From owner-in_nomine-digest@lists.io.com Fri Dec 3 02:36:46 1999 Return-Path: Received: from lists.io.com (lists.io.com [199.170.88.15]) by pyramid.sjgames.com (8.8.7/8.8.7) with ESMTP id CAA02671 for ; Fri, 3 Dec 1999 02:36:46 -0600 Received: (from majordom@localhost) by lists.io.com (8.9.3/8.9.1a) id CAA23426 for in_nomine-digest-outgoing; Fri, 3 Dec 1999 02:34:09 -0600 Date: Fri, 3 Dec 1999 02:34:09 -0600 Message-Id: <199912030834.CAA23426@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 #1444 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 Friday, December 3 1999 Volume 01 : Number 1444 In this digest: Re: IN> Canon query on resonances Re: IN> Eli's Malakite Attunement, and why it needs to be rewritten. IN> Malakite 6. Re: IN> Eli's Malakite Attunement, and why it needs to be rewritten. Re: IN> Malakite 6. RE: IN> Using Canon, Especially Bad Expanded Choir Resonances RE: IN> Malakite 6. Re: IN> Malakite 6. Re: IN> Eli's Malakite Attunement, and why it needs to be rewritten. Re: IN> Eli's Malakite Attunement, and why it needs to be rewritten. RE: IN> Using Canon, Especially Bad Expanded Choir Resonances RE: IN> Using Canon, Especially Bad Expanded Choir Resonances Re: IN> Rewards and Experience Re: IN> Malakim IN> Tether of Destiny Re: IN> Eli's Malakite Attunement, and why it needs to be rewritten. Re: IN> Eli's Malakite Attunement, and why it needs to be rewritten. Re: IN> Eli's Malakite Attunement, and why it needs to be rewritten. RE: IN> Eli's Malakite Attunement, and why it needs to be rewritten. IN> What it's like (was Eli's Malakite Attunement) Re: IN> Eli's Malakite Attunement, and why it needs to be rewritten. IN> Nylius, Angel of Rebellion IN> Fluff: The End of Dominic, The Return of Eli ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Thu, 2 Dec 1999 19:02:54 -0500 From: Elizabeth McCoy Subject: Re: IN> Canon query on resonances At 5:53 PM -0400 12/2/99, Douglas Muir wrote: >Okay, we all know what happens when angels fail a resonance roll... they >have to wait for (hours x check digit) to try again with that subject >(unless they rolled a 6, in which case they get Resonance-sprain... ouch). > >But what happens when they succeed with a low check digit? I believe this is in the APG... Resonances which are snapshots, _IF_ I recall correctly, can be tried again next round. (Eventually, you'll roll a fail.) This includes Malakite and Elohite resonances. The Seraph resonance lasts for 10-CD minutes, and _then_ can be rerolled. I'd say that the Mercurian one is the same, though the 'flux' part of it (as opposed to the non-changing snapshot part) is a CD 1, so it might not matter -- unless the Mercurian _fails_ the reroll. - --emccoy@nh.ultranet.com // arcangel@io.com In Nomine Line Editor GURPS, Roleplayers, In Nomine stuff; Art: http://www.io.com/~arcangel/ ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 2 Dec 1999 18:48:20 -0500 From: Elizabeth McCoy Subject: Re: IN> Eli's Malakite Attunement, and why it needs to be rewritten. At 2:31 PM -0700 12/2/99, EDG wrote: >I am a Malakite of Eli. I'm in the heat of battle, and I happen to grab a >... cotton swab? Hm. I could ... hm. (Check digit: 6) Ah! The best way >to use this in combat is to shove it down his throat hopefully he'll choke >on it and be out of the way, at least for a while. Unfortunately, getting >him to swallow it might be tough, and I don't think I can get in there >quickly enough - I think maybe those pencils might be more useful... Or, the GM says, "You'll have to get in close to use that." The Malakite says, "Sure!" and runs in to do the feinting and dodging and bobbing that is considered to be part of the IN 5-second combat round, and then you make your attack roll and actually _make_ it and your character ducks under a roundhouse swing and shoves the swab into the guy's sinuses and then weavs back out. IN combat is _not_ detailed -- it's assumed that there's lots of yelling and screaming and flailing around. (If it were detailed, there'd be stuff about close combat and grappling and a whole bunch of rules which you'll note is _not_ around...) And then there are some where the GM is better off saying, "You do unspeakable things with the origami swan. The demon screams and clutches his wounds. The Hellsworn stares and turns away to throw up." Or do it other ways -- but do remember that in the vague combat that IN has, typically, there's nothing that says that you aren't feinting and weaving around to get that chance to use the Greeting Card of Death "properly" to get the most damage out of it. - --emccoy@nh.ultranet.com // arcangel@io.com In Nomine Line Editor GURPS, Roleplayers, In Nomine stuff; Art: http://www.io.com/~arcangel/ ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 2 Dec 1999 17:08:41 -0700 From: "Ben Glickler" Subject: IN> Malakite 6. I have two Malakim in my group. They both love their resonance. They both love to shake hands. They frequently get 6 (or higher) on the check digit. It seems to me that the lower levels (3, for example) are more useful in determining someone's badness. If you know the nastiest things he HAS done, isn't that more useful than knowing (on a 6), the nastiest thing he *could* do? Or am I misreading the table, and does a Malakite who gets a 6 get specific details of how good/bad/ugly a person is? Ben ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 2 Dec 1999 19:27:11 EST From: SdshowTim@aol.com Subject: Re: IN> Eli's Malakite Attunement, and why it needs to be rewritten. I like this interpretation, however I would still give penalties for using something like a receit as a weapon. I did like the interpretation of the Malakite turning the object into a weapon ("What's happening to that piece of paper? Its becoming razor sharp!") It seems a bit more silly, but is very amusing. I would just sum up all the problems with using a certain item as a weapon in a penalty to the to hit roll and to the damage. Cotton