By Nash J. DeVita, Staff Reviewer

Available from FRP Games

World of Darkness: Time of Judgment HC
Retail $29.99 Sale $23.95

**Caution - Contains Spoilers!!**

Initiative Round
World of Darkness: Time of Judgment is a 222-page hardcover from White Wolf Publishing. This is the final book for Demon, Hunter, Changeling, Mummy, & Kindred of the East and the fourth and final hardback in the Time of Judgment series. This title was written by David Carroll, Michael Goodwin, Eleanor Holmes, Steve Kenson, Carrie Ann Lewis, Patrick O'Duffy, Greg Stolze, Kyla Ward, Chuck Wendi, and Peter Woodworth. The interior black and white art is from Shane Coppage, John Dollar, Alexander Dunnigan, Steve Ellis, Gary Lippincoltt, Ken Meyer Jr, Verionica Pare, R.K. Post, Jeff Rebner, Jack Shen, Durwin Talon, Andrew Trabbold, Drew Tucker, Melissa Uran, and Cathy Wilkins. The cover features a female angel who is leaning on a cross that sits atop a building. The background is a fiery orange / red. This beautiful piece was provided by John VanFleet. This image is set upon the now typical red blood that has appeared on the rest of the Time of Judgment hard back titles. WoD: Time of Judgment retails for $29.99.

WoD: Time of Judgment is the final book to be published for the titles in the World of Darkness. This title is presented in a slightly different format than the other books in the Time of Judgment line in so far as that this contains ideas for Armageddon chronicles for five (5) different game lines, not just one, as was done with the other three (3) hard backs in this line. Each chapter is a different game and each game has between three (3) and five (5) different scenarios.

Before reading any further, I must warn anyone that might play through a chronicle that there are spoilers following this point. If you do not want your playing experience spoiled, proceed only with extreme caution. I am not going to retell all of the details of each of the scenarios but I am going to be giving some details from each of them. You have been warned.

Chapter one, Changeling: The Dreaming - "Endless Winter", features a game that not much has been heard about lately - Changeling: The Dreaming. For those who are not familiar with Changeling, it has always been told that existence works like the seasons. Previously, we were in the autumn. Logically, winter must follow. The winter, as far as changelings are concerned, is the death of imagination and dreaming and therefore, the death of their kind. This chapter puts forth five (5) scenarios, A Crown of Shadows, Gods and Monsters, Pick Your Poison, The Great Purge, and Starlight Exodus. These range from combat heavy to political unrest.

Demon: The Fallen - "Agents of Unrest" is chapter two. This closes out the newest full game in the World of Darkness. This chapter is fabulous because it allows for apocalypse signs that come from the real world - religious texts, prophesy, and the current state of the world. Featured here are three (3) scenarios for ending a Demon game - Twilight of the Gods, Better to Rule on Earth, andParadise Won. Each of these is broken down into smaller sections - involving the characters, Behind the Scenes, and Fallout. These cover general details - the overview of what is going on, the 'evil' side of things, and multiple 'solutions' to issues presented here in. All in all, the Earthbound are probably the biggest menace.

Chapter three, Hunter: The Reckoning - "Inherit the Earth", is my absolute favorite from this book. There are fourteen (14) pages of 'props' at the beginning of the chapter. Even of these are not used as in game info, they really help set the mood for the chapter as a whole. This chapter also features three (3) separate scenarios for the end - this time for Hunter. Each of the three (3) scenarios is centered around one of the three (3) creeds - Cleansing Fires (Zeal), Glimmer of Hope (Mercy), and Winds of Change (Vision). Through each of these, the end can come from just about any direction - supernatural or natural. The real world helps even more for inspiration for an Armageddon chronicle here than it does anywhere else!

Kindred of the East is featured in chapter four, Kindred of the East - "Interesting Times". KoE, since the beginning, has also revolved around the idea that the world works in cycles, similar to Changeling. Currently, we are in the fifth (5th) age. The sixth (6th) age is a dark time for all, save the Yama Kings, demonic rulers of the underworld. This chapter holds four (4) possible scenarios for ending a KoE game - The Rising of One Hundred Clouds, in which heaven passes judgment, Serpent Bites the Hand - Kuei- Jin (eastern 'vampires') battle kindred ('normal' vampires) for supremacy, The Trumpet of Mount Meru, which features demons and demon hunters (possibly imbued from Hunter: the Reckoning - yeah - crossover!), and Wicked City - the Yama Kings take hold of the real world.

The fifth and final chapter features Mummy - Mummy: The Resurrection - "Armageddon". Mummy is a very different game being as that it is focused on hope and goodness, not despair and death like most of the other games. Apophis Ascends, The World Goes Westward, Dawn of the Age of Sorrow, and Long Day's Journey into Night are the four (4) scenarios that are given for close a Mummy game. The Mummy Player's Guide is almost necessary for a number of the scenarios that are contained with in since they contain information on Asian and South American mummies. Thanks to these facts, there is some possibility of cross over here with Kindred of the East.

Critical Hit
For the number of pages given to each game line there is a wealth of information available. These were written as concisely as possible with as much pertinent information as possible. All of the writing is clean and refined to a point that it is as perfect as it can get.

The opening and closing fiction is marvelous. I loved reading about Lucifer from his own point of view. I would love to read more from this author when I have the time.

The bits of fiction that are included in each chapter help set the reader into the chronicle. Each features characters that we, as readers, are familiar with and sets them up for the end, for Armageddon. These set the mood nigh perfectly.

Clearly, a lot of time and research went into most of these chronicles. Most of them touch upon characters or events from each line's past. How far it goes back obviously varies thanks to the varying age of each game line and how many books exist for said game line. Each and every chapter includes something that make a reader realize that continuity has been important and has been kept for much, if not all, of the line - including this final title.

Critical Fumble
The chapters are a little short for my liking. This leads a lack of details for most of the given scenarios. Some are bulkier than others - some are fine while others feel as if they were rushed or cut short just to have them in the book.

That is a necessary evil, though, since there are five (5) different game's Armageddon chronicles presented here in a mere 222 pages - that averages, with out figuring for the opening / closing fiction, to about forty- four (44) pages per section (44.4 actually). These 222 pages also include thirteen (13) pages of fiction, the opening, and a number of full-page images (that open each chapter).

As is with any pre-written chronicle, some players may feel 'railroaded' in a particular direction. Suggestions are given for alleviating this some, but that will not help all storytellers and players. No one can make everyone happy, though.

Coup de Grace
These game lines may not have been as popular as Vampire, Werewolf, or Mage but they were all great games. The varied scenarios show a great knowledge and love of each line. I would expect no less from White Wolf and they came through. This is everything I had figured and (realistically) hoped it would be.

Be sure to take a look at the last ad in the book. All three (3) of the new games are mentioned -Vampire: the Requiem, Werewolf: the Forsaken, and Mage: the Awakening. It seems the World of Darkness is not as over as it seemed. Only time will tell though - time that I will be counting. This ad says to look for it in August of 2004, November of 2004, and March of 2005 respectively. I'll be keep my eyes are ears open!

Review Scores

Overall Total: 114 (90%)
Final Grade: A-