Let’s learn about the Superior: Yves, Archangel of Destiny 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
- 0:29 About the Superior
- 1:32 Dissonance
- 1:46 Choir Attunements
- 2:53 Servitor Attunements
- 3:30 Distinctions
- 4:09 Relations
- 4:27 Basic Rites
- 4:43 Chance of Invocation
- 5:28 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 has its own destiny. Accept it, embrace it and help things along when possible.
Intro
Welcome to Eviliv3 Play, a celebration of my favorite tabletop role-playing games. This 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: Yves, Archangel of Destiny.
Discussion
About
It is believed that Yves was the first soul created by God. It was Yves who actually named God after God named him. Yves doesn’t even belong to a choir, with some of Heaven’s hosts believing him to be a higher order of being, meant to guide angels in the same way angels are sent to guide man. As Yves saw the universe in its most primal state, he and his servitors are able to predict the future in the symphony. He is quiet and rational and rarely intervenes on earth. He manifests as an elderly man radiating calm, good cheer, and spiritual strength on any plane.
Both he and his servitors are the givers of names and the guardians of knowledge. His tethers are always in libraries. Yves used to promote religion as a way of brightening the hearts of humanity but after founding Islam, and seeing it turn to the bloody Christian crusades, followed by the unjust heavenly persecution of Gabriel, he has steered clear of this practice. He is the most respected soul in Heaven.
Dissonance
Dissonance is what an angel earns by acting against their nature. For servitors of Yves, it is also dissonant of them to move a person toward their fate. As they are meant to help humans achieve the greatest heights of their destinies.
Choir Attunements
Yves offers his servitors the opportunity to purchase a choir attunement at character creation. These are traditionally supernatural powers or enhancements to the angel. Seraphim is linked to Yves’ Book of Names. They know every true name of everyone and everything they contact. Knowing the truth, they see through any illusion. Cherubim is restricted. They will know when the person they are attuned to will die in the next year of natural causes. Ofanim may add their Celestial Forces to any intelligence or knowledge based skill roll. Elohim are restricted as well. They automatically succeed in their resonance rolls when touching their targets. Malakim are agents of honor. They can tell a divine disturbance in the Symphony from a Diabolical one. Kyriotates are the last of the restricted choirs. They have access to all their hosts’ memories, including their skills when inside them. Finally Mercurians can intuit a person’s fortune for a number of months equal to their total Forces by touch!
Servitor Attunements
There are also Servitor attunements which may be purchased or rewarded. Divine Destiny allows the angel to see both the Fate and Destiny on a mortal’s face for 1 Essence. They see the greatest thing they can achieve and the weakness that could seal their fates. Divine Logic makes anyone concede anything as long as they believe it themself. With a precision roll and two minutes, the angel will prove through logic that he is right and anything else is absurd. This may be contested with an intelligence roll. However, Demon Princes cannot be convinced that good is better than evil.
Distinctions
There are a few distinctions that Yves might bestow on an effective servitor. The first is Vassal of Destiny. This allows the angel to comprehend any printed material they see, and they will never forget it. Next is Friend of the Sages. This grants the angel a general college-level of information about every subject, with an equivalent of a skill of 11 in any general Knowledge. And lastly Master of Divine Knowledge allows the angel to gain a natural resonance of another Choir. This is due to being in tune with the Symphony. This also binds them to the dissonance of that choir.
Relations
Being such a foreign entity even to angels, Yves stays out of other’s business in general, though Michael is hostile to him. Yves is allied to no one, associated with Blandine, Gabriel, and Jean and hostile to no one.
Basic Rites
There are a few basic rites Yves offers his servitors to earn back essence. These are spending two hours in deep philosophical discussion, spending four hours teaching willing students, or spending six hours studying in a library or meditating.
Chance of Invocation
With only a base chance of invoking Yves of 1, it can be a challenge. There are a few ways you may improve your changes like having a detailed city map, having the Encyclopedia Britannica, solving the New York Times Sunday crossword puzzle, successfully applying to a major college, reading materials in 10 languages and reciting the bible from memory for an hour.
You can see that using Yves in your own campaigns may add an element of the beyond or unknown to even the most mystical celestial. His servitors can be contacts for the players or if played by a player, they may be the knowledgeable lynchpin to a group. I would highly recommend using them in your next In Nomine campaign.
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!