Let’s learn about the infernal realm of Hell 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
- 1:22 Lucifer
- 1:58 Demons’ Hearts
- 2:32 The Dark Celestial Tongue
- 2:58 Principalities
- 7:22 Beleth’s Marches
- 7:58 Death After Death: How You’ll Suffer in Hell
- 8:34 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
Nothing is ever quite what you think it is, even Hell.
Intro
Welcome to Eviliv3, the live media commentary show that answers the question, can there ever be a snowball’s chance in Hell? Subscribe if you’re new to the channel, because today we are continuing our In Nomine series with this episode, Hell.
Discussion
There is a place of darkness, a constant screaming discord reverberating throughout the Symphony. It’s an abscess in the celestial realm, and so has rightfully been called the Vacuum. It is a series of countless caves and caverns, endlessly descending, and so has rightfully been called the Pit. It’s a place of great suffering, and so has rightfully been called the Inferno. Its inhabitants, who have better things to worry about, just call it Hell.
One of my favorite lines about Hell comes from Lucifer played by Viggo Mortensen in the film The Prophecy. He said “Do you know what Hell really is, Thomas? It’s not lakes of burning oil or chains of ice. It’s being removed from God’s sight, having His Word taken from you. It’s hard to believe. so hard. I know that better than anyone.” Let’s take a closer look at Hell.
Lucifer
Lucifer, the Bringer of Light, manages the War, and he’s doing a damned fine job of it too! The Belseraph remains an enigma to all Demons, and cannot be summoned. Though if he ever were to appear before you, you can be certain it is incredibly significant. While Lucifer has a sense of humor, his laughter is not something one wants to hear. He does not abide small talk, he has no patience for buffoonery, and zero appreciation for the ridiculous. While he will manifest on a d666 roll of three sixes, the Game Master or GM will determine the specific manifestation of his presence.
Demon’s Hearts
Demons do in fact have hearts, though not all of them. You must have access to the Corporeal Realm to be granted one. When a Demon returns to hell, he manifests next to his Heart. The Demon’s Heart glows like a furnace when he is in Hell. But if a demon perishes, his Heart shatters as well. Only the Demon or his master may move his heart, though most Princes lock away their servitor’s hearts in steel cages. A Demon may break his heart with a Will roll, but once broken, they will not be able to return to Hell without following another Demon.
The Dark Celestial Tongue
The only language Fallen Angels knew was the divine speech of Angels. This prevented them from lying. Over the millennia, Diabolicals bent and broke that perfect language and twisted it, so that they can use it to corrupt and blaspheme. Their language can be used in the Celestial and Corporeal realms while in any form. And while Angels can recognize the Diabolical’s tongue when spoken, they cannot understand it.
Principalities
Hell is divided into a large number of Principalities, canyons of varying sizes connected by tunnels, walkways and teleporter gates. Each principality is connected to the corporeal Realm by a Tether, a Hellish place on Earth. Each Principality is also ruled by a Demon prince whose subjects include not only the Player characters, or PC’s Demons, but also countless human souls. These Souls are condemned to suffer here due to the abuse of the Princes Words during their short lives. You can travel between Principalities but it is monitored and difficult, more so for human souls than demons. There is a currency in Hell, much the same for Celestials in the Corporeal realm, Essence. Everyone in Hell generates an Essence every twenty-four hours. This Essence can be used as a reprieve if given to your tormentors, or if enough is saved up, you may even buy your freedom!
Abaddon is Saminga’s domain. This gray wasteland of cowering human souls are banded together in tribes. They are allowed to move freely throughout the realm. In the center of the Principality is the Bone Citadel, where human souls are dragged to for harvesting of essence. This is a catch, harvest and release program, though as each soul loses an essence, it degenerates further in the evolutionary scale. These harvested Essences are sent to the Corporeal Realm to manifest as undead servants.
Kronos’ demons are the record keepers of Hell and work in The Archive. They keep track of the dispersal of souls to various Principalities and which demons are granted earthly service. They also monitor which Words Lucifer grants to worthy Demons. While finding information is nigh impossible, with enough of a gift, Kronos may assist you. The Archive has many secret portals to every Principality in Hell.
Gehenna is the domain of Baal. This land of eternal struggle is a constantly changing battlefield. It is used as a proving ground for the War. This struggle only ceases when Baal appears to inspect his troops, and then the battle commences anew. This inspection is an ideal time to prove yourself to the Demon Prince.
On the outside of Hell is the sprawling city of Hades. It spans the entire perimeter of the Inferno. All souls who enter Hell pass through its front gates, save Demons who return to their hearts’ locations. On either side of this gate are two large angels who tower over the throngs pressing for entry. These are servants of Dominic searching for souls who do not belong to Hell. Servitors of Asmodeus control the unfair distribution of human souls to the various Principalities.
Perdition, the land of sloth was originally Haagenti’s domain. Now Nybbas and his servitors rule there. They keep the souls in a near catatonic tranquil state of hypnotic, mindless sensory input. They become so dependent on this that to remove it has them throwing their Essence at you. This domain of glass and steel structures borders Tartarus.
Run by Andrealphus and Haagenti, the glitzy Principality of Shal-Mari is underwritten by Kobal. It is a consumer-driven society with casinos, bordellos, restaurants, and theaters. The souls are charmed out of their Essence here. Souls at times even pool Essence to buy brief vacations.
Sheol is built at the base of Hell’s only volcano. Its rivers of lava flow to create the infamous lakes of fire. Herein, demons serving Belial are immune to heat and fire. They use this flame to torture the souls out of their Essence, and once given, they are temporarily free from its torment.
Stygia is a dank maze of catacombs centered around the twin courts of Malphas and Valefor. This is the home of the self-tortured, trustless and thieves. Those trapped within the confines of the maze coax Essence from each other in the hopes of buying passage out, but there is no leaving Stygia.
Finally Tartarus is ruled by Vapula who experiments on his human charges before sending those instruments to Earth. It appears to be a tangled mess of animated rebar which grows like Kudzu, dotted with toxic spills and half-finished construction projects. While it does have a massive passage to Perdition, it is guarded by Vapula’s machine police.
Beleth’s Marches
Beleth’s Tower straddles the border between the Dream World and Hell. Her servitors manifest within the tower when returning to Hell. While they appear at the base of the tower’s grand staircase, you only ascend them if you wish to convene with Beleth. If you meet her, you better have good news or she’ll throw you back to Earth. Beleth’s half of the Marches acts as a safe haven for the pagan gods and creatures of Myth. When Urial banished them all from Earth, Beleth offered them sanctuary, and while they do not like her, they appreciate the protection from the avenging Archangels.
Death After Death: How You’ll Suffer in Hell
Any damage Demons take in the Celestial realm is inflicted on the Soul itself. Torturing a human soul reduces the integrity of its binding forces, and eventually it can utterly destroy them, erasing them from the Symphony. But that is not the way of Hell. Torture, slow and intentional is the way of Hell. Days worth of pain and torment will make a soul beg for death, but these experts in sadism will keep them in this state while only letting a single hit of Soul Damage expire. The Demons and Princes can let you expire, but suffering is so much sweeter.
And that is the rough breakdown of Hell. I may go into more detail of specific locations in future episodes.
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!