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World of Darkness
World of Darkness: Mafia
This Thing of Ours
Like the supernatural denizens of the World of Darkness, the men of respect are damned in their own unique way. Beholden to tradition, threatened by ethics and forced by their nature to remain outside the society that sustains him, the modern mobster is every bit as compelling a character as the most monstrous creature of the night.
La Cosa Nostra
Gangster stories are a popular genre and fit perfectly within the World of Darkness. This stylized look at Italian organized crime families allows players to portray members of the gangs and also presents many hooks for Storytellers to introduce these elements into an existing chronicle.
The first in 2002s Year of the Damned series.
Like the supernatural denizens of the World of Darkness, the men of respect are damned in their own unique way. Beholden to tradition, threatened by ethics and forced by their nature to remain outside the society that sustains him, the modern mobster is every bit as compelling a character as the most monstrous creature of the night.
La Cosa Nostra
Gangster stories are a popular genre and fit perfectly within the World of Darkness. This stylized look at Italian organized crime families allows players to portray members of the gangs and also presents many hooks for Storytellers to introduce these elements into an existing chronicle.
The first in 2002s Year of the Damned series.
Paperback
First published June 1, 2002
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About the author
Ari Marmell
101 books436 followersWhen Ari Marmell has free time left over between feeding cats and posting on social media, he writes a little bit. His work includes novels, short stories, role-playing games, and video games, all of which he enjoyed in lieu of school work when growing up. He’s the author of the Mick Oberon gangland/urban fantasy series, the Widdershins YA fantasy series, and many others, with publishers such as Del Rey, Titan Books, Pyr Books, Wizards of the Coast, and now Omnium Gatherum.
Ari currently resides in Austin, Texas. He lives in a clutter that has a moderate amount of apartment in it, along with George—his wife—and the aforementioned cats, who probably want something.
Ari currently resides in Austin, Texas. He lives in a clutter that has a moderate amount of apartment in it, along with George—his wife—and the aforementioned cats, who probably want something.
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
May 12, 2024
I've gotta kind of mixed feelings `bout the fellas that wrote this piece. I'm still deciding if I promote them to caporegime's or if I send a crew to beat them to a pulp.
Now seriously, Ari Marmell, Matthew McFarland and C.A. Suleiman had everything to make a truly masterpiece for the world of darkness here; they had the talent, the best of settings (the Mafia in WoD!!! That is kind of a quintessential setting!), great ideas such as the way they portrayed the information like a report to Don Cardona or the letters between "Mark" and the Mage Jerry Giamatta and a massive marketing campaign, being part of the year of the damned.
And the good ideas were actually executed with skill! The chapters "This thing of ours" and "Made men in a World of Darkness" are great for mood, setting, atmosphere and more mood! But then, there are many weaknesses...the almost complete disrespect of other world of darkness material (even the "World of Darkness" sourcebook first and second editions!!!! The entire basis for these series of WoD titles wasn't respected! Where is the Rispetto!!???!). There isn't a single mention of Don Caravelli, one of the most powerful Mafiosi kindred, although it mentions Lodin as the prince of Chicago it forgets to report that Al Capone was made into a kindred and was a Ventrue lieutenant for the prince, how could that essential part of Chicago, WoD and Mafia lore could be omitted? Lousy homework.
Also, in the character creation, valuable space is lost with the reprint of humanity and virtue rules, which if you follow them even loosely you'll have a group of blubbering crazy and paranoid mob members in a month, tops.
Although I agree with keeping rules and specificities to a minimum in a storytelling game, I believe that some extra info should be provided regarding in-game use of several of Mob activities. The storytelling chapter is good, but provide only skeleton settings and if you're searching for more interesting NPC's and how they are integrated in the regular lines you won't find a single one here.
The cover art by Mike Danza is very good, and it integrates all pieces of the atmosphere the book provides; but the interior pieces aren't inspired at all, with the exception of a couple of Andy Trabbold illustrations which are quite moody.
Recommended only if you're a collector or you will make a Mafia based game in the World of Darkness...but beware, you'll have a lot of work adapting this material.
Now seriously, Ari Marmell, Matthew McFarland and C.A. Suleiman had everything to make a truly masterpiece for the world of darkness here; they had the talent, the best of settings (the Mafia in WoD!!! That is kind of a quintessential setting!), great ideas such as the way they portrayed the information like a report to Don Cardona or the letters between "Mark" and the Mage Jerry Giamatta and a massive marketing campaign, being part of the year of the damned.
And the good ideas were actually executed with skill! The chapters "This thing of ours" and "Made men in a World of Darkness" are great for mood, setting, atmosphere and more mood! But then, there are many weaknesses...the almost complete disrespect of other world of darkness material (even the "World of Darkness" sourcebook first and second editions!!!! The entire basis for these series of WoD titles wasn't respected! Where is the Rispetto!!???!). There isn't a single mention of Don Caravelli, one of the most powerful Mafiosi kindred, although it mentions Lodin as the prince of Chicago it forgets to report that Al Capone was made into a kindred and was a Ventrue lieutenant for the prince, how could that essential part of Chicago, WoD and Mafia lore could be omitted? Lousy homework.
Also, in the character creation, valuable space is lost with the reprint of humanity and virtue rules, which if you follow them even loosely you'll have a group of blubbering crazy and paranoid mob members in a month, tops.
Although I agree with keeping rules and specificities to a minimum in a storytelling game, I believe that some extra info should be provided regarding in-game use of several of Mob activities. The storytelling chapter is good, but provide only skeleton settings and if you're searching for more interesting NPC's and how they are integrated in the regular lines you won't find a single one here.
The cover art by Mike Danza is very good, and it integrates all pieces of the atmosphere the book provides; but the interior pieces aren't inspired at all, with the exception of a couple of Andy Trabbold illustrations which are quite moody.
Recommended only if you're a collector or you will make a Mafia based game in the World of Darkness...but beware, you'll have a lot of work adapting this material.
November 13, 2016
Maybe 2 ¹/2 stars.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews