Creating A Superior

[Shiftkitty]

In my homebrew world there is room for a couple of new superiors to handle things not found in our own world. To create superiors for these "new" Words, what considerations should I be mindful of? Or can I get away with just mimicking (and slightly tweaking) the existing format for the canon superiors?

[johndallman]

The format is a useful guide to the things you need to define. The hard part is generally working out all the implications of the Word, and its interactions with other Words. The expanded format with Superior reactions is useful for that.

We'll help, if you want to explain your concepts.

[Shiftkitty]

Well, the deal is that my players really enjoy D&D, but we took a break and wrangled In Nomine in for what was supposed to be a one or two shot game that has worked itself in for a long stay. I winged it with a lot of the conversions (and a handful of kobolds gave them a run for their money while they tried to determine whether or not it would cause any dissonance to just blast the little buggers), and some things worked out quite well. David and Dwarves were a natural hit. (Long story about the Archangels and the "mythic races" and how they're resolving their differences, heavily inspired by the original French version "INS/MV" and "Stella Inquisitorus".) However, as the magic doesn't seem to be disturbing the Symphony, in fact it seems to be as natural a part of the world as lightning and mathematics, some factions of Heaven feel the need to gain as much influence with it as possible, especially since Hell seems to have a head start on them.

In English, I have only the core game from 1997 (I believe that's the date) and "Superiors 1". In French, well, they seem to be giving the stuff away so I grabbed as much as I could (and still have more to go) and am working through translating it. I love the fluff! (I even messed with the French "Michael as Viking" approach, turning him into an incredibly ancient War God of unknown origin* who swore fealty to God and Heaven. Dominic doesn't consider this a true "conversion" but Michael's opinion is along the lines of "It was good enough for God, it'll have to be good enough for Dominic." Yeah, I kept the Michael/Dominic issue alive.)

Questions from the pack here include whether or not Magic should even have an archangel of its own. After all, wouldn't certain elemental magic, such as fire-based spells, be a natural fit for Archangels who already deal with such elements, such as Gabriel and fire or Janus and wind/air? Since its military application should be readily apparent, any reason why Michael wouldn't want a piece of the action?

One thing I was thinking that, like Eli, Magic's servitors would be on perpetual loan to other Superiors, though unlike Eli, Magic would still be hanging around Heaven. He just spends his time in his Tower perfecting his mastery over the arcane arts. This might require the creation of a new choir of Angels (and band of Demons, assuming they work in a similar fashion).

For relations with other Superiors, I definitely see him on Dominic's radar. Without orders to the contrary from God, Dominic considers magic diabolic in nature and Magic feels that Dominic reminds him too much of a "witch-finder general" on steroids. Herb-based magic should put him in good with Novalis (or at least not on hostile terms), and I see an iffy relationship with Jean, much of what was once called "magic" now being called "science". (I don't know if Jean would be interested in learning about what appears to be the manipulation of the quantum world by mortals, blocking such powers from mortals, or disproving the "magic" part of it by showing how it worked scientifically).

The nature of magic in my D&D world (which is 30 years old now) is that it is neutral and natural, but not omnipresent. Not everybody can sling spells, just as in the real world not everybody not everybody can successfully perform brain surgery, but with study, dedication, and a knack for it, it can be accomplished.

A good part of our wanting to do this was brought about by playing "The Sorceror's Impediments". As I said, though, I am very limited on my official resources, so any suggestions are greatly appreciated!

*We have a philosophy on God and what was before God. Our current existence is just one of many. The very act of existing is the result of a struggle of some sort, no matter how small. Michael has embodied that struggle for countless existences in other realities. As one reality dies, so too do his memories. When our Big Bang happened, it was just the birth of another reality into which the entity known as Michael emerged anew. Since God was there simultaneously with the Big Bang, he was the first entity Michael encountered. Who is older is anyone's guess, but God managed to get an oath of fealty from Michael for the "Good Fight". Michael does not see the fight as "God vs. Lucifer" or "Heaven vs. Hell" so much as he does "Good vs. Evil". Hence I incorporated the French take on Michael as being willing to work with pagans and possibly even cut deals with some Demons so long it all serves the Greater Good and works towards the eventual (as Michael sees it) victory of Good over Evil. Michael's own heathenish practices are all that remains from his ancient memories and heavily influenced the Vikings. There's a bunch more to this, but I tend to ramble...

