in_nomine-digest Saturday, May 4 2002 Volume 01 : Number 2622 In this digest: Re: IN> "Experience", time spent alive, and angel promotion... was The Angel of Specialists IN> The Seven Fold Path of Enlightenment PT1 Re: IN> "Experience", time spent alive, and angel promotion... was The Angel of Specialists Re: IN> Angel of Euphemism Re: IN> [Novalis] Angel of Euphemism RE: IN> Invocation (was: Zapan, Demon Prince of Ice) Re: IN> [Novalis] Angel of Euphemism Re: IN> Invocation (was: Zapan, Demon Prince of Ice) IN> Month of Mayflowers: An ancient attuning Re: IN> Month of Mayflowers: An ancient attuning RE: IN> Invocation (was: Zapan, Demon Prince of Ice) IN> The Seven Fold Path of Enlightenment PT2 Re: IN> Invocation (was: Zapan, Demon Prince of Ice) IN> The Demon of Pain (the War) IN> "Experience", time spent alive, IN> experience, time spent alive Re: IN> experience, time spent alive ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Fri, 03 May 2002 15:23:34 -0500 From: Earl Wajenberg Subject: Re: IN> "Experience", time spent alive, and angel promotion... was The Angel of Specialists "A child kicks his legs rhythmically through excess, not absence, of life. Because children have abounding vitality, because they are in spirit fierce and free, therefore they want things repeated and unchanged. They always say, 'Do it again'; and the grown-up person does it again until he is nearly dead. For grown-up people are not strong enough to exult in monotony. But perhaps God is strong enough to exult in monotony. "It is possible that God says every morning, 'Do it again' to the sun; and every evening 'Do it again' to the moon. It may not be automatic necessity that makes all daisies alike; it may be that God makes every daisy separately, but has never got tired of making them. It may be that He has the eternal appetite of infancy; for we have sinned and grown old, and our Father is younger than we." - -- G. K. Chesterton Of course, the above implies that, while angels can easily stand indefinite repetition and "exult in monotony," demons, who "have sinned and grown old," would be even less patient of it than humans. Earl P.S.: "Angels can fly because they take themselves lightly. Satan fell through force of gravity." -- G. K. Chesterton again ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 03 May 2002 19:29:53 +0000 From: "cassandra benner" Subject: IN> The Seven Fold Path of Enlightenment PT1 The rituals they use are based directly on the angels they work with. Each ritual is named after a choir of the host. The Rituals pretty much emulate the choir resonance of the angels they are named after, but the ritual level is the check digit assigned on the resonance charts. Because the Sorcerer is not a divine creature they cannot achieve the full scope of the symphony, there are no rituals beyond level 4. ++++++++++++++++++++++++ Seraphic Rituals 1 Belief Ex Animi Mei Sentential This short ritual allows the caster to focus their mind and discern whether a person they are talking to believes they are telling the truth. 2 Slip of the tongue Lapsus Lingua This ritual allows the sorcerer to discern what part of a conversation the person deems is a lie. (This also has the level 1 ritual as part of it) 3 Telling Tongue Validus Lingua This ritual allows the caster to delve the surface of the victims mind to discern why they chose to lie/tell the truth. The Check Digits of all these rituals are the amount of hours the user has to use the ritual. If they fail to use the power granted in that time, they will simply lose the power and the ritual cannot be used for CD days as they have squandered the power of the almighty. The sorcerers known as Seraphic Souls, are ones who embrace the truth utterly. With the same devotion which seraphs are created with. Any sorcerer may not use any skills such as Lying, or Fast talking. To do so is utterly abhorant to them. ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Cherubic Rituals 1 Attachment Vinculum This ritual allows the caster to ­attune- to an item, much like a cherub would. The Check Digit of this ritual Indicates how long that item is attuned to the sorcerer. CD 1 1 week CD 2 2 weeks CD 3 1 month CD 4 2 months CD 5 6 months CD 6 1 year 2 Lode Stone Consequi With the use of this ritual the sorcerer knows in what general direction the item/person they are attuned to lies. CD 1-2 The general direction, north, east, south CD 3-4 A slightly more specific 8-point compass reading. CD 5 The full 360 degrees. CD 6 The full 360 degrees and height/depth 3 Magnetic Pull Coercer Retrahere This ritual allows the caster to not only know the direction of the item, but also its rough distance. CD 1 The distance to the object within 200meters CD 2 The distance to the object within 150 meters CD 3 The distance to the object within 100 meters CD 4 The distance to the object within 75 meters CD 5 The distance to the object within 50 meters CD 6 The distance of the object within 25 meters 4 Mothers Mind Maternus Natura With the use of this ritual the caster