From owner-in_nomine-digest@lists.io.com Mon Jul 23 12:51:46 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 MAA20382 for ; Mon, 23 Jul 2001 12:51:46 -0500 Received: (from majordom@localhost) by lists.io.com (8.9.3/8.9.1a) id MAA29863 for in_nomine-digest-outgoing; Mon, 23 Jul 2001 12:51:22 -0500 Date: Mon, 23 Jul 2001 12:51:22 -0500 Message-Id: <200107231751.MAA29863@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 #2314 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 Monday, July 23 2001 Volume 01 : Number 2314 In this digest: Re: IN> Attunements & Rites IN> Re: in_nomine-digest V1 #2313 Re: IN> Re: in_nomine-digest V1 #2313 Re: IN> Re: in_nomine-digest V1 #2313 IN> Saminga IN> Lock, Stock, and Two Flaming swords IN> Twitch IN> Re: Kobal Re: IN> The Angel of Ethnic Badass Weapons Re: IN> Re: The Angel of Ethnic Badass Weapons Re: IN> X, the Unknown Re: IN> X, the Unknown IN> Numinous Corpus and brain-dipping Re: IN> Re: Skulker of Secrets Attunement Re: IN> X, the Known RE: IN> Re:Angel of Bounty Hunters Re: IN> Proto-Superiors Re: IN> Re: Proto-Superiors Re: IN>Kobal (was Perdix) Re: IN> Proto-Superiors IN> Fwd: Re: Animal Attunement IN> "And I Feel Fine" - Part 12: The Two Witnesses Re: IN> Proto-Superior: Perdix, Demon of Despair Re: IN> Proto-Superior: Perdix, Demon of Despair Re: IN> Plot hook (sorry) ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Sun, 22 Jul 2001 20:25:26 -0700 From: Charles E Smith Subject: Re: IN> Attunements & Rites Here are a couple of ideas I had for Marc. - --------------------------------------------- Fair Trade With a Perception roll, a Servitor of Trade with this attunement can sense what financial inequalities exist in a region (especially those inspired by Greed). If such inequities are demonically inspired, the angel gets +2 to all efforts to undo or expose the false dealings. Freezing Assets With this attunement, a Servitor of Trade can touch a demon or Hellsworn of Greed and instantly freeze up their abilities to draw on cash! ATMs won't recognize their PIN number or debit cards, bank records will show all their accounts legally frozen, and money on their persons will not be accepted anywhere. This lasts for a number of days equal to the angel's Celestial Forces. Identity Shield This attunement ensures that if the angel's personal information is stolen and misused, the attempt to use the information immediately alerts authorities and rebounds on the identity thief! Expanded Rites Expose a Servitor of Greed (+2 Essence) Prevent some financial inequity (human or Diabolically-caused) Preside over a fair trade conference or business meeting dedicated to ethics in business ________________________________________________________________ GET INTERNET ACCESS FROM JUNO! Juno offers FREE or PREMIUM Internet access for less! Join Juno today! For your FREE software, visit: http://dl.www.juno.com/get/tagj. ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 23 Jul 2001 00:34:11 -0700 From: Anthony Damiani Subject: IN> Re: in_nomine-digest V1 #2313 At 10:47 PM 7/22/01 -0500, you wrote: >Date: Sun, 22 Jul 2001 20:43:47 +1100 >From: "james walker" >Subject: IN> Kobal > > > I always forget about Kobal. His word seems so overshadowed by Fate, Media > > and Factions. Frankly, I'd love to either get rid of the guy, have him > > redeem, or give him a massive face-lift. IMO, he just doesn't stand up on > > his own within the current write-ups. > >Well, he's meant to be overshadowed by Fate - Kronos took his job. But it's >worth noting that Kronos & Kobal are the only DP's to be running pyramid >schemes for Superior-hood: Kronos created Vapula who created Nybbas who >promoted Furfur; while Kobal adopted Haagenti who created Fluerity. Although >Kronos seems to be winning, it's not over yet - and the final clash between >the two of them could have more effect on Hell than the war with Heaven. I think you're wrong. The only demon prince to have 'farmed' more than one prince is Belial, whose ranks produced Haagenti, Furfur, and Demogorgon. Sure, he's not directly responsible for their ascentions, and in Demogorgon's case actually stopped it, but whatever he's doing, he's churning out some powerful servitors.... -ALD ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 22 Jul 2001 23:48:30 -0500 From: "Prodigal" Subject: Re: IN> Re: in_nomine-digest V1 #2313 From: "Anthony Damiani" > > Sure, he's not directly responsible for their ascentions, and > in Demogorgon's case actually stopped it, but whatever he's doing, he's > churning out some powerful servitors.... That makes me wonder if it was the dissonance that Demogorgon gained in losing his bid for Princehood that finished him off. ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 22 Jul 2001 21:52:08 -0700 From: Kish Subject: Re: IN> Re: in_nomine-digest V1 #2313 Anthony Damiani wrote: > I think you're wrong. The only demon prince to have 'farmed' more > than one prince is Belial, whose ranks produced Haagenti, Furfur, and > Demogorgon. Sure, he's not directly responsible for their ascentions, and > in Demogorgon's case actually stopped it, but whatever he's doing, he's > churning out some powerful servitors.... > ...and they all want to kill him. Fun. Hey, maybe that's part of Word-Friction with Gabriel. It's worth noting, though, that Belial did not actually _create_ Haagenti. - -- Kish ICQ# 28085879 AIM Kish K M ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 23 Jul 2001 00:49:28 -0700 From: Anthony Damiani Subject: IN> Saminga > > > 15? No way. 18, flat rate, IMO. You have to have maxxed out your current > > state to be eligible for the state change, it seems to me. >Try saying this aloud: "Saminga has 6 Ethereal Forces". >It was hard enough to write it.... > >James. > >------------------------------ Unless, of course, it's an act, part of a fiendish master plan. Or unless he's right, and he /is/ that powerful. If he gets a mote of essence off of every death, meaning there are six billion rites walking around, not to mention plants and animals.... and if you interpret his word with the same broad, metaphorical brush applied to concepts like 'The Sword' and 'Flowers', well... then he's responsible for every ending, everything that ceases to be, every time somebody dies a little inside, every time a vase breaks or a relationship ends. Recall his attitude towards Kronos: "Everyone has the same fate: Me." Saminga is The End of All That Is. He can act like an idiot, a boor, or however he pleases-- in the end, it still all comes down to him. -ALD ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 23 Jul 2001 01:53:00 -0400 From: "Charles Phipps" Subject: IN> Lock, Stock, and Two Flaming swords Adventure Seed: Sometimes situations are too bizzare for even Dominic to fully understand and the recent events of this little deal certainly fit the bill. Valefor the Demon Prince of Theft has long covetted a special ring which Laurence had crafted by Eli called the Fisherman's ring which actually is made of the remains of a ring given Saint Peter by Jesus that represents the True Authority of the Pope over all other religeons. Well Valefor in a rather curious bit of daring do locates a Malakim of the Sword whose decided to go outcast....basically it's his belief that they need to wage war on evil mano a mano in public and in exchange for the Ring Valefor agrees to help this uncorruptible bloak escape to become a vigalante of mortals. That should have been the Demon Prince's first tip off something would go up. Contacting some friends of his the Malakim of the Sword informs Laurence of Valefor's plan and has him prepare a team of hand picked servitors of Khalid and the Sword to help him in his "theft" and present Valefor a false ring which is rigged to explode with enough force by Jean to possibly take out the Calabim. Events get extremely tricky when during this exchange one of the Angels of Faith; a Seraphim of Khalid decides to break away and take the real Fisherman's ring left lightly gaurded during this exchange so the Muslim fanatic can destroy the darn thing as an example for Islam....surprisingly enough he suceeds, shatters his heart, and dissapears. As Kobal the Demon Prince of Dark Humor decides to mess up events by stealing a prize of Valefor himself which he does so by having a Djinn "terrorist" blow up the meeting spot in Northern Ireland which promptly sends the Malakim back as Kobal makes off with the ring. Which he promptly loses in a game of craps with his local Hellsworn operating in the area who have the ring when the local Michaelites storm their tether and make off with it as booty. Meanwhile the original Fisherman's ring proves alittle too indestructible for the outcast of Faith to destroy so he decides instead to hand it over to an Islamic Iman and symbolically pass on the power of Catholicism to Islam....however in this case the leader he chooses is a Fundementalist servant of Factions whom the Seraphim discovers to his horror is a Balseraph but the Seraph is left half dead (not all dead) by the Iman's forces as talks to his prince.... and the spies of all the Archangels and Demon princes discover just enough information from the other side to confuse teh situation about who has the bomb and how. Especially when Kobal and Michael decide to go behind their partner Archangel And Demon Princes's backs to fool the enemy and the poor clueless groups of demons and angels struggle to get the items to their proper masters. Especially since the soul bomb will go off in 48 hours and if it's in say....Los Angeles or New York every Superior with agents there will be annoyed at having their tethers wiped from the cosmos... - -Charlemagne ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 23 Jul 2001 01:00:57 -0700 From: Anthony Damiani Subject: IN> Twitch “Twitch” Tevikiah Ofanim servitor of Creation, IST Fire Twitch has a long and distinguished career of service to God, dating back to before the original fall. Indeed, a