From owner-in_nomine-digest@lists.io.com Mon Apr 16 12:59:28 2001 Return-Path: Received: from lists.io.com (majordom@lists.io.com [199.170.88.15]) by pyramid.sjgames.com (8.9.3/8.9.3) with ESMTP id MAA30211 for ; Mon, 16 Apr 2001 12:59:28 -0500 Received: (from majordom@localhost) by lists.io.com (8.9.3/8.9.1a) id NAA11499 for in_nomine-digest-outgoing; Mon, 16 Apr 2001 13:06:42 -0500 Date: Mon, 16 Apr 2001 13:06:42 -0500 Message-Id: <200104161806.NAA11499@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 #2158 Reply-To: in_nomine-l@lists.io.com Sender: owner-in_nomine-digest@lists.io.com Errors-To: owner-in_nomine-digest@lists.io.com Precedence: bulk in_nomine-digest Monday, April 16 2001 Volume 01 : Number 2158 In this digest: Re: IN> Concrete Cuddlys IN> Strange, even for a Habbalite IN> Amusing novel IN> Re: Re: Open Tethers IN> The Easter Malakite IN> Angelic orders IN> A Modern Skulker IN> Modern Skulker, Part II (Stats) Re: IN> Angelic orders Re: IN> A Modern Skulker IN> New Minor Choir (Michael) Re: IN> The once and future king Re: IN> The once and future king Re: IN> New Minor Choir (Michael) IN> New Discord Re: IN> New Discord Re: IN> New Discord ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Sun, 15 Apr 2001 13:27:52 -0700 (PDT) From: Maurice Lane Subject: Re: IN> Concrete Cuddlys Date: Sun, 15 Apr 2001 01:02:21 -0400 From: Cameron McCurry Subject: IN> Concrete Cuddlys A proper subject heading is so important, don't you think? Gets the right feeling of oncoming Deep Hurting going, right from the start. ;) >And now part two on stuffed animals and their service >to the War.... > What they didn't count on was the punchline >being their crucified, eviscerated Vessels being >dumped off at the local Tether to Dark Humor. >Servitors of Christopher may be fun loving and >peaceful, but that doesn't mean that they are >pushovers. You left out the bit where the Servitors of Dark Humor were found with their tongues... umm, never mind. This is a family list. :) > The Bears of Concrete (Hey; she thinks it's a >nice name. You want to argue with her?), like the >Bears of Comfort, look no different than a regular >stuffed animal. But the owner can activate it with >the expenditure of one Essence. Then the teddy bear >hardens to the point that it becomes a powerful blunt >weapon (Lawrence glares balefully when the topic is >brought up). Oh, that's prime... >It's very embarrassing (Almost fatally so) to explain >to your Prince that you sustained Trauma inducing >blunt force damage from a plush bear with a corduroy >nose. ...and so is that. I'm imagining the bruise. All in all, this one was chock full of concretey goodness all around. :) Moe ===== Liber Licentiae Moeticae: http://www.stormloader.com/users/moelane/innomine.html Last updated 04/01/01(this is usually way out of date) __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Get email at your own domain with Yahoo! Mail. http://personal.mail.yahoo.com/ ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 15 Apr 2001 17:29:48 -0400 From: "Charles Phipps" Subject: IN> Strange, even for a Habbalite >Which makes no sense, if you think about it. Kronos >is, most emphatically, not stupid: he should have seen >this scenario folding out about twenty moves ago. >Apparently, he hasn't - or he has, and there's >something else going on... Bravo Moe though one of course wonders why a Habbalite is stupid enough to believe that his duty is only to lead mortals to their fate willingly are those who already has some cheap flaw. One would think he'd get tired of the easy pickings and move to people like soliders of god and other things to glut his danger junkie appetites (playing it safe is the way people in hell redeem. Thankfully or not it's practically impossible to play it safe in hell). Though there is a certain "clock work" quality in Kronos's mind that Habbalah are frighteningly addictive beings to Elohim because simply put an Elohim "Mentat" objectivity is a necessity not a luxury unlike Seraphim and the Truth or Cherubim in their protectiveness. A Elohim can take pride in that he can control his emotions better than any but deep down he knows that he's not any more innately controlling his emotions than any other angel but has more practice and knowledge....and the slightest slip up can prove deadly. Now an angel who was once a word bound of willing victems would objectively come to the conclusion that there is something innate to humans which leads them to embrace their fates just as well as their destines knowing full well logically the consequences without emotion overriding reason. In effect logic is no protection against falling whatsoever....or really truth, devotion, multiple perspectives, or friendship. And then as Malkira explains it....he notes oddly his friends...getting a look over their eyes as they look like gears have just exploded in their heads... Odd that. - -Charlemagne great character ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 15 Apr 