Adapted by: Austin George Loomis <aloomis@whale.st.usm.edu>
One of the first thoughts that occurred to me, when I heard the Book was finally in stores, was adapting one of my all-time favorite fictional demons for IN. I've got a work-in-progress version of him as a Prince, if anyone's interested, but first, I think I'll share the basic working-class demon version... --Austin Loomis
[Screwtape is based on C.S. Lewis' _The Screwtape Letters_ and no infringement to copyright or trademark is intended in this adaptation. --arcangel]
The Balseraph Screwtape was one of the first generation of diabolicals created after the Fall; like the Lilim, he has no personal experience of Heaven. Early on, he discovered an especial skill at dealing with humans; he claims to have been the Serpent in Eden, to have incited Cain to the murder, to have suggested to Lot's daughters that they preserve their father's seed...and, because he's a Balseraph, nobody cares enough to find out whether he's actually telling the truth this time. He rose in Kronos' service, leading many mortals to their Fates, until at last, by sheer force of reputation, he achieved his Word; Lucifer's bestowal of it on him was seen by many as merely a necessary formality. He confidently expects that at any moment, news of his Principality will come from the Father of Lies...
Screwtape's corporeal form is that of a bland middle-aged human male, usually dressed in a bland gray suit. Having done his best recent work in England, he affects a British accent (and sounds oddly like the English comedian John Cleese). Though generally preferring not to draw attention to himself, he will occasionally use his Numinous Corpus Songs to give himself features that remind young tempters of what awaits them at the Gamesmen's hands if they fail. In moments of stress, or when his Discord catches up with him, he may revert to his Balseraph form. The millennia have not been kind to him, and he now looks less like any sort of serpent than like a rather large centipede.
Strength 4 (Body Hits 24), Agility 8
Intelligence 12 (Mind Hits 72), Precision 12
Will 10 (Soul Hits 50), Perception 10
Human/3 (Role: Lawyer/3, Status/3)
Angry/3
Detect Lies/4, Emote/3, Fast-Talk/3, Language/3 (English -- free), Savoir-Faire/3
Attraction (Ethereal/3), Form (Ethereal/3, Celestial/4), Claws/4, Fangs/4, Horns/4, Possession/3
Balseraph of Fate (Cherub resonance), Lilim of Fate (only to see Discord), Shedite of Fate (used with Fast-Talk), Impudite of Fate, Fated Future, Baron of the Book of Days (16th century), Demon of Temptation
As the Demon of Temptation, Screwtape gains one Essence any time he convinces someone to do evil, or to do the right thing for the wrong reason, regardless of whether the act was Destined or Fated (though he will still gain dissonance as usual if he knowingly tips the mortal's scales toward Destiny).
The character of Screwtape is inspired by the character of that name presented in _The Screwtape Letters_ (1939-40) by C.S. Lewis. The _Letters_ themselves, and Lewis' original 1941 preface to the collected edition, appear to be in the public domain (I've seen copies from more than one publisher), but Lewis' 1960 (or so) preface to the revised edition, along with "Screwtape Proposes a Toast" (of the same vintage) and the preface he wrote for that (at the time, but unpublished until the early 80s or so), are all copyright the estate of C.S. Lewis.
Thanks, Jack, wherever you are. I couldn't have done it without you.
Austin George "Even if you *didn't* understand pantheism" Loomis