Noble

What is a Noble?
A Noble is a being (which doesn't have to be Human nor Humanoid, though most are) that has been endowed with a Imperator's Soul Shard, making them a servant, or Power, of the Imperator. Each Noble represents the living essentia of one or more concepts in the world. It's their job to protect what they represent: their Estates.

A Noble has nearly endless powers and is virtually a part of existence itself.

Nobles as Playable Characters (PCs)
Most of the time, but not always, players play Nobles when playing Nobilis. Their powers, both physical and spiritual, are defined by their Attributes, among other things.

Since players are given enormous amounts of power and limited use of those powers, the game is largely a matter of restraint, as players must resolve Stories and Campaigns using as little "flare" as possible, and use their very limited resources wisely.