From owner-in_nomine-digest@lists.io.com Sun Mar 9 14:21:40 1997 Return-Path: Received: from lists.io.com (majordom@lists.io.com [199.170.88.15]) by deliverator.io.com (8.8.5/8.8.5) with ESMTP id OAA17265; Sun, 9 Mar 1997 14:21:21 -0600 (CST) Received: (from majordom@localhost) by lists.io.com (8.8.5/8.8.5) id OAA31770 for in_nomine-digest-outgoing; Sun, 9 Mar 1997 14:25:03 -0600 Date: Sun, 9 Mar 1997 14:25:03 -0600 Message-Id: <199703092025.OAA31770@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 #61 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 Sunday, March 9 1997 Volume 01 : Number 061 In this digest: IN> INC Updated IN> A Few Questions IN> New Archangel Suggestion IN> Yet Another Archangel Re: IN> Yet Another Archangel Re: IN> Yet Another Archangel IN> New Demon Prince ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Sat, 8 Mar 1997 15:31:10 -0800 (PST) From: Jason Newquist Subject: IN> INC Updated Folks, This is mildly off-topic for the list, so I'll be brief. I finally got around to updating the In Nomine Collection pages (after a nearly 2 week hiatus). I had about 15-20 files to sort through, and I finally got through the backlog. So most of the new stuff we've seen floating around the list here should have a place online. URL: http://www.nocturne.org/inc PLEASE: If you'd like to see something appear on the INC in some fashion, place email to my *personal* address: . Thanks. - ---------------------------------- Jason Newquist, lists@nocturne.org Network Operations, San Jose Netcom Inc. ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 8 Mar 1997 18:26:19 +0800 From: s012433@umslvma.umsl.edu (Brian) Subject: IN> A Few Questions Greets all, I am new to the list, and to In Nomine as well, and I just have a few questions... 1. Do humans with Six Forces and up (as in Soldiers, Undead, or self enlightened individuals) have a sense of the Symphony? It would make sense for Soldiers and Undead, but then I cannot find a yes or no in the book. I was thinking that they could, just at a lower capacity (lower target number) than Celestials. 2. I just wonder what magick would be like in the IN universe, seeing as how mundane's can reach a Sixth Force on their own, which "should" give them hightened awareness and abilities. I plan on making some variants for my own campaign concerning this, basing magick upon certain comics I have read which I think are chock full of ideas for IN, such as the Sandman and Hellblazer. 3. In thinking of magick in IN, I came to the conclusion that one of the branches would be Summoning, which would include Binding and Protection, and such magick would rely upon ritual and material components, as well as verbal and somantic. I was wondering though. Should one be able to summon an Angel? A demon would make sense, and I was thinking that their Chance of Invocation would be (6 - Celestial Forces), modified by materials used in the ritual, length of ritual, so on and so forth. Comments on this would be appreciated. Well, that is about all for now. Thanks for taking the time... Brian ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 8 Mar 1997 21:29:25 +0000 From: "Bodhi" Subject: IN> New Archangel Suggestion Here is a suggestion for one of the overlooked words - one that is screaming for an archangel. Sunya, Archangel of Compassion "Life is Pain, but shared pain is lessenned". As a young elohite, Sunya learned early on that life is filled with suffering, and that it is only through understanding the source of that pain that the pain is reduced. When one becomes distanced from the source of the pain, and is able to reflect truly upon the reason behind the suffering, the effect is then diminished. True understanding and unattached reflection bring about a complete cessation of suffering. However, one still recognizes that others suffer in the world, and the first, best duty of all sentient beings is the reduction of that suffering. The true etiology of the divine Word "Compassion" means "to suffer with another". Thus, in the angelic tongue, one discusses being compassionate by describing, quite literally, suffering with someone else. To Understand all is to Forgive all: thus, servitors of Sunya seek to understand another's pain, in order to truly experience it, share it, and thereby reduce its effects. Servitors of Sunya are constant reminders that Life is a tapestry of interwoven threads. When one thread is broken, the unravelling affects many other lives. The first lesson for all servitors of Sunya is that "no man is an island", and that we all are interconnected at the most fundamental level. Servitors of Sunya love Chaos theory, as this accurately reflects the Divine lesson that a butterfly beating its wings in central park has an effect felt halfway around the world. All things are inter-related. When we understand our inter-relation with those around us, we see ourselves in our true Light. Almost every servitor of Sunya has a copy of "It's a Wonderful Life" on