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Chaosium Digest Volume 08 Number 03
Chaosium Digest Volume 8, Number 3
Date: Sunday, October 17, 1994
Number: 1 of 1
Contents:
Review: Nephilim (Steven Crabb) NEPHILIM
A Nephilim Glossary (Steven Crabb) NEPHILIM
Editor's Note:
Hey all. With the publication of the Nephilim articles this week, the
queue for the Chaosium Digest is finally empty. So, that's your cue,
if you've been thinking about writing something up for the digest.
I'd really love to see an article for Pendragon, which has been
woefully under-represented in recent weeks, or some adventure or
scenerio ideas for Nephilim, since they're somewhat neglected in the
main rules. However, Call of Cthulhu and Elric! articles are, of
course, welcome as well.
NEW ELRIC! RELEASE: New out for Elric! this week is The Bronze
Grimoire (Chaosium, 80 pg., $12.95). Probably the most useful
supplement yet released for Elric!, the Bronze Grimoire contains new
spells, new demons, new demonic abilities and new enchantments, as
well as brand new rules for runes, necromancy and tomes. My highest
recommendation.
Shannon
--------------------
From: "Steven Crabb" <stevenc@triode.apana.org.au>
Subject: Review: Nephilim
System: Nephilim
Review: Nephilim, the game of Occult Roleplaying
* Note: Before I get to the main part of this review I would like to
mention that there has been some discussion in various Newsgroups
regarding the basic premise of Nephilim, that is, disembodied
'spirits' possessing human beings. Some people have said they like
the other aspects of the game, but simply could not roleplay such a
being. Others have said they could perhaps use the game if the Player
Characters were the human beings, trying to stop the Nephilim. All I
will say on the matter is that I like the game as it stands. In fact,
I find the whole concept quite interesting and feel it would be fun to
roleplay. Certainly, it is no worse some of the ideas presented in
many other roleplaying games. With that in mind, I will get on with
the review.
Product: Nephilim
Authors: Fabrice Lamidey, Sam Shirley, Greg Stafford, Frederic Weil
Publisher: Chaosium
ISBN 1-56882-023-2
Price: $21.95
Much of the background of Nephilim has previously been mentioned in
V6.10 and 6.11 of The Chaosium Digest. So I won't go into too much
detail in those areas.
Presentation:
The rules are softcover, 230 pages. Congratulations must go to Frank
Achard, Jean Bey, and Charlie Krank on the cover design. The cover is
what first grabs your attention, and Nephilim has a great cover. It
features some type of golden astrological device on a blue cloudy
background. The interior artwork is of a generally high standard and
includes some black & white photographs of occult places.
The book is divided into five main parts: Introduction and History of
the Nephilim, Past Lives (60 pages of Character Creation), Incarnation
(34 pages on the Game System), Initiation (57 pages of Magic) and The
Exoteric (43 pages for the Gamemaster, including NPC's and adventure
ideas). There is also a comprehensive Index, and Bibliography.
Character Creation:
This is really well done. It is a fairly lengthy process, but is set
out in a manner that makes it reasonably easy to follow. It also
includes a two page step-by-step summary for quick reference.
First you must choose your element: Fire, Air, Water, Earth, Moon.
Each element then has associated Metamorphosis: Djinn, Phoenix, Slyph,
Angel, Triron, Undine, Satyr, Elf, Snake. The Metamorphosis
determines your characters basic personality. For example, the Djinn
is from the Fire element, it is violent and destructive. Each
Metamorphosis includes a description and a Chinese Portrait. The
Chinese Portrait helps highlight the characters personality by asking
questions such as; "If I were a natural phenomenon, I would be..... An
erupting volcano". The other aspect of choosing a Metamorphosis is
that it determines the characters physical changes as it gains in
experience. The human body each Nephilim inhabits (called the
Simulacrum) is slowly changed by the magical being inside it. In the
final stages the Djinn has flaming hair, claw-like hands, steaming
skin, and a crackling voice. There are also guidelines for developing
your own Metamorphosis.
