Lucifer, Seraph Archangel of Light
"The world is made up of light and dark both.
Increase the light."
Angels of Light cannot promote
darkness - either literally or metaphorically. They would no more extinguish a light source than they would allow
truth to be censored. Not interfering with natural cycles of light and darkness
is fine, as is letting a temporary light source expire naturally – or flipping
off a lamp, so long as another light source (a candle, sunlight, etc) is
present.
It is also Dissonant for these angels to learn
(let alone use) the Songs of Shadows or to assist in the hindrance of truth. It
is important to note that Lucifer's Light is the light of Truth and
truth - it's dissonant to censor, say, an editorial based on a person's belief,
no matter how inaccurate that belief. The angel is encouraged to work to
make the person understand that s/he's operating on misinformation/what the
truth really is, but it's not essential. Keeping something secret in the first
place is not dissonant, while attempting to eliminate it after the fact is;
also, it is not dissonant to knowingly make a statement that will be
misinterpreted, as long as one does not unduly influence the listener's belief.
(Lucifer's Seraphim specialize in giving out minor truths without the whole
Truth - innately gifted at revelation, Lucifer has them study distraction.)
(Luciferians,
Lightbearers, Torchbearers, Guides, 'Idealists', 'the Enlightened')
Lucifer's Servitors all radiate an
aura of heavenly Light in Celestial form. (Even his Sworn have an aura, and
those blessed souls and saints of Light, in heaven, appear to glow with an
inner flame.) Any non-Celestial / soul must roll Will upon spotting an angel of
Light in Celestial form to avoid becoming dazed, dazzled, or hypnotized for a
number of minutes equal to the Luciferian's Celestial Forces. (This is
cumulative with the standard Kyriotate disorientation for humans.)
Demons must roll (Will + demon's Celestial
Forces); on a failure, they take one Soul Hit of damage, and will continue to
take one Soul Hit every hour the angel's Celestial form is within their sight
(unless the demon has Celestial Sunglasses.) For those of either group who look
upon Lucifer himself in celestial form, the roll is at -6... and the light
blinds until the being next receives a point of Essence. And if the observer is
a demon, he takes (1d6) hits each hour, rather than only one.
Angels of Light cannot have
Vulnerability (Light), but Vulnerability (Darkness) and Aura are most commonly
seen among those who actually have Discord.
Seraphim of Light may utilize hyperbole,
half-truths, metaphor, slang, and imprecisions without dissonance. Also, as
long as one of these Most Holy knows the Truth, they may make a Will roll to
convince someone else of it...and, in the process, make the target(s) hear the
Symphony.
In game mechanics, the Seraph must make a resonance
roll at a check digit of 6 before using this. Or, they may make a CD: 5 roll,
and convince the target that she/he/it does or does not know the Truth.
Following that, they may make a Will roll to convince a number of people equal
to the Seraph's Ethereal Forces of the Truth. Targets may make a Will
roll to resist, penalized by the check digit of the Seraph's successful Will
roll. The target must be able to hear the Seraph.
A Seraph may use this as a 'weapon' as well. By
making a Will roll, they may force any Celestial not already attuned wholly to
the Symphony (Outcasts, Renegades, demon Orphans, or demons) to hear it for a
number of minutes equal to the check digit of a successful roll plus the
target's Celestial Forces.
Some demons have spontaneously Redeemed after
experiencing this, and it's known that a Redemption following this Attunement
is generally 'safer'. Demons must make Will rolls, penalized by their Celestial
Forces, to resist having the sound 'echo' back and shatter their Heart.
(Note: Other angels may attempt to force a
Celestial to hear the Symphony, but the duration is only the check digit, and
they cannot try to persuade someone else of the Truth of something.)
[Sidebar]
This Attunement,
combined with their rather Mercurian-like habits, makes Seraphim of most other
Words extremely uncomfortable around these Seraphim. Lucifer's Most Holy don't
really care, though; they'd rather spend time with humans anyway, and see their
Choirmates as "pokerspined and too proud for their own good."