courier reporting to The Metatron, he was one of the first angels to discover that Lucifer had slain his master. Fighting valiantly against the forces of Hell during the rebellion, the natural progression from serving The Voice was to serve the Archangel of Song on Earth; both the words of the Metatron and the Symphony are glorious, resonant communications with the Almighty. And that worked out fine for about ten thousand years or so, and Tevekiah began to heal the wounds of the fall, bearing no more scars than any of the other angels who survived the great betrayal. It was to his profound grief that his new superior should, like Lucifer, betray the Will of God and be outcast to heaven. Maddened by this second betrayal, he sought solace with Oannes, the gentle and peaceful Archangel of The Waters. The spirit of God moved upon the Angels of The Waters, and they brought soothing release to those in great pain. For almost nine thousand years, Tevikiah combated hatred and intolerance with compassion and forgiveness, healing others and healing himself in the process. And Tevikiah was happy in the service of Oannes. Until Belial, that bastard, fried her to a crisp. Tevikiah was again betrayed and angered, but this time not by betrayal or defection. The demons of Hell could never be soothed and forgiven, and all the efforts to alleviate pain and suffering on earth were at best damage control. The problem was the demons-and they had to be eradicated. Angered and wishing to combat the forces of Satan more directly, Tevikiah signed on with the one Archangel who would never betray God, the one Archangel who the forces of Hell could never defeat-the very General of the Armies of God. And so, for many years, he took out his anger upon the forces of Hell, participating with distinction, among other campaigns, in the battle to destroy Beelzebub in the heart of Rome. Much to his surprise however, the Purity Crusade didn’t work out so well, and Uriel was called upstairs into God’s office, an event which has provoked controversy and confusion among all the angels of Heaven to this day, Twitch most of all. He desired answers, and knew of no better place to find them in the service of Raphael. He still has flashbacks about the battle with Legion. Fire, pain, destruction and tentacles everywhere…. All things considered, things had not been going well of late for Tevekial, losing two superiors in less than three centuries. Following the wisdom of Raphael’s last request to him, he proceeded warily into the service of one of the one of the seven original archangels, a being who had endured in the light of God for /billions/ of years. Sure, Twitch had a bit of a panic attack during the fight against Makatiel, but, realistically, what were the odds that a being literally as old as Creation was going to be going anywhere anytime soon? Eli was stable as a rock. Before he met Twitch. Tevekiel has continued Eli’s work of inspiration, but he’s really not up to it these days. He has the dubious distinction of having been the only angel ever to work for /every/ Superior ever to die, disapear, become outcast, leave heaven, or otherwise come to an unseemly end. Working for a paragon of stability like Gabriel since 1957 hasn’t exactly instilled him with confidence, either (he needs to find his Faith again-perhaps that nice Khalid fellow?). On one hand, Twitch (named for a discord he’s been carrying since just after the Purity Crusade) is a singularly useful and powerful servitor, having access to almost a dozen attunements that are not-currently-available due to the departure of their bequeathers. On the other hand, he’s a nervous, neurotic wreck, for reasons that should be rather obvious. He’s beginning to believe he’s cursed: if he works for an archangel, death follows. He’s considered falling, as it might do some good, but he really doesn’t have the heart to be evil. So he continues on, as a dysfunctional servitor, punishing and inspiring, but generally given well over to fear, jumping at shadows and dreading every contact with other angels because that could be the one where he learns that Gabriel is next… ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 23 Jul 2001 02:03:02 -0400 From: "Charles Phipps" Subject: IN> Re: Kobal Dark Humor in my opinion actually is the most dangerous Prince in hell because really Kobal has no business being a Major Prince but serves the position as the Court Jester of Hell and quite simply is the smartest Prince among the entire lot of them. Truly do you honestly believe Baal, Asmodeus, and perhaps even Lucifer really UNDERSTAND their positions? On some level I think only Kobal and Kronos truly comprehend God and what the ultimate fate of the forces of Hell are....Kronos is working to it I think but Kobal on the other hand...knows and doesn't care. Dark Humor is a deceptively powerful word because Despair falls underneath it....the idea that one should not care about one's damnation because it's appropriate. Kobal