Each character must choose a Major Arcana. This is something like a
tribe or family for the Nephilim. It is based on the Major Arcana
cards of a Tarot deck. Or ,as the rules say, the Tarot cards are
named after the Tribes. Basically, each Arcanum group represents a
different path to Argartha, the spiritual goal of all Nephilim.
Next, the characters' Past Lives are determined. There are eleven time
periods provided ranging from 5000 BC to 1900 AD. Chaosium will
provide other time periods in future supplements, and there are some
guidelines for developing your own time periods. Each character can
have multiple past lives with 2-3 being an average. These Lives
determine what skills and knowledge the character has gained during
its incarnations. Most people find this is the fun part. You can be
anything from Ra the Sun God in Predynastic Egypt, to a Merchant in
Alexandria, or a Musketeer in Paris. You may have been killed by
Crusaders in France, or sacrificed by Satanists in London.
Finally, the character's current Simulacrum is determined. This gives
the characters Social Class and Profession when it awakes for the
start of the game in the 1990s. The tradeoff is that if your
Simulacrum is married and has a job, it may be harder to go off
investigating, and battling Secret Societies, than if it is a homeless
beggar (although then you will have little money to fund your
investigations). Numerous occupations are provided, and again there
are guidelines for developing your own.
Game System:
The rules are based on Chaosium's Basic Roleplaying System with a few
interesting additions.
The first addition is Potentials (POT). Quoting from the rules, "They
are a shorthand method of describing such diverse things as the
virulence of an illness, the quality of medical care found in a
hospital, the amount of banditry in a town, the authority level (and
efficiency) of the police etc." They are used by the gamemaster to
quickly resolve interactions that it's not necessary to play through.
For example, a value between 0 and 20 can be assigned to the occult
information potential of a town. Multiply this by 3 for a direct
percentage chance, or it can be matched on the resistance table
against the Intelligence Characteristic of the Nephilim. There are
guidelines for things such as Police Response, Contacts, Forged
Documents, Relationships, etc.
The other addition, is that the elements each Nephilim is composed
from enhance the Simulacrum's Characteristics. So, for example, Fire
affects Strength, Earth affects Constitution, etc. This means that
most Simulacrum will have superior survivability. And, as a
character's affinity with its chosen element increases, the bonuses to
Characteristics increase. When combined with the magical knowledge
Nephilim gain during their Past Lives, it is easy to see that Nephilim
are pretty 'tough'.
The standard BRP skill system is used with one difference: there are
two skill columns next to the list of skills. One is for the skills
known by the Nephilim, the other for skills known by the Simulacrum.
The character can use both sets of skills, but a fumble result while
using a Simulacrum skill can cause the Simulacrum's original
personality to try and take control of the body from the Nephilim.
Alternatively, a critical success while using a Simulacrum skill, can
allow the Nephilim to 'take' that skill from the Simulacrum.
One other nice area is the gain and loss of Metamorphosis points,
which determine how far a character's Metamorphosis has progressed.
They are awarded based on the actions of the Nephilim, so a Djinn
(Fire) will gain alot of points for becoming a vulcanologist, but lose
a few for being soaked in water.
Magic:
The basic concept of Magic in Nephilim is that invisible magical
fields associated with each element change their shape, location, and
intensity in response to the movements of the planets. Astrological
knowledge can then allow a character to predict when a planetary
influence is dominant, and hence favorable for the type of magic it is
trying to use. For example, casting a Fire spell when the planet Mars
is dominant will give upto a 1d10 modifier to the chance of casting
the spell. In game terms, the gamemaster consults a table to find the
planetary alignments and associated modifiers for a given day.
There are three Magical Techniques that have been discovered to
manipulate the magical fields. They are Sorcery, Summoning, and
Alchemy. Each technique has three associated circles, or levels,
within them. For example there is Lower Sorcery, Higher Sorcery and
Grand Secret Sorcery. Each circle has an associated skill, so to cast
a Higher Sorcery spell called 'Hermetic Sartori' (there are lots of
really great spell names), the character must roll under its Higher
Sorcery skill, then roll under its associated element value (in this
case it is an Air spell), also taking into account any Astrological
modifier. Each spell also has an associated Threshold, so if you've
only got 50% Higher Sorcery skill you can't cast a spell with a
Threshold of 70%.