2001 23:39:25 +0100 From: "Genevieve Cogman" Subject: IN> Amusing novel Has anyone else out there read _The Second Summoning_ by Tanya Huff (aka The Keeper's Chronicles #2)? I ask because it has some stuff which is amusing to IN players -- an angel and demon, both dumped on Earth without warning or prior education, and with teenage bodies and hormones. (IN-wise, they _roughly_ correspond to a Seraph of Yves and a Calabite of Kronos, with absolutely no education about proper behaviour on Earth. It's not fair, really it isn't . . . ) There's also a character who's near as dammit Eli himself, and who I am borrowing a few notes from for future gaming. Heh. - --- (the angel, somewhat confused, is being asked what his name is) Name? Did he have a name? Everything had been named in the beginning so it was entirely possible. He started from the top, hoping something would sound familiar. There were only 301,655,722 angels, after all, he'd have to reach it eventually. - --- I enjoyed it, anyhow. Genevieve ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 15 Apr 2001 18:08:27 -0700 (PDT) From: Maurice Lane Subject: IN> Re: Re: Open Tethers Date: Sun, 15 Apr 2001 03:38:20 From: "Janet Anderson" Subject: IN> Re: Open Tethers >For example, I'm sure Servitors of Dominic hate using >any Tethers other than those of Judgement, the Sword >or Yves, and maybe Stone. War or Fire would be >disagreeable and possibly painful (can you say "hot >foot?" I thought you could). Oh, I don't know about that... "Need to use the Tether? Why, _sure_. Always glad to help out our fellow angels bring the War against those Damned traitors. After all, wouldn't you agree that in times like these, it's important for angels to put aside their differences for the greater good? "Why is that reliever scribbling in a notebook? Why, he's keeping the log. Important that we keep track who uses the Tether, after all. It helps us tailor our service to better help other organizations... and that's the important thing, don't you think? Serving Heaven, I mean? "Now, while you're here, can I offer you some tea? No? Very well: it'll be a minute before the queue clears, so in the meantime, can I offer you some entertainment? We have quite a wide variety of games for your amusement. "You don't care for games? Oh ... but of course, you're on duty, and thus would never _think_ of wasting your time with any kind of game. Well, perhaps some kind of vocal performance. We have here a Ofanite that recently managed to destroy an entire demonic Tether on his own. Would you like to hear him? He really has an excellent voice. Of course, we'll be happy to hear of whatever deeds you may have done recently: it's always nice to hear new stories about Heaven's victories over demons. "Oh, of course, silly me. Those stories _would_ be classified. No matter: you're next. Enjoy your trip down... and be careful of that step. We wouldn't want you to fall, would we?" Grinning all the while, naturally. :) Moe ===== Liber Licentiae Moeticae: http://www.stormloader.com/users/moelane/innomine.html Last updated 04/01/01(this is usually way out of date) __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Get email at your own domain with Yahoo! Mail. http://personal.mail.yahoo.com/ ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 15 Apr 2001 21:35:29 -0400 From: "Charles Phipps" Subject: IN> The Easter Malakite Maurice I'm shocked. You forgot vessel: Rabbit 1/ You forgot Oath: Leave eggs for good little children once a year... Ye gods man you even forgot Chocolate brewing 6! - -Charlemagne ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 15 Apr 2001 23:14:40 -0400 From: "Charles Phipps" Subject: IN> Angelic orders Some ideas here for ya'll The Order of Pacifists This group of angels is composed almost entirely of servitors of Destiny, Dreams, Creation, and Flowers with every member a devout Christian or member of other religeous denominations built on peace with only a few exceptions. The ancient order is personally out and out despised by Laurence who considers them traitors to the cause of Heaven...almost. In no small part is that they're formal position on Laurence (backed up by the Christian pacifist) is that he stands as the absolute worst mockery of God on Earth that has ever dared where the mantle of Archangel. Jesus's message of nonviolence they point out makes no exceptions and that even self defense is in itself a violation of his creed. The order has it's own conservatives who simply put not under ANY circumstances will react to a situation with violence up to and including the massacre of children by a assault rifle in front of them or the nuking of the world and it's liberals who advocate that peaceful ways of disabling foes (songs of harmony, charm, and the martial arts) without actually doing them any permanent damage are okay but under no circumstance will any member of the Order of Pacifists take a life. Shockingly this includes demonic vessels and they make no effort