. Also describes the Antitribu, Kindred who have turned against their former Clans to become a part of the Sabbat, or descendants of these sorts. Storyteller's Handbook to the Sabbat For hints and suggestions on running Sabbat based Chronicles, this is book is _very_ usdeful. It describes how to run a Crusade, the Path of Evil Revelations in its sinister, infernal glory, diabolical gifts, and plenty more. It also has NPC archetypes, as per the ST Handbook. One particular addition which is of particular use are the Revenants, or Ghoul Families. A group of families which have made Ghoul-ness a genetic trait. There are also two new Bloodlines, an offshoot from the Gangrel and one from the Lasombra. Hunter's Hunted Too much space at the beginning is wasted with a silly diary. I would have preferred more background info on the various groups provided. The Numina on the other hand, were quite interesting, 'specially if you want to run a Psychic Investigator/Talamasca type campaign, although the information on the Numina is sketchy. Vampire Storyteller's Screen The first edition screen comes with an adventure: Blood at Dawn. It's set in Gary and is quite, well, scary. More fun than a haunted house. The screen itself is useful if your playing requires reference to a lot of charts. More like a Gamemaster's screen. The second edition screen comes with a book of Mortal archetypes. Police, reporters, ghouls, priests. You name it . . . There is also a condensed character sheet for NPC allies, contacts, herd, and retainers. The screen itself is more appropriate to the Storyteller idea than the first. It has all the charts, but it also adds a condensed character creation chart, which _can_ be handy when dealing with new players. Clanbook: Brujah I liked this one. It conveyed a lot of the feeling of rebellion that the Brujah should provide. And the "Fake Rapper" archetype is hilarious. Vanilla Ice, a la Vampire. Clanbook: Gangrel I read a review of this before I bought it, which said that it would provide info that would make the Gangrel the most powerful Clan extant. I've read it several times and haven't found the information that would imply this. The writing (from the point of view of a Victorian England type and a Gonzo journalist a la Hunter S. Thompson) is entertaining, however. Background material is definitely worth it, and it does provide enough information to make the Gangrel quite unique. Clanbook: Malkavian I laughed my way through this one. It reads like the Principia Discordia while on drugs. Definitely the best so far. If you want to discover the true nature of reality, this might be the book to read. At least, you'll discover what the Malkavians feel reality to be. I would recommend taking at least two aspirin before starting this book, however. A World of Darkness Except for missing a couple pages in the Haiti section, and probably a couple in the Hong Kong and Gaki sections, it is _quite_ useful. The Europe section will be quite usable with Rage Across Russia, I hope. Several NPCs from around the world are detailed. There are several locations locales described- from Hong Kong, moving west all the way to the Vampire Club in San Francisco. A World of Darkness: Mummy Nothing at all like horror movies about Mummies, this book details a small group of Immortals who exist to fight their part of the Jyhad, which specifically involves stopping the Followers of Set (a lot of that going around these days). They have their own magic system, roughly based on historical Egyptian magic. I say _roughly_. Definitely an interesting add-on for any or all of the Storyteller games. Chicago By Night The first edition details a rather complex political situation between many factions-within-factions, etc, and what is occuring around them. No information on Garou or Mages in the city, however. Ignore the Blood Pool/per Turn line on most characters, however. They are a little off. The second edition is post-Under a Blood Red Moon, and the situation is quite different. The quality - proofreading, etc - is much higher than the first. The section on Kindred politics in the back is worth reading, the information is useful in any Chronicle. Milwaukee By Night An interesting story in the back, and the inter-Kindred relationships (I hesitate to say politics in this case, they aren't as political as Chicago) are quite different, I'd say. If you want to play _in_ Milwaukee, worth buying. If you want the Lupine info, buy Werewolf. Otherwise, it really won't add much. Ashes to Ashes First Story published. This one is quite entertaining, although in a few places, it's too much of a 'one-true-path' type of adventure. It