Dark Ages: Players Guide to High Clans (Vampire)

Rating:
Summary: Ignore the opening fiction, this book is excellent.
Review: As the revised guide to the Cappadocians, Tzimisce, Ventrue, Brujah, Lasombra, Toreador, and, to some degree, the Salubri and True Brujah, this fat splat is an excellent addition to the Dark Ages line. This volume is at least as good as the Guide to the Low Clans.

The book contains incredibly well thought out details on all of the clans above, as well as guidelines for playing in all High Clan games, in addition to the place the High Clans (as a larger entity) hold in medieval nights.

The only complaint I have about this book is a superficial one. I was sitting in a room by myself and the opening story managed to embarrass me! The author was obviously attempting to convey the voice of a neonate, and succeeded at this - the neonate being herself and not the character delivering the narrative. I was genuinely concerned that someone might pick up this book as their first taste of the Dark Ages material (a person who might otherwise adore this well-produced line) and never want to touch another Dark Ages product for as long as they live. I would have happily given this book 5 stars if it hadn't been for getting blind-sided (like a filth-encrusted hair in an otherwise perfect bowl of consomme') by this fiction.

Never fear! This book is worth every penny. Just ignore the opening fiction and you won't be able to help being anything but utterly satisfied. This book is great. Hats off to the developer, and the rest of these talented writers.

Rating:
Summary: Essential information for running your HC DA characters
Review: The books for Dark Ages Vampire have been uniformly great. The new direction that Matt McFarland has taken the entire line is refreshing and his insights have proven a breath of fresh air in a book-heavy system.

Truly, you do not need this book to play the game. However, you will be at a great disadvantage to your fellow players who do have it. I know I wish I had this book when I created my last character!

The true highlight of this book is the best rendition of koldunic sorcery (the Tzimice's priest-mages) EVER!!! If you have wondered as a GM wha tthe heck kolduns could do, or wondered as a player wondering what made a Tzimice mage different from a Tremere, your answer is here, laid out in a frightening explanation of why these wisemen still control Eastern Europe.

Other highlights are Abyssal Mysticism (the Lasombra get some great infomration laid out here.), a healthy grouping of Combination Disciplines, and an indepth discussion of how th High Clans adopt mortal institutions into their unlives.

In short, buy it! You will love it!!