in_nomine-digest Saturday, February 22 2003 Volume 01 : Number 2972 In this digest: Re: IN> "Leaders" of PC parties RE: IN> "Zones" in the Marches RE: IN> "Zones" in the Marches Re: IN> Gabriel cured? Re: IN> Gabriel cured? Re: IN> Gabriel cured? IN> Ladybug Novalis IN> Gabriel and Uriel Re: IN> Gabriel cured? IN> Digest #1 IN> Gabriel cured? Belial Dead. IN> Around the World in 80 Days Re: IN> Gabriel cured? Belial Dead. Re: IN> Gabriel and Uriel IN> Consider the Absent IN> A policeman, overdue for retirement Re: IN> Gabriel and Uriel Re: IN> A policeman, overdue for retirement IN> "Zones" in the Marches Re: IN> "Zones" in the Marches IN> Digests! IN> Celeste IN> [Fic] Unprepared IN> [! Series] Lights of Heaven Re: IN> Ladybug Novalis ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Fri, 21 Feb 2003 23:00:02 -0600 From: "Gregg Forge" Subject: Re: IN> "Leaders" of PC parties > > So, what choir is your party organiser? > >The Seraph, generally. Though the Malakite steps in when he thinks the >Seraph is being too slow or cautious. NEVER the Ofanite. > IME, the Elohite tends to be the leader when it's a job no one wants to do; the Seraph leads when it's the job everyone else wants. The Kyriotate leads when there's s need for synchronized pinpoint precision. The Mercurian leads when the Malakite wants to. And vice versa. Kamika-Z, never one to allow for easy solutions. _________________________________________________________________ Protect your PC - get McAfee.com VirusScan Online http://clinic.mcafee.com/clinic/ibuy/campaign.asp?cid=3963 ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 22 Feb 2003 00:08:49 -0500 From: Rolland Therrien Subject: RE: IN> "Zones" in the Marches Michael Walton wrote: "Somebody posted something about Celestial/Ethereal geography a while back. If the original poster doesn't repost it, I'll dig it out of my stuff." For the Marches, I was thinking of swiping a piece from Palladium's Nightbane series, which had a Dreamworld of it's own. Basically, in that Dreamworld, Everyone had their own Dreamscape, a Bubble-type environment which was active and enterable when the subject dreamed, and opaque and unpenetrable when awake. The Dreamscapes where organized not by physical location, but by ties of closeness: The closer you were emotionally with someone, the closer your Dreamscape was with that person. Which probably makes things a little confusing if you're friends with two people who hate each other. But then, I doubt a place like the Marches operates with real-world geopgraphy in mind. ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 22 Feb 2003 00:23:05 -0500 From: Rolland Therrien Subject: RE: IN> "Zones" in the Marches Oh yeah, additionally, when it comes to the areas of the Marches that aren't just Dreamscapes, you have to remember that the Ethereal Plane is made up mainly of thoughts given life. I would have the Marches' "Geography" be a matter of Metaphor more then cartesian logic. So, for exemple, Beleth's tower, which leads to Hell, could be found by going South, by going Underground, or by going anywhere that looks dark and frightning. ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 22 Feb 2003 00:28:09 -0500 From: Rolland Therrien Subject: Re: IN> Gabriel cured? > From: rob scwalen > What would Heaven be like if Gabriel was cured of her > madness and she returned home to her citidel of fire? > Would god Replace her word with That of Archangel of > Divine Wrath to cure her of her madness? Well, first of all, if Gabriel was cured, I suspect that Dominic would request her to return to the Heavenly City to complete the Trial, if only so Dominic can officially dismiss the charges and clean up Gabe's reputation... ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 22 Feb 2003 07:37:08 -0500 From: Cameron McCurry Subject: Re: IN> Gabriel cured? > > >Would god Replace her word with That of Archangel of >Divine Wrath to cure her of her madness? > > The best way to cure Gabriel would be removing the source of her madness in the first place. And Gabriel is more than just Divine Wrath and smiting the cruel; Fire is also for inspiration. ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 22 Feb 2003 07:47:22 -0500 From: "Joey's mail" Subject: Re: IN> Gabriel cured? And Gabriel is more than just Divine Wrath and > smiting the cruel; Fire is also for inspiration. > And seeing as Wrath is one of the Seven Deadly Sins, I'd think that an Archangel of Wrath, even divine wrath, might be considered high-risk... ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 22 Feb 2003 08:20:31 -0500 From: "Joey's mail" Subject: IN> Ladybug Novalis I remember a while ago there was a discussion on the Celestial forms of Cherub Superiors. I found the picture of the ladybug Novalis I think someone was looking for. http://www.side7.com/cgi-bin/S7SDB/DisplayImg.pl?INO=140689 Enjoy! ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 22 Feb 2003 11:13:01 -0500 From: EDG Subject: IN> Gabriel and Uriel Hi folks, I was browsing early digests today (like, *really* early; the bit that I'm about to quote came out of Digest #2, and the last digest I have is #2971) and ran across this. Written by Derek Pearcy shortly before the original core rules themselves shipped to stores, it's an account of Gabriel's self-exile, the Purity Crusades, and the rise to power of Khalid and Laurence. I have *no idea* if this is canon, but it sheds a lot of light on why Uriel was recalled. - -EDG - ----- On January 14, 1997, Derek Pearcy wrote: ----- Almost 1500 years ago, Gabriel, Archangel of Fire, narrated the Koran to Mohammed and started Islam. Islam became an incredible threat to Christianity. Uriel, as the Archangel of Purity and that era's protector of Christianity, convinced Dominic that Gabriel's actions were heretical -- even though she'd been ordered to do so by Yves, the inscrutible Archangel of Destiny -- and tried to have her exiled from Heaven. Khalid (along with others, most notably Michael, Archangel of War) grew mistrustful of Yves, even though Yves moved with political machinations to stop Dominic's persecution of Gabriel. Gabriel left Heaven of her own accord, building a new mosque in the caldera of a volcano which sits on the edge between the ethereal landscapes of Blandine, Archangel of Dreams, and the furthermost edge of Heaven. It would be impossible for him to mass Heaven's armies to attack the volcano on their own perimeter; the Seraphim Council would not have allowed it. Uriel knew he would have to raze Blandine's end of the Marches as an excuse to get at Gabriel. At this time, both Laurence and Khalid were powerful angels of Purity in the service of Uriel. Uriel waged war on the Earth's creatures of myth, knowing the dragons to be a favorite of Gabriel, and eventually took the battle to the Marches -- the ethereal realm of dreams which lays between the celestial realms of Heaven and Hell, and the Earth -- and attacked the remaining creatures of myth while getting a head start on taking out the pagan gods. Many hid in the Far Marches, or the dark side of the ethereal realm (ruled by Beleth, Demon Princess of Nightmares); many were slain by the agents of Uriel. In a move that surprised everyone, Uriel was recalled to Paradise by God for his pains, leaving a power vacuum in the celestial hierarchy. Khalid was furious when Laurence took Uriel's place as leader of Heaven's troops and protector of Christianity, thinking himself to be a more experienced choice. Khalid, not only to snub his nose at Laurence but to show support for Gabriel, took up stewardship of Islam and became Archangel of Faith. He'll be included in the supplement introducing Islam, but I don't know when that will be. He may show up in an issue of Pyramid before then. He's a bad-ass and I'd like to see him in people's games; we just didn't seem to have the room to do justice to Islam and all the issues Khalid has to grapple with in just two pages. ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 22 Feb 2003 08:31:14 -0800 (PST) From: Michael Walton Subject: Re: IN> Gabriel cured? - --- rob scwalen wrote: > What would Heaven be like if Gabriel was cured of her > madness and she returned home to her citidel of fire? > Would god Replace her word with That of Archangel of > Divine Wrath to cure her of her madness? I doubt it (but in your campaign, your rules). The best cure for Gabriel's madness, IMO, is to whack Belial. I'm sure that I won't get any argument from Moe on that one. 0;> =====

Michael Walton, #US2002023848

