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First Impressions: Part two of the "Under a Harrowed Moon" trilogy is picked up by "Savage Passage." The Dime Novel series continues the half-story/half-module pattern we've come to expect with a section on converting Deadlands characters to the Werewolf.

Content: I was a little surprised at the short story: this has been the first one to delve into serious character development. It was somewhat unsettling to hear self-doubt trickling out of the normally stolid Ronan Chantry. I found it refreshing and did a lot to enhance the feel of the supplement. Even if this is the only lasting result of the Pinnacle/White Wolf team-up it will have been worth it.

If you've read the first supplement, "Savage Bedfellows," you know that the module is set Monument Valley, Arizona. Here the players are trying to stop the rogue garou Billy Stormwalker from ripping a hole in the dimensional fabric between the Savage West and the Weird West.

Not much different from "Strange Bedfellows" except for Black Spiral Dancers, the lack of manitous and other spirits, and the unusual weakening of the Blessed. All in all, this module is expected to be a real pain in the caboose for the players. In all honesty, this particular module will be much easier for Savage West characters than Deadlands characters.

Evaluation: It is not recommended that groups start off with"Savage Passage" as you will be jumping right into the middle of the plot. It's not impossible, but will require some form of GM hijinks for Werewolf players and some rather incredible gymnastics by Deadlands Marshals to get the party to the Savage West and back again.

I found "Savage Passage" to be superior to it's predecessory "Strange Bedfellows" on many counts. The NPC's were given far more attention and are given proper names and some background. The story's a bit more complex and involves a few more hair-raising encounters. There was even a functional map of a key complex.

There was a significant amount of attention given to the Deadlands to Werewolf conversion rules, but this was a lot easier. The Savage West doesn't have the massive spiritual energy that the Weird West does, so most folks find themselves at something of a loss. Even the Mad Scientists are at a loss to create new devices without their manitou-muse. For the most part, all it takes is converting a few stats and scratching out large sections of the character sheet.

Conclusions: Overall I found "Savage Passage" to be an enjoyable supplement. The $4.95 coverprice does nothing to hurt my opinion of this module. My only recommendation is that eager GM's might want to wait for the third and final installment of the "Under a Harrowed Moon" series since this supplement will leave you intrigued and with a handful of unresolved issues. Since Pinnacle has been pretty good about meeting their deadlines, so it should be in stores by the end of the month.

Style: 4 (Classy and well done)
Substance: 3 (Average)

Savage Passage
Author: Matt Forbeck Category: game Company/Publisher: Pinnacle Entertainment Group, Inc. Cost: $4.95 Page count: 64 Playtest Review by James McPherson on 06/06/98. Genre tags: none	First Impressions: Part two of the "Under a Harrowed Moon" trilogy is picked up by "Savage Passage." The Dime Novel series continues the half-story/half-module pattern we've come to expect with a section on converting Deadlands characters to the Werewolf. Content: I was a little surprised at the short story: this has been the first one to delve into serious character development. It was somewhat unsettling to hear self-doubt trickling out of the normally stolid Ronan Chantry. I found it refreshing and did a lot to enhance the feel of the supplement. Even if this is the only lasting result of the Pinnacle/White Wolf team-up it will have been worth it. If you've read the first supplement, "Savage Bedfellows," you know that the module is set Monument Valley, Arizona. Here the players are trying to stop the rogue garou Billy Stormwalker from ripping a hole in the dimensional fabric between the Savage West and the Weird West. Not much different from "Strange Bedfellows" except for Black Spiral Dancers, the lack of manitous and other spirits, and the unusual weakening of the Blessed. All in all, this module is expected to be a real pain in the caboose for the players. In all honesty, this particular module will be much easier for Savage West characters than Deadlands characters. Evaluation: It is not recommended that groups start off with"Savage Passage" as you will be jumping right into the middle of the plot. It's not impossible, but will require some form of GM hijinks for Werewolf players and some rather incredible gymnastics by Deadlands Marshals to get the party to the Savage West and back again. I found "Savage Passage" to be superior to it's predecessory "Strange Bedfellows" on many counts. The NPC's were given far more attention and are given proper names and some background. The story's a bit more complex and involves a few more hair-raising encounters. There was even a functional map of a key complex. There was a significant amount of attention given to the Deadlands to Werewolf conversion rules, but this was a lot easier. The Savage West doesn't have the massive spiritual energy that the Weird West does, so most folks find themselves at something of a loss. Even the Mad Scientists are at a loss to create new devices without their manitou-muse. For the most part, all it takes is converting a few stats and scratching out large sections of the character sheet. Conclusions: Overall I found "Savage Passage" to be an enjoyable supplement. The $4.95 coverprice does nothing to hurt my opinion of this module. My only recommendation is that eager GM's might want to wait for the third and final installment of the "Under a Harrowed Moon" series since this supplement will leave you intrigued and with a handful of unresolved issues. Since Pinnacle has been pretty good about meeting their deadlines, so it should be in stores by the end of the month. Style: 4 (Classy and well done) Substance: 3 (Average)