Steve Jackson Games In Nomine

In Nomine FAQ

Last updated April 30, 2007







General Questions

What is In Nomine?

In Nomine is a game about the ultimate struggle: between the selfless and the selfish, between good and evil, between God and Lucifer. Ultimately, though, it comes down to angels and demons both trying their damnedest to sway humanity to their side. Annoyingly though, humanity and its precious free will keep spoiling plans of both the diabolical and the divine. In the game, you can play anything from a human just awakened to the Struggle, a Soldier who is a little more powerful and a lot more in the line of fire, a saint who has returned from heaven to help his fellow man, an undead creature or, as most do, an angel or demon.
Last checked 5/25/05

Where can I get a copy?

At fine game stores everywhere. If your local gameshop doesn't stock it, you can pick up a copy in PDF format at e23.
Last checked 3/22/07

What is this In Nomine hardback I keep hearing about?

The limited hardback version of In Nomine was shipped to distributors in mid to late March of 1997. Suggested retail is $29.95. There are two versions: white pseudo-leather cover with angel cross, and black cover with demonic (inverted) cross - both with red foil. Contents of both versions are identical to those of the softback. This is currently out of print and there are no plans for a reprint at this time. The second printing of the In Nomine core rules is also a hardback, with grayscale interior. It's sometimes known as the "blue book." It is currently out of print as well.
Last checked 5/25/05

Isn't In Nomine just a translation of the French game by Croc, In Nomine Satanis/Magna Veritas?

More correctly, In Nomine (the SJG version) is an adaptation of Croc's game. The basic concept is very similar, but if there were a true "translation" of INS/MV into English, the differences would be obvious. There was a direct translation into German for those who are interested.
Last checked 5/25/05

Why not produce a direct translation of the French game?

Because SJ doesn't think it would sell. If he thought it would sell, he'd have done that in the first place.
Last checked 5/25/05

Will In Nomine follow the plotline of the original INS/MV? Will it add the same new Archangels and Demon Princes?

Maybe sometimes. Certainly not all the time. Don't assume that anything in INS/MV has to carry over into In Nomine. It really is a different world.
Last checked 5/25/05

Will there be supplements?

There are a lot of supplements. For the latest information, check out the main In Nomine webpage and the e23 In Nomine page. As of this writing, all future supplements are slated for e23.
Last checked 5/25/05

What is the name of that cool headline typeface? Is it public domain? Where did you get it?

The name of the typeface is "Skreech Caps". It is not public domain and was created by the [T.26] type foundry in Chicago. SJG bought it through Precision Type Inc., of Commack, NY. As far as we know Precision Type doesn't have a webpage, but their phone number is 1-800-248-3668 if you want to order something from them.

T.26 currently offers Skreech Caps for both PC and Mac, at $29 for either version or $43.50 for both.

Some similar typefaces that resemble Skreech Caps can be found at Fonts for Freaks at

Is there a GURPS conversion?

Yup. Look here. There is also an unofficial conversion for free.
Last checked 5/25/05

Is there a mailing list?

There is! Go here for the information on how to subscribe. There's also a forum for In Nomine at the SJ Games forums.
Last checked 8/13/07

There's this angel/demon mentioned in Blake/Milton/Dante/the Bible/this cool book about Angels I have. Why is he described differently in In Nomine?

We've taken bits and pieces from a lot of different myths, traditions, and literary sources in putting together the In Nomine lineup of Archangels and Demon Princes. In many cases, these sources disagree. So, ultimately, we've gone with what feels right to us and helps us tell better stories and make a better game. We don't claim to be consistent with any specific source, though we hope the general feel of what we've done is consistent with the tone of the overall culture of celestial beings, as we imperfect humans perceive them.
Last checked 5/25/05

I see a lot of weird acronyms on the mailing list. What do they mean?

Here's some common ones:

Book Abbreviations

Last checked 5/25/05

Who's who in In Nomine right now?

Last checked 5/25/05

My question isn't answered here! Where can I go for more information?

Last checked 8/13/07

Rules Questions




Can the Use Limitations for artifacts be fooled?

Maybe, though it's a GM's call as to the precise situation. The Humanity Attunement is an excellent way to use human-only artifacts. Of course, very powerful artifacts (including those made by God, Lucifer, or many Superiors) are much harder to fool. In general, the default answer for those is "no," but if the character is very, very, very tricky, and jumps through the right hoops, and has a good day, it might work . . . otherwise, no way.
Last checked 5/25/05

Can the artifacts of a dead character be reattuned?

Yes, with great difficulty (or disturbing ease, depending on the plots of the GM). It requires at least the artifact's level in Essence and character points - and may or may not work, even then. Further, if the item's owner is not soul-killed, the original bond still exists, and will prevent any normal attempt to reattune it. (Naturally, de-Attunement or re-Attunement of powerful artifacts can make a nice adventure, even if the GM decides that it's a job for a Superior . . . who will naturally want a favor done in return.)
Last checked 8/14/07

Corporeal Artifacts

How much does a corporeal artifact cost? Why should I buy it at higher than Level/1?

The cost is 1 point per level and the only reason to get it at a higher level is to make it easier to find. If using the new rules in the Liber Reliquarum, corporeal artifacts may also muffle disturbance, with the effects based on their level.
Last checked 5/31/05

Is the level of the artifact the chance it will 'turn up' at the right time?

No. It means that your chance to find your Porsche in a crowded parking lot is easier, not that your Porsche will happen to be in any random parking lot you are in. (Though that would certainly be an interesting house rule, it should probably cost more character points per level.)
Last checked 5/31/05

Ethereal Artifacts: Talismans

Who can use a talisman?

Last checked 5/31/05

Why does a talisman cost 2 points when the matching skill would only cost 1?

One point per level is for the skill, and the other is for the Attunement to the object. Keep in mind that talismans can boost skill above 6 and provide an object with which to use certain skills! (Try to use your Large Weapons skill without a large weapon handy . . . )
Last checked 5/31/05

Celestial Artifacts: Relics and Reliquaries

How much is the cost of a relic/reliquary?

The rules were a bit scattered (between p. 42 and p. 71), but here are the basic ones. (Use the rules in the Liber Reliquarum for fancier artifacts.)

Last checked 5/31/05, but only from memory and not with quality time with the Liber Reliquarum

Can Soldiers use relics/reliquaries?

Soldiers can use Corporeal Songs in a relic, any normal reliquaries, and reliquaries that power a relic for the use of Corporeal Songs. If a Soldier has the capability of using Ethereal Songs (such as Dream Soldiers) he can also use the Ethereal Songs in a relic.
Last checked 8/14/07

What's the difference between Holy/Unholy Bullets?

Last checked 8/14/07

Can a Un/Holy Pistol be a .44 or other weapon?

Yes. One thing to keep in mind, though, is the damage from the bullet comes from the mystical nature of the weapon, not from the increased size/weight of the bullet or from better gunpowder - so it would do exactly the same amount of damage as the ones listed in the book. The reason a .44 bullet does more damage is for purely mundane reasons (more gunpowder, more damaging material). An Un/holy bullet is constructed from materials for mystic potency - not improved impact ratios! You would only get the larger Power when using regular bullets.

An M-16 Holy "Pistol" would still only be able to fire one Holy bullet during a round! No autofire here!

On the other hand, the Accuracy is determined by the shape/fineness of the weapon.
Last checked 5/31/05

On another note, the damage listed for Un/Holy Bullets is wrong. The correct value is given under Un/Holy Pistol (Power = check digit times level).
This erratum has not been cross-checked with the errata pages yet to determine which printing it applies to.

What are the effects of Holy/Unholy water?

Water used at your local church (or black coven) has no effect on celestials of either stripe. On the other hand, certain relics might have the ability to make more potent brews. For example, a particularly nice combination might make Holy water that has the same properties as the Holy Bullets on p. 71. See the Liber Reliquarum for details on constructing new relics.
Last checked 5/31/05

When you use a relic, you automatically use all the Essence in the relic. Does all that Essence have to go towards 'powering' the Song (increasing its effect), or can it be used to increase the target number as well?

The Essence is only usable for powering the Song. Any excess is lost.
Last checked 8/14/07


Can you buy an Attunement from a Superior other than your own?

