A set of guidelines to my In Nomine game - for the players of my table-top GURPS In Nomine campagin.

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A note on page references: GIN stands for GURPS In Nomine, C1 stands for Compendium 1: Character Creation, G stands for GURPS Basic Set. Therefore GINpg149 would refer to page 149 of GURPS In Nomine, and Gpp34-38 would refer to pages 34-38 of the GURPS Basic Set.

Index

Celestial Abilities
Essence
Setting Rules
Falling and Redemption
Useful Notes
Character Advancement

What Can Celestials Do? Back to Index

Here's a list of everything every celestial (angel/demon) can do:

(1) Assume celestial form - assuming celestial form on the Ethereal or Corporeal plane requires spending 2 Essence and succeeding a (Will+Celestial Power roll). You may remain in Celestial form for a number of minutes equal to your Will + the degree by which you succeeded the roll. A Celestial must pay a point of Essence and make another successful (Will + Celestial Power) roll to remain in Celestial form. While in Celestial form, you're difficult to see, you can pass through any corporeal substance and your freedom of movement can only be prevented with a Celestial Song of Shields or either a Corporeal or Ethereal Song of Forbidding, and you cannot occupy the same celestial space as another being in celestial form. Your rate of travel is Perception/2 meters/second. You can carry up to Corporeal Power x 10 lbs linked to each vessel.  It is only in celestial form that Soul combat (and Soul death) can occur.

Beings on any plane other than the celestial must succeed a Perception check to perceive you. However, with a successful Will roll and point of Essence, you can cause someone to make another Perception check to perceive you with a Bonus to their Perception roll equal to the degree of success on your Will roll.

(2) Speak a Celestial language. All celestials are born being able to speak Angelic Tongue, including demons born in Hell. Angelic tongue is the purest form of communication, essentially conveying truths, and lacks the subtle double meanings of words and phrases that human tongues allow for. Angelic tongue cannot be spoken while in a Corporeal vessel, though it may be written, or expressed through a work of art. Because Angelic cannot express falsehoods, Demonic Tongue was created by the Diabolicals, as a perversion of Angelic Tongue it can be used to blatantly lie. While Angels may know Demonic Tongue, actually speaking it can be a dangerous proposition (except for Seraphim). For every lie spoken in Demonic Tongue, an Angel gains a point of Dissonance . . .

(3) Returning home. All celestials are return to their Heart while in celestial form at will, instantly, and will do so automatically if they are in Celestial form on the Corporeal plane and do not possess a vessel and choose not to spend Essence and make a Will roll to maintain Celestial form. Celestials who return home will manifest near of next to their Heart, regardless of what plane it's on. (Some celestials have been known to steal their hearts away to dreamscapes or hidden places in the corporeal realm, though the latter is extremely dangerous.)

(4) Angels may Pervert their Resonance. In doing so, they bring out the dark side of their Resonance (i.e. the Resonance of their fallen counterpart). Thus an Ofanite may choose to externalize their resonance and use it to damage something with the raw entropy, a Mercurian may choose to use their understanding of how humans work to Charm one or Steal Essence, a Kyriotate may choose to invade rather than displace, someone's mind. Malakim cannot pervert their Resonance This is a price to pay for this perversion. Any angel that does this in on the road to Falling. Each use of perverted resonance grants the Angel a point of Dissonance that cannot be removed except by a Superior and cannot be transformed into Discord. Also, all Dissonance Rolls against Dissonance earned this way act upon the angel as per GINpg149 as though the angel were already Outcast. Note that this is the ONLY way in the game that an angel may accidentally fall from grace.

Example: Slick, Ofanite of the Wind has been using the perversion of his Resonance once two many times. He already has 2 points of normal dissonance from his Word and 2 points of Dissonance from perversion. He perverts his Resonance again, lashing out in anger at a Demon of Gluttony who's in the middle of raping a young man. Slick has to make a Dissonance roll using his current level of dissonance, rolling a 3, 2, and 2. Too bad, none of the dice are equal to exceed his total Dissonance of 4. He Falls from grace while kicking the shit out of the servitor of Gluttony, hardly noticing the change until his head clears and he realizes that the Symphony feels, different, more violent and caustic. After understanding the psychological changes he's going through and the differences in how his Resonance operates, he realizes that he's become a Demon.

