From owner-in_nomine-digest@lists.io.com Tue Sep 12 17:14:59 2000 Return-Path: Received: from lists.io.com (majordom@lists.io.com [199.170.88.15]) by pyramid.sjgames.com (8.8.7/8.8.7) with ESMTP id RAA22388 for ; Tue, 12 Sep 2000 17:14:58 -0500 Received: (from majordom@localhost) by lists.io.com (8.9.3/8.9.1a) id RAA29271 for in_nomine-digest-outgoing; Tue, 12 Sep 2000 17:10:05 -0500 Date: Tue, 12 Sep 2000 17:10:05 -0500 Message-Id: <200009122210.RAA29271@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 #1817 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 Tuesday, September 12 2000 Volume 01 : Number 1817 In this digest: Re: IN> Recovering the Lost Words IN> In Nomine Werewolf Re: IN> In Nomine Werewolf Re: IN> Fluff. That's all it is, fluff. No hidden meanings, no philophical positions. Just fluff. Re: IN> Fluff. That's all it is, fluff. No hidden meanings, no philophical positions. Just fluff. Re: IN> Fluff. That's all it is, fluff. No hidden meanings,no philophical positions. Just fluff. Re: IN> Need inspiration badly. Please, give generously. Re: IN> "...and says his prayers by night..." Re: IN> Recovering the Lost Words Re: IN> "...and says his prayers by night..." Re: IN> Can Servitors of David take part in food fights? RE: IN> "...and says his prayers by night..." Re: IN> Can Servitors of David take part in food fights? IN> On Lycanthropes (their true nature) IN> Re: IN: Servitors of Stone in food fights RE: IN> "...and says his prayers by night..." IN> Recovering lost words Re: IN> Recovering lost words Re: IN> Need inspiration badly. Please, give generously. IN> Weird New Angel ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Tue, 12 Sep 2000 00:40:15 +0000 From: Charles E Smith Subject: Re: IN> Recovering the Lost Words What would it take to recover the words that have been lost the Forces of Heaven/Hell. I'm talking deeds, strength of character, mitigating circumstances, and the like. Maybe also your thoughts on what the Superiors will think of the lucky (unlucky) angel/angel as he knewly recieves the word.<<< I addressed something similar when I was making my campaign and some new Archangels. Here are my thoughts on it. >>>Here's the words I'm thinking of here as to be "recovered" Light<<< Well, I'd think an angel would have to show a dedication to resuming the illumination of the darkness and confusion in the world, as Lucifer once did. I'm a tad unclear as to what he had to illuminate in pre-Fall times however. Water<<< I'd think an angel would have to show total dedication to the seas and to nurturing, gentle healing that is intrinsic to Water. Of course, Water could a destructive, punishing Word too... Knowledge<<< Be a Servitor of Yves or Jean? :P Seriously, I think this is where those bookworm angels get a shot at glory. Not all are the proud Malakim. You might have some ultra-scholarly Seraph or Elohite who keeps their nose in a book or computer all day, compiling information, shoot for the Word of Knowledge. I would think Knowledge would involve gathering, dissemination, and protection of all knowledge, and determining which is the most useful and which is dangerous. Laughter<<< I'd think that a potenial Archangel of Laughter would have to travel around, studying all forms of entertainment, scripted or not, to truly understand the best way to inspire people to joy and laughter. Love<<< Definitely would require someone who traveled a lot, observing and encouraging all manner of love: familial, friendly, platonic, romantic, sexual, and companionate. Someone who got master all the aspects of love would be worthy of the Word of Love. Valor<<< Someone from War or The Sword here. For the Word of Valor, I'm thinking one of Laurence's Servitors, one dedicated to honorable combat and the inspiration of courage. Fear<<< No way to get this Word back I wouldn't think. Fear falls too close to the demonic side of the fence. Purity<<< I'd think the former Servitors of Uriel, including the Archangel Laurence, would be in an uproar over this reassignment. One wanting to become Purity would have to exemplify perfection, or as close to it as an angel could get. Total diligence and constant self-monitoring would be needed to aspite to Purity. On the the flip side of the coin Destruction<<< Isn't there already Furfur and Belial for this? I'd think a rampant bomber or mad gunner might qualify, but they'd probably be serving demonic Fire or Hardcore anyways. Disease<<< I'd think this would go to a demon who dedicated themselves to increasing the spread of disease and the fear of disease in the world. Someone diabolical enough to come up with the Spanish Influenza, AIDS, or something like that would probably qualify. Corruption<<< Any Shedite I'd think. Maybe a Servitor of Asmodeus who corrupts political systems and people? A Servitor of Alaemon who uses Secrets to blackmail people into working against their nature, thus corrupting them? Oblivion<<< A demon who spreads despair and loneliness, an oblivion that swallows people's lives? ________________________________________________________________ YOU'RE PAYING TOO MUCH FOR THE INTERNET! Juno now offers FREE Internet Access! Try it today - there's no risk! For your FREE software, visit: http://dl.www.juno.com/get/tagj. ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 12 Sep 2000 01:10:03 -0700 From: "Glenn Brown" Subject: IN> In Nomine Werewolf I like the idea of having Jordi create werewolves. But if you want to mix White Wolf and In Nomine, you might be interested to know that according to White Wolf's Book of the Weaver, the Weaver gave three gifts to humans; dogma, science, and technology. And three Weaver spirits, or Incarna, have developed from these three seeds. Maybe Jordi teaches his werewolves that Khalid, Jean and Vapula are the Weaver Incarna? Also, the Wyrm is split into three parts, so you need at least three Demon Princes to match that part of werewolf mythology. ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 12 Sep 2000 22:56:19 NZST From: "Alex Liddell" Subject: Re: IN> In Nomine Werewolf >I like the idea of having Jordi create werewolves. But if you want to mix >White Wolf and In Nomine, you might be interested to know that according to >White Wolf's Book of the Weaver, the Weaver gave three gifts to humans; >dogma, science, and technology. And three Weaver spirits, or Incarna, have >developed from these three seeds. Maybe Jordi teaches his werewolves that >Khalid, Jean and Vapula are the Weaver Incarna? >Also, the Wyrm is split into three parts, so you need at least three Demon >Princes to match that part of werewolf mythology. Going along from this, I was interested in doing an IN/WW crossover focussing on VTS and The Masquerade. It would be cool for a mostly corporeal campaign the revolved around corp politics. You just beef up the Vamps so that they are on par with a 7 Force Demon and give them powers that come from the WW system. Most of the Songs give an identical effect to some of the powers anyway. Just imagine a Vampire with Celerity going at it with an Ofanite or a Toreador having a style war with a Mercurian. The potential for fun is huge. I always thought that the standard IN treatment of Vampires was a bit lame.... by integrating another system it takes all the guess work out of reengineering them. _________________________________________________________________________ Get Your Private, Free E-mail from MSN Hotmail at http://www.hotmail.com. Share information about yourself, create your own public profile at http://profiles.msn.com. ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 12 Sep 2000 04:15:35 -0700 (PDT) From: Bruce Dykes Subject: Re: IN> Fluff. That's all it is, fluff. No hidden meanings, no philophical positions. Just fluff. - --- Maurice Lane wrote: > Shedim disassembled the alarm clock at the earliest > opportunity: they need the parts for the bomb's > timer > (a standard recipe is fertilizer, several common > cleaning agents, and Fluffy). You know this is what I love about demons. Because us GM's work so closely with said demons, and really need to convey their 'pure evilness' (with thanks to Dave Nelson), we get to play with just how Fluffy works as part of said bomb... Animal lovers should press the delete key now... Presenting: The Bloodhound Bomb It's really only a trigger. Timmy's dog, Fluffy, gets kidnapped by a demon. Using advanced veterinary techniques pioneered by Vapulan emergency pet care centers, the brain and nose are surgically removed, and suspended in a nutrient bath/electronic environment simulation, then trained to recognize Timmy's scent. The bomb+brain are then placed in Timmy's closet. When Timmy comes home from school and looks for Fluffy, shaking a box of Milk Bones, then walks into his room...Fluffy go boom. Elaborate and overdone? Yup. Excessively noisy? Define excessive. Demonic? Oh yeah. I'm just riffing, so I don't have any game costs, but since this is all technique, the only game costs involved should be either a) learning the procedure from a Vappie servitor, or b) trading a favor to a Vappie servitor. And the added noise of Fluffy's demise. Since it's a surgical procedure, I'd only add the additional noise at the time of Fluffy's death, but your campaign's noise rules may vary... __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Yahoo! Mail - Free email you can access from anywhere! http://mail.yahoo.com/ ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 12 Sep 2000 06:26:44 -0500 From: EDG Subject: Re: IN> Fluff. That's all it is, fluff. No hidden meanings, no philophical positions. Just fluff. At 06:15 AM 9/12/00, you wrote: >Presenting: The Bloodhound Bomb Reminds me of the semisentient grenades from the latest Dirty Pair series - tiny volitional bombs made in the image of Chihuahuas (if not actual specimens of the little beasts themselves). ObIN: How would you class the Dirty Pair in In Nomine terms? I'm thinking a pair of War servitors, one a Mercurian and one an Ofanite, both with the Discord "It's Not Our Fault"... - -EDG ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 12 Sep 2000 07:12:06 -0500 From: David Edelstein