The seven stories that follow have been told by old angels of Fire, one from each Choir. These, in particular, were witnessed and faithfully recorded by angels of Yves.
The Seraph's Story (as told by Coniah, Seraph
of Fire, Cadence Messenger)
Cruelty and lies are cousins in my eyes. Untruth offends against the Symphony as it is.
Cruelty offends against the Symphony as it ought to be. It seems no great wonder to me that the
Seraphim of Gabriel can see them both; the wonder to me is that all Seraphim cannot. What use are
lies to humans and demons save to disguise the malignance and the suffering inside them? How
could cruelty survive if there were no lies to hide it? The two vices have the same ring in my ears,
the same rhythm, the same discordant screeching to them. I am an angel, I am a weapon of my
mistress Gabriel, I have been created to pull out evil and deception together by the roots. When I
have done so, the Symphony is cleaner, and the instruments sing more in harmony. The Malakim
understand this, I think, as do the other Servitors of Fire. We are sympathetic and we love and we
inspire, because we are angels. But we -- those of us who embody the punishing flame -- we do our
work because it is necessary. And many times, as I tear down a human life that has done little but
cause others pain, I find myself crying. And laughing. Laughing and crying. That is the truth. That is
a part of who I am.
Let me tell you a story. It is about a man named Corby Bales. He thought of himself as a
good man. I know. I asked him, once. His mother was on social security, and he put her up in his
apartment and he cashed her checks. She was a sick woman, and her medication was very expensive,
and Corby really only saw two choices -- either he could spend lots of his own money in
giving her proper care, or he could feed her soup as she suffered and adjust her pillows and change
the TV channel for her. He chose the latter, and paid himself from her checks for his trouble. He
thought of himself as a good man.
He was my assignment. I was to show him the wrath of God.
I looked into his eyes and I could think of no suitable punishment short of death. Yet -- when
I looked into his mother's eyes, I realized that she needed him. She could get better care if she went
into a hospital; the state was stingy but hospitals are generous. She could die in comfort, there. But
he was her only son, and he showed her his love, and she did not understand what he had done to
her.
I had two notes of dissonance by the time I could make a decision. Then, quietly, in the
night, I smothered her.
He came into her room the next morning to adjust her pillows and I waited by the door,
cloaked in Ethereal Form. I hoped that when he saw her corpse, and thought that his neglect had
killed her, it would be enough punishment. The jangling of dissonance inside me indicated strongly
that it was not.
I overpowered him from behind. It was not difficult; I was essentially invisible. I bound him
to the bed. I placed a plastic bag over his head and held the opening closed until he started thrashing.
Then, because as a Seraph I loved him, I released my grip slightly and let him have some air. After a
few breaths, I repeated the process.
"Wait," he said, muffled and desperate. "What do you want from me?"
"Mostly," I admitted, "I want you to apologize. To me. To your mother. To the universe. I
want you to understand that you used her, and then I want you to ask forgiveness."
"Will you give it?" he asked me, desperately, and I closed the bag tight about his head
again.
A few rounds later, he gasped out, "I'm sorry."
But he was lying. And I told him so.
A few more closings. Another gasp. "Please. I'm sorry. Don't do this."
But he was lying. And I told him so.
Then, because as a Seraph I loved him, I gave him two minutes to recover. Two minutes to
think. Two minutes for the panic to recede. And he croaked out, crying, "I'm sorry." And he meant
it.
Asphyxiation is a cruel way to kill someone, so I broke his neck instead. I was laughing and
I was crying. I was afraid that I had gone too far.
I might have saved his soul, though, given him another round on Earth instead of Hell.
I have no regrets.
The Cherub's Story (as told by Elnaam,
Cherub Vassal of Fire, Glock Redeemer)
God hates a sinner.
Funny, huh? Because God loves everybody. And us Cherubim, we're supposed to be the
incarnation of that love. But it makes sense, too, because you really can't hate someone unless you
love them first. You have to be that close to them, down deep inside your soul. Why do you think
the Fallen hate us so much more than the Hellborn?
It'd be easy to just go livid with disgust when we see a traitor, with M'lady Bright's big
glowing sign pointing to them. We could walk up to them and say, "You're unworthy," and we
could punish them. But then we wouldn't be Cherubim. We'd be Habbalah. No -- we've got to love
them first. Love them and hate them and then hurt them or kill them.
So you say, "If you act like a Habbalite, what does it matter if you actually love
them?"
It's a good question. My answer is, "Because when you love them, you touch their lives with
the light of God." Some of us have other answers. Some say, "Because love tempers our
punishment." Others say, "When we have loved them once, we remember them forever."
Some don't even understand that they love their targets at all, and I feel sorry for them. Sure,
Gabriel an' me, we know that they're Cherubim and not Stalkers, but how do they
tell?
I have this thing I do. This is just a me thing, not a Cherub of Fire thing, but maybe it'll help
you understand, anyway. I like to give my targets a last request. I come to them in their dreams --
you don't have to serve the Dreamweaver to do that, you know. And I squint at them and say,
"What would touch your life with light before you die?"
Once, this guy said, "You the angel of death?"
And I thought about it, and since I was going to kill him, and since I'm an angel, I reasoned
it was fair to say, "Yes." So I did.
He said, "Will I go to Heaven?"
I admitted that he probably wouldn't. "I'm not the final authority on this," I explained, "but
you did abandon your wife and two children. That's not really good on anybody's record."
"Then I'd like to see the place. Just once. Before I die."
Now, since I'm not a Malakite, I could have said, "Sorry, buddy, you're screwed." But I
was offering him a gift because I cared about him. He was this wonderful glowing soul, even if his
heart was as black as pitch. So I said, instead, "That's fairly difficult. But I'll see what I can
do."
I thought and I thought, but I couldn't see any way to take him up to Heaven -- and if I did
manage it, and lost him up there, I'd be in Hell in a matter of weeks. That just didn't seem fair. I
thought about asking M'lady Bright about what to do, but she really isn't the type you ask about
things. If you're lucky, she just tells you what you need to know, all on her own. So I did the next
best thing, and went to ask Yves. Or, strictly speaking, I went to ask this Servitor of Destiny that I
knew, so that he could ask Yves -- better all around, right?
The Servitor listened -- he was an Elohite, and they do that bloody well -- and then he
smiled. "You don't need to ask Yves," he said. "There are a thousand mortal painters in Heaven,
and at least as many angels with the gift. If he wishes to see Heaven, ask one to paint the Council
Spires with celestial paints. Take the painting to your human, in the Marches. The picture will not
lose its color or its glory there, and he will have his wish."
I thanked him many times, and ran off to arrange this thing. Time does funny things in
Heaven, but I figured that M'lady Bright wouldn't let it mess me up dissonance-wise. I was right,
there, and in almost no time at all I had my painting and brought it down to show him.
After a minute or two, since I didn't have much time in his dreamscape, I asked him, "Why
are you crying?" I was a bit rough, because I was thinking that he was upset that he wasn't going
there, which was his own bloody fault.
"It's them," he said, and pointed. "My family."
I looked at it hard, because last I knew they weren't dead, and I couldn't see what he meant.
The Council Spires don't really look like people unless you're so loaded down with Discord that
you're basically blind, you know. But finally I shrugged, and went back to my Vessel, and let him
finish out the dream however he liked.
The next morning, as I was walking down to his house to finish the deed, I spotted this lady
and just knew she was my target now.
Life's funny. Hate's my job. Hate's my life. Hate's my joy. But it wouldn't do me one bit of
good if it weren't for the love all twined up with it, because that's what a Cherub's all about.
The Ofanite's Story (as told by Gazzam,
Ofanite of Fire, Earth Ops Level 3)
Usually, I wake up in the morning and do some calisthenics while watching action movies.
It's not that my body needs them -- the faster your wheel spins, the stronger you are, and that's all
there is to it -- but they feel good and get all the kinks out. Action movies are particularly good
because they give me ideas about things to do for practice -- ways to chase down busses and climb to
the top of a warehouse from inside and so forth. They also have lots of fighting, which of course I'm
good at, since the Bright One thinks it's important. Still, I watch the chase scenes especially hard,
and then I go out and live them. There is nothing like the thrill of dropping from a rooftop onto a
speeding car, catching your breath, and then jumping from cartop to cartop to beat the traffic to
where you want to go. Think it can't be done? Trust me. When your resonance is hot and you've got
a Corp Motion up to catch the little mistakes, it's like knocking down dominoes.
The thing is, for an Ofanite, the thrill in things is getting there, and there's nothing
quite so thrilling to get to as something that's also moving. The Mercurians think they've got a
cushy job with the Bright One, but they've got no idea. Humans, demons -- mostly humans, but
some demons, maybe even an Outcast with some real problems, but that's really rare -- I
don't care. I just long for the moment when Gabriel's gift clicks into action and suddenly I
know my target. Motion without the hunt is just half the story.
The sad part is when we catch them. Then the chase is over and we have to hurt them, and
no good Ofanite likes hurting people. Even the Bright One doesn't like it so much as -- get
satisfied by it. The usual recourse of an Ofanite of Fire is to make the chase the
punishment. Go take a little detour just when you're about to catch somebody. Bump a few heads in
a crowded, unruly bar to give them the chance to get away. Don't let them eat. Don't let them drink.
Don't let them sleep. Usually, if you can keep them running, and nothing but running, for a few
days, that's enough justice for anybody. If they're human, anyway. Then you just tell the cops where
they are and you're done.
It's compelling, the hunt is. It's addictive. It's like the world suddenly turns into this black
and rushing blur, and the one bright dot is the person you're going for. You go a little bit mad, or at
least I do, when you finally get to do that chase. You know where your target is. I don't mean
mystically, unless you're smart enough and close enough to use Celestial Attraction before they run.
But you know, in your bones, even if you're wrong.
I remember once I was at this party with my love of the day, Hamoth, and I was grabbing a
drink from the bar, and then it hit. I saw the target. Someone had just been whispering to
him, and his eyes were widening with fear. Then he turned to leave. I scrambled over the heads of a
few party-goers to get to him, dancing between them when I couldn't go over them, but he ducked
out the door just before I could get there. When I looked out into the hall, he was gone.
Well, forgetting entirely about my date, I exploded into celestial form and crisscrossed
through the rooms in the building. He was climbing out a window that overlooked the parking lot. I
was waiting for him in my car when he drove out of the lot at top speed, and the chase went on for
days. It was glorious, all-consuming, I was burning with the fires of God -- I mean, I know
I'm always burning with the fires of God, technically, but I could feel it, this
time. And then, finally, I caught him, crouched in a whimpering pile by the road, arms and legs
broken by the wreck that had thrown him from his car, and I touched and smiled and whispered,
"You're it."
An angel of Dominic came down at my call and took custody. And that was the end of that,
except that, a few days later, I staggered into the bathroom and nearly choked to death trying and
failing to vomit, because it hit home for the first time what I had done to Hamoth.
Don't look at me like that. He was the target. It was a hunt.
Um, I'm done now.
The Elohite's Story (as told by Rakkon,
Elohite of Fire, reserve Lieutenant in the Citadel Guard)
I am not accustomed to public speaking. You may find me as blunt as a Seraph. You will
also find me at least as truthful, for there are Seraphim among you. My name is Rakkon. I am an
Elohite. I serve the Fire. It is my duty to find those who inflict emotional pain on others, and who
enjoy it. It is also my duty to make them suffer.
Let me digress for a moment, and speak of Elohim in general.
I have used my resonance on others of my Choir. The emotions of Elohim, or other angels,
or humans, or demons -- these have no constants. The majority of my kind, however, are ruled by a
sense of gentle satisfaction. This is the joy of being a perfectly tuned instrument in the hands of God.
Stripped of selfishness, the Elohim comprehend that our every action is as right as we can
make it. This makes us feel safe, and it helps us feel strong.
It is a common perception that this is true for Elohim of Fire as well. That we also derive our
satisfaction from our jobs. That we must be like dagger-edged banjos, carving away cruelty in the
name of God's wrath. Perfect, objective, calm, and bloody as the rocks of Hell.
This is not so.
