in_nomine-digest Friday, February 21 1997 Volume 01 : Number 033 In this digest: IN> Adventure (Part Two) IN> Adventure (Part Three) Re: IN> Adventure: (Part One) Re: IN> Adventure: (Part One) IN> re: Adventure .... Re: IN> [Canon] Some Q's... IN> re: Adventure .... IN> A few miscellaneous bits... IN> More Relics IN> AggieCon IN> [Canon] Some Q's IN> SJG PR> Buy a Celestial! Re: IN>Uriel and other reli ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Thu, 20 Feb 1997 20:52:06 +0000 From: "Robert Wolff" Subject: IN> Adventure (Part Two) Part Two: Digging Around By this time, the players should have been lead to some degree of curiousity about Ziggy, his life, and any recent events that may have affected him. The most logical starting point is the Antiquarian Bookstore The Bookstore: Description The bookstore is generally open from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., 7 days a week. The bookstore is filled with numerous new-age, spiritual, and white-magic paraphanalia, as well as the ever-present background reggae music. Plants abound in this place! There are flower pots and planters everywhere, and every shelf has at least one or two small plants on it. There is a huge Jamaican flag hanging behind the till, and the entire place smells vaguely like incense... perhaps to cover up the vague smell of burning rope. The back room of the Antiquarian contains the main workspace of the Antiquarians group. The back room contains a huge conference table, chairs, filing cabinets, and boxes filled with either packets of seeds, pamphlets, envelopes, or stamps. A huge coffee pot is always perking in this room, so there is a pervasive odour of coffee, as well as other, more earthy, aromas. Ziggy's office contains a desk, chair, filing cabinet, and other business paraphanelia. His desk is a mute tribute to inefficiency, disorganization, and chaos! Papers, news-clippings, magazine articles, half-read books, and receipts cover the desk. There is an old office computer buried beneath the junk on the desk, but anyone who turns on the computer will find that it has been programmed to repeat the words, "Every Little Thing is Gonna' Be All Right" over and over again. The computer appears to serve no other function. However, Technophilic characters will have a heyday trying to figure out what the machine is doing there. It is, quite simply, a red herring. Ziggy doesn't use the machine for anything other than a reminder to relax, take it easy, and let things happen. The Upstairs: The upstairs of the Antiquarian bookstore contains a large studio apartment. This apartment is divided into various sections, including a small library, living area, kitchen, bathroom, and large hydroponic garden of marijuana. If the players do somehow break in and explore the upstairs, they will be unlucky enough to find Ziggy not at home. What's more, at the GM's discretion (depending upon whether or not the players have been subtle orstupid) there is a chance that Sharlene will be home, in which case she will play the "freaking-out-Breaking-and-Entering-Victim", threaten to phone the police, threaten to sue the players, etc. After this, she will contact Jaxom for a more directed action against the Players. Visiting the Bookstore: If the players visit the bookstore, they will find Sharlene running the till during regular hours. Ziggy no longer cares about the shop, and spends his time either sleeping upstairs (trying to find some solace in the dreamlands) or wandering the streets at night. If the players inquire too closely about Ziggy, they may pique Sharlene's curiosity. If this happens, she will press the players for information in subtle fashions, using her abilities sparingly. She knows that this delicate operation could attract the attention of Celestials, and is unwilling to tip her hand easily. She will be cautious. She will mention to the players that Ziggy has left home for awhile, that she doesn't know where he is, and that she is not especially worried about him. In every way, she will play the part of the "only mildly concerned" girlfriend. If asked, she will claim that she hasn't noticed anything strange about Ziggy recently, and that everything seemed fine. Her "theory" is that he is off on a "wanderjahr", and that he is "finding himself". She will act very much the "spinny, new-age sex-kitten", in an attempt to alleviate suspicion. She will, if pressed, mention that the regular meetings of the Antiquarians are still being held, and that she suspects Ziggy will show up tonight to the regular meeting. She knows nothing of Stash's death, so mentioning this may get a mildly shocked reaction from her, that perceptive players may suspect means that she knows something about he circumstances of that evening. Immediately upon their departure, if the players have done anything to raise Sharlene's suspicion, she will contact Jaxom to be on the lookout at tonight's meeting for any strangers who are poking around. Meeting Danny: Danny has been spying on the bookstore for the last few days, trying to get a better understanding of Ziggy. He wants