(5) Celestials may fall asleep with a successful Perception roll, and awaken with a successful Will roll.
 

EssenceBack to Index

Essence is the GURPS In Nomine equivalent of Blood Points, Gnosis, Power Points, Energy Points, or Quintessence in terms of game use.  You spend Essence, of which you have a limited quantity, to fuel Supernatural effects.  What is Essence?  Eli has decribed Essence as the basic building block of reality.  It exists in all things: life, unlife, rocks, trees, people, animals, energy, sound, sunlight, ethereals, celestials, in all things.  Actually being able to harness the Essence around you is a completely separate matter.  Only certain beings have control over their Essence: namely most Ethereal natives, Celestial natives, Saints, Undead, Sorcerors, and Soldiers of either side. Mundane human beings do not have control over their Essence.

Characters regenerate one (1) point of Essence once a day : at sunset for demons, at noon for humans, and at sunrise for angels.  Ba'al has described Essence as the backbone of reality, and he notes its emotional and spiritual quality when it is generated by intelligent entities.  In game terms, this means that Essence comes in many different "flavors."  Thus, an angel generates Divine Essence, a demon generates Infernal Essence, Ethereal generate Essence which has a flavor reflective of their natures, and the "taste" of a human being's Essence is also reflective of the person's attitude.  As Andrealphus would explain, a bitter person's Essence usually tastes sour and unpleasant, whereas a cheerful person's Essence usually tastes light and quite nice.  For this reason, most Impudites often will attempt to drain Essence from happy or confident people, rather than the unhappy individuals of society.  Of course, as Alaemon might say, "We all have our tastes."

Aside from spending Essence to fuel supernatural abilities, you can spend Essence to boost target numbers. Example: you're a Soldier of Lust, running for your life form a Malakite of the Sword whose taken it into her head to kill your punk ass (big surprise there). While being chased from roof-top to roof-top, you come to a distance between roofs that you're guessing that you won't be able to jump. You decide to spend a point of Essence to carry you across. The GM has you make a Dexterity roll, you add that point of Essence to your target number, thus your DX (say) 12 +1 gives you a target number of 13, AND it become a supernatural event. Our soldier rolls a 15, a failure by 2. So, while you fail to jump to the next ledge, a supernaturally strong gust of wind blows you into the wall and causes you to land on the fire escape, dealing you only 2 points of damage.

Setting Rules Back to Index

This game takes place in modern day Chicago. Go ahead, buy a map, check it out on-line, I don't care, but whatever I say goes. (So while you can try and convince me of something you know about Chicago, I may remain unconvinced, because my version of the Windy City is a bit different.)

Attributes
I make a few changes to the four typical GURPS attributes.  Perception and Will are not based upon IQ, but must be purchased separately (following the spirit of the lower sidebar on C1pg8).  Instead, at the beginning of character creation they start off at 10, just like the other four.

Perception (PN) may be raised above 10 at 5pts/level.  Therefore PN 11 would cost 5pts, PN 12 10pts, PN 13 15pts, etc . . .  PN may be reduced below 10 at -5pts/level.  Therefore PN 9 would cost -5pts, PN 8 -10pts, PN 7 -15pts, etc . . .

Will (WL) may be raised above 10 at 4pts/level.  Therefore WL 11 would coust 4pts, WL 12 8pts, WL 13 12pts, etc.  WL may be reduced below 10 at -8pts/level.  Therefore WL 9 would cost -8pts, WL 8 -16pts, WL 7 -24pts, etc . . .

