in_nomine-digest Wednesday, August 28 2002 Volume 01 : Number 2756 In this digest: IN> Re:Grigori Re: IN> Triad 314 - Techno Remix (PT 1) Re: IN> IN / Reign of Fire *spoilers* Re: IN> Re:Grigori RE: IN> The Heavenly need for Cool Re: IN> IN / Reign of Fire *spoilers* RE: IN> The Songs of Age IN> Sustainability IN> Demon of Power Tools IN> Ether Time IN>Eli in Ethereal IN> Orc AA of Virtuality Re: IN> Re:Grigori Re: IN> Re:Grigori Re: IN> Re:Grigori IN> Triad 314 - Techno Remix (Pt 2) Re: IN> Triad 314 - Techno Remix (PT 1) Re: IN> Triad 314 - Techno Remix (Pt 2) IN> Wings of Love Re: IN> Azrael, AA of Passage IN> [ADMIN] A rule on trimming posts... ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Wed, 28 Aug 2002 17:20:56 +0930 From: "G N E Z D A" Subject: IN> Re:Grigori Can someone please tell me briefly what the resonnances of the Grigori and Skulkers do? I don't mean specific game mechanics (I wouldn't want Beth to think I was asking for a copyright breach...), but for example the resonance of seraphim is to detect truth in people's statements and the Symphony, while balseraphs convince people of truths they make up themselves. That's the kind of detail I want, just so I have an idea of what they actually *do*. :) Thanks. - --- Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free. Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com). Version: 6.0.381 / Virus Database: 214 - Release Date: 2/08/2002 ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 28 Aug 2002 10:34:42 +0200 (CEST) From: Unni Solaas Subject: Re: IN> Triad 314 - Techno Remix (PT 1) On Wed, 28 Aug 2002, Michael Cleveland wrote: > Author's Note - Sorry it's taken so long to get back in. I've been > battling a really severe bout of depression that damn near got the > best of me. Still, better late than never - with a little editing > and fixing up, and with a whole lotta drugs and therapy, both > Firefly and Triad 314 are back in business ... > Welcome back! You've been missed. And Triad 314 as well. Here, have a hug! :) Yes, all of you! Oh, and niiice story btw. I do love that triad! - -- language, n; an intangible artificial construct for obscuring one's meanings and intentions to others. -ppint. Unni Solaas --Who yesterday On the PyraMOO found herself fledged not only as a cherub, but a cherub of Flowers! :) ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 28 Aug 2002 10:52:04 +0200 From: shadur@sisshaper.systemec.nl Subject: Re: IN> IN / Reign of Fire *spoilers* On Tue, Aug 27, 2002 at 08:43:07PM -0600, Steven E. Ehrbar wrote: > Rens Houben wrote: > > >>Firstly, it would make a great IN Campaign... Uriel didn't manage to get > >>_all_ the dragons. a few were in trauma, and now they're back. and > >>they're pissed... > >Well, if you were just flying around, minding your own business . . . > . . . demanding monthy virgin sacrifices for not burning the town down . . . Crusades. Before that, little feudal lords coveting one another's territories and all the little armies sacking and looting towns, taking virgin (and non-virgin; they weren't very discriminate) "sacrifices" as well as anything else that looks valuable and can be pried loose, *and* burning the place down afterwards. Arranged marriages of daughters to fellow kings or dukelets to strengthen one's kingdom and influence. The list goes on and on, and frankly "getting eaten by a dragon" probably wasn't even on the top ten of Bad Things That Could Happen. There isn't *ANYTHING* that a dragon can have done to humans that the pathetic little wretches weren't already doing, with quite a lot more enthusiasm and attention to detail, to themselves. > -- > Steven E. Ehrbar ehrbar@softhome.net stevenehrbar@elp.rr.com > We have to go forth and crush every world view that doesn't believe in > tolerance and free speech. - David Brin - -- Shad ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 28 Aug 2002 11:06:58 +0200 From: shadur@sisshaper.systemec.nl Subject: Re: IN> Re:Grigori On Wed, Aug 28, 2002 at 05:20:56PM +0930, G N E Z D A wrote: > Can someone please tell me briefly what the resonnances of the Grigori and > Skulkers do? I don't mean specific game mechanics (I wouldn't want Beth to > think I was asking for a copyright breach...), but for example the resonance > of seraphim is to detect truth in people's statements and the Symphony, > while balseraphs convince people of truths they make up themselves. That's > the kind of detail I want, just so I have an idea of what they actually > *do*. :) I don't have the gurps book here, but this is what I recall: Grigori resonance: gigantic bonus to perception in regards to symphonic disturbances. Dissonance: Perceiving a disturbance and *not* taking action. Skulker resonance: masking disturbances caused. Don't remember the backlash condition; probably involves someone spotting the noise despite their efforts. > Thanks. No prob. Hope this helps. - -- Shad, Cherub of Lightning in service to Orc, Angel of underpaid linux syadmins with too much time on their hands. ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 28 Aug 2002 11:32:15 +0200 From: "Bergeron, Robert F., DS1(SW)" Subject: RE: IN> The Heavenly need for Cool Good can be cool, but bad gets to dress cooler. DS1 (Who, considering the amount of trouble I seem to cause must be a Calabim of Factions after all, but is currently IST Laurence. Don't ask, and remember to be careful when you make promises to Lilith) - -----Original Message----- From: Harukami [mailto:harukami@sentex.net] Sent: Wednesday, August 28, 2002 4:59 AM To: in_nomine-l@lists.io.com Subject: IN> The Heavenly need for Cool >I think God understands the need for Cool. It's just a shame Rex hasn't >picked up on that yet....;) Oddly enough, I'm currently writing a story where Rex considers Redeeming because of all the really Cool /good/ things out there... Harukami ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 28 Aug 2002 05:23:34 -0600 From: "Steven E. Ehrbar" Subject: Re: IN> IN / Reign of Fire *spoilers* shadur@sisshaper.systemec.nl wrote: >There isn't *ANYTHING* that a dragon can have done to humans that >the pathetic little wretches weren't already doing, with quite a >lot more enthusiasm and attention to detail, to themselves. > > That Stalin, Mao, and Franco went free is not a reason to refuse to imprison somebody who "only" killed three people. As Sir Francis Bacon said, upon his imeachment for br/ibery, //"I was the justest judge that was in England these fifty years; but it was the justest censure that was in Parliament these two hundred years". / - -- Steven E. Ehrbar ehrbar@softhome.net stevenehrbar@elp.rr.com ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 28 Aug 2002 15:41:04 +0200 From: "Bergeron, Robert F., DS1(SW)" Subject: RE: IN> The Songs of Age - -----Original Message----- From: Michael Walton [mailto:thunderdog_sa@yahoo.com] > Celestial: The Celestial Song of Age displays the entire > life experiences > of the target to the performer (and only the performer), > as though the > performer were living through them, over the course of a > single round. I can see the Game declaring this Song forbidden for all demons. For those who don't see why, what do you suppose the effect of this Song would be if the target were, say, the Holiest Man on Earth? Or a Prophet? ===== Schnikies!!!! Suddenly Novalis' reasons for loving this Song becomes a lot stronger. Now if she could just find a way to project that experience into demons at range. She could go hunting DPs with that. DS1 ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 28 Aug 2002 10:01:27 -0400 From: BC Petery Subject: IN> Sustainability Perceptive celestials saw it coming for years. The balance has finally faltered. Many see it as a sign of the coming apocolypse, all that power in the hands of so few. There are now fifteen Superiors for every celestial. And it's getting worse. ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 28 Aug 2002 10:01:30 -0400 From: BC Petery Subject: IN> Demon of Power Tools > Tauser > Demon of Power Tools > > There is nothing interesting or earth-shattering > about an electronic drill or a table saw. Tauser's > Word is invoked when a power tool is used for purposes > other than what they were intended. The more > insidious, destructive or perverse (or perverted) the > use, the better. Now how many times have you seen power tools used in slasher flicks? OMG! I just remembered the time Eddie VanHalen tried to play his guitar with a power drill. Man! Did that suck! ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 28 Aug 2002 10:01:30 -0400 From: BC Petery Subject: IN> Ether Time > The more think about that Song, the more I think it could work. Must be > important, it's keeping me awake. I went back and read the write up. > Ethereal: The Ethereal Song of Age alters a person's mindset and maturity > level, raising or lowering it by a number of years equal to the check digit > multiplied by the Essence spent. This does not actually age the target, > but it can return a business executive to the Terrible Twos or cause an > infant to be as calm and collected as he would be at 25. This Song's > effects last for a number of days equal to the performer's level of skill > in the Song. Now I remember why I didn't comment on it. It is about as vague as vague can be. The solution is obvious. Making someone mentaly older with this would be the Song equivalent of the legendary "Clue-by-four." Making someone mentaly younger with this would be the Song equivalent of the recently posted "Red Herring." ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 28 Aug 2002 10:01:30 -0400 From: BC Petery Subject: IN>Eli in Ethereal > His brother, Empetheus, was imperfect, forgetful and had the same gift of > sculpting, but could only create hateful monsters. I thot Epimethius created the animals. ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 28 Aug 2002 11:24:43 -0400 From: "Jeffery Watkins" Subject: IN> Orc AA of Virtuality Hi everyone, Still working at a proper write up for Orc. I guess this is version 4.0 or 5.0 from those who remember my first several attempts last year. I want to thank the list for the input made and hopefully its reflected in this version now. Further comments are very much appreciated, especially with the Kyriotate's attunement, you'll see two as I couldn't make up my mind and hope the list can help me decide. Thanks in advance and here is Orc...again: Orc Kyriotate Archangel of Virtuality This archangel’s word encompasses computer or artificially generated reality. In effect any virtual Symphony or reality of the mind. For years Orc had been overseeing the use of the Internet. As time passed more and more turned to the Internet as a way of finding like-minded people, ways of finding information or ways of managing their finances. His Word grew and actually started to become a threat to the Word of Media as humanity begun to not just sit there and let the Media think for them, they were starting to turn more to computers and the internet to explore different ways of thought. They were expanding their minds and expressing themselves on a new forum that connected communities from all over the world. As Humanity expanded into space their interconnections of the various Internet expanded and the new media was the SysInstruum (pronouced sys-sin-strum), the solar-system-wide informational network. With the advances of technology, the differences between Internet and owning a computer that didn’t access the SysInstruum were blurred enough for Orc’s Word to be expanded. Computers are everywhere, both overtly and behind the scenes, running the settlement cylinders and archologies that are home to humanity’s spaceborne population. Unlike the earlier systems that were based around huge networks of dedicated servers, the SysInstruum is more of a mosaic of small computers and communication devices that continually talk to one another. Any device that can be hooked up to a comm port can become part of the system. Jean was already well pleased with this, as was David who saw this new forum of bringing humanity together especially during calamities as useful. Soon Novalis noticed the harmony between groups of humanity and mutual tolerances for differences were found in Orc’s domain and even Blandine found that many dreamers were encouraged in their hopes by supportive audiences found in the expanded Internet. Christopher was pleased by the protective measures in place and how children played in new virtual vistas that were even bridging the age gap, allowing children of all ages to play like a child in the new virtuality. Litheroy saw many secrets uncovered as conspiracy groups started sharing their information, making their connections and chat rooms. Marc was becoming enamored with the ecommerce that had been very secure since the mid-21st century. It was his fellow Kyriotate Eli who suggested that Orc’s word be expanded. Eli had seen the explosion of artistic endeavors in many forms, especially in the O’Niel and Vivarium space settlements and many artist turned to the virtual networks to express themselves. The Seraphim Council met and Orc’s word was expanded to the Word of the Virtuality. He was to safeguard this ‘Synthetic Symphony’ from infernal influence, for it was not lost on many of the Archangels the potential for corruption from such forces as Andrealphus, who was also gaining power in his/her Word through the computer media and Nybbas who wanted to assume the Word of the Computer and its Internet into his Word of Media. Laurence stressed the strategic point that Orc would be the perfect counter for Nybbas, whom many of the Seraphim Council saw as a troubling force that no-one so far directed countered. So it was the Orc’s Word was expanded to the Word of the Virtuality and raised to Archangel status. Nybbas has not taken this well. Orc wants to make Virtual environments safe for human use as humanity wants to use it without Infernal influence. It is dissonance for Servitors of Orc to pass by or let stand an infernal influence or interference with humanity’s use of the Computer. His servitors network their resonance through this environment, allowing others to share their theme of the Symphony. Seraphim-Can let others see/perceive the Symphony as they do, letting them share the truth they so plainly see. Cherubim-Can let their attune perceive dangers giving them a ‘danger sense’ or threat analysis. Ofanim-Can let others share the area knowledge ability even if they are in two separate locals. Elohim-Allow their resonance target to self-analyze/diagnose their emotional state or situation. They are particularly good in chat rooms, since they can resonate with the log-oned screen-name and tell their true emotions and with a good enough check, what influenced them. They are great in VR conferences and are as much in demand as Seraphim who are not fooled by virtual personas. Malakim-Can ‘upload’ their fighting skills to others-however anyone sharing this now is also concerned with honor and the same oaths of the