Newsgroups: alt.games.whitewolf From: [d--r--e] at [efn.org] (Deird'Re Brooks) Subject: WoD FAQ (Prepare for some serious Bandwidth (80k)) Date: Tue, 24 May 1994 07:10:49 GMT World of Darkness Frequently Asked Questions Or Nearly Everything You Wanted To Know About The World of Darkness By Nearly everyone on the vampire-l and mage-l lists - their comments find their way into random places here I'm too lazy to list all their names, but contributions are credited when and where they occur Compiled by Deird'Re Brooks, FAQ Drudge This FAQ is divided into 10 sections and 5 files with a section covering each of the following topics: Part 1: I. Administration of the Mailing List Part 2: II. The Storyteller games and the World of Darkness III. The Camarilla Vampire Fan Association IV. Cosmology Part 3: V. Crossing between Games VI. Clans, Bloodlines, Tribes, Traditions VII. General Background Questions Part 4: VIII. Product List for Storyteller IX. Errata, Rules Questions Part 5: X. Ideas for Atmosphere - Music, Lighting, etc Direct any additions, clarifications, complaints, flames, suggestions or questions to: [d--r--e] at [efn.org] or if that bounces: deirdre%[efn org] at [skinner.cs.uoregon.edu] Trademarks: R. Talsorian Games, Night City and Cyberpunk 2.0.2.0. are Trademarks of R. Talsorian Games. Vampire: The Masquerade, Werewolf: The Apocalypse, Mage: The Ascension, Kindred, Garou, Quintessence, Golconda, all Clans, Bloodlines, Tribes, Traditions, Disciplines, Gifts, Spheres, Paradox, White Wolf, White Wolf Magazine, White Wolf Game Studio, White Wolf Public Relations, World of Darkness, Wraith, Changeling, Umbra, Gaia, the Triat, Weaver, Wyld, Wyrm, Gnosis, Paths of Enlightenment, Abominations, Samuel Haight, Gaia, The Camarilla, the Technocracy, Nephandi, Marauders, all Conventions and anything else I forgot that is mentioned in this FAQ are Trademarks of White Wolf Game Studio. Any resemblances between people living or dead and characters mentioned in this FAQ are purely coincidental, except for the section on historical people turned vampire. Note: In the cases of rules, background and other interpretational questions, they are the opinions of various people on the list, myself included, unless stated to be a proclamation of White Wolf Game Studio. I. Administration of the Mailing List -------------------------------------- What mailing lists relate to the World of Darkness? There are four mailing lists that relate to the world of Darkness: Vampire-l, Werewolf-l, Mage-l, and Camarilla-l. What are the list addresses? [vampire l] at [wizards.com] [werewolf l] at [wizards.com] [mage l] at [wizards.com] [camarilla l] at [wizards.com] How do I subscribe to the list? Send e-mail to [l--ts--v] at [wizards.com], with a blank subject line. Text should be: sub You do not need to use your address for your name. The list server software can obtain that from your headers. The name is simply how you'll be listed as in the list of subscribers. How do I unsubscribe from the list? Again, send a message to [l--ts--v] at [wizards.com] with a blank subject. Text should be: unsub Name is not important for the reasons given above. I have been told by some few that unsign vampire-l works also. There are a few commands used to affect the way you receive your messages. These are ACK, DIGEST, and POSTPONE. ACK This sets the list from DIGEST or POSTPONE to normal messages. You receive each message individually from the server. DIGEST If the number of messages per day is simply staggering, use of this command will enable you to receive your messages in one large (30-50k) file per day. If volume is especially high, there may be two or more digests in a day. POSTPONE This allows you to set your subscription to stop incoming mail from the server without unsubscribing. The format for these commands is to send a message to [l--ts--v] at [wizards.com] with no subject line. The text format should be as follows: set mail alt.games.whitewolf, alt.virtual-adepts, alt.religion.kibology Alt.games.whitewolf is a newsgroup specifically for White Wolf games. There is a sufficiency of traffic in this newsgroup to keep it interesting. Alt.virtual-adepts isn't _precisely_ a White Wolf area. It's simply an informal newsgroup for the Virtual Adepts out there. Alt.religion.kibology has nothing to do with White Wolf Games. You see, despite what you read in Certain Supplements, it's real. :) FTP Sites for Storyteller Information: There are currently two sites: soda.berkeley.edu, in /pub/storyteller. The other is at io.com, in /pub/usr/ebartley/Storyteller. FTP just has a few simple commands: 'cd' to change directory, 'ls' to list the current directory, 'get' to get a file. These are the archives of the VAMPIRE on soda. Send any questions to [a--p--l] at [erzo.berkeley.edu.] Contents: archives ; a compilation of everything posted to the ; VAMPIRE list bynight ; includes Paris By Night, a campaign setting ; for WoD camarilla ; information on The Camarilla character-sheets ; character sheets for VAMPIRE fiction ; logs of chronicles written by people on the ; list mage ; some fun items for MAGEs in the WoD pictures ; scans from the VAMPIRE and MAGE books probabilities ; postscript plots for the dice of VAMPIRE programs ; includes a filemaker pro db for VAMPIRE rules ; Anne Rice and Highlanger rule variants for ; vampire uploads ; where to put the stuff you upload to this ; site ; be sure to let me know when you do so vampire ; clans and other info specific to VAMPIRE werewolf ; tribes and other info specific to VAMPIRE Note that the majority of the files are in compressed format (denoted by a .Z at the end of the filename). You should make sure that you type 'binary' at your FTP prompt before downloading any of these files. Once you have downloaded the file, you should be able to type 'uncompress filename.Z' on your local system. If you do not have access to uncompress, you can type: get filename rather than: get filename.Z at the FTP prompt to have soda automagically uncompress the file for you. Some advice on how to deal with high mail volume on the mailing lists: (1) The only one that a beleagered recipient can do on his own, mail listserv with 'set vampire-l mail digest' to get digest format. (2) Please, people, don't send unsubscription directions to the list as a separate post. Include them in a .sig or somesuch if you think it will help (I'm giving it a try), and send mail to the twit directly (preferably LENGTHY mail. :-/ ) (3) Please, *please*, everyone remember to send all administration requests to [L--TS--V] at [wizards.com.] If that fails, you can reach a human at [P--MA--R] at [wizards.com.] (4) People have asked us to preface the messages with VAMP, WERE, or MAGE. I suggest META for discussing the list itself, VAMP, WERE and MAGE (and maybe MUMMY) for discussing the appropriate systems, VAMPWERE, etc. for crossovers, WoD for general background material, and RULES for general rules material. (5) PLease remember that 'reply' sends to the the list as a whole, and send e-mail personal mail to directly to the 'from' address. And if a few of the more frequent posters would be so kind as to include something like this .sig at the end of their letters.... 