White Wolf Night Edition Number 8 is a newsletter printed on newsprint and published sometime in the Winter of 1998.
Contents[]
Cover[]
News, Events and Excretions from White Wolf. Free! Thank a Tree.
Gloomy New Year[]
Damn! Another year begins, and we still have angst and black T-shirts left over form the last one.
Welcome to Night Edition, White Wolf's FREE newsletter and information warehouse. Your head is undoubtedly ringing from the New Year's festivities, so we'll be quick. White Wolf is gonna be busy this year. We have a crapload of books and events planned, and this issue offers a sneak peek at what to expect, not only from January through March, but until the end of '98! So shake off that hangover, get a coffee or grab some hair of the dog, 'cause there are some surprises in store and this is your chance to preview them.
White Wolf Game Q&A[]
Ask Me, I Know Everything by Fred
Forget where you left your character sheet? Wonder when you will ever kiss a girl? You can't expect your Storyteller to know everything, and you certainly don't, so send your questions to me, and I'll see what i can do. I'm Fred. I know stuff. I'll make up the answers that you want to hear most, and at half the cost!
This issue's questions came straight to my attention via the Internet. I'll answer them, but letters with large monetary donations are preferred.
I want to make a human character who doesn't have magic. What should I do to see that he lasts?[]
I would recommend a healthy supply of ammunition and lots of toadying to the other players. If there's a werewolf in the game, make sure you don't carry silver - it'll piss her off if you do. If there are vampires in the game, don't drink anything, ever - not even the soda you bought before the game. It could be a trap. If you follow my first bit of advice, you should be able to handle mages and changelings; they break just like humans do. If you're playing with a group of ghosts, just leave town. They're rotten at parties, anyway.
Okay, are Baali part demon?[]
Only the bad ones.
Because sometimes when paradox is called to a location where vulgar magick occurs it manifests with both the Mage and the location of the disturbance, what would happen if a Mage (an adept in spirit of course) stood in the penumbra and attacked a group of magi across the gauntlet with vulgar magick? Since the books suggest tat most magick done in the umbra is coincidental, would the Mage in the Penumbra gain paradox?[]
If the effect takes place in the real world, the magick would be vulgar - assuming you botch like a second-rate punk. Paradox would seek out the offender and attempt to punish her, wherever she may be hiding. The Mage books' suggestion that effects in the Penumbra be treated as coincidental refers to magick performed in the Penumbra, not across the Gauntlet.
Are there any connections between the conceptual heavens and hells of the High Umbra and the "Far Shores" of the Dark Umbra? Is there a possible connection between the Abyss, in Umbra: The Velvet Shadow, and Nihils?[]
Uhh...If you have any game questions that I, Fred, can answer here, write me c/o White Wolf or email me at *****@**********.com.
Opinions expressed are not necessarily those of White Wolf, its employees, employers, friends, family or anybody whom we might happen to know. Any connection between our books and the real world is strictly coincidence. The names of characters have been changed to protect the innocent.
Behind the Wall[]
We debated several ways to give you a peek at Kindred of the East. In the end, we decided to let the book speak for itself.
The Kindred have ravaged the World of Darkness for thousands of years. Claiming descent from the First Murderer, Caine, these parasites have riddled Old and New World alike. The Children of Caine influence, subvert and pervert the highest echelons of mortal government, economics and culture. Nothing they claim, escapes their corrupting touch.
They are wrong.
One realm eludes their clutches: the ancient land of Asia, the Middle Kingdom. Though Asia offers unthinkable riches and oceans of blood, Kindred who come here do so fearfully. Since the nights of the galleons, their attempts to exploit this land have met with dismal and horrific failure.
For another sort of vampire rules Asia's nights. These vampires scorn the myth of Caine - they are cohorts of the spirits and demons. Not for them are the indulgences of generation - respect, power and age are privileges to be earned. Their curse is not a random, pointless Embrace, but a karmic debt to be repaid. Their Beast is not a mindless adversary, but a double-edged weapon. and, as the Kindred have learned to their dismay, their Eastern counterparts have developed fearful powers and arcane arts.
