Is there any story more iconic in Nobilis than the courtroom drama?
In the setting, besides a giant wall of blue flame that separates what Is and what Is Not, besides the World Tree of all Creation, somewhere above Hell's corruption at the base of the Tree and Heaven's beauty at the top, there is a Court.
Let's call it the Locust Court--because there are bugs.
Depending on the editions, it gets its name differently, but the main point here is that this is where the Nobilis go if they've screwed up. "Screwed up" can also mean "pissed off the Evil God that Calls the Shots," Lord Entropy. It depends on the GM how fair the trials are--they typically aren't at all--and charges range from harming innocents to Loving, or failing to do your part in the whole mishmash. The books emphasize Lord Entropy's corrupting nature--if he doesn't declare you guilty and set a nasty punishment, it's because it serves him, somehow.
So, I set up events to introduce our two new characters, the Powers of Love and Betrayal, by having a friend of theirs (and of one of our original characters, the Power of the Dead) break some serious rules--he killed his Imperator, his boss. And so, the PCs are at the Locust Court--called to testify about what they know of the Power of Pain's betrayal of his former Lord (and the former Lord of Love, Betrayal, and Regret). His defense? Their former Lord wanted to die. The Fallen Angel Shemhazai had second thoughts about most things in his existence, from his support of Lucifer's Rebellion to arranging certain life-lessons for his Nobles. They claim that Shemhazai knew about the plot against him and subtly encouraged it. He knew that he would be taken back to Heaven after death, and he sought redemption so much that he'd gladly be murdered for it. It really was serving his will, they say.
The Powers of Love and Betrayal were charged with contempt of court for basically saying things that made Entropy and his Noble, the Power of Scorn, mad--they wanted to punish Pain to make an example of him--to show that killing Imperators is a BIG foul, that noone gets away with that. They were taken out back and beaten for their insolence.
And the Power of Pain?
They'll make something stick. It might not be the capital crime of betraying his Lord, but they won't let him get away without scars to make him remember who's in charge.
In the setting, besides a giant wall of blue flame that separates what Is and what Is Not, besides the World Tree of all Creation, somewhere above Hell's corruption at the base of the Tree and Heaven's beauty at the top, there is a Court.
Let's call it the Locust Court--because there are bugs.
Depending on the editions, it gets its name differently, but the main point here is that this is where the Nobilis go if they've screwed up. "Screwed up" can also mean "pissed off the Evil God that Calls the Shots," Lord Entropy. It depends on the GM how fair the trials are--they typically aren't at all--and charges range from harming innocents to Loving, or failing to do your part in the whole mishmash. The books emphasize Lord Entropy's corrupting nature--if he doesn't declare you guilty and set a nasty punishment, it's because it serves him, somehow.
So, I set up events to introduce our two new characters, the Powers of Love and Betrayal, by having a friend of theirs (and of one of our original characters, the Power of the Dead) break some serious rules--he killed his Imperator, his boss. And so, the PCs are at the Locust Court--called to testify about what they know of the Power of Pain's betrayal of his former Lord (and the former Lord of Love, Betrayal, and Regret). His defense? Their former Lord wanted to die. The Fallen Angel Shemhazai had second thoughts about most things in his existence, from his support of Lucifer's Rebellion to arranging certain life-lessons for his Nobles. They claim that Shemhazai knew about the plot against him and subtly encouraged it. He knew that he would be taken back to Heaven after death, and he sought redemption so much that he'd gladly be murdered for it. It really was serving his will, they say.
 Image via Wikipedia |
| Lord Entropy sentenced everyone to mud-wrestling. |
And the Power of Pain?
They'll make something stick. It might not be the capital crime of betraying his Lord, but they won't let him get away without scars to make him remember who's in charge.
Hmm Nobilis Mud Wrestling.. I'm not sure how I feel about that. .
ReplyDeletethis picture looks more like an Ann Rice Vampire Novel...