swabs would do very little damage and be hard to hit with, then again most Malakim of Creation would grab things that were sturdier and easier to strike with if given the choice ("Hmm use that hose as a weapon or use the lint from my pocket"). Timothy, Angel of Rambling ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 02 Dec 1999 17:28:33 -0700 From: EDG Subject: Re: IN> Malakite 6. At 05:08 PM 12/2/99 -0700, you wrote: >It seems to me that the lower levels (3, for example) are more useful in >determining someone's badness. If you know the nastiest things he HAS done, >isn't that more useful than knowing (on a 6), the nastiest thing he *could* >do? Remember what Beth just said - with snapshot resonances, you can reroll. I'd also suggest a quick-and-dirty method for getting the CD you want if you don't get it the first time - roll (Perception - the desired CD), and ignore the check digit if it succeeds - as long as the desired CD is /lower/ than the original CD. (If it fails, though, the rolled CD still counts for the time you have to wait!) - -EDG ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 3 Dec 1999 11:20:41 +1100 From: "Leath Sheales" Subject: RE: IN> Using Canon, Especially Bad Expanded Choir Resonances Elizabeth wrote: > Pity someone around here hasn't compiled a huge long laundry list of > stuff for Malakite resonances for the INC! (Don't look at me, I > make 'em up on the fly and tell people to wait ruthlessly.) Here's what I've been using for a while. It needs expanding, but it's a start. The numbers down the side are the 2d6 roll. One day I'll 3d6 it. Noble Acts. 11. Gave up his seat on a bus for an elderly person. 12. Gave generously to charity. 13. Helped a homeless person find a shelter. 14. Solved a big problem at work that was annoying everyone. 15. Saved a child's pet from being hit by a car. 16. Soothed his child when she had scraped her knee. 21. Took the blame for something that wasn't his fault in order to save another. 22. Volunteered for a working bee. 23. Talked to a friend about life problems. 24. Weeded the garden. 25. Vacuumed the floor. 26. Visited a friend in prison. 31. Visited his elderly father. 32. Saved someone's life. 33. Cared for a friend's pet while they were away. 34. Took the garbage out. 35. Did overtime at work without expecting compensation. 36. Spent time with his family. 41. Placed flowers on his parent's grave. 42. Donated blood. 43. Cared for a friend's child while they were away. 44. Visited the in-laws without complaint. 45. Volunteered for a safety committee. 46. Made his wife breakfast in bed. 51. Visited a friend in the hospital. 52. Donated an organ. 53. Offered to babysit a friend's children so they could have a night together. 54. Helped the neighbour build his garage. 55. Performed CPR on a drowning person. 56. Put out an electrical fire.. 61. Coached his son's sports team. 62. Placed himself on the organ donor's list. 63. Mowed the lawns. 64. Cleaned the bathroom. 65. Cleaned the guttering. 66. Gave a friend a lift in his car. Ignoble Acts. 11. Kicked a dog. 12. Faked illness to avoid an unpleasant job. 13. Lied to a friend he didn't really want to see. 14. Murder. 15. Rape. 16. Insulted his relatives. 21. Hit an animal with his car. 22. Hit a person with his car and ran before anyone could see. 23. Borrowed money from a friend and didn't pay it back. 24. Promised to do something and didn't. 25. Didn't take the garbage out. 26. Started a fire. 31. Complained about his wife's cooking. 32. Stole a pen. 33. Stole money. 34. Stole jewellery. 35. Found a wallet full of money and didn't hand it in. 36. Knowingly bought stolen goods. 41. Didn't pay up on a bet. 42. Promised to care for his friend's fish and forgot. 43. Psychological torture (taunts and teasing). 44. Physical torture (bullying). 45. Cruelty to animals. 46. Insulted a friend's works. 51. Berated his child for something that was his own fault. 52. Drink driving. 53. Speeding. 54. Ran a red light. 55. Ate the last piece of cake without offering it to anyone else. 56. Played his music too loud despite other people asking him to turn it down. 61. Swearing. 62. Farting/belching. 63. Embezzled funds from his boss. 64. Committing adultery. 65. Secretly gay. 66. Discriminated against a woman looking for a job because she was black. Virtues. 2. Proud. 3. Generous. 4. Patient. 5. Brave. 6. Loving. 7. Caring. 8. Truthful. 9. Honest. 10. Hard worker. 11. Pious. 12. Aids the Divine forces in their War against Evil. Sins. 2. Murderous. 3. Lustful. 4. Obsessive. 5. Impatient. 6. Manipulative. 7. Greedy. 8. Liar. 9. Discriminatory. 10. Cruel. 11. Coward. 12. Consorts with Dark Forces. Leath. ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 3 Dec 1999 11:25:03 +1100 From: "Leath Sheales" Subject: RE: IN> Malakite 6. Ben wrote: > Or am I misreading the table, and does a Malakite who gets a 6 > get specific > details of how good/bad/ugly a person is? Not in my game. My Malakim have to take the good with the bad. CD 6 is very useful, but it leaves out a lot of other information about the person that could be useful to the angel. One of the most irritating (for the player, great for the GM) times I had was when the Malakite resonated on a little old lady and found out that the worst thing she had done in the past week was murder someone. With no other information, it drove him mad trying to kill her while his friends restrained him. After much investigation, he eventually discovered that the little old lady had agreed that her husbands's life support should be turned off after 6 months in a coma, but to her standards, she had murdered him (not that I want a debate about euthanasia, it was merely an in-game example). Leath. ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 2 Dec 1999 20:09:05 -0400 From: Douglas Muir Subject: Re: IN> Malakite 6. >At 05:08 PM 12/2/99 -0700, you wrote: > >>It seems to me that the lower levels (3, for example) are more useful in >>determining someone's badness. If you know the nastiest things he HAS done, >>isn't that more useful than knowing (on a 6), the nastiest thing he *could* >>do? Ooh, we've been playing that it *includes* that lesser information, if the player wants to know. H'm. Doug M. ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 2 Dec 1999 21:07:15 -0500 From: Whistling in the Dark Subject: Re: IN> Eli's Malakite Attunement, and why it needs to be rewritten. At 1:25 PM -0700 12/2/99, Ben Glickler wrote: >I'd always assumed, as EDG pointed out, that the perception roll was to find >something useful. After all, if you fail the perception roll, you've got >jack, right? I see it as using one's perception to see the deadly side of the object. "Hm. I have a bottle of Robitussin. I wonder if... hm... I can see my enemy's favoring his left foot, which means this bottle would best be driven into his throat like such. Hm. I have a newspaper. I can see that my enemy's slightly slackjawed, so I can drive it down his throat and choke him to death...." - -- Eric Alfred Burns | | now with web site content! ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 2 Dec 1999 21:23:57 -0500 From: Whistling in the Dark Subject: Re: IN> Eli's Malakite Attunement, and why it needs to be rewritten. At 1:50 PM -0700 12/2/99, Tim Groth wrote: >I think the Perception roll is to figure out by examining Symphonic themes >how the item is best used as a weapon. Thus anythin can be used as a >weapon. > >However things like cotton swabs and jelly beans should have penalties to >Power and to their roll to hit, their just not effective. Things like >coins and rocks wouldn't have a penalty. While using something like a >gravestone (came up once) would give a bonus to the Power. > >Another option is that if a Malakite picks up something ineffectual (say a >starburst wrapper) then they get a penalty to the Perception roll, its just >isn't likely that they'll pick up any ways to use it as a weapon. You forget... it's a Miracle. It's a bit of divine providence. It's not "use a weapon that could easily be seen as a weapon," it's "take anything at all and kill with it." So, there is no ineffectual. There is no "not effective." That's what makes this a dangerous power -- *anything* is deadly. - -- Eric Alfred Burns | | now with web site content! ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 2 Dec 1999 19:47:31 -0700 From: Tim Groth Subject: RE: IN> Using Canon, Especially Bad Expanded Choir Resonances Hmm, like the chart, would love to see it come up that someone is both aiding Heaven and consorting with the legions of Hell. That'll send the Malakite into a tizzy. Timothy, Angel of Rambling If you have a hankering for waffles or chicken i know the place for you: http://d106-h032.rh.rit.edu/~tim/ ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 2 Dec 1999 23:43:56 -0500 (EST) From: "Rev. Pee Kitty" Subject: RE: IN> Using Canon, Especially Bad Expanded Choir Resonances On Wed, 1 Dec 1999, Elizabeth McCoy wrote: > At 8:50 AM +1100 12/2/99, Leath Sheales wrote: > [snip] > >This is off the top of my head, does anyone violently agree or disagree? > > It's more detailed and resonable in some ways, but BOY is it math-heavy > to explain. That's the main reason I didn't suggest something similiar > to it myself. O:> Try phrasing it like this, then... MERCS AND ROLES If the Mercurian's CD is less than or equal to the Role, they get information about the Role. If their CD is greater than the Role, subtract the Role level from the CD, and consult the table normally for information about the Celestial. Sounds better that way. - -- Rev. Pee Kitty, of the order Malkavian-Dobbsian Meow! "I am the greatest man in the world; indeed I am SO great that I can afford great generosity: I encourage all others to adopt the DELUSION that they are as great as I. If they truly thought that they were themselves the greatest, they too would be as generous; and then we would all be able to HUMOR each other, in peace, for none would feel threatened by the now-harmless delusions of everyone else." -- Philo Drummond ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 3 Dec 1999 00:04:16 -0500 (EST) From: "Rev. Pee Kitty" Subject: Re: IN> Rewards and Experience On Thu, 2 Dec 1999, Matt W. wrote: > All this is, of course, in reference to the recent ongoing debate how > just how many points you should give your characters per session... > > I have a solution. Don't give points. > > A much more realistic and better roleplaying way, IMHO, is to keep > mental track of how many points the character should be getting, and > their Superior gives out rewards of the Superior's choosing at the end > of the adventure. From my experience, a mix of the two works best. At the end of an average adventure, I give out about 1 point per session as "freebie" character points - use 'em to raise your skills, raise a song (by one level max - I learned the hard way that it just doesn't stay balanced if you let 'em go from Song of Motion/1 to Song of Motion/6 in one swoop), maybe improve your Role a bit, etc. However, I then give them Superior rewards worth somewhere between 1/2 to 2 points per session (with 1 point/session being the mode). Note that this is not always a Resource! Quite often, part of the reward will be an Essence refill, or the stripping of a point of Dissonance, and the players are quite happy with that as well. Sometimes part of the reward is simply the favor of their Superior, clearly expressed in public. And sometimes it's a good-old-fashioned Vessel upgrade or Artifact or New Song. All-in-all, it gives my players freedom to develop their characters, while letting me retain a great deal of control over the campaign as a whole. - -- Rev. Pee Kitty, of the order Malkavian-Dobbsian Meow! "There he goes - one of God's own prototypes. A high powered mutant of some kind never even