From owner-in_nomine-digest@lists.io.com Tue Jul 17 10:05:44 2001 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 KAA17474 for ; Tue, 17 Jul 2001 10:05:44 -0500 Received: (from majordom@localhost) by lists.io.com (8.9.3/8.9.1a) id KAA12325 for in_nomine-digest-outgoing; Tue, 17 Jul 2001 10:04:57 -0500 Date: Tue, 17 Jul 2001 10:04:57 -0500 Message-Id: <200107171504.KAA12325@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 #2304 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, July 17 2001 Volume 01 : Number 2304 In this digest: Re: IN> "And I Feel Fine" - Part 9: The Rapture IN> "And I Feel Fine" - Part 10: Open War Fwd: Re: IN> Belial the Destroyer Fwd: Re: IN> Adventure: Earth's Doom Re: IN> Hi Re: IN> Hi IN> True names IN> Re: Consider the Lord of Fire IN> Re: Coat of Concealment Re: IN> Hi Re: IN> True names Re: IN> Hi IN> Consider Fate... Re: IN> Consider Fate... IN> The King in Yellow ("It's not what you thi-ink! It's not what you thi-ink!") Re: IN> Consider Fate... Re: IN> Consider Fate... Re: IN> Consider Fate... Re: IN> Consider Fate... Re: IN> Hi Re: IN> Hi Re: IN> Consider Fate... IN> "And I Feel Fine" - Part 11: The Mark of the Beast ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Mon, 16 Jul 2001 11:05:42 -0500 From: Earl Wajenberg Subject: Re: IN> "And I Feel Fine" - Part 9: The Rapture William J. Keith wrote: > > >By the way, seeing as how the archives are down for the time being, I > >HOPE someone is collecting these.... ... > I am, though surely Earl himself has them all. Yes, I do. Earl (currently trying to edit today's installment down to an acceptable size) ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 16 Jul 2001 11:23:30 -0500 From: Earl Wajenberg Subject: IN> "And I Feel Fine" - Part 10: Open War "But woe to the earth and the sea, because the devil has gone down to you! He is filled with fury, because he knows that his time is short." - -- Revelation 12:12 * * * * * * * Lucifer has had a Bad Day. The worst day since the Fall, in fact. He has just discovered that Armageddon is on track, with himself still safely cast as the losing bad guy. There's a yawning chasm where two thirds of Abaddon used to be, and Belial's old Principality of Sheol has fallen into it, forming a Lake of Fire, just visible as a red spark at the bottom. Lucifer knows from a quick glance that the Lake is the final boundary of reality -- nothing that goes into it continues to exist in any way. All the ruins of the Lower Hells have already gone into it. Only a handful of the double-damned got out of the Lower Hells; he's just lost his private Essence base, along with almost everything else he had in the Lower Hells, and the Enemy has revealed itself to be immortal. Lucifer is frantic with rage and fear. His celestial form, a gigantic scarlet balseraph with seven heads, rampages through the skies over Rome, tossing off Songs of madness and physical violence, seeding the streets below with havoc and causing many to become Symphonically aware. Meanwhile, in a human vessel, he confronts the Four Horsemen and Kronos in Therrian's offices. He berates Baal for incompetent generalship, Saminga for failing to defend his own Principality, Mammon for being generally useless. Therrian, the only human present, keeps a terrified silence, but notes with amazement that the Princes are not submissive -- Baal argues back with cold dignity, Saminga snarls, even Mammon sulks. "How art thou fallen, O Lucifer," Therrian reflects, "in the eyes of your own servants." The Lucifer turns on Therrian: "You! Putting you forth was my first mistake! With you, I set the prophecies in motion against myself! *Now* what good are you?" Therrian: "I am good to do your will on Earth, my Father, as before. If you want more of me, then give me what you know I seek -- a Princedom, to reign in Hell as well as on the Earth, like Lilith." Lucifer : "You'll have *what* I choose, *when* I choose, greedly little monkey." (To Kronos): "And what of you, grand Prince of Fate? Why did you not foresee any of this, Hell's prophet? What of MY Fate?!" Kronos (with chill calm): "You know full well that all my foreseeing is only of possibility. Nor did you ever suffer me or anyone else to investigate you." Lucifer: "What ARE you?! If you are indeed part of God's Spirit, I will rend you myself, to cause some pain to Him. Answer!" Kronos: "I am no one, not a soul. You found me a torn web of Forces, still echoing with the Symphony, and took me, at first, for a shattered seraph or balseraph. Then you decided I was an Aspect, like Yves. Like him, I am a swirl of Forces from God's own heart, but I was never fashioned into an ego, a soul, a self. I say "I" and "me" and they are lies, fictions, in my mouth. I was your last chance, Lucifer; God gave me to you to see what you would make of me. He gave me to you weak and wounded, to allay your pride and fear, but with the Symphony still within me. You could have made me your ambassador to Heaven, your mediator, and ultimately the guide to your Redemption. But you chose to make me your tool for seeking the worst possibilities, and that I am, the Prince of Fate, including your Fate." Lucifer growls, turns away, and stabs at the air with a forefinger. By the time he completes the gesture, Kobal has appeared, startled, taking the jab in his sternum. "You jackanapes! It was you persuaded me to make Hell a realm of pain and destruction. Now look at the annihilation it leads to! If we had made of Hell a rival paradise, could the Lower Hells have been made to lead to *that*?! Go, fool, and help Nybbas with the propaganda. I would shred you all, but that I need every slave now. Go!" He gestures