While reading the IPG, I noticed this statement:
"Bands represent all the demons who (for whatever reason) possess similar abilities and similar personal symphonies. Hell is fond of survival of the fittest. While there are countless approaches to fitness, only seven are outstandingly successful - the seven major Bands in In Nomine..." (pg 22)
This got me to thinking about the other kinds of Fallen Celestial that
could exist. Here's the result of some of this brainstorming. Comments
would be most welcome, since I plan to unleash these guys on my players
when my campaign resumes.
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HA-SATANIM
The Accusers
Not every Seraph Falls for the exact same reasons. Some Fall for lying, others for disobedience to their Archangels. Some Fall from trying to rationalize their lies, attempting to play mind games with themselves about what is and is not true. These Fallen Seraphiom become the Ha-satanim.
The Ha-satanim occupy an *interesting* position in Hell. Everybody wants to know if they are being lied to, but nobody wants others to know that they are lying. And the Ha-satanim know, and use that knowledge to prove that they are as fit to survive as anyone else.
RESONANCE
In a perverse manner the Ha-satanim resonate for truth, much like they once did as Seraphim. Unlike the Seraphim, the Ha-satanim see truth as relative. What is true to one individual may not be true to another. Whether or not what is believed is True is of no concern to them; all that matters is that the individual *believes* it to be true.
As a result the Ha-satanim may, through an effort of will, invade the thoughts of a speaking individual and determine whether the individual believes their statement to be true. The soul of the speaker may be laid bare to the gaze of a Ha-satan, allowing the demon to percieve just what the person *really* thinks about what he is saying.
DISSONANCE
In their own peculiar way, the Ha-satanim are still Seraphim. They may not lie, without suffering Dissonance. But the mind of a Ha-satan is slippery and able to accept as true things that others believe true, whether or not they believe it themselves. Telling a lie gains the Ha-satan a note of dissonance. Telling someone their beliefs are true (or allowing the to believe they are true through the Ha-satan's statements), whether or not those beliefs are true, does not.
MANNER AND APPEARANCE
The Ha-satanim prefer to be smooth and stylish in the Corporeal realm. They dress and behave in a manner which is intended to reinforce in the minds of everyone who interacts with them that the demon is superior to them. This is important to the Ha-satanim, because (to their minds at least) if it is believed it is true. In Celestial form they strongly resemble their Balseraph cousins, but with a slightly amorphous look to them as they change to fit every belief that comes along.
Other Bands are ambivilant about the Ha-satanim, especially since there are comparativly few of them to form opinions about. Typically they are tolerated, unless they begin to challenge the statements made by other demons. Then the Bands grow hostile...
Oddly enough, the Balseraphs actually like their Ha-satanim cousins. At least as much as a Balseraph likes anyone. The Ha-satanim resonance is powerless against the resonance of the Balseraphs, because the Balseraph always believs his statements to be true.
Unlike the Balseraphs, the Ha-satanim do not see themselves as stringed instruments. They think of themselves as chimes and bells, instruments which require a delecate hand to play properly.
GAME MECHANICS
The resonance of the Ha-satanim functions as a peculiar synthesis of the resonances of the Seraphim and the Elohim. They have the power to see into the souls of others by making eye contact, allowing them to learn if the target of their resonance believes he is lying. With good rolls, the Ha-satan may also determine what the individual really believes about the statement, and why.
It is important to remember that the Ha-satan resonance has no connection to the Symphony. As a result, they cannot ever perceive the Truth. They may only perceive truth as it is understood by the target of their resonance.
HA-SATANIM CHECK DIGIT RESULTS
1...You know whether or not the speaker thinks he is lying.
2...You know the above - and, if the speaker thinks he lied, which statement in particular he thinks is most false.
3...You know all of the above, and why the speaker chose to lie.
4...You know all of the above, and understand what the speaker feels about his decision to lie (shame, guilt, pride, etc)
5...You know all of the above, and what the speaker believes the truth to be.
6...You know all of the above, and what the speaker's most likely reaction will be if you tell him what he believes the truth to be.
A Ha-satan also posesses two serious risks with his resonance. If he ever fails his resonance roll with a check die of 6, he must immediatly make a new resonance roll. The original subject of the resonance then recieves the appropriate amount of information about the last statement the Ha-satan made to him. In addition, if a Ha-satan ever successfully resonates a Seraph with a check die of 6, he gains no information at all. Instead, he makes temporary contact with the Seraph's connection to they Symphony and is blinded by it. The Ha-satan may not use his resonance again for a number of hours equal to the Seraph's Celestial Forces, and the Seraph becomes aware that there is a demon nearby.
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Richard "Mr. Uriel" Gant
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To fight and conquer in all your battles is not supreme excellence; supreme excellence consists in breaking the enemy's resistance without fighting. In the practical art of war, the best thing of all is to take the enemy's country whole and intact; to shatter and destroy it is not so good. So, too, it is better to capture an army entire than to destroy it, to capture a regiment, a detachment, or a company entire than to destroy them. -Sun Tzu
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