might be a Prince indeed for these alone: "If God doesn't exist then all the religeons are complete fools worshiping nothing and devoting their entire lives to lies." "Morality is a joke and I'm the only smart one around here to abandon it..." It's like Frank Baum said in "The Lost Princess" the wicked man doesnt' conisder himself wicked but enlightened because he wondered why no one had thought about being as ruthless and cruel as he had been before. Have you ever wondered why Kobal is Yves foe before Kronos? Here's another joke....perhaps you've heard it. "A man looks at his barn and says to himself that he shall prepare it full of grain, sell the grain, and build himself a bigger barn of which afterwards he will store enough grain to see him through his retirement....that evening God strikes him dead." I believe Kobal's special task from God was one that long since driven him insane because of the success of himself at it. Kobal's special task was to prepare humanity for their trials by creating ironic situations that would teach them the error of their ways.... The problem is that Lucifer and the rest of the Damned didn't get the punchline. - -Charlemagne ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 23 Jul 2001 08:33:22 -0400 From: Marc Bowden Subject: Re: IN> The Angel of Ethnic Badass Weapons - --On Sunday, July 22, 2001 2:53 PM -0400 Daniel Gallagher wrote: > > I wanted to say someone with a tank, but it didn't seem perticularly > "ethnic". And you must admit that an IMI Desert Eagle is quite > imposing for a handgun. > Most handguns are like that to the majority of us. Marc. Just Marc. Elohite Angel of Salvation ("Any gun looks like a subway tunnel if you're on the wrong end of it.") ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 23 Jul 2001 13:11:01 +0000 From: "Janet Anderson" Subject: Re: IN> Re: The Angel of Ethnic Badass Weapons >That would be the Demon of Ethnic Badass Weapons; I was focusing on the >angelic applications of the word. :) > >(Rather surprised nobody's commented on the name yet, but perhaps it's one >of those situations where nobody felt like commenting on it...) > Yes. Janet Anderson * * * * Beware the anger of a patient bard _________________________________________________________________ Get your FREE download of MSN Explorer at http://explorer.msn.com/intl.asp ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 23 Jul 2001 06:12:55 -0700 (PDT) From: Michael Walton Subject: Re: IN> X, the Unknown - --- Douglas Muir wrote: > "X", Unknown Calabite Shoot, I'd have Hardcore actively recruiting this guy. ===== Michael Walton, #9805-068 The trouble with doing something right the first time is that nobody appreciates how difficult it was. __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Make international calls for as low as $.04/minute with Yahoo! Messenger http://phonecard.yahoo.com/ ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 23 Jul 2001 06:15:10 -0700 (PDT) From: Michael Walton Subject: Re: IN> X, the Unknown - --- Maurice Lane wrote: > For a Seraph, Mike's a pragmatic > sonuvabitch.* > *Actually, he's just pragmatic, period. Even sneaky, > which is kind of _strange_, when you consider his > Choir... Not so unbelievable. Seraphim can't lie -- but that doesn't require them to tell the whole truth. A certain amount of sneakiness is necessary if those on Corporeal duty want to avoid Dissonance. ===== Michael Walton, #9805-068 The trouble with doing something right the first time is that nobody appreciates how difficult it was. __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Make international calls for as low as $.04/minute with Yahoo! Messenger http://phonecard.yahoo.com/ ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 23 Jul 2001 06:19:17 -0700 (PDT) From: Michael Walton Subject: IN> Numinous Corpus and brain-dipping - --- Elizabeth McCoy wrote: > Ah-hah! So you're to blame for me thinking of it in the > wee dark > hours of the night when my Telepathy power might be > working... 0:> Guilty as charged. But at least I know who's been dipping into my brain now. Just to share the agony, here are some other Numinous Corpus I came up with -- including the full write-up for NC: Slime. Blur The player's image becomes indistinct as with motion blur for a number of minutes equal to the player's level in the Song. Any attempt to strike the character corporeally during that time has a penalty equal to the CD. The same penalty applies to attempts to recognize the character. (Available: Alaemon, Janus, Laurence, Nybbas, Valefor) Fur/Heat The player gains a shaggy pelt that holds in warmth for (Corporeal Forces) hours. This yields Protection equal to the CD plus the Song's level, but only against cold. (Available: Andrealphus, Baal, Beleth, David, Jordi, Khalid, Michael, Novalis, Vapula) NC: Heat is a variant of this Song. The game effect is the same, but the player's body radiates palpable warmth instead of growing hair. (Available: Andrealphus, Belial, Gabriel) Shock