Hunter: Holy War was a book that I was buying to keep my Hunter collection complete. This is not to say I went into reading this book with any preconceived notion that the book would be bad. Rather, I have the Hunter campaigns I run well-planned out, and long ago established the Middle East would not be a place any of them would involve. Still, I ordered Holy War, and despite having reserved the one copy my local Borders was to receive I found it sitting on the shelf, never receiving an explanation why it had not been held for me or why when I had called the day before I had been told the book was still unavailable. At first I thought was just another example of my long string of bad luck in trying to order White Wolf products. After reading Holy War I think God was trying to prevent me from wasting my money on this book.
I'll start with the cover, which is the best cover to grace a Hunter product, second only to the Hunter rulebook cover. It depicts a man brandishing twin scimitars, wailing away at enemies of whom only their arms can be seen. Behind him is a lovely redheaded woman, brandishing a pistol and shotgun. Definetly Laura Croft inspired, but unlike Laura this woman is attractive and properly proportioned, meaning anyone approaching her from the front won't risk having an eye poked out. Behind the pair are a bunch of men and a camel, all of whom seem to be displaying the Gleam of Red Eyes power from the Protean Discipline. Not the best art I've seen, but I'd rather see this artist doing Hunter covers than anyone else that's come before.
The book starts with an introduction entitled "Allah's Blessing," an introduction by a Middle Eastern Hunter to those unfamiliar with the region. I"d recommend reading this AFTER the prologue fiction, as perceptive readers might otherwise guess the "shock revelation" of that fiction. "Allah's Blessing" is done in a handwritten style of script, you may find this section hard to read because of it. An amusing point of this section is that the author points out several misconceptions foreigners have about the Middle East, but at a few points he writes with misconceptions those from the Middle East have about those outside their lands. I'll let you make of this what you will.
The prologue is, as I said earlier, a piece of fiction. The first bit of it is infuriating to the reader--One person on rpg.net commented the author was attempting to capture the point of view of two different characters about one event, ala Rashoman, but if that was the intention it failed miserably. What we get feels like the author started writing the story, got a few paragraphs done, restarted the story, and when it was published those first few paragraphs were put at the top of the redone story. That sounds confusing when described, and it is just as confusing to read. For a moment when I first read it I thought White Wolf had accidentally recopied text in the production of the book, like they had done in Mummy: The Resurrection for the description of the Keening. But no technical mistake here, only a literary one. This is sad, as it was an otherwise good story.
Next up is the Introduction section, where basically the reader is told they have a stereotypical view of the Middle East, which this book and the recommended reading and viewing list will help to fix. There is an interesting thing in this section. First is the statement "...cultural mores and outlooks must play a part. They dictate how the Hunter carries out her duties, given her surroundings, and how she views herself. Culture even influences how her imbuing manifests or how her edges mimic local folklore, mythology, beliefs, and religion." This pretty much reinforces that Hunters all over the world manifest the same Edges differently, but fundamentally they are the same powers; whether a Hunter has to brandish a cross to invoke Ward or simply concentrates to activate it, it is still Ward. But if you flip to pages 96 & 97 of Holy War we find new Edges. Now we would assume that Hunters anywhere in the world could manifest these Edges, having the same effects as described in this book, but with Triggers and manifestations appropriate to the culture they were brought up in. Not so, according to this book. "It should be rare for a non-kiswah [Middle Eastern Hunter] to display of these powers," is stated in the text, with examples of how those exposed to or familiar with Middle-Eastern cultures could develop such Edges. Mind you, Middle Eastern Hunters are allowed to gain any and all Edges previously published in Hunter books; apparently they're the only group in the world who get a private group of powers nobody else can. I probably would not have minded this so much, but as I'll describe later, the authors pull a lot of stuff with the rules (especially where Virtues & Edges are concerned) that all together it really makes me mad.
As an example of this let's take the new Edge Pillar of Jihad. In the Middle East those who are to receive the benefits of this Edge engage in a ceremonial dance to Arabic music, becoming invigorated and gaining Conviction and Willpower. Seems to me a non-Middle Eastern Hunter could just as easily give a rousing speech or lead other Hunters in prayer to activate this Edge, but according to this book that's nigh-impossible, since those Hunters are not from the Middle East. I'd give you more examples but I think you get the idea.
On to Chapter One, which a primer on the nations of the Middle East, written by Hunters native to and/or operating in those regions. This chapter is well-written, with the reader getting a feel for the personalities of the Hunter authors as they read. However, there are a few noteworthy flaws. On three separate pages (pg 22, under hija, pg 24 and page 27) mention is made of an Edge which allows a hunter to use his word to inflict harm; the description on page 24 sounds like Bluster but the other two pages seem to describe a new Edge not detailed in this book or anywhere else. Also, on several occasions safe havens are listed in various nations, reminding the reader of the Hunter Survival Guide and its commentary on how unsecure the web can be for passing secret info, followed by Hunters listing safe havens all over the world. Holy War goes one step beyond that book, with a Hunter (on page 32) even commenting on the insecurity of online info, followed by him listing secret Hunter havens! The info in Hunter Survival Guide is mentioned, with havens mentioned in that book apparently still secure, and thus making it OK to post these new ones here. There's also some information on an area where the Middle Eastern version of Hunter Glyphs do not work right, and an odd separation between ME Hunter Glyphs and that found elsewhere in the world, but nothing is really given on these topics.
