From owner-in_nomine-digest@lists.io.com Fri Dec 1 21:21:09 2000 Return-Path: Received: from lists.io.com (majordom@lists.io.com [199.170.88.15]) by pyramid.sjgames.com (8.9.3/8.9.3) with ESMTP id VAA00192 for ; Fri, 1 Dec 2000 21:21:09 -0600 Received: (from majordom@localhost) by lists.io.com (8.9.3/8.9.1a) id VAA01031 for in_nomine-digest-outgoing; Fri, 1 Dec 2000 21:22:17 -0600 Date: Fri, 1 Dec 2000 21:22:17 -0600 Message-Id: <200012020322.VAA01031@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 #1954 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 Friday, December 1 2000 Volume 01 : Number 1954 In this digest: Re: IN> Lilith's Web IN> LIL: Heaven -- Superior Reactions 2 of 2 (The Consolidation yadda yadda) Re: IN> LIL: The leftovers IN> The Santa post I mentioned Re: IN> The Santa post I mentioned Re: IN>Pagan Mummies Re: IN> Re: Yves' pad Re: IN> Cleesial Re: IN> The Demon of John Cleese Re: IN> God's Word-bound (Re: Netanya, the Angel of the SelflessGift) Re: IN> Soldiers of Heaven switching Superiors and/or angels Re: IN> Hurray for Humans, Part 1 Re: IN> Cleesial (oops) Re: IN> God's Word-bound (Re: Netanya, the Angel of theSelflessGift) IN> Quick question Re: IN> Quick question IN> Another Hurrah for Humans IN> Another Hurrah for Humans ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Fri, 1 Dec 2000 13:41:13 -0500 From: Whistling in the Dark Subject: Re: IN> Lilith's Web At 1:37 PM -0500 12/1/00, Emily Dresner-Thornber wrote: >(1492 Words) > >For one man to be free, five thousand must be enslaved. >(Paraphrased from Dostoevsky.) > >The hoary old Queen said, "You have come to me, Jillian, on >the occasion of your birth. This pleases me." Guh. Beautiful. - -- Eric Alfred Burns - Habbalite of Belaboring the Point ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 1 Dec 2000 13:41:42 -0500 From: Whistling in the Dark Subject: IN> LIL: Heaven -- Superior Reactions 2 of 2 (The Consolidation yadda yadda) Jordi: The alpha male has been torn down, and now the pack scrambles, seeking both sustenance and dominance. The old alpha's bitch rises and tries to hold the pack to her word, but they resist. The pack, thus torn, runs wild and unnatural. We must guard the deer from the pack until they settle, and then while they are weak, we must ride in and cull them once and for all. (Jordi's Angels have been set almost entirely to protecting wilderness areas and other animal habitats from Word bolstering attempts -- especially those of Belial, who seeks to burn down large, distinctive resources, especially beloved ones like national parkland or forests.) Khalid: Mika'il -- God's Peace be upon him -- has struck home the message that Faith has always carried... in perfect submission to and therefore majesty of the Lord, one can carry the fires of judgement to the very heart of the Shaitan. Glories and joy be spread in Michael's name, as the infidels now sob and cry out for mercy that will not come. We must carry that glory further, taking Michael's glorious example to heart and striking down evil where it lies, all the way into the heart of Hell itself. Do not ever forget that Shaitans, while doomed to failure and destruction, come in packs. (The Angels of Faith stand in Jihad against the forces of Hell, using their desperate attempts to bolster the Words of the Luciferian Princes as excuses to sweep in and decimate the reduced Horde. They are cold to refugees -- any who come to the mosques out of fear are eliminated without mercy. Truly contrite demons, having seen the error of their ways following the path of Lucifer, are treated harshly but not unkindly, leading to the fires of Redemption or death, if they are unworthy.) Laurence: Michael's victory has given us an unprecidented opportunity. Now is *not* the time to either lose our heads or assume the job is over. The Princes are dying -- the Infernal Word-bound are passing away before our very eyes. We have to pursue the attack. The Gates of Hell have been closed, with the damned souls collecting outside them. We must be ready to lay siege as soon as they're forced open -- when there is no other way for them to go. While we must hold the ground we've gained in the Marches, our responsibility now is clear -- destroy the Infernal Tethers where they lie, save those we can absolutely control, so that we have ways into the heart of Hell itself. Give the Princes no options but to stand and fight on fields of our choosing. And wait them out. Given enough time, none but the least of the demons will survive -- especially not Lilith and her pretentions of royalty. (The Angels of the Sword are leading the charge against demonic positions, both in the Marches and on Earth. It's said four flights of Malakim stand before the sealed gates of Hell themselves, waiting for the chance to take the battle into the heart of Hades and from there throughout Hell. Where other Angels are defending against Word-bolstering, the Angels of Laurence are destroying Infernal positions on Earth.) Litheroy: Do you see? Do you *finally* understand? The lie has been *revealed.* Lucifer's lie, infecting the Symphony itself, has been shown as hollow as paper maiche, and no more sturdy in the end. The Symphony sings with Revelation, the lies of Demonic Words fading away like echoes of horns that are no longer being blown. From here, we must welcome those of our Fallen bretheren who *understand,* who see that they have been lied to, and who seek the Truth once and for all. By their examples, we can show the propeganda of the Game is a *lie,* and in Revelation Heaven can be united once more. (Angels of Revelation are among those embracing and assisting Refugees, moving Litheroy more into the Peace Faction than is his normal wont.) Marc: I don't *understand* what Lilith is trying to prove. Why is the Princess of Freedom suddenly giving orders? Have you heard she's taking slaves? This should be her moment to shine -- the way and path to Heaven are clear, and after millenia she should be ready to embrace the truth, the way so many others are. If we can meet our frightened infernal bretheren halfway, and help