VtM - WhiteWolf: Genealogy

VtM - Review: Clanbook: Salubri
this book inevitably brings. the content and quality of material more than makes up for that loss.
The book begins with the mandatory piece of fiction, and thus the opening tones are of apprehension,
and of a clan wrongly hunted and misunderstood. The introduction is written from the point of view of a
non-Salubri researcher who has painstakingly garnered as much testimony as possible from Salubri that
he has met,and had the opportunity to interview. You are then invited to read a number of first-hand
accounts of Salubri history and lore, and you are quickly acquainted with personalities behind these
stories, and also their own blood-lineage and history.
This is a dramatic departure for White-Wolf's standard Clanbook formula, and is a welcome and
refreshing change. Nearly all the previous Clanbooks to date have left the reader with a vivid sense of
ambiguity, as the narrators are generally nameless, and even if their names are given, little is known to
give these names any history or personality of their own. The events and notable characters described in
most Clanbooks are also kept vague, and one is always felt a little cheated and disappointed. Not so with
this book, however. The personal touch provided throughout, and the detail of the characters portrayed
gives the Clanbook much greater depth than it's predecessors.
Nevertheless, the book does indeed have it vagaries. The viewpoints of the three castes of the clan - the
warriors, the healers and the watchers - are given in more than adequate detail, but the bulk of the text on
Salubri history is devoted to their war with the Baali in Sumerian, Assyrian and Babylonian times. Very
little mention is given to Salubri of more recent times, save their execution at the hands of the Tremere,
and their involvement in the crusades. In addition, the *big question* regarding Saulot is left largely
unanswered, although plenty of tid-bits are left lying around to fuel the ever-ongoing debate.
The third chapter on the Salubri's perception of other clans and factions is of particular interest, and again
we get to read two detailed and personal viewpoints in each case. Even the additional systems of the
fourth chapter seem to have been put together with a little more thought and care than normal, and the
character templates that follow are not as cliched or as rushed as many from previous books. The NPC
portraits and closing comments are also well though out, and provide a modest icing to this very wellbaked
cake. The production quality is good, and the full-page plates facing each chapter are outstanding.
In short, the book is great. It is a better Clanbook than any other then WW have produces so far, both for
it's clarity, it's method of exposition, and it's personal, thematic approach. If you are a Storyteller, or a
Salubri player than buy and read this book. Again, the Dark Ages line stands out as the most detailed,
absorbing and rewarding of the World of Darkness game lines. The only thing that bugs the hell out of
me is, if WW's books can be of this good quality, then why have we put up with so much pap in the
past...?
Review by Alan DeHaan for rpg.net (6 Nov 1999)
http://vampirerpg.free.fr/Books/2822.php3 (7 of 9) [6/1/2002 12:20:20 AM]