Smart knows what. Intelligence knows how. Wisdom knows why. __________________________________________________ Do you Yahoo!? Yahoo! Tax Center - forms, calculators, tips, more http://taxes.yahoo.com/ ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 22 Feb 2003 12:26:08 -0500 From: EDG Subject: IN> Digest #1 Okay, stupid question, but I figured I'd ask. Does anyone have a copy of Digest #1, the first digest of the INML? The archives start at #2. Thanks, EDG ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 22 Feb 2003 11:58:05 -0800 (PST) From: rob scwalen Subject: IN> Gabriel cured? Belial Dead. Would the destruction of Belial and the official dismissal of all charges of Gabriel to cure her of her madness be likely to happen in IN canon. __________________________________________________ Do you Yahoo!? Yahoo! Tax Center - forms, calculators, tips, more http://taxes.yahoo.com/ ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 22 Feb 2003 15:15:59 -0500 From: "The Childers" Subject: IN> Around the World in 80 Days Hello, I'm new to the list, but a couple of your members suggested I post some of my writings from the Pyramid In Nomine board here. This first one was inspired by a Pyramid article which suggested Gurps stats for Phileas Fogg, hero of Jules Verne's _Around the World in 80 Days_. It was very unusual for a demon to request an audience with Kronos--especially a demon not in his service. Most demons would go to any lengths to avoid such an audience. It was especially unusual for a demon he was angry with to request an audience with him. And yet, this...Nybbas...had done so. It looked like an interesting day after all. "Greetings, O Lord," the young demon began. "I wanted to talk to you about this Phileas Fogg business." Kronos raised an eyebrow. The foolish whelp had actually managed to surprise him. For a demon not in his service, to request an audience with him, on the very subject Kronos was angry about--this was unprecedented. He waited to see what else the fool would say. "Um...OK, then," stammered the young demon, blinking his eyes (faded newsprint, Kronos noted. Original.) "I just wanted to recieve my reward for serving your Word so well." Kronos blinked as well. He had not expected *that* degree of foolishness. "Mmm. Perhaps you have your Demon Princes confused. It is the other one whose name begins with a K who deals with jokes. We do not like it when demons confuse us." Actually, they did. Kronos because a demon who could not remember Princes correctly was headed for a particularly interesting Fate very quickly. Kobal because--well, Kronos had never understood how a sense of humor worked, and had no wish to; suffice to say, Kobal did like it. But no need to share that Truth with this fool. But the whelp responded quickly to that barb. "Oh, no, Dread Lord. I expect a reward for serving the Word of Fate so well." "Indeed." The room grew much colder and darker. "You interfered with one human's Fate--to get an innocent man hanged for murder and theft. By assisting their journey, you also helped Fogg and several of his companions achieve their Destinies. Please, do explain how this serves my Word. I am *quite* interested." Nybbas continued calmly. "Lord, you are familiar with the ancient concept of vainglory. It has led many who were on the verge of their Destinies to embrace their Fates instead. I have refined this concept, and improved upon it." "Elaborate. And this had better be convincing." "Yes...well, observe how Fogg has earned fame and glory for his rapid journey around the world. And observe how others are inspired to attempt similar feats--going over Niagara Falls in a barrel. Tightrope walking between high buildings. Devouring large amounts of goldfish." He paused. "Now observe--how all this glory and fame, all this inspiration--all of it is directed at endeavours that are fundamentally pointless. Trivial vainglory, for trivial feats, that in no way significantly serve the cause of Heaven. So many potential heroes, directing their energies towards unimportant matters, and away from their Destinies." The newsprint eyes swirled in excitement. "Your Lordship, I present to you--the Media Stunt." Kronos sat and thought for long minutes. "Mmm." he said finally. "The beginning of your reward is that I allow you to leave my office alive." Nybass started to open his mouth, but Kronos cut him off. "That is all for now." Nybass, taking the hint, bowed and backed out the door. "Mmm." Kronos said after a long minute alone in his office. "One of Vapula's Dukes, wasn't that one? Apparently his rapid rise was no fluke. Mmm." He considered matters for another minute. "Perhaps I should see the Lightbringer." He cancelled the rest of that morning's appointments. ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 22 Feb 2003 15:27:58 -0500 From: Michael Nutt Subject: Re: IN> Gabriel cured? Belial Dead. > Would the destruction of Belial and the official > dismissal of all charges of Gabriel to cure her > of her madness be likely to happen in IN canon. You'd have to ask Beth to get a Pronuncement of Canon (I think that calling it a "Bull" might be in keeping with Papal tradition, but unlikely to work well in the gaming world), but it seems doubtful to me that such a large change would ever be made to the canon setting. Not only would there be much material rendered outdated by such a move, but it would cut off so many different stories that could have been told where Gabriel's madness or Belial's existence were important to the story. If you're asking about it being POSSIBLE... well, that's up to the GM, I'd say. Certainly, the members of the Oriflamme think so (from Superiors 3), but it could also be argued that the last thousand years of madness might have warped her mind beyond anything that could be healed. If it takes destroying a Demon Prince and then resolving one of the most serious conflicts in Heaven for the last few thousand years... that's a lot of work, with some determined opponents. I'm not saying that it couldn't happen, but it's a major goal to move a game toward. - -- Michael ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 22 Feb 2003 15:25:58 -0500 From: "Eric Bertish" Subject: Re: IN> Gabriel and Uriel Funny. I posted this exact same excerpt between 6 to 9 months ago, and was met with a rousing chorus of crickets. Wait, I take that back. Edelstein told me it was "old news". *I* think it's fascinating, however. - -- Casca ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 22 Feb 2003 15:40:40 -0500 From: "The Childers" Subject: IN> Consider the Absent (Another one originally from the Pyramid In Nomine board:) Yeah, I'm not the guy this "Consider..." is about, or the other guy. Most of those "Consider..." articles, the Superior talked about himself, but that ain't gonna happen this time.The one guy's supposed to be dead, eaten by Gluttony a long time ago. The other one's a joke rumor going around, probably don't even exist. So I'll do it. Not like dead or imaginary Demon Princes gonna object to someone else talking about them. And even if they were around, these guys still wouldn't bother to object. Some of you think this means their sins ain't so big a deal, that even if they were around, they wouldn't be helping Hell much. Well, you're wrong. The way these guys work, see, is that they can put the hurt on without doing anything. Maybe without really existing in the first place. Alright, I'll explain. You see, I'm a Malakite of Animals. I've done my share of smiting directly, but lately I've been working with the humans, anti-animal cruelty police and the Humane Society and the like. No, the Alpha don't like it much, dealing with the humans like that, but Jordi lets me have the vessel, and ain't pulled me off the duty yet, so I guess maybe I convinced him a little that this helps animals more than just smiting directly. I don't expect to be getting no Word from the Alpha anytime soon though. But that ain't what it's about, is it? It's about Heaven and Hell, not one Malakite pissing off his Archangel a bit. But you don't care about me, you care about the dead Demon Prince and the one that probably don't even exist. Anyways, sometimes this job involves the cruel, just like the Flamies are always going after. I've seen plenty of dogfighting rings, sicko sadists, and other cruel torturers in this job. And, boy, is it satisfying to haul them in. But usually I don't get to do that. You see, usually when you bring in the animal shivering in the cold, covered with ticks, and so thin they look like a fur draped over a skeleton, with the collars cutting into their skin and the wounds weeping corruption!...excuse me, got a bit carried away there. This job can get to you if you let it. Anyways, the real twisted part is most of the humans who do this wouldn't blip on a Gabrielite's radar. They ain't torturing the animals because they're cruel. Or even because they're greedy, or lustful, or covetous, or any of the usual sins you think of. Usually, they're just too lazy to take care of their own damn pets. Couldn't be bothered to feed them right. Too much trouble to go to the vet. Too busy to clean