Typically, an Attunement
like this would cause Asmodeus to keep a closer eye on the angels possessing it
than normal, and on their Superior - if the Superior was of the appropriate
Choir, even more so. However, there are two reasons that Seraphim of Light and
Lucifer aren't given that particular attention.
Firstly, Lucifer is the
oldest Archangel left to Heaven (short of Kronos), was one of the first to be
given a Word by God Himself, and was made Speaker of the Seraphim Council by
the same Divine mandate. Asmodeus is inclined to trust him rather more than,
say, Andrealphus with his Discord.
Secondly...the number of
Seraphim of Light who have Fallen can be counted on one hand with fingers left
over, one of whom wound up Redeeming again (to Laughter; she's currently
working directly for the Angel of Joy), and two of whom (Fallen to Prophetic
Fire and Fate) are soul-dead. Rumors as to why this is true abound, but it's
generally believed that their unique link to the Symphony helps.
[/Sidebar]
Many of Lucifer's Seraphim also take
his Elohite Attunement, the better to find what Truth their targets should
hear.
Cherubim
(Restricted)
Lucifer's Cherubim can, for 1 Essence, create a
mystic line-of-sight to an object of their Resonance. The link ignores distance
and visual obstructions between the angel and the target's location, but visual
conditions at the target's location still apply. Anything viewed through this
link is treated as if it is only 10 feet away for the purpose of using Songs
and Attunements, but the angel is unable to see anything at her current
location. The link may only be used to affect the person or object to which the
Cherub is attuned - no playing a Song of Shattering on the demon who's
attacking your buddy!
Ofanim
As long as there is a recognizable natural
heavenly body visible, Lucifer's Wheels cannot get lost. (It must be visible
with the unaided eye, or the Songs of Sight, though Lucifer's Cherub Attunement
works as well.) The sun, the moon, and Venus are the most effective for this.
The angel can determine the cardinal directions as though he had a built-in
compass, and can estimate his general distance from well-known landmarks.
On the Ethereal and Celestial planes, Beleth's
tower, any other Cathedral aligned with Heaven, Gabriel's volcano, and
Blandine's tower all qualify as heavenly bodies.
Many, many Ofanim of Light take Lucifer's
Grigori Attunement as well.
Lucifer's Powers can see into another's heart,
and the half-truths and outright lies therein. With a successful Perception
roll, they can sense a self-deception the target is currently practicing, the
severity of which is indicated by the check digit. (i.e., CD:1 = "I only
skipped one class, it doesn't matter"; CD:3 = "I'm not drunk
yet", CD:6 = "I can't have just committed murder"; or similar
ideas.) This will also automatically detect Balseraphs on a success at a check
digit of 6!
(Note: If the target does not have any
self-deceptions at the check digit level, GMs should both say so and offer at
least one at a level below. Also, yes, the Balseraphic resonance as practiced
on others will show up.)
Sworn
Malakim
Those Sworn to Light are surrounded by hazy
nimbi of light rather than their Choir-mates' clouds of shadows. They can
translate this haze to any form with a successful (Will + Celestial Forces)
roll, making it difficult to identify them for up to their total Forces in
hours - or making them impossible to see for up to their Celestial Forces in
hours.
The cloud has the added effect of masking sound
to a degree. (In game mechanics, penalize other people's Perception rolls to
hear or see the angel by the angel's Celestial Forces, unless the invisibility
aspect is used, in which case Perception rolls to see the angel are
automatically failed (barring Intervention).) With a successful Will roll, they
can extend the haze (either effect) in a sphere, with a radius of a maximum of
(angel's Celestial Forces) in yards.
Sworn Malakim with Lucifer's Kyriotate
Attunement can choose to have their light-Vessel be this haze, with the 'difficult'
effect automatically on as long as the light-Vessel exists, but must still roll
to key the 'impossible' effect.