5a: At least until the volume's settled down, ask yourself if the letter you're about to send needs to go to the list; will personal mail to the sender do? 5b: Everyone, please include your e-mail address at the end of your letters. If we work together, I think we can reduce the volume, in spite of the broken reply function and the twits who send their administrivia here instead of the listserver. Netiquette ---------- If you're going to post something about the cool new supplement/story/what-have-you for Vampire or whatever, and you're going to reveal information that should not be common knowledge, pleasePLEASE put the word SPOILER: in your heading. For example: Subject: SPOILER: Clanbook Tremere and vis ----- Questions: Something cool was posted to the list, and I want to get it. What do I do? First thing, you can generally find the files at soda.berkeley.edu archives as mentioned somewhere else in this FAQ. If you _do not_ have FTP access of _any_ sort, send e-mail to incessant archivers. One of us may have the item you're looking for, and it will save the list recurrent spates of "Could someone re-post ? I missed it and would love to see it." Correction: Soda.berkeley.edu is no longer carrying ST stuff. So don't worry about them no more. II. The Storyteller games and the World of Darkness ---------------------------------------------------- What is the Storyteller System? It is a series of Role Playing Games that stresses role playing over rule playing, character and plot development over dice rolling. There are 3 published games using the system, and two more in the works. There is also an adaptation of Street Fighter II that will be published this summer. It's intended for the younger set and will not be covered in this FAQ. What is the World of Darkness? It is the Gothic-Punk world that is a twisted, dark reflection of our own. Every problem we have now is a little worse there. As it says in Vampire: The Masquerade, 2nd Edition: "The world of Vampire is not our world - at least not quite. It is a Gothic-Punk vision of our world, a place of extremes - monolithic, majestic and altogether twisted. The government is corrupt, the culture is bankrupt, and the decadent mortals revel in the flames of the final days. It is a world where the forces of evil and entropy are even more powerful than they are in our world. It is a world of darkness." A brief description of the Storyteller Games: Vampire, A Storytelling Game of Personal Horror - "Oh my God I'm a Monster!" In Vampire, you are a bloodsucking creature of the night. You are forced to `live' with the fact that to survive you must drink the blood of others. You must not give in to the Beast which lives within you, for if you do, your soul is that much closer to insanity and bestiality. But to avoid giving in fully, you must give in a little at a time. Such is the Riddle of Kindred unlife: "A Beast I am, lest a Beast I become." You cannot tell the canaille - the mortals - of your kind, for they would band together and destroy you and yours. There are other ways, however. You can join the Sabbat, who follow Paths of Enlightenment which allows them to give in to their Beast without losing their minds. Or you can follow the long, treacherous road to Golconda, which balances the Beast with your humanity. On top of all this, the other Kindred are engaged in an eternal war of intrigue, deception, and sometimes even outright conflict. This is the Jyhad, and nearly all Kindred, except the enigmatic Inconnu, are involved. Some as manipulators, some as pawns. Many are both, unfortunately. But all this scheming and manipulating will be at an end soon for the Gehenna is near, when the Antediluvian founders of the Clans arise to slake their thirst with the only blood they find nutritious - Kindred Vitae. Werewolf, A Storytelling Game of Savage Horror - "Oh my God, I'm a Monster, and Gaia is dying!" In Werewolf, you are a Garou, one of the Changing Breed. You are Gaia's immune system, trying to fight off the diabolical and corrupting influence of the Wyrm before it brings creation to a stagnant, corrupt Apocalypse. Many will die in the fight, and even the fight itself seems hopeless, but you must continue to Rage, to fight the Wyrm's minions, or the Apocalypse will be far worse than you can imagine. The armies of the Wyrm are legion. As if they were not enough, part of the reason for the ascendance of the Wyrm, the cities, spawned by the Weaver and built by humans, are still expanding, the choking pollution spreading outward like pus from an infected wound. There are many puppets of the Wyrm to fight - the Vampires who are at least partly responsible for the cities. There is Pentex, that unimaginably huge corporation dedicated to raping Gaia until she has nothing left to give. You do not have as much to fear about the Homids discovering you, though. Your presence is protected by the Veil, which sends them running away in fear, leaves them frozen in panic and causes them to forget they saw you. But the reasons for this is one of the monumental crimes of Garou history - the Impergium. For a time, the Garou limited human population by violence, thus causing humans to group together in cities for strength. In fact, the Impergium caused humans to continue grouping in ever larger numbers, building more and larger cities, allowing the Weaver to gain more strength. Eventually the Wyrm could not balance the Weaver's constructs and was woven into the pattern web,eventually losing its sanity. Now the Wyrm is helping the Weaver destroy the Wyld. You are the defenders of the Wyld, the protectors of Gaia. You must do all you can to stop or forestall the Apocalypse, both in the physical world most people believe is the sum of reality, and the Tellurian, the spirit plane also known as the Umbra. Mage, The Storytelling Game of Modern Magic "Don't let the _other_ guy Immanentize the Eschaton." In Mage, you are one of the Awakened, a person who can alter reality with but a thought, and probably a wave of your wand/sword/ohmmeter. You are a member of one of the Traditions dedicated to gaining Ascension, either for yourself, your Tradition, or even all of Humanity. Yes, you can throw fireballs and lightning bolts as the Mages of Legend have done, but the forces of Paradox keep you from doing it often, if at all. Paradox is what keeps reality in line with what the Sleepers believe it is, and most Sleepers do not possess an active belief in Magick. So you must often disguise your Magick in ways that can be explained away, thus Static or Coincidental Magick, which rarely attracts Paradox. Another reason for this is the Technocracy. The Technocracy and its Conventions have, over the last several centuries, enforced the dogmatic scientific viewpoint upon reality, thus causing the Paradigm to shift from the Mythic Age of Medieval times to the Scientific Age that exists now. They fear that which comes from the Umbra and wish to block the Spirit Plane from the physical world. Their form of Ascension brings everyone to an equal level, whether it be mediocre or otherwise. The Technocracy has also enforced a Pogrom against the Traditions to prevent interference from them. There are also the chaotic Marauders who desire a return to the Mythic Age, without regard to the consequences. And the Nephandi, who wish to achieve Ascension via Infernal means. Along with the Conventions, these groups are the Traditions' greatest foes. Wraith: the Oblivion, The Storytelling Game of Death and Damnation - "Oh my God, I'm dead!" This installment is scheduled for release August, 1994. It seems that this one will be about playing the spirits of the dead who are trapped in a realm attached to this reality. Their goal is to achieve some sort of Oblivion. The Wraiths have 'Guilds' which they join based on their ability to use 'Arkanos,' their own special powers. Or they desire training. Mark Rein*Hagen's stated intent is to write a game