to imprison or incarcerate any dangers to society though reformation and inspiration is a prime goal of theres. In any case even Novalis finds herself occasionally at odds with the group but the Order of pacifists argues that going "cold turkey" on violence is the only way for humanity to remove their belief that any violance is justifiable and it matters not whether a man is shot hurting a child or for insulting a man, a man is still dead. The Order justifies itself with large ammounts of literature and documents but effectively the crux of their arguement is that God shall ressurect eventually dead, Hell can certainly never triumph over heaven, the dead go to their righteous reward, so really violence is no solution whatsoever to anything save temporary comfort. The Enigmatic Society of Pessimists As much as Laurence hates being called a murderer and a mockery of Christianity by the Pacifists Dominic...really really hates this group as much as he occasionally thinks about joining it. The Enigmatic society of Pessimists believe the only way a angel can avoid falling completely is believe that everything is as depressing as it can possibly be and shrug it off. Oddly no one has fallen once joining their group yet which is all that Dominic needs at this point to try the lot of them for hearsay. Roughly there's a coffee shop in the Holy City where the Society meets called "This aint Heaven." where everyone is welcome but the gloom surounding a room in Heaven is enough to leave everyone running out the door. Every day they have a topic read aloud on the nature of the Symphony with essays, poems, songs, and speachs about it along with whatever anyone wants to complain about. Sample topics include "Why God is an Ethereal", "Why God is evil", "Why Angels have/don't have free will and thus our lives suck", "Why God has abandoned us for the talking monkeys", "Why Hell is going to win.", and "Why is an example of treatment of the rest to come.". The Pessimists may or may not believe this but offically it's good form to applaud and pquestion not what has made an angel so depressed he wants to join the Enigmatic Society. The only thing really common in what depresses them is that they are resigned to the fact and still choosing to fight the good fight. Oddly a substanial portion of the Enigmatic Order are Malakim, a Malakite may believe indeed God created him to be a free will-less butchering killing machine but he'll fufill his task or God may be evil but darn well if he won't try and be as good as he can be. The coffee served is extremely bitter and distilled from the mortal sadness of souls who choose to have such removed in Heaven. - -Charlemagne ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 15 Apr 2001 23:52:33 -0400 From: "William J. Keith" Subject: IN> A Modern Skulker Thought I'd make a go at writing up an example of this Band, to flesh out some ideas and images I had. - ------------- Somewhere in a major city, there's an office building. And a residential loft. And a mall. And a hospital. And a couple of other things, all in the same edifice. The people are decent folks, the building is pleasant and well-kept, and the grounds are secure. *Very* secure. Let's go back a few years. Quanthiel was having a great time on Earth. In fact, he was having too much of a good time, and figured a little Disturbance that went unmonitored while he spent time appreciating God's Creation -- and, in particular, the beauty of that cornerstone of the Symphony, humanity -- was hardly going to bring down the Heavens. Instead, Heaven brought down the hammer on him and his whole Choir. After Outcasting, Quanthiel promptly Fell. The Skulker mindset was pretty popular in those days. After you'd abandoned your family(-ies, in Quanthiel's case), and were fleeing from Heaven's watchful gaze, the notion of being able to slip through the Symphony like air through atmosphere sounded pretty appealing, even if you had to Fall to do it. As for the Demon Princes... *ptoo* for the Demon Princes. Hell wanted to use you, Heaven wanted to kill you. Best just to stay on your own side. And to do that, you had to hide. You had to hide, and you had to keep an eye out. For eveything. Oh yeah. You could still Watch. You could Watch everyone, and they'd never see you, and you'd know all about them, and the knowledge would be power. It would keep you safe when they came for you. But you didn't hide out in the wilderness, or in the barren places. Besides being no fun, what with the lack of humans around to enjoy, there was less room to watch, with fewer information sources, and fewer places to hide, pretending to be human. Let's face it, the human Vessel is a decently well-made thing, but only if you're going to be using a sufficient number of tools and social constructs to survive. So Quan, as he now called himself, hid in the cities and towns. He lived like a human, alone except for the dalliances he desired so often, spending only the bare amount of money he