not only knows (as per check digit) In which direction an distance an item is in, but also its general state of being, they instinctively know if a person is wounded, how wounded they are, or if an item is damaged in some way. The Cherubic Souls are sought after by Michael and Litheroy, especially if they have access to the Kyrotanic Ritual... When on earth, they act as guardians of anciant treasures or Relics. ++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Ofanite Rituals 1 Tongue of God Lapsus Dei A sorcerer who studies the Ofanim will become a very vocal person at first due to this ritual. Once cast the user gains a bonus to any song of tongues, linguistics or verbal based skills, equal to the check digit of the ritual. This lasts for 2x Corp forces in minutes. 2 Path of God Via Dei Once the sorcerer has a better grasping of the Ofanite nature, they soon learn that the Wheels are not just messengers with a voice, but also messengers who know the way. This ritual adds the check digit to any Area knowledge or orienteering type skills. Unlike its prior ritual, it lasts for minutes equal to the sorcerers Perception rating. 3 Inner Path Via Suus As the sorcerer begins to command more power and understanding of the Ofanim, they gain an innate kind of danger sense. It s not so much a danger sense as it is seeing just in to the future by a fraction of a second. They receive a bonus of 2 to their Perception for the next few hours equal to their Celestial forces. (Note: this does not affect the level 2 ritual, which still uses the base Perception rating) There is no known higher level of this ritual, for Ofanim tend to have been long gone by the time the sorcerer gets around to questioning and examining them to thoroughly. Offanim are Heavens messangers, and as the lower level of this ritual shows, there is more to being a messenger than just getting from A to B. ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Kyriotanic Rituals. The sorcerer must know all of the Cherubic rituals before they are able to master the Kyriotate rituals. It can only be cast on an Attuned item, not a person or living matter. 1 Of many minds Concordia This ritual allows the cast to see through an attuned item. In effect he places a part of his mind in the item and he sees and hears (all be it very poorly) the environment around the attuned item. The levels of the ritual (up to 4) indicate how many items in total the sorcerer can be attune to and be aware of the surroundings of. The ritual lasts for 10 minutes x the Check Digit. If the item is damaged in any way, the caster takes half as many Mind hits (round up). ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Cas *Knowledge is power. Power corrupts. Study hard. Be Evil.* In Nomine @ http://www.angelfire.com/goth/psyber/i-n.html In Nomine yahoo @ http://groups.yahoo.com/group/inveritas ADnD forum @ http://www.drunkendwarfinn.co.uk ADnD stuff @ http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ADandD_Stuff _________________________________________________________________ Join the world s largest e-mail service with MSN Hotmail. http://www.hotmail.com ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 03 May 2002 19:40:19 +0000 From: "Janet Anderson" Subject: Re: IN> "Experience", time spent alive, and angel promotion... was The Angel of Specialists Earl Wajenberg, have I mentioned to you what impeccable taste in literature you have? :) Janet Anderson _________________________________________________________________ Chat with friends online, try MSN Messenger: http://messenger.msn.com ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 03 May 2002 20:58:37 -0300 From: "vez o'rama" Subject: Re: IN> Angel of Euphemism >From: BC Petery >Subject: IN> Angel of Euphemism >Date: Fri, 03 May 2002 11:31:17 -0400 >So this is the guy who invented politically correct speech? Yep, guilty as charged! :) >OTOH, being imprecise in speech can lead to all sorts of confusion. I >particularly like the phrase "Significant Other." It implies all sorts >of >things about both the speaker and the person being spoken of. I'd say the trick is to speak with both precision and duality. Then, if people get confused, it's not _really_ your fault... ;) Yay, entertainment with practical impunity! :) - - vez _________________________________________________________________ Chat with friends online, try MSN Messenger: http://messenger.msn.com ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 3 May 2002 12:28:44 -0400 From: "Patrick None" Subject: Re: IN> [Novalis] Angel of Euphemism - ----- Original Message ----- From: "vez o'rama" To: Sent: Thursday, May 02, 2002 11:28 PM Subject: Re: IN> [Novalis] Angel of Euphemism > >From: "Patrick None" > >Subject: Re: IN> [Novalis] Angel of Euphemism > >Date: Thu, 2 May 2002 06:03:33 -0400 > > >On a more related note, does the author think that the Angel of Euphemism > >is on the loosing end of the Balseraph of Euphemism - you >know, the demon > >who got burned way to often by his web of lies >collapsing, so