[johndallman]

Originally Posted by Shiftkitty

Questions from the pack here include whether or not Magic should even have an archangel of its own.

Another possibility is that it should come under Knowledge. Since Raphael, Archangel of Knowledge, has been dead for centuries, that portfolio gets split amongst Destiny and Lightning these days. It's not clear that Magic is a Superior-level word these days, because of its lack of impact on the population of Earth, compared to other Words. The Demon of Sorcery is canonically not a Superior (she works for Fate), although she is powerful.

But making Magic a superior-level Word is certainly a valid campaign design decision, although Hell is likely to promote the Demon of Sorcery to oppose it. I'd recommend the Corporeal Players Guide for details of sorcery and its demon.

This might require the creation of a new choir of Angels (and band of Demons, assuming they work in a similar fashion).

That's definitely optional. First, decide if your Archangel of Magic is a member of one of the ordinary Choirs. Think about this carefully, because it will influence a lot of things. If they are not, then you have to invent a choir, but that's a bunch of work. If an ordinary choir will serve, stick to that.

If you invent a new choir, then presumably it will be represented amongst Magic's servitors? That will probably imply a new Band, although the first ones may be Fallen members of the new choir.

Finally, some Superiors invent a Minor Choir/Band to be servitors of some specific aspect of the Word. This is optional, and can be added later.

(I don't know if Jean would be interested in learning about what appears to be the manipulation of the quantum world by mortals, blocking such powers from mortals, or disproving the "magic" part of it by showing how it worked scientifically).

He'll really, really want to know how it works. That comes first. Jean reckons that anything mortals figure out for themselves is fair game, but wishes to control celestials teaching them things.

[Jason]

I think if you had an Archangel/Prince of Magic, that character would be resented at best, a target at worst, by other superiors. Gabriel wants fire magic. Janus wants air magic (and illusion!). Kronos wants divination (though maybe he'd avoid the "divine" part of that word). Saminga wants necromancy. And so on. I think you could spread out the traditional magic schools among existing superiors, but if you want a particular superior to be angling for that Word, the struggle that results could be an entire campaign in itself.

[Shiftkitty]

Sadly, I have no money for the guide, so if I want something in time for next week's game, I'll have to make it up as I go.

I figure magic will be significant enough to merit a Word as this is not Earth we're playing on. Since my players prefer the formulaic magic of D&D (where specific components/words/movements are required to fire off a spell correctly), this esoteric knowledge does sound like something Jean would be attached to somehow. Perhaps this has been a word-bound Angel that he's never quite gotten around to introducing to anybody? I do recall reading that he tends to keep secrets.

Here's this world with humans and races thought long extinct thanks to Uriel. The Angels in the party are woefully unprepared to deal with mortals whose powers seem to reflect their own but who can throw it around with impunity. Jean grumbles about "You should have called me first..." and here comes this Angel who seems rather comfortable in this environment.

I'd rather use an existing choir, but before I can settle on which one, I should really think about how this individual approaches magic. I'm inclined to say Elohite. Magic being akin to science, a certain cold, analytical eye is required to properly create, observe, and record effects, results, and things that go catastrophically wrong. ("Note to self: mixing the essence of starlight with powdered minotaur horn during a waning moon causes a reaction which necessitates the purchase of new laboratory equipment...")

So, rather than just up and creating a new Superior, perhaps I can NPC this guy (who is a retired D&D PC wizard named Trom Dorsett) as a word-bound angel and use him as an impetus for the party's activities, forwarding the Word of Magic for the cause of Good and slowly working him up to Superior status. Part of the environment includes witch-hunts by an over-zealous clergy who consider any magic evil, as the only miracles performed are done by their god. Hell, of course, uses this to squash anyone who may use magic for good while feeding the power trips of mortals foolish enough to strike deals with devils for a little arcane ability.