needed to stay in Role, moving on when he thought people were getting suspicious. He collected quite a fund for himself this way, which to his mind was as much a problem as a plus. He decided it might be useful if he could use it to expand his set of information sources. It wasn't hard. Show up at whatever passed for the local government, flash some money around, ingratiate yourself with the local powers. Suddenly, you've got a steady source of flunkies ready to watch everyone for you, and bring back their information for the right price. You could watch a hundred times better than you ever could before. Get yourself a steady source of income from the throne, to support your lifestyle, by meeting with the sovereign in back rooms and quiet corners to tell him bits and pieces of what you know. Support them from behind the scenes. Stay hidden, stay watchful, use the knowledge to keep yourself safe. The development of power of attorney and proxied contracts was an absolute blessing to Quan. Now he could not only build a secure fortress that watched all ways, he could do it safely ensconced behind his lackeys, hardly needing to see the light of day. This was bliss. Holding corporations, proxied votes... ooh, look! A telephone. Now you could keep an even tighter rein on your people, and never have to show your face. But, of course, who wouldn't want to be around people? They're such fun, really. The trick is to be around them without them knowing. They can't know who you are, they can't really be allowed to see you. But you want to see them. You want to see them _all_ _the_ _time_. So, from the back of a web of interconnected corporations with holdings ranging from the most modern of accounting tricks to common law ownership from untraceably old records, comes an idea. Let's build a place where people can live integrated lives. Let's build a community so great, people will be begging to get in and never want to leave. Let's satisfy all their needs, right there. And let's definitely make sure these people are safe. The McMullen Paradisio Building is the product of this vision. Oddly enough, for such a huge and fashionable building covering the entirety of a city block, the rents aren't particularly steep. A two-income upper-middle-class family can afford them with no major difficulty, especially if they get the residential discount. You get the residential discount if you work in one of the companies that has offices in the building, or one of the resource providers downstairs in the mall. Of course, residents get discounts there, too. Companies get discounts on their space if they pitch residency in the building to their lower managerial staff, and the upper suites to their executives. All perfectly normal business practices, save for the integrated model. The pitches are standard advertisements for good space in a good town, although all of them, somewhere in the brochure, say say something to the effect of "You could live your entire life here." This is almost literally true. You could be born in the fully-equipped clinic which is practically a small hospital. You could receive day care in the nursery on Floor 2. You could be home-schooled -- there's an educational service in the building, and the owning company (whoever that really is) is searching around for a charter school that would like to give the McMullen Paradisio a shot. You could have a first job in the mall, and a career in the building's companies. You can play in the gyms and the rooftop recreational areas, and you can rest in the assisted-living community on a few of the lower-middle floors. Naturally, the building is tightly secure. Any company, family, or store that wants space will undergo a thorough background check, and businesses residing in the space will be required to ID and monitor employees. Any questionable material, and you're denied. "Questionable" is decided by a set of labyrinthine guidelines set from higher up, and a series of checks and vetoes that occasionally gets sprung on an unsuspecting space retailer. Every room and hallway is equipped with at least one security camera, and often two facing each other across the way, so as to be absolutely sure to miss nothing. (The technician who services it all -- it's really a full-time job for just this building, handling the electronics -- is one of the nicest guys you'll ever meet, if a bit serious about his work.) Same with the security personnel. There's virtually no crime on the grounds, although, living in a major city, there's the occasional unfortunate incident involving residents outside. Quan works the building from both ends. On the one end, he regularly receives the background checks for everyone who lives or works there, in his Role as the ultimate owner/controller of the holding corporations. These files alone constitute a massive library of personal data in one of the basement storage rooms. On the other end, he's a simple technician who maintains the security system scrupulously. One