From owner-in_nomine-digest@lists.io.com Sat Apr 18 11:40:32 1998 Return-Path: Received: from lists.io.com (lists.io.com [199.170.88.15]) by pyramid.sjgames.com (8.8.5/8.8.5) with ESMTP id LAA03951 for ; Sat, 18 Apr 1998 11:40:31 -0500 Received: (from majordom@localhost) by lists.io.com (8.8.7/8.8.5) id LAA13058 for in_nomine-digest-outgoing; Sat, 18 Apr 1998 11:37:07 -0500 Date: Sat, 18 Apr 1998 11:37:07 -0500 Message-Id: <199804181637.LAA13058@lists.io.com> From: owner-in_nomine-digest@lists.io.com (in_nomine-digest) To: in_nomine-digest@lists.io.com Subject: in_nomine-digest V1 #720 Reply-To: in_nomine-l@lists.io.com Sender: owner-in_nomine-digest@lists.io.com Errors-To: owner-in_nomine-digest@lists.io.com Precedence: bulk in_nomine-digest Saturday, April 18 1998 Volume 01 : Number 720 In this digest: IN> Positively my Last Bond Trailer (probably) Re: IN> Geas Re: IN> Jordi Alert Re: IN> Orphans among Angels? Re: IN> Djinn (Very Dark!) Re: IN> Djinn (Very Dark!) Re: IN> Djinn (Very Dark!) Re: IN> The Last Times IN> A Buzz Word Re: IN> Djinn (Very Dark!) IN> Darkseed IN> Angelic Atunements ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Sat, 18 Apr 1998 01:30:09 +0100 (BST) From: maya@tcp.co.uk (GR Cogman) Subject: IN> Positively my Last Bond Trailer (probably) (a) Elizabeth helped me on this one. Yup. So it's all her fault really. (b) Positively our last misuse of Bond. (Until we get any more ideas.) - --- IN NOMINE : JAMES BOND - DOUBLE JEOPARDY - ---------------------------------------- Maya and Elizabeth (a Habbalite and a Lilim) shuffle into Nybbas' study, looking very nervous. The room is lined with tv screens from wall to wall, all of them glaring on different channels. Nybbas himself is sprawled in a sybaritic chair behind his desk, waving a remote control lazily. Nybbas : "Hey, hey! So you two are the babes with the script? Well, I have to tell you, I wouldn't do this for anyone, but given some of the vibes I thought I'd give it a look-see, do you a favour, cast an eye on the shots, but don't expect anything." Elizabeth, nervously : "Most gracious Prince..." Nybbas, preening : "Just call me Master." Maya : "We've got a tape here with some sample shots, Prince of the Media: we got some body doubles for most of the major players, and if we can just explain the plot to you between the filmed scenes..." Nybbas, cutting in : "Sure, sure, put it in, let's get the show on the road." Elizabeth slides a videocassette that she's carrying into a slot in the wall, and she and Maya curl up in front of Nybbas' desk. Nybbas hits the switch on his remote control. The screens all go black. Bond swings out of what is clearly a barbed-wire-on-walls Game-outpost, with a fluffy-winged Mercurian clinging adoringly to his shoulder, in the traditional action start to all Bond movies. Nybbas, clicking the remote : "Hold it a minute, kids. You said this was some cool new stuff, not just the standard Bond. I mean, I need audience here, kids, I'm talking original ideas..." Elizabeth : "You're absolutely right, most merciful Prince, but we think we've got a few new twists. If you'd just watch a little further..." Nybbas, darkly : "You'd better not be wasting my time, honey, is all I can say." Nybbas clicks the remote again. Bond, in a military-looking office with Michael. Michael has a pile of reports stacked on the desk in front of him. Michael : "This has been brewing too long, 007." Bond, indicating his cup : "You mean the tea, sir?" Michael, bringing his hand down on the table : "I mean the disappearances! Angels vanishing from the Library. I need this investigated, 007. I need this stopped. At least you shouldn't require your licence to kill this time..." Bond saunters stylishly among the Library shelves. He turns a corner, and bumps into the Archangel Beth in a bun and glasses, looking demure and shy as she shelves books. Beth : "Eek!" Bond : "You find the most interesting stacks back here." Beth : "If that meant what I think it meant, I don't think I wanted it to mean that." Bond : "Intelligent as well as beautiful. Is it some natural inborn gene for librarians?" Beth, retreating behind the books in her arms : "I'm spending tonight with the filing system." Yves, rocking backwards and forwards in his chair, a rug drawn up over his knees : "Of course, it's never been the same since they let the odd ones in. Frogs, I said, frogs. A rain of frogs. Beware the teacups." Bond dodges between two rows of shelves, and bullets narrowly miss him. He fires back; there is a scream as someone gets hit, and the mutter of Helltongue. Bond pursues, turning the corner, and finds a single flower left behind at the intersection. He picks it up, sniffs it, tucks it in his lapel. Nybbas, gesturing with the remote control again : "Okay, babes, I gotta admit we've got some action here, we've got some motivation, I love the gaga-Yves-factor, but we need some flesh. Flesh