Intended to introduce the new World of Darkness line, Promethean: The Created, this booklet serves as a good overview of what the game is about and could be useful when getting your players interested in the concept.

It starts off with the story of Prometheus (the chap who stole fire from the gods and gave it to humans, if you didn't happen to know), explaining that in general only 'the gods' (whoever they might be) have the ability to confer life... but that a few mortals have discovered how to create something at least living, if not itself a mortal being. These creations are the subject of this game: such as Frankenstein's monster and the resurrected Isis of ancient Egyptian legend.

Played as a game of itself, the players taken on the role of such creatures, searching for some meaning and acceptance for their lives, perhaps even gaining sufficient humanity to become themselves mortal beings like other humans. Alternatively, the material can be used to provide mysteries for players of other strands of the New World of Darkness to explore, or straightforward opposition for them.

In standard White Wolf style, within the general role of Promethean, there are several strands that each individual can explore to build a unique character. Firstly is the 'Lineage' - based on the way in which the character (or his ancestors) were originally created. The examples given are Frankensteins (made in some mad-man's lab out of a motley assortment of spare parts) and Nephri (created in ritual from a single body dismembered and reassembled, as in the Osiris legend). Three other options are mentioned by name only: Galatea, Tammuz and Ulgan.

Next comes 'Refinements' - viewed from an alchemical standpoint, what is this particular character's route to humanity, the desire to become a mortal complete with a soul. Some seek to understand how mortals operate, others embrace the rejection of the world that all Prometheans encounter.

Finally, like all of the supernatural beings found in the New World of Darkness, each character has access to 'Transmutations' - special abilities that can be used as the character wishes. A few examples are given, such as Incognito, which allows the character to blend into a crowd rather than stand out as something different, something odd (the normal status of any Promethean).

It's all a bit sketchy, but ought to give you enough of an idea as to whether you'd like to explore the concept further, and can be used to explain to your players the nature of the game you are thinking of running.

Return to Promethean: The Created Promo page.

Reviewed: 12 August 2006