Falling

Alternative rules for falling in In Nomine

An angel is a free-willed being, capable of betraying their nature. When they do so, their personal theme in the Symphony becomes polluted with notes of dissonance. This dissonance makes it increasingly difficult for the angel to attune to the resonance of his choir. Eventually, the interference is so great that he will be utterly unable to resonate with the Symphony. It is from this condition that angels Fall. However, it is possible for a sufficiently determined angel to resist the lure of the Pit indefinitely.

Game Mechanics

Angels gain dissonance and make dissonance rolls exactly as in IN. However, the results of failed rolls are different.

The first failed roll results in an angel 'tripping'. He can no longer use his resonance (or resonance-based attunements), although he is still subject to Choir dissonance. His Superior will not necessarily notice immediately, but will certainly do so on sight, and will almost always make such an angel Outcast. This releases the angel from Superior dissonance.

A tripped angel can be rehabilitated just like a demon. The process still requires a Superior, but is slightly less dangerous (only one in six dissolve, rather than one in three).

Otherwise, the angel carries on gaining Choir dissonance and making dissonance rolls as normal. Further failed rolls result in the gaining of one note of dissonance, PLUS one level of discord determined by the GM.

However, an angel in this state has the option AT ANY TIME of using the Band resonance corresponding to his Choir. If he does so, he has Fallen. The rules for Falling are otherwise unchanged.

Why can't Malakim Fall? Their Oaths are an outward symbol of the fact that they have restricted free will: they no longer have the option of falling. Hence their resonance is to detect the ways in which others exercise their will.

Examples

Seraph: A Seraph will trip if he bends the truth just once too often, or perhaps he fails to correctly interpret his Superior's Word. The Symphony has declared the angel a liar... but wait! How easy it would be to just tweak things a little, here and there. The Symphony is changeable: it can be altered so that what ought to be the truth is the truth.

Mercurian: When a Mercurian 'trips', the Symphony suddenly won't tell him about people any more. How can he help people be happy if he doesn't know anything about them? Well... he could make them open up to him. They'd tell him anything, if they only knew that he was really their friend.

The psychology of a Fall will be different in every case, but ever since the Rebellion, thousands of angels have chosen the selfish, prideful side of their natures.