I'm working on the required Attributes for Inquisitor characters, and I was hoping to get some help from y'all.

Here's the rundown: There's three major orders of Inquisitor, each with its own specialty. If you choose an order you must give one predetermined Divinus (Light) and one Nefarius (Dark) Attribute to your character. I'm having trouble coming up with 'em all.

Ordo Cantus is the choir/preacher order, with the Arm of the Axe.
Divinus Attribute: Inspire, possibly. I'm still not sure.
Nefarius Attribute: Incite

Ordo Caudex is the scholarly order, with the Arm of the Sword.
Divinus Attribute: Enlighten or Educate (probably Enlighten).
Nefarius Attribute: Deceit (or some other form of twisting education).

Ordo Malleus is the militant order, with the Arm of the Hammer.
Divinus Attribute: Completely unsure. Struggling on this one.
Nefarius Attribute: Violence

So now I throw it out to everyone. Ideas? Thoughts?

for the War order....

how about...

Lead or Rally... for Light

Rout or Rampage... for Dark

Bob McNamee

Zak Arntson wrote: I'm working on the required Attributes for Inquisitor characters, and I was hoping to get some help from y'all.

Ordo Cantus is the choir/preacher order, with the Arm of the Axe.
Divinus Attribute: Inspire, possibly. I'm still not sure.
Nefarius Attribute: Incite

Ordo Caudex is the scholarly order, with the Arm of the Sword.
Divinus Attribute: Enlighten or Educate (probably Enlighten).
Nefarius Attribute: Deceit (or some other form of twisting education).

Ordo Malleus is the militant order, with the Arm of the Hammer.
Divinus Attribute: Completely unsure. Struggling on this one.
Nefarius Attribute: Violence

Thanks for the replies! I've decided on the final Attributes that reflect the light and dark sides of each Order.

Cantus, in keeping with their ability to lead the flock, for good or ill: Inspiration and Zealotry.

Caudex, because their scholarship often distances them from the flock: Education and Superiority.

Malleus, due to their warlike and dutiful nature: Conviction and Violence.

(I don't think they're supposed to be nouns, explicitly, but I do think nouns look best)

How about Fanaticism instead of Zealotry? Just a bit more accessible. And how about Bravery instead of Conviction? Seems more combat oriented. And thus Bravery turned to violence becomes Vainglory.

Obscurity would be cool for Caudex.

In each case I'm thinking like the seven deadly sins which are all extensions and perversions of seven virtues. Thus Pride taken to the extreme becomes Vanity. Hence my Baravery idea. I like your Inspiration taken too far becomes Zealotry. But Education doesn't lead to Superiority (any more than any source of pride does). It would seem to lead to that distance, but for a reason other than pride. Hence my Obscurity idea. The Caudex take education to the point where they go beyond profundity, and nobody gets what they are saying anymore.

Just an idea or three. You don't have to go with the seven sins concept; I just thought it was a cool way of looking at things.

Mike

[edited to remove a weird sentence fragment]

I do have the seven sins. Avoiding the seven sins is the single Minor Law for the Paladins. I'm wary to translate them directly into Attributes since it would mean that using a Dark Attribute directly breaks a Law.

I prefer Zealotry, in light of Inquisitor's feel. I'm trading some accessibility for flavor. Bravery's good (and has more gusto than Conviction).

I like Obscurity, but is there a word with a more evil bent? For now I'm going to stick with Obscurity.

Okay, I'll stop hiding it. Here's the url for my tentative Inquisitor supplement. We'll see if it turns into an online (read: free) release or something bigger, like a commercial pdf. There's not much, but hey, it's free and unplaytested.

http://www.harlekin-maus.com/paladin/inquisitor.html

Misdirection?
Suppression?

Bob

Zak,

Looks good; when do we play?

Bob,

Oooh, those are very good.

Mike

After combing numerous dictionaries and thesauri(?) Suppression is the closest thing I could find.