to approach Ziggy and apologize, hoping that Ziggy will "forgive him". Danny is genuinely concerned for his safety. Thus, if any players have been overly curious about Ziggy while Danny has been listening outside the front door, he will confront them and ask them why they want to know about Ziggy. If the players can win his confidence (no easy feat) he will explain about his run-in with Ziggy the other night. He didn't see Sharlene off at the edge, so he has no knowledge of her presence. He also doesn't know that Stash died on the way to the hospital. Any mention of Stash's death will scare Danny almost senseless, so players will have to be cautious about how they treat this small, scared boy. Danny at School: If the players follow Danny to the school, they will see him duck into Mr. Palmer's home-room class. If they meet Palmer at the Antiquarians' Group later, it should prove suspicious enough for them to become nervous... but this is just a red herring. Palmer is a nice, liberal teacher who stuffs envelopes in his spare time for a local community service group. It is just bad luck that his student, Danny, happens to be mixed up in this affair. The Hospital: Meeting Paulie Players will have to do a little digging to find out the room number of Paulie, especially because they will have no last name for their prey. The GM is invited to invent a labyrinth of red-tape, non-helpful nurses, grumpy head-nurses, absent-minded doctors, and so on in an attempt to confuse the players. However, a small amount of effort will yield Paulie's location. Paulie is pretty mad about his friend Stash's death, but he will never let any stranger know that. He will obviously suspect the players of being police officers, and will be reticent to talk about his little run-in the other evening. If pressed, he will explain that he didn't get a good look at the person who jumped him and Stash (at this point, he has no idea that Ziggy is responsible). However, should the players make any inquiries or suggestions about Ziggy or the Bookstore, Paulie will recognize Ziggy as a popular neighbourhood figure. He will be incensed, but will not show his anger to his visitors. Instead, he will let the players leave, quietly collect his things, and leave the hospital to go hunt down and kill Ziggy. If Paulie decides to hunt down Ziggy, he will quietly stalk him from the shadows. He has seen Ziggy in action, and isn't stupid enough to try to take him out by himself. Instead, he will go get some friends to help him do the job right (Use WiseGuy archetype, as many as the GM feels are necessary for a good story). If Paulie and Friends are going to Attack Ziggy, they will do so at the Antiquarians meeting that night. The Antiquarians Meeting At the meeting, the players will meet the entire Antiquarians group. The group consists of the following members... - - Bill Peterson, a retired plumber - - Jim Palmer, a guidance counsellor at the school, and Danny's home-room teacher - Les ReNaughan (Jaxom), a writer with a local magazine, "X-toll" - Sharlene (Sharlene), Ziggy's girlfriend - Carol Jackson, a nurse (on a blown perception roll, the players might suspect that they saw her at the hospital earlier this day... could make for some interesting tension, and misplaced suspicions) - Josie Chavez, a local medium-priced outcall-girl, and as such, is unwilling to talk about herself... Jaxom acts as a sort of spokesman for the rest of the group, but will be careful not to call attention to himself If Jaxom has been alerted by suspicious activities by the players, or if Sharlene has warned Jaxom, he will gladly engage the players in conversation, if only to call attention to others in the group. He will draw especial attention, to Josie, as her reticence to discuss her outside life should be mysterious enough to pre-occupy the players. As well, should the players have visited Danny at school, Jaxom will emphasize Jim Palmer as a teacher at the local school. (Say, Jim, didn't you guys have some trouble down there at your school the other day?) As well, should the players have visited Paulie in the hospital, Jaxom will emphasize Carol Jackson's role as a nurse, hoping to draw suspicion onto her shoulders. All in all, Jaxom will do anything he can to feed useless information the player's way, in an attempt to get them to suspect the other members of the Antiquarian's group without drawing attention to either himself or Sharlene. Halfway through the meeting, Ziggy will walk in. He will be nervous, harried, and obviously upset. He is unwilling to talk to the players. Sharlene will attempt to calm him down, playing up her role as compassionate girlfriend. If the players become rude or hostile, however, she will demand that they leave at once, as they are disrupting the "positive energy space" and are upsetting her lover. The GM should use this as an opportunity for well-meaning players to try to get to the bottom of Ziggy's calamity. Make sure that you play up certain aspects of Ziggy's personality, including his sense of Loss, Betrayal, Confusion, and Lack of Purpose. As well, the