Shen[]
Like the Western World of Darkness, the Middle Kingdom is haunted by a variety of supernatural beings, remnants of past Ages of the world. Vampires prowl the cities and shantytowns, while jungles and mountains are homme to the shapeshifting hengeyokai. Wily sorcerers weave their spells in suspiciously nondescript curio shops. Ghosts avenge unhallowed deaths or guard their mortal families. Faeries curse those fail to honor the ancient ways. Though often at odds with each others, these beings differ from their Western counterparts, for they consider themselves as parts of a greater family of sprit beings. Collectively, supernatural beings are known by many names, but often refer to themselves by the Chinese word "shen."
Unlike in the West, shen take relatively few precautions against discovery. The supernatural of the East has less need of Masquerades and Veils, for it is unobtrusive enough to mind its manners. Conversely, the Middle Kingdom's mortal, as a rule, have learned to ask few questions. Let the Night People walk their road, the amahs say, and they will let you walk yours - unless joss frowns on you.
The Yin and Yang Worlds[]
Beyond the Middle Kingdom, separated from it by a psychic Wall, lie the entire worlds of gods, spirits and demons. Those Westerners who are knowledgeable in such matters speak of the Umbra, the Underworld or of the Dreaming. Shen, however, know that they interact with the dualistic Worlds of Yin and Yang. Though invisible to mortal eyes, the Yin and Yang Worlds lie just over the threshold of human consciousness, and sensitive mortals often detect "eerie" auras in places where the barriers are weak.
Chi[]
The Ages are turned by the interactions of Yin and Yang, which represented by the divine Ebon Dragon and Scarlet Queen. Even in the Fifth Age - the modern world - creation energies permeate the world, flowing to and from the Yin and Yang Worlds. Called Chi, this energy flows through and among all the Ten Thousand Things.
Shen believe this energy exists in two forms. There is Yin Chi, the dark energy of chaos, of repose and ultimately of oblivion. There is also Yang Chi, the dynamic energy of direction, of motion, of life and of growth. The denizens of the spirit worlds are typically made of one or the other type of Chi, while beings of the Middle Kingdom store and use both to remain in balance. Chi is a fundamental part of all things, because all things are part of the Great Cycle.
One type of shen, however, makes no Chi of its own. It must sustain itself by stealing the Chi of other creatures, just as a vampire steals blood. This creature has been known by many names over the centuries. Western Kindred, who fear it, name it "Cathayan," after Europeans' ancient name for China - Cathayan: a descriptive, utilitarian name, like "Cappadocian" or "Setite." In this manner, the Kindred rationalize, the inscrutable Cathayan becomes just another vampire: an exotic bloodline, certainly, far removed from the ancestral tree, but a child of Caine nonetheless.
Again, they are wrong.
The Hows and Whys of Kindred of the East[]
By Rob Hatch.
Ever since Vampire first came out and the World of Darkness was introduced, the East and its supernatural denizens have been a mystery - not only to powers of the West, but also to readers and fans. The veil is finally lifted. Kindred of the East exposes vampires on the other side of the world for what they are...or what they seem to be.
We asked Rob Hatch, Vampire developer, to discuss his motivation for, and the philosophy behind, the book. At first he said, "No," and wet back to work, but we didn't go away. Here's how he got rid of us:
So - other than the obvious reason of squeezing more $$$ out of you - why put out Kindred of the East? Why add more complications and more critters to a World of Darkness that already seem as gluttedly cosmopolitan as the cantina in Star Wars?
