What’s
It About:
Be a good fellow and enlighten me as to the
fibre of this fabric?
This sourcebook is all about
the modern-day secret masters of the world.
The Ascended are the power behind the throne…
wait - better make that thrones (sorry guys).
They are the secret society, which control
the secret society, which control us (still
with me?). We live in their world, by their
rules, because they let us. This book tells
you how they got their power, what they do
with it and how they intend to keep it.
The
Look:
Does this book make me look fat?
The book’s cover looks
good. In fact I like it. It’s simple
with bold colours and the artwork is pretty
good. I like the message it gives as well.
The guy clearly has you in his sights, there
is no escape. He’s confident of this,
in fact he’s already phoned his superiors
and told them you are on your way. The Ascended
symbol behind him is good as well. Depending
how much you want to read into it, you could
say they are behind his actions, backing him
up, probably on the other end of the phone
saying "excellent" in a
very Mr Burns kind of way. Well done to Tony
Moseley (the artist).
The interior artwork is
on the whole not bad. I really like some of
the pictures, and most of them help work with
the general theme of the book. A few of the
pictures however aren’t as good as perhaps
they could have been. Some of them seem a
little rushed and ill fitting to the book.
I think Richard Pace has
done both a good and bad job on the archetype
pictures. I’m not at all keen on the
really dark images, which look less like deep
mood filled pieces and more like the ‘+
Black’ button on a photocopier has been
held down. But, the more sketchy ones look
good and the Lodge Survivor picture in particular
is very appropriate and well drawn. Different
styles for different tastes I suppose.
I think some more specific
pictures would have been well worth it as
well. More pictures of the various NPC’s
would have been nice and some of the locations
could have been improved by a picture or two
as well. Take ‘The Country Club’
for instance – one overhead picture
of the whole place would have been far better
than the lengthy description we get in the
book.
The
Content:
Between the sheets is where the real action
takes place.
Seal of the Wheel aims to
give you a run down of the Ascended and their
general organisation. Of all the factions
in the Feng Shui setting I think the Ascended
are one of the most usable. Firstly are the
big boys in the present day juncture, which
is often the most well used. Secondly, their
greyness leaves them open to a lot of interpretation
- they are neither good (sure they kill and
maim with the best of them) or bad (the world
we live in isn’t so bad is it?) –
so are they a potential ally for the players?
Or just another cupboard in which to keep
your mooks? The choice is yours.
The book includes background
info for the 1850 and current juncture as
well as some history for the Ascended themselves.
We are also given a rundown on their organisation
and the different families that make up this
worldwide super power. There is a good selection
of well thought out NPC’s from various
levels and alignments within the Ascended’s
ranks, some of whom I have used in my own
campaigns with great success.
The Ascended would of course
be out in the cold (no doubt on all fours)
if it weren’t for their command of a
great many Feng Shui sites which keep the
Chi flow in their favour. A few of the more
important/interesting ones are described here
with all the usual action movie flair for
fighting and scenery damaging ideas that make
Feng Shui what it is.
We also have the section
which some gamers consider the most important.
The new character and ‘actual’
game stuff. As I mentioned in the art section
there are new archetypes (six to be precise),
new Transformed Animal Packages, a new Fu
Path, a stash of new equipment and weapons
and a healthy dose (perhaps not so healthy
for the players…) of GM specific info
on the Ascended’s various projects and
strategies.
Finally we have an adventure,
which is simply completed by “£$%&
&^£%£ $&*£”
- strange, my keyboard won’t seem to
let me type anything about it. I wonder if
Logitech are anything to do with… no,
of course not - let’s not be silly.
Final
Thoughts:
Last words are for fools who haven't said
enough… so here goes.
If you run games in the
present day setting then it would probably
be worth your while getting this book as you
will frequently encounter the Ascended on
many levels. If you like the Feng Shui storyline
then the GM ideas section at the back on Ascended
strategies and plans give a real insight into
how the game could progress. The new character
stuff isn’t bad and I know that as far
as my group goes the more character choices
they have the happier they are (throw in some
drink, pizza and chocolate and they’re
anyone's).
So if your after a new supplement
and this is on the shelf I’d recommend
you have a flick through. After the Golden
Comeback Player’s Sourcebook this
is probably the one I use the most and it's
been, in part, responsible for some quality
gaming sessions in the past.
In the darkest shadows live
the Ascended. If you think your players are
brave - brave spelt s t u p i d - enough to
try and shine a torch on them, this book will
help you work out the damage.
Reviewed By Jon Simpson |
