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51-543: Nobilis is a contemporary fantasy tabletop role-playing game created by Jenna K. Moran . Early editions were published under Moran's previous names, Rebecca Sean Borgstrom and R. Sean Borgstrom. The player characters are "Sovereign Powers" called the Nobilis ; each Noble is the personification of an abstract concept or class of things such as Time, Death, cars, or communication. Unlike most role-playing games, Nobilis does not use dice or other random elements to determine

102-432: A "contemporary background". In his preface to That Hideous Strength , one of the earlier works falling within this subgenre, C. S. Lewis explained why, when writing a tale about "magicians, devils, pantomime animals and planetary angels", he chose to start it with a detailed depiction of narrow-minded academic politics at a provincial English university and the schemes of crooked real estate developers: I am following

153-619: A Noble confronts and overcomes significant obstacles and antagonists, or honors the properties of their estate, they also regain Miracle Points. As in earlier editions, the Imperator and Chancel are created by the players, but the point-buy system has been dropped. Instead, the players work together on deciding the properties of both. The first edition was an indie role-playing game printed on demand by Pharos Press in 1999 with cover art by Alphonse Mucha . In 2002 Hogshead Publishing printed

204-676: A being of god-like power known as an Imperator. Each Imperator may govern from one to several of these Estates, and has effectively limitless control over them. The Imperators are engaged in a deadly struggle with the Excrucians, terrible beings from outside the Weirding Wall who wish to destroy reality; this struggle is known as the Valde Bellum . This war keeps Imperators busy in the Spirit World, so in order to maintain their affairs on Earth and in

255-412: A character rarely rolls a check using just an ability score, these scores, and the modifiers they create, affect nearly every aspect of a character's skills and abilities. " In some games, such as older versions of Dungeons & Dragons the attribute is used on its own to determine outcomes, whereas in many games, beginning with Bunnies & Burrows and including more modern versions of D&D,

306-414: A character with a higher Average Speech Rate than Maximum Speech Rate. The first three editions of Shadowrun had three separate headings of Physical attributes, Mental Attributes, and Special Attributes, with three stats in each. With the six non-special attributes being Strength , Agility , Body, Charisma , Intelligence , and Willpower, and two of the three special attributes relating to magic and

357-573: A corresponding drawback for every special attribute they wish their Imperator to have. Each Nobilis also has an Affiliation, which is a moral code they follow in order to regain Miracle Points, as well as character flaws called Limits and Restrictions. Much like their Affiliation, these allow the character to regain Miracle Points when they become an inconvenience. In third edition, each character again has 4 attributes, but this time they are: Aspect, which governs their ability to perform superhuman physical and mental acts; Domain, which covers their power over

408-631: A free pdf download from imago.hitherby.com. The third edition rulebook, titled Field Guide to the Powers , was published by Eos Press in 2011, as the first volume in the Nobilis: the Essentials range. It was initially released on PDF , to be followed by a print version. The cover art is by Ciaoffen 师晓蒙. In the years following the release of the second edition, Borgstrom had changed her name to Jenna Katerin Moran, and

459-631: A meaning. For example, the gamemaster is known as the Hollyhock God because, in the world of Nobilis , hollyhocks represent vanity and ambition. This is because, according to the in-game story, the angels used flowers as a tool to control and direct the brunt of their powers when they created Reality. Each Nobilis and Imperator has a flower that represents them, and flowers are often used in their magical rites. Unlike most role-playing game systems , Nobilis does not use random elements in determining success in characters' actions. Instead, Nobilis uses

510-595: A more common division of three, and used in the Cortex Plus game Firefly is Physical , Mental, and Social , but expands with the Storyteller System 's attributes. SPECIAL is an acronym statistics system developed specifically for the Fallout series , representing the seven attributes used to define Fallout characters: S trength, P erception, E ndurance, C harisma, I ntelligence, A gility and L uck. SPECIAL

561-422: A process which already allows for considerable customization – the players create their Imperator and Chancel. Players receive a number of points to invest in their Chancel equal to the total amount they spent on their characters' Realm; they may use these to buy special attributes for their Chancel such as special technology or magical inhabitants. They do not receive any points for their Imperator, so they must take

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612-571: A rationalized delusion which conceals the true reality that would plunge most mortals into madness: the Mythic Earth, an animistic world where everything has its own sentient spirit. In the Mythic, the Earth is really flat , and hangs somewhere among the vast boughs of the "world-tree", Yggdrasil . Countless worlds dot the branches of this world-tree, but at the top is Heaven , which is inaccessible to all but

663-436: A resource management system; players may spend Miracle Points to succeed at certain actions, but otherwise they rarely fail at what they set out to do. Instead of the action centering on whether or not the characters succeed, the emphasis is instead on the consequences of those actions. Since combat between Nobilis uses up Miracle Points very quickly and a Nobilis can easily defeat even great numbers of humans, social roleplaying