Subject: Re: IN> Fluff. That's all it is, fluff. No hidden meanings,no philophical positions. Just fluff. EDG wrote: > ObIN: How would you class the Dirty Pair in In Nomine terms? I'm thinking > a pair of War servitors, one a Mercurian and one an Ofanite, both with the > Discord "It's Not Our Fault"... I say they're Calabim of Technology. - -David ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 12 Sep 2000 06:18:43 -0700 (PDT) From: Maurice Lane Subject: Re: IN> Need inspiration badly. Please, give generously. Date: Mon, 11 Sep 2000 13:22:00 GMT From: "Jo Hart" Subject: Re: IN> Need inspiration badly. Please, give generously. >From: "Krishnaswami, Neel" >If you're really cruel, you'll convince the PCs to help Valefor and >then find out that V and L aren't going to kill each other and Hell >now has two Lucifer-class princes. :) > >From my GMing experience, I'd add that you shouldn't >rule out the possibility that PCs will decide to >steal the heart on their own account and set out on a >magical mayhem ride through all of creation on their >way to blackmail Lucifer and remodel Hell in whatever >ways they prefer. Or have the shards of the Heart made into some really kickass armor / weapon / personal jewelry. Or take the Heart and set up a three way firefight between Heaven, Hell and the Aesir pantheons as they backstab everyone and take all their Essence. Or use the Heart to bribe their way into Redemption, whereupon they run right to Jacob's Ladder and climb up it 'cuz everybody says Uriel's so bad, and if there's something that a certain type of player can't stand, it's the thought that there's some insanely powerful person or thing out there whose ass you haven't kicked yet. :) >Players are apt to do this sort of thing if they feel >like extras to some powerful NPCs scheme. Or maybe >it's just my players ;) Nope. :) Moegiel Kyriotate of Destiny in Service to Flowers ("Stay off grass, or Hulk Smash. What? No allowed to smash. Sad Ogiel. Pretty grass. "Wait. Ogiel only in 'ser-vice' to Flow-ers. Ogiel take orders from Michael. "Stay off grass, or Hulk Smash.") jo ===== In Nomine stuff: http://www.stormloader.com/users/moelane/innomine.html Everything else (not that there is, right now): http://www.stormloader.com/users/moelane/main.html Last updated 9/5/00 (this is usually way out of date) __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Yahoo! Mail - Free email you can access from anywhere! http://mail.yahoo.com/ ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 12 Sep 2000 09:35:14 -0500 From: Earl Wajenberg Subject: Re: IN> "...and says his prayers by night..." Another avenue for introducing were-beasts is hybrids. On the one hand are the Nephallim, monstrous celestial/human hybrids, and on the other are the Gorgons, monstrous ethereal/ human hybirds. Were-beasts could be strains or clans within either or both groups. I'd recommend Gorgons, though, myself. Any heroical, good-guy were-beasts could be in service to Jordi through whatever series of intermediaries are deemed desirable. Earl ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 12 Sep 2000 09:43:12 -0500 From: Earl Wajenberg Subject: Re: IN> Recovering the Lost Words If a Lost Word *is* to be recovered, perhaps the most plausible "heir apparent" is a very old, powerful, and reputable orphan servitor of that Word, or at least ex-servitor, who is themselves un-Word-bound. Thus a likely successor to Oannes would be an ancient Water angel, either orphaned or adopted by Janus, covered in glory and attunements and distinctions. Such an angel could impress the Seraphim Council as worthy and likely to be able to defend itself. Also, in the case of Water, the arch-enemy is already dead, so it's probably a lot safer. Knowledge is the only other Archangelic Word in that position. Earl ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 12 Sep 2000 14:50:02 +0100 From: "Laurent" Subject: Re: IN> "...and says his prayers by night..." > >We don't have any weres. How could we have possibly > >forgotten weres? :) > > > >Any suggestions? The last time I used weres in In Nomine, the Crinos forms were just additional vessels (level 6 to 10, pretty hard to get). Jordi could provide a Servitor attunment or a distinction or something, allowing some of his favoured Servitors with both a human and animal vessels to assume an intermediate combat-beast like form using plenty of Nominus Corpus for a cheap Essence expenditure. What do you think? > The Shapeshifter power gives them the ability to switch vessels at no essence cost, > all their vessels heal at the normal rate regardless of whether or not they're in use, > and new vessels come at half cost. Oooh I like! It might be a bit powerfull, though. What about the "no essence cost" and either the "all vessels heal" or "vessels at half cost"? Do you think it'd fit as a 10 points Servitor attunment of Jordi? Which Song looks very much like this? is it the celestial Song of Beasts? Laurent. Note: I also liked the Joke. A lot! ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 12 Sep 2000 10:28:50 -0400 From: "Galen G. Silversmith" Subject: Re: IN> Can Servitors of David take part in food fights? > Return-Path: MarkDEddy@aol.com > In a message dated 9/11/00 10:44:59 PM, dorigen@hotmail.com writes: > > >Of course they can't throw the first oyster cracker or whatever, but once > >someone has targeted them, can they reciprocate? Because food fights > >involve *throwing* something, and does that count against their dissonance > >condition as a ranged weapon? > > Rubbing potato salad in someone's hair doesn't count as using a ranged > weapon, does it? RUbbing, no. Throwing... well, its all intent and condition based. And not just that of the angel in question. If it was all fun, then sure. If it, however, excalated into even a mock conflict, it'd be a problem. The issue of competatism and such would make things into weapons even when the angel was just trying to have a good time. IMO ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 12 Sep 2000 10:58:23 -0400 From: Elizabeth McCoy Subject: RE: IN> "...and says his prayers by night..." At 11:58 AM +1000 9/12/00, Leath Sheales wrote: >Maurice wrote: > >> Any suggestions? > >I've had a 'Weres in IN' article submitted to Pyramid for the best part of a >year now.[...] When I get something from him about it.......... Sounds interesting. (Ditto Limbo. ) - --Beth, typing w/a uncoopertive baby (iolanthe) causing typos. "She's either babbling, or summoning Elder Gods. I'm not sure which." ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 12 Sep 2000 11:16:09 -0400 From: Elizabeth McCoy Subject: Re: IN> Can Servitors of David take part in food fights? You're twisted. O:> At 10:41 PM +0000 9/11/00, Janet Anderson wrote: >Of course they can't throw the first oyster cracker or whatever, but once >someone has targeted them, can they reciprocate? Definitely. >Because food fights >involve *throwing* something, and does that count against their dissonance >condition as a ranged weapon? It probably does not count as dissonance UNLESS it actually hurts someone. However, a good Servitor of Stone would probably be uncomfortable with it, and therefore more inclined to dump the Jell-O down people's pants more, ah, directly. Now, how did _THIS_ question come up? The mind is boggling! - --Beth, typing w/a uncoopertive baby (iolanthe) causing typos. "She's either babbling, or summoning Elder Gods. I'm not sure which." ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 12 Sep 2000 15:41:52 GMT From: "Jo Hart" Subject: IN> On Lycanthropes (their true nature) Hi, What can I say? Firstly, I'm sorry that it has been so long since I last contacted you. I believe that local circumstances will both explain and excuse the lapse. Secondly, I am fine, any other reports notwithstanding. I was able to contact the individual whose great-grandfather was responsible for the reports of the Beast of the Moor which you unearthed in C's files. I fear that by the time you read this, he will be dead. My investigations have uncovered a sorry tale of families cursed through no fault of their own, but rather that of ancient ancestors. I guess I must be feeling mellow today, or else I'd compare that with our own situation. The saddest thing was ... . . . . . . . Lycanthropes. There are two varieties (three if you include ethereals and their by-blows). Both are the product of Nephilim bloodlines, families whose ancestors once disgraced themselves by sleeping with demons and bearing issue of that union. All Nephilim are cursed with huge amounts of discord, whether celestial, ethereal, or corporeal. Man and celestial were never meant to freely interbreed, and for some of the byblows, this has created monsters. Many of them die young or are killed. Others escape human society and prey on victims from hidden lairs. Some few have refused to accept this fate, or been bound to one which is even worse. In the waning years of the Roman empire, an aging Gothic warlord gathered all the wonderworkers, sorcerors, witches and herbalists amongst his people and those whose lands he had conquered. He ordered them to work their magic and find a way to do deals with the spirits so that his forces would become truly invincible in battle. Those who refused were summarily executed. This, he felt, was the only legacy he could leave to his sons, one of whom was feebleminded and the other of whom was sickly and weak. After cloistering themselves away for three weeks, during which they required several strong oxen, men and women for use as sacrifices, the last remaining sorceror returned with a red-haired youth who cast no reflection. Animals cowered from his shadow, and all eyes -- both male and female -- followed him with more than usual interest. Fights broke out along the footpaths where he had trod, as warriors quarreled over the weapons and armour that his hand had brushed; making them twice as strong as usual and thirsty for blood. The youth kept his feet covered in two pairs of overshoes, and by this the warlord knew that he was a demon from Hell. He named himself as the Prince of War, and agreed to meet the warlord's demands, in return for his immortal soul and that of his firstborn sons in perpetuity. The old man agreed, knowing that he was not subject to mere gods or demons, choosing to pray to none of them. So Baal required a full census of all the adult males in the warlord's desmegne; when one was brought to him, he indicated two or three names and required those people to be brought to him. What happened then was shrouded in silence, but when the warlord's army went out to fight, three black beasts -- described as hellhounds or dire wolves by those who saw them - -- fought along with them. . . . . . . . . <...