Let’s learn about the various choirs of angels 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
- 1:16 Seraphim, Trisagionists, The Most Holy
- 2:07 Cherubim, Hayyoth, The Guardians
- 2:52 Ofanim, Thrones, The Wheels
- 3:37 Elohim, Dynamis, The Powers
- 4:21 Malakim, Kings, The Virtues
- 5:11 Kyriotates, Hives, The Dominations
- 6:00 Mercurians, Intercessionists, Friends of Man
- 6:50 Grigori,Giants, The Watchers
- 7:38 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
An angel’s choir is its celestial race, and more…
Intro
Welcome to Eviliv3, the live media commentary show that answers the question, what do angels look like? Subscribe if you’re new to the channel, because today we are continuing our In Nomine series with this episode, Choirs of Angels.
Discussion
Everything resides within the Symphony, and Angels are its instruments. They can be light and airy or deep and bass. At its most basic, an angel’s choir is its celestial race, but the choir also determines its particular mannerism and appearance; even its Resonance to a certain aspect of the Symphony. That Resonance defines the very nature of the angels, its core of self. Much like anything in the Symphony, the eight choirs of angels have a hierarchy of divinity. In descending order they are the Serafim, Cherubim, Ofanim, Elohim, Malakim, Kyriotates, Mercurians and the watchers, the Grigori. We will be going into more detail about each choir in future episodes, but for now let’s take a birds eye view of each choir of angels.
Seraphim
The Seraphim are the most divine and known as the most holy. They are creatures of pure truth. In the Celestial realm they appear as giant, winged serpents. Their resonance rings through truth. No one is capable of lying to a Seraphim. This extends to their own behavior. They have no tact and often blunder into a given situation spouting the truth, even to their disadvantage. They truly loathe dealing with humans on a one-to-one basis. Their dissonance is lying, and since they cannot overtly lie, they are talented at conversationally misdirecting questions. They will do their best to avoid being in situations where revealing the truth would hinder their mission. Due to their proximity to the divine, a Seraphim’s word is often the final one, unless a superior overrides it.
Cherubim
The Cherubim are known as the most gentle, and are seen as the guardians. They are however stouthearted and stubborn as well. In the Celestial Realm they appear as winged animals or sphinx-like crossbreeds. They are seen as Heaven’s knights, fanatically loyal to their Heavenly Choirs. Their resonance is one of ultimate devotion, and are able to attune themselves with a touch, as long as it’s in the Corporeal Realm. This leads to their Dissonance, as it is painful to lose that which they are attuned to. They will do everything possible to protect it. This makes them selective on who they share their resonance with. They move slowly and with purpose, missing no details around themselves.
Ofanim
The Ofanim are celestial Easy Riders, aways on the move. Because of this they are known as The Wheels. With a resonance of motion. They appear as large rotating wheels of fire in the Celestial Realm. Once set into motion, their resonance doesn’t allow them to stop. Their abrasive insistence on action, reveals the quickest path instantly. They act as if on edge, performing more than one task at a time, seeming to be crazed by others. Their Dissonance is inaction. If they refuse to seize an opportunity presented to them, of being restrained in some way, it’s terrifying and against their nature. While their vessels may appear to be mad, they betray no fear.
Elohim
The Elohim are creatures of judgment and balance, with a resonance for emotion. Hence they are known as The Powers. They can see the emotions of a human. In the celestial Realm they appear to be beings of pure light. They are the Symphony’s expression of balance. Their Resonance is objective perception. They can sense the true nature of others and foresee their actions. They have no personal stake or point of view, surrendering to the Symphony. To have a subjective perception is Dissonance to them. While they feel emotion, and are capable of perspective, they deny it less they suffer. They are often sought for their counsel, and are not afraid to get their hands dirty.
Malakim
The Malakim are the sharpest of the divine instruments, known as The Virtues. Warriors who have never fallen. They appear as shadowy human forms with jet-black wings in the Celestial realm. They are the Symphony’s purity of honor and wrath. They can be openly arrogant, tyrannical and cruel. Their resonance is their honor, more important to them than their very lives! They can see the purity of human nature, discerning how selfless or selfish they are. They are often deadly serious, and while they don’t seek to straighten everyone they meet out, they do not shy away from the duty if pressed. Dishonor is their Dissonance. They are incapable of falling as they police themselves and refuse to fail in their duty. Each has their own sense of honor, based on personal principles.
Kyriotates
The Kyriotates are able to split their Forces across many physical forms at once. They are thus known as the Dominations. In the Celestial Realm they appear as an ever changing collection of eyes and limbs. They are the second-least divine choir and the most alien. Their resonance is in multiplicity. They have no sense of individual self, but rather, changing vessels every week or more. They borrow other beings’ bodies to make their mark on reality. While possessing others, the host roams the Marches, with no memory of their divine takeover. Their Dissonance lies in abusing or leaving the possessed body worse than when they took it over. They are relaxed, and dress casually and comfortably. They truly pride themselves for their subjectivity.
Mercurians
The Mercurians are the closest to humans in attitude and appearance. Hence they are known as the Friends of Man. In the Celestial Realm, they appear as typical angels with halos, colorful wings and perfect bodies. They are the developers of politics and arbiters of taste. They have a Resonance with the patterns of politics in the Symphony. They can immediately grasp the hierarchical structure of any group or individual. They tend to be arrogant, with a great sense of style, judging others for theirs or the lack thereof. They truly love humanity, and thus violence to humanity is their Dissonance. They don’t mind violence to others, but prefer negotiations with mortals. They are always adorned in an attractive vessel, unless intentionally not so, and they are the best dressed in the room.
Grigori
The Grigori were created to be Earthly shepherds for humanity. They are both spiritually and physically gigantic, and aided humanity in its development of civilization. Their selflessness was beyond compare. They are known as the Watchers, and were easily corrupted by humanity. Many of them took spouses from humanity, creating the Nephilim. These misshapen monsters were all but exterminated by angels, and the Grigori were excommunicated from Heaven, doomed to spend eternity on Earth for their sin of lust and neglecting their mission. Angels are forbidden from mentioning their name, or interacting with them. They also engendered half-breed children other than the Nephilim. They are able to tap into the Symphony and are often seen as Witches and Warlocks.
And that is the basic description of each angelic Choir.
Outro
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