started > >getting *everyone* to talk *just like him*? > > :) > > Ok, here are some relevant thoughts: > > I was using 'Euphemism' to mean the process of substituting something > inoffensive for something offensive. The trick to doing this without being > deceptive, IMO, is to actually transform the Word/word. In other words, to > use transformation as your substitution technique. This is the Way of the > Angel of Euphemism. :) > > One infernal counterpart, IMO would be to twist the Word/word, rather than > going to the effort of actually transforming it. Also, glossing it over... > or concealing the true nature of the Word/word somehow but without actually > transforming it (very important!). I would deem this guy the Demon of > Euphemisms and make him a Balseraph, certainly (probably IST Nybbas, and > currently with Disney). :) > > A more powerful infernal counterpart would probably be the antithesis of > Euphemism... Dysphemism. Transforming an inoffensive Word/word into an > offensive Word/word. This Demon of Dysphemism, would IMO most likely be a > Shedite, and IST The War. :) > > And as for who's winning between Euphemism/Euphemisms, I'd say they have an > interesting problem. Both have to be careful, lest they promote each other > by mistake :) I'd give Euphemism the advantage here, though, because he > actually tries to transform the Word/word, whereas the Demon of Euphemisms > has a greater risk of planting the seeds for Euphemism when he confounds > Words/words. > > Between Euphemism and Dysphemism... well, I think it's a stalemate, like the > War. > > Hope that helps :) > > - vez > > > > > > _________________________________________________________________ > Send and receive Hotmail on your mobile device: http://mobile.msn.com > > ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 3 May 2002 17:08:37 -0400 From: "Bergeron, Robert F., DS1(SW)" Subject: RE: IN> Invocation (was: Zapan, Demon Prince of Ice) - -----Original Message----- From: Perry Lloyd [mailto:perrylloyd@hotmail.com] Why bother having invocation of your Superior when you can just flee Earth at any time? ** ** I've often had this question. Okay, Trauma sucks, but it isn't as bad as Soul Death, so why not fight until you're Vessel is trashed instead of "going Celestial" and taking the risk of an attack that could really destroy you? And why would Malakim and Cheurb's worry about physically tough vessels when the real damage occurs on a Celestial level? Your average Imp or Mercurian would, Celestially, kick the wings off most Malakim I've seen written up. DS1 ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 3 May 2002 12:35:33 -0400 From: "Patrick None" Subject: Re: IN> [Novalis] Angel of Euphemism First off, sorry for the first email. I'm not quite sure what happened there. Ohh, that's a stik wif a nale innit, alrouygt... > > One infernal counterpart, IMO would be to twist the Word/word, rather than > going to the effort of actually transforming it. Also, glossing it over... > or concealing the true nature of the Word/word somehow but without actually > transforming it (very important!). I would deem this guy the Demon of > Euphemisms and make him a Balseraph, certainly (probably IST Nybbas, and > currently with Disney). :) > > A more powerful infernal counterpart would probably be the antithesis of > Euphemism... Dysphemism. Transforming an inoffensive Word/word into an > offensive Word/word. This Demon of Dysphemism, would IMO most likely be a > Shedite, and IST The War. :) > Hm. Certainly, a Shedite would work. The most likely not to care how often they got shot for inserting the word 'mick' for Irish American, for example. However, I think that your definition of euphemism "substituting something inoffensive for something offensive" is probably the Angelic meaning of the word, I think its more powerful match is probably the Infernal euphemism, defined in a more OED sense as "The act or an example of substituting a mild, indirect, or vague term for one considered harsh, blunt, or offensive: "Euphemisms such as 'slumber room'... abound in the funeral business"" At least, IMINC (where, actually, they're both looking more and more likely to show up :) the demon of Euphemism is the one who gets essence when people say "she looks...nice" and mean "she's horribly dressed, and ugly to boot." More focused on the idea that a mild word is better then a harsh one, especially if its just a nice way to say someone is poorly dressed. Probably a Habbalite or Balseraph of Factions, IMINC. Sorry again for that first email (OOF!) Patrick ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 3 May 2002 12:41:05 -0400 From: "Patrick None" Subject: Re: IN> Invocation (was: Zapan, Demon Prince of Ice) > > Why bother having invocation of your Superior when you can just flee Earth > at any time? > > Poink the combat rules so that the first person to "Go Celestial" is at a loss for a few rounds. I think the simpliest way is to state that it takes three rounds (or whatever) to reach the Celestial plane, during