in_nomine-digest Saturday, July 7 2001 Volume 01 : Number 2451 In this digest: IN> Newbie Re: IN> Newbie IN> So you've done everything else... Re: IN> Newbie Re: IN> EPG query Re: IN> So you've done everything else... Re: IN> Lilim Princess? IN> Prj. Silence - Captive Vignette Part 3 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Mon, 19 Nov 2001 18:50:46 +0000 From: "Alison Lowe" Subject: IN> Newbie Hi, I'm new to the game, and I'm just wondering which books you guys suggest I buy, other than the corebook? Alison "Do you think you're funny?" "I try not to fly in the face of public opinion." -Blackadder II Storyteller of World of Darkness: Hong Kong http: //communities.msn.co.uk/WorldofDarknessHongKong _________________________________________________________________ Get your FREE download of MSN Explorer at http://explorer.msn.com/intl.asp ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 20 Nov 2001 08:07:12 +1300 From: "Terry Jackson" Subject: Re: IN> Newbie This question opens up a whole bunch of opinions. I think it has been agreed that: The Angelic Players Guide & DPG are very good additions to the main rule book. I really like the Liber Cantercorium, because it adds more depth to In Nominie's "Magic" section. It is not essential though. You Are Here is a good one for locations and adventure seeds. IMHO, stay away from the Servitorium, The book of relics, and the Castellorum for the moment. They can be confusing to newbies or just not worth it (with the servitorim). Again, that is just my opinion. Welcome to the fold! Terridian >Hi, I'm new to the game, and I'm just wondering which books you guys >suggest >I buy, other than the corebook? > >Alison _________________________________________________________________ Get your FREE download of MSN Explorer at http://explorer.msn.com/intl.asp ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 19 Nov 2001 14:18:58 -0500 From: Elizabeth McCoy Subject: IN> So you've done everything else... [This was partly inspired by a dream, so we'll see how it works out when I try to do something with it... It is not canon.] So your characters have done everything... They've gone to the Lower Hells, they've been to the Far Marches at least a dozen times, they've explored more places Man Was Not Meant To Know (And Celestials Probably Shouldn't Be There Either) than you can recall. But have they been to the Higher Heavens? And come back? (Then again, if they've done all that, the GM might be sick of the characters and not _want_ them to come back...) Okay, first you need some Big Disaster. You know, an Infernal Intervention as the PCs try to shut down some Vapulan Doomsday Device. (Or a Divine one, if you're running demonic PCs. On the other hand, this one really doesn't work so well if you're running demons. Anyway.) It should be _big_. The sun is about to explode. The Earth is about to be wracked with volcanoes. Nearby comets have just been attracted to the Earth in droves. You know. Big stuff. If your PCs have already been everywhere else, they're probably big enough by now that they're stuck with disarming Vapulan Doomsday Devices these days. And dealing with the fallout when they botch it. Well, whatever happened, it didn't just affect the corporeal realm; it altered _all_ the realms. Sort of squished them closer together. This has some negative effects just from letting ethereal critters (including the odd stray dreamscape...) wander around Earth. But then a manticore goes bounding up the _celestial_ side of Blandine's Tower, before being chased away! Um. Oops. Now, while the Guards around the walls of Heaven are actually getting a bit of a work-out, this isn't the sort of thing that the Seraphim Council wants to encourage. Now, who's both powerful enough to be useful, and in enough disfavor (say, from botching the defusing of the VDD?) to stick with a tough job that they might not come back from? Be sure to smirk at your players when you say this. Now, for whatever enigmatic reasons you care to come up with, it has been determined that someone needs to go to... the Higher Heavens. This is, Yves and Jean have determined, possible again -- sort of -- due to the compressed nature of the Symphony at the moment. But note that "sort of," above. See, the _Archangels_ can't go themselves. (Laurence is very disapponted by this.) The Symphony up there would reject them. But non-Superior celestials (much like relievers on Earth) can be snuck up there... Once there, they're supposed to make contact with someone who isn't busy holding up the stars or something, and see if anyone up _there_ can do a little Symphonic retuning... Are there any . . . volunteers? (If the PCs don't volunteer right now, then bust them back to herding sheep in the outback.) The "volunteers" are handed over to Yves, given a McGuffin each which will let them slip into the Higher Heavens, and sent to climb Jacob's Ladder. Now (they will have been told), the Higher Heavens are pretty incomprehensible to celestials who've never been there. Not to mention ineffable. Get the Seraph Archangels speaking about it and it comes out like speaking in tongues. All True, of course, but not very informative. Part of what the McGuffin relics do is shift their perceptions so that they will see something comprehensible. And not get so overwhelmed by the glory of the Higher Heavens that they don't remember what they were supposed to be doing for the next few centuries. So, they climb, and climb, and climb... And eventually they see... A city? A mirror of the Eternal City, maybe? Only upside down above them. (Or maybe they're climbing down the ladder? Gravity and perspective seem to be even weirder here than in Heaven...) [Go watch Utena; the series, not the Movie.] So, what do the Higher Heavens look like? Perhaps they look different to each PC. (Good for online or PBEM games, tricky for face-to-face.) Perhaps it looks like a steampunk version of the Eternal City as painted by Escher... Beings roam around, vaguely humanoid as well as strange things that have never been seen in the Lower Heavens. Nothing there looks like a "normal" angel. (Or demon, for that matter.) Play this up for creepy -- the PCs should feel vaguely like kids who have snuck into someplace they shouldn't be. The Smithsonian after hours, maybe. Lots of cool stuff, but with a sense of the forbidden. And weird. Escher, think lots of Escher. And spooky shadows. (If the players ask why the Higher Heavens, which should be so much brighter, are shadowed, tell them that they're wearing the equivalent of relic sunglasses, right? So the tuning on them is a little off; things are weird ever since SOMEONE botched defusing that Vapuan Doomsday Device...) Now, you _know_ that the PCs are going to take it into their heads -- not to talk to the first being on the street that they see (those things are scary, and bugging them might not be a good idea...) -- but to look up someone _familiar_. No, really. What sort of creature ought to be immediately recognizable to a bunch of lost little angels...? (Make them proportionally the size of relievers, compared to all the stuff. Little. Itsy-bitsy. Fragile.) Come on, you know you want to figure out what Uriel's been doing in the Higher Heavens all this time. You're the GM, of _course_ you want to do this. Really. Honest. It'll be fun. Stop twitching. Even if they don't see fit to find Uriel, you can (if you want) steer them in that direction by having everything they encounter listen to them with mild curiosity, and then speak SOMETHING that sounds like HOW THE DISCWORLD DEATH WOULD TALK IF IT WERE A SERAPH and is basically a blast of pure TRUTH. Which is, unfortunately, too ineffable to really communicate much. Rats. Depressing, isn't it, when a high-Force Important Celestial is apparently having all the communication ability of a songbird? (Hey, they've been frazzling you all this time, right? Enjoy it.) Now, the GM can do lots of things with Uriel. Perhaps he's writing "I Will Not Slaughter Everything In The Marches" on a chalkboard fifty bazillion times. Perhaps he's happily training reliever-oid creatures somewhere, obviously rewarded. Perhaps he's a Seraph again. [In my dream, there was a lot of running around, and sliding down banisters, and someone making a grumpy comment about that 'irresponsible bad boy, Uriel.' This surprised me so much, I woke up.] In any case, he ought to remember how to speak "low Heaventongue" or whatever, and can probably be induced to help the PCs out. Or freed from hanging upside down over a pit of mimes. Or whatever. And since he's been up there long enough to learn how to speak with the natives, he can intercede. This bit should likely be handled quickly and off-stage. Superior-plus levels of Celestial Tongues can do that, no problem. GMs who want to bring him back now have a great opportunity to do so. GMs who want to leave him there can rule that the Process Of Un-Squishing The Symphony requires someone to stay in the Higher Heavens. GMs who want to insert Weird Things can let some other entity from the Higher Heavens come down with them. Maybe it doesn't go away again, either. GMs who have run this, but _not_ something that sent the PCs into the Lower Hells yet, can take the opportunity to make the PCs go deliver something there. Let something from the Higher Heavens give them some kind of McGuffin (forehead sigils have a nice, traditional feel to them; fancy halo styles are also in fashion) and have to get to a Hell-Tether, get to an entry to the