trunk of camera output goes to the security stations; and one trunk goes to another basement room. The one with banks of monitors watching every corner of the building -- offices, mall, recreation facilities, and residences. Especially residences. Look at the lives these people live. Pampered, cuddled, cradled in this urban utopia. But then they *leave*. Why do people want to leave? Why would they consider moving somewhere else? He'll follow them, see where they go, see what they're looking for. If they're lucky, maybe he can provide it at the Paradisio. If they're not lucky... well, if there's an opportunity, and no one is watching, sometimes he gets the chance to confront his sheltered little lambs who have strayed from the fold, and they don't come back from where he sends them, ever so quietly. Not always, of course -- you have to be careful. You have to make absolutely sure no one will know. Then you can. After all, we don't want those types of people here. Foolish. They wanted to leave. Why would they want to leave? They have everything here. We take care of them. Why would anyone want to leave Paradise? ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 15 Apr 2001 23:52:43 -0400 From: "William J. Keith" Subject: IN> Modern Skulker, Part II (Stats) Quan Skulker In Nomine Statistics: Corporeal Forces - 3 Strength 5 Agility 7 Ethereal Forces - 3 Intelligence 6 Precision 6 Celestial Forces - 3 Will 6 Perception 6 Discord: Paranoia/1 Vessel: Human/1 (young man), Role/2 (Ch'ien Kwan, unsocial millionaire), Role/3 (Kwan Li, security system technician for the McMullen Paradisio Building) Skills: Ranged Weapon(9 mm pistol)/2, Small Weapon(Knife)/3, Engineering(Electronic systems)/5, Knowledge(Law)/3, Knowledge(trade of the Information Merchant)/4 Songs: Attraction(Ethereal)/4, Light(Ethereal)/4 Attunements: None GURPS: In Nomine Statistics: ST 14 DX 16 IQ 13 HT 14 Advantages: Vessel(thirtysomething Chinese male, Attractive); Alternate Identity(Ch'ien Kwan, unsocial multimillionaire), associated Role/2 (Filthy Rich -- in this Role Quan has access to roughly $1.5mil in personal holdings, but it's labyrinthinely distributed. The building and other holdings are theoretically the property of the investors); Alternate Identity(Kwan Li, security system technician for the McMullen Paradisio Building), associated Role/3 Disadvantages: Status -1 for Ch'ien Kwan (counteracts the level given for Wealth); Obsession(know the personal lives of everyone remotely associated with him, -10); Discord/1 (Paranoia), Bloodlust(note that Quan's Obsession and Paranoia broaden the definition of "foe" with some frequency...) Quirks: has a few particular residents he likes to watch; rather like a soap opera to him. -1. Skills: Gun(9 mm)-18, Knife-17, Engineer(Electronic systems)-14, Law-11(area of knowledge base - current city setting), Merchant(specialty: Information)-14, Attraction(Ethereal)-12, Light(Ethereal)-12 Quan was, I think, developed as a balanced starting character in G:IN. (I really need to bite the bullet sometime and develop a character with a wider range of attributes.) William ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 15 Apr 2001 22:57:40 -0500 From: "Charles Glasgow" Subject: Re: IN> Angelic orders - ----- Original Message ----- From: "Charles Phipps" To: Sent: Sunday, April 15, 2001 10:14 PM Subject: IN> Angelic orders > The ancient order is personally out and out despised by Laurence who > considers them traitors to the cause of Heaven...almost. Laurence ain't their biggest worry... > In no small part that they're formal position on Laurence (backed up by > the Christian pacifist) is that he stands as the absolute worst mockery of God > on Earth that has ever dared where the mantle of Archangel. ... Dominic is. After all, doesn't something like this usually trigger one of Dominic's patented "So, you think you're smarter than the Lord our God, who personally granted Commander Laurence his Word and current station? Care to explain exactly why?" question-and-answer sessions? Going around saying that God's personally appointed Commander of the Host is the worst mockery, etc, etc., would qualify as spreading seditious sentiments, wouldn't they? One of the biggest rules for staying on the good side of the Divine Inquisition is not to go around saying that the only decision that the Lord God has directly made known to the Host in the past several millennia was the dumbest move in the history of creation. > Jesus's message of nonviolence they point out makes no exceptions > and that even self defense is in itself a violation of his creed. "Do not think that I came to bring peace on earth! I came not to bring peace, but the sword." -- Matthew 10:34 I'm sure that Swordies quote this to 'em a lot. What do they do then, besides fume? - -- Chuckg ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 16 Apr 2001 02:46:48 -0400 (EDT) From: "Rev. Pee Kitty" Subject: Re: IN> A Modern Skulker Wow, great