videotape, but their copies tend to be a bit worn. Every act of compassion thus furthers Sunya's divine Word. This being the case, Sunya has found that Buddhists tend to end up furthering his Word quite a bit, since the root of Buddhism is the Compassionate Understanding of all others. Thus, Sunya has a special fondness for Buddhists, although he feels no pressing need to side with any one religion. All religions are inter-related, after all. What matters the ladder used to achieve the Summit of Compassionate Understanding: after one climbs to the Peak, throw the ladder away. Dissonance: Servitors of Sunya gain discord when they fail to recognize the inter-related nature of people's suffering, and thereby mistakenly increase the amount of suffering in the world by an amount more than they alleviate. If a servitor of Sunya, through their actions, brings about more suffering than they alleviate, they gain a point of dissonance. This does not mean that they cannot ever cause suffering. Sometimes one "must be cruel, only to be kind." However, if the eventual losses outweigh the gains, and more suffering is caused than cured, then the servant gains a point of dissonance. Choir Attunements: Seraphim: As compassionate understanding and Truth go hand in hand, Sunya's Seraphim have an affinity for knowing the true cause of somebody's pain. For each person, a Seraph can know the True cause of somebody's greatest suffering, even if this cause is unknown to the sufferer. This True Cause could be an easy-to-interpret background event ("Your mother never loved you", or "You feel inadequate because you never finished college") or something even more esoteric (".....Rosebud"). Thus, while you know what the Root of their Suffering is, you don't necessarily know why! Cherubim: Devotion and compassion combine in the cherub's attunement. Cherubim serving Sunya gain the ability to literally suffer the pains of another. They may remove any damage, or any type, from the object of their Resonance-attachment, and take it upon themselves, from anywhere in the world. Ofanim: Ofanim in service to Sunya, through their special affinity for movement and places, can immediately tell where a subject would feel most at home, at ease, at peace. Thus, they can tell where a person "should be". This knowledge can be very specific ("you'd be Happy if you visited your old tree-house") or very vague ("you should finally take that pilgrimage") Elohim: Elohites in service to Sunya know, for every subject, whether they have Objectively alleviated more suffering than they have caused in the world. Thus, for every mortal, such an Elohite knows whether their karmic balance is in the Black, or the Red. Such information is often outside of the ken of the subjects, as most people have no real idea who they have helped, or who they have hurt. Malakim: You only hurt the ones you love. A Malakite serving Sunya understands their enemy to such an extent that they gain extra knowledge about what truly hurts their opponenet. Such knowledge comes only through truly understanding and "connecting with" one's opponent, however. Thus, while their attunement gives them a +1 to hit any opponent with any method, each time they use this attunement they gain one point of the same type of damage they are inflicting. (when you REALLY want to hurt somebody, you must suffer alongside them while you Beat them to a Bloody Pulp!) Kyriotates: Kyriotates generate no disturbance in the Symphony when they use the Corporeal Song of Healing on the vessel of their Host, so long as they are leaving the host in better shape than when they found it. Thus, some kyriotates will have a stable of volunteers who are permanently Ill, and will always leave their host's vessel more well-off than when they first possessed it. Mercurials: Mercurials in service to Sunya can pick the names of the people most affected by the subject out of the Symphony. Thus, they can know the names of the persons who will be most affected by the loss of the subject, even if the subject has no idea that these people exist at all. (Think Scrooge and Tiny-Tim...) Servitor Attunements: Shared Pain: This attunement allows the servitor to triple (!!) the amount of healing done by any of the Songs of Healing, but the servitor must suffer the base number in points of damage themselves. Thus, you could cure 18 Corporeal Hits if you were willing to suffer 6 hits yourself. In a similar fashion, the amount of healing for Ethereal and Celestial songs is tripled, so long as the servitor takes the required amount of damage themself. Forced Enlightenment: At the cost of 2 essence per participant, this attunement allows the servitor to set up a "slightly more than metaphorical" connection between individuals. Any damage done to one individual is also done to (and felt by) the others. This, ideally, forces the individuals in question to recognize the inter-related nature of all things, and the meaninglessness of causing pain to