Once, and once only, I have had the dubious privilege of using my resonance on one of my
Fallen kin -- a Habbalite. She believed that she had been assigned to Hell to punish cruelty in the
name of God's wrath. She derived far more than simple satisfaction from her job. She believed that
the whole structure of Hell was necessary, so that the human souls there could be tortured. She
believed that it was worthwhile tempting humans to their Fate. If they achieved it, after all, they
must have already been weak. They must have deserved punishment.
The Fire does not give us the option of serving her in this manner.
I came to her, newly fledged, and asked to serve her because I believed that she needed
faithful servants. She accepted me, and she showed me a vision. "This is suffering," she said, and I
looked into Hell.
I do not mean the Hell that the demons describe. This was not some corrupting metropolis
named Shal-Mari, or even the cruel plains of Saminga's realm. This was not the external
Hell where demons and damned souls walk. This was an internal Hell. This was what it
meant to be damned. I understood in that moment the paradox of the fire. Cruelty and pain cannot
go unopposed. They cannot go unpunished. This means that suffering must be given to the cruel, to
teach them forbearance. But even the smallest particle of torment is as much of a tragedy as the
entire Fall.
I thought for a moment of turning back and finding a career I could love. "I could work for
Novalis," I thought, "and bring peace and kindness to the world. I could work for Michael, and
strike swiftly and definitively. I could work for Jordi, and rarely see another angel, or
demon, or human."
This was not a selfish thought. I didn't know if I was strong enough, you see.
Then the Fire looked to me and smiled slightly, and I realized for the first time just how
beautiful she was. It was all going to be all right.
Elohim who work for Fire take no satisfaction in our jobs. We do what we must, and there is
no joy in it. Our lives are not empty, however. Far from it. We are Elohim. We can see, sometimes,
what would be.
Every time I break one of the cruel, so that he will not be cruel again, I spend a day with his
victims. I go to them and I see how their lives are healing. I see how they would react, if someone
were treating them as he had. At the same time, I see that it is not happening. That is the
joy of the Elohim of Fire. That is why we do not go insane.
We make a difference.
There is an interesting statistical trend that I have noticed. Elohim are allowed to have
friends, because friendship warms the soul. An Elohite will either dedicate themselves to making
their friend happy, or use their friend to achieve their goals, at different times. It balances out, in the
end. The trend is this: we who serve Fire find friends more easily, and serve them better. We have no
need to manipulate them into helping us, and we have a need for companionship --
Selflessness isn't an action. It's not even a modus operandus. Selflessness is a state of
mind.
I have friends because I need them. I need the balance in my life, to remind me that there is
more to the world than monsters and victims. I have friends because I need them. But I love them
well.
That is all.
The Malakite's Story (as told by Sadoc,
Malakite Friend of Fire, Sword Liaison)
There's no such thing as the wrath of God. Wrath is a deadly sin.
There's no such thing as Heavenly justice, either, no matter what Dominic tells you. God's
not concerned with some kind of poetic balancing of causes and effects. What he wants is results.
That's why everyone says milady's gone nuts -- she's trying to act quickly, directly, and to the point,
and people are looking for a reason besides "God wants it done." She burns down a forest
somewhere, and Dominic says, "Yesterday she saved a forest. Today she tears one down. She is mad
and must be restrained."
Paugh. They don't complain when Jean does something inconsistent, because they all think
he's smarter than any of them. Yet they can't recognize that milady has something better than brains
-- she's got inspiration. She's got brilliance. She has God chanting hymns in the back of her head,
and, frankly, Yves is the only one who can come close to understanding that. What do you know?
He's behind her actions one hundred freaking percent.
I've got a story, too. It's about a young angel named Parmashta. Gabriel set me on him one
day while I was cleaning my blade in Heaven. She said, "This is a complicated one. Take as long as
you need. But kill him, kill his soul, and do it clean."
When Gabriel says, "Take as long as you need," she means, "no dissonance if you're late,"
but she also means, "move very carefully and beware." So I scoped things out, first. I asked around
for information about Parmashta. I was real subtle, and said that I was supposed to get his help for
something -- I mean, there are only three reasons a Malakite looks for a stranger: to help them, to get
their help, or to put them out of their misery.
The picture didn't look good. Parmashta was a Cherub of David, in good standing, liked by
everybody and definitely liked by his boss. There were no obvious signs of cruelty in his actions,
even when I checked out his Role and tailed him for thirty days on Earth. He was also almost always
in the company of friends; he had his own little angel group, and the mortal insurgents under his
wing were pretty tough, for mortals.
I thought that if I knew what he was doing wrong, I could get his angel friends, at least, to
step out of the way. I mean, David's guys are supposed to cooperate with milady's servants, but
their duty to their own is normally a fair bit stronger. So, finally, frustrated, I sent a message to
milady and asked, "What in all the names of the saints has this guy done?"
Three words I got back. "I don't know." Real helpful.
So finally I did what I could. I appeared to him, and said we needed to talk, and drew him
aside. Then I set my hands aflame and shoved one hand against his face. I hoped the pain would
make him abandon the Vessel and make a run for it.
His friends had followed me. Parmashta was badly burned, but a Song of Healing took care
of that, and the Servitors of Stone had me hauled up before the Inquisition. I tried to defend myself, I
tried real hard, but I really didn't have any case or any justification besides "Milady said ..."
In the end, I wound up seeing Dominic himself, and he considered the question of what to do
with me for a long time. Then he spoke, and his words were somewhat kinder than I had expected
them to be.
"It is in an angel's nature to abide by the commands of her Superior. It is even in an angel's
nature to defend her Superior without explicit commands. This is the celestial order, and Heaven
could not function as it does without it. The question, therefore, is when an angel can be expected to
rise above her loyalty to a single Word and serve the more general cause of God.
"The answer is not 'always.' The Words of the Archangels -- and other Words with Servitors
-- align the servants of Heaven with certain perspectives. Angels must align themselves with these
perspectives, or there will be no balance or sanity in Heaven's efforts. A mishmash of angels all
trying to serve their picture of what God wants would produce a cacophany of conflicting interests
similar to that found in Hell -- a microcosm, a far lesser disorder, but similar nevertheless.
"It is for this reason, I believe, that God chose to defend Michael from Judgment -- because
his perspective, prideful as it may be, provides Heaven's efforts with a certain balance. It is for this
reason that I find Gabriel's actions to be dangerous -- she has no sense of balance or fixed
perspective. I cannot in all justice destroy you for obedience to things as they must be.
"However, an angel is expected to have a sense of judgment herself. There are lines that
should never be crossed. There are lines even the most bloody-handed Servitors of War and the most
disgusted Servitors of Judgment may not cross. Attempting to execute an angel of the lord without
good cause, even on an Archangel's say-so, is unacceptable. Therefore, I pronounce sentence: you
shall be imprisoned until such time as you accept that your actions were wrong, or until Gabriel can
provide a genuine justification for your actions. I am aware that as a Malakite you are unlikely to
recant, and I am sad that this is so.
"Are there any here who would challenge this judgment?"
Of course, there was nobody. Unless you understand that milady has wisdom greater than
any other, the judgment would seem impeccably fair. I resolved never to give in, but was not so
foolish as to swear to it.
Eighty years later, Dominic came in person to let me out of my cell. He said nothing, and his
eyes didn't want to say anything, so I just returned to milady's cathedral and went back to polishing
my sword.
Apparently, at some point, Parmashta Fell, and he was now one of the more effective Barons
of Malphas. He has ruined so many lives with his cruelty and ill manners since that time -- well,
almost uncountable numbers of them. He is a Duke, now. Perhaps some day he will be a Prince. I
could have stopped him, I guess. I failed. But I tried.
As I cleaned my blade and removed the rust, milady came by and said, "I've got another
tough one for you ..."
The Kyriotate's Story (as told by Olympas,
Kyriotate of Fire, Seraph-Rank Swimmer)
I am a mirror. I have no shape of my own, but I reflect what is shown to me. God shows me
love, so I love him. Humans who treat me kindly see kindness in return. Those who love pain see
pain in the mirror, and then it reaches out from the mirror and pours itself onto them. It's my job. I
like to wander through police stations and factories and FBI centers and the houses of the rich,
because when I find someone cruel there, they are doing genuine harm to the world. I will explain to
them why their luck is about to take a sudden turn downwards, and then I destroy them.
It's trivial, really. An IRS audit is easy to arrange. Their credit cards can be maxed out. An
error in a bank computer somewhere can result in foreclosure or the sudden disappearance of their
account. All of a policeman's fellow officers can give signed testimony to the man's illegal
activities. Their car insurance can be cancelled for nonpayment and then I can smash their car into
pieces. Private investigators will photograph them engaging in infidelity -- what is Celestial Form
for, after all? There are a hundred thousand ways to ruin someone's life, and they'll never
get anyone to believe that it was all a big conspiracy against them. Particularly not when their prints
are found on a murder weapon. (No, I don't mean that I murder some random person. I possess
someone in the police lab. I don't need to know forensics -- I understand the computers that they use
to check out fingerprints. It's all very elegant, really.)
The specific techniques are modern, but the general ideas aren't. If anything, it was
easier in the old days. A few people "hear" them speaking against the Church, or a noble,
or accuse them of witchcraft -- boom. The classic soldier shanghai is good if you can get a few army
types really angry. Life just sucks when you get a mirror mad at you, I guess.
Sometimes, I have to be more delicate.
I was in a psychiatric ward once, looking for targets. Stories to the contrary, most of the
nurses and doctors and such are good people. The ones that aren't, though, really need to
feel the fire. One or two of them in every ten institutions I visit, usually in the same place. I was
wandering around in this nurse's body and I peeked in one of the rooms and saw this patient. He lay
curled up on the bed, his eyes open and staring, his whole body quiet. In an instant, I knew that he
was cruel beyond imagining.
He was a patient. And clearly insane. It was the first time I had identified someone
with a legitimate, non-criminal insanity as cruel. Normally, a genuine psychotic sociopath isn't
really cruel even if they like tearing the arms off little children -- they should be killed, or locked up,
but punishing them isn't necessary. It wouldn't be fair, and it wouldn't affect their actions
in the slightest.
Still, the evidence was there. The Symphony around him shook with his cruelty.
The other problem with the insane, if they're in an institution, is that there aren't all that
many ways to wreck their lives. Possessing the med nurse and skimping them on their pills is likely
to get the med nurse fired; people check on these things. Possessing a doctor and getting
them released just doesn't work; there are tons of checks and balances. You're pretty much reduced
to borrowing another patient's body and hurting them physically.
I wasn't sure even that would work, in this case. So I carefully shut the door,
walked over to him, and punched him with full celestial strength in the stomach.
His breath whooshed out, and he gulped and curled up tighter, but other than that, he didn't
move. The guy was completely dissociated from reality. I dunno. An autistic, or someone with real
severe brain damage, or someone in a borderline coma. It didn't matter. What did matter is that I
was going to become as Discordant as the Devil himself if I didn't figure out a way to hurt him, and
hurt him badly.
I Ascended. I went to Sol and begged him for his help. And he was kind.
He opened his closet and spent a few moments hunting through the vast morass of things he
kept there, and then he handed me a translucent glove. "It contains a Song of Dreams," he said. "A
strong one. Return it to me when you are done."
So I went back down to the hospital, and poured myself into the guy's dreams.
He dreamed of an endless, shuffling line of hopeless souls, and as each approached his
throne, he cursed it: this one he gave a hump upon his back, this one's eyes he shattered, this one's
leg he broke, this one he transformed into a scurrying thing, this one he burned. And I saw that in
this dream was power, and I flew to his throne and demanded in the name of Heaven's glory,
"Why do you do this thing?"
He said, softly, "When I first came to myself in this hollow land, after many, many dreams, I
commanded that there be happy things. I filled my world with unicorns and meadows and children
playing. I filled it with music and with the scent of apples. But in time I grew tired of that, and chose
instead that there be passion and glory: the night sky full of exploding stars, buildings as tall as
mountains, and day after day entwined with lovers upon my cavernous bed. Then I tried to recreate
the world I came from, but I failed; the complexity was too much for me. I experimented with pain,
torturing myself endlessly, but it was unsatisfying as well."