which you're standing in celestial form looking like a ponce. > ** ** > > I've often had this question. Okay, Trauma sucks, but it isn't as bad as > Soul Death, so why not fight until you're Vessel is trashed instead of > "going Celestial" and taking the risk of an attack that could really destroy > you? > With Demons, because then you might never, ever, ever get out of Hell again. Because, well, if you can't keep track of One Lousy Vessel, your Superior is likely to rip those Forces apart anyways. > And why would Malakim and Cheurb's worry about physically tough vessels when > the real damage occurs on a Celestial level? Your average Imp or Mercurian > would, Celestially, kick the wings off most Malakim I've seen written up. > And..er..um...most Corporeally focused Angels are given leeway in terms of vessel destruction; they're not expected to "go celestial" to kick tail. Especially Malakim, and I would imagine Calabites. Regards, hoping this goes once... Patrick ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 04 May 2002 12:16:01 +1000 From: "james walker" Subject: IN> Month of Mayflowers: An ancient attuning The young Habbalite fled down the alleyways of Shal-Mari, closely pursued by the mob of his fellows. If they caught him he would be lucky if they tore him limb from limb. If unlucky...they would hand him over to The Game. A Habbalite who knew that he was a demon...who realised that he could *become* an angel...he redoubled his speed, grateful that he was no longer being slowed by the Emptiness backlash. Finally the mob spotted him; as they began to tear him apart he uttered one last begging prayer - and found that he suddenly had a Vessel! He fled to the safety of the Corporeal, arriving in a Tether of Flowers. He was safe. - ------------------------------------------------------------ Lilith flew towards Venus. Diving into the atmosphere she headed for her target. Not on the surface, but high in the atmosphere, above the sulphur clouds, where the air pressure and temperature were comparable to Earth. As she travelled, the shimmering clouds were replaced by the shimmer of water, a mirage of an ocean floating in the clouds. And then it was no longer a mirage. As she travelled over the ocean, the air changed, now breathable, and the floating islands appeared on the horizon. Speeding towards the central island, Lilith saw her target: Novalis, enjoying the Tether she had created half a century before. The Tether she used for anything Dominic shouldn't see. Lilith slowed in front of Novalis, a quirky smile on her face: "Greetings from Thulcandra...I trust you're happy with my payment? His belief that he was rescued by a miracle should aid him to survive Redemption, yes?" Novalis nodded, ignoring the undercurrent in Lilith's words - the implication that the secret to a successful Redemption was a solid delusion. ~Yes. I take it that you have recovered from your fury over the cost?~ "I suppose so. It was in evitable, I suppose...that if I haggled you down, you'd just get Marc to haggle the price up again, and then I'd end up paying his commission as well as your fee. It happens. Given how casual you are, there's nothing urgent I need to concern myself about?" ~Not really." Novalis passed Lilith a glass of..something...and then continued. ~Mind you, there are a few new threats: or at least, they believe that they threaten you. Saminga has persuaded himself that if he can pour sufficient Forces into a new Mummy it will be able to duplicate your Geasing abilities. The resulting explosions have impressed Belial, but haven't otherwise achieved anything.~ Lilith smirked. ~Two of your Daughters - no, I'm not giving you their names - have persuaded Andrealphus that if they hang around Eli long enough, they'll help him Fall. Their real motivation is much simpler: they're planning to lose their last Geases by drinking from each Font he creates.~ Lilith's face darkened in fury as Novalis continued: ~They are fully aware of the implications of what they are doing: that success will undercut their own value, as other demons will be able to repeat the trick. They feel that they've been 'slaves' - their wording - too long to care.~ Novalis paused, wondering whether Lilith would finally realise the perversion she had made of her Word. "Lilith's fury was replaced by curiosity: "You don't consider them a real threat to me?" ~No - Eli will keep them far too busy: and probably Redeem them. The closest you face to a real threat is Eli himself - he's grown fond of the pair, and if you endanger them, he's unlikely to ever forgive you.~ Lilith nodded. "Any change in the usuals?" ~Some. Kronos is making some progress, but has discovered that creating Balseraphs with a Bright resonance will interfere with several Fates, so he's put that plan on the backburner until he's corrected the situation. Valefor is bored again, so everyone and thing is in danger of providing him with a target.~ ~And I grow more tempted every year to cut my attunement to you.