sells. Just ask Andre. Speaking of which..." Maya, hastily : "We've got some stuff coming up, most mighty Prince." Bond and Novalis picnicking in a secluded corner of her Glade. Bond is fully dressed, while Novalis is shameless in a pair of hibiscus flowers and a few petals. Bond : "Have I ever told you how much I admire this fragrance?" (He bends towards her so she can smell the flower in his lapel.) Novalis : "James, you never told me! How sweet of you!" Bond : "And have I ever asked you why you were spending time in the Library?" Novalis, face showing shock then shame then a sudden desire to change the subject : "Just hold me, James. Don't ask questions. Not that sort of question." (Pulls him down into embrace.) Bond leans against a tree on the edge of the Savannah. Opposite him stands Evil Beth, similar to Beth except that she has unbound hair, no glasses, and an interesting minimalist leather outfit. Bond : "While I'm delighted to follow a lovely woman anywhere, I always like to have a reason." Evil Beth, smirking : "I'm here to ask you _your_ reasons, Mr Bond." Bond : "Then we seem to be at an impasse." Evil Beth, tossing her hair : "I'm sure that I could give you .. incentive .. to cooperate." Nybbas, waving the remote : "And does she?" Elizabeth, shaking her head : "Not yet. She just leads him on a bit, then ditches him." Nybbas, adjusting his glasses : "Honey, you have got to get two words into your head. Sex. Sells." Maya : "We didn't want to blow all the tension at once, most noble Prince." Nybbas : "Okay, okay, I guess you could have a point, as long as you make sure the whole audience can feel that heat. You get me?" Maya : "Yes, Prince of the Media." Nybbas : "You're good kids. I like you. So what happens next?" Novalis, still in scanty petals, tiptoes down the aisle of a high-arched cathedral, and makes her way to the humming computer set at one side. She reaches out nervously, glancing from side to side, and removes a small computer disk, slipping it behind her right hibiscus blossom. A breath later, Laurence steps from one of the arches, wings dark behind him. Novalis, turning with a guilty start : "Laurence?" Laurence, moving closer to her : "Novalis. My sweet little messenger. What are you doing here?" Novalis, not very convincingly : "I came to ... to see you. To make sure that you were all right." Laurence, reassuringly : "Of course I am all right, little one. You are the one in greater danger, child, with this work you do." Novalis : "But it is for peace? We can hope for peace with Hell?" Laurence, bending a wing to curl around her : "Of course. Our greater goal, but we must work in secret..." Evil Beth emerges from another arch, and watches them both, eyes brooding. Bond, in Michael's study again : "M, I need backing on this one. It may go deep." Michael, toying with a miniature desk axe : "Give me evidence, 007, and you'll have all the backing that you need." Nybbas : "Okay, okay, I'm getting the idea here. Laurence is the bad guy, right? And he's got Novalis convinced that he's trying to make peace, which is cool, and she makes a cute little sexpot, but what's the deal with the double personality Beth? And what's the Big Plot?" Maya : "Well, you see, we need a flashback for that one, and we're still trying to work out where to fit it in..." Elizabeth fiddles with the remote for a second. Laurence, one dark wing curled around Beth's shoulders: "It's for the good of Heaven." Beth, firmly: "Absolutely not. That door *stays* locked." Laurence, darkly handsome: "Why don't we talk about this. I'm sure you'll understand." Beth, biting her lip, obviously moved: "Well, okay..." Beth strapped to a table, screaming as lightning and other eldritch special effects arc around her. Hair loose and flowing, clothing tattered, and come-hither bedroom eyes, Evil Beth lounges on the table, licking her lips at Laurence. Nybbas, smiling and showing shark teeth : "Yeah, that's cool. I like it. So where did he get the tech stuff? And what's the double deal?" Maya : "Well, we think he stole it from Jean, mighty Prince, which is why it goes wrong and you've got the Double Beth thing, the good one and the evil one." Nybbas : "You got the psychobabble?" Elizabeth : "We've got psychobabble by the stackload." Nybbas : "Sounds good to me." Beth stirs a cup of tea, and a white powder swirls briefly on the surface before being absorbed into the liquid. Yves' voice, from offscreen : "Is my tea ready yet, dear? I was having the oddest dreams..." Beth smiles, and for a moment her face morphs into Evil Beth's face. Bond, wandering with Novalis through a field of flowers : "I don't know what he told you, but I need the truth." Novalis : "James, I don't know that I can do that." Evil Beth and Laurence, in his Cathedral. She is nestled against his back, chin propped on his shoulder, as he surveys a stack of files left beside the computer in the