"So you chose this horror instead?"
"There are limits to pleasure," he said, "and there are limits to joy, but the satisfaction of
brutality can go on forever. I do not grow bored, for when I grow restless, I take it out on one of
them. And in the meantime, I indulge my creativity and revel in my superiority to these lesser
beings."
"I am here to do you Heaven's justice," I said, and he held up a hand and laughed.
"Here," he said, "I am God, and I make Heaven. You are from the world where I
was born?" He smiled. "Where God has not yet completely abandoned virtue? You are powerless
here -- and what punishment could you give me that I have not already suffered in full measure, by
my own will?"
And I raised my hand to scourge him but he flung out his fist and I grew nauseous and weak.
I tried to summon a Song, when he smiled coldly and everything went black. It was only the
eventual end of the Song of Dreams that kept me alive.
I did not understand how the things in his dream could matter in God's eyes, and I did not
understand how he had so much power there. Perhaps every comatose or autistic man is a God in
their own little piece of the Marches. But I knew what to do.
I brought in a friend with the Corporeal Song of Healing and gave her all my Essence.
I woke the bastard up. I tore away his Godhead. And, frankly, I'm not sure it was
enough.
The Mercurian's Story (as told byAaron,
Mercurian Vassal of Fire, Confessor)
The Lady of Fire gives us a fine deal. She requires that we help people, and that's it. I mean,
sure, we're supposed to focus on the people who are hard on themselves, but we generally have free
license to, well, be angels. Friends to a troubled humanity.
Let me warn you, though, that there is one catch. It's a small catch, it happens maybe once a
year. It works like this: when you work for Fire, it's your job to keep someone from hurting
themselves. And sometimes they deserve to be hurt. And it's just weaseling around your
Word to call in some other Choir to hurt them for you. It's the sort of thing that doesn't get you
dissonance but makes it much more likely that when you do, you'll get hit hard.
Trust me. I've seen it happen.
There was a King, long ago. His name was Artus Dux Bellorum -- more or less. He was a
good man. He achieved his Destiny, but he didn't know that. Like all good people, he was afraid
that his life would serve Hell more than Heaven. And a demon of Kronos came to him and said, "I
have seen your Fate, Artus. Everything you have built, everything good for which you will be
remembered, will be destroyed by your son, who is born this day."
Artus' wife was not pregnant, but he had slept with many women. The demon could have
been telling the truth.
And Artus had every child born that day (or near it) in his Kingdom killed.
Some poor Mercurian of Fire got to sit with him nearly every day for the rest of his life and
convince him not to tear his own heart out for what he had done. It was necessary. His Destiny was
important, and some of it could still be saved. He was crucial.
And some poor Mercurian had to tell him, over and over again, "It was okay. You did what
you had to do. Forgive yourself. You killed the children, but it was in God's name. Forgive yourself.
Move on."
And then, when he was done for the day, and Artus was asleep, that Mercurian would come
out by the stream and scratch his wrists with his fingernails until they bled. And then he would come
to me, and cry on my shoulder, through the rest of the night. And then he went back. Again and
again.
Ever since then, I've made sure to make a few mistakes. I wouldn't want to be ... trusted that
much. Ever. It was bad enough just to know it was happening.
There's no such thing as a free lunch.
Sorry.
Seraphim
For the most part, Seraphim who serve Fire have no difficulty reconciling their two natures.
The inharmonious sound of a lie and the clangor around their targets are much the same. This may
reflect a universal truth, or it may just be Gabriel's will. Many of these Seraphim hold the philosophical belief that they
are the tempering fire, which burns out imperfections and makes the Truth of the Symphony even
more beautiful. In this, they resemble Servitors of Stone, and David's children get along with them
famously. Even the traditional arrogance of the Seraphim can be overcome by their sheer delight in
an entire Archangelic Word dedicated to their specific approach to Fire.
Some Seraphim of Fire approach their two duties from the other side. These Seraphim argue
that denying someone the truth is cruelty, and necessarily causes them pain and hardship. Each lie a
person hears and does not recognize as a lie distances them from the true Symphony. This is very
like damning them, and there is nothing that infuriates an angel more than an undeserved damnation.
The one truth that must be concealed, the existence of celestials, bothers them greatly. In such cases,
when the truth cannot be shared, these Seraphim do not deceive mortals with half-truths, sarcasm
and evasions; they will refuse to answer, or go stonily silent.
Seraphim generally refer to Gabriel as "my mistress Gabriel" or "the Archangel of Fire,"
and address her to her face as "Gabriel." Omitting the honorific when speaking to her suggests that
Gabriel herself is more important than her relationship to the Seraph or her rank as Archangel -- at
least, to the Seraphic mind.
Seraphim high in Gabriel's regard sometimes manifest a halo of fire in their celestial form; it
shines brightest when they look forward, and it hangs above the arch of their neck. Even the
Seraphim not so blessed think highly of themselves. On Earth, however, where most Servitors of
Fire want to be, their nobility can be a bit frayed -- Gabriel simply cannot spare other Earthly angels
from their assignments to act as a mid-ranked Seraph's staff. Depending on the assignment, her
Seraphim may even have to apply direct corporeal force with their Vessel's own hands. It's very
undignified.
For an example of why this might be necessary, consider a drug dealer. While Seraphim of
Fire can be directed against politicians, cops on the 'take', fences, CEOs of environmentally
destructive organizations, and many other things, drug dealers are one of their most common
opponents -- because there are many people who work for the narcotic empires of misery, and many
other forms of organized crime are dying out.
Seraphim prefer to punish their targets by destroying the key lies that keep their life
functioning. This means putting evidence of the person's misdeeds in the hands of either the press or
the police. In the case of that drug dealer, this is harder than it looks.
Remember that when an angel of Fire is on a case, there is a clock ticking. Every few days
that their target goes unpunished, the angel will earn a note of dissonance. That's bad. Finding the
truth is easy for Seraphim, but finding hard evidence can take weeks. In those weeks, the angel will
pick up a note or two of irredeemable Discord, assuming they don't just Fall. That's not the worst of
it, either. A major drug dealer can be caught, but they can also afford a very good lawyer. That
means that they can get out on bail. Then they either flee from justice, cop a bargain, or assemble an
airtight defense.
Has this drug dealer actually tasted the fire? Maybe. Maybe not.
Some Seraphim put together a team of Soldiers to do the bloody work for them when the
truth just isn't enough. Some -- admiringly called Torches by their non-Seraphic peers -- nail their
targets so fast and so hard that there's no room for squirming. A Torch's criminal targets never get
bail, or they get strangled by their cellmate before their lawyer arrives. A Torch's political targets
get to watch their career fall apart in a matter of hours. Most Seraphim of Fire, despite their
remarkably useful and destructive resonance, are not so clever. In the end, they attack many of their
targets with a Song or a sword.
Generating Seraphim of Fire (the easy way):
Even the most warlike of the Most Holy tend to uncover the truth, first. It's the weapon of their
Choir. If it's not enough to ruin their target, it'll always help, somehow. Maybe a threat of blackmail
can lure their target into an undefended position. Maybe public or police opprobrium will help the
Seraph get away with whatever they do next. For this reason, at least 3 Celestial Forces are
recommended, and at least 7 Perception. It helps put the nail in the coffin of the enemy to have a
4/3/2 division (in any order); the Seraph has the advantage of being the stalker, and can play to their
own strengths and away from their weaknesses.
For Resources, buying Charisma for the angel's primary Vessel is a very wise choice. The
angel is going to have to pry around in some dangerous areas, and it keeps things simple all around
if most people naturally like them. Roles (particularly journalist, policeman, and politician Roles)
are very useful -- bearing in mind that many Seraphim consider Roles offensive. A Soldier servant to
do the dirty work is more of a style choice than anything else; for the same cost, the angel can be a
significantly more effective combatant themselves. A Reliever or two can be even more stylish, and
they make remarkable spies and scouts when digging out mortal corruption.
The Song of Attraction is useful for any Servitor of Fire -- in fact, it's close to essential.
Bumping into someone in a crowd can almost always be arranged, and then you don't have to
follow your target directly. The Song of Possession is also extremely useful for getting someone into
mortal trouble, and it is the secret weapon of most of the Torches. A Seraph using a cruel man's body
can confess (in the third person) to the crimes that that man has committed, once the Seraph has
discovered those crimes. He can also dive off of a pier or run into a burning building -- but that kind
of ending usually lacks poetry and disturbs Seraphim. Other Songs and skills vary wildly.
Thoughts on the other Choirs of Fire:
Cherubim: Treason is something we, too, detest. I find some of their philosophy
disturbing; some of them seem to embrace the cruel as an appropriate part of the Symphony. If even
the cruel are worthy of love, then why is there punishment? I cannot accuse the Cherubim of
neglecting their duty, however; they do not forget to enact the vengeance of God.
Ofanim: Their dedication seems as simple as our own. For this, they should be
commended.
Elohim: It is fitting that they should address a ticklish and very subjective form of cruelty.
We can see a material profit, or a spiritual lie; we would be hard put to unravel the sick emotional
tortures and gratifications that some humans involve themselves in. I regret that they cannot find real
satisfaction in their work, but they seem to cope nevertheless.
Malakim: The Malakim of Fire are much like any other kind of Malakim. The truths of a
Malakite's life seem to be honor and battle, and my mistress Gabriel's Malakim lack neither.
Kyriotates: I find the Kyriotates just short of incomprehensible, but they are admirably
suited for this work. We could handle their jobs, and they ours, but distinctions and classifications
and organization are all useful things.
Mercurians: I have been assured that the cruelty they fight is as real as the malignance
we uncover. It was true. What more need be said?
Cherubim
Cherubim are the incarnation of divine love. A Cherub who works for Fire brings that love
to their work, in one form or another. Gabriel has created them to do a Cherub's work, after all.
Divine love can take many forms. A Cherub may love their target's victims. This gives them
divine fury, which appalls Elohim and pleases Gabriel. As demons know, it's never a good idea to
get a Cherub genuinely angry; they can be singleminded stalkers and vengeful torturers and still
never come close to Falling. Making a Cherub of Fire mad is an even stupider idea,
because they have license to hurt and a good deal of practice doing so.
A Cherub can, instead or also, love some part of their work. There can be a beauty in certain
kinds of punishment. The two most emulated and admired Fire Cherubim, in this respect, are the
Angel of Poetic Justice and the Angel of Extreme Censure. Cherubim who serve under or respect the
Angel of Poetic Justice will labor harder than any others to precisely balance punishment and crime.
Cherubim who admire Extreme Censure are assigned to dispose of the unredeemably malignant. As
the Angel herself explains it, "I represent the unfair, unusual, and excessive punishments that
discourage humans from hatred. The most despicable people will think twice about sin when they
have seen my handiwork, and the most fastidious moralists will be unable to hate my victims when I
am done. I have made the parents of murdered children feel sorry for the murderer, and I think that's
pretty darn Godly."
Many Cherubim love their targets. Some of the reasons for this were mentioned in the
Cherub's Story, but they all boil down to this: their love brings divine grace into the lives of those
they punish. The Habbalah find this approach to punishment noxious.
Cherubim generally refer to Gabriel as "M'lady Bright," "milady," or "the Bright One."
The first of these terms has become more popular over the last several centuries. How they address
her in person varies, but they have an affinity for courtly manners. The most important Cherubim in
Gabriel's service are usually assigned to Tethers (as guardians) or to particularly troublesome cases
-- like the more powerful demons. These are both honors of a high order, and a single such
assignment will do wonders for a Cherub's reputation.
Cherubim in service to Fire prefer to isolate their targets, removing the trust from their lives -- the trust they have in other people, and the trust that other people have in them. This is not always
easy, but the Cherubim have one powerful advantage: they have mastered sincerity. Their lives are
built on devotion and singleminded focus, and when they tell someone that their target is a
treacherous, vile beast, they are often believed.
Once the target is isolated and alone, a Cherub of Fire will strike. Bare hands or claws are a
favorite weapon, and so is sheer terror. As Guardians, they prefer non-lethal measures, but have no
compunctions about giving their target a few months in the hospital (without visitors) and a lifetime
full of fear. These things are statistical trends, of course; there are targets who must be killed and
there are Cherubim who cherish their sniper rifles and explosive rounds.
