Stop. Please, don't start trying to build anything until you have a solid character concept in your mind. Yeah, yeah, I know that all RPG pages tell you this, but this is serious. Nobilis demands three-dimensional characters with motives, dreams, and goals... if you don't have that, I assure you you will not enjoy the game as much as you should. So before you go any further, please make sure you're able to answer at least the following questions.
What's your story? Were you human or something else? When were you born? In what time and place did you grow up? At what point in your life did you become enNobled? How long ago was that?
What kind of person were you before the enNoblement? Who were you? What did you do for a living? What were your hobbies? What family did you have? Were you close to them? In your free time, what did you do? Who did you do it with? What was the best part of your life? What was the worst? What pet peeves did you have?
What was it like to transcend mortality? You were a mortal, now you're basically a god. What did that do to you? Did you go wild with glee? Did you curl up into a ball and cry for days? Did your Imperator ever explain why it picked you? Did it make sense? Do you feel worthy of the power you've been given? Did you resolve to use your powers for good? For your own benefit? For the benefit of your family? Of causes that meant something to you?
What was your first real miracle? No, not the little "test" miracles that you did to figure out what sort of power you have. Everyone does those. But then you realize that something that you'd always wanted to do is now possible. What was that? Did you do it? What happened -- did it go as you had hoped?
What kind of person are you now? Okay, you've probably been a Noble for a while now (unless you want to start the game as a totally fresh Power), so what kind of Noble are you? What do you do in your spare time? Do you have any grandiose plans (ridding the world of all prostitution, bringing peace to the Middle East, etc.) that only a Noble could hope to accomplish some day? Do you garden? How active are you in your Chancel? Do the people there know you well? Do you get along well with other Nobles or are you still intimidated by them? How do you relax when something ends up frustrating you horribly?
Seriously, until you can answer at least the majority of those questions, you really don't have a solid grasp on your character. In Nobilis, stats don't matter nearly as much as emotions, needs, and goals do.
HOUSE RULE: Until further notice, I've decided that anyone who emails or hands me a written essay on their character that adequately answers most or all of the questions above gets to start the game with an extra character point. (In Nobilis, you only start with 25 character points, and each one can buy some amazing, powerful things. This is a large reward, trust me.) Please note that this is not an extra character point for you fleshing out your character -- I expect you to do that. No, this is an extra point for you putting it into words and giving it to me, because it makes my job easier when running the game.
Okay, now that you know your character inside and out, we can proceed to the far simpler and less important part -- putting it on paper. I don't expect you to actually make up your character right now, though. As the GM, I'll be present and will help everyone write up their Nobles. I just think that it might be useful and insightful for you to think about things ahead of time.
There is no specific order in which to do the following steps, so I'll just list them alphabetically. When we're putting you on paper, we can do it in any order you choose.
Part of keeping your sanity and will together when managing such awesome power is holding closely to a belief system. While you're free to make up your own code (which must consist of at least three significant vows), most Nobles tend to gravitate toward one of the six major factions of Creation. The advantage of doing so is comraderie amongst others who share your view, sort of like being part of a fraternity or political party. While you must follow your Affiliation, the degree to which Nobles do so ranges from mere lip service to letting it dominate your existence.
Please note that you do not have to be of the same Affiliation as your Imperator! It is very uncommon to see a Familia under (say) a Lord of the Light all sworn to the Code of the Lightlords. Your Imperator chose you for its own reasons and will not expect you to follow its Code -- such a thought is repugnant to any of them, as it flies in the face of what an Affiliation is... a deep and personal connection to one of the faces of Creation.
The Affiliations and their respective Codes (in brief, mind you) are:
Aside from the potential social benefits, an Affiliation is really just a Restriction (below) like any other: You get MPs for following it well, especially when it inconveniences or harms you to do so, and you can lose MPs if you blatantly act against it.
Nobles are still limited to being in one place at one time -- so inconvenient! That's why you've learned the Servant Rite to make Anchors, agents that you can keep in touch with from anywhere. You can anchor any being that you either love or hate. Most Anchors are humans, but there's nothing stopping you from anchoring animals, spirits, or anything else that you can somehow get to taste your blood. An Anchor is bonded to you; they cannot do anything to directly betray you, regardless of how they feel about you. Loved anchors are trustworthy and useful, while hated anchors are fun to use for dirty work that's beneath you; many Nobles have a mix of both.
An anchor can pray to you at any time; you receive the equivalent of an anonymous mental knock. You can step into an anchor's head at any time, to communicate with them, to see through their eyes, or to fully possess their body, leaving your normal body motionless. While you possess them, you have full access to your own abilities -- only Aspect (Attributes, below) miracles are harder to do, given their weaker flesh. Even when you're not inside their minds, they are protected from direct miracles (though indirect ones, like setting their clothes on fire, can still hurt them). Your Spirit attribute (below) determines the number of anchors you can have; I highly recommend choosing a few, as they're incredibly useful.
You do not have to have a Bond (below) to your Anchor, but it's very common, and can be a lifesaver if you have to protect your Anchor from harm.