GM should use this opportunity to drop clues about the reasons why Ziggy is lashing out at night (his sense of Guilt), the types of victims he chooses ("Those damned Dealers... I'll make them all pay!"), his sense of Confusion ("When did it all turn so wrong... or was it ever right?"), and his new sense of Purpose ("You know, this neighbourhood wouldn't be so bad if it wasn't for them... it'll be safe around here soon enough when I'm done.") Ziggy will demand, if nothing else, a few days to think about things. Even if the players manage to convince him that he is going down the wrong path, he will demand a few days to put things right in his won head. See Below for Possible Confrontation:... When the players leave, Ziggy will become nervous, and Les ReNaughan (Jaxom), will quietly convince Ziggy to come over to his house for a few days. It's obvious Ziggy's got something going on that he doesn't want any hassles with, so why not lie low at Les' apartment for a few days. Sharlene will gladly help convince Ziggy to go to Les', but will refuse to divulge this information at any future occasion to the players. Possible Confrontation: If the players have been indelicate enough to suggest to Paulie that Ziggy is responsible for Stash's death (see Hospital section, above), then this is the time that Paulie and his henchmen will enter. They will wave weapons, telling everybody to leave. The Antiquarians will all shuffle out, including Jaxom, but Sharlene will stay beside her "beloved". The thugs are there for the sole purpose of killing Ziggy. They are reluctant to kill his girlfriend, but will do so if pressed. Likewise, they will tell the players to leave, but won't be particularly upset if they elect to stay (after all, they could finger Paulie in this affair...) When the fireworks occur, Sharlene will do everything in her power to stay out of the line of fire, but will show her Diabolical nature only as a last resort. If she feels she can get away with a little disturbing of the Symphony, she will do so, but only if she notices action occuring around her that will cover her tracks. Extremely perceptive or suspicious players might notice something amiss, however, and act accordingly. Ziggy will use any opportunity to attack and kill the thugs, if only to finish the job that he started the previous night. Their violent actions will paint themselves in an extremely negative light in his eyes, and according to his twisted sense of honour at the moment, he will see them as an enemy of the Light. Thus, he will use every ability at his disposal to wound or dispatch a few of them, particularly Paulie, and then take the first chance to flee the Player's scrutiny, and make off into the night through the window. He will then make his way to the house of his best friend, Les ReNaughan (Jaxom), where he will continue his nightly sojourns. Sharlene will remain behind, the distraught, freaked out girlfriend. If her cover has been blown, she will attempt a confrontation only if she thinks she can win. She will taunt the players, using such heart-felt dialogue as "You've had your chance with him, soon he'll belong to Our Side", and the like. She will not willingly give up Jaxom's cover, however, as she will hope that she will be able to enlist his aid. (the best defense is an unsuspected demon sneaking up behind the other guy...) Sincerely, Rob Wolff / Bodhi rwolff@v-wave.com ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 20 Feb 1997 20:52:45 +0000 From: "Robert Wolff" Subject: IN> Adventure (Part Three) Part Three: The Turning Point: From this point on, the action will depend quite a bit on what the players do. If they are smart, and remember what newspaper Les ReNaughan worked for ("X-toll"), they may use him to track down Ziggy. If the players show up at Jaxom's door, Jaxom will pull no punches and confront the players. He can't afford to have his role and cover blown by these bumbling Celestials, and will attempt to get rid of these meddlers once and for all. Or, the players could come back the next day, and find Sharlene unwilling to cooperate and tell them Ziggy's whereabouts. If they press her, she will quietly call for "back-up". In this case, Jaxom will arrive, and a different confrontation could occur. Or, the players having listened to what Ziggy had said earlier, know that his new Purpose is to "clean up this neighbourhood", and stake out the neighbourhood on a nightly basis hoping to catch up with Ziggy on one of his nightly missions. Or, the players may have no idea what is going on, have no idea how to find Ziggy, and be completely clueless. In this case, Ziggy will continue to hide out at Jaxom's house, and continue his nightly forays. Ziggy's Time-Line: Ziggy will have a few actions over the next few days. They will occur undisturbed unless the players intervene. Each action involves him interrogating the victims, giving him enough information to lead him to another "hit" the next night. First Night: Ziggy will attack 3 Drug Dealers making a Buy. 2 survive, and will gladly tell inquiring players that they told Ziggy