others. Not a bad way to break up a fight, either... Distinctions: Vassal of Karma: At the cost of one essence, a Vassal of Karma can pull out of their pocket a small-sized gift. This gift is always "just the right thing" to make somebody's day a little brighter. This doesn't mean you know what it will be, or the significance of the object. It only means you get to pull it out, and present it to the person. This could be their favourite chocolate bar, a Cuban cigar, a replica of their childhoood toboganning cap, etc. Friend to the Lost: At the cost of one essence per event, you can explain to a mortal what the world would've been like had they never been born. After a number of such explanations, hopefully the hapless mortal gets the point that they are an intrinsically important part of the Symphony. (think Clarence getting his wings by explaining to George Bailey why It's a Wonderful Life...) Great for talking down those jumpers! Master of Suffering: At the cost of 5 essence, a Master of Suffering can remove permanently 2 points of somebody else's Dissonance, but they gain 1 point for themselves. They will do the suffering for others. They must work off this dissonance in a normal fashion. Thus, you could, at the cost of 10 essence, remove 4 points of dissonance from a friend, and then work off your own 2 points of dissonance in a normal fashion. NO DISSONANCE ROLL IS REQUIRED WHEN THIS DISSONANCE IS GAINED, as it has already been "bought and paid for" by someone else. Rites: Servitors of Sunya gain one Essence when they... - - Successfully Counsel a distressed mortal for 2 hours (the distressed mortal has to feel better after the 2 hours, or no essence is gained.) - - Help a Terminally Ill person by bringing Friendship/Joy/Happiness/Reflection to their final days (spending 2 hours with a terminally ill patient talking, holding their hand, etc.) - - TWO essence are gained if they stop someone from committing suicide!... however, the person must be permanently stopped: not just delayed. This can be time consuming (trust me... I spent 46 hours this week alone working on one person....and I don't know if it is permanently stopped, or just delayed....) Alliances/Hostility: Sunya is Neutral to all factions. All factions are necessary... it is the inter-relationship between factions that is the real "glue" that holds the Forces of God together. Thus, Sunya sees all sides as equally important as the other. Invocation: Chance of Invocation: 4 (Sunya is always willing to lend a helping hand...) Modifiers to Invocation: +1 - a "get-well-soon" or "condolences" card +2 - a handkerchief, still damp with mortal tears +3 - 1 litre of blood, sweat and tears (not yours, but freely given) +4 - a Suicide Note that was, in the end, never used. + 5 - one kilogram of bullets taken out of drive-by shooting victims +6 - The Pound of Flesh closest to a Demon's Heart (if they had one, that is...) _____________________________________ This provides for some interesting "Quantum Leap" style gaming sessions. This isn't intended to be a "preachy", Highway-to-Heaven sort of Archangel. Instead, this is an alternative for players who want a truly VIRTUOUS angel, who is less concerned with killing demons or Celestial politics than they are with helping others. You can still kill demons if you want to, but you never really lose sight of the fact that these guys are, deep down, your brothers!!! Yeah, yeah... I know... it's not surprising that I worked in the Buddhist angle... I promise I won't do it again. It's just that my players all felt that the Celestial playcard was a little, ... well.... thin on substance. The "Words" that some of the archangels were furthering weren't exactly philosophical power-houses. However, "The Aim of Existence is the Alleviation of Suffering" is a cornerstone of many philosophical mind-sets. Don't you think that, if so many different and varied philosophies think that this cause should be furthered, that some archangel should also be behind it. For some people, this makes a little more sense as a world-view than some of the other "Words" do. _______________________________ Next time, the archangel of Love. Squishing so many virtues into Novalis' portfolio didn't sit well with my players, so they asked me to revamp things. Novalis is a tree-hugger / Earth Motherin our game... we have a separate archangel who furthers the word of Love... and remember, there are different types of love... Walk in Beauty, Rob Wolff / Bodhi rob@v-wave.com A buddhist monk kept stealing bread, so that every time he was released from prison, he would simply steal again and wind up back in his old cell. Eventually, after fifty years... he was the only one left in the prison. Think about it. ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 9 Mar 1997 00:53:06 +0000 From: "Bodhi" Subject: IN> Yet Another Archangel Here's another Archangel for the List... Amare', Archangel of Love As a Mercurian, Amare attempts to further the cause of her Divine Word, Love. Her special affinity for understanding relationships between beings means that she also understands that love comes in many different forms and guises. Love is complex, and Amare' is unwilling to let others over-simplify it. She knows that love is a mysterious, powerful, completely awe-inspiring emotion, in all of its beautiful guises. Love is grand, love is Good, love is God. While it may be difficult to define what love is, Robert A. Heinlein used to write that "Love is that state of being where somebody else's health/welfare/well-being is integral to your own". Thus, you literally cannot hurt the one you love without hurting yourself. Perhaps this definition comes closest to encompassing all of the wide and varied sorts of love. Servitors of Amare' tend to emphasize one form of love more than any of the others. This occurs simply because Celestials all tend to have certain general personality traits, characterized by their choirs. Thus, the combination of a servitor's choir and their choice to serve the Archangel of Love means that they tend to further one particular type of Love. Together, working in combination, they all further Love in general. However, different choirs will favour one type of love over the others, as this is simply the form of Love that they understand the best. All love is Good; their particular form is `better'. Dissonance: Servitors of Amare' generate dissonance when they cause someone to lose Love. If, through their actions, some mortal loses the type of Love generally favoured by their choir, servitors of Amare' gain a point of dissonance. Choir Attunements: Seraphim: As Seraphim are the most noble and Truthful of all the angels, they have an affinity for the most difficult type of love - the love of the Self. Before you can love others, you must love yourself. However, if the Truth were to be told, not all of us are that easy to love. When we look deep inside ourselves, we find out that there is much that is unlovable, and some poor souls are truly unworthy of loving themselves. Thus, while these Seraphs may not be able to tell whether a person is Good or Evil, they can tell whether or not, if the Truth were known, any mortal is deserving of self-love, as well as the characteristic that is the most deserving of self-love, and the characteristic that is least deserving of self-love. ( It is interesting to note that Balseraphs tend to be the least deserving of self-love, and are thus ring especially `false' to the attunement of Seraphs of Amare'.) Cherubim: As cherubs are ultimately proponents of Devotion, the form of Love they emphasize is Idealized Romance. This form of love sees the object of affection as the Paragon of Existence. Idealized Romance leads individuals to absolute devotion. This is the stuff of legends, of poetry, of myths. Romeo and Juliet were probably under the influence of some Cherub. Their attunement provides them with the mechanism by which they can further this type of love. Cherubs of Amare' can sing the Ethereal Song of Attraction without causing a disturbance in the Symphony, as they simply understand that all people have something lovable about them. They are consummate match-makers, but this love can often be disastrous. Idealized Romance, when it fails, leads to broken hearts... and dissonance! Ofanim: As advocates of Motion, Ofanim in service to Amare' tend to move around a lot. Thus, their love is Fleeting. They emphasize Infatuation. This emotion is wild, chaotic, powerful, but over quite quickly. Thus, they have a special affinity for puppy-love, love-at-first-sight, and other forms of immediately gratifying love. Such love never lasts for long, but leaves a lasting impression. Ofanim's attunment lets them Love-And-Leave. These wild, chaotic Celestials can Beguile poor mortals, and literally leave them stunned with love. Thus, on a successful Perception roll, (opposed by the mortals' Will), the Ofanite can stun the hapless mortal for a number of minutes equal to the check digit. Such beguiled individuals are incapable of doing anything other than thinking about the object of their affection, fantasizing about their potential for happiness together, and so on. When the time is up, the mortal "comes to their senses", but remembers nothing of the past few minutes. Love `em, and Leave `em... that's the Ofanim way! Elohim: As the most objective of the angels, and the ones that keep emotions in their `proper place', Elohim tend to advocate Agape' and Fraternal love. Thus, all creatures are lovable because they are part of God's plan. This form of love, while extremely powerful and motivating, is nevertheless a quiet and unsupposing style of love. All beings are part of the Symphony, and are thus deserving of agape'. Elohites' attunement lets them know the level to which any individual is lovable as a human being per se'. Thus, on the grand scale of Love, Elohites know what action a mortal did in the past week that