introduces the characters to Chicago by having them go from one place and vampire to the next. Very usable. Blood Bond Another Chicago Story. This one can have a fairly grim ending if the characters aren't careful. It's a good read for seeing some of the Sabbat methods of recruitment work, however. Alien Hunger Half of it is a "Denver by Night" supplement, the other half is a fairly Sons of Ether-ish mad scientist based story. A nice change of pace. If you play in this one, think fast because the Blood Hunt has been declared . . . And you're on the menu. Awakening: Diablerie Mexico This is only useful if you want a> a new Methuselah to add to your campaign, b> some new rituals, c> a detailed lair of a Methuselah in Torpor. I've played a character in the Story, and it smacks of Dungeon Crawl. I also get the feeling the Story was written to make it possible for the characters to easily diablerize the Methuselah. I'll tell you the group I was with had no trouble. Blood Nativity This was published by Atlas games and details the first night of life for a group of neonates. The action can get to be quite dismaying for the characters. It is fun, however. I'm not certain if this is still in print. The Succubus Club A nice layout for a nightclub. It isn't really necessary for running the Succubus Club, although a few of the stories are worth running. A very nice supplement detailing the evolution and mood of a Kindred infested nightclub. The Anarch Cookbook This repeats too much of Clanbook: Brujah. It has a few good points, such as the Anarch Manifesto, but overall, added little to my portrayal of the Anarch Free States. On the other hand, the additional combat rules can add detail to your Chronicle, if you're interested in that sort of thing. It details how to stage an Anarch uprising in the city of your choice, as well as a Who;s Who section in the appendix describing several Anarchs, and Petrodon/Petrondon (they keep changing the spelling). Dark Alliance For Vampire: Get ready for DARK COLONY. It is the New England Regional Sourcebook, and it's quite foul. Included is a really cool adventure that utilizes the Advanced Storytelling Technique of the Flashback. The Masquerade Live Action Role Playing. You too can be a Vampire. Aimed somewhat at the How to Host a Murder Mystery people, and somewhat at the roleplaying market, this product has potential. The system uses hand signals and code words to resolve conflicts, while seeming to be a fairly normal interaction to the canaille - so long as they don't hear what you're saying. Its strength is that it can be resolved fairly rapidly in small confrontations. Its weakness is if you lose a conflict, you lose the traits you bid, so you become stupid/weak for the evening. I have been told that it is quite fun and playable, but I will not know until halloween. Well, it's after Halloween, and we didn't play it, so I'm still in the dark without Protean on this one. VIIIb. Werewolf: The Apocalypse ------------------------------- Werewolf: The Apocalypse The basic rules for Werewolf. A lot of information between the covers, and at the very least makes good supplemental material for Vampire. I found the editing errors annoying (see page XX) but that was only a minor complaint at the time, and has been corrected in later printings. But if you have the first printing, remember that Page XX contains all the secrets of the Universe. Werewolf Player's Guide A worthy supplement, this has so much information to add, some of which (Like the Tribe outlooks) should have been in the first book, but the various Were creatures and the like that have been added make it quite a nice addition. Also provided are various types of Caerns, new Gifts, Rites, Fetishes and the combat system from Vampire, 2nd Edition. Book of the Wyrm Do you want some truly *evil* nasties? This is a very nice book, especially the sections on Pentex and Malfeas. After getting this, I sent a pack of Fomori after a Gangrel in my Chronicle who prides herself on being a combat monster - she still doesn't know what came after her, but she is a bit more wary around street gangs. Ways of the Wolf This was useful...Anyone playing a lupus (wolf-born) Garou should read this, *especially* if they don't know much about wolves. Most of the information on wolf society is quite accurate. Gangrel who spend significant amounts of time with wolf packs might also find this information useful. Werewolf Storyteller's Screen In addition to being much like the 2nd Ed Vampire Screen (or vice versa, since this one appeared first) this provided a pad of double sided character sheets, which have been quite handy for