Lower Hells, freeze their wingtips off, and place a McGuffin of another sort (or talk to the Lightbringer, or both, if the GM's up to it) before getting the heck out of... heck. Pyrotechnics of the Symphony stretching back into shape are suggested. Go nuts. Now... Go on... Do it... You know you want to... - --emccoy@nh.ultranet.com // arcangel@io.com In Nomine Line Editor RPG links; Random name list, Art: http://www.io.com/~arcangel/ ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 19 Nov 2001 12:16:13 -0700 (MST) From: GROTH TIMOTHY PAUL Subject: Re: IN> Newbie The corporeal players guide is very good, and it is useful if you want to have important human characters, PC or NPC. Also check out the Superior books. If you like any of the ones that appear in one of the published one they are well worth it. Finally the game masters guide (ie the God players guide) is excellent. If you're going to be GMing and you're a newbie to the game the book is of great help. This is especially true if you want to customize the rules a little but don't want to tweak yourself into a corner. You technically don't need anything besides the core book but the CPG and GMG are very useful, and the Superior books are lots of fun and a great source of ideas. ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 19 Nov 2001 14:30:12 -0500 From: Elizabeth McCoy Subject: Re: IN> EPG query At 6:38 AM -0600 11/19/01, Cthulhu wrote: >Will *The Marches* be required to use the upcoming EPG, or will it be >completly standalone? I suspect that _The Marches_ will be VERY useful; the EPG is for playing ethereals, not replacing _The Marches_ (that's a different project). So, just as the APG and IPG don't replace _Heaven & Hell_, neither does the EPG replace _The Marches_. (Unless I'm totally blanking on chapters, at least. O:> ) However, if all you've got is the list and the EPG, you probably know enough about the Marches to be fine without the actual book (if you don't already have it). I don't believe there are any _rules_ for the Marches which aren't in the EPG, though; it's mostly the background which is assumed to be passing-familiar. - --emccoy@nh.ultranet.com // arcangel@io.com In Nomine Line Editor RPG links; Random name list, Art: http://www.io.com/~arcangel/ ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 19 Nov 2001 12:28:02 -0700 (MST) From: GROTH TIMOTHY PAUL Subject: Re: IN> So you've done everything else... This is great. Next game I run I'm going to have this be the final part, after they've gone to the lower hells about midway through. The decorations are going to be similar, to say the least. ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 19 Nov 2001 14:32:02 -0500 From: Elizabeth McCoy Subject: Re: IN> Lilim Princess? At 5:38 AM -0800 11/19/01, Michael Walton wrote: > Did Part I of my Lilim DP write-up come through or should >I post it again? I saw all 11K of it. O:> - --emccoy@nh.ultranet.com // arcangel@io.com In Nomine Line Editor RPG links; Random name list, Art: http://www.io.com/~arcangel/ ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 19 Nov 2001 19:33:27 From: "Michael Cleveland" Subject: IN> Prj. Silence - Captive Vignette Part 3 Robert Parks was running for his life from the aliens that had transported themselves into the base. How things could have degenerated so quickly was a mystery to him, but he was sure that the odds of him making it out of this situation alive were incredibly slim. As he looked back over his shoulder, he could see the large cloaked figure raising an arm in his direction, and several of the smaller aliens were beginning to take human form and give pursuit. The detonation core at the center of the base had not gone off yet, and the odds of manually destroying the computer files linking the Silencer cadres before they were overtaken meant that he only had one choice left. Turning to face the men who were racing after him, he unloaded several rounds into the head and knees of the closest alien and pointed at the ones behind him. "Ok, who wants to join your buddy on the floor?" He watched as the two others who were following him skittered to a halt on the concrete floor, looking alternatingly at the gun, their fallen compatriot, and each other. After a moment they both started walking forward, at a much slower pace. One of them, a black man who looked altogether unhealthy being over six feet tall and thin as a rail, spoke. "You know that there is no way out of this, Hellsworn. Give up now and this will be quick." Robert swallowed, knowing that some of the aliens were not known for their sense of mercy. "I'll be taking my chances. You take another step towards me and I'll kill you, I swear!" The asian man behind the first placed his hand on the shoulder of