EX: Remnants of Heaven (Angels Vs Demons Interest Check)

[Cameron182]

Soooo here's a little backstory :

On January 16, 2015 all hell broke loose on planet Earth.

Out of nowhere vampire attacks began to skyrocket through the roof as the creatures tore through the globe, followed by an onslaught of their demon overlords. Somehow a bridge had been created between Hell and Earth, leaving a free gateway for the armies of the Dark One. In a matter of months the planets population had been cut down nearly 75%, forcing humans to band together and take up arms to survive. Militaries scrambled to fight the hordes of creatures but entire nations began to crumble within their grasp. It truly seemed as if the world were coming to an end, and it only continued to get worse from there.

In Heaven, chaos had gripped what was supposed to be God's Paradise, as it had seemed Lucifer had been infiltrating the angels for centuries, slowly turning them against one another and manipulating them until finally a civil war broke out between the angels, laying waste to the paradise that had been their home. It is not known for sure, only speculation, but it is said that God abandoned his creations, disgusted at their actions and leaving them to rot in their own choices. Many angels were killed in this war, and many more fell to become powerful demons and join Lucifer's army. Heaven was finally abandoned, the mortal souls left to wander around in confusion as their paradise was shattered, a few angels have stuck around to tend to the souls, still keeping their compassion close at home.

Some angels have joined the fight against the demons, exposing themself to humanity and aiding in their efforts. Most are known as heroes and famous among the population as near mythological figures, however corruption runs even in some of these individuals, as many of them are know seeing this is a prime opportunity to elevate themselves to deity status. The Archangels haven't been seen or heard of in hundreds of years, believed to be dead long ago, the angels have given up hope of finding their commanding officers.

The demons have no less problems among their ranks as more and more individuals seek power and authority over the other. Battles within ranks are common, even more so with their vampiric canon fodder. Lately other creations have become to expose themselves, twisted beasts that can only have come from Lucifer's imagination, these monstrosities are quickly becoming the biggest threat to humanity's existence, far stronger than any single demon could hope to be, they sometimes have been reported to be taller than thirty feet, and other reports have been of multiple tiny creatures that destroyed anything in their path without slowing.

However over the last few decades, more and more humans are being born with angelic or demonic blood, from the result of a supernatural parent, either forced or willing. These creations are extremely powerful and very rare, the angelic halflings are known as the "Blessed" and are typically integral parts of the human resistance. On the other hand the demonic mixes are known as the "Cursed" and are shunned by all of humanity and demon-kind alike for their impurity.

Lately rumors have begun circulating that one of the Archangels have returned, the Archangel of Death, Azrael, has been said to have suddenly appeared in vicious battles and turn the tide completely, allowing the humans precious small victories that they so desperately need. Mainly these rumors have been spread among the angels, as humans have troubel discerning the difference between an angel and an Archangel, but humans that have witnessed the sightings have reported that he fought unlike any angel they had ever seen.

With that word, hope has started to spread, and morale is beginning to lift, despite the seemingly overwhelming odds they face, humananity it seems has found a renewed strength to fight once more.

The year now is 2055, technology in human weaponry has advanced by leaps and bounds, as well as being integrated with anti-demonic weapons and technology provided by the angels. Amidst the chaos and confusion one thing is for sure, the war will end soon one way or the other, very soon.

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I plan on this being a very long, very epic thread, complete with tons of violence, romance, and all other things of badassery that should make this fun to do :) lol. I do ask that you must be literate to join this roleplay, I can't stress this enough. The story will mainly focus on Azrael and the other Archangels, but feel free to go off on your own adventures and such with other characters. If you take on a role of one of the main characters I do ask that you please be active, any activity longer than three weeks in the thread without word and your character will be killed off or handed to someone else.

Here's a brief run-through of some of the characters I'll be needing, also the play-bys don't have to be who I picked, just a general idea of what I thought the characters might look like:

Playby: Gerard Butler

- Michael - Archangel, Good -
Considered by some to be the 'Hand of God', Michael has been known as the second in command in Heaven. He disappeared along with the rest of the Archangels a few hundred years before, and since his absence the angels have been left without their 'leader'. He is known to be very strong and compassionate. He was imprisoned in Hell by Azazel along with the others.



Playby: Jared Padalecki

- Gabriel - Archangel, Good -
Very powerful and admired among the Archangels, Gabriel is known to be a light-hearted and often humorous individual. He is extremely intelligent even among the Archangels and is known for being extremely gifted in his abilities. He is very kind and respectful, always trying to give assistance when he can. He was imprisoned in hell by Azazel along with the other Archangels.



Playby: Chris Pine

- Raphael - Archangel, Evil -
The 'youngest' of the Archangels, Raphael is known for being very headstrong and stubborn, however he has always been very loyal to Heaven and to God until recently. He was very close to Azazel and Lucifer before they fell and it is rumored that he had a part in capturing and imprisoning the other Archangels. The demons know this is true because he wasn't tortured and imprisoned like the others, he simply dissappeared. He is very smart and manipulative, gifts he learned from his older brothers.



