IN to GURPS: IN Song Translations

By William J. Keith

**Flaming
Feather**

The following is not canon -- but should the need for canon ever become pressing, the authors of GURPS In Nomine are not over-proud and would most definitely start here...




The following constitutes a complete collection of fixes for Songs in the Liber Canticorum for the use of GURPS: In Nomine players. This is not a Song reference -- the translations assume the player owns the Liber Canticorum.

GENERAL FIXES

Some translations are used in numerous Songs throughout the Liber Canticorum. To avoid repetition, they are listed here and hold unless otherwise noted for a specific Song.

For "Forces," read "Power Investiture." For "CD" (which stands for "Check Digit"), read "degree of success(min. 1)" for numerical calculations; while if a Song has different effects at different check digits, use the CD-to-degree-of-success table on G:IN p. 210. ("A CD of 6" is generally equivalent to a critical success or failure.)

A "target number" is the skill level or effective attribute of the moment -- whatever the player is to roll against. When a mechanic requires the level at which the singer knows the Song, use the table given on p. 206 to convert the GURPS points invested to an effective Song level. For every 4 points over 16 invested, add another level of Song knowledge, although some Songs may only operate up to a maximum of six levels.

Battle mechanics are different between GURPS and In Nomine, but translations which preserve the spirit of the statistics are roughly these: for Protection, read "DR;" for Power, give that bonus to the damage type; and for Accuracy, use as a standard Accuracy modifier. For attributes, Strength is read as ST; Agility, DX; Intelligence, IQ; for Precision, use DX modified by levels of such things as Manual Dexterity or Klutziness; and Will and Perception are as normal.

For Sorcerers using Corporeal Songs, use their levels of Power Investiture (Sorcery) as equivalent to Corporeal Forces for calculating Song mechanics (not for the initial success roll; see description of Sorcery in G:IN for more details). When using the Song of Transference, use the singer's Power in the realm of the Song.

Finally, for any Song listed in G:IN, the version there supersedes the version in the Liber Canticorum for GURPS play purposes.

COMMON SONGS

Darkness (Ethereal): For celestials, the Fear induced is linked to the given number of levels of an Ethereal Discord. For mortals, who do not suffer from Discord, us the Frequency of Submission rules as listed on G:IN p. 211. Regardless of the degree of success, the Song can never induce more than six levels of Discord or human pseudo-Discord. If being used to generate fear of the unknown, the penalty to a reaction or Will roll is the degree of success.

Location: Instead of Forces, use levels of Power Investiture for the Ethereal or Celestial bridges, or when one is in celestial form; use the "50 lbs. per Essence" rule when matter(inanimate or not) attempts to cross the bridge. (For a bridge between the Corporeal Realm and the Marches or the Celestial, this will require passing two checks.)

Machines (Ethereal): The IQ the machine gains, for purposes of comprehending and obeying commands, is equal to 4 + Essence spent.

Numinous Corpus (Arms): Use the "Extra Arms" advantage on pp. 54-55 of CI.

Numinous Corpus (Barbs): Barbs do impaling damage.

Numinous Corpus (Spines): Use the rules for Spines as Strikers on p. 67 of CI, with damage equal to the level of the Song, less DR.

Revulsion (Celestial): When attempting to sever the bond between an artifact and its owner, use a Contest between the Song and the owner's Will.

Shattering (Ethereal): IQ and DX are reduced. If IQ is reduced to half its original amount, the victim is crippled by the migraine.

Shattering (Celestial): Relics and Reliquaries resist with an effective Will equal to their Soul Hits.

Solace (Celestial): IQ and Will are restored to whatever natural maximum they may have ever been during the subject's existence.

Transfiguration: In addition to the three base Essence, each performance costs 1 Essence per 50 pounds being transfigured. While ascended, the host ties up as much of the Kyriotate's Will as it normally would. Upon performance, there is one note of additional disturbance per 50 pounds being transfigured; this amount is also added to disturbance made when entering or leaving the corporeal plane.

SECRET SONGS

Blades (Corporeal): The resulting objects generally do imp+Essence or cut+Essence in damage, depending on the type of surface used.

Blades (Ethereal): Add the performer's Ethereal Power to the higher of the performer's weapon skill or his IQ, and use that result as the effective skill with the weapon. On the corporeal plane, IQ+Ethereal Power must be used.

Correspondence (All): The Essence cost is 3 plus the levels of Power Investiture of the subject(min. 1).

Daydreams: The characteristic limit is 18, rather than 10.

Disjunction (Ethereal): On Kyriotates, the Will points tied up in the host in question cannot be combined with any other Will points to possess a larger host. In addition, each "subset" of the Kyriotate's Will must either be possessing a Vessel or be in celestial form; neither can be combined with the other.

Disjunction (Celestial): This Song breaks apart the soul, mind, and body. In effect, the victim cannot move and think at the same time. Each round, the player can do one of three things: he can perform a repeat of last round's physical action, or continue a continuing physical action; he can stop all actions to think, allowing him to declare a new action for the next round; or he can use a supernatural ability like a Song or resonance(supernatural abilities are treated as Celestial; any check of the performer's Corporeal or Ethereal Power treats those numbers as existing, but 0). Actions which require extended concentration and physical or supernatural activity are disallowed. To approximate the effects, the player could put on a pair of headphones, go for a snack, or something else while the round is played out, "stopping in" to the game at the top of each round to either declare an action or get information and spend that round thinking.

