Let’s learn about the political climates in Heaven and Hell for 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
- 0:24 Overview
- 2:19 Archangel Relations
- 6:18 Angelic Choir Relations
- 7:32 Demon Prince Relations
- 11:24 Demonic Band Relations
- 12:43 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
The very nature of angels can lead to conflicts and not just with demons.
Intro
Welcome to Eviliv3, the live media commentary show that answers the question, do Angels dox each other? Subscribe if you’re new to the channel, because today we are continuing our In Nomine series with this episode, Politics.
Discussion
The surface level of In Nomine is set on the backdrop of the war between Heaven and Hell over the Symphony itself. Disagreements between these celestials began long before The Fall however, so when we look at the complexity of the Heavenly Host of the Principalities of Hell, it is infinitely more than simple binaries of good and evil. The relationship between a celestial and their Superior is delicate at best, but word bound Superiors are tied to the Symphony in ways other celestials cannot imagine. They must struggle with their own allies in the war as much as their celestial counterparts to promote and control their Word. This can lead to angels working against other angels and demons working against other demons, creating opportunities for uncomfortable alliances on the opposite side of the war.
While every player in In Nomine starts out as a pawn in the war, they quickly learn that it’s not as black and white as they once believed. For each divine Choir there is its infernal Band analog. For each Archangel and Demon Prince, there are conflicts on their own sides. This will ebb and flow through the course of the campaign, but In Nomine does provide the Game Master, or GM, with a geopolitical diagram of the major Celestial Superiors in the Game Master’s Screen for quick reference. Each Archangel and Demon Prince has their own relations that vary between allies, where you are expected to assist whenever possible, or face the wrath of your superior. Associated superiors are expected to grant assistance if requested, but some expect recompense, and Hostile relations could mean refusal to help – even in dire need – subtle sabotage, distraction and misdirection. Let’s take a look and briefly go over the major superiors and their individual relations.
Archangel Relations
Heavenly politics are complex – a web of alliances and antipathies, both formal and informal. These alliances do change, though not swiftly.
Blandine the Archangel of Dreams considers the other Archangels too political and not sufficiently dedicated. Thus she has no allies. She is associated with Yves, and while not overtly hostile, she is coldly neutral to David, Jean, Marc, Michael and truly hostile to her conflicting Superior Beleth the Princess of Nightmares.
David the Archangel of Stone thinks he should be in charge of the War, he and his servants are ultimately loyal to Michael and the rest of the military faction. Thus he is allied with Gabriel and Michael. He is associated with Jean, Jordi, and Laurence, but hostile to Mark.
Dominic the Archangel of Judgement wishes to be uncommitted to any divine faction, though he supports Catholicism as the best belief system for humans. He is allied with Yves, associated with no one, and hostile to Eli, who Dominic feels is mad and dangerous.
Eli the Archangel of Creation has “dropped out,” his reputation has grown tarnished among his peers and his influence is waning. He is still allied with Jordi and Novalis, and has associations with Janus, Yves and Blandine. He is not hostile to anyone save his conflicting superior Andrealphus the Prince of Lust.
Gabriel The Archangel of Fire has no allies. She is associated with Janus and Yves, and hostile to Dominic and her conflicting superior Belial the Prince of Fire.
Janus the Archangel of Wind is allied with David, Gabriel and Michael. He is associated with Yves, and hostile to Laurence and his conflicting superior Valefor the Prince of Theft.
Jean the Archangel of Lightning has no allies. He is associated with Eli and Yves. And hostile to Jordi, Michael, and Novalis, in addition to his conflicting superior Vapula the Prince of Technology.
Jordi the Archangel of Animals cares little for celestial politics, but doesn’t ignore it. This gives him clout as a swing vote, and different sides try to influence him – through his servants, if necessary. He is allied with Novalis, and associated with Eli and Yves. He is hostile to Jean, Marc and Michael, and his conflicting superior Haagenti the Prince of Gluttony.
Laurence Archangel of the Sword is allied with David, Dominic, Jean, and Michael. He is associated with everyone else save Eli and Novalis who he is hostile to in addition to his conflicting superior Saminga, the Prince of Death.
Marc the Archangel of Trade is in a unique position of go-between and diplomat between those who deal with the beauty of celestial abstraction and those who deal with corporeal reality. As such he is allied with no one. He is associated with Janus, and hostile to no one save his conflicting superior Nybbas the Prince of Media.
Michael the Archangel of War is allied with no one. He is associated with David, Jordi, and Laurence. And hostile toward Blandine, Dominic, Novalis and over the past few thousand years, as the War went from bad to worse, he has grown increasingly distrustful of the motives of the mysterious creature Yves and is also hostile to his conflicting superior Baal the Prince of War.
Novalis the Archangel of Flowers would rather reach out to the demons than kill them, which has put her at odds with the martial angels. She is allied with Eli and Jordi, associated with Yves, and David and Michael are hostile toward her. She is hostile toward her conflicting superior Malphas the Prince of Factions.
Yves the Archangel of Destiny is allied to no one. He is associated with Blandine, Gabriel and Jean, and hostile to no one.
Angelic Choir Relations
The Angelic Choir Relations are as follows:
Seraphim, The Most Holy tend to conflict with Mercurians and their infernal analogs are the Balseraphs, the Serpents.