Gabriel's Cherubim make devoted friends, like all members of their Choir. They will defend
Heaven and any of its goals -- with their life, if need be. This doesn't mean that they're
nice about it. Their modus operandus, in serving the world they love, is burning out the
darker places with Heaven's wrath. Often, they apply this same technique in helping their friends.
Lectures, forcible restraint, object lessons, and apparent callousness are all tools they will use to
'help' their friends achieve perfection. Unlike the Fallen, they always have the good of their friends
at heart -- but this can be well-hidden. Not all of these Cherubim are ruthless, but it's a common
trait.
Generating Cherubim of Fire (the easy way):
Perception and the Cherub resonance aren't necessarily helpful for the duties of a Cherub of
Fire. On the other hand, a high Perception is useful for Cherubs with Emote/6. It's also handy for those who wish to
use the expanded resonance abilities in the Angelic Player's Guide. Therefore, while a Cherub who
skimps on their Celestial Forces is a viable character, many have their full complement of 3 such
Forces. As with Seraphim, a slightly uneven distribution of Forces can be useful -- the Cherubim also are proactive instead of reactive.
For Resources, a Role with high Status is useful. Meddling in the lives of "ordinary citizens"
becomes a lot easier when there can be no implication of improper motivations. A public, respected
figure can ruin the life of the target; then, the angel can switch Vessels to enact a more physical
rebuke. Servants are not recommended; Cherubim tend to become attached to them, which limits
their utility.
No matter what style of punishment the Cherub prefers, persuasive skills are among the most
useful. These include Emote, Fast-Talk, and Savoir-Faire -- even Artistry and Lying. Skills like
these help isolate a target, and more importantly they help the Cherub work without interference.
They are also crucial to the Cherubim who admire poetic justice; arranging the perfect revenge
usually takes cooperation or manipulation. Combat skills are ubiquitous but are usually taken at
lower levels; Fighting and Ranged Weapons (Revolver or Rifle) are the most common. Some
miscellaneous skills that can be useful for setting a target up include Computer Operation,
Chemistry/Medicine, Electronics, and Seduction. A Cherub of Fire often specializes in one or two of
these.
Songs are only really necessary if the Cherub wants to cultivate a sense of isolation in their
target. This is the proper reward for a betrayer, and some common Cherub tricks include:
Thoughts on other Choirs of Fire:
Seraphim: I'm not sure they understand the difference between cruelty and the cruel.
Their targets are terrible people, who deserve to be scourged -- but each of them has a Destiny as
well as a Fate. (So do ours, at that.) Be very careful trying to correct the Seraphim; it is
when they lose their natural confidence in themselves that they Fall.
Ofanim: Ofanim of Fire are focused, at least when they're on assignment. In this, they are
more like Cherubim than the average Wheel. Their methodology is slipshod and haphazard, of
course, but they do a good job on some real difficult cases. Some of them never change; some of
them do so constantly. Before working with one, find out which kind they are.
Elohim: The Elohim who serve M'lady Bright are under terrible stress. Insist that they do
a few things to relax now and then; they'll do it on your behalf if not on their own. Personally, I
recommend water parks, if only because it is fun to see an Elohite in a bathing suit. Pizza is
also good.
Malakim: There is something hollow to honor, I think, compared to love -- maybe it's just
that when you serve Wrath, honor is too easy. Not that I don't respect the Malakim of
M'lady Bright; I just fear for them. I don't know what there is to fear; they're too tough to die and
they never ever Fall. -- but maybe that's why I am afraid.
Kyriotates: I do not really understand the Dominations, but they are remarkably well
suited to this line of work. In terms of capability, at least; I suspect that the more human Choirs are
more troubled by what we must do to humanity.
Mercurians: They do what we would love to do, but cannot. I am certain that they are the
key to the war, if they can be taught focus.
Ofanim
An Ofanite in service to Fire almost certainly metes out one of three forms of justice,
depending on the Ofanite and the case. Other forms of rightful vengeance exist, but they don't come
up as often in the training manuals.
Inevitable Judgment is the punishment that their victim is trying to run from.
Inflicting inevitable judgment normally involves delivering the fugitive to the police. Since the
fugitive will then be imprisoned, most Ofanim consider this form of justice boring to implement and
horrifying to contemplate. It does have the virtue of simplicity, however, when the Ofanite has other
things on their mind.
Judgment by Fire is a literal execution of Gabriel's Word, immolating, exploding,
or melting the Ofanite's victim. All Ofanim of Fire are in love with the flames; not only are they
made of celestial fire, but their Archangel is made of celestial fire, their Word is Fire, and they never
take damage from any blaze. Immunity to fire comes in especially handy in these judgments,
because the angel can bodily drag their victim into an inferno. It's a horrible way to die, but these
Ofanim are incapable of appreciating how horrible it is -- after all, what they feel in a fire is
a light tickling sensation.
Judgment by Fear is the most poetic kind. Since their assigned victim is afraid to
face justice, the Ofanite decides that the victim's fear will consume them. The angel might chase
their prey until the fugitive can run no longer. Every time the victim rests, or hides, or eats, or
drinks, or uses the bathroom, the angel will roust them out and force them back onto the road. An
Ofanite isn't very good at the kind of relentless, calm stalking that really gets fear going, but
appearing out of nowhere to Smite their victims every time their victim stops is frightening enough.
Sometimes, a particularly calm Ofanite will meet up with their victim under false pretenses, pretend
to be an ally and a traveling companion, and use words alone to convince the fugitive that no place
is safe. The best part of this particular tactic is that sometimes the Ofanite will get to be in the
driver's seat of the fugitive's car. Ofanite drivers scare even their fellow angels; they love taking advantage of the terror they can induce, telling
their victim that they're being followed and then going for an all-out wild ride. The worst
that can happen is a car accident, and if that seems likely they can always go celestial or dive out of
the car with a resonance-enhanced agility roll.
Ofanim generally refer to Gabriel as "Gabriel" -- she's a Choirmate, after all. If they made a
mess of a recent assignment, however, they will go with the generally accepted "Bright One" or
"Sir!" Most Ofanim of Fire consider tours of duty in the Citadel of Fire plum jobs, because they get
to roll around and play while fulfilling an important function in the middle of a really fiery place.
Other marks of status include the dubious honor of helping Dominic chase down fugitives, the less
dubious honor of hunting down criminal demons, and a long audience with Gabriel during
one of her clear-headed phases. Distinctions and big assignment rewards also, as usual, merit
respect. The greatest honor that Gabriel can give any Ofanite is selecting that Ofanite to contribute a
Force to a new "child." This indicates that Gabriel believes there is something in that Ofanite that
she must have more of. Sadly, one consequence of this policy is that Gabriel is likely to
consider a request for a child as sheerest hubris, even if the other angel involved is beyond reproach.
Under normal circumstances, she will replace the Force she takes for a child with a clean one drawn
from the purest notes of the Symphony.
For most Ofanim of Fire, the "hunt" is a glorious thing, one of the purest kinds of motion. As
long as their target is ahead of them, they will usually experience a complete and manic focus -- the
reference frame within which they move is defined by their target. When not actively "in the chase,"
they can be quite social; pain and hardship make little impression on these irrepressable angels, and
most of them live their lives in a state of joy.
Generating Ofanim of Fire (the easy way):
Most Fire Ofanim have 3-4 Corporeal Forces, 2-3 Ethereal Forces, and 3-4 Celestial Forces.
Even for Ofanim, they have high Agilities -- Gabriel feels the dissonance of her servitors as if it was
her own, and she's not stupid. Every time one of her Ofanim fails a resonance-enhanced Agility roll,
she hurts. Why go through that? Similarly, if the GM is using the rules from the Angelic Player's
Guide, these Ofanim will have high Precisions. A high Perception, of course, is good for any
Ofanite, and a high Will is useful for anyone.
For handling their traditional duties, multiple Vessels do these Ofanim little good. Charisma
is next to useless, and most Roles are hard to maintain. The "bounty hunter" Role, on the other
hand, suits their duties perfectly. Servants would be useful, except for the fact that they can't
keep up. Predicting where they will need a servant, in advance, is not a common ability among Ofanim.
Circus-style acrobatics doesn't come up very much in the hunt, but many Fire Ofanim have
the Acrobatics skill anyway. They use it for action movie-style stunts: skidding down the rail of an
escalator their victim is descending, rolling through a closing metro door, getting into a moving car
from the outside, even (on an extremely good check digit) running on the heads of a crowd.
Tracking, Driving, and a weapon skill are almost invariable, and Climbing and Swimming are
highly recommended. Like all Ofanim, Fire Ofanim usually have Dodge and Escape.
Songs of Motion are common, and can assist with the trickier acrobatic stunts. Numinous
Corpus are very handy for Judgment by Fear -- Tongue is the most useful, but Horns and Claws are
the most common. This is the complete complement of Songs for an average Ofanite of Fire, but
some of them swear by Corporeal Shields.
Thoughts on other Choirs of Fire:
Seraphim: We make a great team -- they get someone on the run and we run them to the
ground. This isn't technically how it's supposed to work, but usually putting one of us on the trail of
"the one who got away" keeps the Most Holy from getting dissonant. Seraphim are stuffy, of course, but
the Seraphim of Gabriel aren't afraid to get their hands a little bit dirty!
Cherubim: Wow. Walk on eggshells around these guys, or run on eggshells if you must -- they've done some kind of weird transference thingie with their natural urge to love and an
unnatural urge to, well, scourge. Good guys underneath it all, though.
Elohim: Elohim of Gabriel cultivate an inner stillness -- unable to like their targets
without hurting, and unable to dislike their targets without Falling. This is really unfortunate,
because it's the inner life that makes most Elohim so fascinating.
Malakim: Often, when one of us is having trouble, Sol or Gabriel will assign one of them
to help out. And they're great, and all, but I sort of wish it was the Seraphim that Fire had
"on call."
Kyriotates: I think they might be a little cruel themselves.
Mercurians: For the most part, leaving aside individual friendships and conflicts, we
don't interact. It's very rare that someone will press charges against themselves for excess self-mortification, and it's even rarer that they'll then skip town to get away from the long arm of the law.
They're good to talk to when you're feeling confused about something, though.
Elohim
Elohim who doubt their place in the universe sometimes spend a few weeks working for Fire
to ground themselves once more in who they are. They come to understand the emotionally cruel
and the horribly manipulative. They watch and see how insight into human motivations is the most
destructive and abhorrent weapon of all. Without their divine gift -- the ability to distance
themselves and become almost objective -- they themselves would be worse than those they punish.
They see that this is true. As a mortal once put it, "There, but for the grace of God, go I."
When the Elohite has finished studying the depths of their target's evil, they strike. It is an
emotional purgative and an objective victory for God. A few weeks of this and they are cleansed,
certain, and ready to go back to their own Superior's work.
To a lesser degree, this is the mindset of Fire's permanent Servitors as well -- they are doing
for humanity what God has done for them. They are teaching humans not to abuse their insight, just
as Kyriotates of Fire teach humans not to abuse their physical strength. Because these are Elohim,
they are subtle; they almost never maul their victims with an axe or arrest them on false charges. For
one thing, "don't play with people's heads or you'll get your hands chopped off" isn't a convincing
moral. The average human won't connect cause and effect, even when it's explained to them.
An ideal punishment, in an Elohite's eyes, is to push their target to the brink of despair. If the
target cannot be redeemed, then their life will become fundamentally empty. They will be stripped of
dreams and hopes and loves and desires. This is a form of punishment that everyone understands;
many humans feel instinctively that this is the natural end for anyone who engages in
social and psychological cruelty. If the target can be redeemed, then the Elohite will hold out a hand
to catch them as they teeter on the brink of emotional ruin. Seeing and understanding their Fate is a
harsh punishment even if they don't fall into it.
The foremost tool of an Elohite of Fire is their resonance, usually combined with a few
persuasive skills. An experienced Elohite knows exactly how to ruin a person's dreams, how to strip
them of hope and identity and love and all those good things. They know the precise amount of
pressure to apply and often their target will think of them as a new-found friend. If these Elohim
enjoyed their work, they would be their own targets -- but they do not. Everything they do is for the
good of humanity.