that will make you so uncomfortable you will only play it once. Changeling "Oh my god, I'm not human! Oh my what? Huh?" This installment is scheduled for release August, 1995. I believe that you are intended to become one of those lucky few known as Changelings - You were born human and raised by Faerie or you were born Faerie and raised by humans. Perhaps something in between. White Wolf has not said anything about it as yet. How can I reach White Wolf? Their address is; White Wolf Game Studio 4598-B, Stonegate Ind. Blvd Stone Mtn. GA, 30083 USA Public relations can be reached at (404)292-1819, although I am not aware of who is answering the phones since Travis left. Sam Chupp is White Wolf's online representative and can be reached at [R--ab--h] at [netcom.com] Out of common courtesy, don't flood him with e-mail. There is a BBS operated by White Wolf games. It is called White Wolf Connect. People on that BBS can be reached via [firstname lastname] at [white-wolf.com--Again], restrain the mail floods. III. The Camarilla ------------------ What is the Camarilla? It is a fan club for Vampire: The Masquerade. There is also a fan club for Werewolf, called the Concordiat. The Camarilla sponsors Live Action events for Conventions and similar events. How do I join? Send a check or money order for $15.00 to: The Camarilla 8314 Greenwood Ave. N. Box 2850 Seattle, WA 98103 Is there a Mailing list for the Camarilla? Yes, there is. send e-mail to [l--ts--v] at [wizards.com], with a blank subject line. Body of text should be: sub camarilla-l IV. Cosmology -------------- There are multiple viewpoints of reality provided in the Storyteller installments. These views rarely coincide in a manner that makes sense in an objective universe. Vampires - They really do not have much of a unified view. Several individual Clans and Bloodlines have their own viewpoints, notably the Malkavians and Ravnos. Look for the Book of Nod (See upcoming products list toward the end) for more information regarding Vampiric worldviews. Werewolves - They believe that Earth is personified by a Celestine named Gaia, and that all things are created by the Wyld, formed by the Weaver and balanced by the Wyrm. Unfortunately, their legends say, the Weaver became conscious and was driven insane. In an attempt to stop the Weaver, the Wyrm was woven into the Pattern Web and also went insane. The two of them now try to destroy the Wyld. This is reflected in the rise of cities, technology, pollution, nuclear weapons and the destruction of many animal species, natural places, and the environment in general. Mages - Their view is even more complicated. The Mages believe that reality is shaped by the beliefs and expectations of the Sleepers, normal humans. So whatever is accepted by society as a whole is true. Modern Sleepers accept science and technology, so they are the dominant forces in the world. This belief also creates Paradox Spirits which look for the breaches in reality that Magick causes and attempts to stop them from occuring, sometimes killing the Mage outright in doing so. This process creates Static Reality. The Mages can impose their will on the universe for a time, in the process creating Dynamic Reality, although this attracts Paradox. V. Crossing between Games --------------------------- How do Gifts, Disciplines and Magick interact? A Gift that causes unsoakable damage is resisted by Fortitude. A Gift that involves senses resists any Obfuscate Power being used in an opposed test. Auspex is affected by Blur of the Milky Eye and other occulting of senses. A case by case basis cannot really be presented here, the best thing to do is to use common sense or refer to those little lost pieces of information buried in the sourcebooks. Or wait until six months after Changeling is published and buy the Storyteller Omnibus, which will have all the crossover information one could ever want. Do Disciplines or Gifts provide Countermagick? No, unless specifically stated in the description of the ability, only scores in the appropriate Spheres can provide Countermagick. However, many Gifts and Disciplines can and will resist magickal effects. On the other side, a mage can use some effects to provide effective countermagick against Disciplines and Gifts. One example is using Mind One coincidentally to shield the Mage's mind from Auspex Four. The Vampire reads the wrong thoughts. The procedure would be to use the number of succeses rolled in creating the effect as the number of dice in Countermagick. This could also be used to resist Presence, Dominate, Serpentis, and other mind-affecting Disciplines. How do you set up Chronicles and/or Stories with multiple character types? Make certain that the characters have a good *reason* to cooperate, or the Mages will raid the Caerns and dissect the Vampires, the Vampires will drain the Mages and kill the Rugs, and the Garou will just kill them all off. The same goes for Mummies and other were-types. There must be a *compelling* reason for them to cooperate. For example, the Ventrue dominated a local representative of Pentex and discovered something nasty enough to shock *him*. Well, he doesn't feel safe taking it to the Prince, because the Prince wants to ensure Pentex's profit margin, so he takes it to the local Garou instead. Meanwhile, it turns out that a Virtual Adept has been looking at Pentex's systems and has uncovered something regarding Nephandi and a plot to corrupt a powerful Node (Garou Caern) in the area and naturally, he doesn't want this thing running around. The Garou are naturally interested, and both the Mage and the Vampire have information and resources that can be invaluable in the Story. VI. Clans, Bloodlines, Tribes, and Traditions --------------------------------------------- What are the original Thirteen Clans? Assamite, Brujah, Followers of Set, Gangrel, LaSombra, Malkavian, Nosferatu, Ravnos, Salubri, Toreador, Tzimisce, Ventrue. Of the thirteenth Clan, I'm not certain whether it is the Baali or the Children of Osiris, as both Clans are mentioned as having become defunct in the distant past. And the clan the Giovanni Diablerized is still a mystery. There is also the possibility that the founder of the Assamites diablerized his way into becoming an Antediluvian. What are the Werewolf Tribes? Black Furies, Bone Gnawers, Children of Gaia, Fianna, Get of Fenris, Glass Walkers, Red Talons, Shadow Lords, Silent Striders, Silver Fangs, Uktena, Wendigo. Who are the lost Tribes? The Croatan who were destroyed while fighting the Wyrm, and the White Howlers who danced the Black Spiral Labyrinth. There is a reference to a Tribe called the Bunyip, but no information is given on these lost Garou(?) What other types of the Changing Breeds are out there? Ananasi (Spider), Bastet (Cat), Corax (Raven), Gurahl (Bear), Mokole (Alligator), Nuwisha (Coyote), Ratkin (Rats), Rokea (Shark) These are all presented in the Werewolf Player's Guide. What are the Traditions? Akashic Brotherhood, Celestial Chorus, Cult of Ecstasy, Dreamspeakers, Euthanatos, Hollow Ones, Order of Hermes, Sons of Ether, Verbena, Virtual Adepts. What are the Conventions? The Technocracy's version of Traditions. They are; Iteration X, New World Order, The Progenitors, The Syndicate, Void Engineers. The Virtual Adepts were nominal members at one time and the Sons of Ether left several decades ago. What Bloodlines and Clans have appeared in White Wolf products? Note: Where a Clan has its own Discipline, it appears next to the Clan. Vampire: The Masquerade: Brujah Gangrel Malkavian Nosferatu Toreador Tremere