about another deal going on the next night... If the players are not nearby intervening, they will read about the news in the next days' paper. Second Night: Ziggy will attack 4 Dealers making a Buy. One survives, and will gladly tell inquiring players that they told Ziggy about the crack house they work for... If the players are not nearby intervening, they will learn about it through radio and newspaper headlings, which will provide sensationalized stories about the `Vigilante Night Stalker' the next day. "X-toll" magazine will even dispatch its best reporter, Les ReNaughan, to write an article on Crime and Modern Social Upheaval. Third Night: Ziggy will take out a Crack House in the Neighbourhood, burning it to the ground. There are 3 Wiseguys and 6 "innocent" people in the house, who's only crime is addiction. The 1 surviving Wiseguy will gladly tell inquiring players that they told Ziggy about the place that supplies them with their crack... If the players are not nearby intervening, they will learn about it through radio and television as it is happening, or by radio, television, and newspaper articles abou the `Vigilante Night Stalker' the next day. Fourth Night: Ziggy will take out a local Crack production warehouse, in which there are 2 Wiseguys, and 8 "innocent" technicians. The 1 surviving technician and 1 surviving technician will gladly tell players about the Leader of the Drug Gang that Ziggy was asking about... If the players are not nearby intervening, they will learn about it through radio, television, and newspaper articles abou the `Vigilante Night Stalker' the next day. Fifth Night: Ziggy will kill the local Leader of the Drug Gang, along with his 4 lieutenants. The one surviving Lieutenant will gladly tell players about the way in which Ziggy seemed so interested in who was making the major buy at the docks the next night. NB: After this point, Ziggy will be Outcast. He will be disowned by his former side unless he struggles to come back. If the players are not nearby intervening, they will learn about it through radio, television, and newspaper articles abou the `Vigilante Night Stalker' the next day. Sixth Night: Ziggy will sink a cargo ship smuggling drugs into the country. He will attempt to blow a hole in the side of the ship using explosives. This will be his final, climactic attack. After this point, Ziggy will Fall. He will be lost to the side of light forever. If the players are not nearby intervening, they will learn about it through radio, television, and newspaper articles abou the `Vigilante Night Stalker' the next day. Playing It Out: I've left much after the first few days as a sketchy outline for the GM to adapt to. It is obvious that the story-line is going to be flexible, depending upon the actions of the players. Thus, in an attempt to preserve some sense of free-will along the storyline, I have left the exact action after the first few nights up to the GM's discretion, based on the players actions. The GM should make sure that the players have at least some idea what is going on. If they've left Ziggy alone after the first night, and cannot figure out where he is, subtly remind them that he said he was going to try to clean up the neighbourhood. Then, if they fail to make a concerted effort to find Ziggy before he strikes that night, you can have them discover each escalating incident in various ways... Should the players absolutely fail to catch up with Ziggy, stake out the appropriate areas, investigate on their own, etc., he will be lost to them after the sixth night. Only a concerted effort on the part of the players will sway Ziggy from his chosen path. Some things the players might use to convince Ziggy are... a. Brute Force b. Conversation, Convincing, and Coersion c. the Revelation that his Girlfriend has been a manipulative Demon d. The Revelation that his best friend Les ReNaughan has been a manipulative Demon If the players fail, in the GM's opinion, to present a convincing argument, Ziggy will even choose to attack the players, subconsciously knowing that he will probably lose such a battle. His subconscious would prefer to be killed by friends for hiw own Good, rather than succeed in Falling from Grace completely. Rewards: Awarding Character Points Suggested rewards for the adventure will fluctuate according to the following factors: 1. Was Ziggy Saved? +1 Character Point 2. Did Ziggy Fall? - 2 Character Points 3. Did any player achieve their Master's Wishes ... Dominic... Ziggy Destroyed and Disgraced +2 character points Eli ... Ziggy saved, +2 character points Novalis ... Ziggy saved, +1 character points 4. Role-playing ... +/- 1 to 3 character points (penalize for disruptive, unruly play) 5. Was Sharlene Uncovered? +1 character point 6. Was Jaxom Uncovered? +1 character point 7. any Diabolicals Permanently Destroyed? +1 Character point each Dramatis Personae: It is important for the Game Master to tailor the adventure to their own needs and purposes. Towards that end, I have purposely left the characters in the Dramatis Personae without Statistics, so that the