Let’s learn about the Superior: Michael, Archangel of War 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
- 0:26 About the Superior
- 1:39 Dissonance
- 1:58 Choir Attunements
- 3:27 Servitor Attunements
- 4:03 Distinctions
- 4:48 Relations
- 5:10 Basic Rites
- 5:21 Chance of Invocation
- 6:02 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 world is a war, raging across reality.
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, Superiors: Michael, Archangel of War.
Discussion
About
Michael, the Archangel of War is the second oldest angel, and the first angel created by God. He is a Seraph who tells it like it is, and recognises that things are different now than they once were in Heaven. Michael is the only angel who was strong enough to best Lucifer in hand-to-hand combat, personally kicking his ass out of Heaven’s door. For this act, God awarded him the Word of War. While Laurence may rule the armies of God, Michael is the commander of those who fight alone. Michael prefers a battle axe over the sword, a note that has earned him disdain from other Archangels, but he lives for God’s struggle.
Michael’s servitors fight vigorously in the War, hoping to bring it to an end, never backing down. Surprisingly however, they are sympathetic to the human condition, going so far as to ease their pain, even if it’s just listening to old war stories. Michael does not coddle his servants, but he will go out of his way to protect them from Dominic whom he refers to as the hyena of Heaven. Dominic tried to target Michael in an Inquest over trophy collecting, but God intervened, as he realized that without Michael and his servitors, Heaven’s greatest battles would be lost.
Dissonance
Dissonance is the consequence of acting against your or your superior’s nature or word. For servitors of Michael, Archangel of War, it is dissonant to retreat from any conflict without a direct order. They must either be victorious in conflict or beaten and dragged from the field of battle.
Choir Attunements
Michael grants Attunements, or special supernatural abilities, to his servitors based on their Choir. Seraphim are able to see past an opponent’s maneuvers. If their opponents attempt to Dodge an attack, they gain a penalty equal to the Seraph’s Corporeal Forces. Cherubim are able to feel the death of one they are attuned to in the next 24 hours. This warning may allow the Cherub to alter events and keep them alive. Ofanim always goes first in combat. They prefer to maneuver with hit and run tactics. Elohim are able to look into someone’s eyes and tell just how serious they are and how much they are willing to risk in a given situation. They target these assured fighters leaving the more malleable on the field. Malakim are able to hear the sound of danger emanate through the Symphony! Allowing them to know a number of minutes equal to their Corporeal Forces how soon battle will break out. They may use this to diffuse a situation or get the jump on it. Kyriotates can actually generate their own vessels, and inhabit more than one host equal to their Corporeal Forces with the total number of their Forces minus five if they generate their own! If they abandon the vessel they create, or if that vessel is destroyed, they acquire a note of dissonance. And finally Mercurians adopt the role of diplomats. They know the price of peace and what will resolve a conflict if anything can.
Servitor Attunements
Additionally, Michael offers Servitor Attunements that may be purchased at character creation or thereafter. The first is Proficiency. This allows a servitor special expertise with one type of weapon. They may make a Precision roll, and if successful, may add the Check Digit to the Power of the attack! This may be used once per attack. The second is Howl. When the servitor howls, it stuns all foes within a number of feet equal to the angels’ Corporeal Forces on the next round of combat. The angel may dodge but not attack the same round.
Distinctions
If you manage to earn the respect of or impress Michael, he may grant you a distinction. Vassals of War are able to sing the celestial language while in their Corporeal Forms. This allows them to communicate five times faster than any Earthly language. Any angel hearing it may understand, but only Vassals of War may respond. While Demons recognise the tongue, they cannot understand it. And mortals only hear whistled snatches of urgent, martial songs. Next is the Friend of the Fighters. These angels are immune to the effects of fear as soon as they commit to a fight. And finally Master of Valor. This rank allows the Angel to grant the immunity of fear to their comrades in arms for a single combat.
Relations
Unlike all other Archangels, Michael is hostile to Yves. As the state of the War devolves he has grown distrustful of this mysterious creature who wears the mantle of Archangel of Destiny. Michael is allied to no one, he is associated with David, Jordi, and Laurence. And hostile to Blandine, Dominic, Novalis and the aforementioned Yves.
Basic Rites
There are two basic rites Michael offers his servitors to gain essence. First is to spend three hours in armed practice, and second is to duel with a diabolical.
Chance of Invocation
Any servitor has a base chance of 1 to invoke Michael, Archangel of War, but they may leverage a few other things to increase their chance of success. They may howl a war cry, carry a knife, carry a battle axe, hold an ancient battle axe, be in a castle under siege, or be on a battlefield on the day of the battle.
As you can see, Michael is a superior who understands the necessity of winning the War for God, and demands that his servitors follow through with that mandate. He can be a wonderful superior in a combat heavy campaign or an interesting counterbalance to a more subterfuge or intellectually driven adventure. I highly recommend including him in your next campaigns.
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!