Ventrue Player's Guide, 1st Edition: Assamites Quietus Followers of Set Serpentis Giovanni Necromancy Ravnos Chimerstry Salubri Obeah Player's Guide, 2nd Edition: Above list, plus: Daughters of Cacophony Melpominee Samedi Thanatosis Storyteller's Handbook, 1st Edition: Baali Daimoinen Blood Brothers Sanguinus Gargoyles Visceratika Player's Guide to the Sabbat: (Listed clans are different from Camarilla versions) Lasombra Obtenebration Tzimisce Vicissitudes City Gangrel Antitribu Different Discipline mix Malkavian Antitribu Dementation Panders Organized Caitiff Ventrue Antitribu Different Discipline mix Storyteller's Handbook to the Sabbat: Ahrimanes Spiritus Kiasyd Mytherceria A World of Darkness: Gaki Rift Hunter's Hunted: Children of Osiris Bardo Dark Alliance: Vancouver Bushi Kai World of Future Darkness (WW#36) Cyberpunks Technica VII. General Background Questions ------------------------------------------------------------ The Botch system is broken. What to do? Ignore rolled 1s equal to half the dice pool, *then* start counting. Ignore a number of Botches equal to the lowest of the two Traits used, plus one. Decide it isn't broken (perfectly valid!). By pursuing your task to the utmost you are opening yourself up to greater failures when you do make a *bad* mistake. A 10 cancels a 1 while remaining a success. A brief discussion of Magick: The magic of the Mummies, the Thaumaturgy of the Tremere, the hedge magic of Hunters Hunted is all Hedge Magic of varying degrees and is simply a simplified means of achieving effects similar to the Magick of Mage. It might be noted that House Tremere never used Magick, nor did the remainder of the Order of Hermes, with the probable exceptions of the founders. This is not to say they weren't potent. On the contrary, they were quite powerful. Which famous people appear in the World of Darkness? Message 16/111 From [n p b 41275] at [sumter.cso.uiuc.edu] Nov 5, 93 Famous People/Characters in White Wolf Products: *Name *As *From *Supplement Aine "Black Annis" 6th Gen. Nosferatu Scottish Legend WoD Anubis Mage Egyptian Legend WoD:M Crispus Attucks 8th Gen. Brujah Real C:B Brunhilde, Valkyrie leader 6th Gen. Gangrel Norse Legend WoD Al Capone 8th Gen. Ventrue Real CbN1&2 Alistair Crowley Malkavian Real WoD John Dee 5th Gen. Tremere Real WoD Ezuli Setite Haitian Legend WoD Helen of Troy, "Helena" 4th Gen. Toreador Greek Legend CbN1&2 Isis Mage Egyptian Legend WoD:M Robin Leeland 7th Gen. Brujah (Robin Hood) CB: Brujah, CbN 1&2 Louhi 5th Gen. Malkavian Finnish Legend WoD Meneleus, "Menele" 4th Gen. Brujah Greek Legend CbN1&2 Mictantecle 4th Gen. Gangrel Central American Legend Awakening: Diablerie Mexico Mithras 4th Gen. Ventrue Persian God WoD Osiris Vampire Egyptian Legend WoD:M, Hunter's Hunted Louis Pasteur 13th Gen. Caitiff Real AH Prias Ghoul, now deceased Greek Legend (Priam or Paris?) CbN1 Rasputin Malkavian Real C:M Jurgis Rudkus, Elzbieta Nosferatu (mostly 7th) The Jungle, Upton Sinclair CbN1 Lambach Ruthven Tzimice Polidori's The Vampire CotI Set 3rd Gen. Setite Egyptian Legend WoD:M Subotai 6th Gen. Nosferatu Real (Mongol Leader) WoD Francis Villon 5th Gen. Toreador 14th Century French Poet WoD Vlad Tepes, "Dracula" 6th Gen. Tzimice Real CotI Thoth Unknown Egyptian Legend WoD:M Erich Weiss, "Harry Houdini" Tremere Real Ashes to Ashes, Succubus Oscar Wilde Toreador Real WoD Baba Yaga 4th Gen. Nosferatu Russian Legend WoD, CotI VIII. Product List for Storyteller--Current and Upcoming --------------------------------------------------------- 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_ useful. 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 book has a few good points, such as the Anarch Manifesto. It provides plenty of background on the Anarch Free States for Storyteller use, although it is light on statistics. 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 Colony 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. Book of Nod As promised, this book is simply background information. It's written in a style similar to the Clanbook: Gangrel, in that the book is being compiled by Kindred for other Kindred to read. There are several involved in its creation. There are chapters on the Caine's Becoming (or Awakening), the creation of the Second Generation, the Third Generation, and the successive revolts. There is a section with several prophecies for Gehenna, many of which are fairly confusing. The last chapter details what life in Enoch was like. Each section has extensive footnotes at the end, and an introductory bit describing what the chapter is about. The closing comments can make your typical Kindred quite paranoid, for certain . . . The Beast Within A compilation of short stories set in San Francisco, this one has the famous Bradstreet artwork within, as well as several decent short stories. I really can't say much more about the, except to buy it to get some of the flavor for San Francisco. If this is anything to go by, San Francisco by Night will definitely be in the class of Chicago, or even better. Clanbook: Nosferatu "I am not an animal! I am a MONSTER!!" The Nosferatu and their history are detailed in this rather, uhm, different Clanbook. This book details the physically cursed Clan of the Camarilla, who wouldn't even be members if it weren't for the fact that the more bodies in the water, the more choices the sharks have for meals. The Nosferatu can range from the most civilized to the most vile of Kindred, because of the trauma of the Embrace into this horrid-appearing Clan. Clanbook: Toreador Interesting contrast to the previous Clanbook, the Clan of Beautiful People Book details the Artists of the Undead world, and how their own passions drive them to whatever heights and depths they reach for. The conflicts and interrelations of the Artistes and the Poseurs are detailed quite nicely. The Toreador are more influential than many might think . . . New Orleans by Night The story of a city established by a Prince with an impossible dream. At least as long as there are other Kindred around it's impossible. This book is considered to be the worst of the 'by Night' sourcebooks, but I'm not so certain it's entirely useless. If used as a base starting point, it has potential. But, I would have preferred a Toreador or Malkavian Prince. Bloody Hearts: Diablerie Britain The second in the Diablerie series (and hopefully the last). This is yet another dungeon crawl in which an interesting Methuselah of great and unique power is introduced, in which the players are led to this Methuselah, where they track down her resting place, pass the trials and travails therein, and kill her. At least they hope to. This one looks like it would have a decent chance of killing most anyone foolish enough to try. The most useful information is provided on Justicars and possible Chronicles featuring them and their Archons. Madame Guil, the Toreador Justicar, is detailed along with her own retinue. There is also a translation of a Malkavian prophecy about Gehenna in the back. The Highlander influences show nicely here. Berlin by Night Well, this was my first hint that Nosferatu were blue. Berlin seems to be the most disorganized 'by Night' city detailed yet. Two Princes, two Primogen . . . Don't even think of playing a Caitiff and admitting to it. The story, "The Ascension of Caine," has some potential I'm certain. It seems to follow some of the same basic twists and turns that Psychomachia did in Milwaukee by Night. 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 players who object at using notebook paper for extra stats. 