In Nomine was released in 1997 and in the past 21 years the advancement and role of technology has shifted. How would this current scientific landscape affect various Archangels and Demon Princes?
Smartphones, Portable Computers, and E-readers
While cellphones were present in 1997, they lacked the power, versatility, and ubiquity of smartphones today. Portable computers also existed, but they were not nearly as portable as they are today—especially considering tablet computers. While still not as popular as the other devices E-readers and book reading programs on smartphones and tablets mean that whole libraries can be carried with ease on a single device. For celestials, these inventions have a mixed reaction. The proliferation of easily accessible communication has, in many ways, led to the effect of people becoming more isolatory, with less social interaction, changing personal meetings or even voice communication into communication with text and emails. This has made many Demon Princes happy, especially Kronos, Malphas, and Vapula. While Jean may be somewhat impressed by the devices and their availability, it’s Yves and Litheroy who see the most potential in portable information devices, where fact-checking and libraries can be tools of the general populous.
Social Media and Fake News
MySpace launched in 1997 and while supplements were introduced during the heyday of the first social media giant, few publication addressed the rise of social media. While MySpace is no longer the powerhouse it was, it has been replaced by Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, Reddit, and others. While smart phones have seemingly made people more insular to in-person communication, social media allows groups to form regardless of their distance. And, for many, it has been a way to rally support that they previously could not. David is a fan of social media for this reason, especially tools like Meetup. Marc, likewise, sees value in people connecting with sites like LinkedIn, trading knowledge.
Baal and Malphas (and especially the non-canon Abraxas), meanwhile, see the value in using social media to separate people and use fake news and memes with inaccurate information to cause divides in family and distrust in others. Baal uses social media to find possible Hellsworn, looking at hate groups on 4chan, Reddit, and through the dark web.
YouTube and Streaming Services
Nybbas’s word of Media may not incorporate the Internet as a whole, but he has made great strides in ensuring people are focused on the screen more than their lives. While Nybbas didn’t have a direct hand in the creation of YouTube or streaming services, he certainly takes credit and much of Hell believes them to be his doing. What’s important is that it keeps people glued to their screens. Many Lilim have become YouTube celebrities and their more immediate connection to people allow them to put their hooks into others far more easily than a TV or Movie star. Andrealphus likes that porn is more accessible than ever before, with lust flowing into one’s room in high definition, easing people into more and more fetishized fascinations.
Cryptocurrency
Marc and Lilith are often unlikely partners, but when it comes to cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin, the two are diametrically opposed. While the idea of deregulated currency appeals to the Archangel of Trade, the lack of equitable commerce and the overall risk put on people sours Marc’s taste on the idea. Selling people on getting nothing for something and having the deal be of the investor’s choice appeals to Lilith and many Lilim of Technology have been involved in some way or another in the 4,000 plus available cryptocurrencies.
GPS Technology
Many neophyte celestials believe that the GPS has made Ofanim more obsolete. Races between the two, however—even with stipulations that the method of transportation be the same—have proven time and time again that the Wheels’ resonance towards finding the fastest route always beat a GPS; as Ofanim can sense alleyways, tunnels, and traffic far better than even the most powerful system of computers and satellites.
Stem Cell Therapy and In-Vitro Grown Body Parts
All of Heaven is impressed with the advances in medical technology, none moreso than Novalis. With the rise of more complex and successful transplants, humans are able to live longer and have more chances for redemption. Vapula also is finding use in the research as he focuses many of his followers in the perversion of the science to create life previously unseen by mortal eyes.
Jean and Vapula
Many of Jean and Vapula’s attunements are broad enough to apply without change, but some did not anticipate the ubiquity of powerful computers that fit in the palm of the hand. For that reason, I suggest the following changes and additions:
Elohim of Lightning The “pocket-sized computer” that can be created by the Elohim of Jean exceeds the computing power of any smartphone, and contains every app and program in existence. The angels with this power do not have to blindly attempt to find the app they need, the device instinctively knows what they’re searching for and provides helpful options on the home screen for the Power’s use.
Jean’s New Servitor Attunement: Signal Detection With this attunement, servitors of Lightning can detect WiFi signals and know the location of their router as well as the WiFi password.
Djinn of Vapula Djinn working for Vapula receive a feather-light smartphone instead of a palmtop computer. These smartphones simultaneously run iOS, Android, Linux, and Windows, allowing the Stalkers to acquire any app or program they might need. The smartphone has all the benefits previously gained by the palmtop computers.
Habbalah of Vapula Instead of mood rings, Technology’s Punishers are given smart watches with an app that displays the emotional state of the nearest human. Like the previous rings, the demons can apply their resonance to people experiencing strong feelings to stun the victim.
Shedim of Vapula The Corrupters needn’t take a laptop computer to use as a vessel. They are now provided with a series of choices between laptops, smartphones, and tablets.
Recent Comments