The answer goes back to the very first printing of Vampire, and a bit of text on page 256 that, more than anything else in the book, fired my imagination as a reader. This passage, a first-person narrative from an ex-vampire read:
"Much has been said of the Kindred and their ways. The Kindred as described, however, are uniquely Western in thought, appearance and action. There are others, creatures of the Eastern lands, of China, Indochina and Japan, and other places, who are in some ways similar to the Kindred we know, but in many ways different.
"Many theories abound as to the source of these differences. Some suggest that perhaps they are descended from a different sire, from some master other than Caine. Others put forth they are different beings altogether, like the shapechangers. No one knows, and no one who has gone searching for the truth has ever returned.
"That's right, ever.
"Whatever their true origin, it is apparent, they have a stronger supernatural nature than the Kindred. Though certainly beyond the mortal plane, the Kindred are physical beings with physical limitations. The creatures of the East seem less so."
Ever since I started working here, way back in 1992, I've wondered about the answer to that mystery, and its implications for the Jyhad. At any rate, I thought, how would the self-absorbed, self-pitying Kindred deal with beings for whom vampirism was not a curse handed down willy-nilly by an uncaring sire, but a karmic debt for past lifetimes of failure? Thus was born the basic concept of Kindred of the East - an entirely separate species of supernatural beings, with no ties to Caine and that is intimately involved with the greater cosmology of its section of the world. To prepare myself and my writers for the rather arduous task of interpreting the supernatural through an entirely different lens. I went back to some of the cool old myths - the penangallan, the rakshasa, the oni, the ch'ing shih - and redefined them for the doom-and-gloom, teetering-on-the-verge-of-destruction World of Darkness.
Oh, yeah, I watched a lot of animé, too. Tough job, this at times.
Mage: The Sorcerers Crusade[]
The world is on fire. The light of the artist, the vision of the scholar and the pyre of the heretic burn with an intensity never seen before. This is the Renaissance, the battleground of the early Ascension War and the beginning of the modern world.
Blades clash and spells blaze as the Council of Nine Mystick Traditions comes together to preserve the ways of magick. Against them, a untied Order of scholars, visionaries and monster-slayers struggles to illumine the world with Reason. In the shadows, anti-Christs and mad fanatics kindle the flames of hatred and feed them with souls. Magick has gone mad, and a terrible scourge punishes those who pursue the mysteries. Across the Earth, magi come together, and their adventures lay the foundations - or the graves - of the future.
This is the Age of High Magick. Mighty enchantments drag demons across the Gauntlet. Huge storms rage at wizards' command, love charms seduce the unwary, and faeries dance in forbidden rings. Yet the wonder is undone by the specter of death. Plague, war, intrigue and Inquisition turn this age into a Dark Fantastic wonderland. To drive the shadows away, men and women of science create grand machines - airships, cannons, medical miracles - and take up the banner of the common folk. Other visionaries pray to God or the Pit to deliver the world into their hands - one way or another. Fate places Magick, Faith and Reason at odds, and the contest is far from decided.
Magickal societies - the Ahl-i-Batin, the Craftmasons, the Solificati and the elusive Ksirafaki - rise and fall. Mythic creatures stand vigilant over their lands and rage against trespassers. A fanatic cult prophecies the Second Coming, and the witch-fires burn bright. It is a grand and terrible time to be alive.
The stage is set. The players stand ready. Take up your blade and books, bolster your courage, and join the crusade.
Let the play begin.
Mage: The Sorcerers Crusade, a hardcover stand-alone game set in the Dark Renaissance, blazes to life this May.
Year of the Lotus[]
The far East. The enigma of the World of Darkness. Vampires, werewolves and mages of the West have sought to learn the mystical secrets of Asia for centuries, and have failed. What creatures lurk in these ancient empires? What do they know? And why have they remained quiet - until now?
In the tradition of the Year of the Hunter and the Year of the Ally, the Year of the Lotus is a series of Storyteller sourcebooks that opens up the East to the world. These books detail supernatural denizens and places that heretofore have been shrouded in mists.