Celestial Combat
Soul combat is much different from physical combat.  First of all, in Soul Combat, there are no vitals to target, therfore there are no called shots.   Second of all, while in physical combat you kill people, in Soul combat you're literally tearing away parts of people's souls until there's nothing left.  It's vicious and can take a long time.  (see GINpp144-5)  For purposes of calculating damage, WL replaces ST.  For purposes of calculating initiative and dodge. Perception/2 becomes Basic Spd.  Characters without an appropriate combat skill (hand-to-hand combat skills for soul-to-soul attacks, weapon skills for celestial relic-weapons), may attack rolling against target number Will-1.  Acrobatic dodges may be used in Celestial combat, and Ofanim may boost their Dodges with their Resonance.  Cutting and Impaling damage rules do apply for Numinus Corporus and celestial relic-weapons.  Ofanim do not do burning damage with their hand-to-hand attacks unless they've purchased that ability.  Celestial combat can only take place on the Celestial plane.

When a character's Soul hits have been reduced to zero, they experience Soul Loss (see below).  Soul hits cannot be reduced below zero, that is to say, if Sonia has only 5 Soul hits left and Kalamarial deals her 14 points of Soul damage, Sonia's Soul hits are reduced to zero, but the additional 9 points of damage do not carry over into her "refresh" of Soul hits.

Soul Loss
When a being's Soul hits are reduced to zero, part of their Soul has been ripped from the character, perhaps even destroyed.  Roll 1d6.  On a result of 1 or 2, the character loses 1 level of Corporeal Power Investiture, 2 ST and 2 HT.  On a result of 3 or 4, the character loses 1 level of Ethereal Power Investiture, 2 IQ and 2 DX.  On a result of 5 or 6, the character loses 1 level of Celestial Power Investiture, 2 WL and 2 PN.  (Celestials only, non-celestial souls lose levels of attributes only.)

If/when a character loses all levels of Corporeal Power Investiture, he loses the ability to manifest in a Vessel and to sing Corporeal Songs.  If/when a character loses all levels of Ethereal Power Investitur, he loses the ability to travel to the Marches to sing Ethereal Songs, and he gains the disadvanatages Absent-Minded and Partial Amnesia.  If/when a character loses all levels of Celestial Power Investiture, their Heart shatters, he becomes a Remnant, are immediately removed from the Celestial plane, and lose the ability to sing Celestial Songs.  If the Remnant has no levels of Corporeal Power Investiture left, he is ejected into the Marches instead.

If a Celestial loses all his levels of Power Investiture (Corporeal, Ethereal and Celestial), or any one attribute is reduced below one (1),  they cease to be.  What it was that they are has been dissolved, destroyed, and rendered.  They exist in memory only.  This is the only way to ensure the permanent death of a celestial or soul.

Note that Soul Loss for non-celestials is different.  When they experience Soul Loss, they do not lose levels of Power Investiture.  Instead, they lose the corresponding attribute levels and can only be permently destroyed by reducing one of their attributes to below one (1).

Undead
° Undead add their Soul hits to Body hits. Example: Tarel the Vampire has HT 12, therefore 12 Body hits, Will 14, therefore 14 Soul hits. He has (23+14=) 28 body hits. Just like everyone else, they don't die until their hits reach -HT, or in this case, -28. Assuming that this undead never fails a HT for dying, nor a Will roll for remaining conscious, he could keep fighting until -5xHT or -140, after taking 168 points of damage. Undead do not need to breathe, therefore cutting their throats will merely piss them off. However, once an undead's head is severed from the body (more than HT/3 cutting damage to the neck) the undead cannot control its body (though it can still talk), and is therefore neutralized.
° Undead may improve their characteristics over time, including the addition of skills, levels of power investiture, and attributes.
° Undead may become Sorcerers (and vice versa).

Humans may receive Choir and Band attunements from Superiors.

Initiative in combat will be determined by rolling 1d6 and adding it to you Basic Spd.  Highest roll(s) go first.

Tethers aren't all that common. Most small towns won't have one, most small cities will have one, most moderately sized cities will have two or three, large cities three or four and huge cities will have five or six or more depending.  (Chicago has four known tethers, two divine, two demonic.)