Playby: Jared Leto -

- Azrael - Archangel, Good - TAKEN
Sometimes called the "Fist of God", Azrael is the footsoldier of Heaven. For thousands of years he's duties have been solely to protect the Earth from Demons and other creatures. He is extremely powerful, but quiet and reserved, often keeping to himself and feeling somewhat out of place among the other Archangels. He wants nothing more than to stop fighting, but he knows he can never cease, despite the fact that he can no longer feel God. He is known to be very close to Ariel and cares for her friendship deeply. It is also known that Azrael and Lucifer were very close while he was still in Heaven, it is the reason many of have said why he no longer tries to involve himself with other angels, he is afraid of being betrayed once more. He was imprisoned in Hell by Azazel along with the other Archangels.



Playby: Kate Beckinsale

- Ariel - Archangel, Good - TAKEN
Sometimes considered to be the most intelligent of the Archangels, Ariel is known for her unparalleled healing abilities, even able to resurrect the dead, though this drains her strength quickly. It is said that Lucifer himself was once infatuated with Ariel though she would not succumb to his temptations as so many of the other angels had and had earned favor with God for this when Lucifer and his fallen were cast out. She is rumored to be a very close friend with Azrael, the only one he is known to have. She was imprisoned in Hell by Azazel along with the other Archangels. -Will take a pretty good application to get this character as she may be a future love interest for Azrael.-



Playby: Ben Foster

- Uriel - Archangel, Evil -
Uriel is the footsoldier of Lucifer, the General of the forces in Earth. He is a very cruel and manipulative individual, as well as being very powerful and vicious. He left Heaven along with Lucifer and has been serving his side ever since. He had a large part in imprisoning the other Archangels.



Playby: Ian Somerhalder

- Azazel - Archangel, Evil -
Azazel was always known to be Lucifer's closest friend and most trusted advisor when he was in Heaven. Even for an Archangel Azazel had always been shifty and manipulative, more than once earning punishments from God. It is said that Azazel himself is the one that persuaded Lucifer to confront God and set about the chain of events that led them all to being cast out of Heaven. Now he serves as an advisor to Lucifer, being the only person that Lucifer feels he can trust. In reality Azazel is directing the business of Hell, with Lucifer as his instrument.



Playby: Cam Gigandet

- Lucifer - Archangel, Evil - TAKEN
The one and only Lucifer, aka the Devil, Satan, Diablo, etc etc. He is the ruler of Hell and the true counterpart to God, the oldest and most powerful of the Archangels, he is the driving force behind the Earth's destruction. He hates humanity for the love that they receive from God, he hates that that love must be shared with them and wishes nothing more than their destruction and torment. Even though he is pure evil in this regard, he loves his brothers and sisters (The Archangels) despite everything, though he views regular angels as cockroaches. It is said his intelligence is beyond that of Ariel's, and any that have met him would not dispute it. It will take an extremely well done application to land this character.

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I'll add more needed characters later if they come to me or if anyone requests a specific character. These are essentially the 'main' characters of the roleplay besides my own, Azrael. The cool thing is there is actually alot of lore behind the characters that you can research, I thought it was interesting anyways. Just so I can clear up alot of questions I'll do a brief species run-through as well:

Angels: In appearance they seem to be nothing different than humans, except for their white wings and statuesque figures. They are stronger than demons and much faster, able to teleport in small intervals and equipped with moderate psychic abilities that vary depending on the angel.

Demons: Originally humans whom have died and went to hell, only to have their souls twisted into demonic creations. Human in appearance until they unleash their 'demon side' at which point their eyes become blackened completely and their fingers turn into something more resembling claws. They are much faster and stronger than the average human and are known to travel in group.

Vampires: The canon fodder of the Hellspawn army, they are highly allergic to sunlight, though almost all other myths are false. They are much faster and stronger than humans and can be killed by sunlight, a wooden stake to the heart, or decapitation. Young vampires are fairly weak compared to demons and other creatures, but a fully matured vampire (over 2,000 years old) is said to be nearly as strong as an Archangel.

Archangels: The strongest group of individuals in the known universe, they were created as the 'elite' of the Heavens. They are much faster and stronger than any angel or demon and have tremendous psychic abilities depending on the exact Archangel. They are marked but their larger wing size and overall sense of power that they emit. They are known to posess more of an emotional range than angels, though the exact cause of this is undetermined.

The Fallen: Angels that belonged to the original 200 that Lucifer pulled with him from the Heavens. These dark angels are marked by their black, singed wings. They are just as strong as any angel, though their power comes more from their anger and rage than anything else.

Blessed: Humans with an angel parent, they are typically marked by blonde hair and blue eyes and possess incredible elemental abilities as well as minor psychic abilities depending on the person. They are treated as heroes among humanity for their divinity.

Cursed: Humans with a demonic parent, they are marked by black hair and dark eyes and are usually outcasts from society for their impurity. They have a strong control over the elements and possess minor psychic abilities depending on the person, though their power stems more from their emotions.

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If there are any questions feel free to ask, I'm eventually wanting to turn this idea into a novel but for right now I would enjoy playing around with it and seeing what others can do with it as well, sooo here's the character sheet.


Character Name:
Character Type:
Affiliation:
Special Abilities (Not normally had by your type or unique to your character):
Appearance: (Can either be a picture, a description, or both.)
History: (Give me a good detailed history of your character and the events leading up until now. If you are picking an Archangel describe the events that lead up to their capture and imprisonment by Azazel, Raphael, and Lucifer, as each situation was different, and how they escaped from their prison. For demons talk about their human life before they died, etc, just flesh out your character and really get a feel for it before we start.)

