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White Wolf's Wolves of the Sea and Winds from the East are two of the latest releases for Vampire: Dark Ages. Keeping with the tradition of quality I now expect from White Wolf both of these books are incredible. They are similar in design to the recent Dark Ages sourcebooks including the inclusion of all new combat systems. Integration with other Storyteller games is simple and the relations between these vampires and other supernatural creatures is explained, some in great detail. Winds from the East is a bit more difficult (for a new Storyteller) than Wolves from the Sea, and a good knowledge of Kindred from the East is vital to do an good Mongol campaign. Wolves is very simple if you wish to use it for your common hack and slash, but for those who revel in the political scheming of typical games the social caste is unique to say the least, at least in this period of time in most of Europe and provides endless means to either crush the barbaric heathens or push the Christian soldiers from your homeland…and pillage theirs.

Winds from the East

In Winds from the East the Mongols are described in great detail. The background information presented in the book provides the Storyteller with enough resources to run a campaign with these nomadic conquerors. Two new bloodlines are detailed one from Gangrel and the other Salubri. The Anda are the nomadic steppes vampires. The gifts of their parent clan Gangrel courses through their blood and the harsh unlife they lead on the steppes force them to use their disciplines in unique ways. Ma is the term used for their unique uses of animalism coupled with both fortitude and protean. They make better NPCs unless you wish to play a game that constantly forces the characters to be moving along with their herd due to their clan weakness, which makes it impossible for them to stay in one place for more than three days. The Wu Zao are Saulot's childer from his journey to the East in his quest for enlightenment. They are thieves and monks, usually a team one searching out dark lore in demons lairs and the other to study and decide how to defeat the "coming darkness". They possess the disciplines of Auspex, Fortitude, and Valeren whose aspects of the healer and the warrior serve well as their weakness for the pursuit of dark lore often gets them squaring off against supernaturals of all types.

Other information in the book deals with the eastern vampires from Kindred of the East (Blood and Silk) and their relationships with and views of these two clans, hunting down the Anda and tolerating the Wu Zao. Six new Black Tortoise rites and a detailed system for using horses in combat (much different style than the heavy cavalry rules in Blood and Ashes) fill the rules in addition to the clan backgrounds. Five archetype characters and a new Road of Enlightenment top this richly filled sourcebook with more authentic history on these "barbarians" whose culture, while brief, was rich and often misrepresented.

Wolves of the Sea

The next book, Wolves of the Sea takes you to the land of the Scandinavians. The original drunk bearded warriors, the Vikings. Once again the information provided is detailed and historically accurate, dealing with an overall theme of the northern Einherjar, or the slain, and the loss of their culture being destroyed by the great war wagon I call Christianity. Sticking with this great Gangrel theme a majority of the Vikings are. New disciplines with fortitude protean and animalism make these northern warriors frighteningly more deadly. The role of females in the culture provides female characters some interesting options not found amongst her kind elsewhere in the world. There are three archetype characters, while Gangrel being the dominant clan there are others who choose to lead lives as skalds, rune-casters, or set themselves up as Jarls leading their warriors into battle sacking the coasts of England and France.

This book provides a good blend of stability and nomadic travels for groups of Viking vampires sailing their mighty drakkar long ships til morning, with ships of pillaged villages behind them and the sun rising over the bow. Good thing they also detailed yet a new form of combat, that of ship to ship and ship to shore fighting. Vampires possessed with the fury of the bear, oblivious to all but the most grievous wounds slashing at his foe with teeth and claws. The new merits of drakkar and knarr give you a longship of your own to travel to foreign ports to feast in an orgy of blood and indulgences.

Opinions are like A@#holes….

The depth of historical knowledge both of these books represent is staggering. I am no idiot but there was quite a bit that I learned from them. Winds from the East in my opinion was a great sourcebook. I think that nomadic campaigns are definitely interesting but would not recommend it to introduce your self to Dark Ages. On the other hand the bonds the Anda develop with their mounts and ability to earth meld other vampires could make surviving the treacherous nomadic lifestyle much easier. I haven't much experience with Kindred of the East Dark Ages style, though I think the Wu Zao make for an interesting pair for small games or mixed supernatural groups of players.

The Vikings are Gangrel on PCP. I strongly recommend this book not just for the sea fighting rules but the abilities these northern warriors command in battle will stagger Gangrel and lupine alike. If you want to do a Werewolf and Vampire chronicle then this is also a good source of background information detailing relations with the Get of Fenris with merits and flaws to note the starting relationships. Neither book is required reading unless you want to learn more about the world and interesting historical facts. As I mentioned above I recommend both of these books as sources for antagonists in an existing chronicle or to educate yourself through history as a night stalking predator that persists in a state of unlife through the ingestion of human blood. If only algebra were this much fun in school I'd have a job….

Style: 3 (Average)
Substance: 5 (Excellent!)