Kyriotates
These Kyriotates may create Vessels made of
light (luminescent clouds, motes of light, St. Elmo's Fire, burning bushes, etc.)
Light Vessels cost one point of Essence for each hour they remain in existence,
and can have no Charisma. These are immune to physical damage (but not to Songs
or damaging Attunements/resonances) and may also pass through any transparent
barrier (glass, ice, water, non-opaque plastic, etc.)
Mercurians
Mercurians of Lucifer can play with
the ambient light, to a degree. In the morning (if you wish to be technical,
from dawn Essence to dusk Essence) they receive two free points of Charisma
(usually manifesting as Charming, Vivacious, Friendly, etc). They also get a +2
to all Fast-Talk and Emote rolls for the duration (though not Lying; it's
widely assumed this is purely due to the fact that their Archangel is a
Seraph, even if he does, ah...Bend the Truth around the edges a bit,
when he feels it's necessary.)
With a Will roll, the Mercurian may
extend this bonus to another for the check digit in hours (or until dusk
Essence, whichever comes first.)
Grigori
Lucifer's Watchers are immune to anything that would blind them or
obscure their sight. This includes darkness, smoke, fog, sand, and sight-based
illusions like the Ethereal Song of Light. In the case of the Malakite of Light
Attunement, no penalties exist for the 'difficult' aspect, and just penalize
Perception by the Malakite's Celestial Forces for the 'impossible' aspect.
Lilim
(Partially Restricted)
These angels may use all Songs of
Light for one Essence cost, but the effects (save disturbance) are as though
three Essence had been spent (unless the angel wishes to make it less.) Also,
with eye contact, Gifters of Light can identify how to inspire hope in another
person. If this fulfils a Need (and grants the Lilim a Geas), add one to the
level for purposes of resistance.
The Aura Discord holds no danger for these
Lilim. If they possess it, they will not be identified as Lilim, and they do
not need to add it to their dissonance rolls - instead, they must add their
levels of Bound if they have it, since that Discord interacts painfully with the
Freedom in their Forces.
Other Choirs may inspire hope and
take the altered Song cost, but they cannot affect Geases and do not change
their reaction to Aura or Bound.
A simple touch from the angel (either
bare-handed or with an implement) permanently cures blindness, regardless of
the cause. The subject of this Attunement can resist with a Will roll, though
it's hard to imagine why anyone would.
Note that any target affected by this is permanently
incapable of having the Damaged Sense (Sight) and Celestial Blindness
Discords/Disadvantages.
With a touch and 3 Essence, the angel can allow
another being to see what he sees. This applies both to literal sight and to
'seeing' in the sense of understanding; however, understanding' should not
necessarily be the equivalent of, 'agreement'. The target can understand why
and how the angel feels what he does, but may still find room to disagree with
his point of view. The sight lasts for a number of minutes equal to the recipient’s
Ethereal Forces. Understanding, once granted, lasts indefinitely, or until the
target can put the strange experience out of his mind. (Rare is the demon who
can be persuaded to Redeem solely through use of this Attunement, though many
have been tempted. It's rumored that the Attunement, used by an angel on a
demon, enables the demon to hear the True Symphony for its duration, like
Lucifer's Seraph Attunement... but with corresponding effects on the
demon's resonance...)
This was one of Gabriel's archaic Attunements as
the Archangel of Fire. After the Fall, Lucifer designed this Attunement to
mirror its effects – some say as a memorial to his Fallen friend.
As per canon Gabriel's Attunement of the same
name (Superiors 3: Hope and Prophecy pg 41)
This potent Attunement causes the illusions made
by the Ethereal Song of Light to become solid. Light Sculptures act just like
the Corporeal objects that they resemble – a bridge could be walked on, a chair
could be sat in, a sword could do damage, etc. Size and duration limits are
normal for the Song. Note that Light Sculptures can make no sounds and have no
scent or taste; the Attunement only makes them tangible. Illusions also lack
the special powers of the things that they represent – for example, an illusory
dragon could not breathe fire (its teeth still work, though). Special effects
can be created by appropriate Songs and Attunements, however...