alcove. Evil Beth : "Just to see if she would do it." She strokes his cheek. Novalis, the picture of guilt, one of the files open in her hands, turns to look at Laurence who is advancing on her from the shadows of the alcove. Laurence, darkly : "You shouldn't have done that." Nybbas, chewing a cigar : "Looks good." Maya : "The best aspects of Malakim. Violence, sex, death..." Elizabeth : "Violence, sex, death, and YUMMY LEATHER PANTS WITH A GOOD VIEW!" Laurence folds his wings around Novalis as they stand locked in an embrace, one hand tilting her face to his. Novalis jerks, and goes limp, eyes wide for a moment then closing. Laurence spreads his wings in great shadows and relaxes his grip, letting Novalis tumble to the ground, the dagger hilt showing behind her shoulder. Bond bends over Novalis' body, in a corner of the Glades. Several Malakim of Judgement stand round him, weapons drawn, and Dominic himself hovers above. Dominic : "And why did you decide to murder her, Mr. Bond? Did she know too much?" Bond and Janus on hang-gliders, speeding through the heart of a vast storm, being strafed by Malakim of Judgement. Evil Beth striking a pose, whip in her hand : "I am a Demon Princess! I am who Beth was _meant_ to be." Michael, in the Council room, to other Archangels : "Given the circumstances, I have no other choice than to suspend 007, and revoke his licence to kill..." Nybbas : "Cool, kids, cool. You've got things beginning to move at last. So what's really going on?" Elizabeth : "Well, most great and mighty Boss, we've got the traditional bit next." Nybbas : "Yeah, he gets captured by one of the bad guys who tells him all about it?" Maya : "Exactly." Dominic, in dark-robed form, standing high above Bond, who is trapped in some horrendously complicated deathtrap : "You are too late, Mr. Bond. When we release Uriel upon the universe, all that is impure shall be burned away, and we shall be the masters of the new Heaven and Earth..." Evil Beth offers Laurence a very old scroll, bound in faded white ribbons. He opens it, showing a glimpse of a complicated map, then smiles like a knife-edge, bending to kiss her. Michael, to Laurence, in Michael's study : "I know your feelings on the subject, but I am convinced that 007 is innocent." Michael turns his back to pick up a file from the desk, and Laurence draws his sword, driving it between Michael's shoulderblades in a single motion. Laurence, to the dying Michael : "You know nothing. Nothing at all. And now it's too late for all of you." Nybbas : "So how does Bond sort this one out?" He pauses. "Oh, hey, wait, yeah, we saw Novalis taking that stuff earlier..." Maya : "Exactly, most dread Prince. We don't actually get into what it is, of course, we just make it something really important that convinces everyone the moment they see it." Nybbas : "A whatsisname sort of thingamajig?" Maya : "Yup." Shots of Bond and Janus dodging minions of Judgement and the Sword down snowy mountains, up rocky valleys, between shelved corridors, in car chases, and atop the trees of the Groves, with many fine stunts. David, in the Catacombs, to Bond and Janus, surrounded by a group of Malakim of Stone : "You are accusing the highest powers in Heaven of treason." Janus, jigging from foot to foot : "We've got proof. Well, as long as it wasn't that disk I dropped out over Canada..." Bond turns to give him an appalled look. Janus, raising his hands : "Joking! Joking!" Laurence, Evil Beth in his arms, flies in haste down a twisting maze of tunnels, with Dominic following them on dark leathery wings, his robe cast aside. Close shot of David, his arms outstretched, standing before the Council Spires: his eyes close, and his wings spread as he opens his hands, and the shot lengthens to show a great crack opening in the ground, deepening and widening till it is a shadowy scar in the golden pavement. Bond and Janus, rapelling down the side of the crack: they turn to see Dominic rising from the depths towards them, six red eyes gleaming. Nybbas, waving the remote for impact : "We're talking climax?" Elizabeth : "Mighty one, we are talking the climax to end all climaxes." A vaulted dome, decorations faded by age and dust, with a wide marble floor, and at the centre a dais with a complicated mosaic pattern on it. Evil Beth stands beside the mosaic pattern, pausing to adjust one stone, as Laurence squares off against Bond, sword raised. Laurence : "Try as you might, Mr Bond, you are too late. Today a new order begins." Evil Beth : "And he dies, love." Laurence : "Ah, yes. And you die. A better death than you deserve." Bond : "Do you seriously think you can get away with this? Yves is free, the other Archangels know what you've been doing..." Laurence, eyes quite insane : "When Uriel is released, there will be nothing that can stop us." Bond, driven back against the wall by Laurence, who is raising his sword to strike : "Beth! Remember what you are! Remember _who_ you are!" Evil Beth hesitates, then staggers, raising her hands to her head. Vast cracks are snaking through the floor and the ceiling above. Laurence is about to press the last stone on the mosaic. Beth is crouched at his feet, clearly having just been hurled aside. Bond, tossing aside his sword and raising his Walther PPK : "I always knew it was a mistake to go traditional." Laurence staggers on the edge of a crack, desperately grasping at the air, his sword fallen from his hand. Beth, with a truly vicious smirk on her face, brings her foot round to trip him. Long shot of Laurence disappearing into the depths of the crack, face twisted in a furious mask of despair and bitterness, before deep-beneath white flames close over him. Bond tosses the final stone in his hand for a moment, then lets it drop down the crack where Laurence fell. Beth, horrified : "That's a vital historical artifact!" Bond, smoothly : "It couldn't be in a safer place." Nybbas, grinning as the lights come back up : "Love it, kids, I love it. You've got good material there. Believe me, you'll have my backing all the way, it's cute, just go talk to my people, I'll have them talk to your people..." He shows them out of his door, still smiling. Elizabeth, outside, high-5ing Maya : "We did it!" Maya : "We're big-time stars!" Asmodeus, appearing behind them : "Absolutely. You will be appearing on every screen in Hell, when you are placed on public trial for deliberate angelic propaganda..." In his Library, Yves smiles faintly as he strolls among the shelves, reaching up to take a box down. He opens it; inside is The Final Stone from the mosaic. He closes it again, and reshelves it among a pile of similar boxes... JAMES BOND : DOUBLE JEOPARDY - --- Maya, Elohite of Eli in service to Blandine maya@tcp.co.uk - -- "There are those who say that wizards are subject to temptations and addictions beyond the understanding of ordinary men: the addiction to shape-changing, or to meditation under the influence of certain herbs and conditions of the stars; the obsession with knowledge, and the development of power. Yet this is not so. Temptation is temptation, obsession is obsession, and choice is choice." - Isar Chelladan, Precepts of Wizardry. -- "Dog Wizard", Barbara Hambly. ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 18 Apr 1998 00:36:45 EDT From: Heretic103 Subject: Re: IN> Geas In a message dated 4/17/98 1:32:10 AM Central Daylight Time, Lstrequiem@aol.com writes: << Ummm... the plural of GEAS is actually GEASA And no anal retentive is NOT a hyphenated word.... sorry, had to share. >> I always prefered GEASI Heretic, Archangel of Police Death ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 18 Apr 1998 00:43:48 EDT From: Heretic103 Subject: Re: IN> Jordi Alert In a message dated 4/17/98 11:47:33 AM Central Daylight Time, armand@spiretech.com writes: << I have trouble seeing your point about servitors of Jordi being hard to justify being in the city. I live in a large city, and I could see the servitors of Jordi hard at work were I to start painting everything in the colors of IN. First of all, just take the ubiquitous city animals: cats, rats, dogs, pigeons, crows, etc. A servant of Jordi could use a similar form and blend into the landscape. Perfect for anyone focussing more on scouting or infiltration. Your buddy, Bob the cherub, wants his attuned watched, but can't find a way into the building. I bet a servitor of Jordi with a small vessel could slip right in. >> It is partly the fact that thier natural "habitat" is in the wild, but the other fact is that I personaly as a GM and as a player and as a person who sympathizes with naturalist, I would if playing a servitor of Jordi as I would see correct, want to and would attack humans outright, that is just my interpitation of them(not nessicarily correct or canonical). Heretic, Archangel of Police Death ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 17 Apr 1998 21:54:21 -0700 From: Sean McCarthy Subject: Re: IN> Orphans among Angels? >From: Elizabeth McCoy >>2) What if your AA Fell, rather than died? (Cherub of Light) > >Are you and the Seraphim Council going to *chance* keeping >boons from one who later Fell? For the reverse, if, say, >Baal has a change of heart, do you think the Game is going to >let you run around with something from a *traitor*? Well, after you fought through the first battle of the War on their side(since presumably nobody was running around pulling attunments from loyal troops during the Rebellion) you probably displayed your loyalty. Correct me if I'm wrong(Please!) but there aren't any present-published examples of Superiors who Fell except those who sided with Lucifer originally and no examples of a Superior Redeeming. Right? Sean ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 18 Apr 1998 01:52:29 -0400 (EDT) From: Casca Subject: Re: IN> Djinn (Very Dark!) On Thu, 16 Apr 1998, Pee Kitty wrote: > That was such a good summary, I'm printing it out and gluing it in my > book... *shrug* Whatever. Do what you like. Not like I care or anything... ;) - -- Casca, Seraph of Archives (bertishg@db.erau.edu) "...I saw the Lord seated on a throne, high and exalted, and the train of His robe filled the temple. Above Him were seraphs, each with six wings: with two wings they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet, and with two they were flying...At the sound of their voices the doorposts and thresholds shook, and the temple was filled with smoke." -- Isaiah 6:2,4 ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 18 Apr 1998 02:03:10 -0400 (EDT) From: Casca Subject: Re: IN> Djinn (Very Dark!) On Thu, 16 Apr 1998, Pee Kitty wrote: > > You haven't seen the dissonance condition for Djinn IMC. ;) > You KNOW you can't say something like that and not post 'em. :) Hehehe. I know, I just wanted someone to care enough to ask.. ;) I thought about including it in my original writeup, but my artistic integrity got in way, saying it would detract from the impact of the piece. At any rate, here it is. Dissonance: Just as the Djinn resonance is a dark reflection of the Cherubims', so too is their dissonance condition. Djinn resonance can be summed up in one word: MINE! This obsession over something being exclusively theirs colors their attitudes and actions. It is dissonant for a Djinn to allow anything to harm their attunee, except the Djinn itself. They are the only ones who are allowed to break their toys, and will destroy anything which attempts to divert the attunee's attention from the Djinn. Things get messy when multiple Djinn attune over the same object...... Rules regarding durations of attunement, ditching attunements, and results on a check digit of 6 are unchanged. Suddenly, Asmodeus makes a -lot- more sense, now doesn't he? I think so... - -- Casca, Seraph of Archives (or is that Djinn of Nightmares?) (bertishg@db.erau.edu) "...I saw the Lord seated on a throne, high and exalted, and the train of His robe filled the temple. Above Him were seraphs, each with six wings: with two wings they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet, and with two they were flying...At the sound of their voices the doorposts and thresholds shook, and the temple was filled with smoke." -- Isaiah 6:2,4 ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 18 Apr 1998 02:23:35 -0400 (EDT) From: Pee Kitty Subject: Re: IN> Djinn (Very Dark!) On Sat, 18 Apr 1998, Casca wrote: > On Thu, 16 Apr 1998, Pee Kitty wrote: > > > > You haven't seen the dissonance condition for Djinn IMC. ;) > > You KNOW you can't say something like that and not post 'em. :) > > Hehehe. I know, I just wanted someone to care enough to ask.. ;) I know...my Lilim friend told me that when she read the post. The Geas is in the mail. :) > I thought about including it in my original writeup, but my artistic > integrity got in way, saying it would detract from the impact of the piece. Yeah; it's usually best to keep 'interpretations of canon' and 'divergences from canon' in separate boats. > Dissonance: > > Just as the Djinn resonance is a dark reflection of the Cherubims', so > too is their dissonance condition. Djinn resonance can be summed up in one > word: MINE! This obsession over something being exclusively theirs colors > their attitudes and actions. > > It is dissonant for a Djinn to allow anything to harm their attunee, > except the Djinn itself. They are the only ones who are allowed to break > their toys, and will destroy anything which attempts to divert the > attunee's attention from the Djinn. Things get messy when multiple Djinn > attune over the same object...... Yeeeeeeeeeesh! It makes sense. But I'd be too afraid to use it in my game. It makes Djinn very, very deadly. I'd imagine that they wouldn't therefore attune to anyone nearly as often, but once they did, that person was completely and totally screwed.... I could see this making a good Band Attunement for a Prince, in canon, though! I'm not sure who it'd fit... Rev. Pee Kitty, of the order Malkavian-Dobbsian Meow! And finally, a special message to \|/ ____ \|/ anyone who thinks I give a damn... ~@-/ oO \-@~ /_( \__/ )_\ \__U_/ ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 18 Apr 1998 08:17:34 +0900 From: Simon Hailes Subject: Re: IN> The Last Times I have a thought for a demonic campaign (angelic campaigns I think about on Holy Days) what about a game set after Armageddon (yeah I know its been done before) in which the demons have been defeated and are on the run from angelic hit squads tracking them down before they get back to Hell, the demons could in fact be looking for a new leader to take command and turn back the tide, to strike back and maybe turn a defeat in to a victory, sortoff like an In Nomine The Empire Strikes Back, with