Cherubim, The Guardians may conflict with Kyriotates and their infernal analogs are the Djinn, the Binders.
Ofanim, The Wheels tend to conflict with the Malakim, and their infernal analogs are the Calabim, the Freaks.
Elohim, The Powers have no inherent conflicts and their infernal analogs are the Habbalah, the Horrors.
Malakim, The Virtues tend to conflict with the Ofanim and they do not fall, thus they have no infernal analogs.
Kyriotates, The Dominations tend to conflict with the Cherubim, and their infernal analogs are the Shedim, the Fleshless.
Mercurians, Friends of Man tend to conflict with the Seraphim, and their infernal analogs are the Impudites, the Charmers.
Grigori, The Watchers were created by God to be Earthly shepherds for the first humans. They were designed to be the angels farthest from the Divine, proved to be so much more corruptible that their enormous zest for life tripped them up, spiritually speaking. They have been excommunicated from Heaven.
Demon Prince Relations
Lucifer encourages his Princes to quarrel and even war among themselves. Demon Princes keep careful track of favors owed, requests shunned, insults dealt and compliments given.
Andrealphus the Prince of Lust is quite happy to ally himself to those who do not interfere with his Word, or who can contribute to it. He is allied with Lilith and Nybbas, and associated with Valefor. He is hostile toward Baal and Haagenti, and an enemy to Saminga, and his conflicting superior Eli, Archangel of Creation.
Asmodeus the Prince of the Game never ignores treason out of friendship. He is allied with Kronos, Associated with Baal, Neutral to Beleth and Malphas, Hostile to all others and an enemy of Valefor.
Baal the Prince of War has no allies. He is associated with Asmodeus, Belial, Saminga, and Vapula. Hostile toward Andrealphus, Beleth, Kronos, Nybbas and Valefor, and an enemy of Malphas and his conflicting superior Michael the Archangel of War.
Beleth the Princess of Nightmares has no allies. She is associated with Asmodeus, Kronos and Malphas, and hostile to all others. Her only enemy is her conflicting superior Blandine, the Archangel of Dreams.
Belial the Prince of Fire has no allies and is associated with Baal and Vapula. He is hostile to Andrealphus, Haagenti, Kobal and Valefor and his only enemy is his conflicting superior Gabriel the Archangel of Fire.
Haagenti the Prince of Gluttony is often a random factor in everyone’s plans. He is allied with Kobal, and associated with Saminga and Nybbas. He is hostile toward Belial, Malphas and Valefor and enemy of Asmodeus.
Kobal the Prince of Dark Humor is allied with Haagenti, and associated with Malphas and Saminga. He’s hostile toward Baal, Kronos and Valefor, and the enemy of Asmodeus.
Kronos the Prince of Fate has no allies and is associated with Asmodeus, Baal, Beleth and Nybbas. He’s hostile toward Andrealphus and Haagenti, and the enemy of Kobal and Valefor in addition to his conflicting superior Yves the Archangel of Destiny.
Lilith the Princess of Freedom is allied with Andrealphus and Valefor, and associated with all others.
Malphas the Prince of Factions is allied with Beleth and Nybbas and associated with Andrealphus and Kobal. He is hostile to Baal and Haagenti, and the enemy of Saminga and his conflicting superior Novalis the archangel of Flowers.
Nybbas the Prince of the Media is the youngest major Prince in Hell, and he inspires strong feelings – either for him or against him. He is allied with Andrealphus, and associated with Kobal, Kronos, and Vapula. He’s hostile toward Baal and Saminga but the enemy of no one, save his conflicting superior Marc the Archangel of Trade.
Saminga the Prince of Death is allied with Baal and Kobal. He’s associated with Belial and Haagenti and hostile to everyone else. His enemy is Andrealphus and his conflicting superior Laurence the Archangel of the Sword.
Valefor the Prince of Theft is allied with Andrealphus and associated with Kobal, Malphas, Nybbas and Vapula. He’s hostile toward Baal and Haagenti and the enemy of Asmodeus and Kronos in addition to his conflicting superior Janus the Archangel of Wind.
Vapula the Prince of Technology has no allies and is associated with Baal, Nybbas and Kronos. He is hostile to Saminga and the enemy of his conflicting superior Jean the Archangel of Lightning.
Demonic Band Relations
Now let’s cover the Demonic Band Relations:
Balseraphs, The Serpents tend to conflict with Impudites and their divine analogs are the Seraphim, The Most Holy.
Djinn, The Binders tend to conflict with the Shedim and their Divine analogs are the Cherubim, The Guardians.
Calabim, the Freaks Calabim don’t tend to conflict with other bands and their divine analogs are the Ofanim, The Wheels.
Habbalah, The Horrors despise most other demons and their divine analogs are the Elohim, the Powers.
Lilim, The Daughters tend to conflict with the Shedim and they have no divine analogs, they stay Lilim.
Shedim, The Fleshless tend to conflict with the Djinn and their divine analogs are Kyriotates, the Dominations.
Impudites, The Charmers tend to conflict with Balseraphs and their divine analogs are the Mercurians, Friends of Man.
And that is the basic understanding of the politics of In Nomine. It can be convoluted and confusing, and not every servitor agrees with their superiors’ politics, which adds even more intrigue. I highly suggest you look into your band or choir and Superiors relations and use that knowledge to manipulate the Symphony in your game.
Outro
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