There are four attributes in Nobilis. Each one starts at 0 (for free) and can be raised as high as 5 for a cost of 3 character points/level. So if you wanted Domain 4, that would cost 12 character points. However, since I don't have the space (or the legal right) to copy all the information about what each level of each attribute gives you, please don't prespend your points -- just get to know the attributes and see what you like about each one.
Aspect allows you to exceed human limits physically, mentally, and socially. If a human can do something, Aspect can do it a thousand times better. If a mythical character can do something without "magic", Aspect can do it. If it makes good myth, and fits Aspect's style, then Aspect can do it. Humans can jump; Aspect covers jumping over buildings. Aspect lets you throw a rock hard enough to shatter the sun, but it will not allow you to summon a new one to take its place. Aspect can be used to talk an army into going home without fighting, to defeat the entire army in single combat, one at a time, or to exhale a mighty breath that sweeps them away -- depending on how powerful an Aspect miracle you can perform.
Domain is your control over your Estate, the building block of reality that your Imperator shared with you. It is strictly limited to affecting your Estate, but can be used anywhere. It allows you to divine, preserve, create, destroy, and change subjects of your Estate. If you are the Power of Beauty, you could divine what a person most finds beautiful; or preserve a person's beauty so they never lose their looks with age; or create beauty in an abandoned building, making it attractive and liveable again; or destroy the beauty of a sunny spring day, making it downtrodden and miserable; or change what a person finds beautiful for the rest of his life.
(Secondary Domain is completely optional, but fits some character concepts. For 1 point per level, you can add a second Domain. Its level cannot exceed your primary Domain, of course. The Noble of Hope, for example, may wish to be the Noble of Hope and Dreams. She spends 9 character points on Domain (Hope) 3 and then spends 2 more character points to add Domain (Dreams) 2.)
Realm defines how close you are to your Imperator, specifically, how much it trusts you with the keys to the city... for Realm is power over the Chancel. While you can only use Realm to affect things within your pocket universe, it can accomplish anything there, as if it were your Domain score and you had an infinite number of estates. Also note that the higher your Realm score, the more "Chancel points" you get when building your Chancel, and you get to determine how to spend them. Within your Chancel, you can use a Realm divination to answer any question, from, "What is this person thinking?" to, "Will the populace be rebelling anytime soon?" You can use a Realm creation to create any physical thing, from gold to livestock to a space shuttle. Most importantly, you can drag someone from Earth into your Chancel and then use Realm miracles on them there -- they do not have to be native to your Chancel!
Spirit measures your connection with Creation. It is a true, pure bond with the forces of the universe that identifies you as Noble. Spirit grants you your Auctoritas, an area around you which protects you from other Nobles' miracles. Spirit is your force of will -- if you are not consciously keeping it subdued when you enter the room, you may turn every head at the bar... or, with a higher level, every head in a football stadium. Spirit is the driving force behind the various Rites of the Nobilis, from the Rite of Holy Fire (which protects you against mundane threats) to the Nettle Rite (in which you desecrate another Noble's keepsakes and thus steal his Miracle Points). It is Spirit that allows you to Anchor (above). In short, Spirit is so useful, it's hard to pin down one reason why!
Social Situations and Attributes: Each of the four attributes can have a social effect. Aspect encompasses charisma, seduction, fast-talking, etc., and is the best attribute to use to get someone to do something against their will. Domain helps any interaction with the spirits of your Estate, but rarely with humans or Nobles. Realm gives you a detectable air of royalty and importance; humans around you will sense that you're someone of high import and other Nobles will sense your connection to your Imperator. Spirit is sheer, raw force of will, and is excellent for intimidation, fear, and getting everyone's attention immediately.
Bonds are simply the things that matter to you. They can be tangible, concepts, groups, or almost anything else that you care about. Some examples might be, "My Anchor Ted" (above), "My sports car", "The sanctity of my Estate" (a common one!), "My mortal family", "Australia", "Guns" (just the fact of guns being part of everyday life), "Continued Destability in the Middle East", or "My ability to defend the Chancel." Anything that can be threatened or taken away from you can be a Bond. Everyone has hundreds of things that matter to them, of course, but I need you to define the important ones.
Any Bond must be given a Strength, from 2 to 5, that shows how important it is to you (the higher the more important). Strengths are not unique; you can have three Bonds that are all Strength 4. Every character must have between 15-20 points of total Strength in Bonds. It is also assumed that you have countless other, Strength 1, Bonds that are not listed on your sheet. The listed, more important Bonds represent both a strength and a weakness. Through them, you can be more effectively Nettled (an attack that drains your Miracle Points (below) by desecrating that which matters to you). However, whenever you act to defend your Bond from harm, in any way, you can draw on a pool of "universal" Miracle Points equal to the Strength of the Bond!
For example, if you have a Strength 4 Bond to your family, and one of them is in danger, you immediately get access to 4 extra Miracle Points for as long as they're in danger, and you can use those Miracle Points for any attribute, not just one!