Heaven as the Empire ( jean probably has some Star Destroyers hidden away just for the Final Battle). Just a thought, like the idea about desperate demons on the run from Terminator-esque Angels in a shattered Post-Apocalyptic world thing. Simon, Demon Prince ofg Pearls ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 18 Apr 1998 14:21:00 +0100 From: Julian Breen Subject: IN> A Buzz Word Just a little something inspired by the IPG... Beelzebub Prince of Corruption The world izzz corrupt. Rotten to the core . Not many demons remember the true name of he now known as Beelzebub. He was originally a Hellborne servant of War who began to rise to prominence shortly after the Fall. A commander of legions, he quickly became known for his efficiency. As a Djinn, he came to have a morbid fascination with the after effects of his own handiwork. He would remain with his soldiers in the field long after the battle. Yet whilst they looted and butchered, he was attentive to the servants of Death and their rituals with the slain. He watched with fascination, and soon grew to admire Lord Saminga much more than his own Prince. His 'unhealthy' interests were immortalized by Kobal who one day at a meeting of Hell's aristocracy and their entourages, mockingly greeted him as 'Prince Beelzebub; Lord of the Flies', a metaphor for his leadership of Baal's troops. The name stuck like a fly to flypaper. Even Kronos smiled, exchanging glances with Lucifer. It was in the battles with Legion that Beelzebub was relieved of his command by Baal when errors of judgement (?) caused him to commit too many troops to an impossible situation. Facing a court martial and his own imminent death, Saminga entered the scene. Remembering the fact that Beelzebub had been instrumental in furthering the Word of Death (and perhaps more importantly, that Beelzebub was a great admirer of his), Saminga bartered a reprieve for him and took him into his service. Not before Baal had punished Beelzebub with Discord however. Saminga taught Beelzebub much about the physical processes following death and this pleased the Djinn greatly. Saminga of course, continued to wallow in the undivided attention and praise that his new servant lavished upon him, but he was always careful never to give *too* much away. When eventually, with Saminga's blessing, Beelzebub petitioned Lucifer for the word of Decay, he was crestfallen when the Dark Lord denied him. Lucifer had other plans. The Word of Corruption had been left vacant with the eventual defeat of Legion, and Lucifer wanted it filled with someone less... subversive (or imaginative). Beelzebub was offered it, and readily accepted. His continued existance as a minor Prince of Hell has mainly been because of his failure to plomb his Word for it's true worth. This is not because Beelzebub is stupid (like Saminga), but merely because he is insanely preoccupied with what *he* thinks it encompasses. Recently, groups of his servitors have been enlightening their Master as to how to best capitalize upon his Word by forging alliances and making entreaties to Princes sharing similar goals. Beelzebub has proved fairly oblivious to this and has left it to his more 'trusted' servitors to establish. Beelzebub's Balseraphs for example, have had dealings with Alaemon, and his Impudites have been showing an affinity toward Andre. If you listen to the Balseraphs, they'll tell you proudly that it is their efforts that have brought the Word of Corruption into the Twentieth Century. The Game of course, watches closely. They do not want any repeat of the Legion affair taking place, and watch Beelzebub's camp for any signs of insurgency. They would likely 'purge' any servitors of corruption that looked capable of ousting their prince. Asmodeus has no real objection to Beelzebub gaining power from a stronger Word, because he does not believe him capable of abusing such power, but an ambitious, more stable servitor..? This is to be avoided. The slight made by Kobal is still not forgotten... Beelzebub is a Djinn after all and they have notoriously long memories, but it's a blurred memory and the outrage felt at his mocking epithet has lessened. It is, in fact, largely responsible for defining him as he is today, although the Prince of Corruption would not admit to that or, as is more likely, even recognise the fact. Amongst the rulers of Hell, Beelzebub bears a special emnity toward Belial, whose nature is opposed to the slow decay that the Prince of Corruption personifies. Beelzebub makes his home in Shal Mari, his playground. He feels at home anywhere within this sin- ridden city from its uptown plazas to its downtown shanties. He holds court wherever his fancy takes him. His servitors will always know where. His celestial form has a nightmarish appearence. Large multi-faceted eyes, course patches of hair upon his putrid skin, tattered regal robes, and a stench that