What about all of the world of darkness? are there going too be vampires? Werewolves, Mages? geist? What about Scions?

Does RPG even sell when it is on the MMORPG? Is plot and role play important at all? Back in the days of Elfquest, it might have been, and there are certainly plently of online rpg games going on the telnets and chats, however these are not even a tip of massive iceberg of the World of Warcraft.

Even if you do get into the RPG games of the World of Darkness, there are still things that would have to be over come, or are they part of the system that makes this work as well.. I don’t know. One that comes to mind is Creep Jacking, Griefers, and Hates. Where is the World of Darkness with these? Do they even care?

So if you have questions about running the storyteller games or are just looking for some inspiration for running your next campaign, stop by the scarn.com web site.

A Dream – Celtic Ghost Story

by Danielle Ní Dhighe Copyright © 1996, 1997 Danielle Ní Dhighe. All Rights Reserved. May be reposted as long as the above attribution and copyright notice are retained.

Check out “So your Mother is the Morrigan” written for White Wolf’s Scion by Glenn Hefley

THE MORRÍGAN
The Morrígan is a goddess of battle, strife, and fertility. Her name translates as ‘Phantom Queen,’ which is entirely appropriate for Her. The Morrígan appears as both a single goddess and a trio of goddesses, which includes the Badb ‘Vulture’ and Nemain ‘Frenzy’. The Morrígan frequently appears in the ornithological guise of a hooded crow. She is one of the Tuatha De Danann (People of the Goddess Danu) and She helped defeat the Firbolgs at the First Battle of Magh Tuireadh and the Fomorii at the Second Battle of Mag Tured.

The Morrigan by Jessica Galbreth

By some accounts, She is the consort of the Dagda, while the Badb and Nemain are sometimes listed as consorts of Néit, an obscure war god who is possibly Nuada the Sky Father in His warrior aspect. It is interesting to note that another battle goddess, Macha, is also associated with Nuada.

ORIGINS
The origins of the Morrígan seem to reach directly back to the megalithic cult of the Mothers. The Mothers (Matrones, Idises, Dísir, etc.) usually appeared as triple goddesses and their cult was expressed through both battle ecstasy and regenerative ecstasy. Later Celtic goddesses of sovereignty, such as the trio of Éire, Banba, and Fótla, also use magic in warfare. “Influence in the sphere of warfare, but by means of magic and incantation rather than through physical strength, is common to these beings.” (Ross 205)

Éire, a goddess connected to the land in a fashion reminiscent of the Mothers, could appear as a beautiful woman or as a crow, as could the Morrígan. The Dísir appeared in similar guises. In addition to being battle goddesses, they are significantly associated with fate as well as birth in many cases, along with appearing before a death or to escort the deceased. It is interesting to note that some sources present Éire and the Morrígan as half-sisters.

There is certainly evidence that the concept of a raven goddess of battle wasn’t limited to the Irish Celts. An inscription found in France invoking Cathubodva, ‘Battle Raven’, shows that a similar concept was known among the Gaulish Celts.

SIMILARITIES BETWEEN THE MORRÍGAN AND THE VALKYRIES
The Morrígan’s role in the Irish cosmology is quite similar to the role played by the Valkyries in Norse cosmology. Both use magic to cast fetters on warriors and choose who will die.

During the Second Battle, the Morrígan “said she would go and destroy Indech son of Dé Domnann and ‘deprive him of the blood of his heart and the kidneys of his valor’, and she gave two handfuls of that blood to the hosts. When Indech later appeared in the battle, he was already doomed.” (Rees 36)

Compare this to the Washer at the Ford, another guise of the Morrígan. The Washer is usually to be found washing the clothes of men about to die in battle. In effect, She is choosing who will die.

