Bibliography

Bibliography and References

In addition to the primary sources listed below,there are dozens of movies,books,songs,and stories that have provided some inspiration for material in this book—unfortunately too many to list,and most ofthem only half-remembered.

A Dictionary of Angels, Including the Fallen Angelsby Gustav

Davidson: This book was very informative but equally frustrating. While it gives information on many obscure angels and long descriptions ofthe more important ones,it fails to define some of the religious terms and refers to angels who have variant names (such as Arial vs.Ariel),but doesn’t include listings or pointers for some ofthose aliases.It also refers the reader to occult and apocryphal books that the author admits in the introduction are out of print or even limited to a few copies in the world.Definitely not a book for the casual reader,but a good resource for someone willing to spend serious time on it.

The Book of Hallowed Mightby Monte Cook: This Malhavoc Press book presented more divine material for a fantasy campaign, and key elements from it served to inspire and balance some ofthe material in this book.For example,without the blessed child presented in that book,the dynamis’ role as wardens ofsouls would be less interesting.As always,Monte handles the rules well and gives an interesting and unexpected twist to the material he writes.

Encyclopedia of Hellby Miriam Van Scott: The author ofthis book reviewed many mythologies,books,movies,and other sources for a moderately deep treatment ofthe inspiration for and literature ofHell.Among other things,it discusses the different models ofHell (such as the dream model ofHell,in which the wicked relive their evil deeds eternally,or the punishment model,in which physical tortures await the evil dead).He also covered the role ofHell in modern culture.Ofparticular interest to this book are the many instances of vision literature—near-death experiences,religious visions,and other prophecies ofHell—used by the Church to frighten people and convince them to lead good lives or face damnation.The descriptions ofHell related in this book from those sources provide most ofthe geographic details ofHell presented in Chapter Four: Planar Geography,as well as the kernels ofseveral new game spells.

Fantasy Wargamingby Bruce Galloway: An older book starting to show its age,this title hearkens back to a time when roleplaying games were a tiny subset ofwargaming and almost all ofthe players were male. Fantasy Wargaming includes notes on why female characters are justified in having lower ability scores (it is assumed that the book will be used to play in a fantasy medieval Europe where women are second-class beings and clearly weaker),game statistics for many strange monsters ofmyth,and (most appropriate to this book) game statistics for the most important figures in Heaven and Hell.Ifyou ever wanted to know how many hit points Jesus has,it’s in this book.It was used mostly as a source ofnames to consider.

Good Omens: The Nice and Accurate Prophecies of Agnes

Nutter, Witchby Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett: The main characters ofthis novel are an angel and a demon,friends since before the first Fall,who join together to try to stop the Antichrist from starting Armageddon because they prefer the interesting mortal world to the eternal boredom ofone side’s victory over the other. This ofcourse was the inspiration for the Council ofWings. Good Omens is a very entertaining book with a lot offun ideas about angels,demons,spirits,and prophecy.

In Nomineby Steve Jackson Games: This is probably the bestknown game where the players are assumed to play angels and demons,with mortal characters as a secondary concern.Though it mixes up its classical theology in some places,it presents a viable setting where the war between Heaven and Hell lies in the hands ofthe players.This game also presents archangels as superiors to common angels,which is included as a part ofthe angels campaign type described in Chapter Three:Campaigns. In Nomine has a large fan community online,and the SJG website <www.sjgames.com/in-nomine> has a long list ofsuggested angel names by angel type and superior that is worth a good look.

Many Watersby Madeleine L’Engle: Though technically a book for young teens,this almost-forgotten sequel to A Wrinkle in Time, A Wind in the Door, and A Swiftly Tilting Planet (ofwhich the last two have significant themes ofHeaven and prophecy) casts the protagonist brothers back to biblical days just before the Flood.They befriend Noah’s daughter and watch the interactions between the seraphim and nephilim (angelic and not-so-angelic beings) and these mortals,including the birth ofa half-nephilim child.The book presents the angels as beings to interact with normally rather than to worship and shows that in these times mortals have a strong and personal relationship with God.(A near ancestor ofone character was witnessed walking in a garden with God,and then both were simply Not There anymore.) Many Waters is a good read for those wanting to run an angels or mentors campaign.

To Reign In Hell by Steven Brust: The author ofthis book wrote it because he knew that ifGod is omniscient and Satan is not a fool,there had to be a story about why the War began in the first place.In Brust’s tale,which takes place entirely in Heaven,all the characters are angels.Though some ofthe named characters don’t exactly match their traditional counterparts,Brust does an excellent job ofpresenting a story where you know it’s going to turn bad but keep reading in the hopes that both sides’ efforts to reconcile will prevent the War from ever starting.This book also inspired the concept ofthe reform into lesser vessel† spell,as several angels in the novel have been damaged by the effects ofthe chaotic void outside ofHeaven and could only be preserved by reshaping what intact energy they had remaining.

Art: Albrecht Dürer is a well-known Renaissance painter and woodcut artist.His woodcuts in particular show angelic and apocalyptic religious scenes in a dynamic new way.William Blake was a poet and artist gifted with the ability ofeidetic imagery.Interested in spirituality and mysticism,he produced religious works and strange pictures out ofhis own imagination.A biography and gallery ofthese and many other artists are online at this address: <www.artchive.com>.