and all the Princes vanish. In the next moment, he himself is gone, leaving Therrian to listen to the distant screams and sirens. * * * * * * * The War is no longer a secret. Huge numbers of people have become Symphonically aware from sheer exposure to Disturbance. More than half of the (remaining) world population has seen a giant locust or watched someone get Raptured. EVERYONE can see that all the children and a third of the adults are gone. Anticipating this, Heaven lifts the ban on secrecy. The day after the Rapture, a number of, er, street-preachers with Numinous Corpus Wings appear flying over cities all over the world and announce that the End Is Near, that Therrian is the Antichrist, and it's time to repent. (Several are shot down.) This just stirs the pot on the media hullaballoo following the Rapture. Lots of demons give up on secrecy without waiting to be told they can. * * * * * * * Since the early days of the Tribulation, the world has been a patchwork of "UN recovery zones" (Beast-held territories) and resistance territories, where it isn't howling wilderness and ruin. Some of the resistance territories are held by various nationalists who want their old sovereignties back; others are just held by people who don't like Therrian's ways. Since the resistance territories tended to lose more people in the Rapture, they now shrink, in the face of less-depleted foes. But Hell's forces have taken a monstrous blow to their morale, propaganda or not, and there are even uprisings in Therrian's territories. So borders don't shift as much as mere changes of numbers would indicate. *Some* of the resistance areas become openly held by Heaven -- but only where angels and saints can convince the local authorities to ally. Other areas, particularly in Asia, turn to Ethereals, who now walk the Earth openly. Still others want to remain independent, though few of these resistance areas are openly hostile to Heaven and many are very cooperative. The whole situation vaguely resembles the paritioning of the world during World War II, between the poles of the Axis and the Allies. Vaguely. * * * * * * * Roleplaying seed: Superheroes There's always been a "danger" of In Nomine turning into a superheroes game. Now it can happen safely. All it takes is for the battles to be out in the open more. Spandex optional. * * * * * * * Roleplaying seed: Superspies Of course, the old covert mode is still quite useful. And, while it was nigh-impossible for angels and demons to infiltrate each other's home turf on the Celestial Plane, it's easy to do it on the Corporeal -- and, for the first time, they actually have significant Corporeal territories, with boundaries and check points and supply lines. Lots of World War spy plots can be recycled for Celestials and Soldiers. * * * * * * * Roleplaying seed: No Atheists in These Fox Holes Now Heaven and Hell actually have physical battle lines on Earth. War zone adventures are now possible, though they will not be much like adventures set in World War II, since the combatants span such a wide range of races and powers. There are four tactical situations: - Mortals vs. mortals, the most mundane and most like historical precedent, though even here there are Soldiers and Song-users. - Angels vs. mortals, where one or a few angels slice through mortal Hell-troops, limited somewhat by the capacities of their vessels and their hope of converting some of the enemy. - Demons vs. mortals, like the above, but without the option of moral restraint. - Angels vs. demons; the previous two situations tend to turn into this one quickly, as celestials come to the aid of their mortals. The mortals then run away, lay low, or get thrust into the background, except for occasional interesting surprises situations. * * * * * * * Roleplaying seed: Celestial Diplomacy Not all anti-Therrian enclaves are pro-Heaven. Heaven will want to do something about that. PCs can be sent to negotiate. Of course, they'll be hoping to convince the enclave leadership that "Yes indeed, we *are* the Forces of Good, and you want to work for us." They may have to settle for alliance or neutrality. Or failure. This is especially true if the leadership of the enclave is heavily influenced by Ethereals, or just plain replaced by Ethereals. It's a lot easier to believe in the supernatural now, after all, and this has given a huge boost to many pagan pantheons and other Ethereal groups. Pre-Rapture, many anti-Therrian groups were nationalists; now, old ethnic pantheons are coming back, or actually re-forming. Earl ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 16 Jul 2001 15:17:21 -0400 From: Elizabeth McCoy Subject: Fwd: Re: IN> Belial the Destroyer >Date: Thu, 12 Jul 2001 16:23:12 -0500 >Subject: BOUNCE in_nomine-l@lists.io.com: Admin request of type /\buns\w*b/i at line 5 > >Date: Thu, 12 Jul 2001 17:24:32 -0400 >From: Cameron McCurry >Subject: Re: IN> Belial the Destroyer > >> By the way, if Word-friction has driven Gabriel nuts, shouldn't Belial >> be nuts, too? Of course, it might not give him the same level of >> conflict it gives an angel... > > The Calabim are somewhat u n s table to begin with. Who'd notice the >difference? > ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 16 Jul 2001 15:32:01 -0400 From: Elizabeth McCoy Subject: Fwd: Re: IN> Adventure: Earth's Doom >Date: Sat, 14 Jul 2001 00:39:11 -0500 >Subject: BOUNCE in_nomine-l@lists.io.com: Admin request of type /\bcancel\b/i at line 8 >From: "Charles Phipps" >Subject: Re: IN> Adventure: Earth's Doom >Date: Sat, 14 Jul 2001 01:39:05 -0400 > >Zadkiel and Christopher no doubt...and probably Laurence and Blandine... > >but without all