And yes, I kind of like the resentment idea!

[Shiftkitty]

Something interesting I discovered while reading up on our Real World histories and legends of the Saints and Archangels is that many centuries ago, magic in general and alchemy in particular were considered to fall at least partly (100% in the case of alchemy) under the jurisdiction of Michael! I can just see him looking at a hand grenade, claymore mines, C-4, etc, and thinking "Alchemy and its descendants... oh yeaahhhh...!"

[johndallman]

Originally Posted by Shiftkitty

Sadly, I have no money for the guide, so if I want something in time for next week's game, I'll have to make it up as I go.

I hadn't understood that the game was taking place in an otherworld, and that makes sorcery very much less important in the short term. It isn't exactly "magic" but a cumbersome and slow way of doing effects that are a bit like Songs, by playing chords in the Symphony.

... this esoteric knowledge does sound like something Jean would be attached to somehow. Perhaps this has been a word-bound Angel that he's never quite gotten around to introducing to anybody?

Absolutely possible. The Seraphim Council will have a note about him somewhere, and Yves will thus know, but neither tends to be loose-mouthed.

I'd rather use an existing choir, but before I can settle on which one, I should really think about how this individual approaches magic. I'm inclined to say Elohite. Magic being akin to science, a certain cold, analytical eye is required to properly create, observe, and record effects, results, and things that go catastrophically wrong.

That's certainly viable. A Seraph might be someone who had been listening to an obscure Truth in the Symphony, and would be wanting to see it in action. An Offamite might be someone who saw magic as a dynamic force, changing the symphony to add complexity, while seeking harmony. A Mercurian might see it as a manifestation of the human relationship with the Symphony, and so on.

So, rather than just up and creating a new Superior, perhaps I can NPC this guy (who is a retired D&D PC wizard named Trom Dorsett) as a word-bound angel and use him as an impetus for the party's activities, forwarding the Word of Magic for the cause of Good and slowly working him up to Superior status.

Sounds like a good idea. Becoming a Superior is quite a long process, normally, but expediency has its place at the Seraphim Council.

... centuries ago, magic in general and alchemy in particular were considered to fall at least partly (100% in the case of alchemy) under the jurisdiction of Michael!

Michael has been patron of lots of things. He's always been the most prominent of the Archangels, AFAIK, and picking him for your guild was a move that added credibility.

[Archangel Beth]

(As a note, if you haven't prowled http://www.sjgames.com/in-nomine/, you might want to. Some of the books linked there might have amusing sample tidbits, beyond whatever the e23 PDF samples include. And there's http://www.sjgames.com/in-nomine/articles/ as well, of course, for non-canon stuff.)

[Dalillama]

"The nature of magic in my D&D world (which is 30 years old now)"

You mean that the world is 30 years old, or that there's been magic for 30 years in the world? Assuming it's the former, and that magic is roughly as prominent/important as in a world like Greyhawk, it's probably an AA level word. If it's at Forgotten Realms levels, it's definitely an AA level word. Maybe the AA in question simply doesn't operate in parts of Heaven accessible from our Earth. It's mentioned in G:IN that for crossover Space or IW games it can be ruled that only the Higher Heavens are consistent across worlds. So there might well be a separate Heaven there with a partially or completely different selection of AAs. And the ones who are the same may or may not recognize the PCs! This world's version of Jean might not be an AA at all, but is the Angel of Lightning under either Magic (it he kept the science portfolio after the death of Raphael) or Wind otherwise. I assume that when you said "New Choir" you meant like the minor Choirs that are described in the expanded Superiors writeup? The AA of Magic might well have them, but they're busy in the Tower of Magic, and don't go to the Corporeal, unless you felt like making them, of course.

The Demon of Sorcery would be a DP too, of course, trying to seduce magic user into boosting their power with actual infernal sorcery.