The Inside Scoop on Gaming

This book is part of a trend I have noticed in recent Mage supplements towards elimination of special rule mechanics to support particular belief systems. It is a good move, in my opinion, keeping the rules simple and relying on the players' ability to role-play their paradigms; it lets you focus on providing the important information about beliefs and setting rather than contriving rules to force the player to role-play.

That aside, The Spirit Ways is something that I think Mage needs more of -- paradigm books. There was a rumor floating around a while back that this would be what Sorcerer's Crusade would do it, rather than putting out new verions of the splatbooks. The Artisan's Handbook soon followed and I had thought The Spirit Ways was another in the series, but it is clearly for the modern line, so I'll admit that I'm a bit confused. However, this is not to say that it isn't useful for a Sorcerer's Crusade game. It is general enough to be useful for shamans of any period, with the parts specific to the modern day being minimal.

The Prelude is a disturbing little tale about a shaman in training which quite adequately conveys the visceral and even somewhat alien mindset that these practitioners of magic have. It is a good introduction to the next few chapters, which lay out the basic paradigm of the shaman.

The Introduction is a mere page, offering only a summary of what is in the book, chapter by chapter, without the usual glossary and how to use this book blurb. This works out very well, saving the space for more important things. While there are many interesting shamanic terms, they are too culturally specific to really list in a glossary and I am glad they didn't feel compelled to.

Chapter One starts with a short in character speech which lays the groundwork for the examination of shamanic beliefs to come. It is first followed by a section composed of introductions from many of the shamanic cultures in their own words, conveying the flavor of their beliefs but not much in the way of specifics. While understandable, given the diversity of such cultures, I would have liked just a bit more information in this regard.

The chapter than moves on to the role a shaman traditionally plays, a summary of their history, how they are chosen, what their initiation entails, and the totem covenant. Now this is information that really should have been in Initiates of the Art. It also makes up for the lack of the previous section. While generalized, it still manages to avoid being generic and gives more than enough information to understand what a shaman is and how to play one.

The rest of the chapter is taken up with more in character accounts which illustrate what was just discussed from a variety of viewpoints and in a number of different ways. While this style often annoys me in supplements, it works well here because the shamans reliance on experience over theory or abstraction makes it impossible to just lay out their beliefs in a dry, objective manner. A book on shamans cannot be a tutorial, it can only be a collection of stories.

Chapter Two focuses on a shamans magic and begins with a further elaboration on their paradigm. Particular attention is given to the differences between their beliefs on the nature of the spirit world and that presented in the basic Mage material. This is a very good thing. It stresses paradigm over the 'generic' vision of things given for the purposes of game mechanics.

The next section deals with foci and other trappings of shamanic magic. From drugs to dress to rattles and drums, the basic tools of the trade are presented not as simple objects, but as an outgrowth of a shaman's understanding of what magic is and how it works. Each item is also discussed for its symbolic significance within the context of his or her beliefs and the purpose of the rituals themselves.

The chapter then goes on to relate the history and current state of shamanism on each continent, followed by details of its relationship with each of the Traditions and that organization as a whole. There is some prime material in here, shattering the convention that all shamans are Dreamspeakers (or, for that matter, that all Dreamspeakers are shamans). Each tradition is shown to have some sect with shamanic beliefs, even the Virtual Adepts and the Hermetics. It just adds to the depth and diversity which has been depicted so far as their legacy. Finally, a quasi-Nephandic sect of shamans called the Order of Descent is given to prove that not all dreams are 'pretty, bright, hopeful flights of fancy'. I was very happy to see a group with such dark beliefs not automatically relegated to the Nephandi.

Chapter Three moves on to the spirit world, presented through another in character tale, this time of the journey of a shaman and his mentor. A sidebar towards the beginning gives a number of simple rotes related to travel in the spirit world, each with the sort of rituals used to cast them. Fine stuff, much better than most rote material.