is the most deserving of Love, and what action was the least deserving of love. If you're having an off week, and not living up to your potential as a part of God's plan, an Elohite of Amare' will know it! Thus, an Elohite might know that this week a bus-driver let a homeless man on for free, and let him sleep in the back of the bus for two hours on a cold winter night, but he also was insensitive to his co-worker's current divorce proceedings. Malakim: Parents, while they love us, sometimes have to help us, guide us, and when appropriate, punish us. Tough love is the special interest of Malakites. The loving hand of discipline, when properly applied, can bring any child back into the Light. Malakites attunement allows them to know the name of somebody's Mother and Father, as well as the most Memorable/Influential Incident that occurred between the child and parents. Malakites will be able to know the source of any parent/child `falling out', as well as the main incident that characterizes the way a child feels about his/her parents. Malakites, the toughest of Amare's servitors, often spend their nights wandering the streets, talking to runaways, and helping them understand that their parents truly love them, even if they are hard on them. Kyriotates: Since kyriotates don't spend much time in any one particular host, they tend to emphasize non-standard types of love. Since they can inhabit multiple hosts, of different species, they also can understand the bonds of love that happen between Man and Beast, masters and pets. Thus, a Kyriotate has a special affinity for the Blind man and his Seeing-eye dog, or the old lady and her favourite cat. A Kyriotate's attunment allows them to bond any one animal they inhabit to any one human, at the cost of 2 essence. This animal will follow the mortal after the kyriotate leaves it, and attempt to insinuate himself into the mortal's life. If this proposal is reciprocated by the human, then the bond is relatively permanent, until one or the other dies. If the mortal dies, the animal will follow within 2 months (of a broken heart). If the animal is rejected, the animal will feel rejected by man in general, and will be far less inclined to pair-bond with another human. This generates dissonance for the kyriotate that attempted to promote the pair bond. Note: not all pair-bonds involve dogs and cats. Other examples include parrots, crows, dolphins, horses, elephants (VERY strong bond), ... Mercurials: Mercurials, as the friends of man, tend to understand Eros the best of all the angels. They advocate sexual Love above all other forms, since this is the form of Love which makes the most sense to them. Their attunement allows them to understand what attracts a mortal sexually. They have the equivalent of seduction/6, and a charisma +3 in whatever vessel they inhabit. They simply exude animal magnetism. Thus, while others have to study how to be sexually attractive and charming, these Mercurials just have a `knack' for it. If they so choose, they can invest extra character points, to bring a particular vessel's charisma to an unnaturally high +6 (only possible through the bonus charisma available due to their attunement). However, individuals can barely walk down the street without causing car-accidents from all the rubber-necking. Servitor Attunements: Comeradery: This attunement allows the servitor to spend one essence to bond a group of individuals together, so that their love for their comrades-in-arms bolsters their effectiveness. Thus, while the group remains together, and all stand opposed against the same foe (individual, group, etc.), they will fight more efficiently as a unit. The Comrades gain a +1 to hit for that encounter only. If one of the individuals falls, or the group is forced to split up, the bonus is lost. Note: in a few, very rare instances, this can be applied to other, not-strictly-combative arenas as well... Knute Rockne is rumoured to have somehow invoked this attunement when he convinced the team to "win this one for the Gipper." Love Songs: Servitors with this attunement gain the ability to sing the Ethereal Song of Attraction in such a way as to encourage any of the previously mentioned types of love. Thus, a Vassal could influence a parent-child type of bond, an Agape' relationship, or love of one's self through the use of but the one Song (instead of the generic "fall madly in love with the subject" use of the Song). Each use of the song can only influence one Style of Love. Multiple styles of love require multiple uses of the Song. Relationships: Allied: Eli, Novalis, Sunya, David (through the love of 'the group'), Lawrence (comrades-in-arms) Hostile: Marc , Michael, Dominic (there's no room for Love in Trade, War, or Justice) NB: It is rare, indeed, that the allegience of the war-faction is divided. Such is the case here, where Lawrence and David seem to understand the importance of Love far more so than, say, Michael. Distinctions: Vassal of