Wolves of the Sea & Wind From the East
Author: Geoffrey C. grabowski, Jason Langlois and Roman A. Ranieri / James Kiley Category: game Company/Publisher: White Wolf Line: Vampire: Dark Ages Capsule Review by Darkwood420 on 11/18/00. Genre tags: Fantasy Horror Vampire Gothic	White Wolf's Wolves of the Sea and Winds from the East are two of the latest releases for Vampire: Dark Ages. Keeping with the tradition of quality I now expect from White Wolf both of these books are incredible. They are similar in design to the recent Dark Ages sourcebooks including the inclusion of all new combat systems. Integration with other Storyteller games is simple and the relations between these vampires and other supernatural creatures is explained, some in great detail. Winds from the East is a bit more difficult (for a new Storyteller) than Wolves from the Sea, and a good knowledge of Kindred from the East is vital to do an good Mongol campaign. Wolves is very simple if you wish to use it for your common hack and slash, but for those who revel in the political scheming of typical games the social caste is unique to say the least, at least in this period of time in most of Europe and provides endless means to either crush the barbaric heathens or push the Christian soldiers from your homeland…and pillage theirs. Winds from the East In Winds from the East the Mongols are described in great detail. The background information presented in the book provides the Storyteller with enough resources to run a campaign with these nomadic conquerors. Two new bloodlines are detailed one from Gangrel and the other Salubri. The Anda are the nomadic steppes vampires. The gifts of their parent clan Gangrel courses through their blood and the harsh unlife they lead on the steppes force them to use their disciplines in unique ways. Ma is the term used for their unique uses of animalism coupled with both fortitude and protean. They make better NPCs unless you wish to play a game that constantly forces the characters to be moving along with their herd due to their clan weakness, which makes it impossible for them to stay in one place for more than three days. The Wu Zao are Saulot's childer from his journey to the East in his quest for enlightenment. They are thieves and monks, usually a team one searching out dark lore in demons lairs and the other to study and decide how to defeat the "coming darkness". They possess the disciplines of Auspex, Fortitude, and Valeren whose aspects of the healer and the warrior serve well as their weakness for the pursuit of dark lore often gets them squaring off against supernaturals of all types. Other information in the book deals with the eastern vampires from Kindred of the East (Blood and Silk) and their relationships with and views of these two clans, hunting down the Anda and tolerating the Wu Zao. Six new Black Tortoise rites and a detailed system for using horses in combat (much different style than the heavy cavalry rules in Blood and Ashes) fill the rules in addition to the clan backgrounds. Five archetype characters and a new Road of Enlightenment top this richly filled sourcebook with more authentic history on these "barbarians" whose culture, while brief, was rich and often misrepresented. Wolves of the Sea The next book, Wolves of the Sea takes you to the land of the Scandinavians. The original drunk bearded warriors, the Vikings. Once again the information provided is detailed and historically accurate, dealing with an overall theme of the northern Einherjar, or the slain, and the loss of their culture being destroyed by the great war wagon I call Christianity. Sticking with this great Gangrel theme a majority of the Vikings are. New disciplines with fortitude protean and animalism make these northern warriors frighteningly more deadly. The role of females in the culture provides female characters some interesting options not found amongst her kind elsewhere in the world. There are three archetype characters, while Gangrel being the dominant clan there are others who choose to lead lives as skalds, rune-casters, or set themselves up as Jarls leading their warriors into battle sacking the coasts of England and France. This book provides a good blend of stability and nomadic travels for groups of Viking vampires sailing their mighty drakkar long ships til morning, with ships of pillaged villages behind them and the sun rising over the bow. Good thing they also detailed yet a new form of combat, that of ship to ship and ship to shore fighting. Vampires possessed with the fury of the bear, oblivious to all but the most grievous wounds slashing at his foe with teeth and claws. The new merits of drakkar and knarr give you a longship of your own to travel to foreign ports to feast in an orgy of blood and indulgences. Opinions are like A@#holes…. The depth of historical knowledge both of these books represent is staggering. I am no idiot but there was quite a bit that I learned from them. Winds from the East in my opinion was a great sourcebook. I think that nomadic campaigns are definitely interesting but would not recommend it to introduce your self to Dark Ages. On the other hand the bonds the Anda develop with their mounts and ability to earth meld other vampires could make surviving the treacherous nomadic lifestyle much easier. I haven't much experience with Kindred of the East Dark Ages style, though I think the Wu Zao make for an interesting pair for small games or mixed supernatural groups of players. The Vikings are Gangrel on PCP. I strongly recommend this book not just for the sea fighting rules but the abilities these northern warriors command in battle will stagger Gangrel and lupine alike. If you want to do a Werewolf and Vampire chronicle then this is also a good source of background information detailing relations with the Get of Fenris with merits and flaws to note the starting relationships. Neither book is required reading unless you want to learn more about the world and interesting historical facts. As I mentioned above I recommend both of these books as sources for antagonists in an existing chronicle or to educate yourself through history as a night stalking predator that persists in a state of unlife through the ingestion of human blood. If only algebra were this much fun in school I'd have a job…. Style: 3 (Average) Substance: 5 (Excellent!)

Wolves of the Sea & Wind From the East