up the filthy hellhole they got the animal living in. They don't care that their own pets, that supposedly they love, are in worse shape than if they *had* been tortured!...excuse me. Calming down now. Sometimes things get to you, if you let them. By the way, some of these people have kids that they treat the same way. A surprising amount work as nurses, or in old folk's homes, or places like that. So they got humans to treat the same way. Now, that ain't any worse than what they do to animals, to my way of thinking, but I get that most of you think treating humans that way is even worse, so I bring it up. And eaten or not, joke or not, Sloth and Apathy have these people headed for Hell after they die, and their animals living in Hell right now. Without lifting a finger. So I do my part. I get these lazy bastards arrested. Ain't as satisfying as smiting them--but I think it works better. In the long run. Sometimes it is so hard, when you ask yet another human, "Didn't you notice your cat was starving? Didn't you notice your dog was hurt? What's the matter with you?!?" and they shrug, their eyes dead, like you're freakin' *boring* them. And you just want to whip out the flaming sword and see if they care now!...but this way does work better. Really. It does. So here's what I'm saying: don't EVER tell me that Sloth and Apathy ain't sins. Don't you ever tell ME that!...Sorry. Sometimes this job gets to you. If you let it. (Author's note: inspiration comes partially from Animal Planet shows like Animal Precinct, where I noticed that most of the animal abusers do seem to sin from sloth and apathy rather than cruelty; and from an old logo of the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA), which shows a carter whipping a fallen horse, only his whip hand is being grabbed by an angel with a flaming sword.) ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 22 Feb 2003 15:44:51 -0500 From: "The Childers" Subject: IN> A policeman, overdue for retirement (My last reprint from the Pyramid board): THE STORY YOU ARE ABOUT TO READ IS TRUE. NO NAMES HAVE BEEN CHANGED. The Marches--temporary home to 6 billion people, who commute here nightly. Most of these people are good, decent people, trying to get by and live their lives peacefully. But a few are not so nice. They try to take what they haven't earned, to harm others for their own amusement. And there's worse than that in the Marches. Even in the Ethereal Los Angeles--the City of Angels--some angels are fallen. That's where he comes in. His name is Joe Friday. He carries a badge. He's not the spirit he used to be. His show has been off the air for decades now. Jack Webb is now a Blessed Soul, enjoying a well-earned retirement in Heaven; he doesn't think about Joe Friday much anymore. People don't believe in honest cops as much as they used to; especially not an honest LA cop. (During the Rodney King case, the pain became almost unbearable. Almost.) But the Essence still dribbles in every time someone hums "DUM da DUM DUM!", every time someone says "just the facts, ma'am." Lately, a lot of it comes in from the Media parodying him. That hurts. But he's got a job to do, so he takes what he has to. He isn't like most of the cops in the Marches. He doesn't drive a fancy sports car at high speed, firing his gun wildly, knocking over the inevitable fruit stand. He disdains such theatrics. Instead, he doggedly investigates, interviewing witnesses, observing crime scenes, filing reports. Walking his beat. Showing people in their dreams that though there is evil--he has seen personally the abyss of depravity that demons and people can sink to--there is also good and justice, and these will be protected. The guilty will be caught. It gets harder every day to get out of his bed, get his coffee, and review the case files. It's a thankless job; he knows he won't get into Heaven, after all. (Though he is glad that Jack did.) Sometimes he really wants to retire. And old Ethereals don't retire--they just fade away. But he'll keep going as long as he can. Sometimes he still gets to arrest the hooligans and delinquents who prey on good people's dreams. It was Jack Webb's dream--and Destiny--to provide people with this kind of example, and Joe Friday isn't about to let Jack down. And of course, whatever resources Nybbas uses mocking an honest cop who's getting too old for his job, are resources not used fighting Heaven. It hurts. It gets harder every day. Friday thinks it's worth it. THE STORY YOU HAVE JUST READ IS TRUE. NO NAMES HAVE BEEN CHANGED. THE TRIAL IS CURRENTLY BEING HELD IN THE ENTIRE SYMPHONY; RESULTS ARE STILL PENDING. ONE DESTINY--AND ONE FATE--WILL BE JUDGED BY YOU. (Author's note: this was written before I knew of the new Dragnet series. I've seen one episode, and liked it.) ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 22 Feb 2003 15:50:44 -0500 From: EDG Subject: Re: IN> Gabriel and Uriel At 03:25 PM 2/22/2003 -0500, you wrote: >Funny. I posted this exact same excerpt between 6 to 9 months ago, and was >met with a rousing chorus of crickets. So true. (March 7, 2002.) Boy, is my face red. -_-;; The only excuse I can offer is that I was busy writing an Iron Rev entry... - -EDG ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 22 Feb 2003 15:58:42 -0500 From: EDG Subject: Re: IN> A policeman, overdue for retirement At 03:44 PM 2/22/2003 -0500, you wrote: >(My last reprint from the Pyramid board): Please keep in mind that there is a 10k/day posting limit here on the mailing list. Since you're new, we won't bring out the boiling oil or the iron maiden this time*. - -EDG * Much to Cam's dismay. ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 22 Feb 2003 17:23:32 -0500 From: BC Petery Subject: IN> "Zones" in the Marches > [...] I was thinking about the "Who's asleep across the world, and at what time," article. Which I can't find on my hard disk. ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 22 Feb 2003 17:52:55 -0500 From: "William J. Keith" Subject: Re: IN> "Zones" in the Marches >I was thinking about the "Who's asleep across the world, and at what time," >article. Which I can't find on my hard disk. Ask and ye shall receive! (I posted this on 9/21/02, titled "A Day in the Marches".) Had a random impulse, so I pored over my world map for a while and came up with this. It's a quick guide for those that want to time events in the Marches on a global scale: a 24-hour summary of what is going on in the world sleep-wise, at 4-hour intervals. It assumes that the vast majority of people in a given region sleep at night, roughly from 10 to 6. The times listed are Universal (i.e., Greenwich) time. The particulars of national sleep habits, and the local shape of time zones, have a small chance of affecting this in some significant way, but that's a bit more research than I care to do for a random thought. ;^) Noon: The East Coast of North America is waking up. This is the time when the Marches is most sparsely populated (though still roughly 200 million); much of the night is over the Pacific. Dreamers or Screamers doing their work in the U.S. are either wrapping up a night's work, or getting started on the day's. If they are in the Marches, this lull in activity probably means manpower is available (though Essence has probably been mostly used). 4pm: The Western Hemisphere is awake. China, SE Asia, and Australia are asleep. The Asian pantheons seeking to reach dreamers are likely to be most active now. Population is ramping up. 8pm: Night now includes China, SE Asia, Australia, India, and Russia and associated states. Africa is starting to sleep as well. Approximately half the world's population is asleep now, and along with the Asian pantheons the Hindu pantheon will be active if it seeks dreamers. Any African spirits will be up and about as well. This seems sure to be the busiest time period for celestials working solely in the Marches. Midnight: China has awoken, but Africa and Europe are now asleep. The population of the Marches is still near peak levels. While Asian pantheons are turning their attention either to internal affairs or to activities on Earth, African and European pantheons (particularly neo-pagan versions and pop culture sprites) will probably target their Marches efforts for this time. American-based Servitors are experiencing day and are likely working corporeally. 4am: Another lull as India wakes up and the terminator crosses the Atlantic. The dreamscape population is declining. South America is starting to sleep, and North America is preparing to do so as well. The hours between now and 6am could be a time of particular note to "modern" flavored Ethereals and angels working in the West. The American Midwest and Eastern America, including the powerful governmental and economic centers in New York and Washington, is entering sleep. Europe, especially Western Europe, is also still abed; this brief moment of shared sleep could spell activity on any number of fronts intended to shape global consciousness in areas where the First World nations are powerful. 