the taller man. "Softly, sir. Jorgan, are you all right?" Robert took a few more steps back as the teenager that he'd shot in the head several moments earlier spoke. "I've felt better, Power. Now, will you stop worrying about me and just get him so we can -" The teenager stopped for a second, then yelled. "Oh, BLESS! Everybody out! OUT! Get back to Dominic! GO!" The two looked at each other, then turned to run towards the cloaked figure, who was opening his cloak and wrapping people into it, screaming something in an alien tongue that made Robert's stomach lurch into his throat. Robert started backing away, holding his gun on the cloaked figure and screaming into his radio for status reports when he felt a wave of heat wash over him... - --------------- Robert kept his eyes closed, hoping that the aliens would think he was still unconscious from their transport. He'd opened his eyes several times and seen more than enough to make him hope that he was dreaming everything up. From what he'd seen, he was laying on the floor of what looked like a Cathedral, with aliens all around him. He'd rolled over once to feel scales brush against him - and see a serpent with six eyes and wings shuddering, coiled around what looked like a crystal ball. Several other serpents were visible, as well as more humanoid forms, all curled next to a luminescent sphere of one color or another. Further down the hall, he could here talking - - that was what he was truly afraid of, because of the names he was hearing. "Master Dominic, are you certain that you are all right?" He forced himself to open his eyes for a moment, only to shut them after seeing precisely what he was afraid of. The cloaked figure was sitting at the far end of the hall, resting in some form of chair the likes of which Robert has never seen before. Several serpents were coiled close to him, as were several bald humanoids and a winged cat of some sort. He quickly replayed the images in his mind, looking for exits from the cathedral when his concentration was broken by a voice that filled his head with images of every act of disobedience that he'd ever conceived of since he was a child. "I am fine, Mordekai. The loss of my vessel was unexpected, but acceptable. By losing my vessel, I spared the six of you the burdens of Trauma, and I am glad for that. Be mindful of what happened today - the humans are always resourceful, and though they may lack our abilities, they should never be underestimated." Another voice spoke, one which did not bring such images to his mind. "Indeed, Most Just. I feel that I must still apologize for my failure earlier, though. As I was the only one that was taken down by the human during the raid, I request to be reassigned to another Triad, so as to spare them the shame of -". The larger one spoke again, sending chills through him yet again. "Denied, and unnecessary. These humans have had experience destroying and capturing Celestials. Your human opponent had experience and knowledge that you lacked, and therefore was a superior opponent in that situation. There is no shame, Ogarial." Robert decided that there was only so long that he could wait before his captors would examine him again, and he rolled over onto his stomach, looking through barely opened eyelids straight towards a doorway. Pulling every last bit of his strength together, he sprinted towards the doorway and down the hallway that stretched out for what seemed like forever in front of him. He ducked down a hallway, hearing footsteps pounding the stones behind him. Ducking into a small storage room, he kept absolutely still as the footsteps went by. Closing his eyes and saying a silent prayer in thanks, he opened his eyes and peered out the door. Turning to look the other way, Colonel Parks found himself less than two feet away from the tall cloaked figure that he'd just tried to run away from. A thousand possible explanations, threats and demands leapt through his mind, but the only words that escaped his lips were the ones that seemed the least effective, but most truthful. "This is the part where I either start doing things your way, or the _hard_ way, isn't it?" The cloaked figure peered down at him, hundreds of glowing eyes filling its hood. After a few seconds of utter silence, 'Dominic' made a motion with his hand, and a pair of black-winged humanoids walked up to the human facing him. The first of them, a young female, took his arm lightly. "If you will come this way, Mr. Parks. We just need to take care of certain formalities, and then you're be free to move about as you wish." - ---------------------- The two black-winged aliens led him through the streets of an impossibly large city - the very scope of it boggled the mind of the military officer. The aliens were being polite, but he still refused to speak to them or answer any of their questions. After trying to formulate questions in his mind to ask, it was also becoming clear that the mental domination abilities were beginning to act upon him in a way. He had tried to lie to the cloaked figure, to threaten him in some way, but had been unable to speak anything that wasn't true. 