Yes. However, there are certain requirements - first and foremost of which is that the GM is free to say No whether or not the character has the points! Superiors have their own personalities and agendas, and may not want to grant an Attunement to someone else's Servitor.

Last checked 8/14/07

What about Sabrina, from p. 197?

Sabrina is not a starting character in that regard. Talk to her GM about it.
Last checked 5/31/05

What happens to your Attunements and Distinctions if your Superior dies or Falls/redeems?

You keep your Attunements and Distinctions unless 'higher powers' (either your Superior, the Seraphim Council, Lucifer, etc) decide to take them away. In the case of Falling/redemption, it's very likely that they will be stripped because of possible tainting by the 'other side'. The gifts of missing Superiors (like the Archangel of Purity) also are kept. See the Game Master's Guide for more about the powers of a Word and how they are affected when the Word's holder changes drastically.
Last checked 5/31/05

Does time pass for a "swiped" object (Servitor Attunement of Valefor and Janus)?

Nope. The clock is stopped until the object returns. Yes, this counts for detonation timers and there are many tricky things you can do with this information.
Last checked 5/31/05

Can you Swipe something that someone is holding?

Yes, but the current possessor can resist with a Strength roll. Also, the item to be swiped must be visible (being touched is good enough).
Last checked 5/31/05

What is the range for Swipe and Passage?

For Swipe, it must be touched and something that can normally be taken. Yes, you can take someone's wallet or watch, but you can't get their pacemaker or even a piece of gum in their mouth (unless you, ick, happen to be touching these things). For Passage, range is also touch, but the GM is free to interpret this as within touching range if it's more fun that way.
Last checked 8/14/07


Celestial Forms

Can someone disguise while in their celestial form? (e.g. looking like a Lilim when you are a Balseraph?) or change your shape temporarily or permanently?

In general, no. There are interesting Songs in the Liber Canticorum, though . . .

It is generally assumed that those celestials with vessels can assume a "seeming" of that vessel. However, due to the "physics" of the celestial realm, their true natures are not actually hidden to anyone who pays at least a little attention. An Ofanite "looking" like a human is also a spinning Wheel of flame; a Balseraph seeming to be a "naga" half-snake/half-human is only mistakable for a Djinn by very confused damned.
Last checked 5/31/05

Exactly how do the rules for perceiving celestials in celestial form (p. 54) work?

A celestial in celestial form can speak to anyone who sees/perceives it. The Song of Tongues (Ethereal and Celestial versions only) allows someone who hasn't seen/perceived the celestial to hear the message via the Song. This, in turn, gives the person a new chance to see/perceive the celestial.
Last checked 5/31/05

Character Creation

Can a starting character convert character points to characteristic points or Forces? If they buy a Force, does this mean their total character points go up?

Officially, the purchase of characteristics and Forces is not a part of character creation. As always, GMs can make their own ruling on that; 3 points per characteristic (up to 3 per realm) and 10 points per Force. And, no, you don't get more points when you raise your Forces!
Last checked 5/31/05

Do the three levels of Discord that Outcasts and Renegades start with give extra character points?

They do get the points. This is a change from a previous FAQ!
Last checked 5/31/05


Some of the characters in the supplements have characteristics above 12. Is this legal?

Rarely. (Note that this IS a change from before). Twelve is that max for celestials and 10 for humans. Servitors of Khalid can go to 13, because they have Choir Attunements that grant an extra characteristic point. All known examples have been errata-ed. If you find one that isn't, please report it using the handy web-form linked off the errata page.
Last checked 5/31/05


Q: How much Charisma can I have? Can I have more than one kind of Charisma?

You can have up to 3 total levels of basic and limited Charisma, of any kind. One level of Sex Appeal and two levels of basic Charisma; one level each of Sex Appeal, Academic Renown, and basic Charisma; or three levels of Fan Favorite are all acceptable . . . as long as you don't have more than three total levels.
Last checked 5/31/05

Combat and Damage

Hey! Strength gives almost no bonus to damage, but directly increases the chance to hit! What gives?

Strength is used for dukin' it out and for large weapons. In the latter case, it's pretty obvious why this statistic was chosen. As for the former, in the long run we are talking about a game that is much more superheroic than realistic. In a world like that, it matters little if the strong guy hits a few times with a lot of damage and the quick weak guy hits lots of times with almost no damage, the end result is the same: The strong guy does more damage. It's possible to invent a new skill (Judo perhaps) based on agility, for those martial artist types, but for the moment, the GM will have to make that house rule.
Last checked 5/31/05

Those angels are using guns!

They certainly are. While celestials have access to powerful Songs, when they are fighting on the Corporeal plane (i.e., Earth), it makes less disturbance and is frequently more effective to eliminate their opponent's vessel using Corporeal means. They'd probably use hand-grenades and rocket-launchers more often if it didn't generate so much noise (in several senses of the word).
Last checked 5/31/05

It seems that even an "average" human can take a lot of hits.

The rules for calculating a mortal's hits has been changed. The new formula is: (Corporeal Forces + Toughness) times Strength. Toughness is a new attribute (only purchaseable by mortals) that costs four points per level, up to two levels; see the Corporeal Player's Guide. The second printing of the core rules also mentions Toughness, but not its cost; now you know.

Because a human no longer has a 'level' for determining when they die (In Nomine, p. 62), treat their level as one for that formula (i.e., a human dies when they take enough Body Hits to bring them to negative Strength). Toughness adds to this 'death point' so a human with 5 Strength and 2 Toughness needs to lose all their Body Hits, plus 7 more in order to die. Undead and Saints are less "crunchy" and expire after -(Corporeal Forces + Toughness) times Strength.
Last checked 8/14/07

What if someone switches vessels in the same combat round that they get hit?

All things are simultaneous in a round in basic combat. So, both happen, the celestial gets hit and switches vessel (in other words, the original vessel is the one damaged). Whenever that celestial switches back, that celestial will find their vessel in the condition as if the hit took place. This might mean that the vessel is unconscious or even mortally wounded.

In advanced combat, follow the order given on p. 68 or on the GM's screen. In this case, switching vessels is a supernatural power which happens before getting hit.

Remember that each vessel has its own supply of Body hits, making an alternate vessel much more attractive a choice!
Last checked 5/31/05

Does physical damage cause pain/shock effects?

Yes. Stunning (p. 62) occurs when you take hits equal to more than 25% of your Body in one round.
Last checked 5/31/05

Can you use Essence to assist with Will rolls while stunned?

Yes. Resisting something with Will is not an "action," per se, and the use of Essence is nearly instinctive.
Last checked 5/31/05

If an attack has a modified Power of less than zero, what is the final damage?

Zero (see p. 38).
Last checked 5/31/05

Is there any way for a human (or someone in a vessel) to take celestial damage?

In general, any being with a corporeal form (including humans) is immune to celestial damage. There are specific cases where this is possible, though, and they are noted when it happens. Calabim of Lust, for example, have a nasty little Band Attunement.
Last checked 5/31/05

What's the difference between the Fighting skill and the Corporeal Combat rules on p. 62?

From the errata: Hand-to-hand combat is either [Strength + Corporeal Forces + Fighting] or [Strength + Corporeal Forces + Weapon skill].
Last checked 5/31/05, but if I had ambition, I'd double-check both the errata and the second printing.

What's the Power of hand-to-hand attacks in celestial combat?

Last checked 5/31/05

Where does a person go if "ejected from the Marches" as a result of taking too much Ethereal damage?

If the person has a corporeal body (such as a human or a sleeping celestial), then they return to that body, unconscious. If a person has no usable corporeal body (such as someone who has been evicted due to a Possession, or who started out in the Marches), they either coalesce around their Heart (if they have one) or other problems occur. See the Ethereal Player's Guide for more details. At the GM's whim, celestials might develop the Bound Discord (instead of a random Ethereal Discord) to something on the corporeal plane. Humans could temporarily become spirits on Earth until their body is freed up.
Last checked 5/31/05


Why is it that someone with a total skill of 10 and someone with a total skill of 4 have the same chance for a spectacular (6 on the check digit) result?