Chapter Two is only nine pages long, which is good, as it adds nothing to this book. It begins with what is to be a culling of ideas of Middle Eastern Hunters after a meeting between them with the special communication power their version of Hunter Glyphs provides (more on that later). This portion is terrible, as it takes the opinions of many different Hunters, and presents each "faction" of ideas as one voice, having an ongoing conversation with the other "voices." It sounds confusing, and it is. This is followed by the usual Hunter introspection on "What we are," and a little bit more on Middle Eastern Hunters' ability to communicate amongst themselves with Arabic calligraphy. Also, we get a brief mention of what may be a Hermit Hunter operating in the Middle East. I make it a point of mentioning this, as nowhere else in the book are Hermit or Wayward activity in the Middle East mentioned. Given how all recent Hunter releases have all but shoved down our throats examples of these Creeds, their absence here is curious. Oh, yes, we also get the first hint of why you CAN'T be a Martyr Creed member in the Middle East, and how ancient tribal music found in the Middle East contains the secrets of Hunters of old. Both ideas honked me off, though the latter less so as I realized it could be rationalized away as the Messengers contacting Hunters through music, just as they send other messages, to those who possess the Patron Background.
Chapter Three is fairly well-written, concerning Middle Eastern Hunters viewpoints on monsters, the Hunt itself, and those Hunters who have gone mad. There are a few tantalizing story threads here, the kind that make you wonder if they will be followed up in later books, or left to writhe in the wind. There's also repeated mention of new Edges in this section, some of which are given stats in chapter five, but some are not. Flipping between chapters three and five I was pleased by the fact that the Wardance Edge is far less powerful than described in chapter three, which makes it sound as though it allows normal people to perceive and face monsters just like a Hunter can. Whether this was the work of an editor or a belief by the author that Hunter uses a Willpower chart ala Werewolf or Mummy to gauge reaction to the supernatural I do not know.
Chapter Four covers Hunter interaction in the Middle East, and how the Virtues of Vision, Mercy, and Zeal (called Aspiration, Clemency, and Fevor, respectively, in the Middle East) are seen and how their followers act. I'm confused by the renaming of the Virtues, as they're really not supposed to be called by name by Hunters, instead being a game mechanic for clarification purposes for players. Also, this chapter brings up the idea found in Inherit the Earth that Hunters are the world's antibodies against the supernatural. Page 78 also brings up the "Avenger=Victim" take, never mind the fact that the way the Messengers set up an imbuing that a "attack first and not be a victim" is nigh-impossible.
Chapter Five is the rules section of the book, beginning with character creation for Middle Eastern Hunters. I had to laugh as it states that "Roleplaying....[is] enjoyed by middle to upper-class young men [who] typically have a number of traits in common-educated, affluent and raised on Judeo-Christian principals." I myself fit only two of those prerequisites, so perhaps that is why my view are so different than the typical White Wolf fan. This is followed with a section on how to play a Middle Eastern Hunter, which is then followed by the worst part of the book, namely everything related to the Hunter rules system. Frankly, after reading this I got the impression the authors were hired solely for their knowledge of the Middle East, and their ignorance of the Hunter system ignored for the sake of good "world knowledge."
First off, Martyrs are not allowed as Hunters in the Middle East. Yup, that's right, the Messengers, inscrutable forces of the cosmos that they are, are (if this book is to be believed, which I don't) blocked from making anyone in the Middle Eastern area a member of the Martyr Creed. Why? According to the book "Thanks to the devotion Arab imbued bring to the hunt, any one of them can give their all to the cause. It's part of their upbringing, culture, and religion. Although no [Middle Eastern Hunters] are considered pure Martyrs, all Middle Eastern Hunters martyr themselves to some extent. So, you can't create a character of this creed."
Okay, let's start with the "Arab imbued...to the cause" bit. The author seems to not understand that at any time any member of any Creed could willingly give up their life for the Hunt, and that Martyrs are just more willing to make the ultimate sacrifice, and frequently make lesser ones. Also, "all Middle Eastern Hunters martyr themselves"----Hey, newsflash, all Hunters martyr themselves to some extent, by the choice all Hunters make to confront the supernatural and risk their lives and the lives of those they love, they martyr themselves---Middle Eastern Hunters are no better than Hunters are any other area of the world. Heck, by my understanding of the author's writings ALL Middle Eastern Hunters should be Martyrs.
Following is a rule system for Middle Eastern Hunters to buy Martyr Edges. What's that you say, don't Middle Eastern Hunters save up Mercy Virtue Points and devote them to Martyr Edges like everyone else? Of course not, they're Middle Eastern Hunters, and therefore can assign points from their primary Virtue (Zeal or Vision) to Mercy powers! Yes, the otherworldly powers of the uncomprehendable Messengers are altered just for Middle Eastern Hunters!
