Chicago Chronicles Volume 1

Chicago Chronicles Volume 1 is a compilation of material from two previously published Vampire: The Masquerade sourcebooks, Chicago by Night and The Succubus Club.[1] Both were released in 1991, the same year as the original Vampire: The Masquerade game.

The material from Chicago by Night describes the various evening hangouts the Kindred of Chicago like to visit. The material from The Succubus Club details an ultra-hip party that moves from place to place. Floor plans for the two-level club are provided, and notable personalities who frequent the club are described, including both staff and the Kindred who are likely to be found there. The book also includes seven scenarios set in and around the Club.

In the August 1996 edition of Arcane (Issue 9), Mark Barter gave the book an above average rating of 9 out of 10, saying, "This reprint claims to be the classic sourcebook for Vampire and it lives up to its boast admirably. It is one of the most complete and best gaming settings for any system and I recommend it unreservedly for those who haven't already enjoyed its night life. If only it'd been updated to 2nd Edition, and the mistakes corrected, then it would have been perfect."[1]

In the October 1997 edition of Dragon (Issue #240), Rick Swan thought this book looked and felt rudimentary compared to more recent White Wolf publications, calling the book "prehistoric", and continuing, "What's shocking about Chicago Chronicles isn’t the gore — though enough blood is spilled to fill an Olympic pool — but the crude presentation. Compared to the state-of-the-art visuals in [current Vampire: The Masquerade sourcebooks], the look of Chicago Chronicles is border-line amateur." Swan gave the book an average score of 3 out of 6, saying, "White Wolf has come a long way; Chicago Chronicles shows how far."[2]