| “I
am the Tempter, Ruler of hell, Bringer of
evil. Beware! Watch for temptation for it
is there, takes his time but loves to dare.
All the people they are losing their minds.
He don't care, takes all kinds. Says love
won't you take a bite. God appears says ‘this
ain't right.’ We are damned for what
evil has done. You know now the Tempter has
won. I am the one. The almighty. I'll give
you the good things in life, take me…”
—Trouble, “The Tempter”
So you’ve read your copy of Vampire:
the Masquerade. So you think you’ve
got what it takes to be the Storyteller. So,
maybe, just maybe, you’ve picked up
a copy of the Vampire: the Masquerade Storytellers’
Companion, and drowned in the gun tables and
new abilities. You have a few ideas about
where to take the story, but you need some
stuff clarified. Why is the book so lacking
in Storyteller advice? Maybe, you thought
about buying a storyteller-only book. Well,
this is definitely the one. What every Storyteller
needs is advice, stuff to begin to work with.
Like a candle in the dark, this book guides
you, the Storyteller, to discover story seeds
and exploit different themes. It introduces
you to the mood you need to tell a grand Vampire
story. What do you need to know first? Have
fun. Follow the Golden rule. Swim in the waves
of source material. What sort of music do
vampires listen to? And Elders? What about
Methuselahs? How do they dress? Is it possible
to enter Elysium in rags and leatherjackets?
All of these questions are answered in a very
logical fashion, and, no, don’t go to
Elysium like a bum unless you want the Harpies
to take it out on you.
The Storytellers’ Handbook also has
a detailed FAQ (frequently asked questions)
about the vampire nature. All those little
things players always quarrel about: do vampires
leave fingerprints? Can a vampire re-grow
lost limbs? Also, you learn a little more
about Clan policies and relationships. What
has happened with the Baali since the Dark
Ages? What happened to the Nagaraja and the
True Brujah, now that the Black Hand was cut
off? In fact, the book tells you what happened
to all Black Hand operatives in the aftermath
of the destruction of Enoch. Some new (old
re-fitted) backgrounds and disciplines are
outlined and explained, plus some interesting
info on bloodlines and their creation. Also,
there’s a word on crossovers with other
White Wolf RPGs, like Werewolf and Mage, and
an update for Kindred of the East… Beware
those Kuei-jin!
You are also taught how to create good antagonists
and non-player characters for your Chronicle.
Next comes the subject of Elders, especially
as player characters and historical settings.
What do Elders do with their time? Where do
they spend their endless nights? Do your players
want to play an Elder chronicle? You get primers
for this and more. You find advice on creating
fresh stories, and answers to some of your
fears. What to do with problem players and
power-gamers, plus tips on advanced storytelling.
Why is the setting Gothic-Punk? How can you
show these gothic and punk elements to enhance
the story and excite your players with this
dark and perilous environment, full of terrors,
pain, and suffering? One fun thing about this
is that it contradicts what you typically
hear about the World of Darkness setting:
there’s an article explaining what Eric
Draven said so long ago: “It can’t
rain all the time.”
One thing that came as an unexpected surprise
for me, and was very interesting, were the
ideas for alternate settings for the Chronicle.
Not just your average “setting it in
weird locations” or maybe typical time
periods, just like the Victorian Age, but
real alternate worlds, and the concept of
playing in ancient Enoch for example.
Did I find it useful? Very. Do I think it’s
a must-have for Storytellers? Yes, whenever
I tell a Vampire story, it always comes with
me in my backpack… as you can see by
its covers, which are starting to show the
mileage. I never forget to speak say a few
words on the cover art, in this case some
Tzimisce Bishop preaching, probably from a
copy of the book of Nod or some other bethumbed
volume of black knowledge, to a very mixed
band of Sabbat vampires, war Ghouls and even
what seems to be one gargoyle! Very good picture!
Now, leave me, for I must listen to this
sermon, for the destiny of this world and
the secrets of Gehenna might lie within.
Reviewed by Matías Timm |