Actually, they don't. The person with a 10 is much more likely to succeed, then get the six on the check digit, while the person with the 4 skill has a hard time succeeding at all! So in this example the first person has a 11 chances out of 72 to get the spectacular successful result while his unskilled counterpart only has a 2 in 72 chance for the same result.
Last checked 5/31/05

Do I have to use the check digit? What about situations where the check digit wouldn't apply?

Except where the rules specifically mention it (and not even then for you gung-ho GMs), the check digit need never be consulted. In most other cases it can just be used for color at the whim of the GM. Also remember that a "6" success for an olympic athlete might be different than that of a couch potato! (Until we get to the channel surfing event . . . ) "Color" judgments should take the performer's skill into account.
Last checked 5/31/05

Ummmm . . . isn't "666" supposed to be a satanic number of some sort?

Yes and no. It was mentioned in the revelation according to Saint John the Divine as the Number of the Beast. If anything, it was a warning as a way to recognize "the Beast," whomever or whatever it might be. But for this game, it's just a fun way of representing a different dice convention. We couldn't just call it 3d6, and 2d6/d6 doesn't quite the same ring to it.

Recently, it's come to light that some scholars believe the Number of the Beast is actually 616. Despite this late breaking news, In Nomine will not be using the "Forwarding Address of the Beast" as the Infernal Intervention number.
Last checked 5/31/05

Do I roll if I have an automatic success?

Yes. This determines the check digit and the possibility of Intervention. GMs like possibilities for Interventions. GMs who don't will tell you not to roll.
Last checked 5/31/05


Demon Princes


Can mortals have Discord?

No. It is a purely celestial problem. Mortals can certainly suffer some of the ills which, in a celestial, are outward symptoms of Discord, and the character point effect is the same (see the Corporeal Player's Guide) for these disadvantages. But it is not really Discord. For instance: in a celestial, being Crippled is a sign of a stained soul, but in a mortal, it is a sign of an amputated. Likewise, a human who has a mental problem is not touched by the Pit. (In Nomine, p. 63, states that Ethereal Discord can be gained in ethereal combat. If this happens to a human, he does indeed take the indicated form of mental trauma, but it is not really Discord.)

What do angels detect if a Bright Lilim has the Aura Discord?

Since the Lilim no longer belong to a "Band," all the angel can detect is that she is an angel. (This is a change from a previous ruling, and a GM may certainly decide that Lilim is Lilim and the Aura does not distinguish between Bright and dark Daughters.)
Last checked 5/31/05

If a celestial has the Bound Discord, what happens if the vessel or object is destroyed/slain?

(The following is a change to a prior FAQ.)

If the celestial is Bound into a vessel, it proceeds to Trauma (and its Heart or Limbo) normally - though the GM may decide that it takes longer than usual for the sundered spirit to "coalesce" properly and start trying to recover from Trauma! For Malakim, who don't suffer Trauma and awaken nearly instantly when corporeally killed, it may take them the longer time that other Choirs must endure, in a sort of mini-Trauma. Afterwards, the celestial is still Bound! Until the Discord is removed, any vessel it manifests in will be the one it's stuck in.

If the celestial is Bound to an artifact, total destruction will either shift the Discord to the current vessel, or result in Trauma (for Kyriotates and Shedim). Otherwise, it's merely very painful and leaves the celestial stuck in the largest portion. At the GM's option, the celestial could Bind itself to another vessel/item. The old one can be trashed at this point.

Suggested mechanics are: Increase the level of the Discord by at least one. If the being does not have another vessel to do this with, then binding into an object is the only possibility. If the Discord was already at 6, then a new level of some other Discord (GM's option) is added on - probably something suitable to the means used to destroy the old vessel/item.
Last checked 8/14/07; I have checked my books, but the detail of the suggested mechanics nag at me. If this was not a prior FAQ-keeper's good idea, but instead a forgotten tidbit from a dead-trees book, please notify me at the In Nomine Mailing List, Forums, or in email.


Would a celestial gain dissonance from their vessel's actions while possessed?

No. The celestial is not present.

How do celestials who have to travel work off dissonance at Tethers?

The best methods are moving Tethers and swapping back and forth between Tethers (for example going up to a celestial realm along the Tether and back down another Tether). Although the travel time between Tethers doesn't count as service, as long as it isn't TOO long the celestial can break up their service in order to get their full week in. Seneschals who remain within their Tethers are exempt from such troubling dissonance conditions (see the Liber Castellorum); some Tethers may, at the GM's option, extend that immunity to Servitors who work within them.
Last checked 8/14/07


If an angel or demon has a level 2 Distinction, does he also get level 1? Does the same apply to level 3 for levels 2 and 1?

Yes, but keep in mind that a being has to earn the lower-level Distinctions to get the higher ones, so the point is moot. The only use in not listing the lower-level ones is to save room on the character sheet.

A Superior could grant the powers of Distinctions "out of order," but that would confuse everyone, so they don't.
Last checked 5/31/05

When do Distinctions take effect? Do they require a roll?

Distinctions work on a case-by-case basis. Unless specified, none require a roll. Any active Distinction (e.g., Vassals of Fire's ability to raise or lower the temperature of a fire) require a round to take effect. Passive ones (e.g., Vassals of Stone's ability to not be hurt by earth or stone) are automatic and continuous. Some that seem active are really passive (e.g., Masters of the Granite Hand get to multiply their check digit by the angel's Corporeal Forces. The active part is making the attack. The Distinction is passive and merely multiplies the amount of damage.)
Last checked 5/31/05


Does switching to a celestial form cause the same degree of Disturbance in the Symphony as the act of moving between the celestial and corporeal realms?

Yes, but see the next question. Remember, that the Essence is paid (and the disturbance created), only when a successful Will roll is made to change to a celestial Form. (p. 55).
Last checked 5/31/05

Does the 2 Essence required to change into celestial form add to the disturbance?

Yes. (pp. 54-55)
Last checked 5/31/05

So how much noise does swapping between corporeal vessels make?

Going from one Corporeal vessel to another costs one Essence, requires no roll, and makes the same amount of disturbance as going celestial.
Last checked 5/31/05

Does a celestial going to the celestial realm cause double the disturbance (once for changing form, and again for leaving)?

Yes, although entering doesn't necessarily cause double since one can go to the corporeal realm directly into a vessel.

As a general guideline, GMs should always make the disturbance rules side with celestial powers being as noisy as possible. Celestial powers make celestials hot stuff on earth, but there is always risk involved - being noticed.
Last checked 5/31/05

Does killing a Soldier create disturbance for a celestial?

Yup. Soldiers are still human. They belong on Earth (which is why they themselves do not generate disturbance when they damage things, and killing them generates a lot of disturbance.
Last checked 5/31/05

Does damaging, but not killing, a human cause disturbance?

Damage to any native thing on Earth does disturbance. One note of disturbance for every four points of damage.
Last checked 5/31/05

Does hurting a possessed human cause disturbance?

Yes. They may be under control, but that's still a part of the Symphony being damaged. A Kyriotate fighting a Shedite can be a very noisy battle!
Last checked 5/31/05

Does an attack by a celestial on an undead creature cause disturbance?

Yes. Just like attacking any human, no matter how twisted they are.
Last checked 5/31/05

If a celestial kills a busload of nuns by sabotaging the brakes, but he's far away when the deaths finally occur, where and when is any disturbance produced?

Generally at the site of the crash, but see In Nomine, p. 55: "At the GM's discretion, the tracker may be led to the physical site of the disturbance, or the celestial who caused it, or to both in succession."
Last checked 5/31/05

How much noise is made when a celestial is killed and forced to return to its Heart?

None. Their Forces are blasted and don't leave the corporeal plane in any organized fashion (the fact that the vessel is left behind may be a factor in masking any disturbance). This is one reason that being killed is so Traumatic!
Last checked 5/31/05

Is there a disturbance when you damage the host of a celestial?

Yes. You are still damaging the body of something that belongs in the Symphony. If the body is a vessel, on the other hand, there would be no noise. (Punching someone hard enough to do damage is one way of playing the "human or celestial?" guessing game. Don't try it if you're a Mercurian.)
Last checked 5/31/05

How much noise does a Kyriotate make if it uses 3 Forces to manifest a celestial form on the corporeal plane?

