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One of the best sourcebooks released by Atlas games for their Ars Magica 4^th Edition game, Kabbalah isn't just a manual on Jewish magic in Mythic Europe, it's a complete guide for Jewish culture in 13^th century Europe.

Art, Layout and Physical Aspect

Although the books isn't very attractive, it's beautiful enough to satisfy most gamers, particularly those that are bored by the recent trend of more art and less text that has assaulted the gaming industry. The cover art is appropriate to the theme of the book, but not very well done. And I tend to like watercolors.

The interior art isn't stunning, but there wasn't a single piece inside that I really disliked. Some were visually ugly, but even those fit the theme of the book. Tonia Walden is fantastic as always, and Eric Hotz keeps doing his wonderful medieval-like drawings.

The layout is Atlas' standard two-column text, with an easy-to-read and normal-sized font. The margins are enormous (a little over 2 inches), something Atlas hasn't corrected in more recent Ars Magica books.

Kabbalah is perfect bound, and is as sturdy as other Ars Magica titles Atlas has released. Unfortunately, its covers also have the nasty curling habit Atlas softcover books tend to present.

Chapter 1: Introduction

This chapter starts with a brief overview of this book, followed by an explanation on how Judaism may fit Mythic Europe's clearly Christian medieval paradigm. The book assumes that Jews (as well as Islamics and of course Christians) are, more or less, "correct" regarding their assumptions about God. That means that Jewish synagogues have Divine Auras, and that Jews may have True Faith, for example. The book also gives two alternate explanation, one which makes Jewish beliefs wrong (making Kabbalah Magic and not Divine), other that makes all beliefs except theirs wrong (which could lead to a very interesting, if weird, Ars Magica campaign).

The chapter ends explaining how Jewish belief interacts with different Auras, as well as how strong are Jewish Divine Auras.

Thumbs up. Just the alternate view on how "right" Jewish beliefs are makes this an above-average introduction.

Chapter 2: Historic Landscape

The first section of this chapter gives a very, very brief resume on how the Jewish people were formed, and how they eventually reached Europe. People really interested on this should try history books or the Torah (which is, of course, your ultimate resource for introducing Jewish culture to your Saga, should you be a very perfectionist Storyguide), though, since this section is rather small.

The next section gives us some basic information on the two basic Jewish branches that exist in Mythic Europe: the Sephardic Jews, which dwell in Arabic territories, and admired and incorporated many aspects of Arabic culture (maybe because Arabs weren't as harsh on Jews as were Christians), and the Ashkenazic Jews, which established themselves in Europe. Very interesting read, especially since most gentiles (and most gamers are gentiles) don't know many of the differences between the two branches.

The next section lists where Jews live and how are they treated in Mythic Europe and beyond. It covers Byzantium, Baghdad, the Holy Land, England, Germany, France and Italy. Very good, if brief, material, but the absence of Iberian Peninsula is almost unforgivable, considering that it was one of the few places where Jews, Christians and Arabs managed to live in peace. This section also includes some information about the Karaites (a Jewish heresy) and the Khazars (a Turkic people that converted to Jewish beliefs).

The chapter ends with some explanation on how Jews relate with Christians and Islamics. On the Christian part we find info on the Crusades, the Blood Libel, Usury, the Fourth Lateran Council and Dress Codes. The Jewish-Islamic relations get few paragraphs about Jewish dhimmi (dhimmi is the Arab term for non-Muslim People of the Book a.k.a. Jews and Christians).

A very good chapter, although it could have been longer. It has nothing one can't find on history books and encyclopedias, but it's a fantastic resume for your average Storyguide. Thumbs up.

Chapter 3: The Jewish Way

Chapter 3 begins with a well-done resume of what do Jews believe. We get the 13 principles of Jewish faith elaborated by Maimonides, followed by a lengthy discussion on the nature of God. After that the book dwells in the often in the often mentioned but misunderstood topic of the Name of God, with paragraphs on the significance of the name, the various names of God, writing His name and pronouncing the name of God.