8am: Africa and Europe are now awake. The Americas, however, are fast asleep, and now is probably a lesser peak in the dreamscape count. Fantasists and Nightmare demons working in the U.S. are probably either out in the corporeal world doing night-time things, or watching over their assigned dreamers in the Marches. William ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 22 Feb 2003 21:20:13 -0500 From: EDG Subject: IN> Digests! Hi folks, I know a lot of you are kind of anxious about this, so I wanted to let you know as soon as I'd finished: The digests are now online, as completely as I have them. They can be found here: http://www.sjgames.com/in-nomine/articles/new/digests/ Digests prior to mid-August 2001 can still be found here: http://www.sjgames.com/in-nomine/digests/ I'm working on implementing a search function. I'll let you know when it's complete. - -EDG ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 22 Feb 2003 22:14:33 -0500 From: "Eric Bertish" Subject: IN> Celeste Okay, I have the relations and superior opinions finished. My pal EDG has archived the entirety of it at http://www.sjgames.com/in-nomine/articles/new/Gallery/Archangels/celeste.aet her.html . As soon as I finish the history/personality/organization sections I will either post directly to the list, or post a link, as size dictates. Enjoy! - -- Casca ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 23 Feb 2003 04:30:40 +0100 (CET) From: Unni Solaas Subject: IN> [Fic] Unprepared I wasn't prepared. I wasn't prepared to see him like that. I. Just. Wasn't. Prepared. The last time I saw him, he was glorious. Shining. Loving. /Aware/. He went with me to the Groves, to the treetops and handed my Heart over to Janus. Told me to watch and learn, and above all... (Have fun Arethas, my child. Play it cool, ride the winds..) So I had fun. I rode the winds and I rode them with she who became the love of my life. Neah. A seraph child of Janus. Only he doesn't call them that, but still. I learned a lot working with her, loving her... Working for Janus and his crew. But I missed him. I didn't hear from him again after he let me over in Janus' keeping. Hardly any of us did. And then he just left. I heard the stories of course. Didn't belive them. I was utterly secure in my faith in my Archangel. My father-midwife- teacher-friend. What's he doing? What's he /doing/?! I don't understand. He was human - /human/. That's not possible, but he was. He didn't know me. Didn't know us. Had no clue whatsoever, and still... Random transubstantiation. Confusion. He didn't know us. He didn't know himself, because he was someone else. I feared that it had all been for naught. At least this time. How to wake him? Bring him back? And would that even be appropriate. Something was wrong, but I'm not sure it was him. So I was confused and dismayed and.....scared. So help me God I was frightened to see him like that. And - shame of shames - my faith wavered. My faith and trust in my Archangel wavered there, because I was not prepared to see him like that. (What is he DOING?) When the attack came (as a result of my utter idiocy and negligence), I just knew I had to stop or at least stall the enemies. Getting the children out and away was priority number one, then Lillian, Kira and the one who was my Boss but wasn't. I was prepared to lose my vessel (like all warriors of Heaven - it's what we do), no problem as long as it would let the innocents get to some semblance of safety. Praised be the Father in the Heavens Above then, because the man who was not then ceased to be and was yet again my Archangel. He knew himself again, and put a stop to whatever was going on. (There was much more to that attack than met the eyes and ears. Something more happened. Something that he stopped. Or stalled.) I wasn't there to stop the bullets that hurt him, the bullets that shoved red-hot pokers into my all. He forgave me. I love him. But I don't understand. What is he doing?! For the last week I've been meditating on this, trying to make sense out of it. Trying to make sense out of the Archangel of Creation. Some project eh? I've borrowed techniques from just about every other angel and human being I have ever