The Inside Scoop on Gaming

Earth & Sky calls itself a game of “Modern Urban Faerie Tales”, and I believe that it succeeds at this goal. While 94 pages may not seem much for $15, this svelte little book is quite packed with information. (Although, in the author’s defense, the version currently for sale is the ‘Collector’s Edition’, which is numbered and autographed by the author and editors.)

Setting: Characters in Earth & Sky portray creatures called ‘Vhae’, which can best be described as beings of pure imagination, given a human form and turned loose upon the earth by the power of human belief. They come from our myths and stories, such as Bilbo Baggins or Thor. Recently, however, modern media has weakened the power of the human imagination, and a new type of Vhae called ‘Dark Vhae’ have sprung into existence, creatures that are trapped in their own world and unable to integrate themselves into the normal world. (Imagine Duke Nukem showing up on your doorstep!) The Vhae all possess Issues, key elements and conflicts from their original story. For example, Bilbo Baggins might have the issue of ‘The One Ring’. Only be confronting and working out their Issues can a Vhae resolve his struggle between the real world and myth, separating into either a normal human or a True Vhae, a being of pure imagination. There are also a fair number of other denizens of the world that I won’t go into detail about here, such as Dopplegangers, Dreams, and Wizards. Needless to say, there are plenty of choices available to make an interesting tableau for your game.

For personal protection, the Vhae organize themselves into Churches and Banners. Churches are groups of Vhae with similar philosophies towards the human race and the Vhae condition. Banners are loose organizations that defend Circles, places of power that lead into The Borderlands, a primal realm of magic. This is the only part of book that is really given short shrift, I get the sense that a lot more could be written on Vhae society and social organizations, but there is surprisingly little. Although this may be intentional to give the troupe more leeway into designing their own game world, it does strike me as a bit threadbare.

System: Earth & Sky offers rule sets for both conventional table-top and live-action roleplaying. Both systems are quite good and relatively simple, although the full 10 attributes may be a bit too cumbersome for live-action. I really think that the designers had live-action in mind when they designed this game, since it tends to lend itself more easily to this type of play. Fans of Changeling or Wraith looking for a good LARP need look no further.

Art: Overall, I enjoyed the artwork of the book. It does a good job of conveying the dichotomy of the modern world mixed with a faerie tale. In this, it succeeds where Changeling fails, realistically mixing fantasy with reality, without being overly burdened by dogma. Kudos to Scott C. Hungerford for this impressive feat.

Conclusion: While 94 pages may appear a bit thin, there really is quite a bit of information packed into the little book. More than enough to get yourself started on a game, or LARP, if you’re ambitious. It’s really a great game for anyone who enjoys contemporary fantasy. If you liked Changeling but didn’t care for the World of Darkness setting, this might be the book for you.

A final note: If you’ve never heard of Lampligher Design Studios, don’t be surprised. They’re a small, independent group recently split from Rubicon games. To my knowledge, the only place to find this book is the Rubicon online store at http://www.gamesandgizmos.com/product.asp?dept%5Fid=1093&sku=978096681990890000 So come on. Help out the little guy. :)

A game of contemporary fantasy set in the modern world. A perfect choice for those looking for a Changeling LARP.

Earth & Sky: Modern Urban Faerie Tales Peter Johansen
Item type: RPG Product Name: Earth & Sky: Modern Urban Faerie Tales Author: Scott C. Hungerford et al. Company/Publisher: Lamplight Production Studios Line: SKU: Cost: $15.00 Page count: 94 pp. ISBN: 0-9668199-0-X Ratings: Style 4 (Classy and well done) Substance 3 (Average) Review type: Capsule Review	Earth & Sky calls itself a game of “Modern Urban Faerie Tales”, and I believe that it succeeds at this goal. While 94 pages may not seem much for $15, this svelte little book is quite packed with information. (Although, in the author’s defense, the version currently for sale is the ‘Collector’s Edition’, which is numbered and autographed by the author and editors.) Setting: Characters in Earth & Sky portray creatures called ‘Vhae’, which can best be described as beings of pure imagination, given a human form and turned loose upon the earth by the power of human belief. They come from our myths and stories, such as Bilbo Baggins or Thor. Recently, however, modern media has weakened the power of the human imagination, and a new type of Vhae called ‘Dark Vhae’ have sprung into existence, creatures that are trapped in their own world and unable to integrate themselves into the normal world. (Imagine Duke Nukem showing up on your doorstep!) The Vhae all possess Issues, key elements and conflicts from their original story. For example, Bilbo Baggins might have the issue of ‘The One Ring’. Only be confronting and working out their Issues can a Vhae resolve his struggle between the real world and myth, separating into either a normal human or a True Vhae, a being of pure imagination. There are also a fair number of other denizens of the world that I won’t go into detail about here, such as Dopplegangers, Dreams, and Wizards. Needless to say, there are plenty of choices available to make an interesting tableau for your game. For personal protection, the Vhae organize themselves into Churches and Banners. Churches are groups of Vhae with similar philosophies towards the human race and the Vhae condition. Banners are loose organizations that defend Circles, places of power that lead into The Borderlands, a primal realm of magic. This is the only part of book that is really given short shrift, I get the sense that a lot more could be written on Vhae society and social organizations, but there is surprisingly little. Although this may be intentional to give the troupe more leeway into designing their own game world, it does strike me as a bit threadbare. System: Earth & Sky offers rule sets for both conventional table-top and live-action roleplaying. Both systems are quite good and relatively simple, although the full 10 attributes may be a bit too cumbersome for live-action. I really think that the designers had live-action in mind when they designed this game, since it tends to lend itself more easily to this type of play. Fans of Changeling or Wraith looking for a good LARP need look no further. Art: Overall, I enjoyed the artwork of the book. It does a good job of conveying the dichotomy of the modern world mixed with a faerie tale. In this, it succeeds where Changeling fails, realistically mixing fantasy with reality, without being overly burdened by dogma. Kudos to Scott C. Hungerford for this impressive feat. Conclusion: While 94 pages may appear a bit thin, there really is quite a bit of information packed into the little book. More than enough to get yourself started on a game, or LARP, if you’re ambitious. It’s really a great game for anyone who enjoys contemporary fantasy. If you liked Changeling but didn’t care for the World of Darkness setting, this might be the book for you. A final note: If you’ve never heard of Lampligher Design Studios, don’t be surprised. They’re a small, independent group recently split from Rubicon games. To my knowledge, the only place to find this book is the Rubicon online store at http://www.gamesandgizmos.com/product.asp?dept%5Fid=1093&sku=978096681990890000 So come on. Help out the little guy. :) A game of contemporary fantasy set in the modern world. A perfect choice for those looking for a Changeling LARP.

Earth & Sky: Modern Urban Faerie Tales