[Cameron182]

Character Name: Azrael
Character Type: Archangel, The Archangel of Death
Affiliation: Good
Special Abilities: Possesses more physical combat skills than the other Archangels due to his duties, more susceptible to psychic attacks as a counter.
Appearance:
History: Azrael was created to be the Archangel of Death, and his original purpose was to safeguard the souls of the saved on their journey to Heaven after death, protecting them from demons and other spirits who would threaten to drag them to the pits of hell. Azrael was very good at his job, never losing a single charge and slaughtering any opponent that stood in his way. However for this reason Azrael was never really considered a 'social' angel, as most of his time was spent on Earth or in between ferrying souls back and forth, thus he was considered a loner amongst the angels, somewhat of an enigma to his brethren who knew little to nothing about him.

As the years wore on and humanity began to shift away from God and more towards themselves, it left room for the demons to begin invading the Earth as they have for thousands of years. As a result, Azrael's duties as a ferryman were shifted to new creations, the Reapers, and he was given the task of walking the Earth as a fallen angel and protecting the planet from whatever demons happened to break free. Armed with a sword made for the sole purpose of killing demons, Azrael was a surgeon with the blade and carved his way through any and all opposition for centuries.

He quickly became infamous among the demonic horde, every high ranking demon wanted his head on a platter. Lucifer, Azazel, and Uriel however all still loved their brother and would not confront him directly because they did not wish to kill him, or atleast that's how it had seemed. Over two hundred years before the war started, Azazel and Uriel, Azrael's brothers took it upon themselves to capture and imprison the entire rank of remaining Archangels; Azrael, Michael, Gabriel, Raphael, and Ariel. None of them knew of the plans until they had been captured and even during their imprisonment they were told nothing. However Azrael had overheard many hushed conversations in the dark corners of hell about an impending invasion and it hadn't taken him long to do the math.

Lucifer would need the Archangels away from Earth for the invasion to take place, they would need the influence of God to be diminished so they could establish a bridge between the worlds. It was a process that took many decades, because it involved twisting and turning an entire society into generally evil and greedy creatures, however with advancements in technology it had seemed mankind took the bait quite easily and began to slip rapidly into un-Godly behaviors.

Even after the war broke out, Azazel kept the Archangels imprisoned, realizing it was much either to contain his brothers and sister rather than killing them. As twisted and evil as Azazel was now, he had once been an Archangel and these had once been his family. However one day it had seemed a miracle had happened, Azrael had found a small interval of weakness within Azazel during an 'interrogation' meeting. Azazel would not kill his brethren, but he was not above torturing them. Azrael managed to summon the entirety of his psychic strength and slammed Azazel to the ground, breaking the glyph that held him captured and allowing him his escape back to Earth.

Once arriving on Earth he was shocked at what he had discovered. The world had been shattered compared to how he had left it, it was in complete destruction and chaos, with humans bordering on the edge of extinction. He knew he had a lot of work ahead of him...

[Joslyn]

I'm intrigued by this setting, and I might submit a character for consideration. I do have one major concern--given that this is a theistic world, I'd like to know what constitutes "sin" and what sends the dead to heaven or hell. Is it just obvious things like murder and rape, or is this a more regressive setting where believing in the wrong religion, being gay, being promiscuous, and so forth are all considered sins?

[Starlequin]

I might be interested in signing on with this, as well, either as Azazel or Lucifer. I haven't gotten to play a villain in a while, lol. I'm also curious about miss Joslyn's question concerning absolutism and the natures of Good and Evil.

[Cameron182]

I would say more along the lines with the obvious things like murder and such, basically any act that could be classified as 'evil' and would allow demons to claim them, someone with negative karma points lol. Demons are usually made from the nastiest of human spirits if that's why you were asking. Hope that helps, I'm figuring alot of this out kind of as I go lol.

[Joslyn]

Okay, here is a character concept I have that I hope you like. I'd be happy to submit an in-character writing sample if that will help you decide.

Also, I'm curious to learn the basics of how the elemental and pyschic powers work.

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Character Name: Dr. Julie Kayama
Character Type: Cursed
Affiliation: Good
Special Abilities: Her psychic powers are weak offensively, but strong when used for defense.

Appearance: Dr. Kayama prefers to wear a black dress, heels, and a white lab coat in laboratory settings, though out in the field she dresses in a more practical fashion. She is twenty-two years old, but looks younger. Julie always wears her glasses, and has fairly poor vision without them.


History: Julie Kayama is the only child of Atsuko Kayama, a courtesan who was coerced into sex with a demon. From a young age Julie was unusually brilliant, and at twelve years old she was accepted for university-level study. Her interests included physics, chemistry, and learning about the supernatural forces of demons and angels. She was also fascinated by politics and philosophy, but never had much time to devote to those areas.

Atsuko did everything she could to hide her daughter’s “condition.” In fact, she never actually told Julie directly what she was—only that her daughter had to hide the fact that she was different from other humans. However, Julie learned about the Blessed and Cursed fairly early on and realized that she was one of the latter. She was frightened by the implications and kept everyone at a distance out of fear.

At age eighteen Julie had a doctorate in “universal physics,” a relatively new field that attempted to unify quantum mechanics and relativity with the psychic and elemental forces of the supernatural world. She also had a fair amount of engineering knowledge. These skills brought her to the attention of those who were developing weapons for use against vampires and demons.