Suppressoin works in the traditional opposition mode. Education is spreading knowledge, suppression is preventing the spread of knowledge. But I like the extension mode rather than the opposition mode (this is waht I was getting at about the seven deadly sins; not to use the sins, but the principle). In which case if education is taken to mean spreading knowledge as in teaching (I thought it just meant knowledge, as in, "I have an education."), then the extension is Propaganda or Thought Control or something like that.

Mike

Well, I've got 'em all in stone except for Ordo Caudex's Nefarius attribute. I'm thinking:

Suppression
Misdirection
Sophistry
Deception

For now I'm going with Deception. It's vague enough to cover outright lies, miseducation, etc.

Feel free to check out what I've got online, now: http://www.harlekin-maus.com/paladin.

Deception's good. Education is dissemnating true information, Deception is spreading lies. Very cool. I'd play one. :-)

The rest of the game looks pretty ready to go.

Mike

There are also the orders

Xenos : Deals with yo alien scum needs

Hereticus : Deals wid yo blasphemourous bitches needs

Solarious : Worship yo sun...

And there are more..

S. Lonergarn,
Feel free to add orders as you like. Just remember, they ideally center around a way to bring faith, rather than an occupation.

Ordo Xeno would most likely be a small order who acts to make things right among alien converts (officially and publicly, the Sanctus Machina holds no aliens, but it doesn't keep aliens from converting or the possibility of an alien saint being secreted into the Machina). This would be an interesting Order because the weirdness of aliens would cause all sorts of miscommunication. Think of all the heresies aliens might be capable of, without even realizing they're going against the Church!

(aside: There's a great Stanislaw Lem story about aliens being converted to Christianity, and torturing the missionaries. They figured that since the Christian saints went through all these tortures, killing and maiming their priest would be an honorable act)

Ordo Hereticus is pretty much what all Inquisitors do, so I can't see it being a fitting order. All Inquisitors find and stamp out heretics.

Ordo Solarious would be heretical, if they worship the sun. Unless the group agrees that there is support for a kind of sun-worship in the Scripture. Look at Mary worship in the real world. Though I can't see how this would fit into the primary drive of the Inquisition.

Zak Arntson wrote: Ordo Solarious would be heretical, if they worship the sun. Unless the group agrees that there is support for a kind of sun-worship in the Scripture. Look at Mary worship in the real world. Though I can't see how this would fit into the primary drive of the Inquisition.

Interesting metaphysical bind you've discovered regarding the Ordo Caudex's Nefarius attribute. The most direct perversion of education is dogma. But by the nature of Inquisitors, they're all in favor of dogma. Oh well.

- Walt

Yep. I think this goes to the problem that people are having with this idea as a whole. Normally in Paladin, the Light side is something that I as the player agree with personally, or is close enough to what I consider virtuous that I can hang with it. In the case of this game, however, I have to accept that the overly dogmatic church presented is morally right. This rubs me the wrong way. I'd probably play it as the heretics being the only correct ones, and give them "open-minded" trait versions of the Nefarious "Church doctrines".

(BTW, I forgot to mention that in my mind I'm playing the "40K" version of this game. You may have caught on from some of my suggestions, however.)

Mike

Mike,
Awesome minor orders. Inquisitor does contain the basic assumption that the Inquisitors are doing the Right Thing. But then, the Right Thing can be varied among the orders and people within that order. The overly dogmatic church is right, but more because heresy (more often than not) leads to demonic corruption. It's not a kind universe.

Oh, and heresy is a Big Deal. It's not just some reinterpretation of Scripture (which, in many cases, is either valid, tolerated or can coexist with the Inquisition, the Church and various monastic orders). Heresy is ignoring some central tenet and running with it, sinning like a madman and courting dark powers. In my sample adventure, the two main antagonists are a lustful demon-worshipping ex-monk and a lustful flock-stealing ex-Inquisitor.

The flock is viewed and treated like simple folk, and (with little exception) are easily swayed by both the Preachers (Shepherds) and Warriors (Dogs).