Songs may be modified with an appropriately musical skill, but only cosmetically. Example, Anna a Mercurian wants to invoke her angelic wings using her Numinous Corpus: Wings, but instead of big, white, feathery wings, she'd like to create dragon wings. The GM lets her use her Bone-Flute skill. She rolls a 13 with target number 13, barely a success. The GM rules that her wings are no longer feathery, instead scaly but still white. Satisfied, she sings her Corporeal Song of Form wishing to modify it so it also gives the appearance of her skin of being white dragon scales as well as giving her natural armor. She rolls an 8, succeeding by 5. The GM rules it so. Anna is pleased and goes around scaring the locals and impressing her friends.

Disturbance is a political faux pas. Celestials who cause too much Disturbance to the Symphony, especially while on earth, will be brought to trial. Angels will be charged with disturbing God's plan, Demons will be charged with betraying Hell through negligent advertisement of their position, intent, and stupidity.

Remember that every point of Dissonance subtracts from a Celestial's Resonance target number.

Few celestials answer to their Superior directly on a regular basis (though PCs are usually "favored" by their Superior). Usually one follows the lead of one's direct superior. One will need to seek out one's Superior to request Attunements or Rites, but often it's best to wait to be noticed.

Falling and Redemption Back to Index

In my game, Angels cannot accidentally fall through Dissonance Disaster. Instead, they must choose to Fall, i.e. Jump and may Fall without having been Outcast first (except in the case of Dissonance acquired from perverting your resonance). Instead of Falling with Dissonance Disaster after being Outcast, simply add Discord as you would to a Demon or a Malakite.

Once an angel has fallen, however, all Dissonance AND Discord is removed (except for Geasa), as the angel's connection with God's Symphony has been severed and a new selfish Symphony erected in its place.  However, Fallen Angels retain the Rites they had as an Angel.

Demons can choose to redeem, but cannot do it alone. A demon must be transformed into an Angel by an Archangel. Once redeemed, however, a demon loses all former Dissonance and Discord and is watched carefully by Judgment's servitors and those of its new Archangel. Only until it has proved itself loyal will it be granted the Choir attunement its fellow choir members received automatically. It will also have to earn its Rites as well, though it will retain its old ones.

Note that it's Dissonant for a fallen or redeemed celestial to use a Rite to generate Essence from their former side.

Useful Notes Back to Index

Modifiers to Song rolls: Two extra rounds +1, One extra minute +2, Extra five minutes +3, Extra full hour +4, Extra full day +5, One week +6, One Month +7, One Year +8. Effects are not commutative, thank you very much.

Song Levels: 1pt : both hand motions and vocal performance necessary, takes effect that round, 2pts : requires either physical or verbal rituals, but not both, takes effect the same round, 4pts and 6pts : takes effect the same round with either physical or vocal invocation, or the next round with only mental invocation, 8pts+ : take effect same round with only mental invocation. Songs in relics follow the same rules.

Modifiers to Resonance rolls: Physical contact +2, Within one yard of subject +1, Direct line of sight 10 to 50 yards -1, Audio and video reproduction -1, audio reproduction only (phone conveersation, audio recording) -2, Visual reproduction only (photo, video) -3

Character Advancement Back to Index

Character will earn between 3 and 12 Character Points (CP) per gaming session, which may be spent on the following: Skills, Songs, Artifacts. All of these things must be learned in game (not necessary in the time spent role-playing, but a demon can't learn a new song on his own, he's got to find someone to teach it to him, likewise with Artifacts, someone's got to make it for you.) Attunements, Distinctions and Rites must be earned through role-playing and through appeasing your Superior, though Songs and Skills may be asked for as well, because your Superior probably knows a lot more than you do and won't have to teach you, rather just imprint them on you.

Attunements, Rites, and Distinctions do not cost points but must be earned through service to your Superior.  Advantages acquired this way do increase the point value of the character.
 
 
 

NOTICE and DISCLAIMER:
"The material presented here is my original creation, intended for use with the GURPS system from Steve Jackson Games. This material is not official and is not endorsed by Steve Jackson Games."

GURPS and In Nomine are registered trademarks of Steve Jackson Games, and the art here is copyrighted by Steve Jackson Games. All rights are reserved by SJ Games. This material is used here in accordance with the SJ Games online policy."