Many, many Lilim of Light have this Attunement.
One of Lucifer's most dangerous
Attunements, this turns the user into a beacon for the Symphonically Aware.
Anyone so aware within a radius of the user's total Forces in miles will have a
subtle urge to go to the user, getting stronger as the user gets closer
(affected people can make Will rolls to resist the urge, but at -1 for every
mile 'in' they get from the edge of the effect.) The angel triggers this effect
by spending two Essence (the disturbance of which is 'broadcast' throughout the
area, loudly enough that anyone in range capable of hearing it just
barely does so, which then sets off the 'come to me' effect.) With a successful
Will roll, the angel can limit it to a certain type of being – Divinely
aligned, Infernally aligned, 'neutrals', or Ethereally aligned – but failing
the Will roll means that the effects remain in play until the angel makes
another Will roll. If the limiter roll succeeds or isn't attempted at all, the
angel can cancel the effects of this Attunement with a thought.
Oddly, very few angels of Light have
this Attunement; Lucifer usually hands it out to other angels, commonly
Baalites and Kobalites who have entered his service briefly or earned a reward
from him. This can have interesting results...
A
Thousand Points of Light
The aura of Lightbearers with this
Attunement changes subtly, to a gentler light that suffuses any form they take.
These angels radiate a sense of quiet peace, faith, and hope that affects
anyone who can see them, for as long as the angel is in sight (and a number of
hours afterwards equal to twice the angel's Will.) Anyone so effected gains a
bonus of the Luciferian's Celestial Forces to resist any demonic resonance or
similar ability, adds the same to all Perception rolls (this isn't
cumulative), and doubles the Essence regained from any rites they perform, for
the duration of the effect.
This is perhaps the most popular of
Lucifer's Servitor Attunements, especially among Lilim, Grigori, and
Mercurians. Angels with Thousand Points have it automatically keyed instead
of the standard Light aura, though they can change effects at will.
The angel is able to see the light or darkness
within souls. With a successful Perception roll, the target’s aura is revealed
to the angel. If the subject has the Aura Discord, the Discord level is added
to the target number. Treat the subject as being under a Corporeal Song of
Nimbus except that the angel won’t suffer the negative effects of seeing an
opposing halo.
As per canon Yves' 'Divine Logic' Servitor
Attunement (In Nomine: Core Rules pg 134-135), but the resistance roll
is penalized by the angel's Celestial Forces. Also, if the angel did not have
Enlightenment or Clarity, he gains them at this point, as well as the ability
to perform either by merely making eye contact (though the cost for
Enlightenment remains the same.)
A
single word (and a point of Essence) from the angel tears illusions asunder. All
illusions (Ethereal Form, Ethereal Light, the effects of hallucinogenics, the
Balseraph resonance, etc) within (angel's total Forces * 3) yards are disrupted
by a burst of heavenly light (only visible with a successful Perception roll),
if the angel succeeds at a Will roll. Any demons of Illusion in the area take
the check digit in Soul Hits, and if the angel takes Celestial form, the
Illusionist's roll to resist damage from the aura of Light is penalized by the
check digit of the angel's original Will roll. (Lucifer really, really
doesn't like Blandine.)
Officially,
Lucifer is Neutral to everybody - as political head of Heaven and Speaker of
the Seraphim Council, he can't afford to be officially biased. In practice,
however, he is the head of Heaven's 'Peace' faction, and his angels tend
to be more willing to aid some than others...
Andrealphus, Beleth, Kobal, Kronos
(Baal, Beleth, Kobal, Nybbas, Vapula are Allied to Lucifer)
Asmodeus, Baal, Gebbeleth, Lilith,
Nybbas, Vapula (Everyone else is Associated with Lucifer, except...)
