The Book of Worlds

Mage: The Ascension

Reviewed by Jon Rowe


White Wolf Games Studio
200pp £ 12.99

When Mage left the presses in 1993 it was obvious that White Wolf's RPG of modern era sorcery would need a supplement dealing with the spirit-worlds, or Umbra. The only surprise is that it's taken this long. Still, this little tome is well worth the wait.

After the now-obligatory opening fiction (which is turning into a serial for WW completists), the book is introduced by our hosts, a selection of Tradition Mages putting together a guidebook for their peers. In a charming boxed caption, the "real" author appears, saying how much he hates rules, likes character narrations, and pointing out that all the system mechanics are lumped together in the Appendices. Goodcall!

We are introduced to the idea of the three Worlds within the Umbra: the Astral Umbra of ideas, the Spirit Umbra of nature and the Dark Umbra of death, and how the local Penumbra (the part of the spirit world corresponding to the material world) will be perceived through a different Videre based on who you are and how you got there. Just when this risks getting too, technical, we're off on a whirlwind tour.

The Astral Umbra is new territory. Things kick off in the Vulgate where millions of Realms can be accessed through the portals in the labyrinthine Grand Hall. Metaphysical Spires rise out of the Vulgate, representing the direction of more abstract concepts. Here you find the Umbral Courts, like the Elemental Domains and the Afterworlds. The Hells get coverage and the treatment of Heaven is quite inspiring too. Finally, the uppermost Epiphamies are open only to astral travellers.

The Middle Umbra was covered in the Werewolf sourcebook a few years ago, but it revisited here from a magely perspective. Aficionados will recognise the Pattern Web, Moon Paths and realms like the Aetherian Reaches, the Chasm, Dystopia (ie. the CyberRealm/Scar) and Hy-Brasil (Arcadia Gateway.

Other chapters cover the Underworld introduced in Wraith, the Hollow Earth mentioned in the Son of Ether Traditionbook, the Dreaming of Changeling- fame and several sample Realms get extensive coverage, such as the Technocracy's dreaded Autocthonia and awesome Copernicus Research Centre, the Verbena Seasonal Realms and the moon orbiting Victoria Station.

The real treat is at the end: the Deep Umbra and the planets of the solar system. Now breathing in space is just a matter of personal belief and walking to the stars is possible for some Traditions. The weird Shade Realms are covered along with the Penumbra of Venus and Mars, Chantries on Mercury and the moons of Jupiter, space battles among the asteroids and alien horrors from the void. Crikey! The introduction of the material amounts to a whole new RPG. Overall: Run Mage? Purchase is compulsory. Sheer detail is great value for the money, imagination to a high standard, and subjectivity of spirit travel is so emphasized that no one's home- grown chronicle should feel threatened. Brilliant.

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