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 This provides information on the war in the Amazon, and what the Garou are trying to do about it. The corruptive influence of the Wyrm is described, specifically the Pentex operations in the area. The Balam and Mokole in the region are also detailed to a certain extent. 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 The adventure is a nice little romp in the woods for some young New York Garou. Especially after everything goes wrong at the worst possible time. It does provide information on the Garou's rites of passage, and how they view the importance of this particular test. 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! 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. Black Furies Tribebook This gives us a closer view of the Black Furies and their view of the other Garou, Homids, and the Wyrm. They are among the most warlike of the tribes, but they also have other sides to their viewpoints. Read this one carefully, because it could be easy to fall into the stereotype. Bone Gnawers Tribebook This is a good example of how the Garou can fail their own kind. The Bone Gnawers have been trampled down, pushed aside, and generally ignored whenever possible throughout the history of the Garou. When not ignored, they are accused of having Wyrm Taint because of their life in the cities. Their culture, dealings with humans, attitudes, and dealings with leeches are all detailed here. Rage Across Russia A Shadow Curtain has fallen across the Motherland, and only a few know the full reason. The Little Grandmother walks and she is trying to do something that may render the future a moot point. The Garou of Russia are detailed, as well as the war between a pair of powerful vampires over the Motherland. The story ideas are worrisome to say the least. This is the most Mythic sourcebook for the World of Darkness to date. Caerns: Places of Power This details a Caern for each of the Garou tribes, and their relations to other Caerns. There is a map in the back showing their locations and moon bridge connections. Each Caern has the important Garou detailed as well as the history of the particular Caern. Umbra: The Velvet Shadow This is indeed a sourcebook with a lot of decent ideas. It provides a description of the Near Umbra and thirteen Realms that the Garou are familiar with. With this as a guidebook, you can visit the scenic Abyss, the wild Flux Realm, and even the tragic Atrocity Realm. The Tribal homelands of each of the Garou are also given space. Various NPCs who can be found in the Umbra are detailed in the back. Look in the index for Cerebus. No, not a misspelling. Just do it. VIIIc. Mage: The Ascension --------------------------- 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 in an errata sheet 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. The roots of the story date back to the time of the Order of Hermes' 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 the pad provided in the Werewolf screen. Overall it could have been much better in the final execution. Loom of Fate The Loom of Fate is a story about the importance of free will over the idea of predestiny. The characters are on their way to meet a fortune teller when the world starts changing in very peculiar ways . . . If they can avoid the Pogrom, they should be just fine. Progenitors This book details, via the initiation of a single student into their mysteries and history, one of the most frightening of the Conventions. These are the Body Snatchers come to life, the people designing biological weapons. They are much of what is feared about the science of biological engineering. Three different methodologies are detailed, each with a specialty; the Progenitors' view on the Sphere of Life is given, and it is not precisely the same as the Tradition Mages. Their relations to the other Conventions is laid out sketchily. NPC archetypes and a Progenitor Construct are detailed in the back of the book, and some of them are quite warped. Book of Chantries This book details several Tradition Chantries, a couple Technomancer Constructs, and a couple Nephandi Labyrinths. The Chantry Creation Rules are fine, but the detailed point-driven system is far too mechanical. The Story in the back features none of the Chantries in the book, and features the Reappearance of Everybody's Favorite Skinner. Digital Web This has to be the most nearly unique concept for a supplement to a magickal game to date. I mean, the idea has been played to an incredible extent in the c-word genre, but in magick? The Digital Web was created as the last act of the famous VA, Turing. It's a place where reality isn't quite fully static (some would even say that it isn't even real) and information longs to be free. The Void Engineers and the Virtual Adepts are in a race to define all of the Web, an impossible task. The Technocracy uses it as a means to get to their Chantries and avoid the Umbra, the Sons of Ether use it as a means to create laboratories where they can experiment (think of all the _electricity_ out there!), and the Virtual Adepts use it to manipulate information all over the world. The stories are definitely of decent quality. The recurse paradox realms was a very nice touch. There is a section where you can meet such as Kibo himself, Captain Feedback, or even the mysterious Grailekarm Hen. VIIId. Mind's Eye Theatre -------------------------- 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. The Masquerade Player's Kit This gives a good deal of information for the Masquerade which was originally put into the Vampire Player's Guide. With this you can be a sly Ravnos, a treacherous Setite, or even a deadly Assamite. Also detailed is the Background Generator, for those who need to roll dice or possibly a jumpstart for a character conception. This was originally supposed to be in the VPG, but never made it. VIIIe. Upcoming Products for WoD: ---------------------------------- The White Wolf Game Studio Unofficial Release Date Schedule By Sam Chupp, Internet Representative - April 21st, 1994 Note: this schedule is copyright (c) 1994 by White Wolf, Inc. Permission must be obtained to copy or reproduce it in anyway, in any print medium. Explicit permission is given to reproduce this >file electronically throughout the Internet and the world. (all dates are approximate-to-the-retailer dates and are subject to change due to the vagaries of time, space, distance, and printing. Your mileage may vary - indeed products more than three months ahead of the present date can change without notice. Let me put it this way: if your life depended on whether this unofficial schedule was 100% correct, I'd feel sorry for you. Please don't feel bad if you don't see the products on your shelves on the exact day that is listed.) For April: Virtual Adepts Tradition Book - April 22, $10.00 For May: White Wolf Magazine #43 - May10th, $3.50 Wraith Poster - May 11th - Free. This poster is the Mask of Charon created by Henry Higgenbotham, the artist who did the cover for Loom of Fate. Werewolf Second Edition - May 13th, $25.00 Werewolf 2nd Edition Screen - May 13th, $10.00 Clanbook Tremere - May 13th, $10.00 Clan Pins and Ankh Necklace: Available May 20th, $4.95/piece. You can find them packaged individually or in a counter display at most game stores and hobby shops. The clan pins are black and silver and they are in the shape of the clan symbol. The ankh is silver on its own chain. When Will You Rage? May 27th, $4.99 - Werewolf anthology Monkeywrench! Pentex, May 27th, $10.00 