The player's skin crackles with electricity for (Song's level x 2) turns. The shock effect adds the CD to the character's melee damage, and this bonus damage ignores conductive armor. (Available: Baal, Gabriel, Janus, Jean, Vapula, Zadkiel) Slime This Song causes the player to secrete slippery oil from his skin (this is predictably rough on clothing). All attempts to grapple a slimy character have a penalty equal to the level of the Song. (Available: Andrealphus, Haagenti, Jordi, Saminga) Essence Requirement: 1 Degree of Disturbance: None ===== Michael Walton, #9805-068 The trouble with doing something right the first time is that nobody appreciates how difficult it was. __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Make international calls for as low as $.04/minute with Yahoo! Messenger http://phonecard.yahoo.com/ ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 23 Jul 2001 06:22:17 -0700 (PDT) From: Michael Walton Subject: Re: IN> Re: Skulker of Secrets Attunement - --- james walker wrote: > Skulker (Partially Restricted) Oh, yeah, this version rocks! ===== Michael Walton, #9805-068 The trouble with doing something right the first time is that nobody appreciates how difficult it was. __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Make international calls for as low as $.04/minute with Yahoo! Messenger http://phonecard.yahoo.com/ ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 23 Jul 2001 06:24:57 -0700 (PDT) From: Michael Walton Subject: Re: IN> X, the Known - --- Douglas Muir wrote: > "X", Calabite Knight of Rock The logical evolution of a good character concept. Well done. ===== Michael Walton, #9805-068 The trouble with doing something right the first time is that nobody appreciates how difficult it was. __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Make international calls for as low as $.04/minute with Yahoo! Messenger http://phonecard.yahoo.com/ ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 23 Jul 2001 09:45:31 -0400 From: "Adams, David" Subject: RE: IN> Re:Angel of Bounty Hunters From: james walker Nice write-up, with an excellent explanation of how he ended up with his Word. ( And the fact that you were careful to describe his Celestial Form is something that pleases me greatly - that is often forgotten). Thanx Given how IN works, that will actually make any failed rolls worse. If you want him to be able to increase his check digits, then a choice between increasing the skill or the CD would be the way to go. That makes sense. The mechanics side of this game are a little befuddling to me, which is why I tend to think in GURPS and translate to IN. While playing I use Eric's Chainsaw Gaming System (TM pending). Alternatively, being able to gain a Nemesis attunement on someone who harmed an attuned BEFORE Salathiel attuned to them IF they are offering a bounty would be an interesting way of blending Choir & Word. Oh, I like that one a lot. Only problem is that he could only hand out the attunement to other Cherubs. I wanted an attunement that he could grant to any angel. If he ever became a proto-superior level angel, that would definitely be his Cherub attunement. > Dissonance Condition: Lesser Word Bound don't normally have dissonance conditions; however I believe they can, so, as long as you are aware that this is unusual, no worries. Yes, I do, but this adds flavor. It would make sense that even if a word-bound doesn't have a dissonance condition outright that there would at the very least be a set of behaviors to govern the angels actions based on their word. I think that these eventually become a word-bound's dissonance condition. >Word Forces probably 4-6; a Minor Word which most people have heard of but which is unlikely to impact their lives. Is there a chart of some sort that I could refer to? Dave Coming soon, my Ofanite of the wind with MPD. (Yes Eric, I am giving him the discord) ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 23 Jul 2001 11:05:38 -0500 From: Earl Wajenberg Subject: Re: IN> Proto-Superiors I like "sarim" as a term for proto-Archangels. The singual is "sar," I think. If they have a Heavenly home of some sort, a proto-Cathedreal, it could be called a "chapel." If proto-Princes are usually Dukes, then a home of one could be termed "duchy." Or, to distinguish protos from less promising or unWorded dukes, they could be called "Grand Dukes," with "Grand Duchies." These terms would probably be a matter of slang and opinion, though, rather than official status. "Don't you think Israfel is a sar?" "No, she doesn't bother to keep a chapel and she's not political enough." Earl ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 23 Jul 2001 12:32:05 -0400 (EDT) From: "Rev. Pee Kitty" Subject: Re: IN> Re: Proto-Superiors On Sun, 22 Jul 2001, james walker wrote: > Try saying this aloud: "Saminga has 6 Ethereal Forces". > It was hard enough to write it.... Saminga has at LEAST 6 Ethereal Forces... while we cannot quantify the