714-490: A shield that protects them from the Miracles of other Powers. Each attribute has a number of Miracle Points associated with it. Each character also has a set of Bonds and Afflictions, the rules of their nature. Bonds are those rules which need effort to maintain; Afflictions are those rules which simply happen, without effort. When Bonds and Afflictions become an inconvenience, they allow the character to regain Miracle Points. When

765-496: Is a piece of data (a " statistic ") that describes to what extent a fictional character in a role-playing game possesses a specific natural, in-born characteristic common to all characters in the game. That piece of data is usually an abstract number or, in some cases, a set of dice . Some games use different terms to refer to an attribute, such as statistic , ( primary ) characteristic or ability . A number of role-playing games like Fate do not use attributes at all. There

816-543: Is encouraged over combat. Though the characters may seem to have limitless power, in reality they must take into consideration both the outcome of every act and what other Powers or Imperators they may offend in the process. In the first two editions, each character has 4 attributes : Aspect, which governs their ability to perform superhuman physical and mental acts; Domain, which covers their power over their estate; Realm, which determines how much power they have in their Chancel; and Spirit, which describes how much magical power

867-436: Is heavily based on GURPS , which was originally intended to be the character system used in the game. Some games have used particularly complex systems. For instance, F.A.T.A.L. uses a system of five attributes with four sub-attributes each, resulting in twenty total statistics to roll. This system was criticised for its complexity and for the lack of correlation between related sub-statistics, resulting in oddities such as

918-444: Is meant to resemble a game of D&D so it uses the same statistics as above, whereas Monsterhearts , with its mix of teen drama and paranormal romance uses the statistics Hot , Cold, Violent , and Dark. Attributes are commonly referred to by a three letter abbreviation (Str, Int, etc.). Hard statistics are those statistics which are generally physical in nature, and are often used to represent physical characteristics of

969-555: Is no uniform consensus on what ability scores are, even if many role-playing games have them, but games that use them have a common theme. According to the BBC Cult TV website " All characters have Attributes — basic physical and mental abilities. " and in the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game " Each character has six ability scores that represent his character's most basic attributes. They are his raw talent and prowess. While

1020-600: Is warranted." Contemporary fantasy The term is used to describe stories set in the putative real world (often referred to as consensus reality ) in contemporary times, in which magic and magical creatures exist but are not commonly seen or understood as such, either living in the interstices of our world or leaking over from alternate worlds . Frances Sinclair, determining what to call fantasy set in our known world, contrasts contemporary fantasy with magical realism . She notes that in contemporary fantasy magical elements are often kept secret from most people, and notes

1071-400: The angels (only one human soul in a billion is not turned away) and is the source of all beauty. Beneath the Earth, in the roots of Yggdrasil, is Hell , the source of all corruption. Around Yggdrasil, except above heaven (where it is open to the stars), is a mystical impenetrable curtain of blue flames known as the Weirding Wall. Every class of objects and every concept is represented by

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1122-529: The average of health and dexterity. Hero System 5th edition has eight primary statistics, and a further five derived from them. Some game systems such as those using the Cortex Plus system or those Powered by the Apocalypse work on the basis that the attributes should emphasise elements of the setting thus making them different from game to game even within the same family. So, for example, Dungeon World

1173-453: The Ground , RPG historian Stu Horvath noted, "Presented with formality and a certain poetic flare [ sic ], it's a type of game that was strange by the standards of the day; and for its trouble, it has gained a reputation of impenetrability. This characterization is unfair, and the long line of approachability-minded storygames that have followed in the wake of Nobilis demonstrate that a reappraisal

1224-511: The House of Usher '", noting also that "contemporary fantasy has been a part of the genre since its beginning". She notes that the genre was less popular by the 1960s, considering it supplanted by New Wave and Celtic Twilight books. Bacon-Smith credits Terri Windling 's 1986 introduction of Borderland as a key event in improving interest in the genre, also noting the earlier influence of Anne Rice 's Interview With The Vampire which she says has

1275-474: The Nobilis has. Spirit creates the Auctoritas , a shield that protects them from the Miracles of other Powers. A character's Spirit also determines how many Anchors they may have. Each attribute has a number of Miracle Points associated with it. The character creation system also makes Nobilis notable by giving players an unusual amount of control over the setting. In addition to creating their own characters –

1326-415: The amount of young adult fantasy in the subgenre. In contrast, Sinclair points out that in magical realism "the impossible can occur without comment", and the relationship between reader and narrator may be stronger. Brian Stableford attempts to narrowly define the genre, excluding portal fantasy and fantasy "in which the magical entity is a blatant anomaly". He arrives at a definition of fantasy set in

