It took startling leaps of imagination as well as careful thought and planning to create places like these: places that readers and players want to come back to again and again.Now, eleven of adventure gaming's top designers come together to share their insights into building worlds that gamers will never forget. Learn the secrets of designing a pantheon, creating a setting that provokes conflict, determining which historical details are necessary, and so much more.Take that creative leap, and create dazzling worlds of your own!Essays by Wolfgang Baur, Keith Baker, Monte Cook, Jeff Grubb, Scott Hungerford, David "Zeb" Cook, Chris Pramas, Jonathan Roberts, Michael A. Stackpole, Steve Winter, with an introduction by Ken Scholes.

    / My journey to your depths begins tonight / To serve immortal till the stars turn right."These lines from a poem by Ann K. Schwader are the coda for this fine collection of tales about H.P. Lovecraft's Innsmouth--that decadent, smugly rotting New England town where half-human creatures with forbidding batrachian faces follow the arcane practices of the Esoteric Order of Dagon. In his erudite and witty introduction, Robert M. Price calls Innsmouth "the most effective, most evocative ... example of Lovecraft's full-blown alien civilizations." The Innsmouth Cycle includes 13 stories and 3 poems, including the three tales by Lord Dunsany, Robert W. Chambers, and Irvin S. Cobb that inspired Lovecraft's "The Shadow over Innsmouth." This collection is planned as the first of a pair, the second half of which will be Tales of Innsmouth, containing (according to Price) all new works of "fishy fiction."A fun detail: this book is "respectfully dedicated to Ben Chapman, the Creature from the Black Lagoon." --Fiona Webster

    A life can disappear. Teeth can sharpen, skin go pale, eyes reject the sun. One day, you're human. The next, you're a vampire, with an un-dying taste for blood.

    During waking fantasies that take him back in time to the horrors of Nazi Berlin, David becomes Felix, the ruthless Gestapo black marketeer. As reality and dream become inextricably merged, David must take control of Felix before Felix takes control of him.

    Bound not only by the traditions of the Camarilla but by those of her clan, the Tremere must find a place for herself in her own hierarchy and in the deadly world of vampires. Learn the magic of the Tremere and the rigors of earning status in the clan.The Ways of WarlocksAs part of the revised lineup of clanbooks, Tremere takes one of the classic sourcebooks for the game and brings it into a modern context. All-new information accompanies a re-examination of earlier concepts, allowing you to add as much depth to your character as you like. The sheer volume of information contained in the new clanbooks (each 32 pages longer than the first-edition series) permits Storytellers to round out their chronicles.

    From Bel Air to Bombay, from Shanghai to Sarajevo, these nomadic vampires wander where their citybound Kindred fear to tread. Now learn of the Ravnos' secret arts, and the centuries of hate that can lie behind a jester's smile. Clanbook: Ravnos includes: * The history of the clan, from Mohenjo Daro to Birkenau. * Information on Ravnos around the world, and the bitter schism between Gypsy and giorgio. * New Merits, Flaws and Chimerstry powers.

    Now learn the secrets of these enigmatic vampires - their history and legends, their allies and enemies, and the truth of their relationship with the fearsome Lupine. There is good reason why they stand at the forefront of every vampiric war: none can stand against them.Clanbook: Gangrel includes:* The history of the clan and its unique view of the world;* 10 sample characters suitable for players and storytellers, and;* How the Gangrel run with the werewolves and the powers they gain.

    This is a communal effort by the Pushcart Press staff, contributing editors, and hundreds of small presses. For this edition distinguished poets Julie Sheehan and Tom Sleigh served as poetry editors. The result is an introduction to a literary world that few readers have access to, where much of today's important new writing is published, far from the commercial influence of the conglomerates. In reviewing last year's edition, Donna Seaman of Booklist commented: "A brimming, vibrant anthology-the perfect introduction to new writers and adventurous new work by established writers . . . extraordinary in its range of voices and subjects. Here is literature to have and to hold." The Pushcart Prize has been chosen for the Ivan Sandrof Lifetime Achievement recognition by the National Book Critics Circle and the Writers for Writers award from Poets Writers / Barnes Noble.

    These objects are dangerous to the touch, but not to Jack.When his superiors discover he can interact with the objects, he's brought even further into the fold.Soon he's introduced to bizarre creatures that just a handful of people have ever witnessed.His simple life has turned into a freak show.And it only gets worse.

    Their legacy of shadows eclipses the light thrown by their packs ritual fires. But are the Lasombra truly the esteemed leaders of the Sword of Caine or do they simply abuse it to serve their own ends?The Lords of the SabbatAs the next entry in the revised lineup of clanbooks, Lasombra takes one of the classic Vampire sourcebooks and brings it into a modern context. All-new information accompanies revised material, inviting you to add as much depth to your character as you like. The sheer volume of information contained in the new clanbooks (each with 32 more pages than the first-edition books) permits Storytellers to round out their chronicles.

    

    Catch 'Em All Over Again -Extensive strategy for new and veteran Pokemaniacs -Massive walkthrough with stats on every enemy -Exclusive maps to help you navigate each area -Detailed battle tactics for dominating your "Pokemon(R) Ruby & Sapphire"--playing friends -Essential PokeDex, featuring stats and how to catch them

    Rowling (the HARRY POTTER series), Darren Shan (CIRQUE DU FREAK), R.L. Stine (the GOOSEBUMPS series), and Stephen King (IT) and Ray Bradbury (SOMETHING WICKED THIS WAY COMES)…Volume Two in the PETER AND THE VAMPIRES series!Peter and his best friend Dill survived the last book barely intact. But along the way, Peter discovered there’s a centuries-old Curse on his family – he just has no idea what it is, or how it got there. Peter’s grandfather is the only person who knows, but he’s not telling…In this volume, Peter encounters another chilling gallery of villains and monsters, including:A band of murderous mannequins that roam the local mall at night…A psychotic group of trick-or-treaters who not only rob Peter of his Halloween haul, but then come to his house, demanding something far worse…A carnival run by a group of evil sideshow freaks who keep a ghastly secret in their Hall of Mirrors…And a trio of college frat boys who want to use our hero in a horrific rite of initiation.The PETER AND THE VAMPIRES series is for teens and adults who, when they were kids, were looking for stories that kicked butt. The protagonist might be young, but the stories are dark, funny, and edge-of-your-seat suspenseful.PETER AND THE WEREWOLVES is the second in an ongoing series that includes PETER AND THE VAMPIRES (Volume 1) and PETER AND THE FRANKENSTEIN (Volume 3). This book is 112,000 words (320+ pages) and contains some mild language, violence, and scary situations.

    You're riding horseback toward an eerie castle when a thick fog rolls in. Suddenly you're surrounded by wolves! Your uncle races ahead- but Nina is thrown off her horse and disappears into the fog. What should you do?If you decide to stay and look for Nina, turn to page 54. If you decide to go on ahead with your uncle, turn to page 69. Beware! You might be attacked by deadly vampires, or you might find the magic jewel that will destroy their evil forever!

    There he finds fragments of the original Book of Nod in a language that has been dead for thousands of years. Who has led him to this place? What has he uncovered? And why has he been chosen to transcribe the words of one who could be Caine himself?Who Found it and Why?Written by noted science-fiction novelist C.S. Friedman, The Erciyes Fragments is a version of the Book of Nod that has never been seen before by mortal eyes. The most sage of vampiric scholars provide their commentary for your enlightenment. Revealed now for the first time are the prophecies of Nod and of Gehenna!