Elohim of Fire take one further step, on behalf of the victims of their targets. Using their
careful objectivity, their insight into their targets, and their resonance, they work to undo the damage
their target has done. Carefully, they will buoy the spirits of those around their target, and armor
them against vile insinuations and mind games. In this manner, they can remove the blotch on the
Symphony that their target's cruelty left behind.
Elohim usually refer to Gabriel as "the Fire." While this implies that Gabriel the person is
almost meaningless next to Gabriel the Archangel, she doesn't mind -- from an Elohite, that's a
compliment. Signs of favor are usually understated decorations, which manifest also in celestial
form: relic armbands, holy weapons and their scabbards, rings set not with rubies but with flames,
and the Cycle Mark, a tiny circle of heatless fire that hangs before their chest just below their right
shoulder. These are not, of course, "rewards" for the Elohite as much as signals that other Servitors
of Fire should respect them. Highly-regarded Elohim often acquire a handful of Reliever servants, to
take care of the smaller details of their lives and assignments.
Elohim of Fire are required to make value judgments. They decide the proper punishment
based on how much is deserved as well as how much is optimal. Because they do this kind of thing
in their daily lives, they are more able than most Elohim to accept the subjectivity inherent in
choosing certain people to be their friends. (Friendship, of course, is always unselfish.)
Generating Elohim of Fire (the easy way):
A typical Elohite of Fire has 2 Corporeal Forces, 3 Ethereal Forces, and 4 Celestial Forces.
Their primary weapon is a high Perception, which fuels their resonance and their social skills. A
high Intelligence is useful for the truly Machiavellian, and a high Precision is good for physical
punishments -- there's no reason to get up close and risk the Elohite's life. A high Will is also
important -- at the center of many webs of emotional cruelty and deceit are Balseraphs, Habbalah,
and Shedim.
Elohim involve themselves in other people's lives quite easily with or without Roles. When
they do take a Role, they are often negotiators (for various businesses), temp secretaries,
psychologists, marriage counselors, lawyers, journalists, students, or priests. A particularly useful
Role is that of a wealthy man; the lure of "sponsorship" can draw out the inner dreams and passions
of even the coldest-hearted human. Similarly, a proposition from a charismatic Vessel can be the
first step towards destroying anybody's life.
Fire Elohim are likely to have servants -- Relievers, Soldiers, contacts, even people whom
they have taught a "lesson" to. These may not have very high Resource levels; Elohim are excellent
at working with the tools they have. If their Soldier will not kill, or their Reliever hoards Essence
like gold, the Elohite is more likely to take this into account than to force a square peg into a round
hole.
Like Cherubim, Fire Elohim can benefit greatly from social skills. Particular favorites are
Detect Lies, Emote, Fast-Talk, Lying, and Savoir-Faire. Knowledges are also popular, to help them
make real connections with their targets: knowledge of various arts, sports, investment strategies,
psychology, sociology, culture, salesmanship, law, medicine, gambling, management, fashion, or something else in this vein.
Artistry (Forgery), Chemistry, Medicine, and Tactics all can help with the first steps of an
assignment, and Tracking and combat skills are necessary on occasion.
The Ethereal Song of Attraction is a prized tool in any Fire Elohite's arsenal, as is Ethereal
Charm. Ethereal Entropy and Healing, the Song of Possession, and Ethereal Tongues are also
common. Fire Elohim who specialize in Songs sometimes have 4 Ethereal Forces instead of 4
Celestial Forces. While they spend more Essence than Elohim focusing on Skills, they are also
smarter; this makes them as effective as their more Celestial cousins.
Thoughts on other Choirs of Fire:
Seraphim: It is fitting that the masters of objective truth should address objective
exploitation, while we, who can perceive all subjective truths, address subjective exploitation. They
lack a certain ruthlessness, but this is arguably a positive trait.
Cherubim: The Cherubim of the Fire have a broader perspective than most Guardians.
To gain it, they have compromised a part of what makes them who they are. Help them maintain
their balance.
Ofanim: Their dedication is like our dedication, and their justice is like our justice --
adjusting for their different personalities and assignments. It is good that there is no escaping the
Fire's wrath.
Malakim: The Fire is wise enough to use brutal violence only when it is necessary. When
it is necessary, the Malakim of the Fire are very good at invoking it.
Kyriotates: Subtle manipulation is less effective on physical sadists; they tend to have
shallow dreams and can get emotional satisfaction easily. For this reason, the gross societal
manipulations of the Kyriotates are an excellent approach to the problems these cruel people
pose.
Mercurians: Someone must do their job. It is more important than our own. At the same
time, I find their role inconsistent with the nature of the Fire, and this is sad. They are not able to
properly appreciate the motivations of their peers and associates. For a Mercurian, this is tragic.
Malakim
To be a Malakite of Fire is to know exaltation. Gabriel's honor is unquestionable, and she
radiates the glory of the divine. Her angels serve as agents of punishment and violence, in the name
of wrath, justice, or necessity. Gabriel doesn't really care which, and a case can be made for any of
them. Most of Gabriel's angels fight human cruelty, but the Malakim are turned against demons as
often as not -- their duties, after all, are the "special" cases.
The Malakite resonance for honor means that Gabriel can send them into sticky or confusing
situations. No matter what politics, lies, dangers, traps, needs, and secrets stand in their way, they
always know two things: who their target is, and whom to trust. It is honor, after all, that makes a
human or an angel rise above the circumstances that drag them downwards. It is honor that can cut
through the webs of deception and malice. Malakim say that it is never wrong to trust in someone
with integrity; even if they betray you, it will be in the name of something greater. In a world of
Balseraphs, Habbalah, Lilim, and Shedim, this is not strictly true -- but it makes a fine saying.
Malakim of Fire are not just the warriors of the last resort. Many consider themselves to
have a higher calling: as servants of inspiration and fury, their job is to inspire the humans to fight
cruelty themselves. Some are shining soldiers, providing humanity with a powerful example of valor
and nobility. Some are charismatic leaders, focal points for resistance movements and vigilante
squadrons. Some are humble teachers. And some, the brashest of them all, are like Fire Ofanim:
action stars who help convince humans that anything is possible.
Demon-Slayer Malakim tend to fall into this last category. They pick a signature
style, such as an exotic martial art, explosives, or special gun tricks. Focusing their energies on
combat, and on this style, they are usually very good at it. It would be a mistake to think that they
lack personality or hobbies, however; Gabriel does not make boring Servitors. Famous Malakim
originally created as "demon hunters" include the Angel of Ethical Growth through Literature and
the Angel of Anti-Demonic Legislation. Their hobbies, as a writer and a lawyer respectively, were
what ultimately made them great -- although their collections of demon heads didn't hurt.
Anti-Balseraph Malakim are aimed specifically at known Balseraphs. Tools in
their arsenal include high-quality earplugs, Ethereal Shields, an enormous Will, and a deep
knowledge of human psychology. The key to handling a Balseraph's victims, these Malakim
believe, is making it easy for them to accept that they were wrong when they believed. In a pinch, knowing how to work
around the Balseraph's lies to make a person do something necessary is also useful.
Anti-Habbalite Malakim are targeted specifically at known Habbalah. They also
favor Ethereal Shields and high Wills, and they spend a good deal of time studying immobilization
techniques. Habbalah are notorious for using the humans around them as shields and weapons (via
Love and Fury, respectively.)
Anti-Shedite Malakim are the most numerous of the specialized Fire Malakim.
Shedim are surrounded by cruelty; it is an inherent part of their nature. They also require
specialized countermeasures. The most difficult part of the assignment, finding a Shedite,
is straightforward for Malakim of Fire -- they recognize their target, in or out of a host, on sight.
From there, they will either render the Shedite unconscious (as quickly as possible); trap it in the
host (using specialized artifacts and Songs); or trap it far away from other humans and kill its host.
It can then be soul-killed. If many Malakim are available to engage it in celestial combat, it doesn't even
have to be all that far from human civilization. Knockout drops are a favorite tool of these Malakim,
as are various incapacitating gasses. Unconscious or trapped Shedim are hauled to Tethers of
Gabriel for direct disposal.
The other Bands are not considered dangerous enough to train Malakim specifically to
combat them. Some general demon-slayer Malakim will take up a study of one particular kind, even the
celestially straightforward Calabim, as a hobby.
Simplification Malakim are the last specialized group of Fire Malakim. Their job is
removing complications -- any complications. They focus on persuasive abilities, stealth, and speed.
Their approach to a hostage situation is the same as their approach to a cruel politician with a vital
project. They gather force quickly, strike swiftly, and are gone by morning. (In the case of the
politician, "striking" would involve transferring the project to someone with a noble heart.) When
these Malakim are done, other angels can proceed with the business of God's wrath.
Malakim of Fire usually refer to Gabriel as "milady," whether or not she is present. Courtly
manners are as important to them as they are to the Cherubim. The higher a Malakite stands in
Gabriel's esteem, the more often they will be turned against the important enemies of Heaven -- not
always demons, but always monstrous. Striking a powerful blow for God, Gabriel understands, is a dear
thing to the Malakite soul. Sometimes, a Malakite she favors will have the faintest fireside glow
behind them, darkening their shadowy forms but touching their silhouette with light. (No matter
which side of them you're on, the light is behind them. They'd look silly otherwise.) She may give a
favored Malakite a touch of Heavenly glory in their mortal form, manifesting as Charisma. They
may be asked to light the beacon atop the Citadel of Fire when the Marches grow dark -- as happens
sometimes when Hell grows strong. This is considered a signal honor. As always, Distinctions, titles, and
Servitor Attunements are sometimes given as rewards.
Malakim of Fire, used to bailing out their fellow Servitors, can be a bit egotistical. The way
to their heart is to lead them away from discussions of demons and cruelty and into a discussion of
their personal hobbies. Whether they indulge themselves in law, philosophy, skiing, or chess, they
are much more likely to accept other angels as equals where their avocation is concerned.
Generating Malakim of Fire (the easy way):
A general-purpose Malakite of Fire is likely to divide their Forces evenly, and most of their
characteristics will be 6. They have to be ready for anything, after all. When they unbalance their
Forces, however, they are the most likely Choir to go all the way to a 5/2/2 division. This gives them
enormous physical, mental, or celestial abilities to suit their fighting style and general attitude
towards life. Any given characteristic can be useful to them.
Malakim of Fire very rarely indulge themselves in Roles. Even if they stay in a single city,
they are likely to be involved in a different kind of situation every week. Charisma is more of a perk
than a tool, but raw hits or a spare body can be worth their weight in gold. Some of them have access
to specialized artifacts -- bracelets that let them punch at 0 Power and 0 Accuracy, boomerangs that
explode on impact and then reassemble themselves, and the occasional completely unbreakable staff.
Many of them also have a few artifacts that give anyone a Skill/1 in something like Ranged Weapon
or Lying. This means that if they get partnered with an incompetent angel, that angel will still be a
genuine asset.
Fire Malakim are not fond of servants; they prefer to do their own dirty work, including the
cooking and cleaning. It's not virtuous to delegate this kind of thing to someone else when it's not
necessary, and when they don't have time for trivialities, they can forget about food and leave their
apartment a mess.
Popular skills for generalist and demon-slayer Malakim of Fire include:
Thoughts on other Choirs of Fire:
Seraphim: We respect them greatly because they have no fear and because God has set
them above us.
Cherubim: We appreciate the logic behind their approach -- both philosophical and
physical. We cannot help but feel that it is flawed, however. Divine love for evil is as fundamentally
... wrong ... as divine hatred for anything.
Ofanim: They could accomplish much more than we do, if they were willing to pay the
price. Instead, they must receive a command from Gabriel herself before they address any of the
evils in the world, and then they will do so as some kind of game. Ironically, their
assignments, their methods, and their results are much like our own, but their attitudes are
infuriating. It is hard to believe that milady herself is from this Choir -- but she is old, and wise, and
has spent much time in converse with God. Perhaps this is the difference, and in time all her Ofanim
will be like her.