~ Lilith met Novalis' gaze. "That's your right. Why should I care?" ~Yes, it is my right. Although I have *never* abandoned one of my charges, it is still my right. When I attuned myself to every living thing in the Garden of Eden~ She ignored Liliths' snarl ~I was under no obligation to protect *you* at all. Then you left: another reason to break the attunement. Then you joined Lucifer...and since then, you have attacked others I am attuned to. And then you hurt yourself - do you think I enjoy the pain of dissonance? Or feeling the burning cuts from your brawls - that's the only way to describe them - with Andre?~ "I...do...not..care." The two locked gazes, as two powerful Words clashed, wrestling for supremacy. Both knew that Lilith could not survive without Novalis; both knew that Lilith would choose to die rather than beg for that protection; both new that, one day, Novalis would have to either cut the attunement or Fall. Novalis sighed. ~Leave then. Asmodeus has guessed that you're currently dealing with *some* Archangel; you have less than a minute before your presence here will be discovered by another Demon Prince.~ And Lilith was gone. Novalis sat still, tears in her eyes, feeling the pain, letting it flow out of her. Harmony was part of her Word; while Gabriel twisted under the pain Hell caused, Novalis could heal herself - somewhat. But not completely. To do that, she would have to make David's choice; to stop caring about the Fallen. Yes, he refused to abandon them, but he no longer ached for them or cared whether they lived or died. Novalis remembered the pain of the Fall, as she defended her attuned: from each other, mostly. Remembered Blandine, who had rendered combat around her Tower impossible to any except Beleth. Remembered David, attuned to thousands of angels, become a Malakite, abandoning his wards to slaughter the rebels...remembered David, who still could not understand why his fellow Cherub Archangels thought he had betrayed them. Remembered Lilith's smugness thinking that she was the only Demon Princess to have a Cherub Archangel watching over her. Which was why she was willing to let Novalis suffer dissonance, of course. It wasn't much... ...And Valefor didn't mind either, smug in the knowledge that he had "stolen" the advantage of having Novalis attuned to him...that he alone had this advantage. Fortunately, he considered liberating Renegades to 'fun'. Novalis sighed, reminding herself of the many Redeemed who had been saved by her suffering... - ---------------------------------------------------- The Renegade of The War charged into the Gamesters send to catch him, carving them apart. Then Baal was there, and speaking: ~And now, traitor - you're dead.~ And both Baal and his Renegade were gone. The Gamesters "knew" that the Renegade had died - didn't they? Of course! Baal was there, no wonder they hadn't seen the Renegade die, given how fast Baal could fight - so really they had seen the Renegade die..they reported this back.... And Baal dropped off his payment, and went to see his 'little sister'. How clever Lucifer had been, when Marc and Novalis had been sent to parlay, 20,000 years ago. So clever! To persuade Novalis to attune herself to *all* of the First Fallen...and when they had realised that she would need to be paid occasionally to keep her deluded, to pay her in redemption candidates; each Redemption burnt up Heaven's resources far more than creating anew angel did, so weakened the fools delightfully! True, it was annoying that she knew more of what happened in Hell than he did; but she was too peaceful to pass that information on to Heaven's warriors. Besides, it was only right that the First Fallen have special privileges; the fact that only he or Lucifer could kill one without Novalis Lending an attunement preventing combat..it was a privilege, just rewards to the original rebels. Novalis remembered the weight of Lucifer's will, or Baal's will, as they had 'tricked' her. Remembered how she and Marc had worked to make them think that their lies were their own, not inspired by Heavenly diplomats. It helped a little. Remembered how much she had been able to aid Yves, letting him know what was happening in Hell - it helped a little. And when Baal arrived, gave him the information that had bought the life of yet another redemption candidate. It helped...a little. Cheers, James. ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 4 May 2002 00:27:14 -0400 From: "Josh Moger" Subject: Re: IN> Month of Mayflowers: An ancient attuning Well, it makes sense. As the Archangel of Flowers, she'd be concerned with the weeds as well. Josh ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 4 May 2002 07:16:53 -0400 From: "Bergeron, Robert F., DS1(SW)" Subject: RE: IN> Invocation (was: Zapan, Demon Prince of Ice) - -----Original Message----- From: Patrick None [mailto:deadairis@hotmail.com] > And why would Malakim and Cheurb's worry about physically > tough vessels when the real damage occurs on a Celestial > level? Your average Imp or Mercurian would, Celestially, > kick the wings off most Malakim I've seen written up. > And..er..um...most Corporeally focused Angels are given leeway in terms of vessel destruction; they're not expected to "go celestial" to kick tail. Especially Malakim, and I would imagine Calabites. Regards, hoping this goes once... Patrick *** I prefer the idea someone just recently mentioned, "Going Celestial" isn't a free trip to Heaven or Hell, you can only do that at a Tether, or with AA level assistance. You might choose it for the benefit of moving through Corporeal barriers or for other advantages, such as not being seen unless a human is particularly perceptive, but rarely as a means of fleeing a combat situation. DS1 ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 04 May 2002 12:41:05 +0000 From: "cassandra benner" Subject: IN> The Seven Fold Path of Enlightenment PT2 Heres the Next part of the Sorcerous Souls stuff ive knocked together. +++++++++++++ Elohite Rituals None: the sorcerers rely on good old-fashioned psychology when needs be. The human sorcerers cannot understand the dispassion fostered by the Elohim. They are filled with love for the Almighty, and to cast that aside is to them a bad thing indeed. +++++++++++++ Malakite Rituals. None: many of the 7FP sorcerers see the malakim as a necessary evil. Even god is not pure white, and loving, and death must happen. There is rumour however of a ritual commonly known as the Justice of Maat, which uses a malakite feather to gauge the persons honour and integrity, But no sorcerer has been seen perfoming it. IT is rumoured that Dominic tolerates this ritual, but will allow only Tah Muhn, the eldest and first fo the Sorcerous Souls to use it. +++++++++++++ Why send a sorcerer to do what an angel can surely do better though.. Well, when the Sorcerous Souls use a ritual, there is no disturbance for starters. They have access to no other songs or attunements, so they will not suddenly cause disturbance. Ever been in a bar with a seraph and a malakite, a fight starts up and then Bamph, theres disturbance from them using songs? That doesn't happen with the Sorcerous Souls. Dominic, in his Edicts, declared that no sorcerous soul shall be given means to be found out by the Horde. This also includes access to relics and -gadgets-. So what are they good for? No songs, no relics, no toys.. Well, hey, theres deep cover. Which for them, isnt really cover at all, they just happen to have no visible connection to heaven, dont give out disturbance, and look completely human, oh sure, they have an extra force or three, but not every demons gonna be looking at them so studiosly as to spot the extra forces. Its one of the reasons why Michael wants some to work for him every once in a while. Dominic and Laurance have even found use for them in the Holy city of Rome. Demons trying to infiltrate it at low levels of the beuarocratic (sp?) often get weeded out by one the Souls. Demons will be looking for angels and soldiers, not a guy who seems to have some sorcery bits on him. They might even make a note of it and then approach that person at a latter date and see if they can do a deal with them. Hattiphas Is loathe to think of the 7FP'ers, and when she does get an inkling of them, she does her utmost to be there in person to utterly destroy or corrupt them. She hasnt succeded in corrupting any as yet. It usually the couple of malakim that turn up out of nowhere that stop her. She has managed to kill 3 of them though in the last four hundred years, and reduced the ranks of the Seven Fold Path enough to do soem damage to a number of operations. She has toyed with the idea of creating her own group of Damned Sorcerous Souls. But lucifer has forbidden her to let any souls, with any rituals at all, study demons closely enough as to figure out the resonances. In hell, Power comes to those who Grab it, and the morningstar doesnt want to hand it out on a plate, especially if it will more than likely have disasterous conotations for hell if sorcerous souls suddenly ask a lot of questions of demans and learn true names, special places, and ways to get around various resonances. ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ And there ends (for now), the stuff i have on Sorcerous Souls and the Seven Fold Path. I hope you've enjoyed reading it, i've enjoyed writing it. Cas *Knowledge is power. Power corrupts. Study hard. Be Evil.