A werewolf sourcebook on Monkeywrenching - will include a map of Black Dog Game Factory and a profile of the new Board members after the Garou raid on the Pentex Board of Directors meeting last year. For June The Book of Shadows: Mage Player's Guide, June 3rd or 10th, $18.00 - 224 pages of Mage helpful hints, new Rotes, the histories of the traditions and the technocracy, plus an entire chapter devoted to explaining, clarifying, and illuminating the Magick system. Wraith T-Shirt: The Mask Of Charon, June 10th, $15.00 The Apocalypse: Werewolf Mind's Eye Theatre, June 10th, $15.00 - A complete game for roleplaying Werewolf live-action. The Face of Death - Wraith Artbook, June 17th, $10.00 - A beautiful artbook with art by George Pratt, Doug Gregory,. Drew Tucker, John Cobb, Larry Mc Dougal E. Allen Smith, and Darryl Elliott, written by Mark Rein*Hagen. Street Fighter - the Storytelling Game, June 17th, $14.95 - 144 pages. - A complete roleplaying game in and of itself, not a part of the World of Darkness, Street Fighter is a game for those pre-teens who love the video game. In addition to rules on how to create your own Street Fighter, statistics are made available for all the important characters, including the new ones like T. Hawk and Cammy. The Kindred's Most Wanted, June 24th, $15.00 - 128 pages - A guide to the Kindred's Most Wanted >For July: The Chaos Factor, July 8th, $15.00. A complete story/sourcebook set in Mexico Rage across Australia, July 8th, $15.00...about guess what? Including information on the Bunyip Clanbook: Ventrue, July 16th, $10.00 Los Angeles by Night, July 23rd, $18.00 Secrets of the Shadoloo, July 16th, $9.95 - a complete guide to the Shadoloo: the evil villains in service to M. Bison in Street Fighter. Werewolf Storyteller's Guide, July 23rd, $18.00 This guide will include information on creating fetishes, Kinfolk, a kind of Gaia's Fomori called a Kami, and many other 'how-to' articles on storytelling Werewolf. >For August Wraith: The Oblivion, $25.00. The Storytelling game of Death and Damnation. Cover by Henry Higgenbotham. August 6th/15th Technocracy: Iteration X, $10.00. This is the second book in the Technocracy series. August 15th. >Masquerade 2nd Edition, $15.00 - This will be sold both seperately and in the boxed set with the old Storybook and props (the boxed set will retail at $28.00). This will be an update and revision of the first Masquerade rules, packaged seperately so you don't have to buy a huge boxed set to get involved with Mind's Eye Theatre. August 26th/Sept 9th For September: World of Darkness: Gypsies, $15.00 - A complete guide to the Gypsies - they aren't just mortals, you know. September 16th Verbena Tradition book, $10.00 - Includes guidelines for shapeshifting, healing, and other impressive Life magicks. September 16th For October (all books after this point can be considered tentatively scheduled...and only a general month will be given for release information.) Necropolis: Atlanta, $18.00 - A complete setting for Wraith. Book of Madness, $15.00 - A compendium of information about the Nephandi, Marauders, and Paradox entities Who's Who Among the Werewolves, $12.00 - A 'Children of the Inquisition'-style book for Werewolf. Elysium, $15.00, - Elder-level storytelling for Vampire: The Masquerade For November Midnight Express, $15.00 - This is a 'Succubus Club' style series of short Stories that you can plop down in the middle of your existing Wraith Chronicle, focused around the legendary ghost train called the Midnight Express. The Oblivion, $15.00 - This is the Mind's Eye Theatre version of Wraith: The Oblivion. Children of Gaia Tribebook, $10.00 Haunts, $15.00 - This is a guide to important and infamous Haunts around the world. For December Sons of Ether Tradition book, $10.00 Dirty Secrets of the Black Hand, $15.00 - Focusing on that most evil of the dark Sabbat: the Black Hand. For January, 1995 Ascension's Right Hand, $12.00 - A complete sourcebook on Acolytes for Mage. NOTE: This tentative schedule does not include all the releases of the Michael Moorcock line and the Street Fighter line, and the Borderlands books, all of which are not part of the World of Darkness books. If you'd like to get a schedule on those, email me and if enough people want it, I'll type that info in too. More to come later. ....Sam VIIIf. 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 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. Stuff in the Last Few Issues: ----------------------------- Diseases That Suck A disease which mimics the effects of vampirism to a certain degree; a Kindred who knows where and how can be certified a victim of this and live in society without much question. Toreador Blood Cults A section that had to be cut from Clanbook: Toreador. What happens when a Vampire gluts himself on blood? I can't remember the name of the Werewolf stuff and I don't have any of the WW issues near me. There is a six-part comic (started in #39 I believe) and a three-part Story that started in April's issue. If I've forgotten any articles, let me know. IX. Errata, rules, etc. ------------------------- Where can I get errata for Storyteller products? There is errata for Mage. It is in the Book of Chantries and White Wolf #38. What is Vulgar Magick, and Coincidental, and how do you tell the difference? Vulgar magick blatantly defies the known laws of reality. Coincidental magick _appears_ to work 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. Subject: Vampires and Werewolves by Eric Tolle "Why don't vampires and werewolves get Paradox? There has been a lot of debate and theories floating around the Mage-l list about why vampires and werewolves (and the other shapechangers) manage to break the Technomancer Paradigm without gaining Paradox (aside from the fact that the Vampire and Werewolf books came out before Mage). These are a few of what I consider the best ideas on the subject. One of them states that the idea of vampires and werewolves are carried in the subconcious memories of people, and are reinforced by literature and movies. Thus, since there is a place for them in static reality, they do not create paradox. In other words, people believe in them (though they do not admit it, so they are allowed to exist). Another theory states that vampires and werewolvess do cause paradox, but in their case it's more structured. Vampires have the permament Paradox Flaws of sunlight and fire vulnerability, and werewolvess have the Paradox Flaw of the Delirium. Finally, there is the idea that vampires and werewolves don't get Paradox because they're not human and only living humans are part of consensual reality. Vampires are dead corpses, and as such don't get Paradox. Garou and other weres are half nature spirit, not fully human, and in any case they have Gaia backing them up. However, mages are normal humans who break the rules and pay a price for twisting reality--something "normals" aren't supposed to do. So which theory is correct? Until White Wolf comes out with something official on the subject (they ARE hinting at explanation #1) any explanation is equally valid. And in any case, it's your game, choose the one you like best, or make up your own theory. X. Ideas for Atmosphere - Music, Lighting, etc ----------------------------------------------- A new section has been added to this - a list of non-vampiric, lycanthropic, or magic(k)al sources of Story Ideas. Everything in this particular piece of the list is in its original post, so credit where credit is due is there. Xa. Music (Lots of new stuff