The military investigated Julie, and her first encounter with one of the Blessed led to her secret being uncovered. She was detained and put through a rigorous psychological and psychic screening. Ultimately, the higher-ups among the human and angel forces decided to make use of her skills, though she was guarded and monitored closely. She has been allowed only occasional contact with her mother—Atsuko now runs a brothel on a military base.

Julie lead the team which developed the psi-shield, a device which uses the energy of powerful psychic beings such as angels to make them briefly invulnerable to most forms of attack. She has contributed to many other projects and is considered one of the foremost weapons researchers alive today—this fact means she is of particular interest to the enemy. She often comes in contact with Blessed and even angels due to her prominent position, but she is uncomfortable around them due to her ancestry.

Other: Dr. Kayama is driven most strongly by her intellectual curiosity, though she also wishes to see the forces of humanity triumph in the war. She does somewhat resent that she no longer has any real control over her life, though she recognizes the necessity of her restrictions.

She is a little shy and often lonely, though she still manages to be relatively personable. Other than an occasional joke here or there, she rarely shows much emotion. It is very difficult to make Julie lose her temper, though her demonic heritage causes her anger to be frightful if it does emerge.

The young scientist has a very quick and analytical mind, so much so that anyone who psychically assaults her finds her mind to be akin to a maze filled with fatal traps. However, she has almost no experience using her own psychic powers against anyone else. Her mental powers are triggered most strongly by feelings of fear.

[Cameron182]

Welcome, I really like the character! :) As far as the elemental part goes, anyone with elemental abilities are able to draw from the elements around them at the time. So they can't like create fire out of thin air, but they could carry a lighter and draw from its flame, that kinda thing. The psychic aspect is mostly mind domination or telepathic abilities and telekinetic abilities to varying degrees.

[Joslyn]

Welcome, I really like the character! :) As far as the elemental part goes, anyone with elemental abilities are able to draw from the elements around them at the time. So they can't like create fire out of thin air, but they could carry a lighter and draw from its flame, that kinda thing. The psychic aspect is mostly mind domination or telepathic abilities and telekinetic abilities to varying degrees.

Thanks. I'll be looking forward to writing this character. :) I do have one other minor question--I was wondering how severe the prejudice against Cursed individuals is. Do they have any rights in human society, and do most people continue to hate them regardless of whether they prove themselves?

[Cameron182]

For the most part they are hated despite their accomplishments, however there are some people who don't think that way. They're overall considered untrustworthy because so many have went evil before and are basically treated as abominations. I imagine they would treat her slightly better only for the sake of her work, but it's basically anger and prejudice out of fear of what they might be capable of. I hope that answers the question lol

[Kate]

Cameron,

I was seriously considering putting my hand up for one of the major characters

What class will this thread be in ? Extreme ?

but would only be interested in her if what is "sin" vs non sin was not catholic (ie it is assumed misinterpretations have been so common biblical sin is not reflective of what in sinful from the perspective of angels - or more politically sensitively - things are now SO bad - shades of grey stuff is no longer releavent.

Ie I don't want a character that has to be role played as one that frowns on gays or whatever.

[Cameron182]

Yeah it'll most likely be in extreme, I imagine it'll get pretty violent at some point :/ lol, and yeah basically it's just the big obvious sins that are grounds for hell. The Archangels in this world have a little bit more freewill and emotional range than the average angels, so she could have her own viewpoints on what would be considered sin that would be different than another's, so that gives you more of a choice yourself, but no she wouldn't be tied to any one particular sect's views, soooo you're good :)

[1SAZ]

Color me interested. I actually have been having the urge to play an archangel that isn't traditionally in Catholic lore. Namely, Raziel, the Archangel of Mystery and Secrets. Would that be alright? (I ask so as not to step on any toes.)

[Cameron182]

Were you thinking about playing him as good or evil? Because if you were thinking evil, he would be an easy substitute for Raphael, but I'll allow it either way because it sounds really interesting.

[Kate]

If bestiality / demonic pregnacy themes are permitted

I would adore to be one of the Fallen (ie anti-archangel) if I could have bat wings over "singed black wings"

I have always wanted to be an Arch-Demon (what you list as the fallen) of perversion

[Cameron182]

Lol if that's what you want to do miss Kate you're more than welcome to do so :)

[Kate]

... then you should add "EX" to the subject heading (to prevent offending some)

[Cameron182]

It's been awhile since I've done an rp here, forgot about that kind of thing lol.

[1SAZ]

I was thinking of having Raziel be a voice of good since he's the keeper of God's secrets in lore. I don't think God in all his "divine knowledge" would let someone with a strained moral fiber be the one to protect his knowledge. I think I know how I want to play him off the key archangels, and I also have reasons why he choses to be one of the lesser prominent.

I was thinking Raziel would have been close to Raphael before the fall, but they grew apart the closer he grew to Lucifer and Azazel. He would also see Michael as an older brother rather than a leader. He would be the voice of reason to Azrael when he needs someone to point him in the right direction, though he doesn't consider the "Angel of Death" a friend. He considers Ariel to be a friend and respects the fact that Azrael cares for her as much as he does. He may be serving the side of good, but he understands the Lucifer's wishes, and makes it known that he forgives his brother for not seeing God's true plan. He hates that his two older brothers are on opposite sides of the war, thinking the whole thing to be two brothers fighting for their father's love.