Superior state change, it's probably safe to say he has the equivalent of at least 10-12 Ethereal Forces now, perhaps more. Saminga is not *stupid*. He is *insane*. Seriously. If he were honestly just DUMB, he would be either (A) dead, or (B) a puppet, manipulated behind the scenes by a handful of Servitors. Now, while (B) can be a fun way to run him, it's not canon... the truth is, Saminga has remained in power over his huge organization since his elevation to Princehood. He has a keen grasp of death - as far as Hell is concerned, he pretty much invented Necromancy For Demons ("...available at your local Barnes and Noble"... sorry). He has survived backstabbing and intrigue and the War. He might not be a GENIUS, but he can't be all that DUMB. But he IS totally insane. He's the megalomaniac villian who clings to one warped vision of the future. He thinks he's indestructable; he wants to kill, kill, kill, kill; he's paranoid and suspicious; he prefers his human servants dead and reanimated. NONE of these things scream "stupid" to me. They scream "barking mad". Sometimes (okay, quite often), his insanity causes him to make dumb mistakes, or act foolishly... but it's not a lack of *raw intelligence* that prompts that... it's his warped, twisted worldview and goals. Sometimes it seems like the two (stupidity and insanity) are the same, but they're not... if they were, Saminga would have never been a threat to Heaven, for even a moment. - -- Rev. Pee Kitty, of the order Malkavian-Dobbsian, Q4B4L! Meow! Want to hold up a bank in Latin? "Catapultam habeo. Nisi pecuniam omnem mihi dabis, ad caput tuum saxum immane mittam." (I have a catapult. Give me all the money, or I will fling an enormous rock at your head." ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 23 Jul 2001 11:33:40 -0500 From: Earl Wajenberg Subject: Re: IN>Kobal (was Perdix) David Edelstein wrote: > Kobal isn't about laughter. He's about nasty, mean-spirited, > humiliating mockery that hurts, offends, and traumatizes. ^^^^^^^ My own opinion is that a punchier English rendering of Kobal's Word would be "Mockery." Earl ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 23 Jul 2001 11:30:04 -0400 From: Whistling in the Dark Subject: Re: IN> Proto-Superiors At 11:05 AM -0500 7/23/01, Earl Wajenberg wrote: >I like "sarim" as a term for proto-Archangels. The singual is >"sar," I think. If they have a Heavenly home of some sort, >a proto-Cathedreal, it could be called a "chapel." Sar is the singular, yes. (*Man* it scares me that I know that.) "I'm... goin' to the Chapel an' I'm... gonna get Juuuuudged...." >If proto-Princes are usually Dukes, then a home of one could >be termed "duchy." Or, to distinguish protos from less >promising or unWorded dukes, they could be called "Grand Dukes," >with "Grand Duchies." Mm. I'm more inclined to say Duke of Hell *is* the proto-state, and just have the unWorded/less whatever Servitors called Marquises, Earls or Counts, instead. It gives the uniform feeling that a "Duke of Hell" is someone to be feared, because no matter the circumstances, they're *serious* nutters. - -- Eric Alfred Burns - Impudite of Secrets -- or Mercurian of Revelation (candidate for the Word of Obscurity) ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 23 Jul 2001 13:03:14 -0400 From: Elizabeth McCoy Subject: IN> Fwd: Re: Animal Attunement >Date: Mon, 23 Jul 2001 10:17:44 -0500 >Subject: BOUNCE in_nomine-l@lists.io.com: Admin request of type /\bcancel\b/i at line 9 > >Date: Mon, 23 Jul 2001 21:09:28 +1100 >Subject: Re: Animal Attunement >From: "james walker" > > >>>>Jordi: >>>> >>>>Cloak of the Natural World >>>> >>>>With the pelt of any animal he has hunted and slain himself, and a cost >>>>of 3 Essence, an angel of Jordi can alter his vessel to become the animal >>>>whose pelt he wears. The effect lasts for a number of hours equal to the >>>>angel's Celestial Forces or until he chooses to c ancel it. This >>>>attunement grants one all the instincts, urges, and capabilities of the >>>>animal whose form is being worn, but the angel retains their own mind. >>> >>>I like all of this except the "hunted and slain himself" bit. Sure, >>>Jordi's angels hunt and kill in the normal manner, if their vessels are >>>predatory. But a lot of them aren't -- and even the predatory ones don't >>>normally take trophies. >>> >>>I think it might be better if the pelt was taken from a human hunter -- a >>>cruel or wasteful one, who the angel has discovered and punished >>>appropriately. I could see Jordi cheerfully granting an attunement for >>>that. > >Alternatively, assume that Jordi doesn't hand out Human vessels, and modify >this attunement by replacing 'animal' with 'human'. > >James > ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 23 Jul 2001 13:34:45 -0500 From: Earl Wajenberg Subject: IN> "And I Feel Fine" - Part 12: The Two Witnesses "'And I will give power to my two witnesses, and they will prophesy for 1,260 days, clothed in sackcloth.' ... If