The next section discusses Halakhah, which are the set of rules and practices those of Jewish faith must observe. It basically consists in the observance of the mitzvot ("commandments") God gave to the Jewish people in the Torah. We also get explanations of what gezeirah (law instituted by rabbis to prevent the accidental violation of mitzvah), takkanah (laws not derived from mitzvah instituted by rabbinical authorities) and minhag (customs that eventually become laws) are.

After that we are presented to the entire life and death cycle of your average Jew. We get details on birth (which includes naming, circumcision, redemption of the first born or pidyon ha-bem, and adoption), Bar Mitzvah (religious adulthood), life, and death, the later which includes information on caring for the dead, mourning and kaddish ("mourner's prayer").

The next section, titled "Purity", is the longest of the chapter. It starts with information on one of the most important practices in Jewish culture: Tzedakah, or charity. Following that we have Brotherhood and Love and Dietary Law. After those two sections there's an especially important one regarding lashon ha-ra, or tale bearing, one of the most disgusting practices in Jewish eyes. Next to it is an interesting section on marriage and sex, where we see that Jews were, in many aspects, much more evoluted than Christians, with things like divorces and a much more intelligent view towards sexuality. This section also has parts detailing modesty, Jewish clothing, holidays (with a list of the most important ones), and Shabbat.

The chapter ends with information on tefilah (prayer), the role of women in Jewish communities and religion, and synagogues.

A very good chapter, although I doubt many Storyguides will ever use all the information found here. Again, there's nothing here you can't find on any good book about Jewish culture or with a good conversation with a rabbi, but, since most gentiles among us don't have easy access to a rabbi willing to help us in our gaming sessions, and that most of us would rather buy other Ars Magica sourcebooks than one about Jewish culture, this chapter is a gem. Thumbs up.

Chapter 4: Life of a Rabbi

The first sentence of this chapter explains its purpose: "All kabbalists are rabbis". That means that this chapter is essential for any player who wants to play a kabbalist character. First there's a quite accurate definition of what is a rabbi and what are his functions and powers in his community.

The second section is about the yeshiva, which can be roughly defined as a rabbi college. There's information on rabbinical teaching methods, as well as game rules detailing those studies, including special ones for those who risk solitary study (rabbis always study at least in pairs). This section ends with background and rules for Talmudic disputation.

The next section is an extensive listing of rabbinical and kabbalistic books, including their gaming stats. This chapter ends with the game rules for using Jewish gematria in scholastic studies and with a small section detailing the civil responsibilities of a rabbi.

Small, but very concise and good chapter. The library is especially interesting, considering that many books listed there exist in real life. Thumbs up.

Chapter 5: The Mysteries

In this chapter we find all the theoretical and background stuff about the kabbalah that will b later be explained in Ars Magica terms in chapter 6. There's no point in analyzing this chapter section by section, part by part, like I did with the others, since it would be little more than babbling a lot a Hebrew words without explaining their meaning. I will just say that everything your average Storyguide will ever want to know about kabbalistic magic is listed here. You can find information about Merkavah (trafficking with supernatural beings), the different kabbalistic schools, a very good resume of what is the Tree of Life and a small blurb about each Sephirot, the importance of meditation, more background info about gematria and dream interpretation. It's a very good chapter, and I doubt that anyone except real Jews and occultists will ever need to know more than what's listed here. Thumbs up.

Chapter 6: Practical Kabbalah

Finally! This is the real core of this book, and is probably why you bought or will buy it: rules for playing kabbalistic characters. It starts with character creation, where we find the Kabbalist template and the typical virtues and flaws possessed by them. The next section shows us the first kabbalistic power, Purity. Kabbalistic Purity is very similar to the one possessed by Ascetics (see Hedge Magic), although they're not identical. Purity can be used to resist magic, to resist aging, to resist injury, to resist illness and as a source of Divine Inspiration (adding bonuses to Leadership rolls). Increasing Purity is difficult, and can be done only by being a good Jew and by practicing Yihudin (purity rites) for a whole season. On the other side, losing Purity is very easy, and characters with high Purity scores tend to attract the attention of the Infernal more easily.