So when you think of Inquisitor, don't picture the Spanish Inquisition with people burning all over the place and perceived witches under every rock. It's more like a dull medieval society (landowners, peasants, merchants as the Flock, mercenaries and armies as the Dogs, priests and monks as the Shepherds, nobility carrying secular power. But add to that the very real danger of psychic powers and demon possession. Games, of course, focus on the dangers.

Zak Arntson wrote: The overly dogmatic church is right, but more because heresy (more often than not) leads to demonic corruption. It's not a kind universe.

Oh, and heresy is a Big Deal. It's not just some reinterpretation of Scripture (which, in many cases, is either valid, tolerated or can coexist with the Inquisition, the Church and various monastic orders). Heresy is ignoring some central tenet and running with it, sinning like a madman and courting dark powers. In my sample adventure, the two main antagonists are a lustful demon-worshipping ex-monk and a lustful flock-stealing ex-Inquisitor.

It's more like a dull medieval society (landowners, peasants, merchants as the Flock, mercenaries and armies as the Dogs, priests and monks as the Shepherds, nobility carrying secular power. But add to that the very real danger of psychic powers and demon possession. Games, of course, focus on the dangers.

Mike,
I think the world would suck to be a part of, too. Or do you mean in the general gaming sense?

Inquisitors aren't morally reprehensible. Take a look at the Vows. Clinton's default setting (while awesome, don't get me wrong) has "Thou shalt not suffer a witch to live" as its Unbreakable Law. This is a pretty definite "kill the badguys" statement.

I wanted to get away from that, so Obesiance to the Scripture is the number one vow (and the Scripture is purposely left ill-defined to be tailored by the group, something not clear in the current unfinished text). After the big vow comes Poverty, Chastity and Obedience, hardly binding your Inquisitors to act evil in the modern sense of the word.

So, Mike, I'm curious as to what exactly turns you off of the setting.

You will basically be Inquisitors for the Church in a gothic fascist future.

Hee, that's the first email I sent out. I should clarify in that document that Inquisitor no longer matches that first email. My vision has changed since then, especially with my (still reading it) reading The Name of the Rose.

My current vision is to allow the actual group to dictate the harshness of the Inquisition and the Church. It could be a dark, violent place where the Flock is an unwashed horde swayed easily by any demagogue (who is always possessed by demons), and all heretics are to be put to the sword; to a compassionate world with a merciful Clergy who tries first and foremost to exorcise demons from the poor sinner, and resorts to violence against humanity as a last resort.

In my personal game, the Inquisitors are good guys with the high temptation of power through sin. Their job is to root out heresy. They need to be vigilant against their own hatred, because compassion is a virtue. The Flock (non-clergy), by their simplicity, is easily swayed back from heresy and forgiven for the crimes against the Scripture they may have committed. The Wolves (heresiarchs, be they secular heretical leaders or clergy-turned-to-sin) are another matter, and they are far more dangerous and thus dealt with in a much harsher manner. It's definitely not a democratic environment; it's a caste system (the division of the clergy, warriors and the flock) where the Scripture is the highest authority, and the Church following that.

The big conflict my group's Inquisitors will face is the constant struggle against stacked odds. Demons and sinners tend not to restrict themselves, where Inquisitors must decide to obey their Vows and possibly fail, or sin for cause greater than their souls.

I'd like to see other visions of the Inquisitors' universe, though. Mike, what kind of world would you put your Inquisitors in?

My world would look much like what you describe, though in the "40K" future.

Cooler, though would be the idea of heretical orders fighting against the odds against a badguy church. That sounds like a ton of fun to me. The best thing is that I can use your order notes, and just have all the badguy orders be the same as listed but of the belief that the Traits listed were reversed (while not actually). Thus, the Heretical Ordo Nautum would look like I have it written up, while their counterparts on the other side (Ordo Manipulum?) would think that Manipulation was the Light aspect and Communication effete, and thus dark. They would be mechanically incorrect, however, and would have to deal with the fact that they were actually dark. A cool theme thus becomes convincing members of the dark side of the error of their ways. That in fact the church is wrong, and that the heresy is correct. This has a much more rebel feel, and actually, now that I think of it is much like SW after the fall of the Jedi, thematically speaking. Hmmm...