Game master can tailor the adventure to his/her player's abilities, as well as the house-rules that are in place. However, the game master should keep in mind such things as the special attunements available to the Celestials/Diabolicals with regards to their Choir/Bands and Archangels/Princes. Don't hesitate to give all attunements to the Dramatis Personae if you have experienced or powerful player characters, or if you have four or more players. As well, the GM should remember that Ziggy, Jaxom, and Sharlene are all experienced characters, with more than the starting amount of character points to be spent on various Resources. Note: You must, before beginning play, generate the statistics and information for ALL of the characters in the Dramatis Personae, according to the house-rules you use, and the level of ability of the players' characters. DRAMATIS PERSONAE Ziggy Jaxom Sharlene Danny Paulie The Antiquarians Wiseguy Archetype Innocent Bystander - Technician or Crackhead ******************************************************************* Well... What do you think? Any information would be greatly appreciated! I really need either information if I'm going to continue to put this much work into writing stuff up for the list group. Otherwise, I'll keep my big yap shut, save band-width, and let you guys put the "good stuff" out there. Thanks for listening. Sincerely, Rob Wolff / Bodhi rwolff@v-wave.com ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 20 Feb 97 22:17:16 -0600 From: Deathdog Subject: Re: IN> Adventure: (Part One) >Adventure > >Title: Turn On, Tune In, Drop Out > >Introduction: Ziggy's Story Someone had an insight of creativity. Seems pretty cool. Maybe we could put this in an upcoming suppliment. *********************************************************** Brad Everman aka Deathdog, Mac programmer & Grammy-Winning Rap Artist "Friday, January 31st: Downloading of pornography on the internet drops by over fifty percent as millions flock to see Star Wars: A New Hope" ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 20 Feb 1997 23:36:26 -0500 (EST) From: DeltaS Subject: Re: IN> Adventure: (Part One) On Thu, 20 Feb 1997, Robert Wolff wrote: > Title: Turn On, Tune In, Drop Out > > Introduction: Ziggy's Story [snip] > the new "Angel of Cannibis" in her department. [snip] Hey dude, lets smoke a fat bud and zone. Okay I know I'm being a bitch but I hate this. ;) I do. The writer is a nice guy though. It's not about the drugs. I suppose, I take offence in the fact that an angel would take a drug, or have the word of a drug that makes you stupid. :) Just say no. And don't flame me for being a weenie, I've probably done more drugs than everyone on this list combind. ;) oh, I don't know why, I just hate it. heh. - -DeltaS who is full of hate, and perhaps is falling ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 20 Feb 1997 22:15:48 +0000 From: "Robert Wolff" Subject: IN> re: Adventure .... Actually, just in case anybody's interested (and I'm sure most of you aren't)... I've never done drugs in my life. Never. I didn't even drink until I turned 23. I just thought it'd be a cool juxtaposition of cultural values, religious perspectives, Natural Product vs. Human Technological Perversion, the lost idealism of the '60's, the whole Marijuana for Aids patients thing... I guess I thought that, like humans, an angel could become too caught up in any one perspective, in any one goal, in any one answer. However, everything can be a force for Good, as well as for Evil. You know, Morphine can be used as medicine, Heroin is a destructive drug. Psychotropic drugs and hallucinogenic experiences can be a Spiritual Awakening, or a Soul-Destroying Addiction. But Ziggy doesn't see that... he's only focussing, in his too extreme way, on the bad stuff that could've happened from his influence, and not the good. Anyway... just thought it made an interesting, "humanizing" effect on the angel's personality. ... and I also thought it was a nifty tie in between the conservative Angelic nature of Rastafarianism and its liberal "new-age-ish" spiritualism that sometimes overshadows its beautiful message. You know... human stuff. The way we always seem, like Ziggy, to only see one side or the other, and never the balance between the two that is more likely true. Both states co-exist. It's what you do with it that counts. Just my Buddhist nature showing, I guess. Didn't mean to sound preachy. Sincerely, Rob Wolff / Bodhi rwolff@v-wave.com ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 21 Feb 1997 00:12:44 -0500 (EST) From: Don Fnordlioni Subject: Re: IN> [Canon] Some Q's... On 20 Feb 1997, Moriah - Steve Jackson Games wrote: > (although, compared to the noise a Tether makes, who would notice?). Are you being serious here? Cause this caveat here can lead to some pretty neat cover tactics. Ie -- kill four people in quick succession, and somewhere in there, invoke your Superior. The angels who come running to kick some ass, and see the bodies, might just assume someone went bonkers, and not realize a Prince is right around the