them to see the light and the joy of selflessness, we can finally bring this all to an end. Well, if Lilith manages to survive as the Queen of Hell, at least then we can open a reasonable dialogue and know she's dealing in good faith. No matter what else has happened, we are infinitely better off than when *Lucifer* ruled Hell. And I have to admit -- watching Mammon's Word fade from the Symphony is very... *very* fun. Now... I really must figure out who this Rebekah is.... (Angels of Trade are among the core of the Peace Faction, growing in strength and influence in the wake of Lucifer's death. They are also gaining in strength among Humanity, as free and fair trade practices are finally growing against both Greed and Gluttony. Marc's Angels have been given the task of outreach towards the refugee Demonic population -- where several Archangels are supporting the Redemption effort, it is the Angels of Trade who are moving into hot zones to give Renegades a place to go -- a friend to help them towards the light.) Michael: What is so unclear about this situation? Damn it, I did the *hard* part *for* you. *Finish* the damn job! Armageddon has been a swear word for so long the others have forgotten its real purpose -- *Judgement* Day. Lucifer is *dead.* We should be wiping out the Forces of Hell *now,* while they're weak, confused and scattered. We can Redeem the stragglers and the survivors. They rebelled, remember, not us. Our responsibility is to Heaven, Humanity and God, not in that order. And Lilith? Don't make me laugh, just make her dead. When she dies, if she's worth Heaven she'll go there, won't she? (Absent their injured Superior, the Angels of War have been working In Service To the Sword and Stone, with a few alongside the Angels of the Wind for good measure. They are serving with distinction, but make no secret of their desire to launch the final battle.) Novalis: I brought a dandilion to the Cathedral of Light. Such a beautiful flower, even if it's called a weed. It's pretty, and sturdy, but so transitory. Bright and yellow one day, gone to gossymer seed the next, and then it's gone until the next year. I remember how bright Lucifer once was, and mourn his death now. We have to make that death mean something -- not just victory for Heaven, but victory against the pain, the war, the bloodshed of the past. It is a new day. I hope Lilith understands that, down in Hell. She seems to -- *her* Princes aren't launching these suicidal attacks on the Corporeal Realm. Once things quiet down, we can open the Gates of Heaven and let the Light shine as a beacon, and let the former Servitors of Lucifer rise and join with us in peace, once more. And hope no more dandilions need to be cut down. (The Servitors of Flowers are protecting humanity where it's needed, and ministering to the refugees where they can. Marc's Angels are working to recruit and bring out the Renegades, and Novalis's Angels are then protecting them while their suitability for Redemption is assessed. Interestingly, the Angels of Flowers are working very closely with the Servitors of Judgement during this process, without strain.) Yves: Once there was a little girl who was born to untold wealth and love, if only she would accept the responsibility to possess them. "You may have all the food you need, but you must give food to others when it's necessary. You may have all the clothing you want, but you must see others clothed. You may have a husband to share your heart, but you must be his partner, sometimes leading him and sometimes serving him." And the little girl said "no. No, I won't take the food if I have to share it. I won't take the clothes if I have to share them. I won't have a husband if I have to share my life with him. I would rather be hungry, and cold, and alone than be responsible to and for other people." And she left her birthplace, and was hungry, and cold, and alone. And a man came to that little girl and offered her the ability to earn her own food and clothes, but only if she would prostitute herself and her children. Everything would have a price, but she would never be cheated. She could be cold and hungry if she didn't want to prostitute herself, or she could have infinite food and clothing if she would. And she accepted his deal, without ever asking if she would have love. And then, when the man died, she learned he was his heir. And she could have chosen to have love at last, but only if she shared her inheritance with the world, or she could have all of it to herself, but only if she sacrificed the world to keep it. And she chose. Little girls make selfish choices sometimes. We must be certain the world does not pay the price. Eh? What do I think of Lucifer's death? Mm. Well fought, Michael. (The Angels of Destiny are almost avoiding both the refugees and the demons, right now, and are instead working overtime to promote the Destiny of individual humans. Yves's directives seem more intent than before, and he has a tight rein on his Servitors, keeping them on-task rather than celebrating with the others or fighting the Forces of Hell -- even Fate.) Zadkiel: War has served its purpose and served it *exceedingly* well. Lucifer lies dead. And Michael lies wounded. We must be worthy of that injury -- we must protect humanity from the beast that has been roused. Now more than ever we must form a wall that shields our children -- the flower of humanity, of nature, of animals, and of all our works and the works of humanity. Now, we must complete what has been started, and prove to the Horde once and for all that they cannot breach our defense -- and in that prove convince mor and more to take up our banner and our spirit. In Michael's Victory lies the kernal of our ultimate victory -- but only if we let the seed grow. (Zadkiel is supportive of the Peace Faction, but is mostly devoting her Angels to protecting populated areas from the desperate lunge of the Princes. She feels that if the Princes are balked, more and more Demons will see the fallacy of their cause and flock to Heaven's banner.) - -- Eric Alfred Burns - Habbalite of Belaboring the