The second kabbalistic power is the creation of golems. All the rules to do it are here, from the simplest golems such as doves to the mighty Man golem. It must be noted that, unlike Hermetic constructs, are completely natural creatures, blessed by God. In fact, kabbalists will rarely create golems, and many times they do this just to find their limits of understanding God and the Universe, destroying the golem moments after finishing it. Sometimes they may create a Man golem to defend a Jewish community (and the creature is more than capable of doing it, with Divine Might 30, Strength and Stamina +5 and magic resistance 100), although the golem is a pacific creature that uses only non-lethal attacks if he can (although golems can go bezerk).

Their next ability is meditation. With it kabbalists may heal the mind and body of others, as well as understanding and shaping the later. They may also contemplate mysteries (similar to the Ascetic's Mystic Understanding) and themselves (which may give experience points towards Concentration).

Their final ability is Merkavah, the ability to communicate and coerce divine, magical, infernal and faerie creatures. Each creature invoked grants different powers to the kabbalist, from traveling to Jewish places in Arcadia to answering any question he has (a very powerful ability, granted by the angel Metraton).

Next comes a lengthy section about hubris, or excessive pride. High hubris kabbalists are in deep trouble, losing purity, creating mad golems and invoking demons if they don't start being humbler. The chapter ends with examples of kabbalists using many of their abilities.

The chapter is good. Some abilities may seem too powerful, such as permanent healing without vis or the creation of true life (golems), particularly from the Hermetic point of view, but they're balanced by hubris and the many social responsibilities rabbis have. I would have liked to see some powers specifically related with the sephirot, and less rules whose exclusive purpose is to gather more experience points, but I'm not expert in Jewish culture. Thumbs up.

Chapter 7: Mythic Judaism

Here we find all the supernatural Jewish stuff not specifically related with kabbalists. It starts detailing two new mystical companions, baal shem and necromancers. The first are Jewish amulet makers, and, although well done, aren't very brilliant. The necromancers, on the other hand, are fantastic. And no, they're not your typical AD&D villain obsessed with death and leader of a small legion of skeletons and zombies. Their sole ability is the summoning and controlling of spirits, which makes them very useful for saddened relatives and proto-detectives, except for the fact that they're outlawed by rabbinical law.

Following those two mystical companions we find new virtues and flaws. Many of these are magical, although a good chunk of them are Jewish-specific cultural traits, having nothing to do with the supernatural. After that we find some new exceptional skills and knowledges, as well as modifications to existing virtues, flaws and abilities.

Very useful chapter full of crunchy stuff for the creative Storyguide. The necromancer and baal shem are especially useful, since it's much easier to fit them in an existing campaign than the rather restricted kabbalists. Thumbs up.

Chapter 8: Legendary Landscape

All kinds of stuff here. It begins listing some famous rabbis and wise men, with complete statistics for all of them. We also have some info about the divine wizards King Solomon and Rabbi Adam, although of course there are no stats for these legendary men. After that we have sections on the Jewish dead and ghosts, and on how the Jewish deal with the faerie (two Jewish faerie realms are listed).

The most interesting section is, of course, the one dealing with the divine. I don't have Pax Dei, so I don't know how normal Ars Magica campaigns deal with the higher beings. Here we get the Jewish view of it, including some paragraphs about the Seven Heavens, Paradise and Angels. The later section includes many sample angels as well as which powers they may grant to Merkavah users.

The last section, Sitra-Achra, deals with the infernal. Apart from the description and game stats of three minor Jewish demons, there's some very juicy information about named demons such as Satan, Samael, Asmodeus, Azazel and Lilith, including the stats for Asmodeus on his Subverter aspect (powerful stuff; never mess with something which has "whatever he wants it to be" listed as his Soak).

