By John Grigsby, Staff Reviewer, d20 Magazine Rack
Sizing Up the Target
The End: Lost Souls Edition is a 304-page tome from Tyranny Games, written by Joseph Donka, Joseph Tierney, Martin Tierney, Jeff Konkol, and Derek Guder. Interior artwork draws on the talents of Paul Carrick, Mike Kowalczyk, Marc Ludena, Unheilig, and Martin Tierney. This softcover retails for $29.95.
First Blood
What an unassuming volume this is. In fact, at first I passed right over it on the shelf, thinking that it was intended for White Wolf’s VAMPIRE: THE MASQUERADE or some such. The front cover is plain black, with gold lettering and an embossed design of the hexagram of the Seven Seals of the Apocalypse. It wasn’t until I turned it over that I saw that it was, in fact, a d20 game, and that almost caused me to miss what is sure to become one of the coolest RPGs I’ve ever had the pleasure to own!
THE END is a game about, well, The End. It was first produced by Scapegoat Games back in 1995 under its own system. Somehow, I managed to miss it (and apparently, so did a lot of other people). Fortunately, the good folks at Tyranny Games have worked to bring it back to us, and as a d20 product to boot!
In the year 2006, The Day of Judgment spoken of in Christian theology dawns and the Seven Seals of the Apocalypse are broken. The terrors of Hell descend upon Earth, and the Wrath of God sweeps over all, destroying the world in the same amount of time that it took to create it. God separates the wheat (who ascend into Heaven) from the chaff (who are sentenced to eternity in the Pit).
But something has gone horribly wrong. The Hand of God falls upon those who have chosen neither Him nor His Adversary. Their sins were too great to allow them admittance into Heaven, but not great enough to justify eternal damnation. Forsaken by God and Satan, they are left to wander the shattered, dead Earth. “The Meek shall inherit the Earth” was not a promise… it was a warning.
THE END is about the size of a Bible and, in fact, is laid out like one. The work is divided into chapters called “books” and the titles mimic those from the Bible. This truly serves to capture the spirit of the setting. Each chapter is liberally sprinkled with Biblical verses and prophecies, which further serve to remind you that this is an interpretation of what some believe may yet happen.
Chapter One: The Book of Chronicles is laid out as a diary, a journal kept by one Harry Liebowitz, one of the Meek. Like all of those left behind, Harry awakens to a surreal scene not unlike the bleak picture painted by those who believe the world will end in nuclear fire. His journal follows his adventures as he moves about the country, and should be read by both Judges and player, as it gives a real feel for the setting and the kinds of things to expect. Besides which, it’s a good read.
Chapter Two: The Book of Revelation delves into the beginning of The End. It reveals the events that led up to the breaking of the Seven Seals and the progress of the apocalypse. The opening of each Seal and the effects thereof are described in painful detail (also great reading). This is followed by a brief Q&A section apparently developed from questions asked of the designers in previous incarnations of the game. A brief lexicon of post-End slang is next, and then a few words on the theology of THE END are in order. It is here that the authors explain what has been changed in interpretation of the Bible and apologize to anyone that may be offended, reminding us once more that it is a work of fiction.
Chapter Three: The Book of Kings describes the world (more specifically, North America (for the United States no longer exists)) are it is now, following The End. Diseases, creatures, the servants (and presence) of the Four Horsemen, travel, and communities are all covered here. Each major community is given a good-sized write-up, including attitudes towards strangers and relationships with the other communities.
It’s easy to guess what Chapter Four: The Book of Genesis describes, and that is character creation. Being a d20 product under the OGL, the methods of rolling up ability scores or assigning skill points are not covered herein, but let’s face it, if you’ve been playing for any length of time, you know all that already anyway. Instead, this chapter introduces us to the only base character class in THE END and also the eight “reborn”classes that round out the options for players.
The Meek are the only base class in THE END. Simply put, they are those who did not choose or whose sins were too great to allow them into Heaven, but not so great as to bring them eternal damnation. It’s a harsh world after the apocalypse and this is aptly demonstrated by the fact that the Meek only receive a d2 for hit dice. This may chafe veterans a bit, but remember that these represent the last survivors of the Earth as we know it and they are not meant to be terribly strong. As is stated elsewhere in the book, the idea was to make firearms (indeed, any form of combat) a frighteningly deadly experience. This is realistic. In real life, few people survive more than two or three gunshots. In order to give the players a fighting chance, however, all Meek begin with a number of hit points equal to their Constitution score.