The same as usual (i.e., their total Forces).
Last checked 5/31/05

Is there a disturbance from a normal human's instinctive use of Essence?

No. The disturbance is only cause from conscious, deliberate use of Essence (e.g., powering a Song, improving a roll with conscious Essence control, etc.).
Last checked 5/31/05

Does a celestial eating a sandwich cause disturbance? How about exploding a grenade that damages nothing other than itself?

In Nomine, p.55, "Everything that celestials do on Earth creates foreign notes in the Symphony. Most are small and easily overlooked. But certain actions, if taken by a celestial, will create dramatic reverberations which can draw attention." So, basically, minor things are lost in the background noise of the Symphony. Things that are designed to be broken up (like a grenade) do not cause a disturbance when they blow as long as nothing else is damaged; the GM should err on the side of things being disturbing, though.

On the other hand, some beings might be able to detect even "microscopic" disturbances . . .
Last checked 5/31/05

Does a host cause disturbance if they are possessed by a celestial and cause damage?

Yes, because the possessor is celestial. Note, this even applies to Shedim who are "convincing" their still-present hosts. While a case could be made for a Shedite "sitting back" and letting the host get along with his job as a car-compactor operator, the Shedite is still the one fundamentally in control. Disturbance will be generated.
Last checked 5/31/05

Do angels and demons cause disturbance when going to Heaven or Hell (like they do when arriving on Earth?)

Not if they are going to their own realms. Angels in Hell and demons in Heaven will cause disturbance in those realms. See Heaven & Hell - or possibly its errata.
Last checked 5/31/05


What happens to ethereals with no Celestial Forces?

They wander around the Marches, where they are probably quickly dispatched or make it to the Far Marches and are absorbed by some other being. Ethereal Remnants can also exist on Earth like celestial Remnants. It's up to the GM, really.
Last checked 5/31/05


An angel can become a demon just by rolling badly?!

Not at all. If you never generate dissonance, you cannot Fall. There are other points to consider, too.

Last checked 5/31/05

When an angel Falls, I guess its celestial appearance changes, but what causes that change? Can it be somewhat controlled?

Metaphysics. Angels are creatures whose nature is attuned to some part of the Symphony - their Choir, their Superior, their own Word. By rejecting that nature, their resonances change . . . they strike a new chord. Their outward appearance reflects the resonance of a Fallen angel.
Last checked 5/31/05

It says here that Malakim can't fall at all! Can this be right?

Yup. Malakim don't Fall. However, they do gain dissonance everytime they act dishonorably, especially by breaking one of their oaths. If they succeed on their dissonance roll, they just get one more note of dissonance.

If they fail a dissonance roll the first time, they become Outcast (and gain another note of dissonance). Yes, they can be Outcast.

For each time an Outcast Malakite fails a dissonance roll, they gain another note of dissonance and a level of Discord. (Just like demons, who mutter things about "You can't Fall off the floor.")

Of course, Outcast Malakim risk being hunted down by their fellows before they dishonor Heaven itself.
Last checked 5/31/05


If a character has no Forces, how are the characteristics determined?

He has 4 times his Forces in the area, which is zero. So his total characteristics are zero in both stats. Rough life, isn't it? In the case of Remnants, the only reason a stiff celestial breeze won't just blow them away is that they are protected by their vessels.
Last checked 5/31/05

Can non-humans have more than 6 forces in an area?

Nope. Powerful beings (Demon Princes, Archangels, old-time ethereal gods and the like) can apparently do an end-run around this limit by having powerful Words, etc. The Game Master's Guide discusses ways to quantify - or not - Superiors. The limit for PCs is 6 per area and 18 total. Period. (This is a change from the previous FAQ entry.)
Last checked 5/31/05

What's the difference between buying Forces directly and raising the underlying statistics until a Force increase occurs?

The Game Master's Guide has more detail on the issue, but basically it boils down to who has control over the process. The first option is that (most of the time) only Superiors can add Forces and once the character is one characteristic point away from getting the Force, they petition their Superior. Under this model, the cost of the fourth characteristic is only 1 point (thus making the cost 10 character points, the same as raising a Force directly). The second option is that characters can "sneak" a Force in without the permission or help of their Superior. This is especially crucial for demons who want to keep everyone in the dark about their capabilities. If you are "sneaking" a Force, you have to pay the full 12 cps (4 characteristic levels times 3 character ppoints each). Ask your GM which method is being used in the campaign.
Last checked 5/31/05


Can a Heart be moved from Heaven to Hell? (e.g. You WANT to fall so you take your Heart from Heaven before Dominic's pals get it and you move it to Hell . . . I don't say it has to be easy . . . just want to know if it's possible or completely impossible).

Hearts are something your Superior creates so that you have a celestial home. When you Fall/redeem, your Heart self-destructs since you have broken a metaphysical contact with your Superior.
You can swipe (or be given) your Heart from your Superior and put it anywhere you want - in the realm where it was created. Blandine and Beleth could presumably create Hearts in the ethereal realm, but that would leave them more vulnerable to attacks by ethereals or each others' forces, so they don't.

This is a simplification of a prior, rather complex, FAQ.
Last checked 5/31/05

Can you have more than one Heart? (e.g., Oooops, Dominic got my Heart and kept it locked somewhere to track me and now my Demon Prince made me a new one?)

No. This is a revision to a particularly egregious prior answer. If you want to get rid of an old, inconvenient Heart by binding to a new Superior, the act of creating a new Heart shatters the old one. Falling or redeeming also shatter one's former Heart, even before a new Heart is crafted.

What is the process for creating a Heart? Can a celestial with its own Word create a Heart for him/herself? for another? Or is that the exlusive realm of Archangels & Demon Princes?

The latter. Only Superiors make Hearts. (Or McGuffins. GMs may always introduce McGuffins.)
Last checked 5/31/05

Hearts can't leave the celestial plane . . . where are the Hearts of Beleth's and Blandine's Servitors?

See above. While they could create Hearts in the Marches, it would be a stupid risk to take. Blandine, a Cherub, would not put her Servitors in such needless danger, and Beleth, a Djinn, would not allow the chance that her minions might steal their Hearts and set off for the Far Marches.

How about a Lilim's Heart?

A "bound" Lilim - not Discordant, but merely serving a Prince - would have a Superior-forged heart in some Principality of Hell, same as any other Servitor.

Lilim who are "free" don't have Hearts. While it might be possible to have a Prince create a Heart for her, it would not come cheap - the number of Geases would make most Free Lilim quail. And afterwards, allowing her to move the Heart where she would? Even more expensive. (Why should Princes waste the energy making a Heart for someone who's not a Servitor? If you want a Heart, bind to a Prince.)
Last checked 5/31/05

Where do Heartless celestials go when their corporeal vessels are killed?

They go into a realm known as Limbo. Limbo is a nerve-rackingly boring place that a celestial being is trapped in until it can form a new vessel. See Heaven and Hell or GURPS In Nomine.
Last checked 5/31/05

Can Heartless demons go to Earth?

A Heartless demon, having never been to Earth before, can only go there via a Tether (or if summoned by a sorcerer). If he doesn't have a vessel or other "anchor" to hold him there, he will soon take damage or get sucked back to a Hellish Heart, if he has one. Shedim might be able to last longer, but demonic Seneschals and Princes frown severely on such unauthorized jaunts.

For that matter, this applies to most angels, too.
Last checked 5/31/05

Are Barons of Belial immune to the heat generated by picking up the Hearts of other demons?

It's not a real fire-like heat, but simply something that feels like heat. It probably has something to do with the clashing symphonies of the demons involved. So they are most definitely not immune!
Last checked 5/31/05


Can a human become a celestial?

Humans and other corporeal beings are essentially different from celestial beings. A human can never become an angel or demon (or vice-versa). There are several mentions of humans "becoming" demons in some rulebooks. These references are to the process where a human soul is stripped of Forces and then are grafted onto a demon (including some memories). To outward appearances, they may look the same, but the human is dead.
Last checked 5/31/05

How many Forces can a human have?