Affection: Such individuals are difficult to hurt, because they are such likable characters. If anybody has a chance to know the Vassal, even only slightly, then they will find it difficult to harm the individual. Unless the aggressor can successfully make a Will roll, they will find themselves at a permanent -1 to hit the Vassal, as the aggressor will subconsciously realize that the Vassal is a genuinely lovable individual. If the aggressor succeeds in the Will roll, they can over-come their indecision and proceed to attack unmolested by guilt and/or conscience. Friend to All: Such individuals gain a permanent +3 on all reaction rolls, due to their understanding nature, compassionate outlook, and general lovable personalities! Ya' Gotta' Love these guys, even if you want to hate them. Master of Love: When such individuals expend 5 essence, they may attempt to force a permanent bond between two individuals, be they mortal, celestial, or diabolical. This permanent bond is attempted using a perception vs. will test. If the bond is formed, then the two individuals are literally unable to harm each other without harming themselves. Thus, the Bond, akin to the one shared by the quasi-mythical Corsican brothers, causes each individual to feel the emotions, pain, and damage of the other. Such a Bond can only be broken through death, which inevitably kills both participants in the Bonding. Rites: Servitors of Amare' gain one point of essence when they... - - Spend 3 hours reading love poetry, philosophical works on love, etc. - - Spend 1 hour having sex with a partner (love-of-self doesn't apply here ;-) ) Invocation: Chance of Invocation: 1 (love _is_ fickle) Modifiers to Invocation: +1 - a love letter +2 - the collar/harnass of a faithful pet,... of course, that could apply to certain humans, too ;-) + 3 - an engagement ring (3 months salary... ouch!) + 4 - Original Copies of the Works of St. Francis +5 - The Heart of One who died for Love (could be a patriot who died for the love of their country, or somebody who died from a broken heart, etc.) + 6 - One of the actual Love letters written to Eloise from Pierre Abelard (the greatest love story ever!) _____________________________________ This may throw a spanner in the works for those who have typified Novalis as the patron of Love. However, my group felt that Novalis had far too much thrown onto her plate, and was becoming, more-or-less, a catch-all type of archangel for all those who are nice guys. This archangel offers an alternative. In our game, Novalis is a tree-hugger/Earth Mother type, and typifies a specific type of Love between Man and Nature. The loves of sentient (or in the case of beasts, semi-sentient) beings is left to Amare'. Since Love, by itself, is such a powerful word (it _has_ been quoted that "God is Love"...), we figured that it deserved a single patron archangel. In general, my group has been displeased with the selection of archangels so far, and has found them to be fairly light-weight. Words such as War and Dreams are great ways of thinking about Reality, but some of the other words didn't seem powerful enough to deserve Archangel status. And again, other words, which seemed to embody wonderfully powerful World-Models, seemed strangely absent from the Celestial Portfolio. Thus, we've been re-writing certain small sections, in an attempt to give some extra depth to the Celestial Scheme. This doesn't mean that everybody has to adopt these archangels. Nor does it mean that everybody has to conform to our view, in which Powerful World-Model Concepts become embodied in the Words of the most Powerful Archangels. This is simply the way that we like to run things. You are free to disregard ANY of this stuff. For us, though, archangel status should be reserved not just for those with interesting words, but for those with truly Powerful/Paradigmatic Words. P.S. if God is Love, and Love is Blind, and Ray Charles is Blind... is Ray Charles... God? ;-) Next up... Archangel of Numbers... come on, haven't you ever thought that the universe is nothing more than God's Series of Systems and Equations... the clock-work universe ... people are simply the inter-relation of personality-variables... The Great Architect of the Universe...this is a world-paradigm that needs some fleshing out, no? ____________________ Again, let me know what you think. Walk in Beauty, Rob Wolff / Bodhi rob@v-wave.com A buddhist monk kept stealing bread, so that every time he was released from prison, he would simply steal again and wind up back in his old cell. Eventually, after fifty years... he was the only one left in the prison. Think about it. ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 9 Mar 97 11:34:43 -0600 (CST) From: kestre1@airmail.net (Andrew Getting) Subject: Re: IN> Yet Another Archangel At 12:53 AM 3/9/97 +0000, in_nomine-l@lists.io.com wrote: >Dissonance: > Servitors of Amare' generate dissonance when they cause someone to > lose Love. If, through their actions, some mortal loses the type of > Love generally favoured by their choir, servitors of Amare' gain a > point of dissonance. One point: This could theoretically include the killing of the lover. Kestrel ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 9 Mar 1997 11:25:28 +0000 From: "Bodhi" Subject: Re: IN> Yet Another Archangel > >Dissonance: > > Servitors of Amare' generate dissonance when they cause someone to > > lose Love. If, through their actions, some mortal loses the type of > > Love generally favoured by their choir, servitors of Amare' gain a > > point of dissonance. > > One point: > > This could theoretically include the killing of the lover. > > Kestrel I guess I would haul out the old Utilitarian argument that killing somebody doesn't actually harm the subject of the assault (after all, they're dead)... what it really does is harm the people around them. You don't gain dissonance for killing the person. You gain dissonance for the loss to the people left behind... I was thinking in terms of killing Juliet, and leaving Romeo behind. When one kills a loved one, one wounds the Word of Love. Thus, for every Romeo you remove from the Symphony, you are potentially generating dissonance, because almost EVERYBODY has SOMEBODY (Juliet) that loves them. Killing is generally a bad thing for servitors of Amare'. Sometimes it is necessary... but it is still a necessary EVIL. It is extremely difficult to concieve of a situation in which a servitor of Amare' could kill a mortal and not somehow causing Somebody to lose a loved one. So, killing somebody doesn't make them lose love from their life (instead, it simply shortens their time on Earth in which they had felt love.) However, it DOES generate dissonance if there is somebody left behind to grieve over a lost love. You don't get dissonance for the killing... you get dissonance for the effects of the killing. So, in a way, you're right. These guys find that killing a lover generates dissonance. However, it generates dissonance because it leaves somebody behind who has lost their love. I guess you could get around it by killing both lovers, together. Awww... how romantic. An angel, realizing that he can't in all good conscience separate the two lovers, decides to unite them forever in Death. They'll both hopefully go on to their greater reward, and be 'together throughout eternity'. Hmmm... I don't think Amare' would allow this particular servitor to continue working for very long... Walk in Beauty, Rob Wolff / Bodhi rob@v-wave.com A buddhist monk kept stealing bread, so that every time he was released from prison, he would simply steal again and wind up back in his old cell. Eventually, after fifty years... he was the only one left in the prison. Think about it. ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 9 Mar 97 14:20:59 -0600 (CST) From: kestre1@airmail.net (Andrew Getting) Subject: IN> New Demon Prince Leviathan, Prince of Pain The world is in pain. All is as it should be. Leviathan was the Prince in charge of retrieving Forces from the dead souls of Hell. His minions, the Cenobites, continue onward in their master's absence. Leviathan was a Habbalite, and delighted (in his cold way) in the terror and agony he put his charges through. He appeared as a gigantic, floating sliver of beauteous machinery floating over the mazes of Stygia, though he decided that all his servants would bear the Habbalite appearance as well as their own (and, after gaining a point of Discord, this extends to mortal vessels as well). He was a great and mighty power in Hell. Was. Nearly a decade ago, two Soldiers of God infiltrated Hell and used one of Leviathan's own devices to render him inert. The Cenobites' main duty, apart from gathering and punishing souls, is now to restore their prince to his former power. Some few are beginning to offer services to other Demon Princes as well. DISSONANCE: The Cenobites gain dissonance for abandoning one of their charges. If a mortal soul escapes a Cenobite, the Cenobite will gain dissonance if they can find him but refuse to do so. Mortals who have the misfortune of summoning a Cenobite are considered their charges. BAND ATTUNEMENTS: Balseraphs: Balseraph Cenobites are in charge of maintaining the mortal servitors of Leviathan, the Order of the Gash. The Order is a global organization, with a handful of members in most major cities. Balseraphs have at least one Servant of the Order (free level 5 human Soldier). Djinn: Djinn Cenobites are usually charged with making a handful of people suffer especially - the same people they are attuned to. They gain NO Dissonance for harming the people they are attuned to. If, however, one of his charges escapes, he gains Discord instead of Dissonance (though the Discord will leave if and when he retrieves his wayward pupils). Calabim: Calabim Cenobites can, should they so choose, take their time in applying their Resonance towards mortals. They gain 2 Essence for killing