Malakim’s. Kyriotates-can inhabit whole servers, subnets and local PAN (Personal Access Networks, the local SysInstruum areas, limited to city, settlement or arcology size PANs), having access to numerous terminals and systems all at once. Or Kyriotates-Share the body they possess, and the host is fully aware of them. While they have access to the host’s memories, the host has access to the angelic abilities. Mercurians-Merea-Can allow others to see how they fit into the social hierarchy around them without self deception.may use their resonance to trace back connections of groups of humans who share the same interest. Found mostly at chat rooms, the Friends are used to tell if a member of the virtual commuinity is actually a believer of that community or merely someone looking to disrupt or ridcule the true members. Attunements: Legal Access-like Yves’ Library card, but only with computer systems, also known as ‘Hacker’s Heaven.’ Remote Access- as with Jean’s Remote Control, but only with computer controlled machines. This can be also used to remote sense a location by “looking through” the sensor the computer is controlling. Vassal of Virtuality-this allows a link to the SysInstruum or any computerized system without the need of a physical port. This may be maintained continually or shut off whenever the Servitor wills. Friend of Virutality-this allows the Servitor to store a vessel in the computer as in the ‘body bag’ artifact. 1 Essence per 100 kilograms of vessel. Master of Virtuality- this allows the translation of the Ethereal Forces into Virtual Forces and the Servitor may use songs with in the computer system letting the disturbance be echoed only in the synthetic symphony of Virutality. Essentially, someone has to be ‘online’ to hear. Ambassador of Virtuality-may facilitate the creation of a synthetic tether between two terminals, it requires a human at each end. The Servitor converts his vesssel or body, in the case of Soldiers, into a signal that is transmitted along the SysInstruum to any other location to exit out of a comm port of that distant locale. The transport travel time is limited to the signal speed, so intra-planetary travel has the same time delay regular communication traffic has, but is still the fastest form of corporeal transport. 1 Essence per 100 kilograms of vessel or body, this may be used to take others with them. The Disturbance is at both the entry port and exit port. _________________________________________________________________ Join the world’s largest e-mail service with MSN Hotmail. http://www.hotmail.com ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 28 Aug 2002 11:32:57 -0400 (EDT) From: "Rev. Pee Kitty" Subject: Re: IN> Re:Grigori On Wed, 28 Aug 2002, G N E Z D A wrote: > Can someone please tell me briefly what the resonnances of the Grigori and > Skulkers do? For the Grigori, go here... http://www.amadan.org/Innomine/Grigori.html It's based on the canon G:IN rules, translated into In Nomine (in a far more elegant way than the original, actually). For the Skulkers, someone could probably repost the mechanics that were posted to the list some time ago... I don't remember them exactly, or who came up with them, just that they were well done. Basically, they can use their resonance to hide disturbance. - -- Rev. Pee Kitty, of the order Malkavian-Dobbsian, Q4B4L! Meow! We're the only HONEST church. We tell you we want your money. The OTHER churches say "god" wants your money. It's a lie. They can't even admit they're gonna take that cash and buy hookers with it! We buy hookers AND show you the pictures! -- Sister Decadence ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 28 Aug 2002 11:57:05 -0400 From: "William J. Keith" Subject: Re: IN> Re:Grigori >On Wed, Aug 28, 2002 at 05:20:56PM +0930, G N E Z D A wrote: >> Can someone please tell me briefly what the resonnances of the Grigori and >> Skulkers do? I don't mean specific game mechanics (I wouldn't want Beth to >> think I was asking for a copyright breach...), but for example the resonance >> of seraphim is to detect truth in people's statements and the Symphony, >> while balseraphs convince people of truths they make up themselves. That's >> the kind of detail I want, just so I have an idea of what they actually >> *do*. :) > >I don't have the gurps book here, but this is what I recall: > >Grigori resonance: gigantic bonus to perception in regards to symphonic >disturbances. Dissonance: Perceiving a disturbance and *not* taking >action. Indeed, their perception is so powerful that it can detect a Disturbance from *mental* damage: Mind Hits. There's a little more to it, but it starts getting subtle and mechanical, and these two abilities sum it up pretty well. >Skulker resonance: masking disturbances caused. Don't remember the >backlash condition; probably involves someone spotting the noise despite >their efforts. Getting a critical failure on an attempt to hide disturbance. In In Nomine, this would most likely translate as "failure with a CD of 6". >> Thanks. > >No prob. Hope this helps. > >-- Shad, Cherub of Lightning in service to Orc, Angel of underpaid linux >syadmins with too much time on their hands. *looks at it* ... Mmph, mmm... no, I'm not gonna Fledge just because one of my players did first. ;^) Too selfish of me. Gotta think carefully about it, especially given what I'm looking at. William (who tends to think that Elohim of Destiny have the toughest combination of Dissonance Conditions in the game...) ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 28 Aug 2002 11:57:05 -0400 From: "William J. Keith" Subject: Re: IN> Re:Grigori >On Wed, Aug 28, 2002 at 05:20:56PM +0930, G N E Z D A wrote: >> Can someone please tell me briefly what the resonnances of the Grigori and >> Skulkers do? I don't mean specific game mechanics (I wouldn't want Beth to >> think I was asking for a copyright breach...), but for example the resonance >> of seraphim is to detect truth in people's statements and the Symphony, >> while balseraphs convince people of truths they make up themselves. That's >> the kind of detail I want, just so I have an idea of what they actually >> *do*. :) > >I don't have the gurps book here, but this is what I recall: > >Grigori resonance: gigantic bonus to perception in regards to symphonic >disturbances. Dissonance: Perceiving a disturbance and *not* taking >action. Indeed, their perception is so powerful that it can detect a Disturbance from *mental* damage: Mind Hits. There's a little more to it, but it starts getting subtle and mechanical, and these two abilities sum it up pretty well. >Skulker resonance: masking disturbances caused. Don't remember the >backlash condition; probably involves someone spotting the noise despite >their efforts. Getting a critical failure on an attempt to hide disturbance. In In Nomine, this would most likely translate as "failure with a CD of 6". >> Thanks. > >No prob. Hope this helps. > >-- Shad, Cherub of Lightning in service to Orc, Angel of underpaid linux >syadmins with too much time on their hands. *looks at it* ... Mmph, mmm... no, I'm not gonna Fledge just because one of my players did first. ;^) Too selfish of me. Gotta think carefully about it, especially given what I'm looking at. William (who tends to think that Elohim of Destiny have the toughest combination of Dissonance Conditions in the game...) ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 28 Aug 2002 17:40:56 +0000 From: "Michael Cleveland" Subject: IN> Triad 314 - Techno Remix (Pt 2) "What is taking those worthless reprobates so long?" Xador shrugged - he'd come to expect his Triad leader's tendencies to be expedient in all things. The Seraphim had a reputation for not being understanding in corporeal matters, and this was unlikely to be an exception. "Difficult to say, Squavariel. They were, after all, traveling away from the city. I would remind you, Most Holy, that we're also talking about 314. Their track record suggests that they may not be particularly thrilled to be working with us." 'More specifically, with you,' the Cherub thought to himself. Although he'd long since learned to appreciate his superior officer's devotion to their Word, many others mistook her intensity for hostility. He casually turned to look for a waitress - the overcrowded restaurant was short of both tables and staff, and their continual wait in the booth was wearing painfully thin on the underpaid humans who came by. The Seraph sniffed the air, her nose wrinkling as cigarette smoke from the neighboring table wafted by. "Yes, I can quite easily imagine them taking the scenic route to get here. Having to deal with them once inside the week was bad enough, but requiring them for settle our dispute is almost intolerable." She craned her neck to see if anyone was listening, then bent forward. "For the sake of the Cloak, Xador, there were only two Infernals. We could have taken them." Xador shook his head, muscles rippling under his vessel's skin. "Two Infernals who managed to injure both of us and killed Nadia. We're shorthanded, and I'm not willing to risk the integrity of this mission after it's already been compromised by that incident at the Vapulan's warehouse. We can't afford it. This is important, Squav." Squavariel nodded as she pulled her hair back. "And I agree that this is not an ideal situation, but we could have handled it. But now we have Muriel and her tiny little knot of heretics coming here to meet us. Triad 314 -" The Cherub whipped his head forward, getting into his partner's face and causing her to squeak as she dodged backwards. Setting his voice in a quiet growl, he glared at her. "Triad 314 is backup. Bad backup is better than no backup. Heretical backup is better than no backup. I'm not going to get myself killed just because two Seraphim have problems talking to each other. You've got to deal with it for now, Most Holy." The woman in the booth sitting across from him began to rise up, her eyes beginning to flare with what the Cherub knew was a precursor to a