Earlier this year, I had posted a campaign seed for a shift in the In Nomine universe called War In Hell. This shift introduced new Demonic Princes. While I hadn’t fleshed all the Superiors out, I’ve been working on my bare-bones notes for some of what I feel are the more interesting Princes. Abraxas, Minister of Misinformation could fit into a campaign with or without the War In Hell.
Abraxas
Balseraph Minister of Misinformation
The world is not what you think it is; it’s worse. Trust me.
Tales of Abraxas’s rise to Princedom are sketchy at best. Some believe she was a servitor of Media who rose to power spreading the concept of propaganda, yellow journalism, and fake news. Others suggest she served Factions and beat Nybbas to the punch, pre-dating television. There are also rumors of Abraxas having ties to The Game, Fate, and even Nightmares. Like any good misinformation, there is a grain of truth somewhere in there, but it’s very hard to find.
Abraxas was one of the few servitors of Gebbeleth, the first Princess of Secrets. She didn’t really make a name for herself and kept to the shadows, serving under a variety of Demon Princes and taking copious notes. In doing this, the future superior learned that secrets are best hidden when pieces of them leak. Her work under Nybbas showed her how powerful media, especially “trusted news sources,” could be. Her time in the ranks of Beleth and Malphas helped her understand how to sow fear and divide.
Abraxas gained Lucifer’s attention in 1917 where, after a few years carefully plotting the seeds, the English-language publication North China Daily News presented rumors of a “German Corpse Factory” as true at a time when Britain was trying to convince China to join the Allied war effort during the first World War. There she was granted the Word of Misinformation.
The Demon of Misinformation continued working with various Princes and spreading her rumors, but it was the Internet that saw her rise to true power. With it, as seed of propaganda could be introduced and spread to hundreds of people in a day. Even if someone didn’t believe the information, it would cause strife with one who did. Abraxas was offered a Princedom in 1998. Favoring more modern and parliamentary titles, she styled herself the Minister of Misinformation and with news reporting rumors as facts, Internet memes simplifying complex ideas into a misleading picture and text, and pundits being mistaken for reporters, her Word continues to grow.
In the War In Hell campaign Abraxas was intended to cover the power vacuums left by Nybbas and Malphas. While her modus operandi may overlap a bit with the two Princes, it is possible for her to exist in the canon In Nomine universe, working alongside the others.
DISSONANCE
Servitors of Misinformation must be vigilant in their duties; at least once a day, a demon serving Abraxas must craft and spread a believable rumor. This spread of misinformation can be verbal or published in one form or another (including the Internet). At least one person must believe and the misinformation must be passed to at least twenty people within a week or the demon will suffer backlash.
BAND ATTUNEMENTS
Balseraphim (Restricted)
Abraxas’s Balseraphim, at character creation, may choose to emulate the resonance of any other Band of demon. However, the resonance’s prohibitions, as far as dissonance is concerned, also apply.
Only Balseraphim created by Abraxas can take this resonance.
Djinn
The Djinn of Misinformation typically attune themselves to humans. They know any beliefs (true or untrue) those they are attuned to have formed in the past 24 hours.
Calabim (Partially Restricted)
When Calabim of Misinformation use their resonance for destruction, they may choose the form the destruction appears in. While it does no actual additional damage, a Calabite may decide their resonance makes the destruction look like the passage of time, fire damage, acid, etc.
Only Calabim can take this resonance (with the exception of Balseraphim of Misinformation who take the resonance of a Calabite).
Habbalah (Partially Restricted)
When using their resonance to inflict emotions that affect belief, such as trust or paranoia, their emotional resonance echoes around their target, affecting not only their target but all the people within a foot radius of the demon’s Celestial Forces. Those additionally affected may also resist with a Will roll, but the resisted “echoes” will not cause dissonance.
Only Habbalah can take this resonance (with the exception of Balseraphim of Misinformation who take the resonance of a Habbalite).
Lilim (Restricted)
These tempters are also manipulators, instead of using Perception to discover a victim’s need, they can use their resonance in a Will-based way to suggest a need their victim may not actually have. The Lilim’s check digit in a successful roll will equate to the level of need the victim perceives (that is, the level of the geas). Failure of this contest of wills does not cause dissonance, but may make it harder for the person to trust the Lilim.
Only Lilim created by Abraxas can take this resonance.
Shedim
Shedim of Misinformation, with a successful Will roll, can twist what their victims see or hear to misinterpret a fact or facts. This can be used to hide important information from the host. If the host spreads the misinformation, this can be used to satisfy Abraxas’s dissonance condition.
Impudites
Charmed victims of an Impudite are extremely susceptible to suggestions made by the demons. Fast-Talk, Lying, or Seduction will automatically succeed against their target under the affects of their resonance (a roll to determine the CD will still need to be made). In addition, the Takers suffer no dissonance if their target kills them self or others due to the lies the Impudite spreads.
SERVITOR ATTUNEMENTS
Alternative Facts
This attunement doubles the successful Check Digit of any Fast-Talk or Lying skills.
Citation Needed
With this attunement a demon automatically knows a seemingly valid source (politician, scholar’s paper, news story) that discredits the statement of another.
DISTINCTIONS
Clerk of the People
This distinction works the same way as the Humanity attunement from Asmodeus (Core book, page 161), allowing the demon to pass as a human under any circumstance for 24 hours.
Secretary for Yellow Journalism
The demon may identify those whose opinions have been manipulated by misinformation. Their Celestial Forces indicate how much detail the demon gets about their judgment.
Chancellor of Propaganda
The demon is granted a human servant with a high role in the people’s trust. This may be a journalist, pundit, scholar, politician, or celebrity.
RELATIONS
Allied: Beleth, Malphas, Nybbas
Associated: Asmodeus, Baal, Kobal, Kronos, Vapula
Hostile: Andrealphus, Belial, Haagenti, Lilith, Mammon, Valefor
Enemy: Saminga
BASIC RITES
- Spend four hours at a media complex or set that publishes fake news
- Have a created piece of misinformation go viral or reach national news
- Have a created piece of misinformation go worldwide (+3 Essence)
CHANCE OF INVOCATION: 2
INVOCATION MODIFIERS
+1 A tabloid or magazine spreading propaganda
+2 Listen or view a program with misinformation for 2 hours
+3 A real news article that sites misinformation
+4 A slanderous propaganda poster from World War I or World War II
+5 A professor or scientist that publishes misinformation
+6 Ancient (pre 200 A.D.) tablets or documents featuring propaganda (example: tablets of Ramses the Great winning a stunning victory during the Battle of Kadesh)
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