a mortal as slowly as possible. Habbalah: The Habbalites are the favored servants of Leviathan. In addition to holding more status in the eyes of their Superior than another of similar rank, Habbalites can use their Resonance on as many people as they have Celestial Forces at once, but must gain the Dissonance if it fails. Lilim: Lilim Cenobites can ignore any Geasa upon them if it interferes with their work for Leviathan. Lilim are generally sent as advance agents to earthly mortals who would deal with Leviathan, and are the mortal's "familiar". Shedim: The Shedim Cenobites can enter any mortal vessel that has just died of extreme pain; the soul of the mortal remains in the body as though it were alive, but will die as soon as the Shedim abandons the host. Impudites: Impudites, upon being sent to the mortal realm, are given a copy of Lemarchand's Configuration (which can be used to Invoke, as below), with the express demand that it be given to the first mortal that requests it. Impudites gain no Dissonance for mortals who kill themselves or others with the box. SERVITOR ATTUNEMENTS: Answering the Call: By spending a point of Essence, the Cenobite can teleport to the nearest mortal who has used the puzzle box. If the mortal has used the box with the express intent to Invoke a Cenobite, the cost is free. All Cenobites who have this attunement will know when a box has been used. Remaking the Destroyed: Sometimes Cenobites have bad days. If their mortal vessel is destroyed, and they can reach a place where many people have died painfully and recently, they may spend three Essence to make a new vessel in the image of one of those recently killed. If the mortal would have any still-surviving roles and/or Status that the Cenobite is aware of, the Role is maintained afterward. Shedim do not have to spend any Essence to possess a victim killed in this manner. DISTINCTIONS: Note that no Distinctions can be granted whilst Leviathan is inert. Knight of Hooks: A Cenobite of this distinction is given a potent artifact (not necessarily a hook). This weapon can inflict either Corporeal, Ethereal or Celestial damage, but it costs 2 points of Essence to change the type. It cannot be taken from the Cenobite, and is destroyed if its master is. Its power is equal to half the Forces of its wielder. Captain of Agony: At this distinction, a Cenobite can spend an hour on a mortal and convert the mortal to a Cenobite of the same Band as the creator. This requires a minimum of eight Essence and either a successful invocation of other Cenobites (who can give the newly-created creature the new Forces necessary), or several hundred dead and tormented humans (who have these Forces ripped from their souls). These new Cenobites will have the memories and general personalities of the souls they were created from, but both are twisted to their new life. Baron of Violations: As with the Captain distinction, but this may be used on Discordant Angels and Demons, should they have a level 4 or greater Celestial Discord. Most other Demon Princes have no idea that the Cenobites are capable of this, and will openly war on the servitors of Leviathan if they do find out. Consequently, this power is rarely used and rarely given. RELATIONS: The relations in parentheses are how the Demon Prince views Leviathan. Allied: Asmodeus (Associated), Baal (Allied), Beleth (Allied), Kronos (Associated), Vapula (Allied) Associated: Andrealphus (Neutral), Haagenti (Associated), Kronos (Neutral), Valefor (Neutral) Neutral: Belial (Neutral), Nybbas (Neutral) Hostile: Malphas (Hostile), Saminga (Enemy) Enemy: Kobal (Neutral) Basic Rites: Observe humans inflicting horrible pain on others for personal enjoyment. Tear a piece of Forces from a soul (2 Essence). Defile a Church or other holy place (4 Essence). Chance of Invocation: 1 Note that Invoking Leviathan will actually bring Cenobites; even if Leviathan is healed, this will not change. Mortals who want to talk to Leviathan badly enough will soon enough find themselves in thrall of the Cenobites. Invoking the Cenobites does not count as invoking a Superior for determining false notes in the Symphony. Invocation Modifiers: +1 A mortal child torturing a small animal +2 A pint of human blood +3 A mortal child torturing another human +4 A Medieval torture chamber, perfectly preserved. +5 Solving a puzzle box, a copy of the original Lemarchand Configuration +6 Solving the original Lemarchand Configuration +7 A living male descendent of Lemarchand, the man who designed the box (yes, the men in the Merchant family lead very interesting lives) These bonuses are cumulative, up to two bonuses. Cenobites summoned in this manner will not fight for the summoner unless they are attacked or if they find an escaped charge. Whattaya think, sirs? Kestrel ------------------------------ End of in_nomine-digest V1 #61 ****************************** The material here is (C) 1996 Steve Jackson Games, Incorporated. All rights reserved.