considered for mass production... too weird to live, too rare to die." -- Hunter Thompson, "Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas" ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 3 Dec 1999 00:07:46 -0500 (EST) From: "Rev. Pee Kitty" Subject: Re: IN> Malakim On Thu, 2 Dec 1999, Prodigal wrote: > From: "Elizabeth McCoy" > > > > I like the "In Nomine INWO" card > > description of a Malakite with a banana, and the quote, "Oh no, he > > peeled it! Now he's got _two_ weapons!" > > This is postedon the archives, right? Because I have to go read this Right > Now... It's in the archives for the inwo-cards list, if such a thing exists. As soon as it's finalized, and as soon as I can find a decent web server, I'll be putting up the whole IN-WO ("In Nomine INWO") collection for everyone's viewing pleasure..... BTW, glad you liked the quote, Beth - that's one of my favorites, too. :) - -- Rev. Pee Kitty, of the order Malkavian-Dobbsian Meow! STEP 21. Frost the nuts. Big bag of nut in grocery store, why are they there? There for buying, and then to frost. Much like cake frosting, nut frosting sweet and smooth. Spread much like butter, but without grease and bubble. Allow nut to dry, then place on very best noodle tray. While allow for nuts to dry, think about new form of punishment. No frost for nut go bad, so take away and replace. ("How To Become A Famous Rock Star", LMNOP) ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 02 Dec 1999 19:46:49 PST From: "Janet Anderson" Subject: IN> Tether of Destiny >and then back downtown to Greenwich (the Strand bookstore, home of a > >secret Tether of Destiny). YES. Janet Anderson (who has spent hours and hours and MUCH too much money in the Strand bookstore, and thinks all bookstores are connected to Heaven, except the kind run by Servitors of Andrealphus) ______________________________________________________ Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 02 Dec 1999 22:51:14 -0600 From: "Matt W." Subject: Re: IN> Eli's Malakite Attunement, and why it needs to be rewritten. Another funky variant on the Mal of Creation attunement. It states that they can use anything as a weapon, and use it creatively. What about a normal weapon? Case in point, Malakite of Creation is faced with a powerful demonic vessel, and is armed only with a short sword (+2 Power Weapon). He wants more of a kick to it, so he uses his attunement on it, gets a check digit of 5, so now he can use it as a +5 weapon. You can interpret this as the angel being exceptionally improvisational, smashing the demon with the hilt when he's not expecting it, developing a new style as he's going along. He would normal Small Weapon (Shortsword) but he uses more effectively than possible with a less improvisational, more predictable style. Of course, there is the possibility the Mal rolling lower than the normal power, making his attempts at improvisation, though creative, are actually hindering him effectively using the sword. Of course, this is completely non-canon and, as always, it is the GM discretion to allow it or not, but it is an interesting aspect of the creative fighters. Perhaps the greatest styles of sword-play were created on the fly by these angels, and afterwards, they look at it and say, "Now, just how did I *do* that?" In fact, not even swordplay. Remember, before they were considered weapons, Warhammers were originally just mallets and axes were just for chopping wood. That is, before some forgotten Mal of Eli grabbed one to kick some demonic butt. ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 03 Dec 1999 00:03:15 -0600 From: Kris Overstreet Subject: Re: IN> Eli's Malakite Attunement, and why it needs to be rewritten. At 01:25 PM 12/2/99 -0700, you wrote: >I'd always assumed, as EDG pointed out, that the perception roll was to find >something useful. After all, if you fail the perception roll, you've got >jack, right? > >It just defies the imagination. Okay, so the Malakite grabs a cotton swab. >He rolls, gets a 6 on the check digit. But how the heck can he hurt >someone? Does he stick it up both their nostrils? If so, is he just >automatically succeeding in grappling the enemy, in order to stuff items up >his nose? Does this mean he has his enemy restrained, and can now end the >battle? Or does he just move supernaturally-fast, stealing the Ofanite's >thunder, and zip in, plug a nose, and zip out? How else can he hurt someone >with it? You don't watch many Hong Kong movies, do you? }:-{D Honestly, man, if you're taking IN totally seriously, you are IMHO -wasting your time-. IN started out as a satire, and in its current form is a black comedy on a par with Paranoia. Seriously, I think the Malakim of Eli have a very plain and straightforward talent. First thing I grab is a cotton swab? Okay, what's the most effective thing I can do? (resonate) Throw it in the demon's eyes! He'll flinch 'cause he can't see what it is at first, and I can get in a free punch to the gut and fold him up like a guest bed! Eli's resonance does not -necessarily- make the item a Vorpal Hackmaster +12, but it does let the Mal in question make the best of a bad situation... and IMC, yes, I -will- permit Q Tips of Doom. }:-{D Redneck Kris Overstreet, too many websites.... http://www.detnet.com/redneck/ - Personal homepage http://www.wren-spot.com/wlp/ - Business webpage http://www.antarctic-press.com/ - Someone else's page ... not enough time - -----BEGIN GEEK CODE BLOCK----- Version: 3.12 GO d-(++) s+:+ a- C++>$ U@ P?