One of the goals of any Nephilim is mastery of one of the Magical
Techniques, and obviously the higher circle spells can be pretty
powerful. Experienced characters will be able to cause earthquakes
and tidal waves, create Golems, and summon powerful creatures composed
from the magical fields and attempt to bargain with them.
The Occult World:
To detail the Secret Societies, Sacred Places and NPCs of the Occult
World that forms the backdrop of Nephilim is obviously no small task.
The book provides enough information to get a game running and enough
ideas to act as a springboard for a gamemaster to develop a campaign.
It lists some major Secret Societies with brief history, motivation,
and structure. Some example Sacred Places where the Magical Fields
are very concentrated are described (note that all are in America).
Some example human NPCs are given (and yes it is possible for normal
humans to gain the ability to manipulate the magical fields). The part
I found most useful was the example Nephilim NPC section. These
provides enough background information to spark further plot ideas,
and allow them to be used almost immediately in any game. A short
'Bestiary' gives some example Magical Creatures.
Last are a few pages which detail some of the major themes and ideas
of the occult, and two pages of short scenario ideas. This is the one
area I consider to be a little weak. I think it would have been a
good idea to also include a full scenario of say 5 pages with the main
rules, just to give an example for inexperienced gamemasters to work
from. It may be just a little intimidating to get a game running from
just the short scenario ideas provided, although obviously an
experienced gamemaster should have little trouble expanding many of
the themes and ideas from throughout the book.
On this subject, I would like to note that it is a good idea to try to
find some New Age/Occult magazines from your local newsagent. These
can be used as direct game props and also provide scenario ideas. One
magazine I picked up had a full page advert for the Rosicrucian
Society, which is one of the Secret Societies described in the rules,
and I must admit it gave me a bit of a shock.
There is a one page Bibliography at the back of the book listing some
relevant books, periodicals, and movies. In V6.11 of The Chaosium
Digest Shannon Appel noted that Foucault's Pendulum by Umberto Eco was
listed as a good source for Nephilim, but I couldn't find it in the
Bibliography.
Final Impression:
There are a few spelling errors and typographical errors in the text,
which is a shame when the presentation of the rest of the game is of a
high standard. But overall, I was very impressed with the game. I
like the rules, I like the concept, and I will be spending the next
few weeks doing some background research into the occult, since my
current knowledge is only what I have picked up from playing games
like 'Cthulhu'.
I really hope this game succeeds.
Rgds
Steve
--------------------
From: "Steven Crabb" <stevenc@triode.apana.org.au>
Subject: Nephilim Glossary
System: Nephilim
This Nephilim Glossary is designed as a handout for players, to help
them get used to all of the jargon in the game.
NEPHILIM GLOSSARY
-----------------
Agartha: the highest mystery to which a Nephilim can aspire. It is
the final goal, the quest a Nephilim must undertake before it can
assume its true inner nature.
Ch'awe (cha-WAY): "breath" in Egyptian. It is expended during magical
operations, including Ka-Vision.
Enochian: The Nephilim language is called Enochian by humans. It uses
Ka-Vision to send and receive messages.
Enthronements: occur when a planet is in the astrological sign of its
rulership. It is when a planet's influence and hence its associated
magic field is dominant.
Incarnation: the act of a Nephilim taking over a host body to use as a
Simulacrum. Also, the time spent outside a Stasis during a given
historical period.
Ka: the vital energy or life force of the Nephilim, without which it
cannot exist. It is neither energy, matter or spirit, but rather all
of those in one substance. Ka is also a measure of a Nephilim's
wisdom and its progression on the path of Agartha. Finally, Ka is the
magical strength of the Nephilim which links it to the magic fields
which surround the earth.