Fruition (Celestial): Calabim subtract their Celestial Power when using this Song, instead of adding it to the target number.

Numinous Corpus (Flame): Treat the jet version of this as the Flame Jet spell -- the jet does the burning damage of a flaming sword without the sword. Hence, it cannot parry. The damage done is 1d per converted skill level of the Song; the skill to actually use the jet is Flame Jet(P/E, defaults to DX-4; Flame Jet is the skill Magic Jet studied for this purpose). The body sheath adds 1 damage per converted skill level to hand-to-hand attacks, does this much damage to anything striking the performer, or does 1d-2 damage per converted skill level with a successful Grapple.

Numinous Corpus (Mouth): Standard bite attack for the character's strength, at -2 to damage and Accuracy from normal, with +1 to damage per (converted) skill level.

Purity (Celestial): "Soul Number" is simply the number of Soul Hits.

Stone (Ethereal): Use the Shape Earth spell; the duration is now a number of minutes equal to the degree of success(min. 1) + the performer's Ethereal Forces, and has the performer's Basic Speed in hexes per turn, but the performer can only affect 10 pounds of earth per Essence spent.

War (Corporeal): The subject need not roll to maintain consciousness until he has negative Body Hits exceeding the Essence spent plus ST/4.

RESTRICTED SONGS

Faith (Ethereal): The angel can hear disturbance for which their effective Perception is 3 or greater, with all the information of a usual critical success.

Lending: For all versions, note that the singer may not reduce any attribute or Realm Power to zero.

Corporeal: The singer can transfer one physical skill or up to 90 points worth of attribute levels taken any way from his ST, DX, or HT. The recipient may take the transferred attribute points and distribute them among these characteristics. (So, for example, going from 14 to 13 ST would give the recipient 15 points to increase ST from 8 to 10, or HT from 10 to 11 with excess points lost.) In addition to or in place of attribute points, the singer may lend a single level of Corporeal Power Investiture. Skills may be lent for hours equal to the degree of success(min. 1), Power Investiture or attribute points for as many minutes.

Ethereal: The singer can transfer one mental skill, or up to 45 points worth of IQ and/or one level of Ethereal Power Investiture. Any transferrence of IQ affects skills and Mind Hits, but not supernatural or soul-based abilities such as Song, Will, Perception, or resonance rolls. Same duration as the corporeal version.

Celestial: The singer can transfer one supernatural ability the recipient would be able to use normally, such as a Song to a being with the necessary Power Investiture or a Choir attunement to a Soldier of his own Superior. Alternatively, he may choose to lend up to forty points worth of advantages to the recipient, save for Power Investiture; the singer may choose to lend one level of Power Investiture (Celestial) with any other advantages lent. The advantages lent may not be changed, nor can the recipient gain "external" advantages such as Rank or Reputation. Disadvantages may not be "lent," even ones which the Cherub thinks are positive, such as Truthfulness. Supernatural abilities or advantages may be lent for a number of minutes equal to the degree of success(min. 1) times the performer's Celestial Power, or Power Investiture for minutes equal to the degree of success(min. 1).

Corruption: To calculate how long a Shedite must stay in its host before using the Song of Corruption, use "a number of weeks equal to the lower of the host's ST or IQ, minus the level at which the Song is known, minus the difference between the host's Will and the Shedite's(min. 1)." For example, the average human host would have IQ 10, Will 10, and a Shedite with Will 15 knowing the Song at converted level 3 would have to stay 2 weeks.

Symbiosis: For purposes of seeing how long the Shedite must be in its host before using this Song, use "a number of days equal to the lower of the host's ST or IQ, minus the level at which the Song is known, minus the difference between the host's Will and the Shedite's(min. 1)." For example, the average human host would have IQ 10, Will 10, and a Shedite with Will 15 knowing the Song at converted level 3 would have to stay 2 days.

Souls: For all purposes relating to time after death in which the Song may be performed, use the lower of ST and IQ, divided by 2, in place of Corporeal Forces. The exception is celestials being pulled back to their Vessel, whereupon the calculation shall use Corporeal Power.

LOST SONGS

Creation: Change "Creating anything composed of more than one realm of Forces" to "Creating anything that incorporates more than one of these effects".

Exchange (Ethereal): The ethereal may not spend more Essence than its Will, and may not gain a Vessel the lower of whose ST and IQ exceeds the Essence spent. Upon arrival, the ethereal merely gains any physical advantages or disadvantages the host body had, such as Extra Hit Points or Paraplegia. Neurological damage can be temporarily reversed as the ethereal reforms the host's nervous system to its own pattern, but physical damage such as the loss of legs cannot be altered.

Forgetting (Celestial): Refers to subject's Celestial Forces. Instead, use Celestial Power plus (or minus) any levels of Strong or Weak Will. The minimum in all cases is 1.

Soul Binding: For both cases of referring to total Forces(the initial Essence necessary and the bonus to the resistance roll) add instead the lower of the being's ST or IQ, divided by 2.

**Flaming
Feather**

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