my players who object at using notebook paper for extra stats. Sigh. Rage Across New York First regional supplement for Werewolf, this is very nice in historical detail, and even thoughtfully provides some truly *vile* nasties. The linked stories in the back are even nicer, but not to the PCs. Rage Across the Amazon The jury is still out on this one. I'm fairly certain it didn't really add to anything. On the other hand, for those who would be excited by such things, this supplement provides the third appearance of Samuel Haight of Valkenburg Foundation fame. Information on Rage Across the Amazon. Haven't read the storyline (my ST asked me not to) but the resources section brings the Werewolf product up to specs with the Vampire Players Guide 2nd ed. Many weapons and rules for weapons (guns, explosives, chemicals, poisons). Another nifty section is some Garou "Artifacts" that are quite powerful. (It's always fun reading about the +5 Holy Avengers, even if you can't use them). Rite of Passage First story, and again, too linear for my taste. But I have neither run it, nor played in it to really be certain. Under a Blood Red Moon Truly a mini-Chronicle of frightening proportions, especially if you are a vampire in Chicago. It's all out war here! Valkenburg Foundation Interesting idea. An asylum for those who have experienced the first change without the aid of other Garou. As a result (so the story goes) most Garou go insane trying to deny their Garou nature. So, the V. Foundation steps in to help them accept their nature, or release them as functionally normal wolves or humans. Also the introduction of White Wolf's recurring villain, Samuel Haight. Drums Around the Fire The first compilation of fiction for the World of Darkness. The stories are divided into Tales of Honor, Glory, Wisdom, Totems, Umbra and Apocalypse. My personal favorite was Apocalypse Noir. Dark Alliance: Vancouver This is really a crossover supplement for Vampire and Werewolf, but the cover is that of a Werewolf product, so . . . This book details a city (Vancouver BC) in which the Kindred live under unusual rules, where the Prince wants no inter-Clan or Faction rivalries under any conditions. There is also a peace treaty between the Kindred and the Garou of the area. The characters have an interesting variety of motivations, although a high percentage of NPC vampires are, well, really old. The NPCs are of such a power level that going against the establishment is a Bad Idea. It does have a *lot* of potential for mixed Vampire and Werewolf play, however. Mage: The Ascension The Storyteller game which has the most potential for debate of the three. This one stresses creativity in that magick can be performed more easily if it is disguised as coincidence, thus causing the Mage to come up with some fairly wild chains of events to get the desired results. The errors in the first printing will be corrected in the second printing, as well as upon an errata sheet to be provided in the Chantries Book, as well as White Wolf #38. Or send an SASE to White Wolf Game Studio requesting the Mage Errata. The address is at the beginning of the FAQ, and in each of their products. Mage: Storyteller Screen This product includes a Story written by Sam Chupp, our own Ragabash. The roots of the story date back to the time of the Experiment. It's called Angel of Mercy, and has some odd twists within. The Paradox Zone idea presented in it is a cool idea, I think. The actual screen has too many charts that didn't really belong, and not enough that did. It is useful, but not as useful to mage as the other two screens were to their respective games. The character sheet doesn't even provide any innovations, as did the pad provided in the Werewolf screen. Overall it could have been much better. Upcoming Products for WoD: New Orleans by Night This is supposed to be in the stores next spring. Said to be written by a famous horror author, although the name slips my mind. (The following is digested from a post by Sam Chupp, and is completely his own words.) The Chantries Book. This will be a 200+ page book on the various chantries in the world, including a "Chantry Creation System" Loom of Fate, a funky story of some kind (still don't understand it). The Book of Shadows, the Player's Guide for Mage: This will have some magick system clarifications/additions as well as in-depth looks at Traditions, Rotes/Spells, Certamen (magick duelling), and some secondary Traditions. Should be well worth $$ of admission. The Technomancers: Progenitors. Guess what it's about? And an as-yet-unamed Virtual Web sourcebook. Currently, it will be like Succubus Club, with