An early German spell found in Merseburg mentions the Indisi, who decided the fortunes of war and the fates of warriors. The Scandinavian Song of the Spear, quoted in Njals Saga, gives a detailed description of Valkyries as women weaving on a grisly loom, with severed heads for weights, arrows for shuttles, and entrails for the warp. As they worked, they exulted at the loss of life that would take place. “All is sinister now to see, a cloud of blood moves over the sky, the air is red with the blood of men, and the battle women chant their song.” (Davidson 94)

An Old English poem, Exodus, refers to ravens as choosers of the slain. There are links between ravens, choosing of the slain, casting fetters, and female beings in many sources.

“As the Norse and English sources show them to us, the walkurjas are figures of awe and even terror, who delight in the deaths of men. As battlefield scavengers, they are very close to the ravens, who are described as waelceasega, ‘picking over the dead’…” (Our Troth)

“The function of the goddess [the Morrígan] here, it may be noted, is not to attack the hero [Cúchulainn] with weapons but to render him helpless at a crucial point in the battle, like the valkyries who cast ‘fetters’ upon warriors…thus both in Irish and Scandinavian literature we have a conception of female beings associated with battle, both fierce and erotic.” (Davidson 97, 100)

THE MORRÍGAN AND CÚCHULAINN
She appeared to the hero Cúchulainn (son of the god Lugh) and offered Her love to him. When he failed to recognize Her and rejected Her, She told him that She would hinder him when he was in battle. When Cúchulainn was eventually killed, She settled on his shoulder in the form of a crow. Cú’s misfortune was that he never recognized the feminine power of sovereignty that She offered to him.

She appeared to him on at least four occasions and each time he failed to recognise her.

1. When She appeared to him and declared Her love for him.

2. After he had wounded Her, She appeared to him as an old hag and he offered his blessings to Her, which caused Her to be healed.

3. On his way to his final battle, he saw the Washer at the Ford, who declared that She was “washing the clothes and arms of Cúchulainn, who would soon be dead.”

4. When he was forced by three hags (which represent the Morrígan in Her triple aspect) to break a taboo of eating dogflesh.

THE ROLE OF THE MORRÍGAN
For modern Celtic Pagans, the role of the Morrígan in our religion is different than what it was for our ancestors. Most of us are not involved in life-or-death struggles on a daily basis. The Morrígan is an appropriate deity for strong, independent people, particularly those on a warrior path.

RITUALS FOR THE MORRÍGAN
Many devotees of the Morrígan have a permanent shrine set up in Her honor. They use such items as a bowl of brine and blood, a raven or crow feather, or even a piece of red cloth (to symbolize the Washer at the Ford). Some people use menstrual blood, which is very appropriate. Blood, especially menstrual blood, is a symbol of both life and death, fertility and war.

Rituals should be kept simple. Find something that symbolizes the Morrígan and meditate on it. When you feel Her presence, you may wish to offer Her something of value. This can be as simple as some ale or as difficult as spilling your own blood.

When I dedicated myself to Her, I meditated on a crow’s feather and a candle flame. I called Her name until I could feel Her definite presence. When I offered myself to Her, the flame blazed up and filled the entire room and I felt that my offer had been accepted.

SOURCES
Davidson, H. R. Ellis, Myths and Symbols in Pagan Europe (Syracuse NY: Syracuse University Press, 1988)

Rees, Alwyn and Brinley, Celtic Heritage (NY: Thames & Hudson, 1994)

Ross, Anne, Pagan Celtic Britain (London: Routledge & Kegan Paul, 1967)

Written by Stephen King, Robin Furth, Peter David, and illustrated by artist Jae Lee.

“The man in black fled across the desert, and the gunslinger followed.” With those words, millions of readers were introduced to Stephen King’s Roland – an implacable gunslinger in search of the enigmatic Dark Tower, powering his way through a dangerous land filled with ancient technology and deadly magic. Now, in a comic book personally overseen by King himself, Roland’s past is revealed! Sumptuously drawn by Jae Lee and Richard Isanove, adapted by long-time Stephen King expert Robin Furth (author of Stephen King’s The Dark Tower: A Concordance) and scripted by New York Times bestseller Peter David, this series delves in depth into Roland’s origins – the perfect introduction to this incredibly realized world; while long-time fans will thrill to adventures merely hinted at in the novels. Be there for the very beginning of a modern classic of fantasy literature! Collects Dark Tower: The Gunslinger Born #1-7.