here) ----------------------------------- From: BSU::ANANDA 1-JUN-1993 16:34:57.80 To: MSUS1::IN%"[j--a] at [cs.indiana.edu]" CC: AJ Subj: RE: ST FAQ Rules & Music What? No one commented on music for Toreador?? For something to play for your Toreador players, try "The Hunger", title track from a Michael Bolton tape. Fairly good lyrics in general, excellent for Toreador. Stuff Toreador might possibly listen to: *All* of Andrew Lloyd Weber's _Phantom_of_the_Opera_, and especially "The Music of the Night." I have the double-CD version, and *every* time I listen to it, I hear something new in the music. The amount of subtle symmetry is unreal -- in the midst of one scene, you hear the theme from another scene, and if you're paying attention it can influence the mood a good deal. Probably lots of other Lloyd Weber stuff, for pretty much the same reasons. Damn near any kind of jazz. The Poseurs will like jazz for the sake of liking jazz, while the Artistes will be more likely to understand and appreciate the requirements all the improvisation makes on the players. Various types of classical music, depending on the individual. The Poseurs will like whatever's "trendy" at the moment, while the Artistes' preferences will be more individualistic and less likely to change frequently. (I prefer baroque stuff, because I've sung things like Bach fugues and know how bloody difficult it can be to do them well.) Carl Orff's _Carmina_Borana_. I tend to lose track of how many different languages are in that monster. Stylistically, it ranges from the very intense, stacatto feel of the first piece (which has been used in numerous movies) to a very legato, almost lyrical feel. I've heard a synth version, too. Real fun stuff. (maybe) Enya, possibly all three albums: _Enya_, _Watermark_, and _Shepherd_ _Moons_. Visual artists will love her videos, which tend to look like paintings in motion. Assorted stuff by Iaso Tomita and Vangelis, both geniuses at the syths. Vladimir Horowitz, "one of the best classical pianists ever recorded". _Gershwin_Plays_Gershwin_, if you can find it. It's the man himself, playing "Rhapsody in Blue" and several shorter piano works. The best orchestral version of the Rhapsody I've heard is the one conducted by Mitch Miller. And of course, any of the younger set will probably listen to Floyd. Pink Floyd, played rather too loud through closed-ear headphones, could come close to a religious experience for some Toreador... ...That's a start... >:-] --Ananda Date: Thu, 10 Jun 1993 13:59:00 -0500 (EST) From: James Rogers <[94 JROGERS] at [vax.mbhs.edu]> Subject: Music stuff To: vampire <[v--p--e] at [math.ufl.edu]> This is a list of stuff I put together for a putative V:tM campaign. I don't know much about punk/rock/etc., so my stuff is mostly classical stuff high on creepiness. Bela Bartok: Music for Strings, Percussion, and Celesta - 1st and 3rd mvts. Bartok is the consummate creepy composer, and also Hungarian. Some of his more "traditional" pieces might also be good if you want a background of classical music that "doesn't sound quite right." Arvo Paert: Fratres There are manymanymany versions and arrangements of the piece that were just put out recently. You can find several if you know where to look. My version is by the Kronos Quartet on their album "Winter Was Hard." Actually, the rest of the stuff I've actually recorded is all by the Kronos Quartet. I'll group them by album: "Kronos Quartet": Terry Riley: Half-Wolf (!) Dances Mad in Moonlight from Salome Dances for Peace Sorry, this is from "Winter Was Hard." It makes a decent Garou theme, not to mention being fairly "mad." And no, I don't believe in choosing music by title now, stuff that really is on "Kronos Quartet": Peter Sculthorpe: String Quartet #8 A very melancholy piece. It sounds sort of "naturalistic" and would probably be out of place in the city. Philip Glass: Company Ha! The only composer on this list that's also on Mark Rein*Hagen's list. Good piece, and the KQ is excellent. "Winter Was Hard": The aforementioned "Fratres" and "Half-Wolf... etc" and also Astor Piazzolla: "Four, for Tango" Good music for a "formal" scene, when there is supposed to be dancing. Other music I've been considering: Aram Khachaturyan: "Masquerade" Suite - excellent by any name. Dmitrii Shostakovich: Symphony #4 Maurice Ravel: La Valse Antonin Dvorak: Symphony #8, movement #3 Camille Saint-Saens: Danse Macabre Joseph Schwantner: Music of Amber Date: Tue, 08 Jun 1993 13:07:42 -0500 From: "Douglas L. Bridges" <[d l b 1] at [ra.msstate.edu]> Subject: Book o' Nod and others To: [v--p--e] at [math.ufl.edu] I think that I have to agree on Tim on this. I don't think that you should put out a book of Nod defining everything which caused the creation of the Cainites. But, how I understood it from the letter the Mr. Chupp wrote is that it would be an inexact translation. I think that Mr. Chupp needs give us more of a description of what he is thinking it is going to be like, instead of just giving it as a trailer to the announcement of Dark Colony and Sabbat ST guide. I am glad that you are putting out Dark Colony, and being one of the Bourbon Street droolers, I was mad that you were putting it out before the NO by Night. (At least that is how I understood it.) I wanted to put down my list of favorite CD's to use during a vamp game. I have found all of these to have a great background effect for the games. 1) Soundtrack to Aliens 3. This is a quick cue to all of my players the some Garou are entering the scene. It is one of the most eerie CD's I have ever heard and I HIGHLY recommend it. 2) Soundtrack to The Hunger. The eerie background music mixed in with the classical music makes a great background sound for any vamp game. 3) Joy Division-> Unknown Pleasures. At the recommendation of the ST's guide, I bought this CD. It is a very dark and down trodden CD. A must. 4) Faith No More-> The Real Thing. Every song on this CD fits the WoD. If you have it, read the lyrics to all the songs. They all could be talking about vampirism. This CD works well when the characters go into some of the Urban Brawl scenes and into some of the heavier clubs. 5) Holst->The Planets. The eeriness of all of these songs will freak most players. 6) Orff-> Carmina Burana. The chanting and singing in this works great for all meetings of a chantry, or especially when the players wander onto the Sabbat and their rituals. 7) Best of the Talking Heads. Malkavians. 'Nuff Said. 8) Monty Python -> The Final Rip Off. See above. 