Ka-elements: Ka within the Nephilim is divided into five elements
called Ka-elements: the Ka of fire, the Ka of air, the Ka of earth,
the Ka of water and the Ka of moon. It is with these Ka-elements that
the Nephilim can sense and perform magic.
Ka-Language: see Enochian.
Ka-Vision: Nephilim magical sight, unconnected to any normal human
senses. It reveals magic fields which surround and permeate all
things. It allows all Nephilim to distinguish the Ka-elements of all
other Nephilim. Ka-Vision is also the vehicle for Nephilim
"language", which is beyond human hearing or understanding.
Khaiba: "instincts". It is the most sinister transformation that can
affect the Nephilim. It is the Nephilim's madness, its ultimate
degeneration. A Nephilim in Khaiba is considered a monster by other
Nephilim. It becomes a beast, able to interact only through its
instincts and impulses.
Magic: or He-Ka in Egyptian. The manipulation of the magic fields.
Magic is the royal path the Nephilim have chosen to reach Agartha.
There are three main types of magic; Sorcery, Summoning, and Alchemy.
Each type is subdivided into three circles of knowledge.
Magic Fields: There are seven kinds of magical fields on earth. Five
of them form the basis of the Nephilim's Ka-elements. Two others have
special properties. The Magical Fields wax and wane as their related
planets enter and leave their dominant positions and oppose each other
across the heavens.
Major Arcana tribes: also known as Arcanum tribes or Trump tribes.
They provide a way of life, or a common vision for the Nephilim. They
represent different paths to Agartha. Most Arcana will accept any
Nephilim, no matter what their dominant Ka-element might be. The
Arcana are sometimes opposed, but they rarely fight - life is hard
enough for Nephilim without more conflict. They are not large
organizations, but loosely allied Nephilim of like minds.
Metamorphosis: the only way for Nephilim to physically express their
personalities. The more the Nephilim emphasize their Metamorphosis
the closer they come to attaining Agartha. The Metamorposis is both
physical and spiritual.
Narcosis: the state of the Nephilim when it has to leave its
Simulacrum and cannot regain its Stasis. The Nephilim becomes a
spirit, incapable of moving or thinking normally.
Nexus: a place where all five magic fields cross. This is a very rare
event, which can lead to major changes in all Nephilim. It has many
of the same effects as a Plexus, though significantly enhanced. (see
also Plexus)
Orichalka: "destroyer of Ka". It is the Ka which was created by the
magic field of the meteorite which destroyed Atlantis.
Plexus: a place where two rays of the same magic field cross. Their
power is thereby highly increased. Magic of the same element as the
Plexus is therefore much easier to cast. Stasis objects can also be
recharged when placed in a Plexus. (See also Nexus)
Sekmet: "becoming weak" in Egyptian. When a Nephilim feels the
approach of death, its Ka elements instictively join in the center of
the Simulacrum and await reincarnation. If a mortally wounded
Nephilim is revived, Sekmet is ended.
Shouit (SHOO-eet): "shadow" in Egyptian. It is the state of the
Nephilim's Ka when it has lost control of the human body it inhabits.
It is a condition where the Ka-elements have gone to sleep.
Simulacrum: All Nephilim must take over a host body. They must
perceive the material world to use magic and they can only do this
through the senses of their Simulacrum. All Nephilim must keep their
Simulacrum alive. Unhealthy Simulacra cannot perform magic as
quickly, or successfully.
Solar-Ka: the most potent Ka-element, for it enables direct
manipulation of the ethers of the sun. Nephilim have no Solar-Ka, but
all the evolved lifeforms on the planet, and especially humans, have
some amount of Solar-Ka, although it is of little use to them since
they have no skill to draw upon its power.
Stasis: receptacles to hold the Nephilim's Ka-elements between
incarnations and prevent their disassociation back into the elemental
fields. Only one Stasis can ever be made for a Nephilim. Stasis
objects also act as storage of magical energy which can be used by the
Nephilim during magical operations.
--------------------
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