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This is something that I picked up and read a little while ago, but I had not gotten around to reviewing it yet. I am not a big fan of the tribebooks in general, and although they are often almost as bad as the clanbooks, they lack those few really good exceptions that make me continue to bother with Vampire: the Masquerade splatbooks. The tribebooks tend to be either bad or bland, some are even boring. The Wendigo Tribebook was not a masterpiece, but it was one of the best tribebooks I have read. It had some nice information and expanded on a few ideas and even had some very good bits. It was by no means any sort of revelation of tribe-shaker, but it was worth the price of admission.

The opening comic book is one of the better comics that White Wolf insists on tainting Werewolf: the Apocalypse products with. It manages to show both the intense rage that almost defines the Wendigo while also showing their intense and equally (if less visible) defining respect for tradition, all the while retaining traces of horror. Good art by Ron Spencer completes it, making it something I actually enjoyed reading.

The history chapter is easily the best part of the book, written how all the tribebooks should have been. Shamanistic and tribal cultures like that of the Garou lives and breathes stories, and the Wendigo Tribebook is the first time I have really seen this come through so strongly. The tales of the tribe's journey to the new world, why they venerate the cannibal spirit Wendigo, and the fall of the Croatan all were superbly done epic stories. They truly were done as myths, because they are myths, the myths that build up the Wendigo identity in a very non-mythic world. I only wish that there could have been more tales. Maybe we will get to see something of this in the Silver Record, due out later this year.

The second chapter is about tribal structure, and goes through divisions, camps, breeds and auspices. It also looks at some of the rites and rituals (actually mystical or not) that the tribe engages in, and in doing so provides a better sense of tribal culture as well as just what the Wendigo value. Through the rites, camps and the look at the Litany, we actually get a feel for Wendigo nature. Building upon the previous chapter, this was very well done.

The chapter on Wendigo around the world and their relations with others was about as short as would be expected, given the tribe's intensely isolationist and insular leanings. The relations with other tribes was okay, it was not as happy and forgiving as I had feared. Much too short in many cases, but at least the sentiments were good.

The chapter of toys and goodies was surprisingly interesting, and the Wendigo tribal weakness is one of the two or three weaknesses that I think has any sort of potential. The rites are good and the fetishes are interesting. The best thing in the chapter is the Spirit Parent merit, however, although it does not get developed as it should be. It seems weak and un-epic for spending 6 points and having a non-corporeal and spiritual parent.

The templates are good enough, although only the Wounded Prophet is really interesting, I think, and the Federal Marshal is noteworthy.

The noteworthy Wendigo are very nicely done as well. Some continue the mythic feel of the tribe while others offer alternatives to Wendigo stereotypes. We even get a long-awaited update on Evan Heals-the-Past, something I think has been lacking in Werewolf: the Apocalypse for a long time. The lack of any apparent metaplot or setting growth is infuriating sometimes.

Overall, the book is good, especially if you wanted more information on the Wendigo. This is not the answers to everything, but it has enough to be very helpful. The art is quite good as well, with no disappointments at all, and Jeff Rebner once again shows that he should be the Werewolf: the Apocalypse artist. I like Ron Spencer as much as the next guy, and he did nice work in this book, but Rebner beats him out.

Style: 3 (Average)
Substance: 3 (Average)

Wendigo Tribebook
Author: Bill Bridges Category: game Company/Publisher: White Wolf Game Studio Line: Werewolf: the Apocalypse Cost: $10.00 Page count: 72 ISBN: 1-56504-334-0 SKU: WW3078 Capsule Review by Derek Guder on 07/26/99. Genre tags: Fantasy Modern_day Horror	This is something that I picked up and read a little while ago, but I had not gotten around to reviewing it yet. I am not a big fan of the tribebooks in general, and although they are often almost as bad as the clanbooks, they lack those few really good exceptions that make me continue to bother with Vampire: the Masquerade splatbooks. The tribebooks tend to be either bad or bland, some are even boring. The Wendigo Tribebook was not a masterpiece, but it was one of the best tribebooks I have read. It had some nice information and expanded on a few ideas and even had some very good bits. It was by no means any sort of revelation of tribe-shaker, but it was worth the price of admission. The opening comic book is one of the better comics that White Wolf insists on tainting Werewolf: the Apocalypse products with. It manages to show both the intense rage that almost defines the Wendigo while also showing their intense and equally (if less visible) defining respect for tradition, all the while retaining traces of horror. Good art by Ron Spencer completes it, making it something I actually enjoyed reading. The history chapter is easily the best part of the book, written how all the tribebooks should have been. Shamanistic and tribal cultures like that of the Garou lives and breathes stories, and the Wendigo Tribebook is the first time I have really seen this come through so strongly. The tales of the tribe's journey to the new world, why they venerate the cannibal spirit Wendigo, and the fall of the Croatan all were superbly done epic stories. They truly were done as myths, because they are myths, the myths that build up the Wendigo identity in a very non-mythic world. I only wish that there could have been more tales. Maybe we will get to see something of this in the Silver Record, due out later this year. The second chapter is about tribal structure, and goes through divisions, camps, breeds and auspices. It also looks at some of the rites and rituals (actually mystical or not) that the tribe engages in, and in doing so provides a better sense of tribal culture as well as just what the Wendigo value. Through the rites, camps and the look at the Litany, we actually get a feel for Wendigo nature. Building upon the previous chapter, this was very well done. The chapter on Wendigo around the world and their relations with others was about as short as would be expected, given the tribe's intensely isolationist and insular leanings. The relations with other tribes was okay, it was not as happy and forgiving as I had feared. Much too short in many cases, but at least the sentiments were good. The chapter of toys and goodies was surprisingly interesting, and the Wendigo tribal weakness is one of the two or three weaknesses that I think has any sort of potential. The rites are good and the fetishes are interesting. The best thing in the chapter is the Spirit Parent merit, however, although it does not get developed as it should be. It seems weak and un-epic for spending 6 points and having a non-corporeal and spiritual parent. The templates are good enough, although only the Wounded Prophet is really interesting, I think, and the Federal Marshal is noteworthy. The noteworthy Wendigo are very nicely done as well. Some continue the mythic feel of the tribe while others offer alternatives to Wendigo stereotypes. We even get a long-awaited update on Evan Heals-the-Past, something I think has been lacking in Werewolf: the Apocalypse for a long time. The lack of any apparent metaplot or setting growth is infuriating sometimes. Overall, the book is good, especially if you wanted more information on the Wendigo. This is not the answers to everything, but it has enough to be very helpful. The art is quite good as well, with no disappointments at all, and Jeff Rebner once again shows that he should be the Werewolf: the Apocalypse artist. I like Ron Spencer as much as the next guy, and he did nice work in this book, but Rebner beats him out. Style: 3 (Average) Substance: 3 (Average)