Awesome chapter. The stuff on demons and angels can be used in any campaign, including non-Ars Magica ones (in fact, I'm using it in my 20^th c. Vampire game). Thumbs up.

Chapter 9: Hermetic-Cabal Relations

Well, the title says it all. The chapter begins with the Treaty of Barcelona, which can be defined as a non-aggression pact between magi and kabbalists. There are also small sections describing the relations between each hermetic houses and the kabbalists. This includes some special abilities derived from kabbalistic knowledge, such as the Criamon's hermetic numerology, and Guernicus and Jerbiton's arcane memory. This chapter ends with a small essay on why hermetic kabbalists are almost impossible things, and an example of a plausible hermetic kabbalist.

This chapter should have been longer, including tips on how to include kabbalists on a typical Ars Magica Saga and some examples of Hermetic Magic affecting Kabbalistic Magic and vice-versa. The information found here is too sparse to be really useful, and the new Arcane Memory ability may b too powerful to your average Saga. A short chapter like this is just a waste of space, and I would have dedicated this pages to other things. Thumbs down.

The book ends with a one-page appendix about the Hebrew alphabet, a fantastic four-page glossary and a two-page index (congratulations to Atlas for including indexes on all their big books, not just the basic rulebooks).

Conclusion

This book is an essential gaming resource to anyone interested in the mysteries of the Kabbalah. Although it's obvious that Ars Magica players will enjoy it more, any dedicated GM can use the background info. The only problem I can see in this book is its usefulness: there aren't many Storyguides out there making Jewish culture the center of their Sagas. Although I was so amazed by the book that I changed my last Saga to include Jewish elements, many Storyguides would prefer to buy sourcebooks with more immediate uses.

Style: 3 (Average)
Substance: 4 (Meaty)

What do you think?

Visit the above forum to let us know!