>++ L E? W++$ N+++ o? k- w O? M>+ V? PS+ PE Y+ PGP- t---(OS++) 5++ X-- R+(+++) tv- b+++ DI++ D- G e h+ r- y+ - -----END GEEK CODE BLOCK----- ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 03 Dec 1999 00:10:25 -0600 From: Kris Overstreet Subject: Re: IN> Eli's Malakite Attunement, and why it needs to be rewritten. At 10:51 PM 12/2/99 -0600, you wrote: >Another funky variant on the Mal of Creation attunement. > >It states that they can use anything as a weapon, and use it creatively. > >What about a normal weapon? > >Case in point, Malakite of Creation is faced with a powerful demonic >vessel, and is armed only with a short sword (+2 Power Weapon). He wants >more of a kick to it, so he uses his attunement on it, gets a check >digit of 5, so now he can use it as a +5 weapon. You can interpret this >as the angel being exceptionally improvisational, smashing the demon >with the hilt when he's not expecting it, developing a new style as he's >going along. He would normal Small Weapon (Shortsword) but he uses more >effectively than possible with a less improvisational, more predictable >style. Of course, there is the possibility the Mal rolling lower than >the normal power, making his attempts at improvisation, though creative, >are actually hindering him effectively using the sword. They want to do this IMC, they'd better have a good story. Creating a Power-3 (equal to a sword) bag of potato chips is one thing- a good GM can explain this away and chalk it up to athmosphere. When a player perverts (IMHO) the purpose of the rule by using it to beef up an - -ordinary- weapon, they (a) had better make it fit athmosphere for IN, and (b) be fully ready to accept the possibility that the Power will go -DOWN- as a result... Redneck (Okay, Jonesiel, Smithiel is using you as a weapon. He got a 5 on his check digit, so every time he swings your Vessel, he does that much damage... of course, you take the same damage too...) Kris Overstreet, too many websites.... http://www.detnet.com/redneck/ - Personal homepage http://www.wren-spot.com/wlp/ - Business webpage http://www.antarctic-press.com/ - Someone else's page ... not enough time - -----BEGIN GEEK CODE BLOCK----- Version: 3.12 GO d-(++) s+:+ a- C++>$ U@ P?>++ L E? W++$ N+++ o? k- w O? M>+ V? PS+ PE Y+ PGP- t---(OS++) 5++ X-- R+(+++) tv- b+++ DI++ D- G e h+ r- y+ - -----END GEEK CODE BLOCK----- ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 3 Dec 1999 00:52:25 -0600 From: "Trent" Subject: RE: IN> Eli's Malakite Attunement, and why it needs to be rewritten. No! The it's one of the coolest attunements exactly because a Mal of Eli _can_ vessel kill a demon with a rutabaga or roll of toilet paper. It encourages creativity and generally lightens the atmosphere of the game. If your game can't handle true IN just change the rules in your campaign, but don't force IN to become even less cool of a game then it already is. There has been a disturbing trend in the IN universe to take itself seriously and this needs to be stopped! Just say no to reason and rhyme! Trent Ofanite of doubt ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 3 Dec 1999 01:46:51 -0400 From: Douglas Muir Subject: IN> What it's like (was Eli's Malakite Attunement) >Honestly, man, if you're taking IN totally seriously, you are IMHO -wasting >your time-. IN started out as a satire, and in its current form is a black >comedy on a par with Paranoia. Agree with the first part. The second... mmm, not MC. Though I have no idea if we're mainstream or not. We're pretty cinematic, and often pretty darn funny, but there are definitely occasional glimpses of things "higher and deeper and darker". There are definitely horror aspects to it (I'm still nursing a warm glow from the time a player told me that one of my demons had shown up in her nightmares. Dear little Blinky...), it can be much grittier than any Paranoia game, and once in a while there's a shot of real awe. Doug M. ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 3 Dec 1999 02:09:36 -0400 From: Douglas Muir Subject: Re: IN> Eli's Malakite Attunement, and why it needs to be rewritten. >Seriously, I think the Malakim of Eli have a very plain and straightforward >talent. [snippage] I have to confess that only one (1) Mal of Eli has made an appearance IMC so far, and him as an NPC. See, the Mals in the campaign, up to that point, had all been pretty dark and humorless. I had set up the NPC Mals as Heaven's hardcases, which is canon and all, but then one player was trying to do a Mal and, mm, I wanted to show some other possibilities. Enter Kettle Black, sidewalk artist, juggler, drummer, roustabout, roue, bohemian and knight-errant in the service of Creation. Quoted Shakespeare and Hunter Thompson; did handstands while talking to small children; punished evil and rewarded virtue and encouraged good work among starving artists and garage bands; and beat the crap out of demons with cello cases, skateboards and hubcaps. He also used the scenery cinematically (viz, throws a cymbal at a demon -- demon ducks -- cymbal bounces off amp and high into ceiling, where it severs a cable, dropping lighting system on demon's head). I'm still quite proud of ol' Kettle. And one of his best scenes came offstage, when a demon's vessel had been incapacitated and the demon taken to a very messy Wayne's-World type basement hangout for interrogation. Mal Black: Well, you had your chance. Afraid it's going to get ugly now. (begins assembling items from around the room: blowdryer, duct tape, salt packets, drumsticks, giant-size container of Velveeta Cheese). Demon: (beginning to thrash wildly against its bonds) No! Not that! NO! NO! NPC Cherub: (pulling PCs out of the room) Please, let's go. I can't stand this sort of thing, I know it's a demon, but still... PC: (hearing blow dryer turn on in other room) But... cheese whip? Cherub: You don't understand. In his hands, _everything_ is a weapon... That scene ended with the Mal walking back in, grim-faced and wiping a little plastic knife on a napkin, and asking for some plastic garbage bags... Must bring him back some day. Doug M. ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 03 Dec 1999 01:51:19 -0600 From: "Matt W." Subject: IN> Nylius, Angel of Rebellion A wonderfully Windy character concept, sprouted from my malicious little Balseraph mind. I give you...

