It’s been a while since I really played Magic. Back when I played I don’t recall there being Planeswalkers. I don’t see myself getting back into the game after reading this first volume either. With that being said I do see myself intrigued by the world of Magic: The Gathering.

The art here is nice and crisp. Each of the different planes has it’s own feel and they pop off the page. Innistrad especially was beautifully colored. Many kudos to Martin Coccolo for the art and J. Edwin Stevens for the colors. For plot it’s okay.

Inspired by Justin Achilli’s Act Charitably, Win V20 I’ve decided to do my own. I have an extra copy of the Grand Masquerade limited edition V20 core book that was released in 2011. I’m seeing these sell for $400 or more on eBay and similar sites. Like Justin, I’d like to give it away to someone looking for something cool. Unfortunately, it is a little late to give this as a X-Mas gift, but maybe someone will kick off the new year with a rare book…

Changing Ways is an in-depth look at what it means to be a werewolf, both on a personal level and as part of a pack. It digs deep into what it feels like to have bones re-knit after breaking, the range of senses available across all forms, and the sudden heady rush of the Gifts and Rites bestowed by spirits. It also provides a look at what life is like for lupus and metis werewolves, characters who have had experiences alien to any person. It shows the many ways that werewolves organize in packs, and how those packs are designed as groups of warriors, rather than aligned to the behavior of wolves.

Available from Storytellers Vault

When I was approached about writing up the city I live in as a stretch goal for the Vampire: the Masquerade book Anarchs Unbound, I was thrilled. It was my first chance to contribute — in a meaningful, but small way — to the World of Darkness setting. My write-up was a side-bar, really — only about a thousand words — but the offer was made to me with a very short deadline in mind — less than a week, in fact — from accepting the job to turning over my completed draft. Once completed, I knew that there was more to this story, and I wanted the chance to expand on that very basic summary.