I am a lover vampires, but we are not alone, mysterious wolves are spirits dance with humanity. I am excited to finally present to you story you can be apart of, with a unique twist. Perhaps you will not think of werewolves in the same way after reading this article.
Legendary Monsters
Like vampires, stories about werewolves have been with us for almost as long as people have been telling stories. And also like vampires, the lycanthropes are creatures of folklore, myth, and legend. Traditionally, they are men and women suffering from a terrible curse: when the moon is full, they transform into hideous wolf-like monsters and stalk the night, hunting and killing helpless victims. According to folklore, when transformed they are nearly mindless, ravening creatures and can be killed only with a silver weapon. Modern media versions of these creatures have ranged from the very traditional to the very tongue-in-cheek, but they've all proved one thing: werewolves are nearly as popular as their vampire rivals.
Enter By Night Studios
Today independent publisher By Night Studios (bynightstudios.com) is creating a new take on the werewolf with its interactive roleplaying game Mind's Eye Theatre: Werewolf The Apocalypse.
Designed as a companion to its popular Mind's Eye Theatre: Vampire The Masquerade game, MET: Werewolf gives equal time and attention to the story of the Garou (the werewolves' name for themselves). And like MET: Vampire, the book is supported by a rich roleplaying tradition.
White Wolf Returns!
Over twenty years ago, legendary roleplaying games publisher White Wolf unveiled Mind's Eye Theatre. It ushered in an entirely new era of immersive and interactive entertainment that allowed participants to experience what it might be like to be a vampire, werewolf, or other supernatural creature from their hit roleplaying games Vampire: The Masquerade and Werewolf: The Apocalypse. Fans tapped into the endless creative possibilities immediately, and enjoying shared story experiences that spanned cities, states, and even countries.
In October 2015, Paradox Interactive acquired White Wolf Publishing and the World of Darkness. The newly reborn White Wolf is dedicated to bringing its gritty and mature brand of interactive storytelling to fans new and old. By Night Studios is proud to be White Wolf's official publisher of Mind's Eye Theatre products, and its members are thrilled to be working with them directly on key elements of the story and plot for this book.
After publishing Mind's Eye Theatre: Vampire The Masquerade in 2013, By Night Studios asked their customers and fans what they should create next. The response was a loud howl for Mind's Eye Theatre: Werewolf The Apocalypse!
Classic Stories, Modern Monsters
The story of MET: Werewolf takes place in the World of Darkness, a dark mirror of our own world--here, vampires, werewolves, mages, and worse creatures hide in the shadows, manipulating and preying on humanity.
Unlike the werewolves of more traditional horror tales, the Garou have developed their own sophisticated society and culture. They are warriors charged with protecting Gaia--the earth, their spiritual mother--from the ravages of her enemies, both supernatural and human. And their curse isn't that they shift from human to wolf: it's that they can barely contain the boundless rage of spirit that drives them to do battle on Gaia's behalf.
MET: Werewolf The Apocalypse is a shared storytelling game about werewolves--an epic of righteous rage fueling an endless war to destroy corruption and stem the upcoming ecological disaster brought upon the world by the greed of humans backed by supernatural evil. It's a violent, savage, and very physical story about fighting what may very well be a hopeless war against the corporate greed that threatens to ruin Mother Earth...and yet the war must be fought, because the alternative--surrender--is unthinkable. The universe is broken and the Wyrm -- the fundamental element of decay in the cosmos -- in the depths of madness, seeks to destroy reality. Caught between wolf and man, spirit and flesh, the Garou are the doomed heroes of this epic story.
Chernobyl. Glacial collapse. Fracking. Water rationing. Deepwater Horizon. This beautiful world seems to be under attack on all fronts, and perhaps only the doomed heroes of the Garou Nation can save it...or die trying. But despite the very clear and present danger, the werewolves cannot even agree on the best way to fight the war that faces them. They argue and debate strategies even as the petrochemical poisons spread to the food supply. Inexperienced Cubs resist the authority of the veteran Elders while cattle farming conglomerates slash-burn another thousand acres of rainforest. Friends and even family resist cooperation for the sake of pride in the face of looming disaster. Outnumbered, outgunned, out of time, the Garou must either find a way forward together, or perish before the power of the forces aligned against them.
Mind's Eye What Now?
Mind's Eye Theatre (MET) is the direct descendant of more traditional types of roleplaying, but instead of sitting at a table describing actions or navigating through the virtual adventure of a video game, MET is about the physicality of the experience: participants wear cool costumes that represent their characters, and elaborately decorate the playing area to give their stories visual appeal and a higher degree of immersion. They act out their characters' choices in real-time, similar to actors in a play; and they react emotionally to the awful and wonderful events of the story. It's a very modern version of improvisational theatre.
The new MET: Werewolf The Apocalypse book provides players with the opportunity to engage directly in the age-old tradition of collaborative storytelling, but with a very modern twist. You will step into the role of a werewolf seeking glory and honor in a secret war while trying to survive in a complex society hidden beneath our own. In this World of Darkness, enemies hide in every shadow, and a moment's weakness could prove your eternal undoing.
Each day is a constant struggle to continue your sacred duty to protect Gaia, while dealing with the consequences of your overwhelming rage. This is a tale about tragic, flawed heroes dealing with an impossible situation. Inside this book, you'll find everything you need to play a game of MET Werewolf. The mechanics chapters cover character creation, powers, merits, flaws, and skills -- all the building blocks you need for personalizing your very own werewolf character. Later chapters cover the political and social structures of this setting, the dangerous world in which your character exists, and guide you through methods of storytelling the game.
Where to Learn More
Interested in learning more about MET: Werewolf The Apocalypse or By Night Studios?
You can download a free PDF sample of MET: Werewolf fromDriveThruPRG.
You can participate in an evening of MET: Werewolf live-action roleplaying at The Grand Masquerade in New Orleans in September. The Grand Masquerade is a four-day celebration of the World of Darkness, and this year it marks the 25th anniversary of the World of Darkness.
You can learn more about By Night Studios, Mind's Eye Theatre: Vampire The Masquerade, and upcoming projects from this publisher at ByNightStudios.com.