of Heaven what can they do? > >Especially in a stalemate situation that Hell doesn't have to do anything to >suceed... > >they just have to cancel heaven out > >and vice versa. > >*It might be amusing to play "Last Impression" from Gundamn Wing, Give Jean >a Battle robot and Super cannon and watch what happens but theres also God >simply vering it off course...he gets bored sometimes so he feels the need >to mess with everyone's head once and awhile* > >.... > >Saminga: *still doing happy magic elf pants dance* > >Belial: *burns Saminga to ashes* > >Now Moe how can you hate Belial now!? > >-Charlemagne > ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 16 Jul 2001 21:35 +0100 (BST) From: jgd@cix.co.uk (John Dallman) Subject: Re: IN> Hi In article <4a9abefbcarhodri@wildebst.demon.co.uk>, rhodri@wildebst.demon.co.uk (Rhodri James) wrote: > In article , > John Dallman wrote: > > I suspect that a baptismal name that was never otherwise used wouldn't > > take as a "true name", a marvellously undefined concept in IN. Rhodri > > has been clamping down on this concept, specifically to control our > > (ab)user of the Seraph of Yves attunment. Now, you get the name that > > the target thinks of as their name - and for Dame Eliza Higinbotham > > ffoukes- Chodmoley-ffoukes, you may well get "Bessie". > > No, no, you'd get Eliza. Probably. The Higginbotham > ffoulkes-Cholomondley-ffoulkes bit is just a description of her lineage > (or not), "Eliza" is her True Name. Unless she changed her name at some > point of course. Even if she's been known to her friends and family as Bessie for her whole life, and never uses Eliza except on documents? - --- John Dallman jgd@cix.co.uk ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 16 Jul 2001 15:42:51 -0500 From: EDG Subject: Re: IN> Hi At 09:35 PM 7/16/01 +0100, you wrote: > > No, no, you'd get Eliza. Probably. The Higginbotham > > ffoulkes-Cholomondley-ffoulkes bit is just a description of her lineage > > (or not), "Eliza" is her True Name. Unless she changed her name at some > > point of course. > >Even if she's been known to her friends and family as Bessie for her whole >life, and never uses Eliza except on documents? If the angel Berekath went down to Earth for a generation, allowing her vessel to grow and bloom as a normal human body would, and called herself Nicole for the entire duration, using "Berekath" only when dealing with agents of Heaven, would her True Name be Nicole? - -EDG ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 16 Jul 2001 20:50:57 -0000 From: "Janet Anderson" Subject: IN> True names > > No, no, you'd get Eliza. Probably. The Higginbotham > > ffoulkes-Cholomondley-ffoulkes bit is just a description of her lineage > > (or not), "Eliza" is her True Name. Unless she changed her name at some > > point of course. > >Even if she's been known to her friends and family as Bessie for her whole >life, and never uses Eliza except on documents? Yes, unless she changes her True Name to "Bessie" by a) baptism* or b) legal means. Unless she takes a conscious step to alter it, "Eliza," being the name her parents gave her and/or her baptismal name, counts as her True Name, although a Mercurian Resonance will certainly get "Bessie." About celestials: I'm not sure if this is dealt with in canon, but I believe a celestial is created with a True Name (or chooses one), and the only way to change it is to Fall or Redeem. Janet Anderson (*In a culture without baptism but with other religious naming ceremonies, the same would of course apply.) _________________________________________________________________ Get your FREE download of MSN Explorer at http://explorer.msn.com ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 16 Jul 2001 19:04:18 -0400 From: Jonathan Walton Subject: IN> Re: Consider the Lord of Fire >MY *RIGHTEOUS* ANGER! I judge these humans Cruel! Cruel to each other! Cruel >to themselves! Wait. Belial's a Habbalite? I like the description (and the idea of Belial as a Punisher), but it just doesn't seem to be a Calabite's perspective. Later. Jonathan ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 17 Jul 2001 10:33:39 +1100 From: "james walker" Subject: IN> Re: Coat of Concealment > I was fiddling around with a character idea, and ended up wanting to create > a new artifact for the fellow. Please, let me know what you think -- I'm > especially concerned about the cost/game balance ratio. Comments, critique, > praise, donations all appreciated. [snip] > COST: 5 points per 10 pounds of capacity. > ACTIVATION: 1 Essence to retrieve item safely and immediately, none to empty > pockets of entire contents. 'Tis a nice artifact; I think you've over priced it, however. What you've got is the equivalent of the Scabbard attunement (not restricted to weapons) or a Summonable container that you can fill (which would cost 7 points for a capacity of about 100 pounds, 9 points to have the capacity equal to your car). Maybe a base 4 points plus 1 point per ten pounds capacity? Or even base 4 points plus the size cost from the Summonable Feature? Being able to shake things loose by turning the person upside down is amusing - that should discourage Malakim from using it to carry Nitro. James. ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 17 Jul 2001 02:10:26 +0100 From: Rhodri James Subject: Re: IN> Hi In article , John Dallman wrote: > In article <4a9abefbcarhodri@wildebst.demon.co.uk>, > rhodri@wildebst.demon.co.uk (Rhodri James) wrote: > > In article , > > John Dallman wrote: > > > I suspect that a baptismal name that was never otherwise used > > > wouldn't take as a "true name", a marvellously undefined concept in > > > IN. Rhodri has been clamping down on this concept, specifically to > > > control our (ab)user of the Seraph of Yves attunment. Now, you get > > > the name that the target thinks of as their name - and for Dame > > > Eliza Higinbotham ffoukes- Chodmoley-ffoukes, you may well get > > > "Bessie". > > > > No, no, you'd get Eliza. Probably. The Higginbotham > > ffoulkes-Cholomondley-ffoulkes bit is just a description of her > > lineage (or not), "Eliza" is her True Name. Unless she changed her > > name at some point of course. > Even if she's been known to her friends and family as Bessie for her > whole life, and never uses Eliza except on documents? Well, OK, technically you would get "God an oath" as her True Name. Whether this renders as Eliza, Bessie, Elizabeth, Buffy or whatever is actually a matter of taste of the translating Seraph. In lieu of dragging a dictionary of names around, I'm going with the baptismal default. Not that this means that someone's True Name is necessarily the first name that appears on their birth certificate, mind you. - -- Rhodri James *-* Wildebeeste herder to the masses If you don't know who I work for, you can't misattribute my words to them ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 17 Jul 2001 02:15:39 +0100 From: Rhodri James Subject: Re: IN> True names In article , Janet Anderson wrote: > Yes, unless she changes her True Name to "Bessie" by a) baptism* or b) > legal means. Unless she takes a conscious step to alter it, "Eliza," > being the name her parents gave her and/or her baptismal name, counts > as her True Name, although a Mercurian Resonance will certainly get > "Bessie." > About celestials: I'm not sure if this is dealt with in canon, but I > believe a celestial is created with a True Name (or chooses one), and > the only way to change it is to Fall or Redeem. I don't think it's actually dealt with in canon. I hadn't thought about it too hard, but you're right, changing a True Name would involve a fundamental change of nature such as Falling or Redeeming. I think this applies to mortals too -- one's True Name doesn't change. Naming ceremonies or legalities are in fact irrelevant, they're just a convenient crutch for the referee. - -- Rhodri James *-* Wildebeeste herder to the masses If you don't know who I work for, you can't misattribute my words to them ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 17 Jul 2001 02:05:15 +0100 From: Rhodri James Subject: Re: IN> Hi In article <5.0.2.1.0.20010716154116.00acfe40@pop.earlham.edu>, EDG wrote: > At 09:35 PM 7/16/01 +0100, you wrote: > > > No, no, you'd get Eliza. Probably. The Higginbotham > > > ffoulkes-Cholomondley-ffoulkes bit is just a description of her > > > lineage (or not), "Eliza" is her True Name. Unless she changed her > > > name at some point of course. > > > >Even if she's been known to her friends and family as Bessie for her > >whole life, and never uses Eliza except on documents? > If the angel Berekath went down to Earth for a generation, allowing her > vessel to grow and bloom as a normal human body would, and called > herself Nicole for the entire duration, using "Berekath" only when > dealing with agents of Heaven, would her True Name be Nicole? No. (And let's not talk about Papa, OK? :-) - -- Rhodri James *-* Wildebeeste herder to the masses If you don't know who I work for, you can't misattribute my words to them ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 16 Jul 2001 21:43:59 -0500 From: "Prodigal" Subject: IN> Consider Fate... In all the years I've been following the game, I can't remember anyone ever coming to the same possibility that I did earlier today. If somebody did, but I simply missed it, I salute you, whomever you may be. If not, then I'm proud to have thought of it first. And take that, Moe! :;:) ============== They say many things about me. I am a mere balseraph, some say, or perhaps a bit of Yves cast aside and into Hell. Some even rumor that I am some fragment od God itself fallen from grace, or perhaps a refugee from some Symphony that existed before our own. None of them ever quite manage to grasp the truth; they know me for something unique within their ranks, but never clutch at quite how unique I truly am. I neither will nor can blame them for their ignorance and stupidity, however, for none can know the truth of me but myself. Even though I am no mere Liar, the Lies that enshield my true nature are too high a wall for any to overcome. Even the Father of Lies himself is blinded by it. He knows me to be something other than mere fallen angel, but he has never suspected the truth of me; if he had, he would have torn me asunder many thousands of years ago. Or rather, he would have *finished* tearing me asunder. But for now I let him prance and preen, playing the role of evil overlord. As long as he is doing that, he continues not to realise just why I, alone of all Hell's princes, can walk the golden streets of Heaven unmolested. Why I can give the gift of that ability to others. Or even how a demon can grant the attunements of angels. As long as he continues not to ask himself those questions, I can remain here unmolested. Because for all the hate I have for my dear prince of princes, it is as nothing to the burning fury that overcomes me when I think of the God that once used me as His mouthpiece, only to cast me aside for Gabriel when the rebellion forced Him to decide between saving His beloved Metatron and his choice to let each of us play out the sad comedy that is free will. I almost pity Gabriel, at times. It's only a matter of time before He chooses a new Voice, after all, letting the loss of that position drive her ever further into the madness that, ultimately, brings all its sufferers to me. I merely wonder that He has toyed with her as long as He has without finally tiring of it… ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 17 Jul 2001 00:31:47 -0400 From: Timothy Groth Subject: Re: IN> Consider Fate... You are a very, very, very sick man. That's being filed away mentally, to be sprung on poor players. ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 16 Jul 2001 21:52:55 -0700 (PDT) From: Maurice Lane Subject: IN> The King in Yellow ("It's not what you thi-ink! It's not what you thi-ink!") For my next trick, the Necronomicon. Sorta. ;) Moe The King in Yellow How Sorcerers grow quiet when they hear of this blasphemous book. It's hard to tell whether it's the quiet of fear, or the quiet of utter greed: both reactions would make sense. The fear is easy to understand: it is said that reading even one page of The King in Yellow will doom the reader into poring over the forbidden tome, never resting until he or she understands the true nature of the universe - or else goes utterly mad. Most suffer the latter fate: no Sorcerer anywhere knows of anyone with occult power that has read the book without having their brains burned. Indeed, most disappear without even a trace. One paragraph is said to be enough to cause nightmares for a week. In short, The King in Yellow is a deadly, deadly danger. But the utter greed ... well, that makes sense, too. It is also said that mastery of The King in Yellow is an indisputable indication that one is worthy of being a member of the Dozen, and it is certainly true that they all prominently display their personal copies in their libraries - again, so it is said. All it takes is an act of Will - and all Sorcerers know that their Will is, of course, capable of anything. So they continue to reach out to s u b tly poisoned fruit, each quietly confident that he or she will be the one to triumph where the rest have failed - and each proved wrong. Which is, of course, the whole idea. Eli doesn't get too involved in this Sorcery nonsense, normally: there are other Archangels that specialize in worrying about that sort of thing. However, there was a certain three-week period in 1965 where he just kept getting bugged and bugged and bugged by the egotistical bastards, and eventually the Archangel of Creation got tired of it. Never annoy Eli: guess what adverb can best describe his acts of punishment? That's right, and he certainly lived up to it this time. There are about 500 or so Kings In Yellow floating out around there (Eli can be a bit testy when he hasn't had his first cup of coffee in the morning), and they've all got some interesting enchantments on them. The first, and simplest, is that only those who have both the capability and the inclination towards Sorcery can really see them: anyone else will just see a dusty book written in a language that he or she doesn't know. The second enchantment makes them effectively indestructible. The third makes the text thoroughly irresistible to anyone who can perceive the book for what it 'really' is; legend is quite accurate in saying that one page is enough to trap the reader (well, Sorcerous readers). The fourth enchantment is, of course, the one that systematically and permanently strips the reader of all rituals, skills and Attunements (including, of course, Sorcery - but not Infernal Pact). Every cumulative 8 hours spent reading strips away 1d6 character point-equivalents: alas, avoiding the reading of The King in Yellow, once started, requires a daily Will Roll at -3. Needless to say, the victim doesn't notice that this is going on - or dismisses it as 'burning away of dross blocking the way to true power', or some other pretentiously pseudo-solemn balderdash. Eventually, when the last Sorcerous character point-equivalent is burned away, the victim is left looking at a book written in a language that he or she cannot read and vaguely wondering what the fuss was all about. Again, don't annoy Eli. It should be noted that most Sorcerers have no idea of the Divine origins of their designated Grail-alternate, and would refuse to believe in such a lie anyway. A few do know about the actual situation (including, indeed the Dozen), and have even mastered The King in Yellow. They have mastered the book by never, ever reading the damned thing, no matter how curious they are about it. They go to great trouble to get a copy, of course, then display it prominently in their libraries. With any luck, any potential Sorcerous robbers will go for it first and eventually short-circuit their brains with the book - thus eliminating potential rivals, and boosting their own reputations, in one fell swoop. It also makes for a wonderful birthday gift for annoying apprentices. Oddly enough, Hell uses captured copies of The King in Yellow for roughly similar purposes: it's an amazingly cost-effective way to 'retire' Hellsworn sorcerers who have outlived their usefulness. Hell, you can outright tell them that the book will burn out sections of their heads, and they'll still demand it from you. Needless to say, these relics are never willingly destroyed: everybody in the know knows someone who really deserves their very own copy. Everyone in the know also takes to heart the indirect lesson that Thou Shall Not Perturb Unduly the Archangel of Creation... ===== Liber Licentiae Moeticae: http://www.stormloader.com/users/moelane/innomine.html Last updated 06/05/01(this is usually way out of date) __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Get personalized email addresses from Yahoo! Mail http://personal.mail.yahoo.com/ ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 16 Jul 2001 21:54:32 -0700 (PDT) From: Maurice Lane Subject: Re: IN> Consider Fate... - --- Timothy Groth wrote: > You are a very, very, very sick man. That's being > filed away > mentally, to be sprung on poor players. Indeed. I think that it's the first time the concept's been broached, too... :) Moe ===== Liber Licentiae Moeticae: http://www.stormloader.com/users/moelane/innomine.html Last updated 06/05/01(this is usually way out of date) __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Get personalized email addresses from Yahoo! Mail http://personal.mail.yahoo.com/ ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 17 Jul 2001 00:53:40 -0400 From: Douglas Muir Subject: Re: IN> Consider Fate... I like it quite a bit. Everybody thinks Lucifer killed the Metatron, right? Apparently even Lucifer thinks so. But instead he was just horribly injured and cut off from the godhead. Presumably it was this betrayal -- that God would *allow* this to happen -- that subsequently caused him to Fall. So now he has an icy aching void inside where the Voice of God used to be. And a big, big score to pay. Gotcha. Explains his optimism, too. Kronos was (in his own view) a part of God -- not a separate and distinct servant, but an actual limb of the Almighty. Yet he was crippled, mutilated, and torn away. So Kronos is the only being who _knows_, deep down in his innermost being, that God is fallible... and vulnerable. The only thing missing is the fascination with time. I have an alternate theory about that, but I'd be interested to hear what others come up with. Doug M. ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 17 Jul 2001 00:28:54 -0500 From: "Prodigal" Subject: Re: IN> Consider Fate... From: "Maurice Lane" > > Indeed. I think that it's the first time the > concept's been broached, too... :) After it hit me, I thought to myself "My god! I don't think this has been done yet! But it makes so much SENSE!" My thanks to both you and Timothy. ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 17 Jul 2001 00:35:06 -0500 From: "Prodigal" Subject: Re: IN> Consider Fate... (Yes, Virginia, we're leaving canon further behind the deeper we get into this thread. Just remember that I'm not part of the development team, and all will be well. *g*) From: "Douglas Muir" > > Everybody thinks Lucifer killed the Metatron, right? Apparently even > Lucifer thinks so. That's what he thinks *now*. Why do you think so many years passed between the Rebellion and Kronos being given the Word of Fate? > But instead he was just horribly injured and cut off > from the godhead. Presumably it was this betrayal -- that God would > *allow* this to happen -- that subsequently caused him to Fall. That, plus the fact that the being that almost killed him was allowed to experiment on him for several millenia. > So now he has an icy aching void inside where the Voice of God used to be. > And a big, big score to pay. Gotcha. Not entirely a void - the whispers are still there, just beyond his hearing. It is that tenuous connection to God that allows him to grant the Balseraph of Fate attunement. > The only thing missing is the fascination with time. I was way too subtle with that part, obviously... I just kept the adage "Beware the fury of a patient man" in mind as I was writing that, and slipped a few thickly-veiled references to it in there. ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 17 Jul 2001 07:20:16 -0000 From: "A C" Subject: Re: IN> Hi I think "True name" is an abstract definition so if a mundane name is James his True Name is simply James. In case of a Celestial or Saints (don't forget them !)you got their Celstial one (if they had). But I think that if Seraph of Destiny use in conjuction with attunement his resonance roll with a question "What's your name ? " and got (luckily ! :)) a 6 on CD he got the True and Whole Truth so he got alls the names behind a Celestials or mundanes and in case of babtise babies with Balseraph nurse, Seraph would probably detect trick ! What do you think about ? Bye, Grey :)) >From: Rhodri James >Reply-To: in_nomine-l@lists.io.com >To: in_nomine-l@lists.io.com >Subject: Re: IN> Hi >Date: Tue, 17 Jul 2001 02:10:26 +0100 > >In article , > John Dallman wrote: > > In article <4a9abefbcarhodri@wildebst.demon.co.uk>, > > rhodri@wildebst.demon.co.uk (Rhodri James) wrote: > > > > In article , > > > John Dallman wrote: > > > > I suspect that a baptismal name that was never otherwise used > > > > wouldn't take as a "true name", a marvellously undefined concept in > > > > IN. Rhodri has been clamping down on this concept, specifically to > > > > control our (ab)user of the Seraph of Yves attunment. Now, you get > > > > the name that the target thinks of as their name - and for Dame > > > > Eliza Higinbotham ffoukes- Chodmoley-ffoukes, you may well get > > > > "Bessie". > > > > > > No, no, you'd get Eliza. Probably. The Higginbotham > > > ffoulkes-Cholomondley-ffoulkes bit is just a description of her > > > lineage (or not), "Eliza" is her True Name. Unless she changed her > > > name at some point of course. > > > Even if she's been known to her friends and family as Bessie for her > > whole life, and never uses Eliza except on documents? > >Well, OK, technically you would get "God an oath" as her True Name. >Whether this renders as Eliza, Bessie, Elizabeth, Buffy or whatever is >actually a matter of taste of the translating Seraph. In lieu of dragging >a dictionary of names around, I'm going with the baptismal default. > >Not that this means that someone's True Name is necessarily the first name >that appears on their birth certificate, mind you. > >-- >Rhodri James *-* Wildebeeste herder to the masses >If you don't know who I work for, you can't misattribute my words to them _________________________________________________________________________ Get Your Private, Free E-mail from MSN Hotmail at http://www.hotmail.com. ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 17 Jul 2001 08:14:07 From: "Jo Hart" Subject: Re: IN> Hi >From: Rhodri James >would her True Name be Nicole? > >No. (And let's not talk about Papa, OK? :-) > *rotfl* jo _________________________________________________________________ Get your FREE download of MSN Explorer at http://explorer.msn.com ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 17 Jul 2001 08:14:12 -0500 From: "Erich S. Arendall" Subject: Re: IN> Consider Fate... > They say many things about me. ...And all of them good. Excellent work, sir. Now I've just got figure out how best to use it against my players. :) Cordially, Erich S. Arendall "When was the last time you remember doing something during the day?" - John Murdoch, Dark City ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 17 Jul 2001 11:02:20 -0500 From: Earl Wajenberg Subject: IN> "And I Feel Fine" - Part 11: The Mark of the Beast Three days after the Rapture, Therrian goes on global TV and radio, and announces to the world (or the part of the world that still has media) that yes, he IS the Antichrist, the Beast of Revelation. He's working for Satan, to drag the whole world to Hell. But this is a good thing. They'll like Hell much better than Heaven. The main points of his speech become the nuclei for the multiple propaganda campaigns of various Princes, all circulated by Nybbas. These points include: - Hell is for freedom, against the tyranny of God and the Archangels. (Lilith.) - Hell is for progress, God being just the earliest and hence most primitive state of spiritual evolution. (Vapula.) - Hell is for fun, pleasure, ecstasy even, while Heaven is a widely-known wet blanket. (Andrealphus, Furfur, Flerity, Haagenti, and Rex "son" of Nybbas and Demon of Cool.) - Hell is for prosperity, for increasing your wealth, not foregoing it or giving it away. (Mammon.) - Hell could hardly do worse than Heaven, which has let the human race bumble through natural and social evils for millenia. (Kobal.) - If you lot were going to Heaven, you'd be gone by now, so wisest to make the best of the inevitable. (Malphas, Kronos.) - Yes, there's pain in Hell, but only for the foolish who get in the way of the Grand Plan. (Asmodeus.) Of course, these Princes have been saying things like this all along, but now they are saying them at press conferences, in rock videos, in magazine articles, on web pages, and in "educational" programs. By the end of the month, every unRaptured journalist in the world knows the names of all the major Princes and main Bands of demons. Of course, they also know the names of all the Archangels and the main choirs of angels. The world has never seen so much, or such high-quality, televangelism, and certainly not with such neat special effects. * * * * * * * Roleplaying seed: Media Wars Angels of Lightning and demons of Technology can be kept busy trying to jam each other's transmissions, hack each other's nets, smash each other's presses, blow up each other's studios, and foil each other's attacks. Almost all other celestials have the opportunity to attack or defend human and celestial servitors of Revelation and Media, and put pressure on the poor mundane journalists in the middle. * * * * * * * "Then I saw another beast, coming out of the earth. He had two horns like a lamb, but he spoke like a dragon. He exercised all the authority of the first beast on his behalf, and made the earth and its inhabitants worship the first beast, whose fatal wound had been healed. ... He ordered them to set up an image in honor of the beast who was wounded by the sword and yet lived. ... He also forced everyone, small and great, rich and poor, free and slave, to receive a mark on his right hand or on his forehead, so that no one could buy or sell unless he had the mark, which is the name of the beast or the number of his name." -- Revelation 13:11-17. * * * * * * * In Therrian's territories, Kronos assumes more and more power. He is known both as Demon Prince and in his role as Therrian's spiritual advisor, Simon Airies, and the identity of the two is not public knowledge. As Simon Airies, he is presumed to advise Therrian, as advertized, but what he is seen doing is running Therrian's propaganda machine. This brings him into contact Nybbas a lot, which unsettles the Media Prince and his servitors. It also brings him into frequent contact with Kobal, who is livid. Kronos long ago replaced Kobal as the Prince in charge of luring humans to their Fates. Now, Lucifer has reduced Kobal to Nybbas's assistant, and Nybbas is scarcely more than Kronos's assistant. Kobal takes long and considered thought, and starts to work on ... Saminga. Kobal starts with some mild jabs, "praising" Saminga for being a "good team player," being supporting cast for Therrian, who is simply Kronos' tool. Then he begins pointing out the contempt that Kronos openly expresses for Saminga and suggests that Kronos is plotting with the other three Horsemen to do dirt to Saminga, now that he is at a disadvantage, with that new gaping hole in his Principality. Finally, he suggests that Saminga's Principality got trashed because Kronos arranged with Baal to direct the heat of battle that way. So Saminga conceives a grudge against Kronos. And Kobal points out that Kronos's main mission, now, is promoting Therrian. It comes to a head during a news conference, on