sermon on the duties of following the proper procedures for questioning a superior's judgment. Xador closed his eyes, saying a quiet prayer that the Ofanite driver - Laris, he thought - would hurry up and save him from what was coming. When the verbal lashing failed to come, he opened one eye questioningly, and saw his partner lowering herself back down into the booth. "You... you are right, Xador. The Triad that is being sent is not the one that I would have chosen, and their dedication to seeing the Lord's work done might not be what one might ask for, but this is the proverbial hand that we have been dealt." The young lady leaned back in her seat, sighing. "But it does not mean that I like it. Still, in the absence of our Elohite, it would seem that their reinforcement of our position would be helpful, if somewhat distracting. There will, unfortunately, be a duplication of abilities, but an extra set of coils to wrap around our prey will be good." The Cherub took a sip from his coffee, grimacing as the tepid liquid flowed past his lips. "Ugh. Well, at least the addition of an Ofanite should allow us to make up for lost time. The attunement is still good - the Shedite's laptop is about 15 miles north of here, which means the Corrupter will be close by. Once their Cherub gets here, we'll have him attune to the two of us, and I'll link to the three of them. We'll pull this out, Squavariel. Trust me." Squavariel nodded, smiling slightly. "I do. Which is why I can do this." She turned her head to look out at the parking lot, focusing her attention on a red convertible that had pulled into the lot with three disheveled people inside, music blaring loudly from its speakers. She watched as the trio jump climb out of the car without even bothering to open the doors and then spoke to her partner as the three pulled out hairbrushes and put themselves in order. "I have a cherry red convertible with a souped up sound system with 3 young adults hopping over the doors to get out. I think our associates are here." Xador nodded, then looked out the window, squinting. "If memory serves, wasn't the convertible that they had on Tuesday blue?" The Seraph nodded. "Yes. Take a note of that, incidentally - Muriel may be slipping back into her old ways. Theft comes very naturally to her, as befitting someone from her former master." She began to rise from her seat when a young man with dancing, frenetic eyes slipped into her, knocking her back into the seat. The man raised a hand and snapped his fingers several times loudly to signal a waitress, muttering to the irritated Seraph, "Please tell me that the coffee's hot." As another man and woman slid into the seat beside Xador, he snorted slightly as he shook his head. "Hasn't been yet. You must be Laris." Nodding slightly in acknowledgement at the Ofanites distracted head bob, he looked over at the people on his side of the booth. "Jack, good to see you again. Wish it was under different circumstances." "Likewise." The two large men clasped hands for a moment, and then shuddered slightly. Jack closed his eyes for a moment, then lowered his voice. "You're hurt, Xador. What happened?" Xador rubbed his hand over his shaved head for a moment. "They got the drop on us. I figure the Shedite must have made us for a Triad after I attuned to his laptop at the mall. I'm assuming that after his Impudite escorts sucked all the humans near them dry, they decided they had enough energy to take us out." He shook his head ruefully. "They caught us on the road - I managed to get a few good shots off, and I know I managed to drop one of them back to Hell, but not before they got Nadia, our Elohite. All of us got hit at least once, but I was able to do at least some superficial healing." "Sounds like you folks gave as good as you got, Xador." Squavariel nodded, her gaze locking onto the newest speaker and her voice going completely deadpan. "Muriel. You look just as lovely as you did the last time I saw you. Any new charges of heresy or dereliction of duty in the past few days?" In an equally deadpan voice, Muriel shook her head. "No charges have been filed, Squavariel. Tried any of Eli's boys for defiling God's Creation by spitting on a sidewalk since I last saw you?" The two Seraphim continued to glare at each other mouthing insults for a few moments longer when they finally noticed the silence from the two Cherubim and turned to watch as the Ofanite added over a dozen packets of sugar to his cup of coffee and began pouring maple syrup and salt to his cup. After a few moments, Laris looked up and turned to look at everybody who was looking at him incredulously, including 2 of the waitresses. "What? Did I do something?" The two Seraphim looked at each other, and lowered their heads in unison. Muriel looked up first to look at the Cherubim beside her. "Anyway. Gah. So, do we have any idea how we want to track these people down and capture them? You're the one with the attunement." "Mrrmph mamming our marr." Squavariel leaned against the wall