1377-614: The attribute Wits and Social Resistance being Composure . Some games think that attributes are not and should not be treated as entirely independent, and therefore make a lot of their attributes dependent on others. GURPS uses two levels of statistic: four primary statistics ( Strength , Dexterity , Intelligence , Health ) and four statistics derived directly from those Fatigue , which defaults to strength or health (depending on edition); Hit Points , which defaults to health or strength (depending on edition); Willpower, which defaults to intelligence; and Speed , which defaults to half

1428-500: The attribute works with a skill to affect the overall outcome. There is no standard amongst role-playing games as to which attributes are important for the game, though there is a school of design which says you pick the attributes after you decide what the game is about. Dungeons & Dragons used six attributes (there were brief attempts to add a seventh, Comeliness , in Unearthed Arcana and Dragon magazine , but this

1479-568: The attributes, like Traveller (Strength, Dexterity, Endurance , Intelligence, Education , Social Standing ) or like Cortex System games such as the Serenity RPG and the Cortex Plus Leverage with Agility , Alertness , Intelligence, Strength, Vitality , and Willpower . Others use more, some fewer. Tri-Stat dX (including Big Eyes, Small Mouth ), as the name would suggest, uses three ( Body , Mind , and Soul ), whereas

1530-515: The distinction between this genre and magical realism, crediting Greer Watson, but says that there can be overlap. Grzegorz Trebicki describes "contemporary" fantasy works "set in our 'primary' world, in which the textual reality has been enriched by various fantastical elements, usually borrowed from particular mythologies or folk traditions". He says that such works are usually driven by genre conventions other than mythical archetypes. The term has also been equated with "Paranormal Fantasy", due to

1581-489: The five laws he has established for them, in his Locust Court. The most notable and notorious of these, and the one most often broken, is the Windflower Law which states that no Noble is allowed to love another being. (In the first two editions, Nobilis can turn other humans into Anchors, whose every action they can control, but in order to do this they must first love or hate the person.) To protect their physical forms from

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1632-456: The frequency of "paranormal characters ( werewolves , vampires , wizards , fairies , etc.)" Camille Bacon-Smith uses the term to describe fantasy stories set in the time they were written, and provides H.P. Lovecraft and Fritz Leiber 's novel Conjure Wife as examples. She states that "contemporary fantasy belongs to the Gothic tradition of Bram Stoker's Dracula and Poe's ' The Fall of

1683-682: The game world, fills its large margins. This edition won the Origins Award for Best Graphic Presentation Book Format Product 2002, and the 2003 Diana Jones Award for Excellence in Gaming. Guardians of Order ceased operations in 2006, with an announcement that they would attempt to find other publishers for their games. The second edition of Nobilis was translated into French in 2002 by the Swiss company 2 dés sans faces, société coopérative ("2 dice without faces, cooperative society"). Curiously, this translation

1734-418: The magical action takes place there (except for the portal required to transport them), are not considered contemporary fantasy. Also, contemporary fantasy is generally distinguished from horror fiction that mixes contemporary settings and fantastic elements by the overall tone, emphasizing joy or wonder rather than fear or dread. The contemporary fantasy and low fantasy genres can overlap as both are set in

1785-472: The mundane world, often including an "elaborate secret history". He notes that much contemporary fantasy is set in rural settings, but also notes the subgenre of urban fantasy , and that both children's fiction and literary fiction often fall within this genre. The Encyclopedia of Fantasy similarly suggests that the mundane and fantastic are contrasted within the genre. The Encyclopedia ' s definition includes "portal fantasy in which transition between

1836-466: The other worlds they invest a shard of their soul in a human (or occasionally another animal or object), creating a Nobilis. Each Nobilis represents one of the Imperator's Estates; the group of Nobilis this forms, known as a Familia Caelestis , is typically loyal, both to each other and their Imperator. The Imperator Lord Entropy oversees the actions of the Nobilis and enforces the Code Fidelitatis ,

1887-470: The outcome of characters' actions, but instead uses a point-based system for task resolution. Nobilis draws on many sources, including Christian and Norse mythologies, but adds numerous unique details to its setting. Though the everyday world in the game appears much like our own, it is actually only the Prosaic Earth, a lie that the world told to itself in a desperate attempt to explain suffering , and

1938-599: The ravages of the Valde Bellum, Imperators take a part of reality and partition it off into a self-contained, unique world which can take any form. This world, called a Chancel, both houses their physical bodies and is a spiritual reflection of it. Much like in the myth of the Fisher King , if the Imperator suffers, so does their Chancel. Flowers have great significance to the Nobilis and their Imperators; earthly flowers are reflections of their heavenly counterparts and each has

1989-407: The real world. There are differences, however. Low fantasies are set in the real world but not necessarily in the modern age, in which case they would not be contemporary fantasy. There is a considerable overlap between contemporary fantasy and urban fantasy . Examples are grouped by author, ordered by initial publication year in the genre. Attribute (role-playing games) An attribute