Most typical humans have five Forces. Less than this indicates someone who is very young, very old or deficient in some way. Very special people (including Soldiers by definition) can have more than this. The maximum is 15 forces (five in each area). Any more than this would put a human over the maximum characteristic limit (10).
Last checked 5/31/05

Can a human have over five Forces without being a Soldier?

Yes, but it requires a very dedicated and motivated person who is actively striving for something more than the average, or for something outside of themselves. (For other ways, see the Corporeal Player's Guide) Just having six Forces does not give the advantages of being a Soldier (such as Symphonic Awareness and the ability to control one's Essence deliberately), but it does make one prime recruitment material by either side!
Last checked 5/31/05

Does a human with zero celestial Forces have a soul?

Yes, but this is a very rare situation. Normally, a human has at least one Force in each area. Due to advanced age or other damage, a human might lose his last Celestial Force - or, as a GM may rule, lose access to it on this side of death. Such misfortunates are usually very close to dying, but they still have their souls and will go to the appropriate place when they die. Note that some souls will disband upon the death of the entity or through celestial combat. A living human with zero Celestial Forces will resemble a remnant.
Last checked 5/31/05

Humans seem to have a lousy chance to do almost any skill (due to low characteristics). Is this right?

Not exactly. Under most circumstances, for normal actions, the GM shouldn't require a die roll at all from a human. If you are just driving down the street, you don't need a driving roll! It's when a character tries something different, unusually difficult, or in a stressful situation that the die rolls become necessary. See the Corporeal Player's Guide for more info on this.
Last checked 5/31/05

Can humans have Words? Distinctions? Choir/Band Attunements?

In general, no to the first and last. Distinctions are special kinds of Servitor Attunements, with rank associated with them - so they're only granted to humans if the human holds that rank!

Humans don't get Words (no one knows how Lilith has hers) and Choir/Band Attunements have other requirements. See the Corporeal Player's Guide.
Last checked 5/31/05

Can a normal human (i.e., without conscious control over Essence) accept Essence from someone (either consciously or having it forced on them)?

Not normally, no. Superiors and certain supernatural powers could bend this, though.
Last checked 5/31/05


What does the check digit do when a character fails to invoke a Superior?

If you are at a Tether, that is the number of days it takes before the Superior responds to the message. Outside of a Tether, it's the number of days before you can try again.

The Marches

Do all humans end up in Blandine's or Beleth's realms when they sleep?

Blandine and Beleth have the power to draw dreamers into their specific areas of the Marches. Some human dreamers do get to the Far Marches, either through power or talent, or just by accident.
Last checked 5/31/05

Can celestials who ascend to the Marches via sleeping communicate with those beings that are there "physically"?

Yes. Celestials who are "dreaming" don't have a dreamscape, and do not dream in the way mortals do. They just are using an alternate method of getting their consciousness to the Marches.
Last checked 5/31/05

What do celestials look like in the Marches?

They usually look like whatever their last form was (celestial form, last vessel, etc.). With a successful Dreaming roll, the celestial can make themselves look like anything. Talismans and relics keep their natural shape. You can't just be "invisible" without being a Malakite of Dreams; the Marches reacts to the presence of everything on the realm. See the Ethereal Player's ZGuide
Last checked 5/31/05


Why can't Outcasts go celestial while Renegades can?

This is errata'ed. Outcasts can, in fact, take their celestial forms.
Last checked 5/31/05


What is the range for a Shedite/Kyriotate's possession resonance? How about for Song of Possession?

Use the Resonance modifiers on p. 57 with the limitation that is common to most demonic resonances - i.e., you can't use a recording of any sort, but live transmissions are all right. (GMs may wish to deprive Shedim of the ability to use even live transmissions for their resonance.) Note that Shedim cause disturbance when they go between hosts unless they are "oozing" - touching the new host with the old one (since they would otherwise have to go celestial). See the Infernal Player's Guide for exact oozing mechanics.
Last checked 8/14/07

Does the "rider" get the movement abilities of the host? What about special senses?

Standard movement and abilities are included in the "owner's manual" that comes with the host. The possessors' tie with the Symphony provides such instincts for free. Learned skills, such as a pigeon who's been taught to do loop-de-loops when it wants birdseed, are unavailable. Senses are included with the vessel unless, for some reason, they depend on a learned skill. So, in a cat body, for example, the possessor would get a bonus to sneak (due to the small size and padded paws) and a bonus to climb trees (claws), but a GM might rule that when walking across a narrow ledge, no roll was necessary since that was included as part of a cat's "natural movement" abilities.
Last checked 5/31/05

What is the Will of an "empty" vessel? (For example, a body in a Body Bag.)

The body has no Will and therefore doesn't get a roll to resist Possession.
Last checked 5/31/05

Does a possessing being get the skills of an animal they possess?

See above. The "skills" of an animal are mostly hardwired reflexes and the advantages of having a body well-suited to practicing them (claws on cats for climbing). Use normal skill rolls, but give a bonus based on body shape and size . . . . or a penalty! Elephants aren't very stealthy, for example, while mice are.
Last checked 5/31/05

What happens to a celestial when its vessel is possessed?

The celestial's mind is tossed into the Marches. If it has another vessel it can use, it can get back to earth with that one. A Kyriotate who has no other vessel assumes its Celestial form (p. 102). Shedim are evicted and must find a new host quickly (p. 152). When the duration of Possession is over, the mind of the celestial is drawn back to its vessel as long as it is still in the Marches (or it can choose to let the vessel vanish). If it is elsewhere, the vessel vanishes.
Last checked 5/31/05

Is there any disturbance when a Kyriotate/Shedite possesses a host?

No. Shedim cause disturbance when leaving a host via assuming celestial form, but not for taking a host, or when oozing.

Does a Kyriotate or Shedite have to abandon a host to possess a new one?

The old host is relinquished when the new one is successfully taken over, for Kyriotates who don't have enough Forces to keep both hosts. Shedim normally have to assume celestial form, leaving one host before taking another, but can also "ooze" between hosts (see the Infernal Player's Guide, p. 57).

What happens to the Discord of the possessor when it is in a host?

Most Discords show up immediately, but the ones that have large physical changes (like most Corporeal Discord) can take a certain amount of time. For example, with Damaged Sense or Crippled, the possessor would lose use of the sense or extremity immediately (though it wouldn't actually cease to work permanently for the host). On the other hand, it might take anywhere from a few hours to a day or two to "bulk up" to the level Obese requires. (This is why some Kyriotates or Shedim might prefer a host that has the same limitations as they do . . . it's much less obvious when they are possessed.)
Last checked 5/31/05

Does a Kyriotate or Shedite know why they get bounced when they fail to possess someone?

In general, yes. A failed possession roll is obvious to the possessor. If the subject forces them out, they can tell that has occured. If the subject is too "big," Forces-wise, they feel that, but not exactly how many Forces the victim has. Shedim can also tell that they were bounced because the subject wasn't human, but they can't tell exactly what the subject is.
Last checked 5/31/05

Can a victim tell that a possession attempt has occured if it fails?

Anyone who can consciously control his Essence (which includes celestials, Soldiers, Saints, undead, and ethereals) knows that an attempt has occured, but not from where it happened. Normal humans, Remnants, and the like might notice that something happened, but have no idea what (or they might ignore it as a passing emotion).
Last checked 5/31/05


Why doesn't someone fix all those Remnants?

This is a very complex question with a variety of reasons. Depending on who you ask in Heaven or Hell, you will get a different answer - or several, if you ask the right beings.

Last checked 5/31/05

Do Remnants keep their Rites, Attunements, and resonances?

Yes to Rites and Attunements (including anything they got for being Word-bound!) and no to resonances. Resonances are part of a celestials' innate nature . . . something that is blasted out of Remnants. Rites and Attunements, on the other hand, can be granted to anyone and so are retained. Few remnants have the coherent force of Will to make use of what they still have left, however.
Last checked 5/31/05

If a Demon Prince grafts a Celestial Force onto a angel remnant, is the resulting celestial a demon?

