INS/MV Play Experience

[ScaredofScissors]

As I mentioned in an earlier thread, I finally played the original French version (4th edition) last weekend and had a lot of fun. The adventure came from the rulebook and involved Beleth having made a dream-plane for HP Lovecraft, then forgetting about it, and Heaven having to deal with the consequences.

There are a lot of differences - no bands/choirs, no dissonance AFAICT, no disturbance, more superiors (including Jesus!), etc. Also instead of Songs there are Powers, which (in our game at least) are more difficult to use and at the same time less "game-breaking" or "absolute" (i.e. no "You're lying and I now know what the Truth is, or "My Corp Song of Shields makes me completely invulnerable to damage!" or "my Song of Harmony makes everyone completely incapable of fighting. Sorry, combat connoisseurs!").

The dice mechanic is interesting - the two non-check digit dice are rolled as a 10's place and a 1's place, and is compared to a chart (referenced by the level of a characteristic, skill, or power). It's player-facing (i.e. if you're trying to sneak, you subtract the opponent's Perception from your Discretion skill, and check the chart to find out what you need to roll); the GM (or MJ in French) almost only rolls when combat happens. You can take a risk - make your roll harder to increase your check digit (which is calculated as the CD + level of whatever + amount of risk you took).

Angels and demons don't make up vessels to live in - angels possess willing hosts (whose souls go immediately to Heaven, don't pass Purgatory), demons possess at the instant of death, and both are stuck in their vessels until death. So no traveling up and down Tethers, or 'going celestial', and so on. They also stay banished for many, many years unless an Arcangel/Prince wants you back ASAP.

This has some interesting consequences. Everybody's got a Role (and demons probably have tough questions ahead). There aren't any crazy-long, tedious celestial combat fights like you get in IN. But it's also nearly impossible to have scenes set in Heaven or Hell (you can still visit dreams, BTW, if you're a servant of Blandine).

I missed the lack of choirs/bands, since they give some very interesting role-playing opportunities. Same with Dissonance.

This is getting long! I'll stop, but if anyone has any questions, I'll be happy to answer them as best as I can.

[rknop]

Isn't the tone very different? My understanding is that INS/MV is written as a sardonic/sarcastic humor game from the get go, whereas IN is written to support a range of styles, but has a default "serious angst" tone.

[JCD]

Thank you for the write up. I've always been curious, but did not feel it worth learning a new language or boning up on the German again to play something with...who? IMing Berliners? Perhaps


I always thought the tone was more of cartoony running in place by both sides. Low angst. Fun for everyone, Angels and Demons, messing with people.

[ScaredofScissors]

Originally Posted by rknop

Isn't the tone very different? My understanding is that INS/MV is written as a sardonic/sarcastic humor game from the get go, whereas IN is written to support a range of styles, but has a default "serious angst" tone.

You know, everyone says that about IN, and I suppose it's more true in the later supplements, but the art in the main book always set the tone as comedic for me.

The writing style of the French version is definitely prima facie satirical (i.e. there are jokes and puns and such throughout, even among the rules). It's less cautious about its religious themes, too - Jesus is a character, Christianity is almost entirely right yet the Church is made fun of, that sort of thing.

[Acolyte]

I too find IN to be comical at the base. Out of place celestials are always getting in awkward moments on Earth. There are serious aspects, but man, something zany's going on.

Thanks for reporting on the original version! Sounds interesting for sure.