character/seed/concept/everything! Scary as all hell... - -- Rev. Pee Kitty, of the order Malkavian-Dobbsian, Q4B4L! Meow! A crash reduces Your expensive computer To a simple stone. -- Sony Vaio-PC Haiku ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 15 Apr 2001 21:45:18 -0700 (PDT) From: Maurice Lane Subject: IN> New Minor Choir (Michael) Well, I was going through my files, and I realized that I hadn't done a Minor Choir lately. So, I decided to do Mike's. I was going to do something suitably munchkin, except that I asked myself "What would an Archangel of War _really_ need?" The answer just popped into my head, after that. Comments welcome. :) Moe Scipiah (Quartermasters, Expediters) :I looked upon the shambolic chaos that was the supply depot. Crates were stacked haphazardly, people were running around in that special way that indicates that nobody knew precisely what they were doing and there was entirely too much paper lying around. I'd have a week - six days, actually - to turn this into a smoothly operating detachment, just in time to make sure that a certain tank regiment would be properly supplied and armed for its date with Destiny. Six days of unremitting, backbreaking labor, surrounded by humans who had no idea about what was coming. And it was all my responsibility. I sighed.: :Life was good.: Michael has no problems getting good soldiers. There's always somebody out there just itching to take a crack at the forces of Evil, and you can always train them in how to do it effectively. Michael would never claim that he has enough (what fighting general would?), but he knows where he can get his hands on more, if he needs to. Masters at logistics, however, are a different matter entirely. They're born, not made - and there's always a real shortage of them. Michael solves the problem fairly neatly: if he can't train, he'll make. Of course, he spends a good deal of time keeping the rest of the Host from shamelessly poaching Scipiah for their organizations, but that's more flattering than anything else. Resonance A Scipiote's resonance is for organization: like their creator, they have an eye for the Truth (in this case, the Truly best way to arrange an area for maximum effectiveness). Once they've determined the best way to square away a mess, they'll move Heaven and Earth to match the reality up with the ideal. A Scipiote is never happier than when he or she has a real problem to overcome: it gives them carte blanche to straighten everything out from the source. They know the meaning of the term 'half measures', but they consider it one of humanity's viler obscenities. Dissonance Oddly enough, excessive violence. The entire point of having celestial quartermasters is to make things run smoothly, and while violence may be fine on the battlefield, it usually hideously clashes with a supply depot. Scipiah suffer dissonance when they use violent methods to enforce the vision of efficiency that they see from their resonance. Servitors of Flowers usually grin nastily at this point and suggest that this indicates that Michael has subconsciously admitted the Truth of Novalis' position. Servitors of War usually retort that Novalis' Minor Choir indicates precisely the same blessed thing about her, only reversed. Servitors of other Words just roll their eyes and order another beer. Manner and Appearance Scipiah favor a military bearing and manner (this holds true for those few that serve other Words). They invariably have military support Roles, and the stereotypical Scipiote is a career supply officer or noncom. Thus, they tend to be neat, clean, fairly well dressed (by military standards) but not particularly glamorous. In their celestial appearance, their origin from a Seraphic Superior is blatantly obvious: they resemble anthropomorphic lizards, complete with eyes on turrets (the better to look in several different places at once. They're also gorgeously and brightly colored: a Scipiote is actually not too hard on the eyes in his or her celestial form. The primary problem for a Scipiote, of course, is that they do come from a warlike Superior, and have absorbed some of his prejudices against incompetence. Usually, this just translates to blowing up spectacularly when annoyed: however, those with poor impulse control may sometimes physically attack those who are detailed to make their organizational vision a reality. If they persist in solving logistical problems with their fists, they run the risk of Falling and becoming Jinxes, a minor Band usually claimed by Baal. Instead of making things better, Jinxes enjoy making things worse - and they enjoy even more someone else getting the blame. Game Mechanics The Scipiote usually has only one problem to solve at a time (of course, many problems are really a whole bunch of lesser problems, but there's usually a unifying theme). Trying to keep track of two or more unrelated problems at a time is possible, but at -2 to both the resonance roll and the Check Digit for each problem that the Scipiote is juggling at once. Resonance Check Digit Table 0. There's a problem with the way things are being done currently (this is a Scipiah joke, or would be, if they knew about the Resonance Check Digit Table). 