If the repairs can be done relatively easily (GM's decision), then the Remnant regains his former Choir, but may be dissonant or Discordant. Princes work with twisted Forces. More difficult cases, where few angelic Forces are left, will only produce a demon - and possibly a dissonance or Discordant one. Really difficult cases are essentially using the Remnant's remaining Forces to build a demon with, and hoping there will be some memory ovelap.
Last checked 5/31/05

Can Remnants raise their Will, Perception or Celestial Forces by themselves?

Celestial Forces, never. A GM may (but doesn't have to) allow a Remnant to get up to three points of Will and Perception total. If the character had some partial raises to Perception and Will before losing all its Celestial Forces, it usually gets to keep those, as well.
Last checked 5/31/05

Can you Geas a Remnant?

Old Geases still have force, and a Remnant could voluntarily agree to a new Geas, but they are otherwise immune to the Perception-based Need-reading that a Lilim must use before setting her Geas-hook.
Last checked 5/31/05


Can I spend Essence when resisting with Will?

Unless the GM specifically overrules it, any roll for resistance can be improved with Essence.
Last checked 5/31/05


Can a resource that is "lost" during roleplaying (e.g., a vessel dies) be gotten back for free?

By default, anything lost or destroyed (Artifacts, vessels, Roles, Forces, etc.) is generally just lost. This grim fate can be modified via good roleplaying. If you are doing well, in your Superior's eyes, he may give you an immediate gift and send you back (such as a new vessel to get you back into the game). If you are doing an average job, a replacement may be more grudging, or of lesser quality, or delayed several game sessions. If you are doing poorly, a free replacement is very unlikely. Most time, the replacement will be given as a reward (In Nomine, p. 202) at the end of the adventure, unless the character is truly doing a great job by their Superior's standards.

Mind you, it's not in most Superiors' best interests to have a vessel-less minion wandering around their demenses. They should be down on Earth, doing bad/good! In this case, if a character doesn't have the points to buy a new vessel, one might be "loaned" with the expectation that it would be paid off in experience points at the end of the adventure.
Last checked 5/31/05



Some Rites seem rather deadly to the performer. For example, how can angels of Jean perform the "two hours plugged into the mains" Rite? How come Belial's servants have to already be immune to fire to perform his 250-degree Rite?

The performance of the Rite itself grants immunity during the duration of the Rite unless the Rite specifies otherwise.
Last checked 5/31/05

Can a Renegade or Outcast still use his Rites?

Technically? Yes. In practice? It would be a very bad idea for a Disfavored celestial to do that unless he wanted his (former) Superior to find him. Taking Essence from a Rite draws upon the Superior's Word and Essence reserves - and a Superior who is paying attention will be able to tell where that Essence is going! If the Superior is displeased, he can show up to explain this in person . . .

For Rites that "just happen," such as the Game's automatic second Essence at sundown, the GM may request that a PC make an Intelligence (or IQ, in GURPS In Nomine) roll to refuse to accept that extra Essence. Or the GM may decide that's too much bookkeeping and just assume that the Disfavored celestial has rejected his former Master's Word sufficiently that he is in no danger of "accidentally" using a Rite.

(It is also perfectly reasonable to assume, for simplicity, that shattering or cracking a Heart removes the link to the Superior's Rites; that's not canon (see the Game Master's Guide's discussions of Rites), but it's a fine house rule.)
Last checked 1/23/08

Roles and Status

How do humans buy Roles? The rules on p. 72 seem to be wrong.

They are indeed inconsistent; please use the following (some repeated from p. 43):

Humans don't buy a Role. They can buy levels of Status/x at the cost of [(Status - 1) * 2] with the first level of Status being automatically added for free. In other words, each level of Status beyond the free one costs two points.

The cost of a Role for Celestials is the [(Role's Status * Role's Level) / 2], rounded up if necessary.
Last checked 5/31/05, but not yet double-checked against errata or the second printing. Why don't I have my books right where I need them when the child naps?

Can a celestial in an animal vessel have a Role?

Officially, no (p.43). But if you want to do something weird in your campaign, go for it. The cost is the same for human Roles. It is very hard to justify a Role above Status/1 however! Remember that Roles are based on how much reality and influence you have in human society - it would take a high-profile animal to count for a Role. See also the Liber Servitorum
Last checked 5/31/05

How do the undead buy Status?

The same way humans do (p. 43). The problem is that people who are known or believed to be dead lose their Status. ("You ain't Elvis - Elvis is dead!") Undead creatures should keep their deceased nature from being known as best they can.
Last checked 5/31/05

What is the limit on Status?

Status can go no higher than the Role level.
Last checked 5/31/05

How do Falling and redemption affect Roles?

There is no effect. Some Roles may become unusable or unpalateable after this change in status, but they will still be available! Of course, Judgment and the Game, at the least, will tend to take action to secure such a "compromised" Role - such as by capturing the turncoat (if possible) and plonking some other celestial into a lookalike vessel. Or just leaving a dead body somewhere.

If a Role is destroyed by one's former side, the points are not returned - though a Superior might grant an equivalent one to a PC.
Last checked 5/31/05

The cost for a Role/1, Status/1 celestial is the same as for a Role/2 Status/1. Is this correct?

Yeah. It's just an artifact of the formula and nothing serious to worry about. If a PC is developing a Role, it should start with 1/1 (at the cost of one point because of the rounding), and then work up to a Role/2 (at no cost other than time and effort).
Last checked 5/31/05


When do Saints regenerate Essence? If a Celestial smacks one, is there disturbance?

Except for their special abilities and knowledge, Saints and Bodhisattvas (as they're more-often called in Heaven) should be treated just like humans or Soldiers. So they regenerate at noon and Symphonic disturbance will occur if a celestial injures or kills one.
Last checked 5/31/05

Can a Shedite possess a Saint?

Yup. But Saints are generally more aware of their spiritual and mental space than most humans and are more likely to recognize that they're being tampered with and get Will rolls to push the demon out. They're also frequently Blessed, which gives them a very strong will - see the Corporeal Player's Guide.

What happens to a Saint who succumbs to his fate while on Earth?

Saints cannot Fall, so to speak, but some have become so corrupted that upon suffering corporeal death, they have simply vanished. They don't appear in Heaven or Hell, but some theorize that they are yanked to the Upper Heavens or simply dissolve into the Symphony. (See the Corporeal Player's Guide, p. 88)


What's the maximum level for skills?

Normally six, but animals can go higher to represent natural abilities such as a keen sense of smell for Tracking - or the GM can simply assign a bonus, depending on the GM's sense of aesthetics.
Last checked 5/31/05

Should Large Weapons have specialties like Ranged Weapons and Small Weapons do?

Last checked 5/31/05

When can I combine Acrobatics skill with Dodge?

"May sometimes be combined" means that it can be used when appropriate for the situation . . . moving your whole body out of the way of a relatively slow-moving attack. Avoiding the telephone pole that is swinging toward your character. Getting out of the way of that rampaging elephant. Ducking behind cover when the grenade goes off. Additionally, you must use a Full Dodge (i.e., blow your whole action) to do this. If the situation is appropriate, add your Acrobatics Level to your Dodge target number. (Some GMs will allow players to use this Super-Dodge against any attack, even quick ones like bullets. More power to them.)
Last checked 5/31/05, and I should really dig up my second printing to double-check it.


Who do Soldiers serve? And what powers do they gain thereby? Two different parts of the text (p. 32 and p. 190) seem to have conflicting ideas about this.

Soldiers serve a side - Heaven or Hell. They are directly supervised by a Superior's Servitor. It is possible for a Soldier to receive the Servitor Attunements of the Superior they are serving under (directly or indirectly). So they could directly serve Joe the Angel, but get Joe's Superior's Attunements. (The occasional Soldier ends up serving a Ethereal power, as well.)

Laurence is charged with coordinating the Soldiers of God on earth. He makes his Servitor Attunements available to them (regardless of who else they may serve or whatever religion they may be). Does this give the Soldiers of God and edge? Well, yes, but they need it since they are rather outnumbered.

Soldiers do not normally get Distinctions or Choir/Band Attunements.
Last checked 5/31/05

Does a Soldier using a Song cause Symphonic disturbance?