No Noble would be complete without his/her/its Estate, that aspect of Creation that you have been made part of. Choose your Estate carefully -- it will define what Domain (Attributes, above) miracles you can do, and it will definitely factor into what sort of adventures you'll be involved in. An Estate can be any single concept (Hope, Flight, Dreams, Earth, Joy, Nanotechnology, Music, Trust, Perseverence, Death, Toys, etc.). Nobles are often referred to as the "Power of X" (e.g., the "Power of Hope"). It is a good idea not to pick too broad or too narrow an Estate; too narrow, and you might feel frustrated at what you can do (although you could just focus on your other three Attributes instead); too broad, and you may find yourself unable to defend your entire Estate if it comes under attack from the Excrucians!
When you choose your Estate, I will ask you to also write down three words that describe it, in your mind, so I can understand what your concept of the Estate is. For example, one player might write "Butterflies (Beautiful, Untameable, Inspiring)" while another might have written "Butterflies (Metamorphosis, Secrecy, Silence)". These are obviously two very different, yet completely reasonable, takes on the Estate of Butterflies. If you find that you cannot fit what you want for an Estate into one, simple concept, please see Secondary Domain (under Attributes, above) for a way around this.
Fleurs are the "experience points" you'll be getting at the end of each session. You use them to further develop your character, to power up your Chancel or Familia as a whole, and to refresh your Miracle Points. You don't need to know this during character creation, of course, but I didn't want you to be confused when I mention them.
Gifts are the other thing you'll be spending character points on. They take the place of advantages, perks, bennies, or whatever you call them in other roleplaying games. However, in Nobilis, a Gift is essentially a "miracle on demand", and they can be very, very powerful. Gifts can do things that even high Attribute (above) levels cannot. There is a huge list of Gifts in the Great White Book to choose from (you can see part of that list here) and you can see some fun ones that I've collected here. Of course, the best part about Gifts is that you can easily make your own! Let me know what you want to be able to do and I'll work with you on it.
Miracle Points are the game mechanics of Nobilis. Any time you need to exceed your normal attribute to work a miracle, you spend Miracle Points to do so. There are four different kinds of Miracle Points (MPs), one for each Attribute (above). Aspect MPs can only be spent on Aspect miracles, for example. An exception is Spirit MPs, which can also be spent on any miracle worked through an Anchor (above). Bonds (above) and your Imperator can provide you with "universal" MPs, which can be used for any Attribute, but these are the exception, not the rule.
You start off the game with 5 of each MP (20 MP total), and you can replenish them through Nettling (Bonds, above), through good roleplaying of your Restrictions (below), or by spending the fleurs (above) that I award you at the end of each session. They do not "regenerate one per day" or anything like that -- you must earn new ones through roleplaying.
Restrictions are disadvantages, flaws, slaps, or whatever else you're used to calling them in other game systems. However, they do not give you bonus character points at character creation time. Instead, you get Miracle Points (above) for them during the game! Good roleplaying of a Restriction, or being inconvenienced by one, gets you 1 MP immediately. Amazing roleplaying or being harmed or seriously put out by a Restriction gets you 2 MP immediately. Having one of your Restrictions completely derail what you and your Familia are trying to do is worth 3 MP (and you'll probably need it)!
Restrictions work in converse as well. If you blatantly ignore a Restriction and act completely contrary to it, you can lose MPs. Finding a way to skirt around the problem isn't forbidden -- you'll just miss out on your free MPs -- but completely defying your Restriction as though you didn't have one is verboten.
Some sample Restrictions: Cannot use inobvious miracles, Cannot cross running water, Cannot enter a home uninvited, Cannot kill, Cannot use modern technology, Must perform certain ceremonies regularly, Is being blackmailed by someone, Bound by honor to anyone who he shares a cigarette with, Has a double, Hated by animals, Health is linked to an object or place, Doesn't lie, Repulsed by the Creator's name, Respectful of a certain type of person, Supernatural problem (no reflection, etc.), Cannot use obvious miracles, Can be summoned by those who learn the ritual, and so on.
A good rule of thumb is to choose at least two or three Restrictions in addition to your Affiliation (above), both to create a fun character and to ensure that you recover MPs in a timely manner.
(Some Restrictions will inconvenience you all the time, not just at particular times during the game, but because you are prepared for this, you can work around it. A good example is being blind, or having some of your Attribute levels bound into an object which must be kept with you at all times. These are known as "Limits". Limits give you their extra MPs when you spend fleurs to refresh your Miracle Points; this happens more rarely, but is under your control. Some players prefer taking a mix of Restrictions and Limits for more variety in how they'll recover MPs. Suit yourself.)
Some characters have a Virtue, a single adjective that doesn't just describe them, it defines them. A Virtue is completely optional. It costs nothing. If you write one on your character sheet, then nothing anyone can do, up to and including Excrucians and Lord Entropy, can force you to act against that Virtue. For example, if you have "Virtue: Brave", there is no force in Creation that can force you to quake in fear or run from a fight. You must roleplay your Virtue! If you do not, you can lose MPs just like with a Restriction (above). Virtues rarely give you MPs for roleplaying or inconvenience like Restrictions do -- they provide a different benefit.