anyone tries to harm them, fire comes from their mouths and devours their enemies. This is how anyone who wants to harm them must die. These men have power to shut up the sky so that it will not rain during the time they are prophesying; and they have power to turn the waters into blood and to strike the earth with every kind of plague as often as they want. Now when they have finished their testimony, the beast that comes up from the Abyss will attack them, and overpower and kill them. ... But after the three and a half days a breath of life from God entered them, and they stood on their feet, and terror struck those who saw them. Then they heard a loud voice from heaven saying to them, "Come up here." And they went up to heaven in a cloud, while their enemies looked on." - -- Revelation 11:3-12 * * * * * * * Blandine stands on her tower and surveys the Marches. They are calm again -- calmer than they have been for centuries, in fact, after the tumult of the Dream Locust Campaign, and the hasty withdrawl of demons back to Hell. Many servitors of Dream and Nightmare now work on Earth, loaned to other Archangels and Princes. It almost seems like peace. But Blandine knows better, so she is only surprised, not shocked, when Shinniah appears at her balcony. Shinniah is an Ophanite of Dream, a swirling cluster of misty, rainbow rings, studded with rows of eyes like those on peacock feathers. It is a senior scout in the Far Marches. "My Lady," it cries, "movement in the Dawn Marches!" "An attack? Diabolical or Ethereal?" "Ethereal, my Lady. The Hindu pantheon. But not, I think, an attack. They send forth heralds. In fact--" A hawk's cry shrills. Rushing out of the Dawn Marches comes a giant eagle of gold, Garuda, the Mount of Vishnu. * * * * * * * Things never seen before have become frequent in Heaven, in the last three and a half years. But still people are surprised when Blandine ushers the Hindu gods into the Celestial City, commingled with the Taoist, Jainist, and Buddhist pantheons. They form a gaudy parade, marching straight into the hall of the Seraphim Council. There, Trimurti speaks -- the Hindu trinity of Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva. The three gods address the Archangels in perfect chorus, a single voice in three mouths, explaining their position and, to a degree, themselves. Trimurti is no human-dreamed Ethereal. Rather, it is a primal spirit, but even then not an ordinary primal. It is the primal spirit of the Symphony itself. (Many philosophically-minded angels and saints wonder what the difference may be between Trimurti and God. Staring into the infinite Light that shines, now, from the visible Throne, they learn only that this question may be fascinating and profound, but it is not of immediate importance.) Like other primal spirits, though, Trimurti has been shaped -- or has allowed its appearance to be shaped -- by human thought and belief. It appears in many aspects. Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva, and their wives, the various avatars of all of them, and many other members of the Hindu pantheon, are all members of this One. In impersonal aspects, it is the Way sought by Taoists and the Nirvana of Buddhists. For many reasons, primarily for the stability of the cosmos itself, Trimurti has stayed out of the War as long as possible. It is possible no longer; clearly the Kali Yuga is at hand, and Shiva prepares to dance. To aid its followers, Trimurti casts its lot with Heaven. In earnest of this, it presents the Seraphim Council with a resource, an ally: An ancient dreamshade, in the form of a young Indian man, steps out from behind the towering, flaming figures of the gods and bows politely to the Archangels. He has been reincarnated myriad times and awaits one last journey to Earth. He is Maitreya, the Buddha of the Future. Khalid now exchanges glances with Yves and the Metatron. "Welcome, Maitreya," he says. He then stands and claps his hands. A saint appears in the Council chamber, of Arabic appearance and garb. "I present to you your partner, the Hidden Imam." The Two Witnesses of Revelation are Maitreya and the Hidden Imam. They soon take vessels and begin their careers as prophets, Maitreya mostly in Asia, the Imam mostly in the Moslem world. When not visiting plagues on the wicked, they preach. Maitreya exposes the deceit of Hell's lures; the Imam urges the lukewarm to righteousness. The Two preach cooperation among all good folk who are anti-Therrian. * * * * * * * Roleplaying seed: Guard Duty Lucifer knows full well what is supposed to happen; the Two are to continue in this vein for three and a half years, then get killed in Jerusalem, for all the good that will do. To break the momentum of prophecy, Lucifer wants them assassinated before that date. Opposing his agents are teams of angels and saints. They are told, "Some time in the next three and a half years, your charges will be assassinated, but the longer you can put that off, the better." The