A huge two-page sidebar also goes into the blessings and curses of being a shaman. Again, not a lot in the way of system mechanics is given. Most of this is fodder for role-play or perspectives on existing mechanics (like Quiet and Paradox) and provides lots of material for players and storytellers alike to keep the life of a shaman character interesting.

Most of the chapter is an examination of the various realms visited by shamans and (I'm told) much of it is a re-hash of material already published in the Book of Worlds and other Umbral supplements, albeit presented through the shaman's perspective. I was a bit disappointed, though. Despite the examination earlier of how the shaman's conception of the world differs from the 'Mage default', most of this seems to be pretty standard. This problem crops up again later, making me wish they'd been more consistant, strictly going according to paradigm rather than lapsing into Mage/Werewolf conventions.

Chapter Four deals with the spirits themselves and is very system light. No stats are offered, no specific examples, just general classes of spirits and how the shaman interacts with them. Totems, of course, are dealt with first, followed by spirit allies, and then spirit enemies. Finally, a short bit on Notoriety is given, allowing a Storyteller to assign points which hamper a shaman's social interactions with spirits if they regularly abuse their power or don't show the proper respect. All in all, I think this is generally better done with role-play. I loathe forcing social rolls during a conversation just so I can use a silly game mechanic like this.

Another annoying bit here is that, again, despite reinforcement that the shamans see things differently than the Traditions and werewolves, they fall back on these perspectives on a number of occasions. The most telling example is an explanation of how a shaman would never go around the spirit world killing spirits of corruption because, unlike Garou, he has no prejudice against such spirits, seeing them as part of the natural order. This is immediately followed by a reinforcement of the Werewolf belief that the Wyrm is out of control and no longer part of the natural order, saying that shaman will, of course, help wipe out large groups of Banes. This is contradictory, obnoxious, and just stupid. I have never approved of the 'the Garou are right about everything' line that seems to crop up in Mage books constantly and I think it is particularly out of place here.

The Appendix begins with the obligatory rotes, none of which really thrilled me, and moves on after that to tools of the trade, starting with drugs. This latter bit has some interesting concepts, such as using Spirit to 'awaken' plants in order that they may be used for their full mystical potency. It is a damn fine way to explain why people can't just prepare their own damn hallucinogens, but have to rely on the shaman. LSD may give you trippy hallucinations, but with a shaman's 'help', it can let you see the spirit world.

The next section is magical items. Fetishes and talens are covered, the rules for their creation gone over again, and some shaman-specific examples given. The next class of items, though, are called lesser talismans and are foci crafted for one specific rote. I like this concept alot, but the supporting game mechanics need work. A -3 on the diff of the roll seems a bit much. However, the idea that a talisman crafted for you by a more powerful shaman can allow you to use a specific rote no more than one sphere level above your own capabilities is a nice idea and not too unbalancing.

Lastly, we get character stuff. The Merits and Flaws are a mixed bag. Some (like 'Bonus from Props') are just stupid. Some (like 'Shamanic Authority', basically Influence) are redundant. Some (like 'Mastery of Fire') are unnecessary. Transvestite and Contrary are among the better of the lot, representing the sort of radical lifestyles which shamans accept in order to channel greater spiritual energy. The last bit is the Totem background from Werewolf with three new totems, rules for creating new ones, and reference to Werewolf books and Axis Mundi for further options.

In summary, while I have a few minor gripes where the paradigm is ignored or cast aside in favor of the Tradition or Garou perspective, overall I think this book does an excellent job of presenting the world view, life, and duties of the shaman. I can only hope that more books of this sort come out in the future.

(The advertisement about the Swashbucklers' Handbook in back of Infernalism has me very happy.)

