Let’s learn about Calabim – The Destroyers, a Band of Demons in the tabletop role-playing game In Nomine. In Nomine is a role-playing game designed by Derek Pearcy and published in 1997 by @Steve Jackson Games. You can learn more on the official website here: http://www.sjgames.com/innomine/ or the Wikipedia page here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/In_Nomine_(role-playing_game). You can buy In Nomine products here: https://www.drivethrurpg.com/browse/pub/12199/Steve-Jackson-Games/subcategory/28908_30775/In-Nomine?affiliate_id=50797
Time Stamps:
- 0:00 Intro
- 0:27 About
- 0:55 Resonance
- 1:24 Dissonance
- 2:05 Manner and Appearance
- 3:24 Game Mechanics
- 5:14 Outro
About In Nomine
Written by Derek Pearcy + Illustrated by Dan Smith
Edited by Jeff Koke, Steve Jackson, and Susan Pinsonneault
Cover art by John Zeleznik (first printing) and Christopher Shy (second printing)
In Nomine is a modern roleplaying game in which the players take the part of celestial beings – angels and demons – as they struggle for control of humanity and themselves. The celestials, powerful though they may be, are merely pawns in a much larger game being played by their Superiors, the Archangels and Demon Princes. Based on the best-selling French RPG by the wonderfully diabolical Croc!
In Nomine won the Origins Award for Best Graphic Presentation of a Roleplaying Game, Adventure, or Supplement of 1997.
Transcript
Cold Open
Woe to those in their way!
Intro
Welcome to In Nomine, a celebration of my favorite tabletop role-playing games. This In Nomine YouTube channel is a sister channel to Eviliv3. Subscribe if you’re new to the channel, because today we are continuing our In Nomine series with this episode, Calabim – The Destroyers, A Band of Demons.
Discussion
The Calabim are ticking time bombs. They have no goals save for wanton destruction. This trait is valued highly among their Demonic Princes, but it spells unnecessary danger for those they may end up working with. Angels justifiable fear the Calabim. But equally Demons fear them as well. Once a Calabim invariably loses control, they start destroying everything around them, friend or foe, so be somewhere else!
Resonance
Resonance is not solely the celestials’ very nature, it is also the unique supernatural power they wield in relation to their nature. For the Calabim, it is destruction. They are surrounded by an invisible field of entropy, which they leverage to break down any ordered structure within reach. A Calabim may, at will, impose their whirling energies on their surroundings, and when in celestial form, direct it upon any celestial in range.
Dissonance
Dissonance is what celestials earn by acting against their nature, against their resonance, or that of their Superiors. Calabim are great at delivering destruction, but when it is redirected back upon them, when their target reflects their resonance back at them, they must either absorb the destructive energies which cause notes of Dissonance, or they have to lash out at some other target within range until they suffer some form of damage. This is the very reason demons also fear Calabim. No one wants to willingly accept notes of Dissonance, so it’s much easier to lash out at anyone nearby. Hence my statement earlier about being somewhere else!
Manner and Appearance
Ironically, when Calabim ate ont actively smashing or killing, Calabim appear calm and surprisingly distant. Don’t let this respite in action fool you however, they are continually tearing things apart, even within their own minds. Their divine counterparts, the Ofanim, are agents of motion, so the Calabim have externalized that motion. They have converted it into a whirlwind of entropy they use to lash out. Calabim consider themselves insane instruments of painful percussion in the Symphony, and their actions certainly bear out that concept out!
Even by Hell’s standards, the Calabim are odd. Everyone has some form of Discord which they use to pour their destructive forces over the world. Calabim are loyal to their Prince, but they are also easy to anger and difficult to calm down. If a Calabim doesn’t like what you have to say, they won’t think twice about slapping you around until they’ve been specifically told to stop.
In their Celestial vessels, Calabim appear as nasty, grubby, leering, demons, red faced, and bat winged. On earth, they prefer rough and tumble vessels. Something they can use to sprawl about. They may don a wide grin beneath their shaggy visage, hoping you will step in their way.
Game Mechanics
Calabim must begin play with one Discord of any type. The level of the discord must be equal to the number of Forces they have of that type. So if the Calabite has 3 Corporeal forces, they would have a discord of level 3. This starting discord may never be taken away, unless they redeem themselves. The Discord can grow more severe however.
When a Calabim invokes their resonance, they inflict Body hits equal to their Corporeal Forces plus the successful check digit roll. When they are in their Celestial form, they instead inflict Soul hits to celestial targets. On a failed resonance roll, they are unable to invoke it again for a number of minutes equal to the failed check digit roll. Their resonance has a reach equal to his Will number in feet. Their targets are not without a defense though. They may resist with a Strength roll, or a Will roll if in Celestial form. If they out roll the Calabite, the Demon cannot make another attempt on that target for a number of minutes equal to the successful resistance roll’s check digit. Naturally inanimate targets cannot resist.
This is when things get interesting for the Calabite, but not so much for those around him. If the attack is in fact resisted, the demon may accept the note of Dissonance or lash out at someone else within range. If he decides to lash out, he is compelled to continue doing so until he inflicts damage.
As you can see, being around a Calabim can be incredibly dangerous, but playing a Calabite can be incredibly fun! I would never suggest they would be appropriate for every style of game, but if you need a soldier to go out on the battlefield and unleash Hell? Well, a Calabite is just what the doctor ordered.
Outro
Thank you for watching today’s In Nomine episode. Subscribe and ring the bell if you are new to the channel. Don’t forget to click the like button and comment to let others learn about this award winning role-playing game and this channel.
And as always, remember that evil spelled backwards is live, so get out there and Be Evil!