> So who were the three men who became transformed into 'werewolves' as the price of an old man becoming hellsworn? They were human, Raffi, but each one had a Nephilim child. Baal offered them the same bargain as he had to the warlord. Each one was told that his monstrous child could be human again, but that his immortal soul and that of his firstborn in perpetuity would be the price. Each one willingly paid, and was given a silver talisman to hang around the child's neck. When he did so, any deformities disappeared. It was these children who were taken along with the armies, whose new 'powers' manifested at the sight or smell of blood. What was worse, in every generation, a minion of the demon prince would visit the family and demand the rights granted by the curse. I do not know how many of the firstborn of such blood were in fact half demon, but I feel it is more than mere chance would suggest. Even among those who were not in the direct line, incidences of Nephilim throwbacks are notable. I've held one of these old necklaces in my hand, and it looked innocent enough, but even I could feel the power in it. I would have brought it back with me, but I was almost killed myself by the creature who took it from me. When worn by a Nephilim, it distils the creature's discords into itself, storing them like a battery. Then, when the battery is full, or some other trigger has been met, the discords are released into the wearer in a rush of power. The shape-shifting effect must be one which the prince wove into the relics, altering the corporeal discords so as to produce combat monsters. After several generations, it seems that the amulet itself was no longer necessary to focus the discords in this way -- the new lines bred 'true', to some extent at least. It is likely that several of the werewolves themselves made more deals with demonic entities to help cover-up or control their curse. May God have mercy on their souls. Having spoken to at least one victim of the curse, I suspect that all such werewolves suffer from murderous berserk rages, unquenchable thirst for blood, and unnatural lusts when the discords are allowed to range free. And it seems that they are born damned (is that even possible???), or at least it is what they believe. . . . . . . . jo Despiser of 'good' lycanthropes _________________________________________________________________________ Get Your Private, Free E-mail from MSN Hotmail at http://www.hotmail.com. Share information about yourself, create your own public profile at http://profiles.msn.com. ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 12 Sep 2000 09:29:08 -0700 (PDT) From: "David M. Barr" Subject: IN> Re: IN: Servitors of Stone in food fights The almighty and beloved Archangel Line editor and list Admin (praisedbehername) wrote: >You're twisted. O:> >>Of course they can't throw the first oyster >>cracker or whatever, but once >>someone has targeted them, can they >reciprocate? >Definitely. >>Because food fights >>involve *throwing* something, and does that >>count against their dissonance >>condition as a ranged weapon? > It probably does not count as >dissonance UNLESS it actually >hurts someone. >Now, how did _THIS_ question come up? The mind >is boggling! It gets worse if you get a Malakite with Eli's attunement into the works. And while I recall that there are not a Lot of seitors who made the 'in service to' transfer (from superiors 2, I believe) there are going to be some. And given that, I humbly submit that servitors of Eli IST David are the ones who are most likely to be engaging in a food fight. Oh, dear. Just got a bad image: David, Himself, showing up to check in on that servitor in mid food fight. "It was a team building excercise, boss!" (as lime Jello drips of the naked guy with the muscles...) Or maybe that is the triple esspress talking. - -Daiv RTFM? IWTFM! ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 12 Sep 2000 12:44:02 -0700 From: Graveyard Greg Subject: RE: IN> "...and says his prayers by night..." > >When I get something from him about it.......... Sounds interesting. > >(Ditto Limbo. ) Hooray! - --Beth, typing w/a uncoopertive baby (iolanthe) causing typos. >"She's either babbling, or summoning Elder Gods. I'm not sure which." A little from column A...a little from column B... Graveyard Greg Gaming Guardians--the comic! http://gamingguardians.keenspace.com _____NetZero Free Internet Access and Email______ http://www.netzero.net/download/index.html ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 12 Sep 2000 15:28:45 -0400 From: "Charles phipps" Subject: IN> Recovering lost words HMmm thanks for the thoughts. >(Laughter, technically.) No wonder Kobal switched! All he got was the mental equivalent of blowing wind! >What would it take for these to be reassigned? Well, first, the Seraphim >Council would want someone who would likely be worthy of, eventually, >becoming an Archangel. Then they'd want someone who'd be worthy of >becoming an Archangel BLESSED FAST, and be _very_ good at it, because >the Princes involved tend to be very snitty when they find out someone >has their old Word. This is a curious point but would someone with a Superior's word instantly be elevated to the status of Archangel. I recognize that Khalid took his time in being declared the Archangel of Faith but I'm not sure if that isn't just it becomming a word powerful enough to support a Superior. Basically if your word becomes a Superior Word do the Seraphim Council/Lucifer have to visit you to "fix" you where you become ineffaible/able to do etc or do you have to learn that, or do you suddenly feel the elevation as Children becomes an archangel's word? >Well, Lucifer might just appear to the new Angel of Light, smile disturbingly, >offer a boon, INSIST that it be taken, and then, well... _something_ bad. That might happen...brrr....shudder. Though I'm curious actually though if Lucifer might not take a VERY bad reaction to this. Basically it is closing the door behind Lucifer saying "Your never going to be the Lightbringer again" and the fact that we found someone who can replace you who will make Heaven just as shining as you could second born and the like... Charles E. Smith (my ST online) said Lucifer went on a rampage when he heard Tothiel (a Kyriorite) got it. Hope you don't mind me sharing the story. >If you were on the Seraphim Council, would _you_ want to try to reassign >a Word, the last owner of which might not be dead, just sort of... elsewhere? >Especially if the Malakim somehow derive their UnFallingness from it, and >reassigning it might make them lose their PurityGuard Fall-protection >coating.... Well if I were a Servitor of Laurence, Litheroy, Dominic, Blandine, or Gabrielle...yes though not Laurence or Gabrielle themselves no. I'd also retort that the Malakim unfallingness is likely no more linked to Uriel than truth to Michael or Speed to Gabrielle (whoever says this all WILL be getting some enemies sadly). Jean to logic! There is after all a need for conceptual purity and a restoration of Chastity, Mental Good Health, and a war agaist depoilation of our natural environments (admittadly that last part was just to win over Jordi and Novalis). >Any others -- well, they'd need someone who'd be _worthy_. And considering >that Knowledge was around sometime before the _Earth_ (if you believe >angels), and the Waters was there from waaaaay back as well, it's going >to take some deserving, dedicated angel a loooooong time to live up to >the stature of the original holders. Are you absolutely sure it's not angels haven't had the guts to apply for it? David, Janus, and even Gabrielle perhaps might support any halfway decent angel who applies for the Word of H2O if it will restore the Elemental Equilibrium. Besides I think they'd be willing to train whoever got the word in the finer points of screwing Belial. >>Destruction >Impress Lucifer and don't get caught by Belial. Or Fufur.... "Destruction falls under Hardcore!" Or Saminga "Saminga like being Top Dog!" Well actually Saminga would support him, oddly he has the knowledge of that. >Corruption >Impress Lucifer and _don't_ be a Shedite with the ability to multi-task. Don't forget the Balseraph Beezlebub! >Anyway, that's something that's going to dominate the campaign, which >may or may not set well with the other PCs. (If the other PCs want to >be Servitors of the Probable-Superior-To-Be, this is a good time to get >in on the ground floor -- and will work better than if they are trying >to sabotage this, or simply not interested.) Further, should the Word- >bound in question attain Superiorhood, at the least, that PC should be >retired. (Which might make a nice game ending, really -- it's going >to be hard for anyone to have their ex-PC _not_ favor their new PC, >or something like that, I'd think. Some players are up to it, but >some, well... some are human. O:> ) Like I said I'm curious if Alliances might not be useful. After all it's pretty much impossible to destroy a Heavenly Superior once he's up unless you directly attack his word or he's stupid enough to risk assaulting you mano-a-mano. The only reason Legion and Makatiel were destroyed were because both were on Earth fully manifested and pretty much unwelcome back in hell. Beezlebub probably thought he could kill Uriel. Oannes fought Belial I think because he was Belial's mortal enemy, Raphaiel chose to sacrafice her life. As for down South...alittle more difficult especially with words that offend people but allying