Elohim: When one of their "targets" turns out to be a Habbalite, Balseraph, or an
accursed Shedite, they usually step back and allow us free rein. They have an admirable
appreciation for necessity, and I am glad I shall never be on the receiving end of their form
of "justice."
Kyriotates: They don't trust us very much. Still, a partnership with a Kyriotate can
produce some truly beautiful retribution.
Mercurians: Their role is frivolous and meaningless. It is self-reproach that keeps
humans honest.
Kyriotates
Unlike most other Choirs of Fire, the Kyriotates are not implicitly opposed to the kind of
cruelty they target. Dominations are the Heavenly embodiment of unity, but sadism is not inherently
divisive. Dominations are the embodiment of multiplicity, but the physically cruel are not required
to act alone. The commonly accepted reason why the Hives have been chosen to punish the sadistic
is that Dominations can receive dissonance from being hurt. The risk of dissonance, if not the
dissonance itself, comes simultaneously with the moment of pain. Therefore, Kyriotates hate
physical suffering more than any other Choir. A more metaphysical reason, posited by some, is that
the Kyriotates represent the forces of Heaven, acting together, while the sadistic represent Hell made
corporeal. It'd be a fine theory if anyone believed that Gabriel thought in those terms.
Kyriotates cannot punish pain with pain -- at least, not very easily. Using a human or animal
host to beat someone up (or, worse, torture them) can conceivably lead to the imprisonment or death
of their host. If even a significant possibility of this exists when they leave their host, the Kyriotate will
become dissonant. Sometimes, they will skirt dissonance by using one target against another -- using
the body of one thoroughly sadistic sociopath to punish another, relying on the fact that the police
were going to catch up to their host eventually anyway. This has the same sort of pleasing poetry to
it that most Choirs of Fire strive for -- and anyone watching will only see disunity among the
cruel.
Dominations who wish to avoid the risk of dissonance completely take a different approach.
Everyone in a modern society depends on everyone else. These connections are easy to break, and
once banks, credit institutions, insurance companies, places of employment, telephone companies,
electric companies, landlords, and so forth stop recognizing the target's existence or viability, their
life will go downhill fast. A few accusations of minor crimes from reputable sources can follow, if
something more is necessary, and there are plenty of ways to remotely make someone real
unpopular in prison. All of these things can be arranged from the right hosts.
Some of the other Choirs of Fire worry about the Kyriotates. Fire Kyriotates take an almost
human joy in ruining someone's life -- which is not that far away from a Shedite's emotions. These
Dominations know that they have a notable chance of losing their divine perspective, and if they do,
they will Fall. Again like a human, they have become a little bit defensive about it. For some
Kyriotates, the joy in Fire comes from the grand game of it all. It's like some kind of divine chess
match, where their targets (having flunked the test of life) don't get told the rules. Many Kyriotates
who don't really see things that way claim to -- it's a lot simpler than defending their right to hate
the cruel. Other Choirs of Fire may feel a satisfaction like the Kyriotates', but they are nobler and more divine
and less likely to suffer reproach.
Fire Kyriotates rarely meddle in the lives of those their targets have hurt. The one nice thing
about physical pain, they will explain, is that it is transitory. Only when dealing with a truly twisted
target, whose attentions might leave their victims fearful for decades, do they try and undo their
target's actions -- and then, usually, by contacting a Servitor of Flowers. One flaw they rarely have
is arrogance, and they know that curing the wounded is not their specialty.
Kyriotates refer to Gabriel as "Lady of the Fires," or "Lady" for short. "Fire," "Gabriel,"
and "Milady" are also reasonably common. The reasoning of the first Kyriotate to use "Lady of the
Fires" was that Gabriel's nicest trait was that she represented all fires, everywhere, simultaneously.
Most others tend to agree. Gabriel generally honors her Kyriotates by strengthening their souls
(including the Corporeal and Ethereal aspects thereof). Other portable gifts include Reliever servants
and artifacts that have the +4 artifact limitation, "Follows the Kyriotate between hosts."
Kyriotates of Fire are somewhat detached from other beings; either they treat humans and
even celestials as abstract entities -- pieces in that "chess match" -- or they are intimately involved
with the punishments they mete out. In the latter case, a bit of emotional distance from other angels is necessary, so
that they can hide their own cruelty -- and avoid seeing hidden darknesses, real or no, in other
angels' souls.
Generating Kyriotates of Fire (the easy way):
Kyriotates of Fire commonly specialize in Celestial or Ethereal Forces, as befits their usual
approach to punishment. The mystical Perception of an angel is rarely useful to them, as they do not
deal with demons directly; instead, they focus on Will. A high level of Intelligence, particularly coupled with
Computer abilities or slick Lying, can make their job almost trivial -- and no one has ever
complained of being too intelligent.
Kyriotates of Fire, like most Kyriotates, find Roles relatively useless, and they cannot inhabit
Vessels. As mentioned above, Gabriel will sometimes reward them with artifacts that can travel as
swiftly as their points of view. They favor both Reliever and Soldier Servants, mostly for access to
Skills they don't themselves possess.
For Kyriotates who attack a person's place in the world, the most common skills are
Computer Operation, Fast-Talk, Knowledge: Data Management/Secretarial, and Lying. Some round
this list out with Detect Lies, Emote, Lockpicking, Savoir-Faire, or Seduction. Kyriotates who prefer
a more direct approach often have high levels of Chemistry -- the right drugs, followed by the right
suggestions, can make a terrifying punishment for anyone, as well as a walk through Hell that
doesn't compromise celestial secrecy. More bloody or esoteric specialties are, of course,
possible.
Their favorite Songs are Celestial Form, to protect their hosts from retribution, and
Numinous Corpus of various sorts. Some of them keep a Song of Thunder around in case of
emergencies.
Thoughts on other Choirs of Fire:
Seraphim: They are unequipped to handle the mortal world. They are given simple
assignments, admirably suited to their gifts, and still they mess up constantly. They are beautiful and
noble, but perhaps they should retreat to the sidelines of the War?
Cherubim: Cherubim in general tend to focus too much, tend to love too hard -- but the
Cherubim of the Lady of the Fires take this to ridiculous lengths. Some of them, anyway. However,
they are capable of doing their jobs, at least.
Ofanim: The Lady of the Fires is herself one of these Wheels, and I can understand why.
It takes flexibility to properly handle a job like hers -- or ours -- or theirs. They are as flexible with
their single viewpoint as we are with all of ours.
Elohim: The truth is, I admire them. Their nature is enormously different than our own,
so emulating them would be fruitless, but I do admire them.
Malakim: We rarely operate on the same level, but when we do, they are remarkably
effective. They also have enormous deterrent value. When a Servitor of Fire is known to be in a city,
fewer demons come there, and fewer demons incite cruelty there, because if we or some other Choir
cannot handle the difficulty, the ember Malakim will come. It is hard to trust them, however; they enjoy physical violence too much.
Mercurian: It would certainly be easier to have their job. Ours is more important, and
more suited to us, but they do not worry, when they are alone, that they are doing something
wrong.
Mercurians
Mercurians of Fire and their work are a perfect match. The nature of their Choir fits the
work that they must do precisely. Created to be friends of man, given the gift of insight into the
things that shape a person, they know exactly how to steer someone into admitting their own worth.
At least, that's the theory -- every case is different.
From a Mercurian perspective, the ideal job goes like this. First, the Mercurian acquires the
trust of their target. A strongly persuasive Mercurian can work to this point starting from a casual
meeting at the place where their target relaxes -- a bar, a golf course, as a volunteer worker at a soup
kitchen. There are a number of Roles which less persuasive Mercurians use: bartender, priest,
psychiatrist, and even things like substitute teachers -- not only does this give them access to the
kids, but it gives them an in with the kids' families. Second, the Mercurian digs out the root causes
of their target's self-loathing, as many modern psychiatrists aim to do. Not every person's inner
torment comes from a clearly recognizable set of causes, and in the modern day the Intercessionists
of Fire spend a great deal of time studying the symptomology of neurochemically-induced madness.
If the human's self-hatred comes from a disease or defect, and medication is unlikely to be of immediate assistance, the Mercurian will
call in an expert with the Ethereal Song of Healing. Third, assuming the person's self-hatred comes
from a recognizable source, the Mercurian will turn all of their persuasive abilities to making the
person accept that source and move on. In the ideal job, all of this works out.
Complications abound, of course. There are people who simply will not trust, no matter how
persuasive the angel is. Sometimes, the Mercurian will respond to this by "pulling a Cherub,"
kidnapping their target (without violence) and using the psychological and situational advantage
that this gives them. More often, they will charm the people around their target, to earn
their place in that person's social circle -- or they will use Songs of Dreams to manipulate the
target's mind directly.
Sometimes the root cause of their target's problems is a Balseraph or Habbalite; then the
Mercurian is in trouble. Having the target's "friend" get assassinated bloodily by Malakim isn't
going to put them in the mood for therapy. Besides, Gabriel expects her Mercurians to be able to win
a simple struggle with a single demon for a troubled human's soul. (Unless the demon is a Shedite.
Then, Fire Mercurians are expected to call for help.) In general, the trick is to make a
Balseraph contradict themselves and to make a Habbalite get so lost in their own emotions that they
alienate the target. It's not easy, at all, although certain Songs and Skills help.
Sometimes the target is unwilling or unable to move past the thing that hurts them so. For
example, an ex-POW's hatred for his torturers might be eating him alive -- but he isn't likely to just
abandon it. Then, the Mercurian usually gives their target a beautiful, perfect day, in hopes that they
will forget to torment themselves for just 24 hours. That lets the Intercessionist off the hook.
There's no rhyme or reason to the terms Mercurians use for Gabriel; they use all of the forms
of address mentioned above for the other Choirs and several more besides. "Lady Fire" (and "Lady
of Fire") have been popular of late. Gabriel's smaller rewards for her Mercurians include snappy
accessories (e.g. the flaming halo of her Seraphim, black celestial suits, permanently clean hair, or
fiery "sunglasses"), small reliquaries, extra Vessel Charisma, and vacations in exotic parts of the
mortal world.
Mercurians are always companionable. As the Elohim have realized, however, they have a
hard time understanding the other Choirs of Fire. They can understand why cruelty is bad --
sometimes, after all, they have to deal with genuinely loathsome people. They can't understand why
angels have to go around punishing humans, though. Humans punish themselves and eachother
badly enough, the Mercurians think, as it is. This has led to many arguments in Heaven and on
Earth.
Generating Mercurians of Fire (the easy way):
Mercurians of Fire tend to specialize in Intelligence or Perception, with 4 of the appropriate
kind of Forces. Each is extremely useful when analyzing the pressures that shape a human's pain. A
Mercurian who focuses on Corporeal power is most likely intended to "pull a Cherub," but they
may also have been created to work in a prison or some other environment where strength breeds
respect.
A number of useful Roles have been mentioned already. In general, a Mercurian of Fire isn't
going to assume a Role to protect themselves from Symphonic disturbance -- rather, their Roles are
ways to have some minimal social status and a knowledge of how to pursue their career. That given,
some common Roles are: suicide hotline operator, prostitute, Jehovah's Witness, emergency medical
technician, nurse, doctor, and martial arts teacher. Roles that can involve extensive "consultations"
include: landscaper, accountant, and lawyer. Some Mercurians present themselves as executors of a
long-forgotten relative's will; this also gives them the chance for extensive consultation. Finally,
some of them use the Song of Celestial Form (or mundane disguise) to take on the form of a "ghost"
-- this is risky, but can have an enormous payoff.
Mercurians of Fire like charismatic Vessels a lot. They also like to have an extra Vessel, of a
different shape -- it can give them a second chance with someone they don't hit it off with. They enjoy having
reliquaries, since they tend to spend a few points of Essence when they first resonate on a target.
They rarely use other artifacts, except as celestial 'currency.' Servants are rare; the arrogance of
these Mercurians doesn't usually run in that particular direction.
Favored skills are Detect Lies, Dodge, Driving, Emote, Knowledge: Psychiatry, Lying, and,
of course, Savoir-Faire. Common Songs include Charm, Dreams, and Healing. A Mercurian of Fire
will also study up on a few Songs or skills that will help them deal with demons if they encounter
any; these include the Fast-Talk skill and the Songs of Entropy.