The first descriptions of this book gave me the impression that it would cover parts of the story that were left untold in the original books – most notably the infamous battle at Jericho Hill, or the mysterious Jamie whom we hear about in the series but never meet.

I was disappointed, then, to find out that what I was handed was a rehash of Roland’s trial of manhood and a quick synopsis of Wizard and Glass. There is no material that is at all new to any reader of the series.

But my disappointment was offset by the care taken in presentation. An excellent adaptation, in my opinion; it allows the reader a more tactile glimpse of characters who were already well-fleshed in the mind and only needed a little nudge to reach the next level of realism. The artwork is splendid, very gothic with heavy emphasis on shadows and blood-spatter.

It puts one in mind of early Frank Miller with an airbrush stapled to his hand. After a night’s heavy drinking. And a bar fight or two. Such a treatment is perfect for the story of a young man’s descent into fate and tragedy.

The scripting is a little overblown in its attempt to recreate King’s Outer Arc “patois” at times (I got a bit tired of seeing “do ye ken” and “may it do ya” and such) but adds to the overall flavor of the latter part of the series. The overall feeling is dark, and savage, and very bloody – which is appropriate. Richard Isoanove apparently took inspiration from the Tower work by Michael Whelan; his use of color and scale is similar enough to induce feelings of deja vu. A very nice touch, if not an all-out homage.

I do not think it would be an appropriate book for those who have not read the series, only because so much of the plot in Wizard and Glass had to be trimmed for length. Roland’s (and Susan’s) motivations may not be understood by someone who is exposed only to the outline given here. It may serve as an introduction, but I would hope that anyone who uses it as their first step in the direction of the Tower continues by reading the original series to understand things a bit better.

The book itself is a nice departure from the standard softcover format – good thick hardback binding, nice glossy dust jacket, and a ton of pages at the back that show all the various covers and alternates for the original seven-part comic series. While not quite heavy enough to qualify as a lethal weapon when thrown, it’s still a volume with satisfying weight to it. Overall a high-quality offering that is a step above the usual graphic novel fare.

As an avid Tower buff since the first book twenty years ago, I am very glad I got my hands on this little project – though as I said, I was disappointed that I didn’t learn any more about Roland than King himself has already given us. Still, for any collector of All Things Tower, it’s most definitely a good purchase. I would recommend it to anyone who has the collecting bug. While it wasn’t what I had originally thought it would be as far as story goes, I am certainly glad I bought it and would not hesitate to suggest it to anyone who enjoyed the series, particularly those (like myself) who enjoyed the fourth book’s gentler treatment of a notoriously un-gentle protagonist. Comment

Warriors in the Mist

by Susan D. Kalior

Warriors in the Mist

Medieval Dark Fantasy: An epic romance is featured in this masterfully written novel that takes place in the mystical, magical Dark Ages. Kamara Lania is a pacifistic priestess whose goal is to unite the realm with the divine love. Meanwhile, a violent self-serving warlord, Kayenté Ketola, is acquiring dominion of the realm on his journey to become King. They are both thwarted by a supernatural being “The Cold One” who is consuming the world because good and evil in their extremes, always fall. Mystical interplay, characteristic of Shakespeare, throws the Priestess and the Warlord into a harrowing and complicated, even comical transformation where they each must become more like the other to save the world. This novel impassions the heart, unleashes laughter and pumps adrenaline. The plot erupts with mysticism, magic, and romance as the mystery unravels with unpredictable twists and turns in the spirit of Hitchcock, while richly exposing the psychology of the human struggle, highlighted by entanglements with supernatural beings. This novel promises to entertain and to lighten the darkest most secret corners of the hidden self, while imparting wisdom needed in today’s world.