and looked hard at the Ofanite beside her. "You do realize that it would be easier to understand you if you would swallow your coffee before you speak to non-ofanim, do you not? Would you repeat yourself, Wheel?" The Ofanite nodded as he poured himself another cup of coffee. "I said, we're taking our car. I figured that your car was the big brown van with the bullet holes and blood in it. Well, if we need to enlist the mortal authorities at all, our car will be a lot easier to accept than a bullet-ridden, blood soaked bucket of bolts. There's enough room for the two of you, and we don't need all the surveillance equipment that you've got in that thing. This is going to be a simple smash and grab, and we don't want or need much else with us." The two Seraphim looked at each other, then nodded. Muriel got up from her seat and fished a few bills out of her pocket. "All right, let's go ahead and get this over with. Squeaky, you and -" "Squavariel!" "Right. You and Xador get the most critical stuff out of your van, and we'll start moving the stuff around in the back seat to make room for you all. I'll be taking shotgun, of course." "Excuse me, but I have seniority..." "It's my Triad, you stiff necked -" "Listen here, you -" - --------------------------------------- Across town, Ceret felt something stirring in his mind. Picking his large bulk off of the floor, he padded down the hall and walked into the living room of the house that he had taken possession of. The Djinn liked it here - the couch was large and overstuffed, the bed was extremely comfortable, even despite the fact that the blood from its prior occupants had yet to dry, and the house's entertainment system ensured that he never needed lack for nothing to do. The female who was in the bed at the time he came in had even been good enough to attempt to hide in the closet - with the exception of the small hole in the door, he didn't even need to remember that she'd been there at all. The Djinn slumped down into the chair that sat in front of the laptop at the coffee table. After stretching for a few seconds, he smacked the laptop lightly and then picked up the headset and microphone that were plugged into it. "Hey, we got something." After a second, there was a slight pop and hissing sound in the headphones, then a very smooth and silky voice flowed out through the earpieces. "Yes, Ceret. What do you have for me?" "The bullets that Ariane shot into the Judges are moving again. But here's the interesting bit - the palmtop that we left in the warehouse is moving with them. I think they're working together now. One of ours gone traitor, or prisoner maybe?" A throaty chuckle came out of the speakers. "Hardly. The Dominicans are attempting to use that palmtop to connect to Tartarus, as I'd hoped. I've routed all their queries to my new system, and with my having taken the type to install a Vapunet Server onto this machine, they'll never realize the difference until it's too late. For all intents and purposes, they're telling us everything we want to know. All we have to do is watch what information they ask for. I told you that the dissonance would be worth it, Ceret." Ceret nodded. "Yeah, let's hope so. Teams 4 and 5 are moving in to keep an eye on them. But tell me something, Rekza - why did you switch to a new machine anyway? I thought you liked the old ones better than the latest model, anyway. Didn't think you'd want to risk the dissonance either." "Because, my boy, it's a known quantity. It's an easy way to track me down. And since the Dominican touched my laptop, I'm betting he attuned to it. Since I've given the machine to Team 1, I'm betting that the Judges will follow them for hours trying to catch what they assume will be me. This way, we control where they go, rather than the other way around." The Djinn chuckled. "This'll be fun. It's a shame we couldn't keep the Lightning angels alive to test the new devices on as well. The Genius Prince always likes hearing about Jean's people being involved in tests." The speakers cracked again slightly, and the screen flickered into a screensaver, its fractal patterns taking on a somewhat disturbing tint. "No matter. Even though they died under the interrogation, they provided us with the Judges. And hey - five test subjects versus two - we should have even more opportunities to field test the devices." Ceret turned and spit on the carpet. "More work for us, Rekza." The screen flickered again, and a set of seven green eyes opened and tracked in on the Djinn's two, causing him to swallow instinctively. "Oh, come now. I promise you, Ceret - this is going to be _fun_." (to be continued) Michael Cleveland Gulf Coast Geotech _________________________________________________________________ Send and receive Hotmail on your mobile device: http://mobile.msn.com ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 28 Aug 2002 14:10:48 -0400 From: "Jeffery Watkins" Subject: Re: IN> Triad 314 - Techno Remix (PT 1) >Author's Note - Sorry it's taken so long to