All focused Essence expenditures cause disturbance, though the source is usually unrecognizeable as angelic, demonic, or human. The default use of Essence by untrained humans does not cause disturbance.
Last checked 5/31/05

In some supplements, there are Soldiers who have less than 2 Corporeal Forces. Doesn't this break the rules?

In some circumstance, a human can have six Forces before they are recruited as a Soldier (see the Corporeal Player's Guide). In this case, the restriction doesn't apply. If a human with five Forces is recruited as a soldier, then the sixth Force they gain will be a Corporeal one if they only had one. (This rule is relaxed for Dream Soldiers who will spend a lot of time on the Ethereal Plane, and other intellectually or spiritually oriented Superiors might make exceptions from time to time as well.)
Last checked 5/31/05



Does Essence spent to improve the chances of a Song to succeed also improve other aspects of a Song? For example, Song of Charm's range is determined by the amount of Essence spent and it specifically mentions that " . . . like all skill rolls, each point of Essence spent (beyond the first) also adds +1 to succeed".

Each extra Essence spent either improves a Song's effects (if the Song allows that) or increases the chance of success, not both.
Last checked 5/31/05

It says that the Singing skill helps with some Ethereal Songs. Which ones?

None . . . in the main rulebook. There are some in the Liber Canticorum.

Is magic (magick/magik) just another name for Songs?

This depends on who you ask. People who understand the Symphony tend to disparage the term "magic" - there are Songs, and there is sorcery, and the hocus pocus of stage magic can't be made "real." More relaxed people let "magic" stand in for either or both - and get griped at by the detail-oriented ones.
Last checked 5/31/05

If a Song is known at level 5 or 6, can the character do the Song and still have time for other actions?

Nope. It just means that they are very quick with the Song and don't have to worry about being tied up, gagged, etc. Simple actions (i.e., ones that don't require skill rolls) such as running or driving down a road (no dangerous conditions or combat allowed!) are possible when one knows the Song so that gestures are not necessary. Maintaining a normal conversation is possible, if you don't have to speak to activate the Song, as well. The GM may allow Virtuosos some better tricks, though. See the Liber Canticorum.
Last checked 5/31/05

Can a Superior give a Song to a human?

Yes, but that's not very efficient. Usually, the Superior would grant an Ethereal Attunement (this is what Dream Soldiers get) or a Celestial Attunement to grant the ability to use the appropriate songs. See the Corporeal Player's Guide.
Last checked 5/31/05

Can a Song's effects reach across planes?

Unless the description says so, no.
Last checked 5/31/05


Is a person "Stunned" as per the game mechanic (p. 62) when under the Song of Charm?

Last checked 5/31/05

Is there any way to resist Song of Charm?

No resistance. Awful, ain't it?
Last checked 5/31/05


Why are higher levels of this Song less accurate than lower levels?

It has to do with the length. The longer claws do much more damage, but are unwieldy, hence the lower accuracy. You can always use the smaller claws if you want a better chance to hit and are willing to have reduced damage.
Last checked 5/31/05


Is the Corporeal Song of Harmony "AoE" or "instant debuff" In other words, does it affect an area for its duration, like the Celestial Song of Shields (or Corporeal Song of Silence), or does it affect only the people in its area at the time of performance, like the Song of Thunder?

The written rules do not say! However, the intent (and name of the Song -- it's not the Song of Beating Up People With Your Thugs Held In Reserve, or Submission, etc.) strongly suggest that the Song affects an area. If you enter the area while the Song is in effect, it will affect you normally. If you leave the area, its effects will fade. (Fleeing the area in order to turn and fight should not cause dissonance in Servitors of War or the War -- they're not trying to escape the battle, just the anti-violence-effects.)
Last checked 11/2/08


Can the Corporeal Song of Healing be used for any corporeal object?

Yes, it can be used to heal any sort of corporeal damage.
Last checked 5/31/05


What is the range of the Celestial Song of Motion?

The range given in the description applies to both the final destination of the object and its initial distance from the performer.
Last checked 5/31/05

Numious Corpus

Numious Corpus: Is this one Song or many? Do I have to buy them all?

Each item under Numious Corpus is a seperate Song and must be paid for individually.
Last checked 5/31/05

Does knowing more than one of these Songs give you a check digit bonus on the other Songs?

Last checked 5/31/05

Numious Corpus: What is the Degree of Disturbance for this Song?

Beyond the Essence required, none.
Last checked 5/31/05

If you switch vessels, can you still make the enhancements appear and disappear within the duration of the Song?

Last checked 5/31/05

What is your speed when you use Numious Corpus: Wings? The speed on p. 82 seems very slow.

This needs to be put into errata, if it isn't. As per the Liber Canticorum, use the rules on p. 65, so the speed for Winged movement is [Agility X 10] yards per round. This makes top speed around 50 mph and average speed 25 mph.
Last checked 5/31/05

If you have a Kyriotate with Numious Corpus (Claws, for example) on, does it apply to one host or all of them?

It only applies to one, but you can switch which one it applies to by making it vanish from one host and then add it to another.
Last checked 5/31/05

With Numious Corpus: Acid, does the damage when you are in celestial form affect beings not in celestial form?

Nope. The target must be in celestial form as well.
Last checked 5/31/05


What happens when a Kyriotate or Shedite uses Song of Possession on someone?

They get the benefits of both their resonance and the Song for the duration of the Song. After that, treat it as a normal resonance-based possession. This means that a Kyriotate/Shedite could have two chances to possess the same host. (Note that it allows Shedim to possess non-human hosts, but they'll still be booted when the Song duration ends.)
Last checked 5/31/05

What happens if the body dies while a possessor is in residence?

This is rather tricky and has several permutations. If the possessor has a body to return to (the usual case), they simply bounce back to it, but take Mind Hits equal to the "excess" damage it took to kill the body being possessed. If the singer has no body to go back to, they are treated as if they had just experienced death (Trauma for celestials, and death for humans). Of course, Malakim, Kyriotates, and Shedim have their own special rules involving vessel death.

The POSSESSEE, on the other hand, is in a bizarre state. Unless the GM wants to do something fun, humans die and go their final reward (whatever it would normally be). Celestials, due to their abscence, is spared Trauma because they weren't in residence at the time. They feel a distant loss, but that's the extent of it.


What happens if a celestial's vessel dies within the confines of a Celestial Song of Seals?

The celestial's being isn't coherent enough to be trapped by the Seal. It goes to whatever the normal destination is for a celestial of its nature (i.e., to the Heart, or to Limbo).
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Does the Song of Shields work both ways? For example, can the protected person attack through it?

All three shields work both ways . . . a good defense, but hampering at times.
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What is blocked by the Corporeal Song of Shields?

Any harmful corporeal effect. Yes, this includes having a mountain dropped on you, poison gas, nuclear explosions, lasers, etc. This is a miracle and is not subject to mundane limitations. As a miracle, it still allows fresh air in, does not block harmless sound going in either direction, or reasonable amounts of light.
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With Sorcery, you can only summon a spirit/demonling/demon with a vessel. So does the summoned critter have to own its own vessel, or can the sorcerer create the vessel for it?

Any vessel involved will be one that the spirit/whatever has, not created by the summoner. (House rules and/or future canon may have rules for sorcerers creating flawed pseudo-vessels.) "Random" summonings are assumed to call a being that already has a vessel (and some creature, such as demonlings, don't need vessels on Earth). If a named being without a vessel is called on Earth, the summoning will fail. As always, the GM can allow these to work if special preparations are made!
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What happens to a demon in celestial form in a divine Tether?

It starts frying, exposed to the concentrated, focused light of Heaven - much like a bug under a magnifying glass.
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How are Body Hits for undead calculated?

They are calculated the same as for celestials, with their "vessel level" equal to their Corporeal Forces. They keep Toughness, if any. (Corporeal Player's Guide, p. 91.)
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Do Geases (old or new) work on the undead?

Yes. They have twisted souls that are bound into their corporeal bodies, but the soul is still there. The exception is for Zombis created by the Samingan Zombi Attunement - the soul upon which the Geases were placed is fled, and the body is nothing but walking meat. Failed Mummies have the original soul bound into them, and so Geases should remain.
Last checked 5/31/05


What happens to a vessel when it's killed?