'Not that threatening an alien in its home dimension is a good idea, mind...' he thought to himself. The female alien tapped him lightly on the arm. "Excuse me, but I couldn't help but noticing how tense you are. It... it seems like you're almost afraid to be here, and I've never run across anyone that felt that way. Is there anything I can do to make you feel more comfortable?" He thought for a moment, then quietly shook his head. She looked at him with an almost distraught look on her face. "Is it the fact that we're escorting you to Raduerial? That's just a formality that every human goes through - it's not like you're being punished or being held captive..." She stopped and looked at him for a second more. "That's it, isn't it? You think we're dragging you off to an interrogation or something, don't you? Well, tell you what - I'll let go of you, if it'll make you feel better. I just don't want you to get lost, that's all." He looked at her, with a slight smile. "I won't get lost. I promise. What's your name, anyway?" The young lady brushed her hair out of her eyes with a smile. "Esmarelda, when I was last on Earth. It's been a while since I've been back, though. I hope it's as pretty as I remember it the next time I get to go." Robert patted her hand lightly. "It's a beautiful place, which I'm sure would be complimented by a beautiful lady such as yourself - , and I'm sure you'll enjoy it there if you go back anytime soon. So, what precisely does this Raduerial need to do with me, before I can be released?" Esmarelda smiled a little bit, not noticing the flush in her cheeks. "Well, Raduerial checks to make sure that you're supposed to be here, and not... someplace else. He just goes through the records of your life, seeing whether you've been good or evil. It's really just a procedural thing, so that the recordkeepers have everyone's name on file." Robert nodded. "I see. Well, that shouldn't be too bad. I think I can..." He stopped in mid sentence to look at a pulsing cloud of glowing eyes and ears that had just turned a corner. He swallowed for a moment, then turned back towards Esmarelda, smiling. "Hey, can you give me a few minutes? There's a possibility that I've seen that guy that just turned the corner a moment ago before. You don't mind, do you? Esmarelda nodded. "Sure, go right ahead, but try to make it quick for right now. There'll be more time to catch up later." - --------------------- The older Malakite looked at the timepiece on his arm. The human had not come back around the corner as yet. Something about this entire situation was bothering him, and he had a feeling that Dominic would be taking it up with him personally if the human didn't make his way to the Recording Angel. "Esmarelda, it's been fifteen minutes. He should have been back by now. Perhaps we should go check on him." The younger Malakite looked back at her superior, anxiously. "But I'm sure that he'll be back in just a moment - he didn't lie to me, Omar. He can't - we're in Heaven after all..." The two of them walked around the corner, looking for the human that they'd been escorting. Instead of finding a human there, the only people to be seen were four Kyriotates huddled in a corner, talking amongst themselves. Esmarelda walked up to the group, clearing her throat. "Excuse me, but have any of you seen a human in the past few moments? He'd be about six teet tall, medium build..." She stopped as one of the Kyriotates pointed towards the Glade. "He came up to me, asked if I knew anyone in the United States Military. Once I told him that I didn't, he nodded, apologized for bothering me, and then started walking that way." Omar looked at the ground, just shaking his head. "Esmarelda, do you realize what Dominic is going to do to us when he hears about this?" The younger Malakite, looking crestfallen, looked at her elder. "But he said that he might have known him. I thought he..." Omar just chuckled as he rubbed his temples. "Did he _say_ he was coming right back?" Esmarelda stopped in her tracks, color draining out of her face. "Oh, my lord..." (to be continued) Michael Cleveland Gulf Coast Geotech _________________________________________________________________ Get your FREE download of MSN Explorer at http://explorer.msn.com/intl.asp ------------------------------ End of in_nomine-digest V1 #2451 ********************************