The Inside Scoop on Gaming

This review originally appeared on the alt.games.whitewolf newsgroup in October 1999, then languished on a site of mine that's been defunct for a while. I thought I might as well add it to the archives here.

OVERVIEW

The Spirit Ways is a guide to shamanism for Mage, running to 110 pages. Shamans are people whose focus is on dealing with the spirit world and its inhabitants. Dreamspeakers usually fit this bill, but so do some people from other Traditions (e.g. some Verbena and Ecstatics), Orphans, Nephandi and a still greater number of unAwakened. It's a spiritual path, a way of relating to the world. The "true" shaman serves the spirits and their community, acting as a bridge and negotiator between the two for the benefit of both.

I liked the book, apart from some minor editing problems in chapter 2. There's probably significant overlap with the Dreamspeakers Tradition book, but I haven't read that so I can't comment. It's certainly not a corebook, and if you're just starting Mage or money is tight you can get by without it. It would be useful for a Storyteller who wants to flesh out the setting and characters a bit, or for a player who wants to run a shamanic character to give background to the mindset and the spirit world.

To answer one specific question someone asked in a previous post, there are NO details of particular spirits in this book. It's all about the people who deal with them. Presumably the thought is that spirit details already exist in various books, mostly for Werewolf, but I sometimes wish that there was one for Mage that brought all that together. The Book of Worlds mentioned a project called The Mad Masque which seems to have been along those lines, but it never appeared.

PRELUDE

Nothing to do with Amanda! A short, slightly gruesome piece about a modern shamanic student in a tricky situation. Gets over the point that shamanism is not about civilisation or comfortable boundaries.

1. A LIFE APART

Perspectives on what shamanism's about from the viewpoint of traditional cultures in different parts of the world, setting the scene. Occasionally falls too far into "in-character", as many White Wolf products can, but is generally useful. Talks about how someone becomes a shaman: the calling, different approaches for dealing with it, and the perpectives and obligations once you get there. Also stuff on making a compact with a totem, a spirit that becomes the shaman's closest companion in a relationship of mutual obligation. There's some material on how a shaman can fit into modern western society. It can be difficult, as the spirits turn up with all kinds of demands at the most inopportune moments. The chapter closes with the shaman whose totem decides it's time to dance and chant (loudly!) while he's trying to watch a rock group - he stops the show and gets thrown out for his trouble.

2. THE TONGUE OF SPIRITS

Looks at the shaman and their world from an outside perspective, including the nature of the world(s); the different groups and approaches of those who deal with spirits; using plants, drugs, rituals, costumes and equipment. There's a slightly more historical take on what "progress" has done to the parts of the world where shamanic cultures still exist, and some stuff on how shamans relate to mages (most don't see themselves as such).

I had some problems with this chapter, as it sometimes reads like an early draft that's been spellchecked but not checked for readability. Some bits use the wrong words, bad grammar or come over as trite. Jeff Heinig (Mage developer) has commented in an interview that he thinks he could have developed Spirit Ways better, and I'm guessing this is the section he meant.

3. WALKING THE SPIRIT

This chapter is about going to the spirit world. It's made very approachable through the ongoing story of Adam, who's taking his first trip there with his mentor Apo, allowing us to eavesdrop on the guided tour. The Book of Worlds is the Umbra sourcebook for Mage, and has more or less detailed material about a lot of places. This chapter, on the other hand, presents just a few points about some of the more important areas, so it could be used to provide a player with their character's background knowledge. The dialogue between Adam and Apo also helps flesh out some of the preceding material. There's also more system-oriented stuff about which spheres are used to get there (in various ways); some possible advantages and disadvantages resulting from the shaman's unique relationship with the spirit world; and guidance on dealing with the spirits themselves and other travellers. Including the sidebar title: "I Went to the Middle Universe, and All I Got Was This Gaping Head Wound" (refers to Void Engineers).

4. SPIRIT HELPERS

This chapter was disappointing because it's short - the information about dealing with various types of spirit is very helpful. There are totems, who are wise and powerful spirits (or parts of them) which form a close relationship with a shaman to guide and protect them. They have a strongly archetypal nature, which can make it hard for them to understand human concerns outside their "remit". Jagglings are spirits with consciousness and power level similar to the shaman's, who can be dealt with as friends and allies. Gafflings are the weakest spirits, who may seek the patronage and protection of the shaman. Each kind of spirit can offer different kinds of aid and seeks something different in return. There's also a useful section on how not to fall foul of spirits, and what to do if you do.

APPENDIX

It's the standard rulesy bit, including:

Rotes
Tools - i.e. drugs
Magical items - Fetishes, Talismans and Lesser Talismans
Merits and Flaws
New Background: Totem

All of this is in 23 pages. There's certainly some stuff that could be used as "treasure" for characters to find, or even for basing a whole story around, as well as for fleshing out shaman characters. The Lesser Shaman Merit is for Sleeper Shamans, who have probably trained for long years to gain some of the abilities given by the Spirit sphere - basically a form of Hedge Magic. The Totem background is nice, and I would certainly encourage a player creating a Dreamspeaker to take it. I also liked Lesser Talismans: the basic version is an awakened focus which reduces difficulty for one specific rote.

All in all, a useful resource for anyone particularly interested in Mage's spirit worlds.