Point ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 1 Dec 2000 13:44:07 -0500 From: Whistling in the Dark Subject: Re: IN> LIL: The leftovers At 6:04 PM -0500 11/30/00, Elizabeth McCoy wrote: >At 12:53 AM -0500 11/30/00, Whistling in the Dark wrote: >[...] >>In the "Heaven" Vignette I've sent out, Laurence is pretty convinced >>victory is automatic. In the... hm. I can't use "Canon," so what do I >>call the Queen of Hell stuff I do versus other people's takes? >>Apocrypha? Feces? > >Hardly the last. I'd suggest calling it "Whistling's QoH canon." >(We can have Dark Victory canon, right?) Just so long as everyone >knows which canon is being talked about... > >(Or maybe you could call it a riffle? O:> ) Riffle! Yay! Right, Henceforth, I'll make reference to "Whistling's QoH riffle." Everyone knows what that means, right? (This should be taken as an offer for people to continue doing their takes on what's being developed -- their seeds and ideas and the like. Or even Vignettes detailing moments....) - -- Eric Alfred Burns - Habbalite of Belaboring the Point ------------------------------ Date: 1 Dec 2000 10:45:25 -0800 From: Eric Bertish Subject: IN> The Santa post I mentioned Found it at http://www.sjgames.com/ftp/sjgames/in-nomine/digests/1997/12/1-532.txt Date: Thu, 25 Dec 1997 21:34:36 -0500 From: Nana Yaw Ofori Subject: IN> We interrupt this mailing list... (Okay, so it's not a movie trailer. But I'm bored, I've got a lot of time, and a Netadress account. So let me say 'Bah Humbug' to you all right now. \|=) Female Voice: "We're not sure who put them on Ralph's head, and Kobal refused to comment." Lilim: "It just goes to show you, even the Prince of Apathy can show a little Christmas Cheer. Right, Frank?" Frank (the Djinn): "Feh." Lilim: "When we return, the Death of Santa Claus." "Your Angels put me through a vicious spot of Trauma. Sent me back to Perdition, and got me taken off Earth duty for awhile. But I'm drinking Ilk. In a few millenia, I'll be big, and strong, and I'll march into Heaven and blacken all six of your eyes. For a start." VO: "Ilk. It Does a body good." "Behold the power of Cheese." "I'll buy that for a dollar!" "I've fallen, and I can't get up!" "Turn the channel. Now." Voice-over: "VapuTech. We're not perfect, but whatcha gonna do?" James Earl Jones-like Voice-Over.: " Nybbas News Network. All News is Good News." Lilim: "--_another_ new slogan? That's the third one this hour. Unbeliev--" (Her eyes go wide, and she turns towards the camera, and puts on a half-panicky smile) "And we're back." Lilim: "Today, for the seventh time this century, Santa Claus was killed, this time in Saskatchewan. We go to our correspondent Harnazanthul in Dahoonek for the details. Harna: "Thank you, Janet. Santa Claus. Saint Nick. Father Christmas. However you slice it, he was traditionally portrayed as a Jolly old Man who visited houses on Christmas Eve, giving presents to the good children, and, at best, leaving nothing for bad children. And until early this century, he was nothing but a lie tied to the Christmas Holiday and an old Christian saint that parents told to their children to perpetuate their ignorance." "However, with the dawning of the 20th century, enough worldwide belief in Santa Claus was generated that an Ethereal who answered to the name appeared in the Far Marches. On December 24, 1922, he took a Vessel and visited Earth late at night." "The new Santa Claus's Modus Operandi was to visit houses late at night, and check the children to see if they were bad or good. If they were Good, he would add a present to the pile under the tree, and take a bit of Essence, while visions of sugar plums danced in their heads. If they were bad, he would steal all their Essence, and leave nothing. Storing the stolen Essence in his sleigh, a massive Reliquary, he would then head to the next house, and could usually visit fifty or sixty such houses before the night was through. "And that's the way it went until December 24, 1952. As is commonly known, the Host frowns upon Ethereals visiting Heaven, and on this night, over Defiance, Ohio, Kris Kringle was ambushed by a hit squad of Sword Angels, and vessel-slain. They also managed to off Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, and Blitzen, but the other five reindeer fled to the Ethereal before they suffered a similar fate. "Battered and broken, Jolly Old Nick retrated to his workshop to recuperate. But it wasn't the last time. Subsequently, in 1965, Maeven, the Angel of the Heavy Lead Pipe bludgeoned him to death on the roof of an apartment complex.. Similar incidents in 1971, 1983, 1987, 1992, 1994, and 1996 have plagued him and his organization. "This brings us to today, December 25, 1997. In the wee hours of the morning, a small platoon of Angels took the sleigh down with a Surface-To-Air Missile, and then descended upon the fallen sleigh and attacked Santa until he was forced to abandon his Vessel. They then pursued him to his Workshop in The Marches, and Soul-Killed him.there." "As you can see behind me, the workshop is in tatters. The Elves are currently attempting to confine the blaze, with little success. The attack, unexpected and unprovoked, was swift and brutal. It was truly a Christmas Midnight Massacre. Elf: "They descended upon us with out warning. One minute we were kicking bnack, wating for the big guy to get back, when suddenly, he pops in the middle of the courtyard, trailing fifteen or so of the Host. We tried to do whatbb we could, but they were Full-fledged Angels, and they held us at bay easily. In a few minutes, it was all over, and the old man was gone." "Then the big one turned to look at us and frowned. ' Consider yourselves all warned,' he said. 