Land of Eight Million Dreams
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- Deena McKinney
- James A. Moore
- Wayne Peacock
 Cover art by Tony DiTerlizzi | |
| Designers | Ian Lemke |
|---|---|
| Illustrators | Theodor Black, Tony DiTerlizzi, John Dollar, Steve Ellis, Michael Gaydos, Jeff Holt, Kostas Kiriakakis, Aileen Miles, James Stowe, Drew Tucker |
| Writers |
|
| Publishers | White Wolf Publishing |
| Publication | December 1998 |
| Genres | Tabletop role-playing game supplement |
| Systems | Storyteller System |
| Parent games | Changeling: The Dreaming |
| Series | World of Darkness |
| ISBN | 1-56504-722-2 |
Land of Eight Million Dreams is a tabletop role-playing game supplement released by White Wolf Publishing in December 1998 for use with their game Changeling: The Dreaming, and is part of the World of Darkness series. It was developed by Ian Lemke and written by Deena McKinney, James A. Moore, and Wayne Peacock, and was released as the final entry in the Year of the Lotus line of Asia-themed World of Darkness books.
The book covers Asia as it is portrayed in the setting, and introduces Asian changelings called hsien or shinma as playable characters; unlike the changelings of the main game, who are fae bound to human bodies, the shinma are divine spirits inhabiting dying or dead humans' bodies. Taking the roles of these, players can use a free-form magic system based on the classical Chinese elements. The supplement was critically acclaimed, receiving praise for originality, its setting and characters, and its magic system, while its organization and heavy use of Chinese terminology were criticized.
Land of Eight Million Dreams is a sourcebook intended to be used with the tabletop role-playing game Changeling: The Dreaming, where players take the roles of changelings.[1][2] The book covers Asia – primarily China – as it is portrayed in the setting,[2] and introduces Asian changelings known as hsien or shinma to the game.[3] Unlike the changelings of the main game, who are fae spirits bound to human bodies for protection, the shinma are minor divine spirits inhabiting dying or dead humans' bodies while retaining few memories from their immortal souls, as the result of an ancient punishment by the August Personage of Jade.[2][3][4]
The shinma are divided into different types, called kwannon-jin, and further split into nobles who protect nature, and commoners who answer prayers and carry out quests for the nobles. The commoners are shape-shifting animal spirits associated with cats, fish, serpents, badgers, or monkeys, whereas the nobles are elemental spirits, with abilities based on the classical Chinese elements of fire, water, earth, metal, and wood, and associated attributes. Led by a storyteller,[a] players create and role-play as these shinma characters.[2][3]
As shinma, players can use wu tan – magic based on yin and yang and the elements – in a free-form magic system: rather than choosing from a list of magic spells, players describe how they want to use an element and whether the attempted action is more tilted toward yin or yang, and the storyteller determines how difficult that action should be to perform based on this.[2][3] Antagonists in the setting include the shinma's ancient enemies the kuei-jin vampires; sects of mages; wraiths, including the former owners of the shinma's bodies; and the demonic servants of the Yama Kings.[3][6]
In addition to the game mechanics and the descriptions of shinma and their history, Land of Eight Million Dreams also includes information meant for the storyteller, such as intrigues and plot threads that they can make use of in their campaigns.[3]
Production and release
Land of Eight Million Dreams was developed by Ian Lemke, and written by Deena McKinney, James A. Moore, and Wayne Peacock, with art direction by Aileen Miles, interior art by Theodor Black, John Dollar, Steve Ellis, Michael Gaydos, Jeff Holt, Kostas Kiriakakis, James Stowe, and Drew Tucker, and cover art by Tony DiTerlizzi.[7] Although released as an extension of Changeling: The Dreaming, the production team conceded that the new setting and character types essentially made Land of Eight Million Dreams a different game.[8] They designed it with a blend of mystique and whimsy,[9] and suggested themes and moods for Land of Eight Million Dreams campaigns including mystery and intrigue, balance and order, shinma as guardians and helpers, quests, justice, and nature.[8]
The book was the final entry in Year of the Lotus – a line of Asia-themed World of Darkness books released throughout 1998, which introduced Asian supernatural beings to the games in the series, including Hengeyokai: Shapeshifters of the East for Werewolf: The Apocalypse and Kindred of the East for Vampire: The Masquerade.[1][10] It was released by White Wolf Publishing in December 1998,[11] as a 150-page softcover book. It has also been released as an e-book,[4] and saw a Spanish release in September 2000.[12]