exceeds that of the River Acheron. He has become a caricature of his own Word (Kobal loves this; Beelzebub even resonates his "s" 's when speaking! This may well be something of the discordant aura placed upon him by Lord Baal so long ago.). His corporeal vessels will generally always be noticeably shabby and unkempt; winos or transients for example, and always, *always*, accompanied by their attendant flies. Dissonance It is dissonant for servitors of Beelzebub to advertently or inadvertently expose corruption. It should be allowed to fester, unhindered, and this usually entails keeping it hidden. Balseraphs The Balseraphs of corruption enjoy roles that hold positions of trust. Churchmen; civic officials; politicians through to police, such roles are prized by the deceivers for the opportunities they provide to abuse their status. Like servants of Asmodeus, they gain 12 extra character points to spend on such a role and associated skills. Djinn Dijnn of corruption can attune to Soldiers of Hell automatically, and their check is considered to be a 6. This attunement does not count toward their total allowable. Calabim Calabites of corruption are often uncharacteristically patient for their Band. This is because they understand that the forces of entropy, given time, will break anything down. They can use their resonance gradually, with a total effect of greater damage over a longer time. The resultant damage is equal to the relevant forces plus double the check digit. 1 point of damage will be inflicted at the time increments shown below, until full damage is arrived at. Note that damage to the Symphony in this way is insidious. It is so faint as to be undetectable to the majority of celestials. Check digit; 1...per 10 mins 2...per hour 3...per 12 hours 4...per day 5...per week 6...per Month The victim *will* be aware that they are being damaged, yet it may often take two to three points of damage before realising that something serious is wrong. On a check of 6, the damage will be so severe that only the very best care or a Song of Healing can repair or arrest it. This resonance might manifest as cancer, dry rot, computer virus etc. Habbalah Habbalah can hear dissonance (the beginnings of corruption) in a target with a successful Per roll. The penalty to the roll is equal to the highest check digit that the Habbalah hopes to attain. 1 You can hear dissonance if present 2 You can also hear how many notes 3 You can sense vaguely why it's there; Disobeyed a superior, broke rules of own choir/band etc 4 You can tell how the target feels about it. Worried, angry, nonchalant... 5 ...And whether or not they are taking action to correct it 6 You know all of the above and the exact reasons for any of the notes. Lilim Once a victim fails his Will roll to resist the Lilim's wish, subsequent favours become 'easier' for the victim to accept. It's a spiralling down into corruption; "Ok, Ok, but look; this is definitely the last time that I'm doing this...Understand?". Subsequent Will rolls by that victim are made at -1 per favour done for them, up to a max of -6! If a victim ever makes such a Will roll, all penalties accrued so far are negated. Shedim These corruptors are especially good at their job. Too good in fact in the case of Legion. When using their expanded resonance on a victim (IPG pg 57), the length of time taken to achieve the highest check digit is measured in minutes instead of hours. Impudites An Impudite of corruption may add their ethereal forces to any attempt to steal essence from a charmed victim if they can first convince that person to perform a corrupt act. Servitor Attunements Window to the Soul This attunement allows the demon to recognise the corrupted. For 2 essence, the attunement will tell the demon whether or not his subject is a Fallen Angel, an Undead, or a Soldier of Hell. Or at the referee's discretion, whether or not a mortal is currently fated for Hell. This attunement will not tell the demon if the target is Hellborne. Such a soul was never pure to begin with. Distinctions Knight of Decomposition These demons know exactly how long something has been dead or destroyed for. Captain of Putrescence A servitor of this rank is able to detect undead and exactly which type, within a number of yards equal to their celestial forces. Baron of Degredation With a touch, these Barons know which, if any, sins appeal to a human. Relations Allied: Saminga Associated: Alaemon, Andrealphus Hostile: Kobal Enemy: Belial Basic Rites - - Traverse a sewer system for 4 hours - - Destroy one who once served Purity (+2 Essence) Chance of Invocation: 1 Invocation Modifiers +1 A virused computer disk +2 A site of squallor or decay +3 A flyblown corpse +4 The Watergate Tapes +5 The *Next* Watergate Tapes +6 The Boardroom of The Majestic 12 - -- Julian jules@bigjules.demon.co.uk ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 18 Apr 