Cults, Demons and Angels

[Sabby]

I wanted to try a serious story based roleplay, which I haven't done in a while. Its a work in progress, so feel free to contibute.

The setting is a merger of era of the Salem Witch Trials and bleak, futuristic sci-fi. Majority of the civilized world has been a part of the Church of Jaq (A sort of twist on the Catholic church of the time) many who are born with strange abilities are either taken in by the Church or killed, but those that are raised within will learn to shape their bodies and minds into their 'Angel' alter egos.

An Angel is any adult who was born with the capability to change their body, but the process is not something that can be totally controlled. The process of prayer and worship will naturally shape them into their Angel form, which is something they have no control over, and is often permanent. Once someone has become an Angel, their form is very difficult to change. Only a handful in history have been able to shift further, but there has been no one that can return to their human form.

While these 'Angels' are reverred by the Church as holy guardians and protectors, they resemble Demons more often then not, and are know for their corruption. They hide behind conviction and strangle their followers of every piece of worth. The fear and oppression is leading many to leave the Church of Jaq

In the city of Old Teoman, the Church is desperate. With so many leaving, they have quite literally imposed martial law. People are executed in the streets, often by burnings, to send a message to any who wish to leave.

The Anti-Christ, The Undoer, The Ender, The Plane Walker... there are many words for this entity in The Book of Jaq. The Holy Book speaks of a single entity that is neither Angel or Demon, who walks both Earth, Heaven and Hell as one path. This person will have unrestrained power of the Demons and the Angels, and will walk the Earth to pass Judgement. The day of its coming is known as the Rapture.

It is commonly accepted that the Book of Jaq is a fake created long ago by the Church. A simple set of stories and morals twisted and fabricated into what it is today. But one thing is certain. The entity that the Rapture speaks of has arrived, but will be hailed by the people as The Dark Angel, the one who will free them.

A young woman was born at the beginning of the Churches slow downfall. While the Inquisitors could not detect her powers, her parents always knew she was... different. What she possessed was unlike anything the Angel's had ever seen, and so she was coddled and protected, taught to hide these abilities. Then, when she was only eighteen, she watched the riots begin, and saw the Angel's brutally stomp them down and put many to the flames. Her own parents were burnt alive, and she changed inside. The powers she was hiding finally came to the surface, and the Dark Angel was revealed.

She can shift her body at will, into anything she needs. She can survive wounds that would kill a normal human, or even an Angel, her damaged flesh growing faster then it can be harmed. It takes years of prayer and worship and dedication to become an Angel, yet this woman can do what they do at will, taking forms in seconds whenever she wishes. This is why they see her as The Anti-Christ, but the suppressed populace is lining up behind her to fight off this twisted, oppressive Church.

So what we have here is a messed up future version of the Salem Witch Trials, with super human Church goers facing one who is near perfect and wants every scrap of the Church of Jaq gone. I'd play the Dark Angel if thats alright.