get back in. I've been >battling a really severe bout of depression that damn near got the >best of me. Still, better late than never - with a little editing >and fixing up, and with a whole lotta drugs and therapy, both >Firefly and Triad 314 are back in business ... And this is GREAT business!!! I'm back myself actually for similar reasons. Your story was fantastic! I love your treatment of Dominic as well as the presentation of the triad. Looking forward to more!! Marvelous work!!! Jeff _________________________________________________________________ Send and receive Hotmail on your mobile device: http://mobile.msn.com ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 28 Aug 2002 15:23:16 -0400 From: "Josh Moger" Subject: Re: IN> Triad 314 - Techno Remix (Pt 2) Wow. The second time's even better than the first. This gives me hope that someone could possibly write a lengthy (novella? Novel, even?) IN story. What's really fascinating is seeing how you show the politics and powers of the celestials working. Both the angels and demons give you a hint of the background activity with their mannerisms and natures. Again, nicely done. Josh ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 28 Aug 2002 17:12:19 -0400 From: Elizabeth McCoy Subject: IN> Wings of Love Choir Choir Attunement: Wings of Love First, about Choir Choir Attunements. No, you're not seeing double -- a Choir^2 Attunement is an attunement which any Archangel may give, but only to a specific Choir. (The Archangels can do it because they can access the resonance of all Choirs.) The attunement is a strengthening of the Choir's inherent nature, and not a melding of the Choir nature and Word, as regular Choir Attunements are. Wings of Love is a Cherub Choir^2 Attunement. It's quite simple -- when a Cherub's attuned is in immediate danger (which they can automatically sense (p. 95), though they must still make a Perception roll to get a fix on location, etc.), they may access the Wings of Love. Whether they know the Nuimous Corpus Song of Wings or not, Cherubim with this attunement may unfold their wings in order to fly to their attuned's aid. The wings last until the attuned is out of danger, +1d6 minutes. Then they fade, as per the Song. The attunement costs no Essence and creates no disturbance. (They do not work with Nemisis attunements, sorry.) The cost for this attunement depends on who's giving it to you -- if your Archangel is a Cherub, the strengthening of Cherubic nature is easier: 5 points. If your Archangel isn't one, then 10 points. - --Beth, arcangel@io.com / archangel@sjgames.com In Nomine Line Editor http://www.io.com/~arcangel/ ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 28 Aug 2002 21:13:29 +0000 From: "Sirea Theyal" Subject: Re: IN> Azrael, AA of Passage Cool! This AA gives me so many good ideas to work with ^_^ I love the idea, it just flows so well. _________________________________________________________________ Chat with friends online, try MSN Messenger: http://messenger.msn.com ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 28 Aug 2002 17:42:01 -0400 From: Elizabeth McCoy Subject: IN> [ADMIN] A rule on trimming posts... Now, back in the days when sabertooth tigers roamed (but after dinosaurs were old), when we old-timers got online, our ISPs generally did things like make it impossible (or at least difficult) for us to get at rn -- that's "readnews" -- without first reading Nettiquite files. Because back then, there was actualy a bit of peer pressure to not over-use the bits and bytes. Even flamewars needed good trimming. And the most heinous sin in those files, that I recall, was NOT TRIMMING .SIGS. If you do NOTHING else, TRIM THE .SIG IN THE POST YOU ARE REPLYING TO. Now, for Beth's Rules Of Thumb regarding posts. If quoted material is half of the post, you are probably quoting too much. If quoted material is 2/3rds of the post, you are almost certainly, beyond shadow of more than a slight doubt, quoting too much. Trim posts. Type things like: [...] *snip* <> [or even quick summaries in brackets] But trim posts. I'm going to start smacking people harder who don't trim .sig files, since there are so many people around whose email providers (e.g., yahoo and hotmail, to name two) stick advertising .sigs onto their posts. This is not the users' fault, and I will not gripe about those. But if YOU -- yes, YOU, reading this right now -- reply to one of those and do not trim the .sig away, then I am gonna be snarked. (And while we're at it, note that "top-quoting" -- typing your reply above the text below -- is a habit and emailer setting that is prone to allowing people to forget to trim what they are replying to. It's a bad habit. Go into your emailers and poke around until you find a way to set it so that you get the original message with ">" denoting quoted text, at a minimum.) - --Beth, List Admin http://www.sjgames.com/in-nomine/listrules.html ------------------------------ End of in_nomine-digest V1 #2756 ********************************