met. Mostly tried the elohite hat on, and it suits me not. My faith in my Archangel wavered and I was dismayed by seeing him like that. Such wavering cannot be tolerated, so to hell with what suits me and suits me not! My conclution is no conclution, it is merely a notion. Only Eli and possibly Yves (and the Allmighty) know the truth of it. My notion is: The War is fought over Humanity. They are at the core of the conflict, they are the thorn in the Lightbringer's blinded eyes. They may yet hold the key to ending it. Who better than the First Mercurian to find that key? (But why hasn't he done this sooner then?) Walk a mile in a man's shoes to find out about him... He'll have a lot of shoes to try on. (Loafers, slippers, sneakers, boots... And what about the millions of people walking barefoot.) Six billion miles to walk. If anyone can do this, it's my Archangel. Of this I have faith. We are Creation. We will never be conquered. We will never stop. There is Creation in everything and so our Master has placed us within all the Divine Words. It is the next level of learning and teaching. We shall not fail. We must not lose faith. He needs us to grow up. I do not doubt anymore. I will stay true. I will keep my faith. And I will not disturb him in his work, if it can be avoided. I do not comprehend, but I will be dilligent and I will prepare. - -- language, n; an intangible artificial construct for obscuring one's meanings and intentions to others. -ppint. Unni Solaas ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 22 Feb 2003 23:52:34 -0500 From: EDG Subject: IN> [! Series] Lights of Heaven *shhhhhhhk* *shhhhhhhk* The sound had been audible even when Kronos had entered the Marches at the base of Beleth's Tower. Now that he neared its source, it was almost unbearably loud. It was the sound of stone scraping against stone, and it formed a shield around a cave in the side of Gabriel's Volcano. Kronos looked inside the cave, a feat he knew few others would be able to accomplish. There sat the shape of a man, on a boulder which sat on the floor of the cave. The man was holding a rock larger than his fist and using it to scrape away at a shaft of stone held in the other hand, a shaft that had perhaps once been a thin stalactite. It was long, and pointed, and now as sharp as any sword. Kronos stepped inside. The man continued to scrape the stones together. Kronos knelt in front of the man, the stones, the boulder, and waited. It was nearly a day before the man acknowledged the Prince. "You," he said, in the deepest voice Kronos had ever heard. "I," replied Kronos. "Why?" "I watched Baal die, and I was concerned. I watched Saminga die, and I was afraid. I fear for myself. I have had too short a life." Kronos stopped and bowed his head briefly. "I found myself sympathizing with the souls whom I had helped to condemn. Their lives were perhaps too short, and for one mistake I damned them to an eternity of suffering." The man nodded. "Go on." "I wanted to have a chance to repent of my mistakes. I wanted to give everybody that chance. I discovered that I wanted to see the lights of Heaven, and show them to everybody I had known, everybody I could know. I wanted to help people. I no longer wanted to damn them." "You left." "Yes." Kronos nodded again. "I left. Much as Nybbas did. I broke my Heart and killed my vessels and left." "You might die." "If I die in your arms, I will have repented." "I see." The man set down the stones on the ground beside the boulder. "Come here." Kronos rose and approached the man, who grasped the Prince's shoulders and pulled him back down. "This will hurt." "I know." The man kissed Kronos on the forehead. It hurt. And then it stopped. ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 23 Feb 2003 00:26:58 -0500 From: Elizabeth McCoy Subject: Re: IN> Ladybug Novalis At 8:20 AM -0500 2/22/03, Joey's mail wrote: >I remember a while ago there was a discussion on the Celestial forms of >Cherub Superiors. I found the picture of the ladybug Novalis I think someone >was looking for. > >http://www.side7.com/cgi-bin/S7SDB/DisplayImg.pl?INO=140689 Ooo! Kim, this artist, also had a prehistoric Cherub in there, IIRC... Which ties in to the rest, no? O:> - -- - --Beth, arcangel@io.com / archangel@sjgames.com In Nomine Line Editor http://www.io.com/~arcangel/ ------------------------------ End of in_nomine-digest V1 #2972 ********************************