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Mage: the Ascension
Halls of the Arcanum
We watch the shadows cast upon the walls...
Eccentric scholar or visionary mystics? Harmless seekers of ancient lore, or delvers into forbidden mysteries? Who are the detectives of the Arcanum and what do they seek?
Wherever the werewolf howls, the demon corrupts, or the vampire feeds, there the Arcanum can be found: its members are poets, dreamers, philosophers -- anyone who has seen beyond the veil.
Their motivations hidden, they are an enigma, with much to teach the World of Darkness...and much to learn.
Eccentric scholar or visionary mystics? Harmless seekers of ancient lore, or delvers into forbidden mysteries? Who are the detectives of the Arcanum and what do they seek?
Wherever the werewolf howls, the demon corrupts, or the vampire feeds, there the Arcanum can be found: its members are poets, dreamers, philosophers -- anyone who has seen beyond the veil.
Their motivations hidden, they are an enigma, with much to teach the World of Darkness...and much to learn.
112 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1995
15 people want to read
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February 8, 2020
Who are the biggest nerds in the World of Darkness? The Technocracy? The Order of Hermes? None of them hold a candle to the Arcanum.
Normally, I'm not a huge fan of the 1st person style for game books: though ambiguity leaves room for creativity, often clarity is what's needed. Here, though, it worked quite well. The story is told through the notes and letter, primarily of a new member joining the Arcanum and learning about it, but also from the founders of the society. The section on the Arcanum's secrets is told from the point of view of a Hermetic mage who has been investigating them. Fitting for such an organization, it leaves everyone in the dark.
Generally well-written (though there are a few cringe moments, like when it describes people with the G-slur, as WoD often did back in the day) the book is a useful companion to Ascension's Right Hand, showing what happens to occultists who don't end up attached to a Tradition but still have a burning need to know.
Normally, I'm not a huge fan of the 1st person style for game books: though ambiguity leaves room for creativity, often clarity is what's needed. Here, though, it worked quite well. The story is told through the notes and letter, primarily of a new member joining the Arcanum and learning about it, but also from the founders of the society. The section on the Arcanum's secrets is told from the point of view of a Hermetic mage who has been investigating them. Fitting for such an organization, it leaves everyone in the dark.
Generally well-written (though there are a few cringe moments, like when it describes people with the G-slur, as WoD often did back in the day) the book is a useful companion to Ascension's Right Hand, showing what happens to occultists who don't end up attached to a Tradition but still have a burning need to know.
Displaying 1 of 1 review