Kabbalah: Mythic Judaism
Author: David Honigsberg, Adam Bank, Jeremiah Genest Category: game Company/Publisher: Atls Games Line: Ars Magica Cost: $21.95 Page count: 160 ISBN: 1-887801-65-0 SKU: AG0255 Capsule Review by Eduardo Penna, aka Mad Ed on 02/13/00. Genre tags: Fantasy Historical	One of the best sourcebooks released by Atlas games for their Ars Magica 4^th Edition game, Kabbalah isn't just a manual on Jewish magic in Mythic Europe, it's a complete guide for Jewish culture in 13^th century Europe. Art, Layout and Physical Aspect Although the books isn't very attractive, it's beautiful enough to satisfy most gamers, particularly those that are bored by the recent trend of more art and less text that has assaulted the gaming industry. The cover art is appropriate to the theme of the book, but not very well done. And I tend to like watercolors. The interior art isn't stunning, but there wasn't a single piece inside that I really disliked. Some were visually ugly, but even those fit the theme of the book. Tonia Walden is fantastic as always, and Eric Hotz keeps doing his wonderful medieval-like drawings. The layout is Atlas' standard two-column text, with an easy-to-read and normal-sized font. The margins are enormous (a little over 2 inches), something Atlas hasn't corrected in more recent Ars Magica books. Kabbalah is perfect bound, and is as sturdy as other Ars Magica titles Atlas has released. Unfortunately, its covers also have the nasty curling habit Atlas softcover books tend to present. Chapter 1: Introduction This chapter starts with a brief overview of this book, followed by an explanation on how Judaism may fit Mythic Europe's clearly Christian medieval paradigm. The book assumes that Jews (as well as Islamics and of course Christians) are, more or less, "correct" regarding their assumptions about God. That means that Jewish synagogues have Divine Auras, and that Jews may have True Faith, for example. The book also gives two alternate explanation, one which makes Jewish beliefs wrong (making Kabbalah Magic and not Divine), other that makes all beliefs except theirs wrong (which could lead to a very interesting, if weird, Ars Magica campaign). The chapter ends explaining how Jewish belief interacts with different Auras, as well as how strong are Jewish Divine Auras. Thumbs up. Just the alternate view on how "right" Jewish beliefs are makes this an above-average introduction. Chapter 2: Historic Landscape The first section of this chapter gives a very, very brief resume on how the Jewish people were formed, and how they eventually reached Europe. People really interested on this should try history books or the Torah (which is, of course, your ultimate resource for introducing Jewish culture to your Saga, should you be a very perfectionist Storyguide), though, since this section is rather small. The next section gives us some basic information on the two basic Jewish branches that exist in Mythic Europe: the Sephardic Jews, which dwell in Arabic territories, and admired and incorporated many aspects of Arabic culture (maybe because Arabs weren't as harsh on Jews as were Christians), and the Ashkenazic Jews, which established themselves in Europe. Very interesting read, especially since most gentiles (and most gamers are gentiles) don't know many of the differences between the two branches. The next section lists where Jews live and how are they treated in Mythic Europe and beyond. It covers Byzantium, Baghdad, the Holy Land, England, Germany, France and Italy. Very good, if brief, material, but the absence of Iberian Peninsula is almost unforgivable, considering that it was one of the few places where Jews, Christians and Arabs managed to live in peace. This section also includes some information about the Karaites (a Jewish heresy) and the Khazars (a Turkic people that converted to Jewish beliefs). The chapter ends with some explanation on how Jews relate with Christians and Islamics. On the Christian part we find info on the Crusades, the Blood Libel, Usury, the Fourth Lateran Council and Dress Codes. The Jewish-Islamic relations get few paragraphs about Jewish dhimmi (dhimmi is the Arab term for non-Muslim People of the Book a.k.a. Jews and Christians). A very good chapter, although it could have been longer. It has nothing one can't find on history books and encyclopedias, but it's a fantastic resume for your average Storyguide. Thumbs up. Chapter 3: The Jewish Way Chapter 3 begins with a well-done resume of what do Jews believe. We get the 13 principles of Jewish faith elaborated by Maimonides, followed by a lengthy discussion on the nature of God. After that the book dwells in the often in the often mentioned but misunderstood topic of the Name of God, with paragraphs on the significance of the name, the various names of God, writing His name and pronouncing the name of God. The next section discusses Halakhah, which are the set of rules and practices those of Jewish faith must observe. It basically consists in the observance of the mitzvot ("commandments") God gave to the Jewish people in the Torah. We also get explanations of what gezeirah (law instituted by rabbis to prevent the accidental violation of mitzvah), takkanah (laws not derived from mitzvah instituted by rabbinical authorities) and minhag (customs that eventually become laws) are. After that we are presented to the entire life and death cycle of your average Jew. We get details on birth (which includes naming, circumcision, redemption of the first born or pidyon ha-bem, and