Introducing In Nomine to new players

[Keiko]

I am forming an new In Nomine group and was hoping to get some suggestions for how to best structure the campaign. There's allot of information and background to digest and I don't want to do a big pre game Info Dump. I was thinking of starting them off as humans/mortals and gradually introduce the setting but that almost seems like missing the point (and we have had several occult/supernatural meets the real world type games already).

[johndallman]

The way I've done it, and seen it done, is to combine the info-dump with the character generation. The pitch goes something like this:

There are angels and there are demons, and they're fighting a secret war on earth, trying to influence humanity. There is a heaven, but God is not showing himself these days: the archangels run things, and each has charge of an aspect of the world, expressed as a word (the Christian concept of the Logos is useful here, if the players know it). The angels serve the archangels: there are several types ("choirs") of angels, each with qualities of their own, and the types get different benefits from the different archangels' words, making up a whole lot of character types.

Then ask the players what kind of things they want their characters to do, and refine that until you have them down to few enough archangel/choir combinations that you can explain them.

[robkelk]

Adding to that, discuss with the players what they expect from a story about angels and demons on Earth. There are big differences between Dogma, Good Omens, and Touched by an Angel, but they're all stories that involve angels as major characters.

If some players are expecting to take the War to the enemy and others are expecting to explore what effects the War has on humanity, you've got an expectation mismatch... Better to agree on a theme at the start of the game.

[Archangel Beth]

Another option is to grab "The Sorcerer's Impediments" ( http://www.warehouse23.com/products/...rs-impediments ), which has pregen characters, and let them putter with that a little. (Or use that as a "test-run" play-through with characters they come up with, with your assistance, and afterwards they can tweak their characters, or come up with a new character, or whatever.)

Definitely figure out whether they want to play Undercover Superheroes or what, first, though! Very important.

[Keiko]

Thank you, everyone for the tips.


What's "undercover superheroes"? Its familiar but its been awhile since I've read the GM's book (or most the books honestly).

[Whitelaughter]

There's a lot to be said for throwing the PCs in the deep end, with all of them playing rookies who aren't used to dealing with mortals. Many resonances are useless in Heaven (no lies or threats to detect) or operate differently (the Ofanite is going to find gravity an interesting concept) and the angels may only be a few days old. Only works with a group that enjoys slapstick, of course.

[Archangel Beth]

Originally Posted by Keiko

What's "undercover superheroes"? Its familiar but its been awhile since I've read the GM's book (or most the books honestly).

It's not really a term from the books, I think, but more of a case of "We have superpowers! But we have to keep the mundanes from discovering the truth! But we still have cool powers with which to save the day!"

Originally Posted by Whitelaughter

Many resonances are useless in Heaven (no lies or threats to detect)

That's the baseline, though! Seraphim can still get the reason someone said something, and if they're mistaken in their beliefs, a Seraph may discover this (and possibly even what the TRUTH is! if it's not too ineffable...); Dominic sends Heavenly triads (often trainees, I believe) around because, hey, Seraphim of Judgment are annoyingly perceptive!

Likewise, a Cherub might not pick up threats, per se, but might be able to tell if there was emotional distress, and could home in on an attuned who'd wandered off somewhere. (Trainee Cherubim might be very useful to attach to human souls who'd just arrived in Heaven, to keep them from getting lost!)

Kyriotates don't get to possess multiple hosts, but they can still stretch out a little and play chess with one friend, chat with another, and catch up on their reading and knitting at the same time...