* In Nomine @ http://www.angelfire.com/goth/psyber/i-n.html In Nomine yahoo @ http://groups.yahoo.com/group/inveritas ADnD forum @ http://www.drunkendwarfinn.co.uk ADnD stuff @ http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ADandD_Stuff _________________________________________________________________ Chat with friends online, try MSN Messenger: http://messenger.msn.com ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 3 May 2002 19:28:29 -0400 From: "Patrick None" Subject: Re: IN> Invocation (was: Zapan, Demon Prince of Ice) I disliked that only because it meant that a Earth-stationed celestial, seeing other Celestials peeling the Celestial pavement across that area, can't simply "go celestial," (perhaps with a rules poink spend a turn stunned; or all people engaged with him have the option of going celestial and getting a free attack w/ him, if they could go celestial anyways) and get involved. It also means that almost all attempts to soulkill someone (the threat of which I like having available) would have to revolve around tethers, and there'd never be that little voice..."Maybe i can get Celestial and get outta here before he hits me." Which, combined with stronger negative responses from fleeing to the Celestial, means that running "home" is rarely an option. But, anyways:) Patrick > > I prefer the idea someone just recently mentioned, "Going Celestial" isn't a > free trip to Heaven or Hell, you can only do that at a Tether, or with AA > level assistance. You might choose it for the benefit of moving through > Corporeal barriers or for other advantages, such as not being seen unless a > human is particularly perceptive, but rarely as a means of fleeing a combat > situation. > > DS1 > ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 04 May 2002 12:23:52 -0400 From: EDG Subject: IN> The Demon of Pain (the War) Sorry it's late; I didn't stay up late enough to send it after midnight. (4/20) - -EDG Balzerac Impudite of the War Demon of Pain Corporeal Forces: 1 Strength: 2 Agility: 2 Ethereal Forces: 3 Intelligence: 5 Precision: 7 Celestial Forces: 5 Will: 12 Perception: 8 Suggested Word-Forces: 2-4 Skills: Detect Lies/2, Dodge/2, Fast-Talk/2, Fighting/2, Knowledge (Anatomy/2, Military Conduct/3, Psychology/2), Large Weapon (Saber/2), Lying/2, Medicine/1, Ranged Weapon (Pistol/2), Running/2, Small Weapon (Main Gauche/2), Tactics/2 Songs: Thunder/3, Tongues (Corporeal/3) Vessels: None Roles: "Cpl. Christopher Barking", United States Army officer (currently MIA)/1/1. This Role was originally 4/2, but disappeared on duty.) Attunements: Impudite of the War, Demon of Pain Rites: Bring an enemy to the brink of death without killing him. Demon of Pain: Anyone who is brought to or below zero Body Hits, but is not killed, by one of Balzerac's attacks does not fall unconscious; rather, they remain conscious and incapacitated, still fully aware of the harm that has been done to them but unable to do anything about it. They can speak and perform involuntary muscle movements, but all voluntary movements save speech are impossible. This condition lasts as long as unconsciousness normally would. Balzerac is not a particularly happy demon. For several years, Balzerac had been quietly maintaining his Role in the United States Army, rising at a slightly above-average rate up the ranks. He was happy with his job; although he missed old post as a captain in the Russian Army, he wasn't about to argue with his superior officer in the *real* Army - especially as that officer had given his patronage to Balzerac in the short and bloody war for the Word of Pain. (Which is not to say that Balzerac's competitors had perished in the conflict: even before he received the Word, this Impudite recognized the usefulness of lingering pain and the fear of reprisal. He'd taken especial delight in discovering that reducing his opponents to shrieking two-Force constructs didn't turn them back into demonlings; there was something about a demon that even a minor snot could pick on that gave him immense pleasure.) On a routine reconaissance mission in the Middle East, however, something went horribly wrong. Separated from his men, alone in the desert, Balzerac was set upon by desert bandits. Even then, as a highly-trained officer, he felt confident that the situation was well in hand until one of the bandits pulled out a flaming sword. It all went downhill from there. When he tried to escape, he encountered a Song he'd never heard of before that trapped him on the corporeal; after the Malakite with the Fiery Sword had knocked a few Forces off, Balzerac returned to his vessel to flee, and the rest of the group promptly conjured a dust storm and chopped Corporal Christopher Barking to pieces. As the shreds of his vessel were buried by the remains of the dust storm, Balzerac's tattered Forces fled to Hell. That was ten years ago. Balzerac has just reawakened to discover that a decade has passed, his body has *still* not been found, and the Role of Corporal Christopher Barking, although legally dead, is still officially listed as Missing In Action. His plan at this point is fairly simple: get a vessel in the likeness of his old role (or, barring that, get some quick and dirty training in the Song of Form), return to Earth, and try to rescue what's left of his position in the Army. There's very little that he *won't* do to attain these goals; at the very least, his Word compels him. Of course, he hasn't seen what ten years can do to a demon reduced to a pair of Forces, either... (Balzerac can be used as a minor NPC to be encountered either in Hell before he gets his new vessel, or on Earth afterwards. Aside from the Word, he is also a balanced starting PC, and could easily be converted into a PC who is *seeking* the Word of Pain.) ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 04 May 2002 13:47:21 -0400 From: BC Petery Subject: IN> "Experience", time spent alive, That Celestials aren't human is most clearly shown by the Rebellion in Heaven. It was sparked by God bestowing his favor on a couple of homunculi... It seem that Celestials are very aware of how /they/ are different from /mortals/. Help! I'm typing and I can't logoff! BC Petery http://www15.brinkster.com/ugwump/ ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 3 May 2002 21:19:27 -0400 From: "Patrick None" Subject: IN> experience, time spent alive While any angel or demon can be of any power level, I think that politics is the big kicker when it comes to 40 year old angels getting Words. 1) Council politics. I presume its a majority vote, or handled on a case by case basis, but the Seraphim Council (including all those Hostile parts) have to approve your Angel for the Word. 2) Intra-Superior politics. We know that Jealousy and Envy can break the strongest will, so if you start Wording (or otherwise promoting) younger Angels, you run the real risk with the ensuing bitter feelings from Angels who have served faithfully for decades, centuries, or eons. Sure, Laurence is really young - but his promotion also almost pushed an Archangel to fall for just his reason. Anyways, my 2 bits. Patrick ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 04 May 2002 14:51:22 -0400 From: EDG Subject: Re: IN> experience, time spent alive At 09:19 PM 5/3/02 -0400, you wrote: > 1) Council politics. I presume its a majority vote, or handled on a case by >case basis, but the Seraphim Council (including all those Hostile parts) >have to approve your Angel for the Word. On the one hand, there are Archangels who are hostile to each other. On the other hand, *every single Archangel* knows that there's a War to be fought and won here, and if an Archangel believes in an angel's ability to serve the War through the Word that angel is petitioning for enough to back him before the Seraphim Council, the rest of the Council are going to take that into consideration. When J. Random Angel comes up and says to the Council, "Hey, I really think I could serve the War well as the Angel of Such-and-Such", then yes, there's going to be doubt, and the entire Council (or one of its subcommittees) will spend time looking into the matter, with older angels probably taking precedence over younger angels. When an Archangel who embodies a concept that's one of the biggest the universe can hold without popping steps up and says "I think J. Random Angel would serve the War well as the Angel of Such-and-Such, so much that I'm going to represent him in front of all of you guys and be willing to take the responsibility if it goes wrong," I don't think the Seraphim Council is going to spend much time debating. When that Archangel happens to be Yves, the Oldest Creature in the Universe, for whom bringing an applicant to the Seraphim Council to be granted a Word *might just be a formality to keep everybody happy*... > 2) Intra-Superior politics. We know that Jealousy and Envy can break the >strongest will, so if you start Wording (or otherwise promoting) younger >Angels, you run the real risk with the ensuing bitter feelings from Angels >who have served faithfully for decades, centuries, or eons. Sure, Laurence >is really young - but his promotion also almost pushed an Archangel to fall >for just his reason. See above. Laurence didn't ask to be promoted, that we know of. If he'd *asked*, and Khalid *hadn't*, and everybody knew that, I think the situation would have been different. The angel in question *asked* for his Word, and Yves, who is, again, the Oldest Creature in the Universe, for whom bringing an applicant to the Seraphim Council to be granted a Word might just be a formality, said "You know, I think you'd really be better off with *this* Word, let's go talk to the Council about it." If Grieg had shown up in Heaven one day and Yves had said "Hey, let's go get the Seraphim Council to grant you a Word on a whim," then yes, other angels might start getting upset. However, they really have no reason to be: in a way, what the first sentence of this paragraph describes is Yves saying "You know, what you're doing right now might not exactly be what you should be doing. Let's change that." NOT changing someone's post by attaching a Word to them is kind of like saying "You're doing a good job exactly where you are." Keep in mind also that these *are* Archangels. Even other angels can't begin to understand the thought processes that these creatures go through. If one of them thinks that it's a good idea to graft a Word onto one of their servitors, keep in mind that they've probably gone over it a couple million times in their head to make sure that it's a good idea *before he says anything*. - -EDG ------------------------------ End of in_nomine-digest V1 #2622 ********************************