Thoughts on other Choirs of Fire:
Seraphim: Despite having such a keen eye for truth, they can't understand that what they
do is essentially counterproductive. For example, when they are assigned to a sweatshop owner,
there is one wealthy but cruel person and a number of underprivileged, hopeless workers. When they
are done, there is a sweatshop owner in prison or on the skids, and a number of underprivileged,
hopeless workers.
Cherubim: It's interesting how they manage to preserve so much of what they are while
they're doing what they do. Impressive, even.
Ofanim: Someone who flees justice because they understand what they did
wrong should be our province, and not theirs. However, there are still those who flee justice because
they think the world is screwing them over. If the Ofanim didn't hunt them down, they'd just act out
again.
Elohim: If there were any humans we could really hate -- and there aren't -- the targets of
the Elohim would be good candidates. It's a little bit satisfying to know that the people who hurt our
assigned targets don't just -- get away with it.
Malakim: The Malakim of Lady Fire are made for many different things, and in many
different ways. How can I give my thoughts on them if I don't know which ones you're referring
to?
Kyriotates: The Kyriotates of Fire are scary. Most of them are still pretty cool, but all of
them are scary, and they don't really understand us very well. The crystal clear cruelty they fight has
blinded them to the fact that most people are basically good inside.
The oldest Servitors of Fire remember when Gabriel was the divine messenger. As she began
to abandon this role, prompted by madness and the Inquisition, they watched with growing distress.
Even the least among them understood that the messenger was a vital part of who Gabriel was.
When she cast off this function for good, it was as if she was destroying herself.
Her Servitors love her. This act of self-destruction was unacceptable.
In her name, wielding the holy fire of her Word, certain Servitors have taken up the role she
has abandoned. With Soldekai's permission, they have formed the Messengers, carrying
communications between the cathedrals, between the non-Archangel Superiors and their Servitors,
and between the other angels of inspiration and those on Earth who must be inspired. Although the
core of the Messengers organization is small, many angels of Fire volunteer their spare time to this
group -- it lets them do their part for Gabriel the person as well as Gabriel the Archangel.
Just as Gabriel feels her Servitors' dissonance as her own, her sense of self is shaped by their actions;
therefore, the Messengers do her a measurable good.
There are four branches of the Messengers: the Cathedral Messengers, coordinated by
Ofaniel; the Heavenly Post, coordinated by Haahashtari; the Muses, coordinated by Eliathah; and
the Cadence Messengers, coordinated by Rachel. Becoming a full member of any branch is a great
honor, and it depends more on the enthusiasm and selfless dedication of the angel far more than the
amount of time they have to give. An interested PC should expect at least one unusual or dangerous mission
before achieving this rank; this mission will come at a time when their other duties are minimal.
The Cathedral Messengers, mostly Ofanim, carry messages within Heaven. This usually
involves carrying messages between Archangels, but it can also involve gathering the right people to
meet a newly-arrived human soul. Angels sometimes leave non-urgent communications for distant
friends with these Messengers, who deliver them as soon as the recipient returns to Heaven. Ofaniel
encourages a bit of friendly rivalry among his Messengers (titled, of course, Cathedral Messengers) -- it keeps them moving quickly.
The Heavenly Post delivers messages from Heaven to Earth. Again, these are mostly
Ofanim. Some Malakim are on call, however, in case a message needs to be delivered to an angel in
a dangerous situation. Servitors of Gabriel who know an Earthly city very well may be asked to
deliver a message to an angel of unknown location last seen in that city. Gabriel herself, of course,
can get a message to anyone, but she doesn't answer to Haahashtari. Members of the Heavenly Post
are known as Postseraphim, Postcherubim, and so forth.
The Muses inspire those who require inspiration. They are the smallest group of Messengers,
because Gabriel has not abandoned this function entirely. Still, there is work for them to do, and,
collaborating with the angels of Eli and Yves, they figure out what to tell people to help them
achieve their Destiny and/or creativity on their own.
The Cadence Messengers have the most important function of all. Their duty is reminding
Gabriel of who she is, and making her a part of the message delivery system. Unless requested not
to, each member of the other branches will give a copy of every message to a Cadence Messenger.
Then the Cadence Messenger will find a fire, speak a prayer to Gabriel into it, and then quote the
message. The Messenger ends with another prayer to Gabriel, and then departs. Gabriel, in one of
her moments of clarity, has sworn that no message given her will be heard by Belial, no matter how
destructive the flame. Cadence Messengers are selected from the other branches of the organization,
after long and distinguished service, and their efforts help Gabriel as much as those of the other three
branches combined.
The Redeemers
Gabriel is the incarnation of divine wrath. But why does wrath exist? The Redeemers believe
that they punish humans and even demons in order to improve them -- in order to scare them back to
the path of light. The key to the war, in their minds, is to make evil not worth the effort.
They want to make sure that for every momentary pleasure evil brings, there's a whole world of
pain that follows. Humans already have that in their future, but they don't know it, so the
Redeemers focus on corporeal pain. They also keep an eye on corporeal fear. As long as people
associate fear and pain with doing the wrong thing, the world will be just peachy.
Most of the time, the inherent selflessness and kindness of these angels shows through. They
will work hard to comfort the victims of their victims. They will spend hours making it clear that it
is vice and only vice that they punish. They will spend years counseling the young to make
sure that they never have to teach them a lesson. Sometimes, though, they look an awful lot like
demons of Belial. This disturbs them. So they kill demons of Belial whenever they can.
Redeemers are not well-liked in Heaven. They make the average angel, who "can't
appreciate the need to draw a hard line," a bit uncomfortable. On the other hand, they're still
angels, and they have enough virtue that they are never completely shunned.
The organization is more of a loose association of angels of similar minds than a formal
institution with assigned titles and membership. A Redeemer picks their own title, usually styling
themselves by the weapon they think does the best job (e.g. "Halberd Redeemer" or "Glock
Redeemer.") After all, they are the weapons of Heaven. There are a few formal recruiters, who do
little but argue on behalf of the organization, and a semi-official leader. This leader, the "Year-King," is elected, and they organize the meetings of the Redeemers for one year. Then, in imitation of a
mortal ritual intended to enhance crop growth, they are mock-killed. The symbolism, of course, is that
from pain and sorrow comes growth and virtue.
Earth Ops
Earth Ops is the "official" title for Soldekai's organization on Earth. Agents on Earth (with
the exception of a few special operatives) are classified into five levels; these are the equivalents of
the Distinctions that Soldekai cannot give out. Certain information, such as the location, situation,
and Role of distant agents, information gleaned from observations of Belial's agents, and general
information on the plans of Heaven, is restricted to agents at a high level. High-level operatives also receive the
respect of Gabriel's other Earthly agents -- but they are more likely to receive dangerous
assignments. Because PC angels are on Gabriel's 'inside track,' Soldekai will regard them as a
special case -- but, conversely, Gabriel will expect them to work within his organization.
First level operatives are expected to punish the cruel, and that's pretty much the sum total of
their responsibilities. Level 1 Earth Ops angels are usually "green" angels, without much recent
experience with Earth or Hell. There is no shame in being an angel of this level; there just isn't much
honor to it, either. The biggest advantage that first level operatives have is that they're
expected to call for help if they encounter noteworthy demonic interference. Soldekai is not
going to risk starting Armageddon on their behalf, but he's happy to lend them a hand.
Second level operatives are expected to "advance the cause of Heaven" as well as punish the
cruel. This means that they have discretion to address demonic problems that they encounter, even if
it has nothing to do with their assignments. They are cleared to know about any non-critical
situations in their local area, so that they can help as they choose. They are also able to contact
several third-level operatives in the nearby cities, in case something comes up that needs serious
attention.
Third level operatives are available to first and second level operatives for assistance, and
are cleared to understand the details of Soldekai's operation at a local level. Some of them manage
those operations. It's assumed that they're unbreakable -- some are Malakim, and the rest usually
have lots of Will. Third level operatives can be trusted with complex and difficult missions, but this
is not their day-to-day work. They can consult with higher-level operatives for specific relevant
information on more global plans and Archangel politics, and also for information gained in
sensitive ways. Most PCs will be first to third level, possibly with additional latitude.
Fourth level operatives are managers, whose role is to get information and people where it
and they are needed. They are also planners, and have a good deal of freedom in the response they
can make to emergencies. At this level, they will oversee both the particularly ticklish mortal cases
(such as high-profile politicians, mob bosses, and archbishops) and the Gabrielites' very focused
retribution against demons who act cruelly in the mortal world. They may also be entrusted with
assignments from Laurence or Michael, via Soldekai. Most fourth level operatives get their hands
dirty now and then, but few avoid management duties altogether. The few fourth level operatives
without management duties generally handle the most difficult, bizarre, and dangerous assignments
that Soldekai has to offer -- every day.
Fifth level operatives are "The Hands of Soldekai."
Cleared for any and all information, given terrible and horrible assignments that shuttle
them all over the world, they are admired but rarely envied. Only a handful of angels have achieved
this level, and all of them have received the second-level Distinction from Gabriel herself.
There are also special operatives, in unique and unclassifiable situations. These include,
primarily, the deep cover angels, with high-level Roles that put them unobserved in the center of
Belial's plans. Gabriel is willing to suspend her dissonance condition for angels who risk their
existence daily to destroy the Demon Prince of Fire, but Soldekai is very reluctant to tell
them anything. They face an enormous risk of being caught, and if they're caught Belial himself will
probably do an interrogation; that's rather more danger than the typical high-Will third level
operative faces.
An angel who is proud of their Earth Ops level can introduce themselves as "[name], Earth
Ops Level [X]." Most don't, though.
The Citadel Guard
Many of Gabriel's angels spend at least some time on duty as guards at the Citadel of Fire,
or patrolling the Marches nearby. These are the active or reserve members of the Citadel Guard,
protecting Gabriel's sanctuary and Heaven itself against the forces of Hell.
The Citadel Guard has a military structure, because it has to respond like a military unit if
and when the demons do boil out of Hell and storm the gates of Heaven. Noticeably absent are the
boot camps, public floggings, marches, and, indeed, everything the military uses to break people
down; the shining angels of Heaven need no such things. They can be forged, as they are, into a
sparkling military weapon.
Inside the fortress, the garrison engages in the traditional military pasttimes of Heaven:
storytelling, singing, gambling for Essence, and most of all training. The angels who train the
hardest are the Ofanim, entwining flame upon flame and striving to break their opponent's will -- for
it is will and vision, in the end, that carry the day. Their Archangel is an Ofanite, so they feel a
particular need to be vigilant on her behalf.
The Liaisons
Gabriel's liaisons are charged to work with the angels of other Archangels, so that the
perspective of Fire can influence their actions. At the highest levels, they are Sol's intermediaries in
dealings with the other Archangels themselves.
Only the most sensible or the most inspired angels of Fire are likely to be named liaisons.
Further, the appointment is usually tentative for some years after it is made. The work of the liaisons
(styled Wind Liaisons, Sword Liaisons, Destiny Liaisons, et al.) is considered to be of vital
importance in a time when Gabriel is considered a loose cannon by many other Superiors. It is also
their advice that Soldekai listens to when considering where to place Gabriel's vote.
Dream Liaisons are expected to help Blandine's Servitors determine what kind of dreams
will genuinely inspire a person. Blandine can only approve of this. They are also expected to divert
Blandine's angels' attention away from the cruel, from those who don't deserve to be inspired, who
deserve only nightmarish or dreamless sleep. Blandine doesn't like this. Still, Soldekai requests that
his/Gabriel's liaisons act openly and without deception; they are agents of understanding, not
insurrection.
Servitors of Stone often strengthen humanity by providing a group with a focus for its anger.
Stone Liaisons visit the various angels of David and help them find appropriate targets for this.
Gabriel asks some of them to inspire the angels of Stone to act; the immovable angels of
David are sometimes slow to take action.
Judgment Liaisons have taken on themselves a distasteful task: to work with the hated
Dominic in order to bring punishment to the rare and few angels who have become genuinely cruel.