with a Prince's enemy is not a bad idea. - -Charlemagne ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 12 Sep 2000 13:52:57 -0600 From: "ben" Subject: Re: IN> Recovering lost words > No wonder Kobal switched! All he got was the mental equivalent of blowing > wind! Your heresy has been noted. > This is a curious point but would someone with a Superior's word instantly > be elevated to the status of Archangel. I recognize that Khalid took his > time in being declared the Archangel of Faith but I'm not sure if that isn't > just it becomming a word powerful enough to support a Superior. CDaU. Some speculate that Khalid was already an Archangel and was merely being confirmed. Some in Hell claim that Princedom is not given by Lucifer, only *recognized* by demons bold enough to claim the power. On the other hand, it's clear in the books that only God, Lucifer or the Seraphim Council can create Superiors. > I am not sure if I can. > -Charlemagne Ben ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 12 Sep 2000 17:58:53 -0400 From: "Krishnaswami, Neel" Subject: Re: IN> Need inspiration badly. Please, give generously. Laurent wrote: > > Neel wrote: > <<< Easy solution to that: let Valefor win, if the PCs don't succeed. :) > [...] > If you're really cruel, you'll convince the PCs to help Valefor and then > find out that V and L aren't going to kill each other and Hell now has > two Lucifer-class princes. :) >>> > > Hem... tempting, really. But isn't that a bit big for an > introduction game? Maybe so. But I think that anytime a demon prince shows up the PCs should get screwed six ways to Sunday: there's a reason they are called demon princes. (And that goes double for Lucifer!) Plus it gives the PCs a reason to really *hate* your princes, and then when they get even they'll feel extra-happy. IMO, NPCs are like bubble gum -- a good game should chew them up and spit them out. (After all, as GM you have an infinite supply.) PCs are like pencils -- at the end they should have bite marks but still basically work. :) > And do you really thing L would be ready to share his power? If Mammon or Valefor manage to succeed, he may not have much of choice: he'd either have to go to war against someone who's now almost as strong as he is, or he could try and work something out (and do a backstab later). > Jo wrote: > <<< From my GMing experience, I'd add that you shouldn't rule out the > possibility that PCs will decide to steal the heart on their own account and > set out on a magical mayhem ride through all of creation on their way to > blackmail Lucifer and remodel Hell in whatever ways they prefer. > Players are apt to do this sort of thing if they feel like extras to some > powerful NPCs scheme. Or maybe it's just my players ;) > >>> > > Lucky you, your players are mean and selfish. See, I'm stuck with > loyal, moral-driven, faithfull paladins. Even when playing demons! > The Habbalah (the powerful player) already risked her life to save > Lynoure from a certain soul-death. The only player in my team who'd > be twisted enough to try some evil scheme is the one who suddenly > decided to play an angel (well, the abomination thing). What an > idiot!!! Is he a brilliant idiot or a bad idiot? A brilliant idiot wil *do things*, and keep the game moving even when the other players start to stall. A bad idiot will do things, and force the others to drop everything to bail him out. IMO, every group needs at least one brilliant idiot (and it sounds like your Cherub is of the good variety). The best way to deal with brilliant idiots is to give them what they want. They cope well with power, because they will use it to trigger adventures. Give him a word. A demonic word, eating at his soul but with powers that are just too -neat- to abandon. Maybe he'll need to Outcast to keep it....and maybe the word will destroy him if he Falls again! You should also punish the other PCs for being heroic. They're demons, and heroic demons exist to wallow in cheesy angst. Cruel angels hunt them, their brother demons abuse their precious trust, and any human who they confide in will be driven because they are damned! You'll need some sympathetic listener NPCs, and whenever the angst gets too annoying you can just heap more angst onto the PCs! Torturing the sympathetic listeners works great, especially if they act all heroic to protect the PCs from harm. :) Give the Shedite a friendly NPC who doesn't mind it possessing him, and who feels genuine pity for the poor pitiful body-snatching demon. If you can, make it the Soldier's best friend! A two for one special! Make Lynoure a cruel user with a genuine core of neediness that your Habbalah can sense -- "She's abusing you because she's afraid that friendship will make her weak! Isn't that cute?" - -- Neel Krishnaswami neelk@cswcasa.com ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 12 Sep 2000 18:08:13 -0400 (EDT) From: Twila Oxley Price Subject: IN> Weird New Angel Okay, guys. Moe said I should submit my weirdness attacks. Blame him. Yes. Do. :-) Or, rather, blame the fact that it's