Raziel wouldn't get involved in the war directly, only offering his aid to the side of good when he feels it serves his father's true wishes. And since he's the one who keeps the knowledge of the divine, he would be the one to know. Out of the older Archangels, Raziel sees himself as the furthest from human despite his more human traits, seeing them as better than himself.

So, if all that's alright, I'll start working on his sheet.

[Kate]

Depheree

Race: Arch-Demon (The Fallen)
Gender: Partial Shapeshifter

Age: Ageless form
Height: 5'5
Weight: 100 lbs (including wings/ tail)
Hair color/style: Dark / natural waves

Eye color: Grey
Makeup: None
Clothing: Varies
Jewelry: None

Personality Traits:

Deviant / Dominate / Manipulative / Extremely Perverted / Prone to Megalomania

Abilities:

• Flight
• Can create permanent changes to others bodies
• Has power over age and aging.
• Luck
• Cat-like-night vision
• Perfect healing (over time limbs will regrow, no scarring or permanent injuries will exist, still she will heal at the same rate humans do, as such this ability doesn't make her more powerful when fighting).

Background

Depheree is an Arch-Angel of Perversion. She does not share the same values as other Demons and is highly aware of the balances of power that exist between both major sides of the spiritual warfare running rampart on the earth. Unlike other Demons she does beleive that partial influence serves a purpose and is not as black and white about the ownership of souls.

Her power grows when desires that are unparalleled to love need to be managed, which greatly aids her creation of a culture which is embellished by what else it effects.  Souls which have been swayed to her completely  she lavishes great love, power and praise, and behavioral leniency for they are her best servants of influence.

Although perversion doesn't have to be of a sexual nature, it is by far the most easiest to exploit and develop as many already have lustful desires that are deemed inappropriate for other objectives they may have for their life, even if they are merely thoughts which distract one from what task they would normally be seeing to.  Although she is demonic, she and others of her order do not lie, for deception is a tool she believes she is not in need of. As such she will always assume her normal form when meeting and only change it to suit perverted tendencies for lovers. Those she meets who are not of her influence she will attempt to coerce into sharing her values, joining her desire for a world where such desires are embraced and placed on as high a pedestal as others such as honor. 

Those that are honest by nature she hold great respect for, regardless of their other beliefs, it is even possible she may choose to try and befriend them or offer sanctuary regardless of their part in the current war.

Influence

Although Depheree has servants scattered throughout the world her interests concerns continental Europe, her current base being Paris.

[1SAZ]

A few questions before I finish submitting my character. First of all for the guy running things. What's the extent to technology by 2055, namely, what technology has angels already shared with humans? Can angels and archangels go into hiding as humans? Were all the archangels captured during the fall, or were there some that managed to dodge the bullet so to speak by hiding? Would it be alright if I use Raziel's lore to help explain the jump in technology?

And to Joslyn, due the way I have my character envisioned, I might end up working with Julie. Would it be alright if I included her in his history if my above questions get okay'ed?

[Joslyn]

And to Joslyn, due the way I have my character envisioned, I might end up working with Julie. Would it be alright if I included her in his history if my above questions get okay'ed?

That's fine, though just keep in mind that she has never had any close friendships or relationships so far in her life. She's secretly ashamed of being cursed and feels everyone around her is better off if they're kept at arm's length.

[1SAZ]

I was thinking more of a working relationship for the history, with the possibility of expanding on that in game if it feels like it would go well with the story. Raziel is secretly an Archangel after all, so he sees her as superior to him, being that humans have free will and all.

[Starlequin]

Bunch of deviants on E wanting to play evil demons, I see.  ;)

Uh...yeah. Yeah, we do.  Haven't you heard? The Dark Side has cookies!  :P
Will put the finishing touches on either Azazel or Lucifer when I hear back from Cameron.

[Phobetor]

O_O Holie Etch-a-sketch...I want in.

*But doesn't know what she would like to play!!*
Evil?
Good?
Evil?
Good?
*Looks at the Evil side and their cookies* Meeh....

*sits on the floor to think about this*

[Starlequin]

Hehe, there's caaaaake...

*thinks back to when they first met, and whispers*

...and ice cream bombs...    >:)

[Phobetor]

*Eyes the cake*

...Ice cream bombs!!

*Begins to edge closer to the dark side*

Though I am highly curious about the human question lol

[Kate]

humans definately would be welcomed as players ! surely !

It wouldn't be as fun without some human players !

Create a character and post away ! :)

[Cameron182]

I was thinking of having Raziel be a voice of good since he's the keeper of God's secrets in lore. I don't think God in all his "divine knowledge" would let someone with a strained moral fiber be the one to protect his knowledge. I think I know how I want to play him off the key archangels, and I also have reasons why he choses to be one of the lesser prominent.

I was thinking Raziel would have been close to Raphael before the fall, but they grew apart the closer he grew to Lucifer and Azazel. He would also see Michael as an older brother rather than a leader. He would be the voice of reason to Azrael when he needs someone to point him in the right direction, though he doesn't consider the "Angel of Death" a friend. He considers Ariel to be a friend and respects the fact that Azrael cares for her as much as he does. He may be serving the side of good, but he understands the Lucifer's wishes, and makes it known that he forgives his brother for not seeing God's true plan. He hates that his two older brothers are on opposite sides of the war, thinking the whole thing to be two brothers fighting for their father's love.