1. The angel knows whether or not things are being done reasonably efficiently. 2. The angel knows how badly things are being done currently. 3. The angel knows the above, and the worst active problem keeping things from running smoothly. 4. The angel, at this point, knows the above, and can see how to actually fix the worst errors in the supply or organizational chain. Said solutions may not be practical, of course. 5. As above, except that the angel can see how to fix things so that they stay fixed. 6. This is the sensation that Scipiah aim for: they can see the entire logistic chain, compare it to an optimum solution, and can see the easiest way to make the two match. More Sophisticated Uses of Resonance Part of resonating on an area's organization involves learning where everything is: the Check Digit will determine the details. A CD of 1 will give a very basic inventory, while a CD of 6 will tell the angel where everything is - which may not be the same place as where it's supposed to be. Knowing where everything is, by the way, is good for a positive reaction (equal to half the CD, rounded up) from anyone else who's actually trying to find something. Scipiah in the War They may not be on the battlefield, but they are a vital part of Michael's forces, and everybody knows it (besides, staying on the good side of supply clerks is the first thing that any good soldier learns). Scipiah will usually be found behind the lines, happily running around like madmen and keeping everybody supplied. These angels usually have a web of favors equal to that of some Lilim, although it's a 'cover my ass today, and I'll make sure that your ass is covered next week - somehow' sort of web. It is often joked that only another Scipiote - or a Lilim - could keep track of the constant trading of surplus supplies. However, some Scipiah do go on the front lines. Usually, it's to get firsthand data on what the troops really need (and never mind what the regulations say), but some just enjoy fighting. They are Servitors of War, after all. These Scipiah are usually the scroungers, as they can organize informal or black market supply chains in a heartbeat (although the risk of dissonance is higher). Needless to say, certain other Archangels _want_ these angels. Michael usually fends off poaching expeditions before they start, but sometimes he lets his colleagues get away with it. He's more amenable to letting Scipiah serve a tour of duty with another Word: it's good experience, and might pay dividends later. Armageddon is going to be a very complex operation, after all... Scipiah of War (Restricted) The Scipiote can determine whether a detected problem is due to thievery or corruption, even at the lower check digits: he or she also gets a Perception roll to determine who, provided that the angel has personally met the culprit. Scipiah, incidentally, only grudgingly accept even petty corruption in humans. Excessive greed will cause them to send for the MPs immediately. Scipiah of the Sword Michael lets Laurence poach more often than any other Archangel: frankly, the kid needs all the help that he can get. The Archangel of the Sword gives his Scipiah the ability to expedite paperwork (Laurence loathes paperwork, possibly because he gets stuck with most of it): they may cut down the time it takes to requisition something by half, if they make a Precision roll at -2. Scipiah of Trade (Restricted) Marc doesn't 'poach': he merely makes them an offer that they can't refuse. Many do, anyway, but those that don't end up being able to use their resonance on ledgers and numbers. At the very least, a resonance roll by a Scipiote of Trade on, say, a financial statement will determine where there was a mistake in the accounting. Marc is the greatest hirer of temporary Scipiah. Scipiah of Archives Beth doesn't poach, and she doesn't hire. However, she does seem to have some kind of agreement with Michael that lets her openly recruit. Other Archangels would love to know how she managed this, but neither Michael nor Beth is talking. At any rate, Scipiah of Archives can, once per day, rearrange up to (total Forces x 10) data items so that they somehow end up in their proper place. ===== Liber Licentiae Moeticae: http://www.stormloader.com/users/moelane/innomine.html Last updated 04/01/01(this is usually way out of date) __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Get email at your own domain with Yahoo! Mail. http://personal.mail.yahoo.com/ ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 16 Apr 2001 06:47:42 -0700 (PDT) From: Maurice Lane Subject: Re: IN> The once and future king Date: Sun, 15 Apr 2001 15:07:39 -0400 From: "Charles Phipps" Subject: IN> The once and future king >>Nice. I'd love to see a fiction piece with him >>meeting