Let’s learn about the ethereal realm of The Marches 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
- 0:24 The Ethereal–The Marches
- 1:48 History of the Marches
- 2:32 Entering the Marches
- 3:37 Dreams to Nightmares
- 4:22 Celestials in the Marches
- 5:12 Ethereal Spirits
- 7:37 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
It’s a mythic dreamland, but it still contains echoes of the Symphony.
Intro
Welcome to Eviliv3, the live media commentary show that answers the question, are there dream warriors in the ethereal realm? Subscribe if you’re new to the channel, because today we are continuing our In Nomine series with this episode, The Marches.
Discussion
In the universe of In Nomine where the setting is based around the war between Heaven and Hell, it’s easy to overlook the third realm, which is just as important though not often explored. I am talking about that mythic dreamland with its haunting reverberations of the Symphony. The ethereal realm is composed of a near infinite number of half-realities, separating the Corporeal Realm from the Celestial Realm.
In the Vale of Dreams, there is a theoretical line which divides the Marches between the lands of Blandine, the Archangel of Dreams, and Beleth, the Demon Princess of Nightmares. But that is a narrow view of what the Marches actually are. In truth, it stretches far beyond their areas of control. There are further reaches of the ethereal realm where angels never tread, where the remnants of myth still wander freely called the Far Marches. Between the Vale of Dreams and the Far Marches is an uncertain expanse of mist called the Border Marches, watched over by Celestials to prevent ethereal spirits from trespassing.
The Marches are home to a seemingly infinite variety of spirits, including the souls of those whose bodies died, but whose minds choose to keep dreaming. And while every mortal visits the Marches nightly when they dream, the natives of that dreamscape still outnumber the nightly visitors.
History of the Marches
Before mankind, the Marches were truly incoherent. It was filled solely with animal dreams… powerful and primal they were, but they were also unfocused. Perhaps the oldest primal spirits were created from the bald rage of tigers, or the unending lust of whales, or even the hopeful dreams of dinosaurs who longed for safe green fields to raise their brood.
As soon as man appeared on the scene, the Marches was filled with millions of complex dreamscapes, and Blandine and Beleth were granted dominion over the Marches, erecting their twin towers. When the Fall came, the Marches became divided between Dreams and Nightmares.
Entering the Marches
Whenever a human sleeps, their minds enter the Marches. Traditionally this is when they are most susceptible. Is it any wonder why both Angels and Demons would want to reach these dreamers? Each individual manifests their own dreamscape, and they all drift through the Marches usually between the lands of Nightmares and Dreams. So if you have a particularly good day, with a hope for tomorrow, you may glide to Blandine’s lands. If you had a particularly bad day, or are filled with fears you may begin near Beleth’s land.
If you do go to one or more of these lands, you may be affected by those who dwell therein. Blandine’s Angels may be able to reach you and engage with your dreams; likewise if you find yourself in Beleth’s land, her Demons will have access to your consciousness. Only the very daring Angels or Demons cross this divide. Naturally, if a human is awake, their dreamscape cannot be found. If you awake while visitors are present, they awaken as well, or are summarily ejected none-the-less.
Dreams to Nightmares
Dreams are fickle things. There are times when you may be required to engage in a skill roll. You don’t even need special training, it naturally occurs. If you see a rhino charging at you, you would want to move out of the way, right? It’s the same in the dream realm. You would attempt a dodge. Failed skill rolls with a check digit of 6 will send a dreamer to Beleth’s side of the Marched, along with any of their visitors–as their dream has now become a nightmare. Conversely a skill roll check digit of 6 on Beleth’s side, would send them to Blandine’s side, turning the nightmare to a dream. A human’s experiences in the Marches while dreaming, may affect them in their daily lives, hence the interest from the Celestial.
Celestials in the Marches
Angels and Demons are not like humans, and thus have no dreamscape of their own. They may fall asleep with a successful Will roll and enter Blandine or Beleth’s lands however. Instead of an individual dreamscape, they see the Marches as it is. A vast, unformed sea of chaos, filled with mist, pools of water, floating mirrors, translucent spheres and other objects which reflect a human’s personal dream world. Time and space itself is highly subjective here. Celestials in the Marches can actually watch dreams unfold, but typically cannot affect them. Only through the use of the Song of Dreams or attunements granted by either Blandine or Beleth can they interact with them. When you wish to awaken, another Will roll will suffice.
Ethereal Spirits
Beyond Beleth and Blandine’s lands lie even stranger lands. There are various pantheons of gods and goddesses which dwell here. Some of these ethereal spirits are older than mankind itself, others were created through the sheer power of humanities’ collective dreams and nightmares. These spirits taught humans Songs, gave them Soul Links, and even created rituals so they could generate Essence for the Spirits, increasing their power to bestow even more gifts to their loyal followers. Not all of these spirits were benevolent however, becoming more interested in taking Essence from man rather than giving anything in return. This created a war between the spirits much like the war between celestials. Some of these spirits could even manifest in the Corporeal realm, which only strengthened their followers’ belief and by proxy themselves. These were collectively known as the Courts of Faerie.
Nearly 1,500 years ago, Uriel, the Archangel of Purity, went on a killing spree, trying to purify Blandine’s lands of Earth’s creatures of myth. He saw this spirit worship as blasphemous, and while God didn’t seem to be bothered, Uriel certainly was. This had two consequences. First, he was recalled to the higher planes of Heaven. Second, Beleth offered refuge to the remaining creatures to both vex Uriel, and in hopes of turning them to the side of Nightmares. Some agreed and made their home in her lands. Others fled to the Far Marches and are rarely seen.
This did not extinguish these gods from human’s minds however, and many are worshiped to this day. These pagan spirits claim that God, the Abrahamic deity, has not always been the omnipotent being he is today, but rather, he rewrote the history of the university to suit his needs. Obviously Heaven rejects this narrative, and if Dominic could find another Uriel, someone willing to mount a holy crusade against these spirits, they would put a stop to the slander once and for all.
From Earth, the only way to reach these Far Marches is through a temple consecrated to the pagan spirit. Each god has their own ritual of ascension, though Celestials rarely bother with these ‘third world’ forces in the War for the Symphony.
Most campaigns will take place in the Corporeal Realm. Visiting the Ethereal R ealm may give you insight to a particular human, but it would be a special case use.
Outro
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And as always, remember that evil spelled backwards is live, so get out there and Be Evil!