9) Red Hot Chili Peppers -> Blood Sugar Sex Magic. Start playing this when the players get into any urban dirty area(with anarchs, sabbat, whatever.) Other music we've used around here: Peter Gabriel's _Passion_, the soundtrack for _The Last Temptation of Christ_: good dark stuff, almost completely instrumental, except for some vocalizing (I wouldn't really call it *singing*...) Skinny Puppy's _Too Dark Park_: more on the alternative side, second (?) track was our chase scene theme when we were playing Nightlife ;) T2 soundtrack Message 91/187 From Eric Michael Jumper Nov 2, 93 Date: Tue, 2 Nov 93 08:07:45 -0800 Comment: Discussion of the White Wolf World of Darkness Originator: [vampire l] at [wizards.com] To: Multiple recipients of list <[vampire l] at [wizards.com]> Subject: Music Hey All you lovers and haters of music: this is eric: For werewolf games involving the weaver, Kronos Quartet (Sp?) is really great (Hell, they're really great for many other things too). If you want a *True* horror sound trak, Diamanda Galas' (Sp?) Plague Mass is not to be believed. I also like Ozzy's Ironman for no particular reason. (Beavis and Butthead in chorus: Buh Duh Duhduhduh, badadadadada da duh) If you got that one, you really watch too much Beavis and Butthead. Finally, you need some happy, spoodgy, froofy music for intro's, caern scenes etc. It ain't all Iron Maiden and Alice in Chains. (which are great too) eric still reeling from the Diamanda Galas concert *shudder* Message 62/187 From Tom Granvold Nov 2, 93 Date: Tue, 2 Nov 93 09:20:55 -0800 Comment: Discussion of the White Wolf World of Darkness Originator: [vampire l] at [wizards.com] To: Multiple recipients of list <[vampire l] at [wizards.com]> Subject: Re: Music Eric wrote: >For werewolf games involving the weaver, Kronos Quartet (Sp?) is >really great (Hell, they're really great for many other things >too). At least somebody else knows about the Kronsos Quartet, yes that is spelled correctly. To be more specific, I recommend the following: "Salome: Dances for Peace" by Terry Riley, "Pieces of Africa", and another recording of Terry Riley's which I can't remember its name (on of the pieces on it is something like Midnight Ride of the Dream Catcher). Also, to really add to those really depressing moments in the game, say when the vampire character goes into rage and kills someone he still cares about, try "Dark Angels" again performed by the Kronos Quartet. Enough for now, Tom Granvold [t--m] at [clipper.ingr.com] Message 97/159 From [S--LZ--R] at [uwplatt.edu] Nov 2, 93 Date: Tue, 2 Nov 93 23:16:38 -0800 Comment: Discussion of the White Wolf World of Darkness Originator: [vampire l] at [wizards.com] To: Multiple recipients of list <[vampire l] at [wizards.com]> Subject: Re: music I would also recommend Paul Simon's "Rhythm of the Saints" album for Moots in Werewolf and "Bram Stoker's Dracula Soundtrack" for Vampire. I especially like A. Lennox's "Love song for a Vampire". D Lucas Quote--"So I drink blood from time to time. We all have our little quirks don't we." (player to npc) Message 46/159 From Andrew Philip Fabbro Nov 3, 93 Date: Wed, 3 Nov 93 09:58:17 -0800 Comment: Discussion of the White Wolf World of Darkness Originator: [vampire l] at [wizards.com] To: Multiple recipients of list <[vampire l] at [wizards.com]> Subject: Music I read some upstream music suggestions and thought I'd throw in a few of my own... Tom Waits, _The Bone Machine_ (several songs..."Black Wings" is practically written with V:tM in mind)... Rain Dogs also has its Gothic moments Carl Orff, _Carmina Burana_...pretty high-powered choral work-- a 20th-century composition using the text of depraved medieval monks (really) Rachmaninoff, _Vespers_ most any Gregorian chant...for those mausoleum scenes... parts of Pink Floyd's _Meddle_, esp the first track ...and I think _Night on Bald Mountain_ goes without saying...there's a delightful record that came out back in the 60s called "The Devil in Stereo Hi-Fi". Alas, I seem to have lost my copy, but NOBM led off and it get grimmer from there...;) Message 25/159 From James A Estes Nov 3, 93 Date: Wed, 3 Nov 93 12:49:03 -0800 Comment: Discussion of the White Wolf World of Darkness To: Multiple recipients of list <[vampire l] at [wizards.com]> Subject: Re: Music > Carl Orff, _Carmina Burana_...pretty high-powered choral work-- >a 20th-century composition using the text of depraved medieval >monks (really) Don't forget the techno remix of this piece, by Apotheosis. Is it Gothic or is it Punk? Its both! Pax JAE Message 29/111 From The LITTLE man FROM another PLACE Nov 5, 93 Date: Fri, 5 Nov 93 19:24:19 GMT To: Deird'Re Brooks <[d--r--e] at [efn.org]> Subject: Music... Ok, here it goes...(bloody tt): For the calm before the storm: * Dead Can Dance: all albums. Eerie stuff * And also the tree: all, cold wave. * Any Oldfield. * The Prisoner sound track. * Twin Peaks sound track. * Dune sound track. For the storm: * UB92 (I think, can't bloody remember their name) Das Boot, excellent techno/das boot mixing. (BTW das boot is an old TV serial about a german U-Boot during the WWI. Very good) * Metallica. Last album. * Megadeth. * Every new dead ghost. For both (depending on tracks): * ALL the Danny Elfman! * Any horror/fantastic film soundtrack. And of course: The little mermaid soundtrack (any Malkavian meeting)/Remixed with acid jazz............(No I A mNoT M aD!"#$%%^&^&**). Date: Sun, 24 Oct 1993 19:33:14 +1000 (EST) From: [int 907 a] at [lindblat.cc.monash.edu.au] (Sean O'Connell) Subject: musicing To add to the list, some dark/goth music.... Concrete Blond: a much-mentioned group with Vampires - Blood letting - great! - Walking in London. (where's the bloody case, ah here tis) The title, track, 'Walking in London' captures the idea of a Blood Bond beautifully... just the entire tone of the song. 'City screaming', 'Why don't you see me', and perhaps 'Someday' make for good vamp-stuff too... quiet, but eery. Shakespeare's Sister (their spelling): Sacred heart Has some cool goth tracks, esp. Run Silent , although at times is a bit 'boppy' to be good for bground music.... Blade Runner Soundtrack: no more to be said, although I would remove track 3 for b/ground music :) (vocals ;) Maybe Hunters&Collectors and Black Sorrows, but only certain selected songs... 's all that comes to mind :) Sean Xb. Idea Sources ----------------- Message 132/159 From The Deranged Priest Nov 2, 93 Date: Tue, 02 Nov 1993 09:59:39 CST To: [d--r--e] at [efn.org] Subject: Re: Should work this time... Well, here's what I know just offhand. If the idea still appeals after this, the net will probably divulge other sources as well. The Serpent and the Rainbow_ (can't remember the author's name) Book is available (and I don't have it, otherwise I'd add author, publisher, and ISBN...) as well as the movie version. The movie is available on video. If you're going to run a Haiti chronicle, this is the thing to hunt down. Probably good for general inspiration on Voudoun-type stuff. "In Search Of..." A 1970's era TV series narrated by Leonard Nimoy. When not looking for things like Vincent Van Gogh's life and the Lindbergh baby, it gets into neat mystical stuff that is *very* informative. These give good background for World of Darkness type subjects. It is currently running in hour-long blocks (two episodes) on Arts and Entertainment (cable) Monday-Friday at 8:00 AM and 7:00 PM Eastern time. I think there's a weekend show too but I don't remember offhand. Also, Ted Turner seems to have rights to several movies from the seventies dealing in "paranormal" phenomena and shows them on either TBS or TNT occasionally. In the realm of fiction, there's "The X Files" also on Fox, 9:00 PM Eastern Fridays. I haven't actually seen it, but have heard so much about it... It works from the perspective of the FBI, so it might contain inspiration for a Hunter chronicle, among other things. If I recall correctly, this is doing pretty well in the ratings, and may stick around for at least a couple of years, keeping in mind that this kind of thing usually dies a quick death on TV. With the postings of the statistics of Mulder and Scully recently, it seems that this series fits in quite well. The Crow (James O'Barr) Comic book or movie, this one is very dark, almost to the level of Kult in the brief touch Beyond. Very fitting for atmosphere. The soundtrack has some excellent music for background. The Books of Magic (DC Comics) This tale of the Awakening and Initiation is very much in the style of the World of Darkness. Tim Hunter obviously has a high Destiny and strong Avatar from the discussions of the Trenchcoat Brigade.