The Inside Scoop on Gaming

Does Dream Pod 9 hold the long-lost Mandate of Heaven? I think so.

Once again, the guys in Montreal show the industry how it's done. In this book you will find well-drawn and very practical maps of Vimary, its environs and its hidden places. You'll find an encyclopedia of information regarding the societies in Vimary, how they interact and why they do what they do. Despite the subjective view, you can take what you read at face-value.

The best parts of this book revolve around the dirty secrets of this land. Fatimas conspire against each other, against the Fallen and against the Z'bri. Factions within Tribal, Fallen, Squat, Keeper and Z'bri society threaten to cripple and destroy their peoples through war and treachery. One of the Seven Sisters works in secret, and her efforts threaten to ignite the powder keg that now exists. This may be bad for PCs, but it's pure gold for GMs and players alike.

The worst parts? The usual problems of annoying typos and grammatical errors, most of which had comical consequences. After that, there are some inconsistancies of portrayal -- the Joanites that seem to've come straight from "Record of Lodoss War" for example -- and there are some NPCs left undescribed. I find these minor, especially since all of the power players are in print and the minor ones get their day in the suppliments that preceeded and followed.

The ugly parts? Besides everything dealing with the Z'bri, it's the piece about the lunatic asylum and the horrors that the inmates bring across the River of Dream. There is only two ways to end that threat, and one of them involves the slaughter of defenseless mental patients. This is a good bit of ethically-driven drama, so I like it.

Conclusions? That this book is wonderful, enjoyable to read and packed with information that all can exploit for the benefit of your campaign. Get it once you've a rulebook in hand. You won't regret the purchase.

Style: 5 (Excellent!)
Substance: 5 (Excellent!)

Vimary
Author: Joshua Mosqueira Asheim, Lucien Soulban Category: game Company/Publisher: Dream Pod 9 Cost: $19.95 (US) Page count: 144 pages ISBN: 1-896776-41-8 Playtest Review by Bradford C. Walker on 03/02/99. Genre tags: Fantasy Post-apocalypse	Does Dream Pod 9 hold the long-lost Mandate of Heaven? I think so. Once again, the guys in Montreal show the industry how it's done. In this book you will find well-drawn and very practical maps of Vimary, its environs and its hidden places. You'll find an encyclopedia of information regarding the societies in Vimary, how they interact and why they do what they do. Despite the subjective view, you can take what you read at face-value. The best parts of this book revolve around the dirty secrets of this land. Fatimas conspire against each other, against the Fallen and against the Z'bri. Factions within Tribal, Fallen, Squat, Keeper and Z'bri society threaten to cripple and destroy their peoples through war and treachery. One of the Seven Sisters works in secret, and her efforts threaten to ignite the powder keg that now exists. This may be bad for PCs, but it's pure gold for GMs and players alike. The worst parts? The usual problems of annoying typos and grammatical errors, most of which had comical consequences. After that, there are some inconsistancies of portrayal -- the Joanites that seem to've come straight from "Record of Lodoss War" for example -- and there are some NPCs left undescribed. I find these minor, especially since all of the power players are in print and the minor ones get their day in the suppliments that preceeded and followed. The ugly parts? Besides everything dealing with the Z'bri, it's the piece about the lunatic asylum and the horrors that the inmates bring across the River of Dream. There is only two ways to end that threat, and one of them involves the slaughter of defenseless mental patients. This is a good bit of ethically-driven drama, so I like it. Conclusions? That this book is wonderful, enjoyable to read and packed with information that all can exploit for the benefit of your campaign. Get it once you've a rulebook in hand. You won't regret the purchase. Style: 5 (Excellent!) Substance: 5 (Excellent!)