In THE END, prestige classes have been replaced with “reborn” classes, reflecting the directions in which the Meek choose to evolve. There are eight available “reborn” classes, each with therir own talents and abilities. They are the anarchists (who seek to complete the destruction of men’s works), the diggers (scavengers and traders), physicians (who live to prevent the extinction of mankind), preachers (who believe that God’s will is still paramount), restorers (who seek to renew the glory of man’s civilization), scientists (preserving mankind’s knowledge), shamans (touched by the awakening savage gods), and thugs (who believe might makes right).
Finally, every player must select a sin that reveals why they were left behind. Agnosticism, atheism, bitterness, godlessness, humanism, lapsed faith, misplaced loyalty, objectivism, polytheism, poor conversion, indecision, or just plain being a sinner whose wrongs were not great enough to warrant damnation are all among the possibilities. Each sin carries its own particular game effects, so this is not merely a role-playing tool.
Chapter Five: The Book of Acts is all about the skills and feats that are available to characters. Much of this chapter is a rehash of the same material that can be found in Core Rulebook I, but there are some new and very interesting skills here. Skills such as science will be very much in demand in this new world, and carpentry and plumbing will have their benefits as well.
As with the skills, there are both a lot of familiar feats here, and some interesting new ones. A few, such as Autopsy, could easily be added to D&D or D20MODERN games, while a D&D character with the unusual feat Make Magnet would be interesting, to say the least.
Chapter Six is The Book of Lamentations, providing basic rules for campaigns set following The End. Here the Judge will find notes on the condition of items (for not everything is in prime condition in these dark times), creatures that plague the Meek, rules for Ennui (humanity and insanity), disease, and magic. Yes, magic is not gone from the world, though only a very select few can use it effectively.
Magic in THE END comes in two basic types; shamanism (given by the return of the Savage Gods), and word magic (from the primal foundations of magic). Both types are quite powerful in their own degree and exact a heavy price on those who use them, but many feel that the price is worth it. Magic in THE END is feat based, requiring a feat each time a new ritual is learned, which means that it is unlikely to become a driving force in the campaign.
The Book of Numbers (Chapter Seven) breaks down all the rules mechanics that are required in THE END. There are extensive rules for firearms here (another thing that may attract D20MODERN players who are unhappy with the way that system handles firearm combat). Vehicle rules are also covered here.
Chapter Eight: The Book of Judges is a mini-handbook for Judges which examines the metaphysical reasons behind a campaign. Why are the characters here? What is the focus behind the campaign? Where do we go from here? All of these questions are given consideration in this chapter.
Finally, we come to Chapter Nine: The Book of Apocrypha, providing game statistics and backgrounds on six of the more well-known personalities of North America after The End. Our friend Harry, from Chapter One, is described here, along with the Voodoo Queen and a demoness, to name but two. Besides serving as potential encounters, these make fine examples for GMs to build their own NPCs.
Critical Hits
I guess the biggest hit here is the concept. Brilliantly executed and laid out, THE END carries the lore of the Bible to its logical end, providing a world of danger and adventure that is sure to delight those who enjoy post-apocalyptic settings. With all the earmarks of the classic GAMMA WORLD or the more recent DARWIN’S WORLD, but with an entirely different focus, gamers who like playing in a campaign where life is a sturggle to survive will find THE END quite suitable to their needs.
Critical Misses
I can’t seem to find anything that Tyranny Games has missed with THE END, except to say that this game is not for everyone. Many will find exception (particularly those who make Biblical study their profession) to the events as described herein and there are those who would argue that God could not be so uncaring as to turn a blind eye to those left behind. These are issues that will need to be dealt with carefully and should be approached only by players mature enough to handle the subject matter.
Coup de Grace
If you enjoy post-apocalyptic role-playing, this is a twist that you might find delightful. Most all of the work is designated as Open Game Content (with the exception of background material for the campaign and NPCs). There is a lot of variation in THE END, but where things have remained the same, d20 Compliance is kept intact.
Without a doubt, this is, hands-down, the most original campaign setting I’ve ever encountered. Even the venerable RIFTS can’t hold a candle to this campaign setting when it comes to an original idea. Both GMs and players will find plenty of use out of this book and even just reading some of the chapters is a delight.
Finally, the price may be a little high. Yes, it’s a faux-leather cover and there’s a lot of good material in here, but $30 for a book this size just seems a little too much. Still, if you can spare it, it is certainly worth every penny.
To see the graded evaluation of this product and to leave comments, go to The Critic's Corner at www.d20zines.com.