adoption), Bar Mitzvah (religious adulthood), life, and death, the later which includes information on caring for the dead, mourning and kaddish ("mourner's prayer"). The next section, titled "Purity", is the longest of the chapter. It starts with information on one of the most important practices in Jewish culture: Tzedakah, or charity. Following that we have Brotherhood and Love and Dietary Law. After those two sections there's an especially important one regarding lashon ha-ra, or tale bearing, one of the most disgusting practices in Jewish eyes. Next to it is an interesting section on marriage and sex, where we see that Jews were, in many aspects, much more evoluted than Christians, with things like divorces and a much more intelligent view towards sexuality. This section also has parts detailing modesty, Jewish clothing, holidays (with a list of the most important ones), and Shabbat. The chapter ends with information on tefilah (prayer), the role of women in Jewish communities and religion, and synagogues. A very good chapter, although I doubt many Storyguides will ever use all the information found here. Again, there's nothing here you can't find on any good book about Jewish culture or with a good conversation with a rabbi, but, since most gentiles among us don't have easy access to a rabbi willing to help us in our gaming sessions, and that most of us would rather buy other Ars Magica sourcebooks than one about Jewish culture, this chapter is a gem. Thumbs up. Chapter 4: Life of a Rabbi The first sentence of this chapter explains its purpose: "All kabbalists are rabbis". That means that this chapter is essential for any player who wants to play a kabbalist character. First there's a quite accurate definition of what is a rabbi and what are his functions and powers in his community. The second section is about the yeshiva, which can be roughly defined as a rabbi college. There's information on rabbinical teaching methods, as well as game rules detailing those studies, including special ones for those who risk solitary study (rabbis always study at least in pairs). This section ends with background and rules for Talmudic disputation. The next section is an extensive listing of rabbinical and kabbalistic books, including their gaming stats. This chapter ends with the game rules for using Jewish gematria in scholastic studies and with a small section detailing the civil responsibilities of a rabbi. Small, but very concise and good chapter. The library is especially interesting, considering that many books listed there exist in real life. Thumbs up. Chapter 5: The Mysteries In this chapter we find all the theoretical and background stuff about the kabbalah that will b later be explained in Ars Magica terms in chapter 6. There's no point in analyzing this chapter section by section, part by part, like I did with the others, since it would be little more than babbling a lot a Hebrew words without explaining their meaning. I will just say that everything your average Storyguide will ever want to know about kabbalistic magic is listed here. You can find information about Merkavah (trafficking with supernatural beings), the different kabbalistic schools, a very good resume of what is the Tree of Life and a small blurb about each Sephirot, the importance of meditation, more background info about gematria and dream interpretation. It's a very good chapter, and I doubt that anyone except real Jews and occultists will ever need to know more than what's listed here. Thumbs up. Chapter 6: Practical Kabbalah Finally! This is the real core of this book, and is probably why you bought or will buy it: rules for playing kabbalistic characters. It starts with character creation, where we find the Kabbalist template and the typical virtues and flaws possessed by them. The next section shows us the first kabbalistic power, Purity. Kabbalistic Purity is very similar to the one possessed by Ascetics (see Hedge Magic), although they're not identical. Purity can be used to resist magic, to resist aging, to resist injury, to resist illness and as a source of Divine Inspiration (adding bonuses to Leadership rolls). Increasing Purity is difficult, and can be done only by being a good Jew and by practicing Yihudin (purity rites) for a whole season. On the other side, losing Purity is very easy, and characters with high Purity scores tend to attract the attention of the Infernal more easily. The second kabbalistic power is the creation of golems. All the rules to do it are here, from the simplest golems such as doves to the mighty Man golem. It must be noted that, unlike Hermetic constructs, are completely natural creatures, blessed by God. In fact, kabbalists will rarely create golems, and many times they do this just to find their limits of understanding God and the Universe, destroying the golem moments after finishing it. Sometimes they may create a Man golem to defend a Jewish community (and the creature is more than capable of doing it, with Divine Might 30, Strength and Stamina +5 and magic resistance 100), although the golem is a pacific creature that uses only non-lethal attacks if he can (although golems can go bezerk). Their next ability is meditation. With it kabbalists may heal the mind and body of others, as well as understanding and shaping the later. They may also contemplate mysteries (similar to the Ascetic's Mystic Understanding) and themselves (which may give experience points towards Concentration). Their final ability is Merkavah, the ability to