'Interfere not in the Mortal World.' And then they were all gone." "I dunno what we're gonna do now. I've got a wife and kids to feed. I suppose I could go back to making cookies, but I was real good at the toymaking, and they're only hiring part-time." Harna: "It's truly awful here, Janet. The bodies are everywhere, and the destruction is vast and far-reaching. Earlier, we talked to Urvex, a servitor of Technology, and self-proclaimed expert on The Marches." Urvex: "Yes, Santa's dead. But even if one of his Elves doesn't take his place, Human belief in him is likely to spawn another before the year's out. Fascinating thing, belief. Chrustmas '98 should see a new Santa cruising the skies...And another attempt on his life by the other side. It's--Oh, bloody hell." (She ducks behind the desk, there's a flash of white, and the camera goes to static.) Harna: "So, once again, the forces of Heaven have managed to trash a childhood idol, sacred to millions of children all across the planet Earth. I'd like to take this moment to say, If any of you out there have actual footage of this tragedy, or an excellent facsimile thereof, please contact the NNN studios. Back to you, Janet." New Lilim: "Candace here. Thank you for that stirring report." Candace: "I'll be the new host of NN for this hour of NNN, as the former host, Janet, transfeered, citing 'A need to keep her hand in.' She'll be appearing on 'Nightly NNN' as that show's Forty-Eigth War Correspondent." _______________________________________________________ Are you a Techie? Get Your Free Tech Email Address Now! Many to choose from! Visit http://www.TechEmail.com ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 01 Dec 2000 14:40:29 -0500 From: Marc Bowden Subject: Re: IN> The Santa post I mentioned - --On Friday, December 1, 2000 10:45 AM -0800 Eric Bertish wrote: > "I dunno what we're gonna do now. I've got a wife and kids to feed. > I suppose I could go back to making cookies, but I was real good at > the toymaking, and they're only hiring part-time." *LAUGHSNORKCHOKEWHEEZESPEW* Marc. Just Marc. Elohite Angel of Salvation ("It is Bun-Bun's will.") ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 1 Dec 2000 14:55:03 -0500 From: Elizabeth McCoy Subject: Re: IN>Pagan Mummies At 8:56 PM -0500 11/30/00, William J. Keith wrote: >>Saminga would take it badly, I suspect, if he found out. Others, like >>Laurence, Khalid, and Yves, would probably also be peeved, since the >>undead have their souls bound to their bodies, and should those bodies >>be killed, the soul is extinguished, with no chance to find destiny and >>so join Heaven. > > O_o > >Um. > >Okay. An Undead has no chance of getting to Heaven. That's the whole >point. But... they have no Destiny, either? Or, at the least, it's >absolutely impossible to achieve their Destiny, which might as well be >saying the same thing? Looking for canon answer here. (Destiny & -Fate => >Heaven, therefore -Heaven => -(Destiny & -Fate) == -Destiny OR Fate >inclusive. Unless Undead break that rule too.) They have a destiny. They can achieve it. But they still go POOF upon the body-death -- their soul is bound into the flesh, and when the flesh dies, the soul does too. Think of it as drawing the "Soul-kill, go directly to Final Death, Do Not Pass Afterlife," no matter where you're headed on the board. Divine Destiny/Fated Future only go poof if the undead has already achieved it. (They also go a little wonky at Saints, too. O:> ) >Someone born into terrible poverty, strife, bad circumstances, etc. Fetal >alcohol poisoning is just the first taste of the stuff that lies in store >for this guy. The best Destiny he can hope for, without celestial >intervention, Note that this will depend _UTTERLY_ on what the GM's notions are on what is fate, what is destiny. (And remember, if he hits destiny, he goes to Heaven! What's wrong with that? Even athiests go to Heaven. Angels know that perfectly well, even if it makes some of them twitch.) It's the GM's decision what any given character's destiny and fate are. But yeah, a fresh-made undead will have whatever fate or destiny the GM assigned prior to that time; I suspect that, given the nature of fate and undeadness, it would be very rare, if not impossible, to have a fate of "become undead." But that suspicion after the semicolon is personal, and nothing I feel likely will become canon. - --emccoy@nh.ultranet.com // arcangel@io.com In Nomine Line Editor RPG links; Random name list, Art: http://www.io.com/~arcangel/ ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 1 Dec 2000 14:58:16 -0500 From: Elizabeth McCoy Subject: Re: IN> Re: Yves' pad At 7:46 PM -0800 11/30/00, Maurice Lane wrote: >Date: Thu, 30 Nov 2000 22:11:45 From: "Jo Hart" > >>From: Manny Nepomuceno >>Subject: Re: IN> Yves' Pad >>>*slight cough* >>>>Strangely enough, I always got the impression that >>>>Yves and Raphael were lovers for a while or >>>>something like that...which might have led to their >>>>sharing a Cathedral, in much the same way as >>>>Blandine and Beleth. >>It's strongly implied in S3 that they were. >>jo > >I'll take your word for it, Jo, but I don't think that >I'd ever explore that possibility in anything I do. >It's... well, disquieting. I'm also not sure if it's in the published version or not -- I remember it being in a draft, but the published version I glanced at seems to stick to "close companions," to which one could only really say, "Well, duh," all things considered. - --emccoy@nh.ultranet.com // arcangel@io.com In Nomine Line Editor RPG links; Random name list, Art: http://www.io.com/~arcangel/ ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 1 Dec 2000 14:52:25 EST From: MarkDEddy@aol.com Subject: Re: IN> Cleesial In a message dated 11/30/00 11:47:46 PM, peng@scn.org writes: >(Now you know why Gulbol didn't have numbers attached...I don't have all >the books...the GM had them...and the game died...WAAH!) > >Peter Eng > As it so happens, I'm running a game in the Seattle area. I currently only have four PC's, and could handle a few more... (scn.org = Seattle community network, yes?) Mark Eddy ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 1 Dec 2000 11:59:43 -0800 From: "Bevan Thomas" Subject: Re: IN> The Demon of John Cleese Heh. That could work. If the angel fell, it would probably spend a lot of its time tormenting G. B. Trudeau. - ----- Original Message ----- From: Whistling in the Dark To: Sent: Friday, December 01, 2000 8:39 AM Subject: Re: IN> The Demon of John Cleese > > Like it mightn't not *be* one of his dobermans? ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 1 Dec 2000 19:59 +0000 From: Kay Dekker Subject: Re: IN> God's Word-bound (Re: Netanya, the Angel of the SelflessGift) Imran wrote: > Christopher was made Angel of Children as a response to the Children's > Crusade. He became an Archangel in 1978. (Zadkiel became an Archangel in 500 > BC.) This I find truly astonishing. After all, Children were about ever since humans were invented, long before Technology, and, as they're the means of keeping God's Pet Project going, I've always thought that there should have been an Angel of Children, if not an AA, pretty much from the start. Why wasn't there? As an aside, it also seems kind of sad that when humans grow up they lose the benefit of having an AA who's specifically interested in them :( > > Let me just say that I really, really appreciate the timeline published in > > the GMG. It helps put all the source material into perspective. > Agreed. Most definitely agreed. Yeah, yeah, _after_ I've bought the CPG and the Songbook and... and... and... Kay, thinking "But a sourcebook only costs half of our weekly food budget", and then feeling very mournful. - -- "Caesar, the Zeta Reticulans having been repelled, fortified the spaceport with walls and ditches." ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 1 Dec 2000 15:33:55 -0500 From: Elizabeth McCoy Subject: Re: IN> Soldiers of Heaven switching Superiors and/or angels At 5:59 PM -0500 12/1/00, Janet Anderson wrote: >This may be in the Corporeal Player's Guide, but I don't have it yet, so: It's touched on in the CPG, I believe, though perhaps not in the specifics as such. >Suppose Angel A has Soldier B working for him. Suppose Angel A is suddenly >recalled to Heaven, soul-killed, stuck in Limbo or otherwise permanently >unavailable, leaving Soldier B with no connections. What would be his >options if he had no other angelic connections and very little experience? Bum around till Angel A got out of Trauma, or someone else contacted him. (A good reason to point your Soldiers at a friendly Tether, for last ditch stuff. "If I vanish, you can call X and ask for Y, and explain the situation." Unless you don't want anyone to know you've got a Soldier, for some reason.) >Now suppose Angel C had taken an interest in him. Could he transfer his >allegience to that angel? Sure. > If so, how? "Um, can I work for you now?" "SURE!" >And what if the skills and >standards he had learned from Angel A were either inappropriate or outright >dissonant for Angel C? For example, the marksman who finds himself working >for the Servitor of Stone ... He'll probably be a bit less, hrm, in tune with his angel -- more likely to grumble, more likely to not have a really friendly relationship. It depends on the personalities, of course. Soldiers, though they may technically be working for an Angel of X, and therefore be refered to as a Soldier of X, aren't _bound_ the same way celestials are. Switching loyalties is as easy as their ethics will allow it to be. (One of the down-sides to Soldiers, from a Superior's point of view, likely.) >Finally, from a game perspective, if Player A has disappeared into the >woodwork, leaving interesting NPC Soldier B around being looked after by >Player C's character, does Player C have to spend the points that Player A >has already spent to re-purchase the Soldier? I'd be a meanie and make Player C spend the points, unless I, as GM, were using Soldier B as my "NPC Mouthpiece" from time to time. But Soldier B would be a lot less likely to be available. Maybe he got a family life. O:> OTOH, if Player C's been doing a good roleplaying job there, I might make Soldier B part of the "reward" for that. (I'm also stingy with points, so that might well be 'in lieu of xps'.) It's pretty dependant. - --emccoy@nh.ultranet.com // arcangel@io.com In Nomine Line Editor RPG links; Random name list, Art: http://www.io.com/~arcangel/ ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 1 Dec 2000 15:34:00 -0500 From: Elizabeth McCoy Subject: Re: IN> Hurray for Humans, Part 1 At 4:04 PM +0000 12/1/00, Kay Dekker wrote: >I'd really love to see some mortals, as well >thought-out and interesting as the Celestials you >write up. There's a section of humans in the Liber Servitorum. It's not a _big_ section, alas, and only has two mundanes, but it's there. And I hear some people like the other characters in it, too. O:> Sorry, sorry, had to do it. Just like toon-characters have to sing out "TWO BITS!" if you tap "shave and a haircut" at them. Just one of those things... - --emccoy@nh.ultranet.com // arcangel@io.com In Nomine Line Editor RPG links; Random name list, Art: http://www.io.com/~arcangel/ ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 1 Dec 2000 15:17:15 EST From: MarkDEddy@aol.com Subject: Re: IN> Cleesial (oops) Blurg. That was supposed to go privately. But, if anyone in the Seattle area wants to join a high brightness, high contrast, slightly surreal campaign, go ahead and email me privately. Mark ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 1 Dec 2000 12:18:59 -0800 From: "Bevan Thomas" Subject: Re: IN> God's Word-bound (Re: Netanya, the Angel of theSelflessGift) How about Khalid? He only became an archangel after the Purity Crusade, and even now is only a minor archangel. Wouldn't faith be of the upmost importance to Heaven. Heck, Children, Protection, and Revelations would be really, really big as well. The same could be said for Greed and Cruelty in Hell. Some of the words for the minor archangels seem more prominent then some of the words for the major archangels. - ----- Original Message ----- From: Kay Dekker To: In Nomine List Sent: Friday, December 01, 2000 11:59 AM Subject: Re: IN> God's Word-bound (Re: Netanya, the Angel of theSelflessGift) > This I find truly astonishing. After all, Children were about > ever since humans were invented, long before Technology, and, > as they're the means of keeping God's Pet Project going, I've > always thought that there should have been an Angel of Children, > if not an AA, pretty much from the start. Why wasn't there? ------------------------------ Date: 1 Dec 2000 12:33:35 -0800 From: Casca Subject: IN> Quick question Okay, I know you really have nothing to do with this, but I figured since it's a binary response it'd be okay, and I don't know how long the response time is through proper channels. Is Pyramid currently accepting writeups of new Superiors? You can point me at a link if you'd like. - -- Casca "...