Raziel wouldn't get involved in the war directly, only offering his aid to the side of good when he feels it serves his father's true wishes. And since he's the one who keeps the knowledge of the divine, he would be the one to know. Out of the older Archangels, Raziel sees himself as the furthest from human despite his more human traits, seeing them as better than himself.

So, if all that's alright, I'll start working on his sheet.

Awesome, yeah I'll definitely accept that.

[Cameron182]

Kate - Awesome character! Welcome! :) I look forward to seeing her in action.

Dependant- Yes humans are pretty vital characters as well, I actually had a canon made up for one of the human military commanders but I wasn't sure if anyone would even be interested in playing a human lol, and yes at the moment the list is up to date so if you want to grab up one of the good Archangel spots, by all means go for it. :)

1SAZ - They've basically shared anti-demon technology involving crafting bullets and guns with the capability of killing demons, aside from that you pretty much had creative freedom to throw any technology in there that you'd like, just keep in mind most things would have come into development for the sole purpose of the war. Angels would probably be able to pass as humans for a short while but the demons would be able to sense them, Archangels would be able to mask their presence probably for a longer time due to their strength, but at the same time it would be much easier for demons to sense them than regular angles in hiding. Pretty much the only Archangels that were captured were the ones I listed, so you could play it that Raziel managed to evade capture and yes that would be awesome if you wanted to explain the leap in technology with the character's lore.



Hope that answers all the questions, I was without interwebs for a day and had to play catch-up lol. Annnnd the Dark Side may have cookies...but we've got tacos! :)

[Phobetor]

Cookies?
Tacos?

Well gee!!

>_<

Tacos win. *Snicker* Now I just have to decide whether or not I want to be a bad ass human or a Fallen or an Arch Angel.

Decisions, decisions!!

[1SAZ]

1SAZ - They've basically shared anti-demon technology involving crafting bullets and guns with the capability of killing demons, aside from that you pretty much had creative freedom to throw any technology in there that you'd like, just keep in mind most things would have come into development for the sole purpose of the war. Angels would probably be able to pass as humans for a short while but the demons would be able to sense them, Archangels would be able to mask their presence probably for a longer time due to their strength, but at the same time it would be much easier for demons to sense them than regular angles in hiding. Pretty much the only Archangels that were captured were the ones I listed, so you could play it that Raziel managed to evade capture and yes that would be awesome if you wanted to explain the leap in technology with the character's lore.

Hope that answers all the questions, I was without interwebs for a day and had to play catch-up lol. Annnnd the Dark Side may have cookies...but we've got tacos! :)

Awesome. I'll get to work on his sheet asap then.

[1SAZ]

Character Name: Raziel (hiding under the name Aiden Ó Leannain)
Character Type: Archangel
Affiliation: Good
Special Abilities: Having written down the knowledge of God while sitting next to his throne since the day he was "born", Raziel has knowledge of magic and technology beyond most angels and well beyond humans. Roughly half of said knowledge is written down in a book that was passed down through generations of humans, though it is incomplete.
Mastered the art of concealing himself from demons, which aided in avoiding capture.
Appearance: Raziel, in hiding, wears various suits without a tie, finding them to be far more comfortable than his uniform when he sat next to God. Under his coat, he keeps a pistol he designed while on earth that is specially designed to kill demons, it's ammo etched with runes from his book, as well as his "flaming sword" from when he angelic days. While his sword appears as just a hilt of a sword with a blade hardly fitting of a dagger, when activated, it has a blade of blue energy that he describes as holy fire.

History: Raziel's "life" began shortly after his older brother's, Lucifer and Michael. Raziel was created by their father for the soul purpose of being his ear, someone to listen to his words and hold their meaning while the other two handled the wishes of their father. Raziel grew quite happy with his duty as he helped to expand the heavens in size and technology, making it truly the paradise worthy of their father. He took great pride in his work, and when God decided to start another project, Raziel was more than happy to assist in any way he could. The new project his father took on was that of the plane of men, creating the world and all that lay in it for his newest creations, Humans. While Raziel saw the perfection in these new creatures, his brothers questioned their being, which only left Raziel to sulk at the bickering of his older brothers and the formation of the two sides. Raziel did not take sides at first, befriending Raphael to make him see the errors of his ways and Ariel out of a need to find someone who could understand his ramblings.

When the war finally did come, Raziel was hardly surprised by what happened, though he was saddened by the fighting. The only time Raziel engaged in the fighting was when one side threatened the library where the knowledge he collected was held, and showed the wrath of the divine that he held. He became the protector of God's knowledge, though he despised having to fight against his misguided brothers and sisters. It wasn't until his younger brother Raphael came to him for help that Raziel put down his guard, only to be tricked to coming to earth. Raphael wanted his brother to change sides and give the knowledge he collected to Lucifer, though he swore he would bring him down with him if he refused.

Raziel finally realized that there was no way he could stand by and let his brothers fight without taking a side, and rather than being dragged down to hell, he promised Raphael he would bring him one of his books in exchange for his freedom. Raziel fled into hiding that day, hiding on earth amongst the humans as he prepared for what he knew was coming. He had no idea it would take as long as it did for his brother's to make their first move, and even longer for the war to finally be brought to the humans.

Hiding as an eccentric Irish inventor at the time, Raziel was now known as Aiden Ó Leannain when the first vampires attacked. Raziel went to work by assisting in the creation of anti-vampire weapons, giving the humans a fighting chance against the first wave. He knew the humans wouldn't accept him completely if he revealed his true form, so he went into hiding for 35 years before showing himself again when he felt the humans needed him again. Some remembered him from the first years of the war on earth, but Raziel insisted it was his father who helped them before.