communicate and coerce divine, magical, infernal and faerie creatures. Each creature invoked grants different powers to the kabbalist, from traveling to Jewish places in Arcadia to answering any question he has (a very powerful ability, granted by the angel Metraton). Next comes a lengthy section about hubris, or excessive pride. High hubris kabbalists are in deep trouble, losing purity, creating mad golems and invoking demons if they don't start being humbler. The chapter ends with examples of kabbalists using many of their abilities. The chapter is good. Some abilities may seem too powerful, such as permanent healing without vis or the creation of true life (golems), particularly from the Hermetic point of view, but they're balanced by hubris and the many social responsibilities rabbis have. I would have liked to see some powers specifically related with the sephirot, and less rules whose exclusive purpose is to gather more experience points, but I'm not expert in Jewish culture. Thumbs up. Chapter 7: Mythic Judaism Here we find all the supernatural Jewish stuff not specifically related with kabbalists. It starts detailing two new mystical companions, baal shem and necromancers. The first are Jewish amulet makers, and, although well done, aren't very brilliant. The necromancers, on the other hand, are fantastic. And no, they're not your typical AD&D villain obsessed with death and leader of a small legion of skeletons and zombies. Their sole ability is the summoning and controlling of spirits, which makes them very useful for saddened relatives and proto-detectives, except for the fact that they're outlawed by rabbinical law. Following those two mystical companions we find new virtues and flaws. Many of these are magical, although a good chunk of them are Jewish-specific cultural traits, having nothing to do with the supernatural. After that we find some new exceptional skills and knowledges, as well as modifications to existing virtues, flaws and abilities. Very useful chapter full of crunchy stuff for the creative Storyguide. The necromancer and baal shem are especially useful, since it's much easier to fit them in an existing campaign than the rather restricted kabbalists. Thumbs up. Chapter 8: Legendary Landscape All kinds of stuff here. It begins listing some famous rabbis and wise men, with complete statistics for all of them. We also have some info about the divine wizards King Solomon and Rabbi Adam, although of course there are no stats for these legendary men. After that we have sections on the Jewish dead and ghosts, and on how the Jewish deal with the faerie (two Jewish faerie realms are listed). The most interesting section is, of course, the one dealing with the divine. I don't have Pax Dei, so I don't know how normal Ars Magica campaigns deal with the higher beings. Here we get the Jewish view of it, including some paragraphs about the Seven Heavens, Paradise and Angels. The later section includes many sample angels as well as which powers they may grant to Merkavah users. The last section, Sitra-Achra, deals with the infernal. Apart from the description and game stats of three minor Jewish demons, there's some very juicy information about named demons such as Satan, Samael, Asmodeus, Azazel and Lilith, including the stats for Asmodeus on his Subverter aspect (powerful stuff; never mess with something which has "whatever he wants it to be" listed as his Soak). Awesome chapter. The stuff on demons and angels can be used in any campaign, including non-Ars Magica ones (in fact, I'm using it in my 20^th c. Vampire game). Thumbs up. Chapter 9: Hermetic-Cabal Relations Well, the title says it all. The chapter begins with the Treaty of Barcelona, which can be defined as a non-aggression pact between magi and kabbalists. There are also small sections describing the relations between each hermetic houses and the kabbalists. This includes some special abilities derived from kabbalistic knowledge, such as the Criamon's hermetic numerology, and Guernicus and Jerbiton's arcane memory. This chapter ends with a small essay on why hermetic kabbalists are almost impossible things, and an example of a plausible hermetic kabbalist. This chapter should have been longer, including tips on how to include kabbalists on a typical Ars Magica Saga and some examples of Hermetic Magic affecting Kabbalistic Magic and vice-versa. The information found here is too sparse to be really useful, and the new Arcane Memory ability may b too powerful to your average Saga. A short chapter like this is just a waste of space, and I would have dedicated this pages to other things. Thumbs down. The book ends with a one-page appendix about the Hebrew alphabet, a fantastic four-page glossary and a two-page index (congratulations to Atlas for including indexes on all their big books, not just the basic rulebooks). Conclusion This book is an essential gaming resource to anyone interested in the mysteries of the Kabbalah. Although it's obvious that Ars Magica players will enjoy it more, any dedicated GM can use the background info. The only problem I can see in this book is its usefulness: there aren't many Storyguides out there making Jewish culture the center of their Sagas. Although I was so amazed by the book that I changed my last Saga to include Jewish elements, many Storyguides would prefer to buy sourcebooks with more immediate uses. Style: 3 (Average) Substance: 4 (Meaty) What do you think? Visit the above forum to let us know!

Kabbalah: Mythic Judaism

What do you think?