corner. Or something like that. > And, since it's been discussed on the list, here. Let me add that > switching vessels should be as loud as going celestial. > >(v) Are all angels of Jean immune to electricity? If not, how can they > >perform the 'two hours plugged into the mains' ritual? > > The performance of the Rite itself grants the immunity during the duration > of the Rite. Then why do Belial's servants have to already be immune to fire to perform his 250-degree rite? Just cause? Is Jean's rite a handy way to avoid (for example) getting cooked in an electric chair? > >(viii) Why are higher levels of the Song of Claws (page 82) less effective > >than lower levels? (Smaller claws, lower accuracy.) > > Use 6" chopsticks to pick up something. Then, use 1' chopsticks. The > reason why the extra long claws lose accuracy should then be made clear ;) No, I think he's talking about the Claws getting longer, then shorter. Level 3 Claws are 18 inches. Level 4 claws are only 12. | Don Fnordlioni | donfnord@pitt.edu | http://www.pitt.edu/~donfnord | Please use PGP encryption when writing Finger donfnord@pitt.edu for key ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 21 Feb 1997 03:58:21 -0500 (EST) From: Raoul Duke Subject: IN> re: Adventure .... On Thu, 20 Feb 1997, Robert Wolff wrote: [snip snip] > I just thought it'd be a cool juxtaposition of cultural values, > religious perspectives, Natural Product vs. Human Technological > Perversion, the lost idealism of the '60's, the whole Marijuana for > Aids patients thing... > > I guess I thought that, like humans, an angel could become too caught > up in any one perspective, in any one goal, in any one answer. > However, everything can be a force for Good, as well as for Evil. > You know, Morphine can be used as medicine, Heroin is a destructive > drug. Psychotropic drugs and hallucinogenic experiences can be a > Spiritual Awakening, or a Soul-Destroying Addiction. [snip again] And this is exactly why I did like it, because it was a silly premise that became something significant. When I actually get around to running an In Nomine campaign, I may just start out with this adventure, or at least the meat of it, because I think it really catches the spirit of the game. To me, at least, IN is a mix of low comedy and action movie, with maybe a little melodrama added in. The original source was deliberately played for dark laughs, and I think that silliness is inherent in running a game that has angels playing office politics with their superiors and demons doing almost exactly the same. If having an Angel of Marijuana's stupid, having an Archangel be concerned with finances isn't that much sillier. Besides which, despite having a wacky premise, it turned into a serious adventure with a thought-provoking theme, and that's above the call of duty for a game, right? The key to good In Nomine, I think, is starting with a ridiculous premise and then playing it totally straight, and letting any comedy or drama come out of that tension between the two. I thought it was a great piece of work, especially as it was dashed off in like two days. I just wanted Robert to know that I at least got a lot out of it, and it helped me get a handle on what I want out of this game. Enough butt-kissing for now. Joe ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 21 Feb 1997 04:14:22 -0500 (EST) From: HarlinHirs@aol.com Subject: IN> A few miscellaneous bits... Hello... Jumping in with both feet, as it were... 1) Read _In Nomine_, loved it, plan on running it eventually, looking for a game to jump into. (Don't suppose anyone's in the D.C. area?) 2) IMHO: The sort of dualism required to produce the "Heaven vs. Hell: The Battle of the Millenium" cosmology represented in IN isn't really biblical at its core. Only Michael and Gabriel are mentioned specifically on the Angelic side, and the "Fall" of the Angels from heaven isn't mentioned at all in the Old Testament, far as I can see, and only vaguely in some of the short letters in the New Testament up until Revelations. I personally blame Zoroaster for the whole thing... 3) Recently read the novel _The Last Coin_ by James P. Blaylock, which involves the Wandering Jew of legend, the 30 silver coins of Judas fame, and a great deal of silliness. The coins would make a wonderful treasure-hunt series of artifacts for characters on either side of the game... 4) I was trying to think of an adversary on a grand enough scale to keep a mixed party together for more than a one-or-two session game, and I believe I finally managed it. Here's a hint... I think I'll entitle the adventure "Slow Boat to R'Lyeh". Paul. I mean, just think of it! You want cinematic? You got cinematic... "Biff!" "Bap!" "Take that, you slimy cephalopod!" "Urk..." Maybe they could start with Father Dagon and work their way up... ------------------------------ Date: 21 Feb 97 05:17:06 EST From: Moriah - Steve Jackson Games <73407.515@CompuServe.COM> Subject: IN> More Relics >Celestial Relic: Doomshades > >What appears to be a pair of sleek black sunglasses, these shades are, >in fact, imbued with