guards include lots of Malakim and Cherubim, but some of everybody. If PCs aren't on the immediate team, they may be involved as backup or as aides in a particular locality. The Two move around a lot, whisked from place to place by Ophanim. Plot and foil can keep PCs busy as long as desired. Attacks can be as mundane or freaky, as subtle or obvious, as desired. I recommend that the powers attributed to the Two in Revelation be a slightly poetical expression of the powers weilded on their behalf by hosts of Angels, Saints, and allied Ethereals, none of whom feel obliged to pull punches any more. * * * * * * * Roleplaying seed: Nightmare Defection The August Prosperity Collective, the modern organization of Japan's Shinto pantheon and its recent additions, decides to defect from Hell and join Heaven and the Hindu gods. This is a sticky proposition. First, Beleth *always* has demonic ambassadors and their retinues present in the Collective's realm. Second, not everyone in the Collective wants to defect to Heaven. But the defectors get secret word to Blandine. Now what to do? Should they try for a massive, one-time breakout? Hard to coordinate. Should they try trickling out in ones and two and simply failing to come back? The Nightmare demons will notice eventually and make further departures difficult. Should they try exterminating the demons and Hell-loyalists in a coup? Depends on Nightmare's firepower. * * * * * * * Roleplaying seed: Ill-Met by Moonlight The Seely Court is split over this new polarization of the Ethereal Plane. Oberon and Titania want to join the Heaven-Trimurti alliance. Puck wants to maintain independence and is willing to take help from Hell to do that. Many fays want to run even further away into the Outermost Marches. You can bet that both Dream and Nightmare are putting on the pressure. Similar splits can occur in any surviving pagan pantheon you care to name. * * * * * * * Roleplaying seed: Aztecs Again Turns out that one of the "treasures" Lucifer had stored in the Lower Hells was most of the Aztec pantheon. A lot of them managed to escape when Semyaza opened the Abyss. Cope. * * * * * * * Roleplaying seed: Uriel Again So here are all these high-level Ethereals, entering Heaven by some special dispensation of Blandine's and/or Trimurti's and/or God's. And here they are standing in the chambers of the Seraphim Council, face to face with Uriel. Now what? Here's where the GM can resolve some Canon Doubt and Uncertainty, if they want to. Does Uriel express remorse for his Crusade? Does he justify it? Does he refuse to talk about it? Does he offer amends? Does he hint that the Ethereals got off lightly? Earl ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 23 Jul 2001 10:38:19 -0700 (PDT) From: Michael Walton Subject: Re: IN> Proto-Superior: Perdix, Demon of Despair - --- "Erich S. Arendall" wrote: > Perdix, Demon of Despair > Balseraph Duke of Factions Heh. I love the political corner that Perdix has painted himself into. Score one more for Lucifer. ===== Michael Walton, #9805-068 The trouble with doing something right the first time is that nobody appreciates how difficult it was. __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Make international calls for as low as $.04/minute with Yahoo! Messenger http://phonecard.yahoo.com/ ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 23 Jul 2001 10:42:00 -0700 (PDT) From: Michael Walton Subject: Re: IN> Proto-Superior: Perdix, Demon of Despair - --- "Erich S. Arendall" wrote: > I was troubled about those two. On one hand I could see > Saminga being > associated, but I was swayed by the classic "I don't want > 'em sad, I want > 'em dead!" attitude of his. And people who despair commit suicide how often? ===== Michael Walton, #9805-068 The trouble with doing something right the first time is that nobody appreciates how difficult it was. __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Make international calls for as low as $.04/minute with Yahoo! Messenger http://phonecard.yahoo.com/ ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 23 Jul 2001 10:49:19 -0700 (PDT) From: Michael Walton Subject: Re: IN> Plot hook (sorry) - --- "William J. Keith" wrote: > Other Malakim show him respect -- there aren't many > angels who can lay > claim to having been part of correcting an error of > behavior in one of > their Choir's Archangels -- but keep quiet about it with > outsiders. William... I am speechless at your sheer brilliance (good thing I don't have to talk to type). ===== Michael Walton, #9805-068 The trouble with doing something right the first time is that nobody appreciates how difficult it was. __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Make international calls for as low as $.04/minute with Yahoo! Messenger http://phonecard.yahoo.com/ ------------------------------ End of in_nomine-digest V1 #2314 ******************************** The material here is (C) 2001 Steve Jackson Games, Incorporated. All rights reserved.