Going to work with a military base to advance their offensive and defensive technology, Raziel finally found a place he felt at home since he was forced into hiding. Working closely with many scientists and specialists, Aiden advanced technology for the humans by roughly 20 years, though he was surprised by the advancements made in the time he was gone. It wasn't till he found his journal that he left on earth millennia ago that he understood the advances. Some of the secrets in the book still had yet to be deciphered, so Raziel decoded them for the humans, giving them what they needed to stand on their own two feet.

Despite what he gave them so far, Raziel stayed in hiding amongst the humans to help them advance their own technology. It was the least he could do given that they helped protect him from his brothers, and it also gave him a place to hide from the demons that would hunt him. One scientist he began working with was Julie Kayama, finding her work to be the first step humans took towards understanding their own abilities.

Other: Raziel sees humans as God's ultimate creation, and as such holds them in the highest esteem. Despite that, Raziel has no problem telling them they are children who have yet to realize the full extent of their abilities and knowledge. He is usually seen as irritable when something doesn't seem to work the way he planned due to what he considers inferior tools, but he still tries to work around the conditions he is faced with.  He finds most intellectuals to be of interest, if only for conversations concerning the thoughts he has constantly emerging from his mind.

[Cameron182]

Very nice job with Raziel, and I really like how he's hiding out amongst the humans, should be an awesome storyline to play out at some point.

Colour me interested in playing some human, then.  I'll wait on a character listing before deciding who I'd like to play - or if I'd like to create a sheet.

I did have an idea for a human military commander-type, who would basically be the leading 'regular' human who isn't one of the Blessed or Cursed, and naturally he would be a total badass for a human. Just an idea though..


Also I'd really like someone talented to grab up Ariel, pleeease :) lol

I'll start the IC thread either later on tonight or tomorrow night, I think we have enough so far to atleast get the ball rolling.

[1SAZ]

When you think of Raziel talking, think of the most stereotypical Irish accent possible. You have to keep in mind he picked it up while in hiding, so it's going to sound exactly like how he heard it. haha

[Starlequin]

Ladies, Gentlemen, and Various Other Lifeforms, allow me to present your host, your very own personal tour guide to the Apocalypse, the Being without whom life would be sweet as a bowl of cherries and twice as dull...Lucifer!    >:)

***
Character Name: Lucifer Morningstar
Character Type: Fallen Archangel
Affiliation: Evil
Age: None. Time is for monkeys.

Special Abilities: Nigh-unparalleled physical and psychic power, comprehensive and complete understanding and manipulation of the fundamental workings of space, time, energy and matter, creation of perfectly detailed illusions and life-like simulacra, mind reading, mental domination, emotional manipulation, flight.

Appearance: Negotiable.

History:
~In the beginning, there was the Void, and reality was formless. And then God spoke, and said "Let There Be Light." With those words the first being, the first angel, Lucifer Morningstar, was created, and his light brought form and shape to the universe. The Light-Bringer watched as God, his beautiful, wonderful, amazing Creator, split the World into Heaven and Earth, Sky and Land, and filled each with wholly new, incredible beings and beasts. Lucifer watched in loving wonder at each new creation, and rejoiced in The Maker's designs, showering praise upon praise on every living miracle and work of splendor. He was joined in his devotion by his sibling angels, created especially by God to keep his most favored servant company, and there was such rejoicing in Paradise.

And then, God created the monkeys.

Lucifer watched, confused, as The Creator endeavored to make something completely original: a being possessed of both divine spirit and free will. In his innocence, Lucifer sought audience with God and asked why He should make such a thing, and God's answer filled him with delight. It was The Creator's wish to learn if a creation could willingly love its Creator if given that rarest of all aspects, the power to choose. How marvelous! How incredible! How noble was The Creator, to create such a magnificent animal! Surely, thought Lucifer, no creature could know of God and not worship Him freely.

And yet...

Lucifer watched through the ages as the monkeys grew and evolved, first learning to live within the trees, then returning to the ground, their simple minds growing with every generation until they began to resemble his own angelic brethren, albeit crudely. As The Maker made Himself known again and again, Lucifer was horrified to watch as some of the monkeys began to turn away from His presence. The Great Experiment had failed, he thought grievously. There could be no place in Heaven or Earth for such abominations. God would doubtless wipe them from existence and start again, perhaps with one of the other many races which populated His World.

But no. Lucifer continued to observe as God not only spared the monkeys, but made excuses for them! Not only did He allow them to survive, He let them thrive! They began to spread across the face of the Earth like a virus, a pathogen that existed only for its own sake and cared nothing for the consumption and devastation it left in its wake. Lucifer again went to God and attempted to bring Him back to reason, but this time God denied Lucifer's request, insisting that the monkeys were still worth saving. Lucifer was heart-broken, for he realized that the new race of Man was now God's most favored creation.

And so, the Morningstar went down among the monkeys and studied them closer, hoping to learn how such filthy, defective creatures had captured The Maker's favor, but understanding eluded him. He elected to bring sorrow and strife to the race of Man in the hopes of better illuminating their endless faults and shortcomings, that The Creator would see them for the failures they were. To his everlasting shame, The Maker rebuked him for his labors of love! Then, to make matters worse, Lucifer watched in despair as He went down amongst them Himself and actually...actually lived as one of them! The archangel's tears fell for ages as he watched his beloved God lower and debase Himself like a common monkey, trying to teach and inspire His creations from among their ranks.