Nylius
Ofanite Master of the Wind
Angel of Rebellion

Corporeal Forces - 5
Strength - 8
Agility - 12

Ethereal Forces - 5
Intelligence - 10
Precision - 10

Celestial Forces - 4
Will - 10
Precision - 6

Vessels: Human Male/6 Charisma +2, Human Female/3

Songs: Song of Attraction (Ethereal/4), Song of Form (Corporeal/3, Ethereal/3), Song of Healing (Corporeal/3), Song of Tongues (Corporeal/2), Song of Shields (Celestial/2), Song of Thunder/4, Numinous Corpus: Claws/4

Skills: Fighting/4, Dodge/3, Chemistry/3, Electronics/3, Ranged Weapon (Long Bow)/1, Ranged Weapon (Pistol)/3, Ranged Weapon (Rifle)/3, Ranged Weapon (SMG)/3, Lying/2, Throwing/2, Detect Lies/2, Survival (Forest)/2, Survival (Urban)/1, Survival (Jungle)/3, Fast-Talk/2, Emote/3, Language(English/2, French/3, Chinese/2, German/1, Russian/2, Arabic/1, Spanish/3), Running/2, Large Weapon (Broadsword)/1, Large Weapon(Halberd)/1, Computer Operations/2, Driving/1, Knowledge(Heavy Weapons Operation)/3, Knowledge(Armored Vehicle Operation)/4