the other "king," though. > >Be careful what you wish for... > >Arthur: Oh no not you again.... > >The King: Yeah it's me Arthur baby. Ready and willing >to lead the young men and women of America through >the Battle of the Bands to the end of the Battle of >the bands. Risking it all for peace on Earth. > >silence> Not _quite_ what the original poster had in mind, but that just makes it funnier. One quibble, though: >Arthur: Right....umm have you got your ethereal >soldiers yet? > >The King: Yes sir, one million one Elvises ready for >battle. I don't normally comment on grammatical stuff, but I really do believe that, in canon, it's Elv_ii_. Beth, can we get a ruling on this? ;) Moe PS If you haven't guessed yet that I liked this one, well... geez, I liked this one, OK? :) ===== Liber Licentiae Moeticae: http://www.stormloader.com/users/moelane/innomine.html Last updated 04/01/01(this is usually way out of date) __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Get email at your own domain with Yahoo! Mail. http://personal.mail.yahoo.com/ ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 16 Apr 2001 10:27:50 -0400 From: Whistling in the Dark Subject: Re: IN> The once and future king At 6:47 AM -0700 4/16/01, Maurice Lane wrote: > >I don't normally comment on grammatical stuff, but I >really do believe that, in canon, it's Elv_ii_. Beth, >can we get a ruling on this? ;) Did it actually make it into canon? Oh God, I'd love it if it made it into Canon. (I've got my Gracelander adventure seed on the burner for Pyramid. "There can be only one... King of Rock and Roll, baby.") - -- Eric Alfred Burns - Habbalite of Belaboring the Point ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 16 Apr 2001 15:43:48 From: "Charles Glasgow" Subject: Re: IN> New Minor Choir (Michael) "Amateurs study tactics. Professionals study logistics." Very well done, Moe. - -- Chuckg _________________________________________________________________ Get your FREE download of MSN Explorer at http://explorer.msn.com ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 16 Apr 2001 10:51:11 -0700 (PDT) From: Maurice Lane Subject: IN> New Discord This is Eric Burn's fault: an email of his sparked the idea. Just so you know. ;) Moe Wuhh-hunnh (Corporeal) This first showed up among Servitors of the Media, but then it spread like a disease. For some reason, new outbreaks of this Discord seem to crop up every August. The victim will find his (or, even more oddly, her) facial features shifting towards that of Elvis Presley. At level/1, this is merely a general resemblence: the celestial will not be mistaken for the King, but he or she would look like they may be related. At level/2-3, the resemblence will be more notable: the individual could get a job being an Elvis impersonator. At level/4-5, the subject would have difficulty getting a job doing anything _else_: at this point, the body will start resembling that of the King. Those with Level/6 of this Discord _are_ the King, down to fingerprints and DNA. Note that in no case does this Discord provide any kind of musical ability. At any level, the sideburns appear, and cannot be removed permanently (attempting to do so will cause 1d6 Mind Hits until they grow back, which usually takes about an hour). Those with this Discord have an especially strange appearance in their celestial form: meeting a Kyriotate with Wuhh-hunnh/6 can do _bad_ things to one's mental health. Generally, those with the Wuhh-hunnh Discord receive a -1 to reaction rolls per level (this penalty is doubled for Elohim and _tripled_ for Kyriotates and Shedim). Finally, it has been noted that angels with this Discord seem to take on the appearance of the Young Elvis, while demons get to become the Fat Elvis. Nobody's precisely sure why. __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Get email at your own domain with Yahoo! Mail. http://personal.mail.yahoo.com/ ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 16 Apr 2001 12:55:27 -0500 From: "Prodigal" Subject: Re: IN> New Discord From: "Maurice Lane" > > Wuhh-hunnh (Corporeal) The Flying Elvises* were obviously a group of Destiny servitors with this Discord, then. ;;;) *Go ahead, TRY to watch "Honeymoon in Vegas" without coming to teh same conclusion. I dare you. ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 16 Apr 2001 14:00:01 -0400 From: Cameron McCurry Subject: Re: IN> New Discord Maurice Lane wrote: > Finally, it has been noted that angels with thisDiscord seem to take > on the appearance of the Young Elvis, while demons get to become the > Fat Elvis. Nobody's precisely sure why. I think that was my favorite part. ooh! Another idea! At level 4 and higher, the one afflicted must break into song for engaging in combat. The Symphony could even provide the background music. ------------------------------ End of in_nomine-digest V1 #2158 ******************************** The material here is (C) 2001 Steve Jackson Games, Incorporated. All rights reserved.