dark magics, enabling the user to foretell someone's >ultimate fate, should it loom near. > >By succeeding on a Perception + (Relic Level) roll, and spending 1 >Essence, the wearer of the Doomshades will spy a faint, glowing sigil >marking those mortals who are fated to die within a week, barring >Celestial intervention. The effect lasts but a few moments, but any number >of people can be scanned at once. Should the user fail the roll, the >Doomshades won't lie -- but they cannot be used again until the next >sunrise or sunset. > >This relic costs 2 points per level. The base cost of a Relic with a Song is 3 points per level. Since you limit its use to once per day, then 2 points per level seems right. I would also define the actual length of time that it works (maybe Check Digit seconds or minutes). Or, perhaps the glasses can scan Check Digit number of people. Peace, Moriah ------------------------------ Date: 21 Feb 97 06:17:20 EST From: Moriah - Steve Jackson Games <73407.515@CompuServe.COM> Subject: IN> AggieCon >Deathdog: >This is kinda off topic, but is anyone going to AggieCon? >I see nothing about In Nomine anywhere on the info sheets >so far. This pisses me off. We need IN to be prominent at >every large con. If others are going, maybe we can set up >a demo game and have some fun. Otherwise, the AD&D tourney >will be the highlight of the weekend. Yuck. Most Cons that do any preparation, require event GMs/Coordinators to submit their games several months in advance. That would not be enough time for IN NOMINE games to show up. IN NOMINE only came out two weeks before GEN CON's event submission deadline, so, I don't imagine that there'll be many IN games listed for GEN CON in the program book (although I'm sure there will be late-submitted IN games). BTW, at GEN CON, I'll be running a scenario (repeated). Check out the DREAMSMITHS full page ad in the GEN CON brochure for the event number. >Oh yeah, Aaron Allston will be there. Yee haw. >How come Steve Jackson isn't going? It's only 100 miles from Austin... Donno. AggieCon isn't even listed on their website. There is a listing there of Cons with contact addresses and whether there'll be a SJG staffer there. Peace, Moriah ------------------------------ Date: 21 Feb 97 06:26:38 EST From: Moriah - Steve Jackson Games <73407.515@CompuServe.COM> Subject: IN> [Canon] Some Q's >Don F.: >> (although, compared to the noise a Tether makes, who would notice?). > >Are you being serious here? >Cause this caveat here can lead to some pretty neat cover tactics. >Ie -- kill four people in quick succession, and somewhere in there, invoke >your Superior. The angels who come running to kick some ass, and see >the bodies, might just assume someone went bonkers, and not realize a >Prince is right around the corner. > >Or something like that. Well, we haven't set in stone, yet, what sort of Disturbance a Tether does. You're right that it's a Bad Idea to let players get away with anything they want just because they're in a Tether; but, it *is* a home base. Perhaps Tethers will wind up only dampening the noise a bit. OTOH, it'll be pretty easy to spot an enemy's Tether, and put a minor celestial spirit to watch it. Humans going in and never coming out will be a cause for a alarm and maybe a call to immobilize and Do Something about this Tether. Again, this is not Canon... yet. Thanks for spotting this. >> >(v) Are all angels of Jean immune to electricity? If not, how can they >> >perform the 'two hours plugged into the mains' ritual? >> >> The performance of the Rite itself grants the immunity during the >>duration of the Rite. > >Then why do Belial's servants have to already be immune to fire to perform >his 250-degree rite? Just cause? Is Jean's rite a handy way to avoid (for >example) getting cooked in an electric chair? Because that's what the descriptions of the Rites say. For Belial's Rite, there is an Attunement that let's one become immune to fire. So, that Rite is useful only for those who've bought or were given that Attunement. Since Jean's Rite does not say one has to be immune, and there is not Attunement to make one immune, the Rite must give the immunity. And no, a 10 second high amperage (or voltage... whatever) charge from an electric chair is not the same as plugging into a constant electrical power source. A ritual has ritual elements to it which are constitutive of the Rite. >> >(viii) Why are higher levels of the Song of Claws (page 82) less >effective > >than lower levels? (Smaller claws, lower accuracy.) >> >> Use 6" chopsticks to pick up something. Then, use 1' chopsticks. The >> reason why the extra long claws lose accuracy should then be made clear ;) > >No, I think he's talking about the Claws getting longer, then shorter. >Level 3 Claws are 18 inches. Level 4 claws are only 12. For levels 1-3, they are 6". For levels 4-6 they are 12". That's why accuracy is +1 for level 1-3 and why accuracy drops to 0 at levels 4-5. What increases with every level is the Power (+1 per level). Yes, it could have been worded more clearly. Peace, Moriah ------------------------------ Date: 21 Feb 97 06:26:52 EST From: Moriah - Steve Jackson Games <73407.515@CompuServe.COM> Subject: IN> SJG PR> Buy a Celestial! - --- forwarded URL: http://beta.sjgames.com/auction/ --- Auction Page _________________________________________________________________ We're auctioning off some of the unique, interesting, and truly weird items that have been sitting around Warehouse 23. Proceeds from this auction are going towards a new machine for the SJ Games website. Please be sure you have read and understood the auction rules and instructions before you bid. If you encounter problems with this page or the bidding scripts, please send email to webmaster@sjgames.com. [snip other lots] ______________________________________________________________ Lot 6 Be an Angel! Design an In Nomine angel; describe the character; name it with your own name (or something else); we'll fit it into an upcoming supplement. If you like, you can send us your photo for the artist to work from. We reserve the right to playtest the character and to edit anything really disgusting that you try to slip in :-) Current high bid is $125 from Frank Lazar (fmlazar@interactive.net), at 23:09 on Thursday, February 20. Bid on this Item ______________________________________________________________ Lot 7 Be a Demon! Design an In Nomine demon; describe the character; name it with your own name (or something else); we'll fit it into an upcoming supplement. If you like, you can send us your photo for the artist to work from. We reserve the right to playtest the character and to edit anything really disgusting that you try to slip in :-) Current high bid is $100 from Michael Kosteva (tuba@io.com), at 17:34 on Wednesday, February 19. Bid on this Item ______________________________________________________________ Watch this space for more auction items, coming soon. Yes, we gleefully accept donated items to auction for the webserver fund! Send email to webmaster@sjgames.com if you have something you'd like to donate. Here's a complete list of previously auctioned items. _________________________________________________________________ Steve Jackson Games * General Info - ----End Forwarded Message(s)---- ------------------------------ Date: 21 Feb 1997 12:05:06 U From: "Andy Butcher" Subject: Re: IN>Uriel and other reli Reply to: RE>>IN>Uriel and other religion >In the Dreamscape section (I don't have the book with me) >it explicitly says that other gods and spirits have their own >realms, and that there is a rumor that "God" has rewritten >history since coming to power, making himself "the" god. :) >So, I do certainly interperet this to be the "christian" god. Erm, why? Andy Butcher - ------------------------------ Date: 20/02/97 20:59 To: Andy Butcher From: in_nomine-l@lists.io.com On 20 Feb 1997, Andy Butcher wrote: > Actually, as far as I can see, after a couple of fairly intensive > readings of the book, In Nomine only ever refers to 'God'. The > implication seems to be that while there is _a_ God, the Christian take > on Him/Her/It is only one of several interpretations. > In other words, I don't think In Nomine implies that God is the > Christian God - He/She/It is simply God. In the Dreamscape section (I don't have the book with me) it explicitly says that other gods and spirits have their own realms, and that there is a rumor that "God" has rewritten history since coming to power, making himself "the" god. :) So, I do certainly interperet this to be the "christian" god. -DeltaS The Angel of Posturing, Cheribum of Janus. Rite: Soul of the Poseur - ------------------ RFC822 Header Follows ------------------ Received: by qm-gw.futurenet.co.uk with SMTP;20 Feb 1997 20:58:23 U Received: from firewall.futurenet.co.uk by dnserv.futurenet.co.uk (8.7.5/PIPEX simple 1.27) id UAA16446; Thu, 20 Feb 1997 20:58:18 GMT Received: by firewall.futurenet.co.uk; id UAA29692; Thu, 20 Feb 1997 20:49:42 GMT Received: from lists.io.com(199.170.88.15) by firewall.futurenet.co.uk via smap (g3.0.3) id xma029690; Thu, 20 Feb 97 20:49:33 GMT Received: (from majordom@localhost) by lists.io.com (8.8.5/8.8.5) id OAA28294 for in_nomine-l-outgoing; Thu, 20 Feb 1997 14:39:35 -0600 Received: from post-ofc05.srv.cis.pitt.edu (post-ofc05.srv.cis.pitt.edu [136.142.185.10]) by lists.io.com (8.8.5/8.8.5) with ESMTP id OAA28290 for ; Thu, 20 Feb 1997 14:39:34 -0600 Received: from unixs-eval.cis.pitt.edu (kurneck@unixs-eval.cis.pitt.edu [136.142.185.19]) by post-ofc05.srv.cis.pitt.edu with SMTP (8.8.5/cispo-2.0.1.7) ID for ; Thu, 20 Feb 1997 15:25:26 -0500 (EST) Date: Thu, 20 Feb 1997 15:25:25 -0500 (EST) From: DeltaS X-Sender: kurneck@unixs-eval.cis.pitt.edu To: In Nomine List Subject: Re: IN>Uriel and other religion In-Reply-To: Message-ID: MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: TEXT/PLAIN; charset=US-ASCII Sender: owner-in_nomine-l@lists.io.com Precedence: bulk Reply-To: in_nomine-l@lists.io.com ------------------------------ End of in_nomine-digest V1 #33 ****************************** The material here is (C) 1996 Steve Jackson Games, Incorporated. All rights reserved.