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 _______________________________________________________ Are you a Techie? Get Your Free Tech Email Address Now! Many to choose from! Visit http://www.TechEmail.com ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 01 Dec 2000 19:01:04 -0600 From: Andrew Hackard Subject: Re: IN> Quick question At 12:33 PM 01/12/00 -0800, Casca wrote: >Is Pyramid currently accepting writeups of new Superiors? I dunno. Ask Steven-don't-call-me-Steve Marsh. (I'm not being flip, either; that literally is the best answer I can give you. If he's interested, he'll tell you.) - -- I can't understand why people are | hackard@io.com afraid of new ideas. I'm frightened | AIM: Talthybias of the old ones. --John Cage | ICQ: 19083015 ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 1 Dec 2000 19:17:12 -0700 From: Tim Groth Subject: IN> Another Hurrah for Humans Here's another soldier, starting character as well. Same creation method as I normally use. Alexander Bruck Soldier of Trade Corporeal Forces 2 Strength 3 Agility 5 Ethereal Forces 2 Intelligence 5 Precision 3 Celestial Forces 2 Will 3 Perception 5 Status: 4 Skills: Computer Operation/1, Detect Lies/5, Driving/2, Emote/4, Fast-Talk/3, Knowledge (Business/5, Business Ethics/4, Economics/6), Language (English/4), Lying/2, Savoir-Faire/5 Disadvantages: Hard of Hearing/2 Description: An older gentleman with stress grayed hair and deepening wrinkles. He is always dressed very well and has a thin lipped smile. Most people peg him instantly as a business man of some sort, and a clearly successful one. He's a decently well known market analyst. History: Alex started trading on the floor of the stock market in the mid sixties when he was twenty two, with a masters in economics and a desire to get a fair deal of wealth. Smart, hard working and dedicated to profit he became rich and was able to start consulting others as to what to buy. His sort of sixth sense when it came to the market's movement drew a lot of attention from his superiors. It was also responsible for him being invited to a very special meeting. Several of his co-workers brought him to a nice hotel suite, and there invited him to join the Order of the Golden Cross, dedicated to Mammon and his victory over Jesus. Sure that he was going to give in they didn't think that much of his needing to think things over. The priest who took his confession took it very seriously. The elderly Soldier of the Sword passed information up to heaven through the angels and the next day two angels of Trade came to talk to him. They made an arrangement, and at thirty Alex entered into the service of heaven. Primarily he makes money, a good deal of it. Most of it is invested in his children's future, with the last of five going through collage he's needed a great deal of cash for that. In addition he lives the kind of life style expected of a successful individual. The rest is used to fund various charitable causes, one of them a foundation he set up with a Soldier of Lightning to give money to research into cutting edge medical techniques. His job in service to Heaven, the one he gained an additional Force doing, is part of Marc's Anti-Mammon task force. The AA of Trade has a large number of low powered Servitors, including regular people, whose only job is to notice Mammon cults and other Greed activities within financial institutions. Once located the demonic presence is dealt with either by economic pressure (usually the locator can do this) or by calling in the big boys and having it removed. Detecting something wrong with events in the stock market Alex discovered a Greed cult at the center. The Balseraph that served as their spiritual advisor picked up on the detecting and Alex barely survived the encounter (a house cleaning lady noticed the commotion). Left barely alive his speed recovery was from the development of his sixth Force. Made Symphonically aware soon after he's become all the better at tracking down Greed's servants. Motivation: Trade is something that Alex understands very well. Economics, the free market and all the rest are something dear to him. He imagines a day of wide spread economic prosperity, where hard work pays off as it should and wealth fuels arts, research and further wealth. Mammon and his worshipers are a threat to that, and so its natural for Alex to oppose him. He works just as hard as ever, despite getting a bit older. He's always been dedicated to anything that he does. His family is blissfully unaware of the War and his involvement with it. Activities: Attending various meetings, symposiums and talks (as well as hosting them) Alex is heavily involved in the business world, especially the raw financial part of it. People want to hear what he thinks about where the market's going, because he knows. As he's not very charismatic, and tends to use some what out dated modes of speech he's rarely on the popular news so most people haven't heard of him. Besides those activities he spends at least ten hours a week checking up on the growing foundation he provided most of the start up money for. His free time is spent with family and friends, just relaxing and enjoying a game of golf or some fishing. He considers elaborate social parties to be part of work. During all of these activities he's on the look out for Greed at play. When having lunch with a new dot.com CEO or when looking over the latest issue of the Wall Street Journal his finely honed instincts are picking out irregularities. Although Servitors of Greed are aware of him they can't just take him out, likewise its hard to crush him financially. So they keep a low