grey, nasty, and math has rotted my feeble brain too much today .... and I had to think of *something* to let out the creativity before it went bad. And, yes, I know it's probably really Strange to have this guy be a Malakite, but... Twila - ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Giles, Malakite Angel of Slash(Fan Fiction)*, Servitor of Eli in service to Novalis "Sir, you *must* help me... Kirk-and-Spock getting it on. Mulder and Skinner. Mulder and the bleeping Cigarette Smoking Man. Hell. Even Laurence and Michael, for all I know." The Malakite who'd spoken took another drink of the fine Scotch which his companion had manifested for him, while said companion chugged another of his fizzy-green-with-pastel-paper-umbrella-stuck-inside concoctions. Un-noted by either of the drinking companions, several Swordies had risen from their chairs, but had been urgently shushed by their more ... um ... circumspect brothers. "But it's so far out," his companion replied, leaning back on the bar stool so that he could look Giles in the eye. "Can't you feel the Energy, the ... Creation going on in those writers?" "Yeah," Giles said. His fingers twiddled with the glass in his hands, absently noting just how hard he'd have to throw it to take down, say, that big guy in the back of the bar. "It's just, you know, when The Flower said she'd talked to you and you'd asked her to sponsor me for a Word... I mean, Slash sounded ..." He paused as his companion shook his head. "Gotta run. Just keep up the Good Work, Giles, and I'll check in after you've settled down with your Word. Ciao." And with that, Eli took his leave of the Eighth Virtue and a still-puzzled Malakite wondering what in Creation he was going to do with the Word of Slash (Fan Fiction). And, worse, how was he going to explain what he'd said to the Swordies, and who he'd said it to to the Dominicans? Forces: 12 Corporeal Forces: 4 Str 6 Agi 10 Ethereal Forces: 4 Int 8 Pre 8 Celestial Forces: 4 Wil 8 Per 8 Vessels: Human/1(female); Role/1 (Anonymous writer/beta-reader of slash on the Internet) Human/4(male); Role/2 "Giles ffolkes", producer and screenwriter for a popular British television series. Skills: Artistry(writing)/4, Knowledge (producing television shows; screenwriting)/4, Knowledge (fan terms and conventions for fanfic; the most popular couples being "slashed")/5; Driving/3, Savior-Faire/4, Brawling/5, Large Weapon (sword)/5. Songs: Forms (Corporeal-Ethereal-Celestial/4), Harmony (Corporeal-Ethereal-Celstial/3) Attunements and Distinctions None Special Rites: +1 whenever he convinces a slash writer to follow the rules of English (or whatever language they're writing in) Giles is a very puzzled Malakite. He's still rather young, only a century old, and he never expected to gain a Word this quickly. In fact, he's still not sure why he's got the Word he's got. Um. To sketch out this history, Giles fledged recently, as these things go, and was particularly outraged by Nybbas' rise to power. He became somewhat of an expert on the technology and sociology of television, and was granted the opportunity to become a screen writer as it became more and more popular on Earth. When Eli went walk-about, Novalis agreed to take in Giles, as he was less of a combat-monster than most Malakim, and since he did seem able to *think* about more peaceful solutions. While he wasn't gaining any major Distinctions or Rites, Giles built up his Role to a position of relative power in the British television establishment, and used that power to promote Creativity and Peace. Then, about three years ago, Eli met Novalis and asked her to sponsor Giles for a very special Word. Although Novalis doesn't say that she knows why Eli asked this, she also hasn't said she doesn't. She's been firmly non-committal, thereby frustrating our poor Dominic no end, but... There seemed to be no reason not to give the young Angel this word, so in the end, after some minor politicking, the Seraphim Council invested Giles with the Word of Slash. As they did so, the Symphony swirled around and changed the Word to Slash(Fan Fiction). Everyone -- save Yves, as usual -- was taken aback by this odd happening, but it was done now... and Giles has been left to puzzle out exactly what the Symphony might want with an Angel of Slash (Fan Fiction). *Slash is that genre of fan writing which posits intimate relations between two characters in a given show or series, or even cross-overs - -- and we're not talking hetero intimacy here. Originally manifested around our favourite Vulcan and his (male) Captain, the term slash comes from the "/" between Kirk/Spock. There is also a huge yaoi genre in Japan, which is analogous to Slash, but which is centered on anime and manga characters, and which is mostly drawn as manga and djs rather than written as stories. I suspect that Giles would have that under his *ahem* black wings too. ------------------------------ End of in_nomine-digest V1 #1817 ******************************** The material here is (C) 2000 Steve Jackson Games, Incorporated. All rights reserved.