2040-710: The scenes. In an analysis of religion in modern fantasy, Sylvia Kelso notes a "market shift" from high fantasy toward contemporary fantasy, also explaining that "paranormal" subgenres have branched from contemporary fantasy, especially ones centered on vampires and werewolves. Kelso notes that contemporary fantasy is more willing to draw on religious themes than high fantasy. This has been influenced by its openness to vampires and other traditionally evil supernatural beings, which encourages writers to use Christianity to create villains such as demons. However, other books and series draw on other religions and traditions. Novels in which modern characters travel into other worlds, and all

2091-523: The second edition. When Hogshead Publishing shut down in 2003, the rights to the book returned to Borgstrom, but arrangements were made with Guardians of Order to publish the second edition. The second edition is a coffee table-style book , the cover designed by Universal Head, with a ribbon bookmark; it is called the "Great White Book" by Nobilis fans. Full-page black and white art was commissioned for this book, in particular from Charles Vess and Michael William Kaluta ; Borgstrom's flash fiction , set in

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2142-527: The substance of their estate; Persona, which covers their power over the properties of their estate (as defined by the player); and Treasure, which governs their power over their panoply, the objects, animals and people that represent who they are. Domain governs the Divine Mantle , an aura that makes it harder for hostile Miracles to overpower their own Miracles. Persona governs the Auctoritas Magister ,

2193-420: The third being derived, this is arguably a six attribute system. The Storyteller System used in games like Vampire: The Masquerade took this one step further, breaking the attributes down into three by three classifications. Power , Finesse , and Resistance, and Mental, Physical, and Social , leading to nine different combinations each of which has a separate name with, for example, Mental Finesse being

2244-560: The third edition was released under that name. In September 2012, the first sourcebook for third edition was released, named Nobilis: Antithesis, Minibook 1i . It was only released through the OneBookShelf network (RPGNow, DriveThruRPG, etc.) in PDF and softcover print-on-demand formats. A fourth edition of Nobilis is currently in development by Jenna Moran and planned to be completed in late 2024. In his 2023 book Monsters, Aliens, and Holes in

2295-506: The traditional fairy-tale. We do not always notice its method, because the cottages, castles, woodcutters and petty kings with which a fairy tale opens have become for us as remote as the witches and ogres to which it proceeds. But they were not remote at all to the men who first made and enjoyed the tales. The same is true for many later works in the genre, which often begin with a seemingly normal scene of modern daily life to then disclose supernatural and magical beings and events hidden behind

2346-517: The two realms occurs regularly", as well as several other subgenres; it cites Peter S. Beagle 's Lila the Werewolf as a classic of the type. It also notes that in many contemporary fantasies, the fantastic "colonizes" the mundane home. Greg Bechtel agrees with the Encyclopedia , saying the sub-genre "explicitly depicts the collision of the contemporary world with a world of magic and spirits". He notes

2397-453: Was available for sale before the original English edition. The French edition, for reason of available space, replaced the scenario from the English language book with an original scenario, set in a media-obsessed Chancel. A gamemaster's screen , titled Perfidie , was released in late 2002, with a small booklet including errata and the scenario from the English language book. A single sourcebook

2448-485: Was changed to Strength, Intelligence, Wisdom, Dexterity, Constitution, and Charisma, sometimes referred to as "SIWDCC". This change was made due to the addition of the thief class, which used dexterity as a prime requisite. The current "SDCIWC" sequence was introduced in AD&;D 2nd edition in an attempt to divide physical and cognitive traits into two groups. Many other notable games have followed suit while slightly varying

2499-408: Was published for second edition, The Game of Powers , which provides rules for live action role-playing . Attempts to publish a second sourcebook, to be entitled A Society of Flowers , were unsuccessful until March 2008: part of the supplement was finally made available as a free pdf download from Eos Press or for a small fee from drivethrurpg.com, under the name Unlikely Flowerings . This document

2550-526: Was short-lived ). The six attributes used in D&;D are: These range from about 3 to 20 (depending on the edition). The original attribute sequence in D&D was Strength, Intelligence, Wisdom, Constitution, Dexterity, and Charisma in the original 1974 rules. This listed the three "prime requisites" of the character classes before the "general" stats: strength for fighters, intelligence for magic-users, and wisdom for clerics. The attribute sequence in D&D

2601-571: Was the first of an announced series of "peculiar books" that would make available the whole "work version" of Society of Flowers . Then those peculiar books, completed and cleaned, would be released later in 2008 in hardcopy version. However, the second peculiar book and Society of Flowers were delayed following personal problems of the author, with the second peculiar book, Creatures, Clothed in Strangeness , eventually seeing release in September 2009 as

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