profile around him, and wait to try and get him. He's yet to make it onto Mammon's list of Marc's observers to eliminate. In the campaign: Several members of Marc's observers report to him, and investigate what he tells them to. Its an informal sort of position, he doesn't order anyone around (and wouldn't even if he could). Characters may be Servants of Trade, or dealing with them, and meet him. If he ever gets on Mammon's hit list then angels will have to be assigned to protect him from the demons assigned to kill him. Ambitious servants of Greed, and those wanting favors from Greed, will want to ruin him on their own or even better convert him. - -- Timothy, Angel of Rambling Ofanite of Creation ArchRival of Mathus If you have time to kill, why not kill it at http://ucsub.Colorado.edu/~grothtp/In.html ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 1 Dec 2000 21:17:50 -0600 From: "Charles Glasgow" Subject: IN> Another Hurrah for Humans OK... I think that this one falls under 'fair use' re: celebrity parodies, even if it's so obviously based on a real-world person... so let me see if I can work in a celebrity. Time to do the In Nomine Illuminated history of basketball. [I'm intending this to be an example of how to work in real-world people for campaigns by seeing the Illuminated potential in everyday things...] "Jordan Michaels" [1] Soldier of War, formerly an unwitting Soldier of the Media Corp Forces -- 2 Strength 5* Agility 6* Ethereal Forces -- 2 Intelligence 4, Precision 6* Celestial Forces -- 2 Perception 4, Will 6* (*) Jordan has spent experience to increase these attributes... yes, that many. He does train like a maniac, doesn't he? Status/6 (most famous basketball player on the planet, even though retired), Charisma/3 Attunements -- One-to-One (yes, this *does* work when you're posting up against a defender on the court.. ) Skills -- Throwing (basketball)/6* **, Acrobatics/3*, Running/3*, Dodging/3*, Emote/5, Knowledge (Business)/5, Knowledge (Basketball)/6, Savoir-Faire/6, Large Weapon (baseball bat)/1 ***, Fighting/1*, Driving/2, * Needless to say, the only place he's actually used all of these is in basketball games. He's never been in an actual fight in his life, and he's very unlikely to ever be. But he *is* still one of the most exceptional athletes around... ** Yes, he has Mastery of this skill. *Obviously*. ** And now you know why he couldn't hit curve balls. *g* Jordan M. (sometimes referred to as 'MJ') has had one heck of a run, hasn't he? Everybody knows the public aspects of his story. Heck, even yak farmers in Nepal can recite his bio and career stats. This will just tell the untold parts of the story. Born as one of the rare natural 6-Force humans in North Carolina, his early career remained free of influence from either side until he hit college. Then Nybbas' people moved in, as they love to do to promising young athletes. Their access to him was limited due to the integrity and caring nature of Coach Smith (nobody's servant, just an ordinary decent man), but they made sure to give him his first taste of fame and fortune in the '84 Olympics. Not that they had to do much pushing... he really was that good, and that charismatic. The Media thought it had a gold mine. And when Jordan entered pro basketball, the Media really had a blast. Everybody knows that Nybbas' loves bread and circuses, and this spectacularly charismatic and athletic young player was just the tool they needed to take a moribund sports league and turn it into everybody's latest obsession. Jordan didn't know a thing, except that he'd gotten an entourage and a following. They encouraged him to shoot, shoot, shoot -- to hog the ball -- to turn every game into a one-man highlight reel, thus bringing fame and fortune to him, television revenue in $$$$ to the league, lucrative endorsements all around... and no championships for his team. Jordan M. became known as the flashiest and most talented player in the NBA, but his one-man-band approach seemed doomed to burn out as soon as he grew old... and forgotten... and without the championship he chased after. Only problem is, every now and then Michael likes to watch basketball games. (Hey, contact sports and high-adrenaline competition are part of his Word too...) The Archangel of War saw the Forces in Jordan, and saw the Media hovering around him like an oozing, corrupting vulture... and sensed talents in this already amazing young player that he hadn't even dreamed were there. And he saw that Nybbas was trying to turn him into yet another success-story burnout at a young age. And that the competitive spirit and pride in this guy was exactly the type of attitude Michael loved the most. And that Jordan had the potential to become aware of the Symphony. And that this player had yet to accept an Infernal Force. And that Michael had a real golden opportunity to kick Nybbas straight in the dangly bits. *g* Michael grinned. The Archangel of War has *many* weapons besides his axe. One of them is a really well-stocked Rolodex. One of Eli's more eccentric Servitors -- Jackson Phils., Zen guru and basketball coach -- was called up and asked if he wouldn't mind doing a little work IST War, over Chicago way. Since Jackson hadn't heard from Eli in 40 years, and since he was already working in the industry, and Chicago was a team with real potential, he didn't see why not. At first, Jordan thought that his new coach had gone nuts. Then, when his new coach summoned this *huge* guy out of thin air to talk to him, he thought that *he* had gone nuts. Then he sat down and had himself a whole horrible series of thoughts as to what they'd been using him to do, what kind of "me-first", flash-and-dash-and-to-heck-with-the-team-spirit image they'd been trying to use him to popularize to a whole generation of youth, what kind of a symbol of the pro sports that there was. And he was still Geas-bound to his contracts. He couldn't just walk away and leave. Besides, he really loved the game. And War just doesn't back off. Jordan *never* backed off. So he decided to take their scheme and make them choke on it. (What