The Storyteller's Handbook

Vampire: the Masquerade

by Andrew Greenberg

From the Depths of Imagination

There are no constants in this world - nothing remains the same while Vampires, Werewolves, Magi and other creatures of the night stalk this land. Only one mortal keeps a firm grasp on the chaos circling us. "
To the Horrors of Reality The most difficult, most important and most rewarding role in Vampire belongs to the Storyteller, the creator of the Gothic-Punk world and the terror infesting it. To aid her in her task comes The Storytellers Handbook, a tome designed to help make her Stories into epics told throughout the ages.

The Storytellers Handbook includes:

* Extensive chapters on perfecting the Storytelling art, including everything from handling settings, Stories and Chronicles to motivating the-players to expanding your play into the murky past or radiation-scarred future;
* New Bloodlines and an army of other foes for your Vampires to battle:
* Additional rules for combat, magic, flight and a host of other dramatic systems

Genres: Role Playing Games, World Of Darkness, Horror, Gaming, Fantasy, Vampires

151 pages, Paperback

First published December 12, 1992

About the author

Andrew Greenberg, best known for designing computer games and roleplaying games, co-created the “Fading Suns” roleplaying and computer games, recently developed “Rapture d20,” and was the original developer of White Wolf’s “Vampire: The Masquerade.” He has credits on more than 50 White Wolf products and more than 20 HDI books. He has also worked on products with other roleplaying game companies, including “Star Trek Next Generation” and “Deep Space Nine.” His computer game credits include Dracula Unleashed, Star Trek: Starfleet Academy, Emperor of the Fading Suns, Warhammer 40K: Final Liberation, Merchant Prince II, Mall Tycoon, Dungeon Lords, and more. He began teaching game design at the Art Institute of Atlanta in 2006, and serves on the International Game Developers Association Curriculum Committee. He regularly writes for publications as diverse as Prick Magazine and the Matthew Bender legal reference series. Very active with a variety of causes and organizations, in 2006 he co-chaired both the Environmental Design Research Association and Mythic Journeys conventions in Atlanta, and coordinated the Human Forum in Puerto Rico.

Reviews

[Michael Reyes · Rating 4 out of 5]

Creating a story is no easy task, let alone a chronicle (a series of stories that allow your characters to explore more of the world you created), especially if you're a novice. This book comes in handy (even for experienced storytellers) because it points you in the right direction. It has story/chronicle outlines, it teaches you the basics of storytelling, gives you ideas you can start your story with, plot hooks, etc.

As this is a storyteller guide for V:tM, it does include charts and some rule details. Unfortunately, they're based on the older version of the game. No matter, the most important parts are still applicable, even in fiction writing.

[Patrick · Rating 2 out of 5]

While probably useful for its time, seeking out the Second Edition / Revised of this book would likely be more useful to the modern player. As is, it's an interesting look at what would later become a template for White Wolf Game Studios' later releases.

[Sean · Rating 3 out of 5]

2 copies