The vessel remains. While no longer usable as a vessel, it can still be used to track down the original owner (using the proper Songs or other abilities). If it is recovered or destroyed in time, any Role associated with that vessel can be salvaged by making a new vessel identical to the first. Otherwise the Role is lost because the person is "dead." The vessel is identical to human to all but the most painstaking analysis. It's up to the GM to decide whether genetic investigators or other 21st century sleuths can tell the difference between a dead vessel and a dead human. (Aside from the possible lack of stomach contents . . . )
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Can you get a new vessel for free when an old one is killed?

This depends entirely on the GM. In some campaigns replacement is free and others it will cost full character points to get another vessel.

The Game Master's Guide goes into this in more detail.
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Can you give a Limbo-formed vessel Charisma?

Remaking an old vessel (that had Charisma) is allowed. If it didn't have it, GMs can impose whatever conditions they think reasonable or disallow it altogether.
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Can you improve the level of a vessel?

It requires the intervention of a Superior (or, possibly, an ethereal god).
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Can you selectively leave things behind when going from corporeal to celestial form?

Things that are too heavy are automatically left behind (p. 54). The rest is up to the GM. Here's a suggestion: for each discrete object that you wish to leave behind (i.e., it will fall to the ground when the body vanishes) requires one extra round of concentration. For those who don't have time for that, ALL corporeal items can be dropped as a unit, taking only the vessel itself. Discrete items are anything that is easily quantifiable as a unit (a gun, a backpack, my wristwatch), not something more nebulous or encapsulated (the bullet in my leg, all the dirt in my clothing, the bugs in the bag of flour). Only a Superior can "sift" through a vessel that is not in use and remove (or add) items. Even the vessel's owner has to manifest it to make any changes!
Last checked 5/31/05

How close to human are vessels?

This is partially a GM's call (i.e., some GM's like to use vessels, especially older ones, that give humans some clue about the weirdness they are facing). Canonically, they have fingerprints, they sweat, they have DNA with the proper number of chromosomes, they're chemically identical to a normal human, etc. Now, since vessels don't require food and are immune to disease, a researcher might notice some slight anomolies (this person seems to be in perfect health, but their system is entirely free of any trace of food), but nothing outrageous.
Last checked 5/31/05

Can a mechanic give Body hits back to an injured machine vessel?

If the GM allows machine vessels, then a mechanic can fix them just as a doctor can help fix a normal vessel. Machine vessels can likewise be repaired by the Corporeal Song of Healing and the Song of Machines. Plus machine vessels might heal like other vessels.
Last checked 5/31/05

Word Bound

Can a Worded celestial grant Rites, Attunements, and Distinctions?

Yes to Rites and Servitor Attunments unique to the Word. No to Distinctions and Choir/Band Attunements which depend on an Archangel's or Demon Prince's Word. If a Word-bound celestial becomes a Superior, then it can develop distinctions and Choir/Band Attunements of its own. See the Game Master's Guide for more details.
Last checked 5/31/05

What happens to a Word-bound whose Word is in decline?

The decline of a Word almost certainly leads to the decline of the Word-bound (as seen in Night Music, with the Old Guy). What once supported the celestial now becomes a drain as the being's essential energies go to support the Word rather than the other way around. This even applies to Archangels and Demon Princes! Normally the "cost" of such status is supplied automatically by the Word, but when the Word fails . . .

The exact details of what happens to a weakened Superior are up to the GM. The Game Master's Guide discusses Words waxing and waning.
Last checked 5/31/05


What kinds of Words are there?

Vices, virtues, ideas, ideologies, causes, things of the world. There might be, in an upcoming supplement, an outline of Words that have been compiled based on Scholastic/Aristotelian theo/philosophy. There might not be.
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Archangels and Princes seem to have much shorter Words, is this because they are more powerful?

No, cooler. They got the world to call their abstract causes by one Word. Sort of like Cher.
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Do Words get shorter (and more abstract) as the celestials influence increases?

Possibly, but not necessarily. Celestials don't lightly change Words. They're more likely to be stripped of a Word than to change it. The Word you first get is you. You are uniquely tuned to it. To try to change it on your own goes against nature. You must promote the Word which is yours, not shop around for cooler one.

Though you can aim for bigger Words which subsume the current one. Again, check out the Game Master's Guide.
Last checked 5/31/05

Background Questions

Are there more angels or demons?

Lucifer's Forces were originally outnumberd 2 to 1 in the War and, one must presume, he lost more of his host than God did. Afterwards, though, he started creating new demons as fast as he could, as described on p. 155. The current situation seems to be that there are more demons than angels, but demons are generally weaker. Notice how scared the demon was in A Dark Dream when he heard an angel was in town? This is how a vast number of the infernal hordes feel about the average angel.

Also, angels tend to work in teams.
Last checked 5/31/05

If demons can't enter Heaven, but angels can go into Hell, why haven't all the angels gotten together and gone and kicked the demons' collective butts?

Good question. And one that is asked at the highest levels of the angelic hierarchy (and the middle levels and probably all the way down to the bottom)!

One answer is that fighting someone on their home territory, especially masters of deception and lies, is probably a bad idea tactically.

Another answer is that they might lose the very thing they were fighting over: the souls of all those humans. Some celestials (on either side) don't give a hoot about humanity, but a whole lot do. And The Boss seems to care a great deal. Undoubtably, such a fight would have major consequences for those who inhabit the Earth.
Last checked 5/31/05

Good and Evil aren't really mentioned in the book, what is all the fuss about then? (i.e. Why are the angels and demons fighting?)

Angels are trying to follow God's plan to the best of their flawed perceptions. Demons are trying to chart their own course of selfishness which means, nearly by default, they have to work for Hell (the rebels' rebels are quickly hunted down and, at best, killed).
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Do angels have free will? Do humans?

This is purposely left as a question mark. Let the players figure it out.
Last checked 5/31/05

What is the true status of religions in the world?

You'll have to ask God, and God isn't talking. No one, neither human nor celestial, knows the exact Truth of whether God spoke directly to Moses, whether an Aspect of God became enfleshed in the person of Jesus, and whether God was influencing Gabriel to recite the Koran to Mohammed. OK, Yves might know the last one, but he isn't talking, either.

This means that celestials, who almost all believe in the existence of - or have even met - the One God, are free to choose what they believe in with regard to God's inteventions in human history. In this regard, they're in the same boat with all of humanity . . . they have to trust in the reports of those humans who've claimed that they've had an encounter with God. And some of those celestials do espouse a belief in one of the monotheistic religions. And religious differences among celestials can be just as touchy as among humans.

As far as the Pagan gods go, in the mind of most celestials, they are egomaniacal ethereal spirits who've abused humanity so that they can leech Essence from gullible worshippers. The "gods" have a different opinion, of course.
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What is In Nomine's stance on Original Sin? How about indulgences?

Original sin is a theological construct of certain Christian denominations to explain the broken state of the world. In In Nomine, we know this is because of demons and human cussedness. Sorry, no indulgences, either. Let's just say that the Heavenly network knows if you deserve to go there.
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What are the Diabolicals' ultimate goals?

That would be telling! But, seriously, each demon has its own unique - selfish - agenda. They work for Demon Princes because the alternative is to be hunted down and destroyed (a risk some demons choose to take). Demon Princes have their own set of goals and serve Lucifer for the same reason their underlings serve them (fear and the opportunities available if you suck up to the right people). No one is quite sure what Lucifer wants . . . and that's the way he likes it.

But Ultimate Power is usually a safe guess . . .
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Are there only Seraphim on the Seraphim council?

The Council is MOSTLY Seraphim. It also includes the Archangels, of course. But in addition, there are other, very ancient, angels of other Choirs. Number not specified, but there is always at least one non-Archangel representative present from each of the other six major Choirs, that the Council should never make a decision without the wisdom contained in the other facets of divinity.
Last checked 5/31/05

Are angels and demons the hidden masters of a helpless humanity? Is this another 'humans are helpless pawn of unknowable forces' game?

Hardly! The celestials (on either side), are doing their best to influence humanity toward their way of thinking, but most of their efforts are spent combating each other. Humanity with its wonderful free will can choose its own destiny . . . or fate.
Last checked 5/31/05

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