Mariel, Meserach, Valefor (Meserach
is Neutral to Lucifer)
Nobody (Nobody is Hostile to
Lucifer)
Lucifer is the oldest Archangel left to Heaven
save only Kronos. He has been Speaker of the Seraphim Council since its
inception, long before the Fall. He fought his older brother Michael and banished
him and the other rebels from Heaven ... and he's tired of fighting.
Lucifer is the President to Baal's
Commander-in-Chief, the diplomat to his general. He is the unofficial head of
Heaven's peace faction, and the de facto leader of Heaven in all non-War
matters. He's turned down every offer Baal's made to give him any kind of say
(above his default as an Archangel) in how the War is run ... because he
doesn't want war. He doesn’t trust himself when other people's lives are
at stake. But he also doesn't trust Baal's professions of anti-war sentiments
to be enough to handle Heaven's political and diplomatic needs... so he stays
in his job, trying to keep their delicate balancing act from falling apart
entirely. In recent years, Nybbas has taken on much of the 'balancing' duty,
which Lucifer is grateful for.
Before the Fall, Light and Fire were
extremely close – in fact, it's known they were lovers briefly, and Aurora,
Seraph Seneschal of the Sun Tether to Light, is one of the two offspring they
created. After Gabriel Jumped, Lucifer claimed Fire's former duty of
inspiration, as well as certain of Knowledge's duties like teaching. Lucifer
also has a strong interest in the Marches (he's among the three Archangels
Beleth has given nearly carte blanche to in the Vale, the others being
her ally Baal and her son Gebbeleth), particularly in dealing with Blandine.
The Archangel of Light abandons his pacifistic tendencies entirely when faced
with the Prince of Illusion, and many of his Corporeal plans involve countering
Blandine.
Alone among the Seraph Archangels,
Lucifer prefers Earth to Heaven. He nearly always has at least one
Corporeal manifestation (especially in modern times, when he is needed less and
less outside of full Council meetings, and sometimes with a Role he's
maintaining), and his Servitors often Summon him, only to see him wander up
with no Disturbance, as though he was there all along. 'Lucy' shows up fairly
often, though she was more common in the past (and almost exclusively appeared
up to the point where the demons were freed from Hell), and 'Luke' is certainly
more common now. Lucifer actually has the fewest Servitors of any Archangel
save Lilith, though still quite a few – the difference is barely noticible.
However, his human servants (Soldiers, Saints, and others) number almost as
many as those of Freedom, and more white sorcerers serve Light than any
Archangel save Lilith.
· Spend two hours basking
in the natural light of the Sun or the full Moon, or three hours watching the
stars (time is halved if the angel can spot Venus, the Morning Star)
· Keep a light glowing in
an otherwise dark place for twelve hours or until another light appears
(minimum 2 hours.)
· Teach something new to
someone who resists learning.
· Inspire a human to regain
hope. (Yes, Last Spark qualifies, but no Essence is regained if the human loses
hope again after the effects have passed!)
· Persuade someone working
for Hell to join Heaven. (+2 Essence, +3 if the target is a demon who
successfully Redeems!)
Lucifer
is very busy, though a sufficiently urgent need may get his
attention.
Modifiers
+1:
A candle.
+2:
At sunrise, noon, or sunset (while in direct view of the sun), or while looking
at a rainbow.
+3:
A (stained) glass or crystal design, in the presence of a light source. (+4 if
it's a large stained glass window in a church or
castle, such as the Rose Window in Notre
Dame (in Paris), or the Hall of Mirrors in the Chateau Versailles.)
+4:
+5:
While watching the Aurora Borealis or a similar rare celestial manifestation,
like Hailey's Comet or a total solar/lunar
eclipse, in person.
+6:
A thousand points of light. (No, not the Attunement.)