Style: 4 (Classy and well done)
Substance: 4 (Meaty)

The Spirit Ways
Author: Rachel Barth, Scott Cohen, John Snead, Eric P. Taylor Category: game Company/Publisher: White Wolf Game Studio Line: Mage: The Ascension Cost: $15.95 Page count: 110 ISBN: 1-56504-453-3 SKU: WW4043 Capsule Review by Eric Christian Berg on 10/28/99. Genre tags: Modern_day	This book is part of a trend I have noticed in recent Mage supplements towards elimination of special rule mechanics to support particular belief systems. It is a good move, in my opinion, keeping the rules simple and relying on the players' ability to role-play their paradigms; it lets you focus on providing the important information about beliefs and setting rather than contriving rules to force the player to role-play. That aside, The Spirit Ways is something that I think Mage needs more of -- paradigm books. There was a rumor floating around a while back that this would be what Sorcerer's Crusade would do it, rather than putting out new verions of the splatbooks. The Artisan's Handbook soon followed and I had thought The Spirit Ways was another in the series, but it is clearly for the modern line, so I'll admit that I'm a bit confused. However, this is not to say that it isn't useful for a Sorcerer's Crusade game. It is general enough to be useful for shamans of any period, with the parts specific to the modern day being minimal. The Prelude is a disturbing little tale about a shaman in training which quite adequately conveys the visceral and even somewhat alien mindset that these practitioners of magic have. It is a good introduction to the next few chapters, which lay out the basic paradigm of the shaman. The Introduction is a mere page, offering only a summary of what is in the book, chapter by chapter, without the usual glossary and how to use this book blurb. This works out very well, saving the space for more important things. While there are many interesting shamanic terms, they are too culturally specific to really list in a glossary and I am glad they didn't feel compelled to. Chapter One starts with a short in character speech which lays the groundwork for the examination of shamanic beliefs to come. It is first followed by a section composed of introductions from many of the shamanic cultures in their own words, conveying the flavor of their beliefs but not much in the way of specifics. While understandable, given the diversity of such cultures, I would have liked just a bit more information in this regard. The chapter than moves on to the role a shaman traditionally plays, a summary of their history, how they are chosen, what their initiation entails, and the totem covenant. Now this is information that really should have been in Initiates of the Art. It also makes up for the lack of the previous section. While generalized, it still manages to avoid being generic and gives more than enough information to understand what a shaman is and how to play one. The rest of the chapter is taken up with more in character accounts which illustrate what was just discussed from a variety of viewpoints and in a number of different ways. While this style often annoys me in supplements, it works well here because the shamans reliance on experience over theory or abstraction makes it impossible to just lay out their beliefs in a dry, objective manner. A book on shamans cannot be a tutorial, it can only be a collection of stories. Chapter Two focuses on a shamans magic and begins with a further elaboration on their paradigm. Particular attention is given to the differences between their beliefs on the nature of the spirit world and that presented in the basic Mage material. This is a very good thing. It stresses paradigm over the 'generic' vision of things given for the purposes of game mechanics. The next section deals with foci and other trappings of shamanic magic. From drugs to dress to rattles and drums, the basic tools of the trade are presented not as simple objects, but as an outgrowth of a shaman's understanding of what magic is and how it works. Each item is also discussed for its symbolic significance within the context of his or her beliefs and the purpose of the rituals themselves. The chapter then goes on to relate the history and current state of shamanism on each continent, followed by details of its relationship with each of the Traditions and that organization as a whole. There is some prime material in here, shattering the convention that all shamans are Dreamspeakers (or, for that matter, that all Dreamspeakers are shamans). Each tradition is shown to have some sect with shamanic beliefs, even the Virtual Adepts and the Hermetics. It just adds to the depth and diversity which has been depicted so far as their legacy. Finally, a quasi-Nephandic sect of shamans called the Order of Descent is given to prove that not all dreams are 'pretty, bright, hopeful flights of fancy'. I was very happy to see a group with such dark beliefs not automatically relegated to