Normally, an angel will Fall before cruelty taints them -- but some just lose track of the fact that the feelings of others
mean something.
The Creation Liaisons have been more or less disbanded. It's possible that one or two are
still around for direct communications with Eli.
Wind Liaisons have a unique approach to punishing the cruel: they find a nearby group of
Servitors of Janus and point them at the problem. It's almost always effective, and the Wind
Liaisons can untangle some otherwise very knotty problems.
Lightning Liaisons have two main goals. First, they attempt to develop human technology
along the lines Gabriel would want it developed. This means no Belial-inspired Vapulatech, but new
penal technology would be welcome, and the people who Gabriel inspires should be allowed to
create what she has whispered into their minds. Anything that itself inspires humanity is also
desirable. Second, since Jean has decided that he will clean up Gabriel's "messes," the Lightning
Liaisons lead him to the places where Gabriel has lost control. They also steer him away from
apparent mistakes where she did not lose control.
Animal Liaisons mostly serve as information channels, helping one or the other side locate
people who are being cruel to animals. If the person is actually endangering the Word of Animals in
some way, then they belong to Jordi's Servitors. If they are simply a brutal bestial person, then
Gabriel would in theory claim the right to punish this person. In practice, Servitors of Jordi leave
these people to the angels of Fire because the angels of Fire are much better at punishing
humans.
Soldekai acknowledges Laurence's authority, although it's not clear if Gabriel does.
Accordingly, the job of Sword Liaisons is usually to explain the needs of Laurence's angels to
angels of Fire who are needed. However, they also provide a Gabrielite perspective in the celestial,
Earthly, and local councils of the Sword Servitors.
Trade Liaisons exist mostly to keep communications open. Marc's star is ascending, and his
angels may need a look at harsh realities sometime.
War Liaisons are some of the best fighters of the Gabrielites. Since Michael's warriors
usually fight alone, most of the War Liaisons don't accompany them on Earth. Instead, they work in
Michael's camp in Heaven, where his warriors train. They have two jobs there: first, they build
connections, and second, they learn from the even greater fighters of the Archangel of War.
Flower Liaisons are mostly Mercurians. There are a few avenging angels who work with
Novalis' Servitors. They are loved and loathed at the same time because they can and do step in
when Novalis' angels cannot or will not. The Archangel of Flowers accepts this imposition as necessary, since she plans
to one day reclaim Gabriel for Heaven.
Destiny Liaisons consider themselves blessed. Working together with angels of Yves, they
can inspire humans towards their Destiny. They can also find out whether a punishment they are
thinking of might send someone towards their Fate. It is, all around, a wonderful assignment.
Liaisons are expected, above all things, to be humble. They are not angels who just happen
to be in the same area as angels of another Superior. They are representatives of Gabriel and
Soldekai to those other angels. They are advisors and the voices of Fire, not overlords full to
bloating with their own opinions. They can do their normal job, of course, because they must -- but
it is their priority, not the priority of anyone else.
The Swimmers
Gabriel swims in volcanoes. One day, one of her Ofanim was thinking about this, and he
said, "Hey ..." So he went down to a volcano and dipped in his toe, then his leg, then he jumped in
and began to stroke, and when he was done, he realized, "This is fun." That's how the Swimmers of
Gabriel began.
The Swimmers hold competitions, yearly, at volcanoes all over the world. Any angel with
Gabriel's Ofanite Attunement can participate; angels without this Attunement are subtly
discouraged. (Actually, it's never come up. Angels without immunity to heat aren't that stupid.) All
kinds of races are run, from tag-relay swimming through straight breaststroke to the butterfly. Based on
how they do, angels are ranked into seven classes: Seraph-class, Cherub-class, Ofanite-class, and so
forth.
There is no concrete benefit to being a Swimmer, but some angels are impressed by
it. Demons tend to go pale and find somewhere else to be when Swimming comes up, in part because
particularly cruel demons are sometimes ... asked ... to participate.
The Order of Confessors
The Order of Confessors is not restricted to angels of Fire, although it began with Gabriel's Mercurians.
These angels provide a service very much like a mortal confessional. Another angel can come to
them, and in privacy tell the Confessor of their sins and mistakes and failures. Then the Confessor
says, "I absolve you in the name of God if such grace is given to me. I forgive you in my own person
if it is not."
There is a difference, however, between the Order of Confessors and mortal priests. The
Confessor is authorized, if they choose, to act on the confession they have heard. They may choose
to ignore it, of course. Or they may go to the Archangel or sub-Archangel Superior of the angel
whose confession they heard, in their role as Confessor; they will almost always be heard. Then they
will tell the Archangel of their angel's indiscretion -- and, if they choose, they will take a
stand in the angel's defense. They may remind the Archangel that the angel was penitent, or they
may ask that any punishment fall on the Confessor's own head.
Angels, unless they are very afraid or confused, aren't selfish enough to want the Confessor
to take punishment for them. Confessors exist for those angels who are very afraid or
confused, and for those who wish absolution and need a ceremony for it -- and even for demons who
wish to bare their soul and earn some measure of forgiveness for their crimes.
Confessors know that an Archangel might well punish their Servitor and ignore the
Confessor. They may even punish their Servitor harsher than if the Servitor had spoken directly.
Confessors also know that passing on information gained from a demon might lead to the demon
being tortured by their own Prince for giving away secrets. For these reasons, it is honorable to
approach a Confessor -- it's not necessarily the safest bet. For these reasons, also, a Confessor will
sometimes keep the secrets given to them.
A 10-point Attunement is available to all angelic characters. It comes from whichever
Superior currently runs the Confessors, be it Dominic, Gabriel, Laurence, Novalis, or Yves. This
Attunement, "Sanctity of the Confessional," is required to be a full Confessor. No one can overhear
a formal Confession given to someone with this Attunement, and the Confessor's celestial forces are
subtracted from all rolls made to trace the confessing angel or demon to the Confessor's location and
away again.
The key to understanding the whole War is that Heaven is overextended. So is Hell, I think.
But look at what the Archangels have to deal with. The Sword and War are trying to fight a
numerically superior enemy everywhere at once. Flowers is trying to achieve peace -- can you
imagine how many Servitors she would need to do that effectively? She doesn't have anywhere near
enough. The Lightning has to keep secrets, while Vapula (God curse his name) only needs to reveal
them. And then there's the Fire. And her Servitors. Us. We have to punish the cruel in the name of
God.
Sometimes I think that every last human on the face of the Earth is cruel and needs to be
punished. I come back to a city twenty years after ruining an abusive father, and his victims have
become beasts themselves. The government is full of hypocrites and gluttonous greedy lustful
bastards. The only thing we have on our side is that there are as many sparks of goodness in people
as there are pits of devouring darkness. I mean, the demons are fighting a losing fight against the
bloody stubbornness that is humanity, too, and that's comforting. But --
We are overextended. Cruelty is raging through all the societies of the world like some
particularly virulent plague. And humans outnumber angels by more and more every day.
In the face of our monumental task, there are a few measures that we must take. First, all of
our Servitors have discretion. Officially, that starts at Ops Level 2, but that's a formality; that rule
exists so that green angels understand that it's okay for them to call for help. If we can't
trust the angels below us, then we're doomed, because there are many fewer Ops Level 3 to 5 angels
than there are angels of Fire. Second, there is always someone up above -- metaphysically or
metaphorically -- racing against the clock to coordinate everything that has to be coordinated. Even
Soldekai's not an Archangel, and we've only got three 15-plus-Force Kyriotates in the whole
organization.
It works like this. An Ops Level 2 angel reports everything they can to a Superior --
preferably, their personal Superior, but any Ops Level 3 to 5 will do. Heck, they can give it to
Soldekai himself if they have to; that's not the point. The point is that their Superior's job isn't to
immediately tell them what to do. Trying to second-guess every Ops Level 2 angel who reports to a
single Ops Level 3 angel is ridiculous; it's like trying to play chess with Lucifer. Plus, you can never
tell who they're going to stumble on and suddenly need to punish. So the Ops Level 3 to 5 tells them
about what's going on, in general terms, without spilling the key secrets, so that they can figure out
for themselves what to do. The nice thing about being overextended is that there's much less risk of
interfering with ourselves. We get to use every brain we have in the positive service of Fire.
Ops Level 3 angels -- well. Some of them are local managers. They are the other half of the
relationship above, plus they manage a few more "secret" activities in the local area. By local, mind,
I mean a good part of a small country. The rule for secret things is that they're allowed to tell people
to do things that the secret projects need -- because they can't inform everyone, so they can't rely on
volunteers. Non-management Ops Level 3 angels are just backup warriors, like most of our Level 3
Malakim. In any case, all the angels at this level report to a Level 4 to 5 Superior, and again they
forward everything that they can. They ask anything they want to know, and assign themselves
where they think they need to be -- or, of course, they just sit in a temporary headquarters
somewhere doing what I do. That is, tearing my hair out while trying to keep track of everything
that's going on in case something breaks down. (Yes, Elohim are allowed to tear our own hair out. It
doesn't disturb the Symphony.)
At higher levels, it gets less formal. And the headaches double. Ops Level 4 angels tend to
work in pairs -- one to manage, and one to take care of things, and each of them knowing
everything the other does. We switch off, of course.
I had the chance to work directly for Soldekai once. He's enormously bright, and very
personable, and he tied my life into a hundred dozen knots and wrung me through them in the
process of getting one of Belial's Renegades to a Tether for a Redemption. It was worth it, though.
We got him. And it was, speaking quite objectively, good.
Whisper Band
Stone-Hard Strike Bracelet
Exploding/Reassembling Boomerangs
Unbreakable Staff
Fiery Sunglasses
More on the Choirs
In what follows, an angel's "target" refers to the cruel person they are expected to punish.
Sometimes, "victim" or "assignment" will be used instead.
These rules will help create NPC Fire Seraphim in a hurry, and may help a little when creating
PCs.
These rules will help create NPC Fire Cherubim in a hurry, and may help a little when creating
PCs.
For this last trick, it's good to make sure that the target's friend has an impeccable alibi.
These rules will help create NPC Fire Ofanim in a hurry, and may help a little when creating
PCs.
These rules will help create NPC Fire Elohim in a hurry, and may help a little when creating
PCs.
These rules will help create NPC Fire Malakim in a hurry, and may help a little when creating
PCs.
Charm is their favored Song to start a fight with, though some prefer Celestial Light, a Song
of Shields, the Song of Thunder, or a Numinous Corpus. The Song of Healing comes in very handy
afterwards.
These rules will help create NPC Fire Kyriotates in a hurry, and may help a little when creating
PCs.
These rules will help create NPC Fire Mercurians in a hurry, and may help a little when creating
PCs.
Organizations
The Messengers
Superiors and Servitors
Artifacts
For the record, the artifacts mentioned above are defined as follows:
These artifacts, often given to Elohim of Fire, manifest as tasteful armbands with a reflective
pattern woven within them. Before they can be used, the target must see the band. Then, fueled by
an appropriate amount of Essence, the band can perform the Ethereal Song of Tongues or (in some
cases) Entropy. The mental effects on the target will be accompanied by the twisty reflective
memory of the pattern within the band. This artifact costs 3 points per level, plus 6 points more -- it
can be worn, and can only be used by angels.
This artifact, occasionally worn by a Malakite of Fire, allows the wearer to strike (with feet
or hands or any unbound body part) at 0 Power and 0 Accuracy. It costs a flat 7 points, and is
considered to be a level 2 ethereal artifact.
These innocent-looking boomerangs explode with grenade force on hitting their target, and
the shattered boomerang regroups itself in the air in time to return to the wielder's hand. They
default to using the grenade rules in the Angelic Player's Guide, and have a minus-5 accuracy. This
accuracy increases by 1 per artifact level, and each level costs 3 points.
A wooden or apparently wooden staff that cannot break under any circumstances costs 2
points per level, where the level of the artifact only determines how easy it is to find when lost.
The fiery sunglasses sometimes given to Mercurians of Fire will mildly burn any human or
demon who touches them, unless the demon is the Mercurian themselves after a Fall. Otherwise,
treat them as corporeal artifacts.