BY LESTER SMITH
PUBLISHED BY PINNACLE GAMES
128 PAGES $20.00

The Book o' the Dead is the Deadlands guide to the Harrowed - dead characters whose rotting bodies have been animated by a demon (or "manitou," in Deadlands terms). Most Harrowed characters are completely under the manitou's control, and have a grand time raising hell after they've clawed their way up out of their own grave. Sometimes, the original owner of the body can get upper hand, forcing the manitou into submission while using its infernal powers to keep them lively. These Harrowed are suitable for player characters, and they are one of the most interesting aspects of the Deadlands RPG.

The original Deadlands rule book included only a few pages on the Harrowed. The Book o' the Dead rectifies that with over 120 pages of material on the undead, including almost 50 new infernal powers. Like all Deadlands supplements, it's divided into a section for the players and a section for the GM. There is also a short "No Man's Land," the contents of which is intended to be revealed to Harrowed PCs after they've had some field experience.

The player's section has three major elements. First off is a bit on creating a Harrowed character. It's short, but it does include an important section on special hindrances available only to Harrowed characters. After all, why choose everyday disadvantages like "squeamish" when you could be surrounded by the stench of decay, or have a hankerin' for human brains? A few new character archetypes are also given, including the "Fresh-Dead Soldier" and "Harrowed Head Hunter."

The next part in the player's section is new Harrowed powers. Including the 5 from the main rules (which are reprinted in the Book o' the Dead) 52 powers are listed, which ought to be enough to keep most gore-hounds happy for quite a while. By and large, the powers are appropriate for the feel of an undead character - some examples are "Charnel Breath" and "Chill o' the Grave." Powers run from outright destructive to information- gathering, with some plenty weird stuff in between, so there should be something here for everyone.

"No Man's Land" is a short - 4 pages - section of tips for the Harrowed from the Prospector (the same fellow who introduces the game at the beginning of the core rulebook).

He details some of the dangers Harrowed characters can face from the Rangers and the Pinkertons, and also goes into what happens when a shaman becomes Harrowed. The Reckoners and counting coup are also briefly discussed, and a new weapon-consecrating Miracle is also presented.

The GM's section, "The Marshal's Handbook," has an eclectic blend of material, but all of it is useful in a campaign with Harrowed characters. The most useful section is probably "The Devil Inside," which is concerned with the inner nature of Harrowed PCs and how to deal with the manitou that animate them. The struggle for Dominion between the character's soul and the manitou animating the body is a constant in the life of a Harrowed character. The Book o' the Dead revises the Dominion rules present in the original book, and better reflects the continuous conflict Harrowed PCs experience.

We also get a look at the mysterious Prospector, a character who has shown up in several Deadlands supplements and who seems to be playing a pivotal role in the Deadlands universe. His presence here is nice and spooky, and suggests that the designers are following a specific storyline as their game continues to develops. It lends some support to the material already present in the book.

The last part of The Book o' the Dead is an adventure called "The Dark Canyon." It is designed to be played with an entire party of Harrowed characters, but GMs are given tools to make normal PCs work too if that's their wish. The scenario concerns the disappearance of some wagon trains on the Ghost Train between Yuma and Tombstone, and it is an excellent introduction to Harrowed life.

The Book o' the Dead would be a great addition to the library of any regular Deadlands player. It is an absolute necessity in any campaign that makes heavy use of the undead, for the new powers if nothing else.