the Nephandi. Chapter Three moves on to the spirit world, presented through another in character tale, this time of the journey of a shaman and his mentor. A sidebar towards the beginning gives a number of simple rotes related to travel in the spirit world, each with the sort of rituals used to cast them. Fine stuff, much better than most rote material. A huge two-page sidebar also goes into the blessings and curses of being a shaman. Again, not a lot in the way of system mechanics is given. Most of this is fodder for role-play or perspectives on existing mechanics (like Quiet and Paradox) and provides lots of material for players and storytellers alike to keep the life of a shaman character interesting. Most of the chapter is an examination of the various realms visited by shamans and (I'm told) much of it is a re-hash of material already published in the Book of Worlds and other Umbral supplements, albeit presented through the shaman's perspective. I was a bit disappointed, though. Despite the examination earlier of how the shaman's conception of the world differs from the 'Mage default', most of this seems to be pretty standard. This problem crops up again later, making me wish they'd been more consistant, strictly going according to paradigm rather than lapsing into Mage/Werewolf conventions. Chapter Four deals with the spirits themselves and is very system light. No stats are offered, no specific examples, just general classes of spirits and how the shaman interacts with them. Totems, of course, are dealt with first, followed by spirit allies, and then spirit enemies. Finally, a short bit on Notoriety is given, allowing a Storyteller to assign points which hamper a shaman's social interactions with spirits if they regularly abuse their power or don't show the proper respect. All in all, I think this is generally better done with role-play. I loathe forcing social rolls during a conversation just so I can use a silly game mechanic like this. Another annoying bit here is that, again, despite reinforcement that the shamans see things differently than the Traditions and werewolves, they fall back on these perspectives on a number of occasions. The most telling example is an explanation of how a shaman would never go around the spirit world killing spirits of corruption because, unlike Garou, he has no prejudice against such spirits, seeing them as part of the natural order. This is immediately followed by a reinforcement of the Werewolf belief that the Wyrm is out of control and no longer part of the natural order, saying that shaman will, of course, help wipe out large groups of Banes. This is contradictory, obnoxious, and just stupid. I have never approved of the 'the Garou are right about everything' line that seems to crop up in Mage books constantly and I think it is particularly out of place here. The Appendix begins with the obligatory rotes, none of which really thrilled me, and moves on after that to tools of the trade, starting with drugs. This latter bit has some interesting concepts, such as using Spirit to 'awaken' plants in order that they may be used for their full mystical potency. It is a damn fine way to explain why people can't just prepare their own damn hallucinogens, but have to rely on the shaman. LSD may give you trippy hallucinations, but with a shaman's 'help', it can let you see the spirit world. The next section is magical items. Fetishes and talens are covered, the rules for their creation gone over again, and some shaman-specific examples given. The next class of items, though, are called lesser talismans and are foci crafted for one specific rote. I like this concept alot, but the supporting game mechanics need work. A -3 on the diff of the roll seems a bit much. However, the idea that a talisman crafted for you by a more powerful shaman can allow you to use a specific rote no more than one sphere level above your own capabilities is a nice idea and not too unbalancing. Lastly, we get character stuff. The Merits and Flaws are a mixed bag. Some (like 'Bonus from Props') are just stupid. Some (like 'Shamanic Authority', basically Influence) are redundant. Some (like 'Mastery of Fire') are unnecessary. Transvestite and Contrary are among the better of the lot, representing the sort of radical lifestyles which shamans accept in order to channel greater spiritual energy. The last bit is the Totem background from Werewolf with three new totems, rules for creating new ones, and reference to Werewolf books and Axis Mundi for further options. In summary, while I have a few minor gripes where the paradigm is ignored or cast aside in favor of the Tradition or Garou perspective, overall I think this book does an excellent job of presenting the world view, life, and duties of the shaman. I can only hope that more books of this sort come out in the future. (The advertisement about the Swashbucklers' Handbook in back of Infernalism has me very happy.) Style: 4 (Classy and well done) Substance: 4 (Meaty)