1998 10:57:33 -0400 (EDT) From: Casca Subject: Re: IN> Djinn (Very Dark!) On Sat, 18 Apr 1998, Pee Kitty wrote: > It makes sense. But I'd be too afraid to use it in my game. It makes Djinn > very, very deadly. I'd imagine that they wouldn't therefore attune to > anyone nearly as often, but once they did, that person was completely and > totally screwed.... It really only becomes an issue when a check digit of 6 is gotten on an attunement. But yes, when that happens, said person is well and truly squicked. I have this amusing mental picture of multiple Djinn slugging it out over who gets to torment a particular mortal, who just happens to escape because the demons manage to kill each other. Perhaps that's what happens on a 111 result, with the mortal entering into the service of God soon after. - -- Casca, Seraph of Archives (bertishg@db.erau.edu) "...I saw the Lord seated on a throne, high and exalted, and the train of His robe filled the temple. Above Him were seraphs, each with six wings: with two wings they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet, and with two they were flying...At the sound of their voices the doorposts and thresholds shook, and the temple was filled with smoke." -- Isaiah 6:2,4 ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 18 Apr 1998 08:38:25 PDT From: "Chris Crowe" Subject: IN> Darkseed for those of you who may be interested in that graphic novel i'm working on it's called Darkseed and page number 3 is being inked and coloured as we speak (really, i'm watching Jake do it while i type). those of you who sent 'subsciption' notices to me need to please specify how you would like to recieve it. either by E-mail GIF or JPEG attachment, by viewing it on a webpage, or if you really want a hardcopy version but we'll have to charge for that one being as we are particularly 'fundage impaired' at the moment and cannot afford to print copies and send them to everyone that wants one for free. sorry. Krowe Malakim of Destiny, Angel of Redemption Lord of XAOZ ______________________________________________________ Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 18 Apr 1998 12:18:09 -0400 From: Richard L Thomas Subject: IN> Angelic Atunements Hey Hey Hey I was reading the FAQ and noticed that the Belseraph of Fate attunement is Belseraph exclusive even though the description makes no mention of the Band's resonance. I would like a new ruling! Additionally if that is the case I made up this list of Choir attunements by Archangel and gave my opinion and understanding according to the rules. I will admit though that some of my opinions are in disregard to the rules. I feel that the most important criteria for allowing any Choir to have a particular attunement is if it forwards the Archangels particular word. Some Choir Attunements are just so gloriously Word enhancing that it makes to much sense to allow other Choir to acquire them. Especially in the case of Ambassadors(?). If I get an official response, please note which attunements are in disagreement with "canon". A yes in the IMHO column means: yes other Choirs can use the attunement. BLANDINE CHOIR IMHO NOTES Seraphim yes Cherubim no Ofanim yes Elohim no Malakim yes Kyriotates no Mercurians no DAVID CHOIR IMHO NOTES Seraphim yes Cherubim yes Ofanim yes Elohim yes Malakim yes Kyriotates yes The angel may create a vessel of stone only Mercurians yes DOMINIC CHOIR IMHO NOTES Seraphim no Cherubim no Ofanim yes Elohim yes Malakim yes Kyriotates no Mercurians no ELI CHOIR IMHO NOTES Seraphim yes Cherubim yes With the exception of tracking Ofanim yes Elohim yes Malakim yes Kyriotates no Mercurians yes GABRIEL CHOIR IMHO NOTES Seraphim yes Cherubim yes Ofanim yes Elohim yes Malakim yes Kyriotates yes Mercurians yes JANUS CHOIR IMHO NOTES Seraphim no This attunement is only of an advantage if the angel cannot lie Cherubim no Ofanim yes Elohim yes Malakim yes Kyriotates no Mercurians yes JEAN CHOIR IMHO NOTES Seraphim yes Cherubim no Ofanim yes Elohim yes Malakim yes Kyriotates no Mercurians yes JORDI CHOIR IMHO NOTES Seraphim yes Cherubim yes Ofanim yes Elohim yes Malakim yes Kyriotates yes Only the attunement to insects Mercurians yes LAURENCE CHOIR IMHO NOTES Seraphim yes Cherubim no Ofanim yes Elohim no Malakim no Kyriotates no Mercurians yes MARC CHOIR IMHO NOTES Seraphim yes Cherubim yes Ofanim yes Elohim yes Malakim yes Kyriotates no Mercurians no MICHAEL CHOIR IMHO NOTES Seraphim yes Cherubim no Ofanim yes Elohim yes Malakim yes Kyriotates no Mercurians yes NOVALIS CHOIR IMHO NOTES Seraphim yes Cherubim yes Ofanim yes Elohim no Malakim yes Kyriotates no Mercurians yes YVES CHOIR IMHO NOTES Seraphim yes Cherubim no Ofanim yes Elohim yes Malakim yes Kyriotates no Mercurians yes ------------------------------ End of in_nomine-digest V1 #720 ******************************* The material here is (C) 1997 Steve Jackson Games, Incorporated. All rights reserved.