Look for these Year of the Lotus titles in '98:
- Kindred of the East for Vampire: The Masquerade (February)
- World of Darkness: Hong Kong by Night (April)
- World of Darkness: Demon Hunter X (June)
- Hengeyokai: Shifters of the East for Werewolf: The Apocalypse (July)
- World of Darkness: Tokyo (November)
- Land of Eight Million Dreams for Changeling: The Dreaming (December)
Insanity in 1998[]
White Wolf has lot of big, fun releases planned for '97, from games to fiction. We can't go into each of them here (we don't want to ruin all of the surprises), but here are the highlights of what's in store.
Vampire: The Masquerade[]
Kindred of the East is the biggest thing in the beginning of the year. (If you couldn't tell, you've apparently missed everything else in the paper.) Developer Rob Hatch will also ply his fevered brain to World of Darkness: Demon Hunter X, a Year-of-the-Lotus-meets-animé extravaganza. Also look for something big to come late in the year, sometime around...Halloween.
Vampire: The Dark Ages[]
The Transylvania Chronicles begin here, with Dark Tides Rising, and continue in the modern Vampire line. This four-part adventure series lets players characters' write official Vampire history - even the forming of the Camarilla and Sabbat. Clanbook: Baali will guide all those who want to take vampirism to the lowest plane.
Werewolf: The Apocalyse[]
For everyone who demanded it, the Werewolf Players Guide Second Edition is here. The world of the Changing Breeds is finally complete. In fact, it's doubly so; the last of the Tribebooks - Wendigo - is available in September (Not to mention, Uktena, which comes out in May).
Werewolf: The Wild West[]
The latest historical World of Darkness game broadens its horizons this year with Ghost Towns and The Wild West Companion. Werewolves aren't the only supernatural creatures to haunt the West, but now Garou players have all-new Traits to tame or unleash the West.
Mage: The Ascension[]
Mage fans can look forward to Mage: The Sorcerers Crusade, the Dark Fantastic answer to Vampire: The Dark Ages and Werewolf: The Wild West. See the article on this page for more information. The historical line receives its own supplements, too. Of course, we don't forget modern Mage.
Wraith: The Oblivion[]
The heart of the Underworld is explored this year with essential supplements such as The Book of Legions, Doomslayers and Renegades. This is also the year we acknowledge the roleplaying heights of Wraith fans, with prestige treatment of the line, from high-quality fiction to special covers and extra features.
Changeling: The Dreaming[]
The realms of North America are finally explored with Kingdom of the Willows, the first in a series of kingdom books. Also keep an eye open for the Changeling Storytellers Guide. This is the perfect companion to Changeling Second Edition, and has been long in coming.
Mind's Eye Theatre[]
We have some heavy-hitters for live-action players: The Shining Host (MET rules for Changeling!), Secrets of Elysium (rules and powers for playing elder vampires) and Laws of the Hunt (the book for playing a live-action hunter of supernatural creatures).
Trinity[]
The Darkness Revealed adventure series takes psions beyond known space and exposes them to intrigues and enemies that they could never have imagined. This will be the storyline of the Trinity universe. Corresponding with the Darkness Revealed is a psi order and universe sourcebook series that supplements the ongoing storyline. It's a small universe after all.
Of course, we'll have other goodies, too - everything from surprise books and supplements to special jewelry and props to use in your live-action games. Whew! It's gonna be a busy year!
My Life with the All-Call Kult[]
By Justin Achilli.
It was a tumultuous night in the pitch-black recesses of my forever-damned spirit as I abased myself before the monstrous compilation of All-Call submissions, which writhed like a tangled mass of ravenous, malignant snakes as I sifted through them.
Or that's what some authors would have you believe. Others would tell you:
The pile of submissions which was in front of me was full of submissions.
Still others would insist:
As I waded out from the pool of blood left be the decimated remains of the blood-soaked Gaia Garou, I confronted the bloodiest enemy yet: Flark-Nül, the submissions pile of Bloodlust Fangsexblood.