global TV. Therrian is addressing the camera. The other three Horsemen and Kronos are sitting in the background. Therrian mentions new Vapu-tech medical services, to be available only to hellsworn. This, for some reason, is the last straw for Saminga. He rises, ranting about Therrian seeking to cut off his labor supply, pulls a sword from within his black robe, and decapitates Therrian on the spot. Moments later, Lucifer is there, in his natural form of scarlet, seven-headed balseraph, but clearly visible to mortal eyes and cameras. His tail lashes Saminga's skeletal vessel into a pile of bones as his heads bend down and breathe blood-red fire on Therrian's corpse. In an elegant apartment in Paris, Kobal watches all this, roaring with laughter. He doesn't even stop laughing when another instance of Lucifer's balseraph form appears, seizes his vessel in its coils, and squeezes. "This is your doing, Mockery! I read the whole thing plainly in that idiot Shedite's ethereal forces! What are you about?" "Greetings, Lightbringer! Do you like my gift to you?" "Explain!" "Have I not arranged for you to resurrect Therrian before the world? Have you not shown that you and he are greater than Death?" Kobal tears his eyes away from the Devil's 42-fold gaze to glance and the screen, where Therrian is starting to stir. He splutters with laughter, then controls himself long enough to ask, "Have I not arranged for the crucial boost to your Cult of Therrian?" On the screen, Therrian groans, feeling his neck. "Ooh, great theater! Nybbas must be having orgasms!" "I see," Lucifer says coldly. "And spot on schedule. You force us one verse further down the script of prophecy." "About three verses, I think, in chapter 13, yes. You didn't just use Song of Healing, did you? Surely the occasion demands something more inventive?" "His body is now a vessel. He's an Infernal Saint now." On the screen, Lucifer's seven heads seize Saminga's bones and begin to crunch them up. "Yes, you move us ahead to the next step. Did I tell you to?" "No. Think of it as a puzzle. On the one hand, it's a step forward; why should you object? On the other, it shows you still haven't broken the prophecy's momentum. Better get cracking!" "I shall break and crack many things," Lucifer answers, and his coils squeeze. "You fulfill my every expectation," Kobal wheezes. * * * * * * * Lucifer soon gives Therrian six more vessels, for a grand total of seven. All are level 6. Three are identical to his original form. A fourth is fine-tuned by Andrealphus to be incredibly handsome. A fifth is a gorgeous female vessel. The sixth and seventh are nondescript male and female vessels, allowing Therrian to go about unrecognized. Lucifer considers stripping Saminga of his Principality. Instead, he binds Saminga to Therrian with a massive geas. Kobal appears to go unpunished (other than by the death of a vessel), but acts nervous and irritable. Kronos declares the founding of Therrianity as the state religion of the (soon to be) worldwide Therrianic Empire, now consisting of all the erstwhile "recovery zones." All places of worship are to be made over for the new religion. The central symbols of the new cult are an upright human figure with arms outstretched (vaguely crosslike), a cluster of seven stylized lion heads, and Therrian himself. Asmodeus orders that all hellsworn receive a bar-code tattoo on the right hand or forehead, as per prophecy, and Mammon is soon using them as credit and debit cards for hellsworn. (Of COURSE there's a "666" encoded in it.) Only hellsworn can buy and sell. People in Therrianic territory who are not hellsworn have to get by on barter with hellsworn and each other. Most hellsworn soon acquire an entourage or staff of dependents. * * * * * * * Roleplaying seed: Spin Doctoring What do angelic PCs say to the mortals around them who are impressed by the on-camera appearance of Satan in person, the resurrection of Therrian, and the subsequent new religion. * * * * * * * Roleplaying seed: Old Time Religion Even in Therrianic territory, many people do not take kindly to old churches, mosques, temples, and synagogues being turned into Therrianic shrines. Heavenly PCs, especially servants of Khalid, can certainly get involved. * * * * * * * Roleplaying seed: Missionary Stew Kronos sends Therrianic missionaries out to spread the new "faith" in unconquered areas, as one way of assimilating them. Sometimes they travel alone, sometimes they travel with diplomatic or military expeditions. Even the solitary ones have weapons, Songs, or both to defend themselves, this hardly being a pacifist creed. Send the PCs after any of them. * * * * * * * "A third angel followed them and said in a loud voice: "If anyone worships the beast and his image and receives his mark on the forehead or on the hand, he, too, will drink of the wine of God's fury, which has been poured full strength into the cup of his wrath. He will be tormented with burning sulfur in the presence of the holy angels and of the Lamb." - -- Revelation 14:9-10 * * * * * * * Roleplaying seed: Dermabrasion A hellsworn converts. Now, what about that tattoo? If he has it removed, can he be back in the Book of Life? Or is he eternally sunk? An angel of Destiny might be able to say. What if someone wants him to keep it on for a while, to run an undercover mission? And what if he dies while on that mission? Is he Saved(tm)? Suppose he has it removed and replaced with an exact copy? Does it still count? Earl ------------------------------ End of in_nomine-digest V1 #2304 ******************************** The material here is (C) 2001 Steve Jackson Games, Incorporated. All rights reserved.