Attunements: Mercurian of the Wind, Ofanite of the Wind, Passage, Swipe, Remote Control (from Jean), Smite (from Gabriel), Angel of Rebellion
Special Rites: Spend one hour promoting rebellious (but ultimately beneficial) behavior, Kill a tyrant or overthrow an unjust government (+4 essence)
Dissonance Conditions: Nylius (and any others he chooses) does not gain dissonance for not moving after three days if he is currently involved in a rebellion (of any sort) or is inciting one. He does gain dissonance for supporting "The Establishment" directly, though he can refrain from aiding a rebellious faction if he chooses, and he may call in other angels to handle the situation.

Nylius is an enigmatic and passionate figure in the well-woven and colorful folktales of rumors of angels, and even demons. Confidant, suave and irreverent, he embodies the inherent human condition of defiance of existing authority. He first made a name for himself when he stole a copy of the 88 Theses (Martin Luther's arguments against the Church), smuggled it off to a local printing press and distributed them about Europe in 14 days. Much to Dominic's chagrin, he later commented "It took God 7 days to make the world, it took me fourteen days to change it... I need to get faster." He always supported the concept of rebellion in order to create a better world, to knock down barriers forcefully if necessary, he was finally granted his wanted word after successfully masterminding the Magna Carta, a document which changed the very shape of government to come.

Ever since, he has been wherever the oppressed were fighting the oppressors, the wronged fighting to make right, and so on and so forth. He was especially active in the American Revolution, though rumors fly whether he masterminded that entire thing or not, and the later Whiskey Rebellion he smiled at. He has had his share of failures though. He at first supported the Confederacy when it was supposedly finding for the state's rights, but withdrew his hat from their ring when it came apparent that the destiny of that revolt was becoming less and less likely, and its dark fate was more and more evident. And though he supported Kerensky's peaceful democratic revolution in Russia, he was appalled by the following Bolshevik one, and frequently speaks of his suspicion of the Game's tampering there. Strangely, he stills supports the tenents of Mao's revolt and whenever any challenged him on his support of such an atheist government, he just smiled knowingly, though he shed tears as he looked upon Teinamen Square that fateful night, like something had gone terribly wrong.

Though he may seem violent, Nylius actually prefers more peaceful methods that avoid excessive destruction and bloodshed. He hoped with all his heart that the tenents of Gandhi would become the new paradigm of rebellion to come, but he quickly found it takes a certain type of culture to support such a tactic. However, the peaceful ways of the youth and race rebellions of this century have mainly been to his efforts, and he has taken the motto, "by the ballot box if we can, by the cartridge box if we must," to heart.

Nylius holds a very strange position in celestial politics, and has gotten his share of enemies. Dominic is eternally suspicious of him, disturbed that the Seraphim Council would even grant the word of Rebellion, for is that not what Heaven is fighting, the fruits of the First Rebellion? David views him contemptously as one who creates needless cracks in the stonework of society. Laurence shares a strange relationship with him, for though he is disgusted by rebellion within the disciplined ranks, he has fought side by side with Nylius in righteous rebellions.

As for his friends, Gabriel finds her band-brother Nylius impressive, full of inspiration and righteous fury for tyrants, and Jean finds him useful for more subtle rebellions, such as a new system of physics superseding the old, and new concepts coming to light. Novalis has refrained from passing judgement on the erratic angel, for she is not sure his tenents of peace before war really stick. Michael respects Nylius as a fellow warrior with the same passion for battle.

Nylius's current activities are numerous, for there is much rebellion in the world. He has put his support behind some of the Mexican rebels in the northern provinces, as well supporting small groups of freedom fighters from around the world. His most controversial behavior has been standing in the Groves and the Halls of Worship, speaking freely his thoughts and questions on the nature of Heaven's army, the Seraphim Council, the Divine Inquisition and whatever else comes to mind, questioning all of it. Dominic and Laurence themselves have personally arrived at some of these sessions to put a stop to it, but have in the end been drawn into Nylius's gift for debate for change, though he does sometime tend to be outright belligerent, such as challenging Dominic to prove to him he wasn't a Balseraph. His rant against Uriel's Crusade and the anti-ethereal policies of Heaven got him in major trouble all over, especially with many of Uriel's former servants, but when anyone tries to inform him angels don't necessarily have freedom of speech, he replies, "Then we'll just have to change that."

But there are many more rumored activities going on behind the scenes for the Ofanite. It is known he has had a drink or two or three with Lilith over the years, discussing the nature of each other's Words, but more insidious encounters are rumored. A few audiences with Malphas, even working with him, inciting riots for no apparent reason, supporting Communism, etc. However, the most incredible (and therefore most spoken of) rumor is that he has personally sat down with the Lightbringer himself, and discussed the nature of the very first rebellion.

