Teiaiel, Angel of The Future, President of the Ivory Council on Ethereal Affairs

Tags

In Nomine, Ivory Council, NPC, Ofanite, Yves

The Angel of The Future is most easily conceived of as a dancing corona of primordial plasma from the dawn of time. Ey is often cited as proof of predestination, but considers eirself anything but. Where others see certainty, Teiaiel sees potentiallity. Prognostication is a hobby for the Ofanite, but eir passion is the concept of future – something which becomes meaningless if the future is as set as the past.

For 150 years Teiaiel has presided over Yves’ Ivory Council on Ethereal Affairs. Ey naturally focuses on the dreams of the future, but honors the fact that other scholars priorities differ and is scrupulously honest when relaying the deliberations and conclusions of the council to the Archangel of Destiny.

Advertisements

Galgaliel, Ofanite Archangel of the Sun (Provost of the Sun)

Tags

Eli, Gabriel, Lucifer, Ofanite

The world is all alone in a vast void, give it what light and warmth you can.

Although he is billions of years old, Galgaliel remains a child. He has never really had the sorts of interactions which might cause him to mature – his corona is too dangerous for prolonged trips to earth, and most angels have little cause to visit him.

Anansi, God of Stories

Tags

Akan, Anansi, In Nomine, Lilim, Trickster

African Ogre Faced Spider aka Net Casting Spider

Anansi the Spider comes from the Akan. He is the spirit of knowledge and stories and remains one of the more important characters in West African and Caribbean folklore.

The Akan people come from what is now Ghana, but the Atlantic slave trade spread his stories to the West Indies, Suraname, Sierra Leon, and the Netherland Antilles. From there they spread even further through the Americas – sometimes remaining distinct, and sometimes merging with Bantu and indigenous American stories of similar nature.

Anansi himself is a trickster who uses pranks, cunning, and confidence games to get his way rather than brute strength.

It should be noted that this version of Anansi is based on the Anansi tales that have been popularized in America, and should not be considered an accurate reflection of the character from Akan religion.

Gabriel’s Transition

Tags

Comics, Gabriel, In Nomine, LGBT, TDoV

Go Back to What, Exactly? by Sabrina Symington

Gabriel holds a special place in the pantheon of In Nomine’s Princes and Archangels: she is the only one to have explicitly changed from male to female. The transgender archangel.

However, there are some problems with using Gabriel as the spokesangel for being transgender.

Common Oaths for Novalis’ Malakim

Tags

In Nomine, Malakite, Novalis, Vow

Novalis is heaven’s peacenik. In every conflict, she is the one advocating non-violence; a position which tends to put her more martial choirs in somewhat of a bind. Here are some of the vows that her Malakim use to balance their impulses and obligations:

• I will never pass up the opportunity to dance
  when it is my choice.
• I will not engage in violence until all other paths have been exhausted.
• I will oppose any violence that does not exclusively target demons.
• I will not step on the grass/wildflowers.
• I will always weed out evil at its root.
• I will only use weapons of wood, leaf, and flower.
• I will always use the least violence necessary for my objectives.
• I will not allow <named grove or garden> to come to harm.
• I will plant a new seed every day.

Thamiel, Habbalite Prince of Famine (Deceased)

Tags

Deceased, Habbalite, In Nomine

The world is defined by want. Heaven and man both want it but neither can have it, for there is not enough.

During the war in heaven Thamiel did not fight beside Lucifer, nor did he fight beside Michael. He sat out the war and used the chaos to visit parts of Yves‘ and Eli’s Cathedrals that had previously been barred to him. Like many angels, Thamiel was interested in God’s Grace – but his passion was its excess and absence.

While the other angels were locked in mortal combat, Thamiel was studying the various sights furthest from god’s sight. As the war in heaven drew to a close, Thamiel bought himself amnesty by presenting his findings to Raphael (who was looking for a place to put the rebels).

Solars and Planetars

Tags

AD&D, Bernard Silvestris, C. S. Lewis, Celestial Spheres, Gary Gygax, In Nomine, Madeleine L'Engle, Planetar, Solar

Planetar by Rogier van de Beek

AD&D has its own hierarchy of angels, starting with Daevas (and occasionally Archons) and moving up to Planetars and Solars. The Solars of D&D are roughly equivalent to the Archangels of In Nomine, powerful Word-bound generals of good.

But the idea of Solars and Planetars predates Gary Gygax. Planetars also exist in the C. S. Lewis Space Trilogy as the Oyeresu; powerful eldila (angels) that serve as planetary intelligences and protectors. Lewis in turn took the idea from Bernard Silvestris, who proposed them as governors of the Celestial Spheres (planetary orbits).

Common Oaths for Marc’s Malakim

Tags

In Nomine, Malakite, Marc, Vow

Marc’s Virtues tend to be idealists who believe that there are always terms under which an agreement can be reached and the only real question is whether or not someone is willing to meet or honor those terms. For example, a Malakite of Trade really will spare a demon’s life… if it’s willing to redeem.

• I will neither offer nor accept a bribe/gift.
• I will offer fair compensation for the lives I take.
• I will attempt to resolve all conflicts with negotiation first.
• I will not tolerate greed or usury.
• I will not purchase stolen goods.
• I will always acknowledge and if possible reward diligent work.
• I will attempt to redeem any demon who deals fairly with me.
• I will leave fair exchange for items requisitioned in the line of my duties.
• I will always repay a debt.

What is fair compensation for a life?

Different cultures place different values on human life. A 2008 Stanford study claimed that each year year of quality was worth approximately $129k (about $148k/yr in today’s dollars) – but other measures or other forms of compensation might possibly be used instead.

Heresy of Truth and Lies

Tags

Asmodeus, Dominic, Heresy, Kobal, Kronos, Lucifer, Metatron, Saminga, Vapula, Wordbound, Yves

There is a strange story that circulates among those who have seen either the Book of Names or the Book of Death. They claim that Lucifer never survived the War in Heaven; instead he was struck down by Metatron who was so stricken with grief that he perjured himself before all creation to claim that it was he who died. Unfortunately, his saying it “made it so” and “made it good,” and from that point forward Metatron “became” Lucifer, Prince of Lies.

Common Oaths for Jordi’s Malakim

Tags

In Nomine, Jordi, Malakite, Vow

Officially, Jordi’s Virtues are associated with canines such as dogs, wolves, jackals, and coyotes. I tend to take a more expanded view, allowing them to primarily associate with any “beasts of the earth.”

Either way, the following vows would be fairly common:

• I will not leave my pack/pride/fight behind.
• I will not hunt or kill with human weapons.
• I will not eat anything that I did not hunt/gather/scavenge myself.
• I will not let an animal come to harm by human hands.
• I will not let an animal come to harm by celestial hands.
• I will live as an animal from sunrise to sunrise at least once each week.
• I will not allow animal abuse to go unpunished
• I will confront any creature that encroaches on my territory.
• I will not allow human development to encroach on animal habitats when it is my choice.