Giulia Gastaldi
In this review, I’m going to talk about Last Sabbath, an esoteric RPG created by Atropo Kelevra and Valentino Sergi, embellished by the unmistakable illustrations of Jessica Cioffi, aka Loputyn. First of all, I would like to thank the authors for providing us with a physical copy of the manual.
Last Sabbath is a masterless journaling game, with an extremely essential regulation that will make you play a Coven of Witches and Wizards.
If you are interested in buying it, the manual is available in the Officina Meningi’s store at the price of €15 in the physical version with the digital pack included with the eBook version.
Also, on our YouTube channel, you can find the session we had the pleasure of playing with the author!
A Custom Setting
You will be amazed, but this RPG has no setting; it is up to the players to create their own world and Coven.
The manual suggests many ideas for approaching the game and getting familiar with the simple rules, but don’t let too much freedom scare you; the real secret is to abandon yourself to your imagination, in order to create ever more intriguing stories.
This aspect makes the product gain so much versatility, making it possible to create very different plays.
Last Sabbath Rules review
This role-playing game is structured in Scenes, further subdivided into Rounds, which can be 3, 5 or 7 based on the duration you want to give to the Story. Each Scene is preceded by a Divination, which we will see in detail later, or by the Hints in the game manual.
In each Scene a Witch or Sorcerer will tell her own Story, based on her own imagination or by interpreting the signs; at the end of her Turn, it will write down the Trace of what she has narrated in its Diary. By doing so, she will pass the Diary to another Sister and the Story will continue until it is returned to the initiator of the scene, marking the end of the Round.
At the end of each Scene, each player will have to choose a Trace which he will mark as a Memory. They can be consumed to manifest Powers and affect the Death of a Witch or Warlock.
Power has three degrees of intensity. Charm is a minor spell that costs a few hours or minutes to live, such as making an object disappear. Sorcery costs years of life or a memory and can, for example, cure a disease. Then the Spell is very powerful (like driving away the Threat) and leads to the death of the Witch or the erasure of all Memory.
The Structure of the Game
There are seven Scenes:
- The Calling is the introduction to the story in which the world and characters are defined and developed.
- The Initiation defines the formation and purpose of the Covenant.
- Then the Danger gives birth to the Threat, or the antagonist.
- The Research represents the research of how to defeat the Threat and implement the mission.
- Then the Revelation accompanies the Coven on a path that will lead them to face the Threat.
- The Threat corresponds to the conclusion of the mission and the confrontation with the Threat, resulting in success or failure.
- Finally, the Epilogue concludes the adventure, narrating the consequences of the protagonists’ actions.
Last Sabbath can also be played solo; at the beginning of each Scene a six-sided die is rolled and a Trace is developed based on the Cue or one can decide to use a Divination method.
In any case, as previously written, each Scene is preceded by a Divination, capable of providing inspiration to Witches and Wizards. Last Sabbath offers us four methods: the Tarot, the Runes, the Mikado and the Tea Leaves.
Classic Divination Methods…
Tarot cards are the most intuitive method to practice Divination. The Witch on duty must mix the Major Arcanes, scatter them on the table and draw two of them, then read their meanings on the appropriate table. The Tarot upside down has a meaning opposite to what is written on the reference table.
Runes are the most immediate method. Each symbol has a specific meaning, indicated by another table.
There are several ways to divine with Runes:
- The River, in which they are launched on a white cloth, three are drawn in the dark and, after having mixed them in the hands, they are placed in front of you to be read from left to right. In this way, you will have clear Divinations.
- The Three Norns, in which a cross with five Runes will form. You start by extracting one Rune at a time for a total of three, consulting its meaning before placing it horizontally and determining the reading order at the end of the Divination. This method provides a more complex Divination.
- The Instant is used when a Witch needs help to continue the narrative during her Turn. In this case, she draws a Rune, places it in front of her and interprets its meaning based on the position of the engraving. The answers will be aimed at stimulating the imagination.
…And Less Classics
The Mikados are the most chaotic and whimsical Divination. This method consists of three stages:
- The Chaos where the Sister shuffles the wands divides them into three messy decks on the table and brings them together in the center, creating a messy situation.
- The Balance comes after The Chaos, the Witch who divines can move up to four wands and position them as she pleases; her task is to create a Drawing or modify an already visible Drawing. If other wands move during this phase, the Sister will have to interpret what she sees, as she cannot move other wands. The Drawings are Triangles that are formed based on the position of the Mikado, associated with the Alchemical Symbols. Keep in mind that the Symbols are four: Earth is a positive prediction, Water is moderately positive, Air is moderately negative and Fire negative.
- The third and final phase is The Tapestry, in which we proceed with the interpretation, based on how many and which Drawings are most visible.
The last method of Divination is Taxomancy, which is the interpretation of tea grounds. Obviously in this case you will need a cup, a plate, hot water and tea leaves. The leaves are infused, and the resulting drink is mixed and consumed, leaving a base and the leaves. Finally, you have to turn the cup on the plate, so as to form the Effigies, that is the drawings that are created in the cup. The Effigies can be Definitions, that is evident symbols that stand out, or Fades, little marked designs that add meaning to the Divination. So the Forms that can be found are represented and their meaning is to be consulted in the game manual.
The Art of Last Sabbath
At first glance, it is clear that the manual is of the highest quality from an aesthetic point of view. Each page is enriched by Loputyn’s magnificent and esoteric illustrations, which completely immerse you in the magical world of the Coven and also inspire the narrative.
The cover is the maximum expression of this aspect and encompasses the entire journey that the Congrega has lived throughout history. The binding with red thread takes up the colour used in the drawings. Moreover, the font and layout are always clear and suited to Jessica’s refined designs.
The manual also acquires value thanks to the meticulous aesthetic care and the deep link between the illustrations and the role-playing game concept.
Last Sabbath Review Conclusion
To conclude this review, I can say that Last Sabbath is a role-playing game accessible to all, which stimulates interest and imagination and which allows you to create short but intense adventures for the Covens of Witches and Wizards.
Honestly, I haven’t found any obvious flaw in the manual; I was able to mainly experience the Divination method with the Tarot and the narration was always fluid, favoring the interpretation in each Scene. The other methods are also very interesting and useful for giving players ideas and keeping them magically linked to the story.
I recommend this RPG to anyone who wants to try their hand at a mystical and esoteric experience, trying to defeat an ever-changing Threat!