Yes, it was simultaneously the best of times and the worst of times. Many excellent submissions arrived - so many, if fact, that we don't have enough work immediately on hand for all of the talented writers who came to our attention. Many more heinous submissions arrived, but I'm sure you knew that already.
Other highlights:
Some folks submitted illustrations or photographs; curious choices for something called a "Writer All-Call."
Some people sent what I can only assume to be unpublished masterpieces of English literature - I'll never know, because they didn't send nondisclosure forms and we had to scrap their submissions.
Someone sent an irate rant (no, it wasn't me) to the "***********@**********.com" email address. The person railed against the fact that no one had gotten in contact with him regarding what types of submissions we wanted. Maybe he should have read the announcement more carefully.
Some people sent poetry. Do we publish poetry? Oh yeah, nothing rhymes with "soul-rending angst."
Some lost souls submitted detailed proposals for "My City by Night." These were, for me anyways, the hardest submissions to look at. What the hell are 200 vampires, mages, werewolves, wraiths, faeries, mummies, Gypsies, ghouls, Kinfolk, Umbrood, space aliens, FBI agents, demons, goblins, balrogs and sundry Methuselahs doing in Duck-on-a-Rock, Iowa, anyway?
In closing, mad props and phat thanks to everyone who participated. Without you folks, we're nothing. Keep writing - as my 10th grade English teacher told me, "An author can always improve his craft." Who knows...we may be contracting you to write our next book.
Justin Achilli was an anger-filled Dark Ages and Wild West developer who didn't have nearly enough orifices through which to vent his hatred. We had to kill him.
White Wolf's Winter 98 Releases[]
January[]
Hidden Agendas: Trinity Storytellers Screen and Book[]
Hidden Agendas is a companion sourcebook to Trinity, and comes with a handy wrap-around Storyteller screen that is full of useful charts for running the game. The book contains metric tons of expanded information on the universe of the 22nd century, including: details about the psi orders and the Æon Trinity; facts about Earth, Luna, our solar system and beyond; and insights into Aberrants, aliens and other menaces. Hidden Agendas also contains an introductory storytelling adventure that kicks off the ongoing Darkness Revealed adventure series.
Stock #9001, ISBN 1-56504-758-3, $15.00 U.S.
- Cities of Darkness Volume 3 Written by Jeff Berry, John Cooper and Beth Fischi. Cover art by Doug Alexander Gregory and Clark Mitchell. Stock #2624, ISBN 1-56504-235-2, $16.00 U.S.
- The Technomancer's Toybox Written by Bill Bridges, Brian Campbell, Angel Leigh McCoy and others. Cover art by Leif Jones. Stock #4207, ISBN 1-56504-420-7, $15.00 U.S.
- The Book of Legions Written by James A. Moore, Derek Pearcy, et alia. Cover art by Guy Davis. Stock #6063, ISBN 1-56504-652-8, $18.00 U.S.
- Return to Lankhmar Third Book of the Adventures of Fafhrd and the Grey Mouser Written by Fritz Leiber. Cover art by Mike Mignola. Stock #WW12014, ISBN 1-56504-896-2, $5.99 U.S./$7.99 CAN
- Three in Space: White Wolf Rediscovery Trio #2 The Second Volume of Classic SF Novels Written by Poul Anderson, Barry Malzberg and A.E. van Vogt. Stock #WW11046, ISBN 1-56504-866-0, $14.99 U.S./$19.99 CAN
February[]
Kindred of the East[]
Kindred of the East, the first 1998's Year of the Lotus series, is a giant hardcover sourcebook describing the unique and deadly vampires of the East. This mammoth volume includes new character creation rules, new powers, descriptions of the Eastern spirit world (and rules for traveling there), and two chapters full of setting and culture information.
Stock #2900, ISBN 1-56504-232-8, $25.00 U.S.
