Pseudo Dissonance Conditions

[JCD]

In the rules help section, I mentioned this Mercurian and her problem:

In a recent adventure, there was a Mercurian who had been Tripped by some humans. She had recovered grace and the love of Heaven, but she had lost the love of Man. She eschewed fashion and human contact as much as possible.

The consensus seemed to be that while not technically Dissonant, it sounded sufficiently un Mercurian enough for her to go take a Jump into a Lake of Fire.

It seems that there are other such situations which might be questionable for a Choir, Band or Superior that isn't technically dissonant but is against their nature.

Examples that spring to mind readily:

A Cherub without a charge or purpose. They like to have something to care about it seems

A Belialite swimming, or ice fishing.

A Seraph who worries about context.

A Calabim who eschews destruction, or who is a mass of frentic activity.

Can anyone think of more or does anyone have suggestions on how to make that a mechanic?

[robkelk]

Another one: A Dominican who discusses at length the exact meaning of each rule he is supposed to enforce. (Rules-lawyering is for The Game, not Judgment.)

[Rocket Man]

A Kyriotate who repeatedly re-possesses the same host, rather than broaden its experience.

[Acolyte]

Given that there are several other activities that gain an angel dissonance outside of Choir/Word conditions (learning Hellspeech, utilizing abilities granted by Demon Princes, etc), I think it's not too far of a stretch to say that any gravely anti-Heaven action threatens dissonance in an angel. Any kind of selfishness pushes an angel closer to being a demon.

As for demons, though, since they don't have to worry about the Symphony twisting them back, only preserving the integrity of their own symphonies, are probably less apt to pick up that kind of dissonance. A Belialite's whirling need to burn doesn't force him to set fire to every flammable object he encounters, or to shirk from cold (and a Belialite who went around burning houses down in a very cold environment might actually be doing more damage than one who left people homeless in a temperate one). Somewhere there's a line about a suggested Calabite who likes to fix things, just to break them again. What might be prone to giving demons more general dissonance is any kind of deeply selfless behavior--rather than crack their personal symphonies like acting against their resonance, selfless actions have a broadly weakening affect. This doesn't penalize an Impudite who jumps into danger to save a human, obviously, or even a Balseraph who does it to get a boost to his "I love you" resonance lies, but Djinn who starts saving people just to experience their gratitude is a Djinn losing track of himself. He'll be lucky to survive long enough to attempt Redemption.

[Andygal]

These are the sorts of things that Judgement and the Game are going to be looking out for as at risk of crossing the line and getting actually dissonant.

Judgement will insist on the angel in question getting counseling, the Game will probably either blackmail the demon or try to push them over the edge to get credit for turning in a traitor.

[Rocket Man]

A Samingan who has become addicted to the Sims and similar "life games." Sure, the little people aren't real; sure, you can say you're just setting them up for tragedy. But it only takes small steps to start identifying with the meatbags ...

[Andygal]

you'd be shocked how many people only play those games to find new and inventive ways to kill the little people off. In The Sims 2, there is even a downloadable item that exists solely for the purpose of offing Sims.

[Rocket Man]

Originally Posted by Andygal

you'd be shocked how many people only play those games to find new and inventive ways to kill the little people off. In The Sims 2, there is even a downloadable item that exists solely for the purpose of offing Sims.

Oh, I wouldn't be surprised at all -- I've done that myself from time to time. But the temptation is always there to play with those little lives, especially since you sometimes have to sustain them long enough to be killed properly.

It's a little like having a recovering addict working in a pharmacy. Sure, you can do exactly what you're supposed to do in the job ... but there's always the potential for a dangerous moment of weakness.