That all said, what you describe above is nowhere in the text. Whereas that letter is. Not to sound smug, but I con only comment on the game as written. Can't ready your mind. Did I miss a post on this?

Mike

Ooh, I'll be sure (if I ever write this up in full) to mention the heretical orders as a Paladin option (with due and proper credit, of course). As far as a rebellion goes, the default notion is that the Church is a bastion of hope against the overwhelming forces of humanity's propensity towards sin (and thus towards demonic incursion). That's why the Clergy is needed, to guide the Flock in this uphill struggle. The Inquisition is the most in-your-face ass-kicking organization within that.

In fact, you could play up the Orders as still proper, but secretly against the heresy of the Church, which has misinterpreted the Scripture. The Church (and even the Orders) could be overrun by sin, with the Inquisitors battling demons within and without the Church. That would play up a more rebel approach without dipping too far into Star Wars territory (i.e., rebel army fighting against an oppressive government). Unless, of course, you want pure Star Wars themes with 40k style.

And no, you aren't expected to read my mind. It's good you ask these things, because this thread is slowly turning into the default Inquisitor setting.

Zak Arntson wrote: In fact, you could play up the Orders as still proper, but secretly against the heresy of the Church, which has misinterpreted the Scripture. The Church (and even the Orders) could be overrun by sin, with the Inquisitors battling demons within and without the Church. That would play up a more rebel approach without dipping too far into Star Wars territory (i.e., rebel army fighting against an oppressive government).

Zak, as it points out in the Inquisitor rulebook, almost all inquisitors have different views on what is and what isn't heresy. This leads to awsome confrontation amongst inquisitors and thats what the book is centered around.. Although that is a battle game, and not suited to role playing. Not all inquisitors route out heresy. Xenos do indeed kill aliens, genestealer infestation and the like. Hereticus tend to like fire a lot as well...

Im not sure if im helping here, so im gonna shut up now :p

- Seamus

Your ideas are interesting, Sean, but the question is how close to WH does Zak want to be? I think that as inspiration it's cool, but departing from there makes sense. Paladin does not need all that much depth of setting to play out well. Not that I don't like such depth, just that in this case, we don't have to be slaves to the inspirational material.

I think this has a life of it's own at this point, and that's a good thing.

Mike

S.Lonergan,
Mike's right about using 40k as an inspiration. I like the gothic church imagery, but most of it is out. The default inquisitor setting features no WH-style power suits, no orks, genestealers or eldar, no Chaos Demons. In fact, the best way I can describe it right now is the philosophies found in The Name of the Rose (by Umberto Eco), the atmosphere of Warhammer 40k, and the action of Star Wars.

The Inquisitors themselves (their worldview, anyway) are more closely modelled on Dominican and Franciscan Monks than Warhammer's inquisitors.

Oh, and don't shut up. It's good to clear these things up, in case other people are equating Paladin: Inquisitor with Warhammer 40k. In fact, with the vague presentation of the default Inquisitor setting, you could easily transport it into a Warhammer 40k universe. Or even a semi-historical Europe setting.

Hi Zak,

I suggest giving the role-playing game The Mutant Chronicles a very complete read. It's almost identical to what you're describing (or focusing on, through discussion). The Heretic's Handbook supplement is exceptionally well-written and conceived.

And I don't suppose the Fading Suns parallels are being lost on anyone either.

Best,
Ron

Mutant Chronicles? I'll look for it, though I'm not sure if I can find it readily. Target Games website (www.target.se) is out and Google isn't helping. Any advice on where to find it? (oh, and is it a roleplaying game, or a miniatures game, or both?)

And yeah, I did reread my 1st ed. Fading Suns and Players Handbook copies. That's why I nixed flamethrowers as a default Inquisitor weapon. And it urged me to portray the Inquisitors as intelligent and decent, as opposed to the ignorant psycho detailed in the FS book.

Both, the miniatures game was/is called Warzone IIRC. There is also shortly to be a RTS game for the Xbox for it.