happened to his prior demonic handlers? They were 'persuaded' to go away. When the big Seraph with the axe says 'leave', the smart demon *leaves*.) Fired up with new dedication and a new patron, the latest Soldier of War returned to the court with a whole new mission -- promote the team, and show the world what the *real* spirit of the game should be like. Under the wise tutelage of the Zen Master and with the all-new Jordan leading them, the team went for three. With the ability to consciously control his Essence expenditure now, his spectacular and explosive play [2] and flashy dunks became a more controlled, more paced, more finely tuned weapon than ever. Nybbas raged, but then decided that this even-bigger-and-better icon status of Jordan could play into his hands. And the hype machine fed even faster, and churned even more, and built Jordan up from a legend like unto a god, at the same time that they worked to corrupt him in any way possible -- so as to bring the scandal crashing down upon him. It almost worked. That gambling bug was a bit of a problem, even despite his turning over a new leaf. (Not that he'd been particularly bad *before*... he'd always been a frustration to his demonic handlers re: his persistent refusal to pick up any really vile habits. But then again, he'd always been stubborn.) But Jordan M. made the right choices, bit the right bullets, genuinely atoned and genuinely sinned no more... and eventually emerged from the scandal as untainted as possibly could be, and an even better example for youth. The demonic retaliation was savage and horrendous. The death of Jordan's father almost broke him. Heartbroken, he finally walked away from the game. (Incidentally, the Heavenly response to messing with this Soldier's family was rather... *extreme*. When Michael decides that something has personally offended him, that something doesn't ever repeat its mistake again. *Ever*. They're not going to try that one again any time soon...) Archangel Michael knows better than to interfere with a warrior's grief, provided that he doesn't wallow in it forever. When Jordan wanted to walk away from basketball, he let him. When Jordan tried to play minor league baseball, Michael smiled, seeing his Soldier find his own way to regain his competitive fire, even in minor ways. And sure enough, Jordan Michaels eventually returned to the basketball courts, more determined than ever to take what Nybbas was doing to sports and be the best role model he could be against it. Michael (the Archangel) has sponsored comic books, movies, and oral traditions devoted to the Cult Of The (True) Hero, the inspiration to be the best you can possibly be, to show zeal and pride and spirit and will and skill pitted to its utmost day after day... ... and he sponsors players, too. Jordan Michaels returned like Superman rising from the dead, to make the legend live again. Leading his team to the championship three more times, shrugging off attempted scandal-mongering re: the corporations he was contracted to sponsor for [3] like flea bites, enhancing his image as a role model and a gentleman for all ages, and winning like mad, Jordan Michaels took his one-man attempt to un-poison his sport, to show kids another way besides the young self-centered abusive and immature way typical of too many young players, and ran it out as far as he could. He didn't really retire because he was too old to play any more. He could have kept going for years, especially with his abilities as one of the Symphonically Aware. But he'd reached a point of diminishing returns as to how far he could advance Heaven's cause as the world's most famous basketball player -- the Media had yet again recovered its position, to the point of making the entire league turn on Jordan, evoking yet again the one-man-show over team spirit routine. So, having done all he could do to inspire people and preserve his sport as a player, now comes the really hard part. Doing without all the old fame and glory (even if you still can't go out in public without being mobbed by autograph seekers)... and just quietly doing what he can as a businessman and basketball team president to fight the poison of Hell there. It's frustrating... very frustrating... to go from the man who (supposedly!) held a league in the palm of his hand to the man who's barely in a position to make it shift any more... but he's already done a great deal. And perhaps, in much quieter and less flashy ways, he can still do a bit more. [4] Besides, Michael isn't in any hurry for his Soldier to go to Heaven anyway. After all, when Jordan goes to Heaven, he'll be young again, and able to play basketball at his old peak and better. And he will, of course, be doing pickup games all over the Grove. It's the love of the game. And Archangel Michael is in absolutely no hurry to have anyone see him getting schooled in a one-on-one game again. He's *still* trying to figure out how he got dunked over like that... - -- Chuckg [1] Yes, *him*. Obviously, I can't use his real name, even if I'm using an obvious parody of it. [2] If there ever was a case of somebody unconsciously burning all his Essence when focused on something that he really wanted to do, "The Shot" [5] (and its sixteen thousand cousins) was it. [3] Mammon was really torqued that Nybbas was willing to expose the dirty laundry of some of Mammon's key players just to get *one man*. He made sure to put a stop to *that* quick as he could. [4] How to work him into the campaign -- he's got connections, he's got money, he's got status... and he's War, not Trade. It's always helpful to have financing *without* having to involve another Archangel... while Michael can scrounge black ops funds for guns and suchlike anywhere, the rare instances when War needed more public investing to be done have always been a problem for him. [5] Game 5 of the first round of the playoffs, Cleveland, 1989. Jordan over Ehlo. ------------------------------ End of in_nomine-digest V1 #1954 ******************************** The material here is (C) 2000 Steve Jackson Games, Incorporated. All rights reserved.