But wait, it gets even better! All Middle Eastern Hunters must have a minimum Stamina of 3, due to the harsh living conditions Middle Eastern Hunters endure; reading that brought to mind a picture of Middle Eastern senior citizens doing five mile runs in their walkers and the like. Also, Middle Eastern Hunters have a starting Willpower of 4, rather than the normal three, to reflect "the harsher lifestyle they have to endure." This made me laugh out loud, as according to Werewolf 2nd edition several Garou tribes have starting Willpower stats of 3. I can see it now:
Garou: "The Apocalypse is upon us. The world is doomed, and with it our goddess. They Wyrm threatens to consume all, meaning my kind's entire existence has been for naught."
Middle Eastern Hunter: "Shut up! My citrus crop is so poor I now have to raise rabbits and chickens!"
Before I get comments on being politically incorrect, the citrus farmer is a listed idea for Middle Eastern Hunters, and has him breeding rabbits and chickens. All White Wolf, that one...
Also, Middle Eastern Hunters are not allowed to have more than one dot in Firearms----apparently no one from the military or police have been imbued in the Middle East. And no Middle East Hunter may start with dots in Arsenal, citing the strict weapons laws in that area of the world. I might buy that, but according to the rulebook Arsenal points can be used to GPS and other non-weapons; things I think would be legal in the Middle East, even if vastly expensive and rarely found.
Next up are the new Edges, which I touched on earlier. We have a Vengeance Edge which seems more appropriate to a Wayward or Visionary, being more outward focused than all other Vengeance Edges. There's a Level Two Judgement power that seems better suited to a Hermit or Visionary, and a Level Three Edge that's merely a more subtle version of the Level 5 Judge power found in the rulebook. There are also a Level Three Defender Edge and a Level Three Redeemer Edge, both of which seem more like Level Four or even Five Edges, given the effects they have, and Innocent Edge I consider dumb due to its limitations. Basically it's the ability to use the Hide Edge on another person, but you can't use the Hide Edge on yourself at the same time---apparently the Messengers never thought that a Hunter and ally might be caught out in the open without a place for the Hunter to hide while he Hides someone else; it also doesn't work on fellow Hunters.
After a brief section on the apparent vulnerability of monsters in the Middle East during holy times (Holy True Faith, Batman!). We get the rules system for the Middle Eastern Word, the "improved" version of Hunter Code which, this section informs us, is seen as inferior by Middle Eastern Hunters when compared to their own version. Basically Middle Eastern Hunters can use artifacts inscribed with Arabic calligraphy to communicate amongst themselves in the Middle East like a two-way radio, the rule system for it defining how clear the communication is. It's reminiscent of the Visionary creed power introduced in their respective Creedbook, and I think it takes away from their uniqueness.
Finally comes Chapter Six. There's a small bit about setting the scene for Middle Eastern adventures, followed by the "truth" about the Middle Eastern Word. I won't spoil the poor explanation for it here, but suffice it to say the infamous Web of Faith described in so many other World of Darkness game lines is the only reason it work, and only within the Web's boundaries, though an optional rule allows its use outside the Web. Also, there's a section on Imbuings in the Middle East-basically the author restates the idea from the rulebook that Edge manifestations are shaped by Hunter beliefs, only the author makes it sound as though such a thing is a brand new idea he came up with. The same section also seems to indicate that only Middle Eastern Hunters live in neighborhoods that might notice their hunting of the supernatural.
The Al Ha'it is discussed next. In Chapter Five it was first mentioned, and I presumed it was part of "The Keening," which was introduced in Mummy: The Resurrection., and it was even identified by the title "The Keening" in Chapter Three. After reading Chapter Six I believe Al' Ha'it is separate from The Keening, or the authors of this book did not understand the Keening (which is sort of a mystical deterrent to supernaturals in the Middle East), which affects all evil supernaturals in the Middle East, rather than just undead as the Al Ha'it does.
Finishing the book are some brief descriptions of monster behavior in the Middle East and some notable Middle East Hunters. Two noteworthy thing here. First, Mummies (though not named as such) are discussed here, and apparently show up to Second Sight and Edges as walking dead would. I point this out, as many Hunter players online say Mummies appear as normal people with "life-affirming" auras. Whether online players arbitrarily decided this, or another White Wolf product mentioned this aura I do not know. Second, one of the Hunters described in this chapter has an all-new Level Five Edge, able to harm only fellow Hunters. All previously-described damaging Edges either had no effect on fellow Hunters, or affected mundane and supernatural equally. At first angry about this, it lessened after reading the Hunter Storytellers Guide, with its revelations about Level 5 Edges. I think the "revelation" is crap, and I won't use it in my game, but I see where the Holy War author was coming from now.
Well, there you have them, all the reasons I can think of to leave this book to rot on the shelves. Perhaps if the authors had a better grasp on the rules system I would not give such a recommendation, but as it is I don't think the world information in this book balances out the travesty of game rule-related information.
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