The Spirit Ways
The Spirit Ways Capsule Review by Tim Gray on 07/10/01 Style: 4 (Classy and well done) Substance: 3 (Average) Subtitled "a guide to shamans and spirituality" - does what it says. Not a core book, but adds background and texture quite nicely. Product: The Spirit Ways Author: Rachel Barth, Scott Cohen, John Snead and Eric P Taylor Category: RPG Company/Publisher: White Wolf Line: Mage Cost: Page count: 112 Year published: 1999 ISBN: SKU: Comp copy?: no Capsule Review by Tim Gray on 07/10/01 Genre tags: Fantasy Modern day Other	This review originally appeared on the alt.games.whitewolf newsgroup in October 1999, then languished on a site of mine that's been defunct for a while. I thought I might as well add it to the archives here. OVERVIEW The Spirit Ways is a guide to shamanism for Mage, running to 110 pages. Shamans are people whose focus is on dealing with the spirit world and its inhabitants. Dreamspeakers usually fit this bill, but so do some people from other Traditions (e.g. some Verbena and Ecstatics), Orphans, Nephandi and a still greater number of unAwakened. It's a spiritual path, a way of relating to the world. The "true" shaman serves the spirits and their community, acting as a bridge and negotiator between the two for the benefit of both. I liked the book, apart from some minor editing problems in chapter 2. There's probably significant overlap with the Dreamspeakers Tradition book, but I haven't read that so I can't comment. It's certainly not a corebook, and if you're just starting Mage or money is tight you can get by without it. It would be useful for a Storyteller who wants to flesh out the setting and characters a bit, or for a player who wants to run a shamanic character to give background to the mindset and the spirit world. To answer one specific question someone asked in a previous post, there are NO details of particular spirits in this book. It's all about the people who deal with them. Presumably the thought is that spirit details already exist in various books, mostly for Werewolf, but I sometimes wish that there was one for Mage that brought all that together. The Book of Worlds mentioned a project called The Mad Masque which seems to have been along those lines, but it never appeared. PRELUDE Nothing to do with Amanda! A short, slightly gruesome piece about a modern shamanic student in a tricky situation. Gets over the point that shamanism is not about civilisation or comfortable boundaries. 1. A LIFE APART Perspectives on what shamanism's about from the viewpoint of traditional cultures in different parts of the world, setting the scene. Occasionally falls too far into "in-character", as many White Wolf products can, but is generally useful. Talks about how someone becomes a shaman: the calling, different approaches for dealing with it, and the perpectives and obligations once you get there. Also stuff on making a compact with a totem, a spirit that becomes the shaman's closest companion in a relationship of mutual obligation. There's some material on how a shaman can fit into modern western society. It can be difficult, as the spirits turn up with all kinds of demands at the most inopportune moments. The chapter closes with the shaman whose totem decides it's time to dance and chant (loudly!) while he's trying to watch a rock group - he stops the show and gets thrown out for his trouble. 2. THE TONGUE OF SPIRITS Looks at the shaman and their world from an outside perspective, including the nature of the world(s); the different groups and approaches of those who deal with spirits; using plants, drugs, rituals, costumes and equipment. There's a slightly more historical take on what "progress" has done to the parts of the world where shamanic cultures still exist, and some stuff on how shamans relate to mages (most don't see themselves as such). I had some problems with this chapter, as it sometimes reads like an early draft that's been spellchecked but not checked for readability. Some bits use the wrong words, bad grammar or come over as trite. Jeff Heinig (Mage developer) has commented in an interview that he thinks he could have developed Spirit Ways better, and I'm guessing this is the section he meant. 3. WALKING THE SPIRIT This chapter is about going to the spirit world. It's made very approachable through the ongoing story of Adam, who's taking his first trip there with his mentor Apo, allowing us to eavesdrop on the guided tour. The Book of Worlds is the Umbra sourcebook for Mage, and has more or less detailed material about a lot of places. This chapter, on the other hand, presents just a few points about some of the more important areas, so it could be used to provide a player with their character's background knowledge. The dialogue between Adam and Apo also helps flesh out some of the preceding material. There's also more system-oriented stuff about which spheres are used to get there (in various ways); some possible advantages and disadvantages resulting from the shaman's unique relationship with the spirit world; and guidance on dealing with the spirits themselves and other travellers. Including the sidebar title: "I Went to the Middle Universe, and All I Got Was This Gaping Head Wound" (refers to Void Engineers). 4. SPIRIT HELPERS This chapter was disappointing because it's short - the information about dealing with various types of spirit is very helpful. There are totems, who are wise and powerful spirits (or parts of them) which form a close relationship with a shaman to guide and protect them. They have a strongly archetypal nature, which can make it hard for them to understand human concerns outside their "remit". Jagglings are spirits with consciousness and power level similar to the shaman's, who can be dealt with as friends and allies. Gafflings are the weakest spirits, who may seek the patronage and protection of the shaman. Each kind of spirit can offer different kinds of aid and seeks something different in return. There's also a useful section on how not to fall foul of spirits, and what to do if you do. APPENDIX It's the standard rulesy bit, including: Rotes Tools - i.e. drugs Magical items - Fetishes, Talismans and Lesser Talismans Merits and Flaws New Background: Totem All of this is in 23 pages. There's certainly some stuff that could be used as "treasure" for characters to find, or even for basing a whole story around, as well as for fleshing out shaman characters. The Lesser Shaman Merit is for Sleeper Shamans, who have probably trained for long years to gain some of the abilities given by the Spirit sphere - basically a form of Hedge Magic. The Totem background is nice, and I would certainly encourage a player creating a Dreamspeaker to take it. I also liked Lesser Talismans: the basic version is an awakened focus which reduces difficulty for one specific rote. All in all, a useful resource for anyone particularly interested in Mage's spirit worlds.