Nylius's physical appearance is that of a scruffy male in his early twenties, with a very cluttered appearance. His black leather jacket is marked with the French tricolor, a White Army officers badge, and various other doo-dads, and usually sports an irreverent or tie-dye t-shirt under it. One thing he is rarely without is his old Confederate army hat, gray and tattered, a reminder that not all rebellions turn out as they should. Should you meet him, he might be look like your average street kid, or look like he's been crawling around in the jungle for three days, depending on the circumstances.

Author's Note: Nylius is intended as a powerful NPC for the characters to encounter, who can be as comic or serious or dark as you wish. He can be an excellent direct superior to Servitors of the Wind, as his special dissonance conditions, should he grant them, allows Windys to stay in one place, as long as they support his word. He can also be, given a few Soldiers and angels on his side, a good nemesis for servitors of some of the more order-minded Superiors (how many can you think of that would want his butt in a sling?). ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 03 Dec 1999 02:34:41 -0600 From: "Matt W." Subject: IN> Fluff: The End of Dominic, The Return of Eli Eli sat, crossing his arms, listening to the far-away ruffling and bustle of the Halls of Judgement, the domain of Dominic, as he sat in the large but utilitarian office, his white Mercurian wings folded on either side, calmly sitting, his perpetual smile gone from his face, when the door slowly opened and the cloaked figure of Dominic moved inside, his dark grey cloak trailing behind him, and he slowly came around the desk, looking at Eli with all six glowing eyes. "I must say, Archangel, than I was amazed when I heard your message, though I sensed the Truth in it," the Seraph said, looking at him with his piercing gaze, "You wish to appear before the Seraphim council with me. Does this mean you finally wish to accept and pay for your sins?" Eli smiled for a moment, then it faded, and he looked up at the cloaked figure, "No, old friend, I will appear before them with you and ask them to make you pay for yours." Dominic rustled back quickly, looking at him, a mere glimpse of his serpentine form showing as the cloak strains to follow, "What?" Eli rose, looking at Dominic with confidant eyes, "There has been much talk of exactly what I've been doing these forty-one years. Incredible parties, consorting with Evil, dark dealings, divine meditation... I encouraged them all, to keep anyone from knowing the truth." "In truth, I've been watching you, your operation, everything. When the Divine Inquistion was first formed, I mourned the reasons that it needed to be created, but I accepted its presence as needed, but over the years, I came to suspect a great many things," Eli spoke, his mane of hair moving slightly with every word, "When Gabriel left, then Khalid, I began to have much greater suspicions, and finally, I decided something needed to be done, for no one was watching the watchers, the Angels of Judgement, and I was alarmed at what I found... My nature is that of Creation, while yours seem to be only one of undermining and destruction." "How dare you..." Dominic hissed. "Be quiet!" Eli hissed back, before regaining his composure, "If you had known what I was up to, you would have stopped me cold, you would have watched your moves, you would have concealed the truth, with the grim confidence than none could see that dissonance floating about you under your shadowy cloak. So I fabricated my cover and I stuck with it, and I watched, and I learned." Eli tossed a file folder, full of photographs and papers, onto the desk, scattering them across it, "This is what I found... a single-minded obsession of an overbearing superior... that his sole purpose was to set the Divine Inquistion upon the outcast and the soon-to-be-Fallen... and while this is a noble cause, you forgot one thing, old friend." Dominic looked at him with those red eyes, "What is that?" "Your word was Judgement... not the Inquistion, not Purity... it was Judgement... and with your single-minded drive to rid the pestilence of discord from the Host, you have helped Hell in more ways than you can imagine. Look at those papers, those photos... your angels, your Servitors, they ignored the destinies of those they were effecting in order to hunt down the outcast and dissonant, they have neglected their duties to humanity to serve your cause, and because of this, a thousand upon a thousand men have met their fates. Instead of bring divine judgement and the wisdom of judges to humanity, you instead lashed against those around you, and hurt many," Eli took a long look at the cloaked Seraph, "You are the one which neglected your Heavenly duties, not I. And you are the one who pushed the Symphony to its fate more than all those you have persecuted. I have spoken with others, and showed them what I know... Gabriel, Jean and David are all behind me, so are Novalis and Zadkiel. I am sorry it has to be with this way, Dominic, but it must. It can't go on any longer, and I hope your replacement has the same passion, just better placed." And with that, Eli turned and walked out, as the Archangel of Judgement looked down upon the document and photographs, both artful and creative, yet stinging in the Truth they rang with, and for that moment, the Halls of Judgement fell silent and still, and only the sound of Eli's footfalls filled its chambers until they too receded into nothing. Authors Note: I had a image of this moment a long time ago, after musing about what exactly Eli is up to. Thought I would share it, and I welcome comments of all kinds. ------------------------------ End of in_nomine-digest V1 #1444 ******************************** The material here is (C) 1999 Steve Jackson Games, Incorporated. All rights reserved.