many short stories. Later on in the Spring you'll see the first of the Tradition books. The Book of Nod is finished, done, end of 2nd draft, finito. Half of it is 'biblical' style verse and the other half is footnotes and anecdotes about how the fragments were gathered. The book is split into three sections, the Chronicle of Caine (which deals with Caine and the first days, the First City, and the subsequent time spent in Enoch), the Chronicle of Shadows (which is kind of like the Chronicle of the Law: it has lots of "rules to live by" in it, including the 13 Vampiric commandments, if they haven't been cut by now! :)) and finally the Chronicle of Secrets (which is kind of the Revelations book) ...after which is the Appendix which has a brief "Life in Ancient Enoch" essay and a brief "How to Use This Book" thingy. There isn't a single mechanic in it. Not even a stat. The Book, when released around December 5th, will be tradeback sized, "leather" bound and have nice paper. It will be suitable for use as a game prop. I believe it will cost no more than $10.00, and it has a jamload of incredible art from all of our artists. I'm working on the Bone Gnawers Tribal Tome. Any things that you want to see in it, email them to me. I read the Glass Walker post about the origin of the Glass Walkers and found it to be amusing, and potentially useful . (I'll be doing the G.W. too). Anyway, my take on the Bone Gnawers is that they aren't criminals necessarily, just dirt poor. To me, they are the living proof that the Garou have failed their own kind. Save your pennies for UMBRA: THE VELVET SHADOW if you are a Werewolf storyteller. You're about to get a giant CARE package from good ol' White Wolf: a huge flaming chunk of pure 100% story ideas will assault you upon opening this torrid tome. I read the thing cover to cover and it isn't even finished laying out yet. Your players will hate/love you for it. Werewolf Storyteller's Handbook will be coming out sometime this Spring. It's rumored to have a spirit and fetish creation system, as well as lots of cool storytelling hints and helps. GURPS Werewolf is on the move and will probably be coming out fairly soon. Articles in White Wolf Magazine relating to WoD: Purgatory, by Graeme Davis (#28) This article details a Vampiric oriented Nightclub along with several of the Kindred who frequent it. It is established as a hangout for Anarchs, in general and is neutral ground. A good starting point for setting up your own Undead Clubs. The Dark Tower, by Chris Hind (#32) What happens when a Vampire releases its Beast? What about those unfortunate Garou who are not fortunate enough to be picked up by the Sept right at the first change? A rather dark Story for Vampire and/or Werewolf. White Wolf #32 - Feature Review: Werewolf I only mention this 'cause it has the ". . . tragically hip murderers who can kill mortals simply because they're cooler than mortals . . ." quote is on page 36. Half baked Nietzchean philosophy, indeed! Portrait in Horror: The Vampire's Hunt, by Charles Pierce (#34) Some interesting ideas on how to make your Vampires feel guilty and horrified for drinking that blood they need so dearly. Mind over Matter, by Chris Hind (#37) An introductory story to Mage designed to bring the characters right into the middle of things. Worth checking out to see the style of Storytelling for Mage if nothing else. The World of Future Darkness, by Deirdre Brooks (#36, #37, #38) These three articles detail Cyberware in Kindred bodies, the future and how it relates to the Masquerade, and how to integrate it with Cyberpunk 2.0.2.0. by R. Talsorian Games. The last article is a Story set in Night City. I won't offer an opinion - I wrote the articles. But if someone else would like to e-mail me a review, I'll put it in the next FAQ. IX. Errata, rules, etc. ------------------------- Where can I get errata for Storyteller products? There will be an errata sheet for the first printing of Mage in White Wolf #38, the Loom of Fate, and/or the Chantries book. Also, send an SASE to White Wolf requesting the Mage Errata to receive the sheet. Until then, look in Clanbook: Malkavian for page XX, wherein all questions are answered. What is Vulgar Magick, and Coincidental, and how do you tell the difference? Vulgar magick blatantly defies the known laws of reality. Coincidental magick works within reality to make the result look possible. This argument has generated several hundred K of commentary on both sides. I think I will leave this as it sits, with the prompting to decide for your own chronicle, because I fear this is one subject that will never reach a conclusive result.