- Corax Written by Richard E. Dansky. Art by Andrew Bates, Brian LeBlanc and Steve Prescott. Stock #3077, ISBN 1-56504-337-5, $15.00
- Noblesse Oblige: The Book of Houses Written by Bryant Durrell, Jennifer Hartshorn, Deena McKinney, Wayne Peacock and Ethan Skemp. Art by Matt Mitchell and Paul Phillips. Stock #7305, ISBN 1-56504-719-2, $18.00 U.S.
- Fantasy Dice Stock #: 5603, ISBN 1-56504-596-3, $6.99 U.S.
- To Speak in Lifeless Tongues The Grails Covenant, Volume 2 Written by David Niall Wilson. Cover art by William O'Connor. Stock #11032, ISBN 1-56504-996-9, $5.99 U.S./$7.99 CAN
- Kane of Old Mars The Eternal Champion, Volume 9 Written by Michael Moorcock. Cover art by Kevin Murphy. Stock #WW12511, ISBN 1-56504-184-4, $22.99 U.S./$30.99 CAN
- The Return of Count Electric Written by William Browning Spencer. Cover art by Bill Koeb. Stock #11817, ISBN 1-56504-869-5, $5.99 U.S./$7.99 CAN
March[]
Werewolf Players Guide Second Edition[]
It's back! The pleas of Werewolf players everywhere have finally been answered - the Werewolf Players Guide Second Edition is here! The classic supplement that provides everything a player needs to take his character in new directions has been rewritten, revised and revitalized. No more questions about converting First Edition Renown, or why the Rokea are so sparsely detailed. This book not only smooths out the rough spots of its predecessor, it also introduces tons of new information suitable for Werewolf games everywhere.
Stock #WW3108, ISBN 1-56504-352-9, $25.00 U.S.
- Transylvania Chronicles 1: Dark Tides Rising Written by Brian Campbell and Nicky Rea. Cover art by Andrew Ritchie. Stock #WW2811, ISBN 1-56504-290-5, $15.00 U.S.
- The Shining Host Written by Peter Woodworth. Art by Jonathan Rhea. Stock #WW5009, ISBN 1-56504-510-6, $15.00 U.S.
- Darkness Revealed: Descent Into Darkness Written by Bruce Baugh and Richard E. Dansky. Cover art by William O'Connor. Stock #9101, ISBN 1-56504-751-6, $16.00 U.S.
- Technocracy: Assembled Volume 1 Cover art by Kevin Murphy. Stock #WW4208, ISBN 1-56504-418-5, $20.00
- Dark Destiny III: Children of Dracula Edited by Edward E. Kramer. Cover art by Berni Wrightson Stock #WW11812, ISBN 1-56504-838-5, $5.99 U.S./$7.99 CAN
- The Enemy Papers Written by Barry Longyear. Cover art by Matt Manley. Stock #WW11042, ISBN 1-56504-859-8, $14.99 U.S./$19.99 CAN
- The Road to Science Fiction #5: The British Way edited by James Gunn stock #WW11091, ISBN 1-56504-157-7, $14.99 U.S./$19.99 CAN
Artists Spotlight on Eric LaCombe[]
Eric LaCombe has been freelancing for two years, illustrating White Wolf gamebooks and whining because he's "too busy" to go out and "play." He still finds innumerable ways to screw around, though, usually by playing with Photoshop or his Nintendo 64. Even while rendering unspeakable acts of horror, Eric has a soft spot for small animals, cute Japanese video-game characters and the movie Babe.
Eric's work can be seen in Werewolf: The Wild West, Vampire: The Dark Ages, Wraith: The Oblivion and on the covers of recent Wraith Guildbooks.
Go on-line with White Wolf. Check us out at:
- http://www.white-wolf.com;
- alt.games.whitewolf and
- rec.games.frp.storyteller
For the love of God, leave the Gillian Anderson website alone.
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