Twice, he approached Him, his wonderous God wrapped in such decrepit meat, and begged Him to return to Heaven and abandon these psychotic fleshlings; once, he came upon Him fasting in the wilderness and fell to his knees, sobbing and pleading with Him to come home, and again as the murderous apes...oh, the audacity! To think that anything could show such, such disrespect! Such contempt! Oh, if his heart had been broken before, surely it shattered into dust as he clutched weakly at the Creator's foot, as He hung nailed to a tree and allowed Himself to suffer, to anguish at mortal hands, and all for THEIR SAKE!!!

At last, it was clear to Lucifer what had to be done. It pained him so very much, but there would be no more denying. The Creator had gone completely insane; it would fall to Lucifer, His most good and faithful servant, the Highest of the Choirs, to bring Him back to His senses. And to do it would be the hardest task he would ever undertake.

Lucifer gathered as many of his brothers and sisters as he dared, and told them of his plan, a plan so unthinkably daring that few could even comprehend it. Lucifer would rebel against the Maker, and depose Him from His Throne, and from there he would restore their Father's faculties to Him and remove the diseased love in His heart for Mankind, and in doing so set God free of His inexplicable obsession with the monkeys to reign over Heaven and Earth once more.

Naturally, most of his siblings rejected the notion as blasphemous and steadfastly refused to join the Light-Bringer in his efforts, but a few remained with him and shared his convictions and concerns for The Maker. And so, a war was waged in Heaven for The Maker's sake. Lucifer and his scant legion of two hundred angels fought valiantly against their own brethren, battling tirelessly to avoid bloodshed as best they could manage, but in the end the armies of Heaven were simply too great. Lucifer and his companions were at last overwhelmed, and his own brother Michael Demiurgos, the Second Angel, struck him with all his force and sent him plummeting from the World into the Void below, where his power was sealed away for eternity.

The First War of Heaven was over, and Lucifer had lost.

But the Second War of Heaven was coming, and Lucifer would not lose again. The First of The Fallen created for himself a new domain within the Void, outside of God's sight, and called it Hell. Many of his followers, those who fell with him but lacked the strength to maintain themselves outside of God's grace, became twisted and deformed versions of their former glorious selves, and became the first Demons. Upon seeing the fates of his brethren, Lucifer hatched a new plan to save The Creator from Himself, one that would use His own favorites against Him. The First War had been lost simply because of numbers; God had them, and Lucifer didn't. Now, that would change. He began to collect the souls of mortals, fragile, pathetic creatures that they were, and worked to re-forge them into lesser demons under his command. For countless millenia Lucifer's demesnes grew stronger and stronger, his forces gathering might and number by the day, until at last the time came to strike.

Whether by chance or design, Lucifer has discovered that God has finally abandoned His precious Creation, and hope has sparked in his heart deeper and brighter than ever before. In His absence, the armies of Heaven have fallen to squabbling among themselves, and Paradise has been torn asunder. With the help of Azazel, his most loyal and trusted friend, and his brothers Uriel and Raphael, Michael and the rest of their meddlesome siblings have been safely captured and removed from harm's way. Mankind has grown weaker and more complacent than ever before, and a way has finally been uncovered to bridge the divide between Hell and Earth. The Light-Bringer is risen once again. He will lay waste to the monkeys, in retribution for their transgressions. He will unify the angels at last under his command. And he will find The Creator, and bring Him home.

And not even God will help those who stand in his way.

Other: Out of some sliver of lingering respect for The Creator's authority, Lucifer will rarely -- if ever -- destroy a human outright. Instead, he prefers to offer the monkeys temptations and allow them to destroy themselves through their own sins and shortcomings. Lucifer does not lie; he is literally older than the cosmos, and the second most powerful entity in existence. What possible need could he have for deception? However, he has no qualms about bending the truth to suit his purposes, particularly when dealing with such lowly vermin as humanity. For the species as a whole, the Morningstar has only loathing and contempt, but even he will admit that there are some mortals who prove worthy of a modicum of esteem. It is, of course, these exceptions that drive Lucifer to hate the bulk of mankind that much more, for he sees in them a glimmer, perhaps, of what The Maker can see.

[Cameron182]

Annnnnd here's the IC thread whenever you guys are ready:

https://elliquiy.com/forums/index.php?topic=105188.msg4566148#msg4566148

[LimitlessNikkie]

Character Name: Iofiel
Character Type: A Fallen
Affiliation: Evil
Special Abilities (Not normally had by your type or unique to your character):Projecting illusions, spreading discontent and inspiring envy.
Appearance: Iofiel usual appears as a pale girl with dark red hair that seems to glow in the light with silver blue eyes, with large sweeping wings with black feathers that upon closer look have been singed around the edges, but can shift her appearance to become that that the other person finds the most desirable. She is always an example of pure beauty though since her fall her feature are a bit sharper and more defined then the classical innocent beauty so many of the angels have. 
History: Iofiel was the angel of beauty created to help the humans see the beauty of the world their creator had give to them. She protected the three sons of Noah and guarded the tree of knowledge from Adam and Eve and in the end drove them from Eden. Her job was to help the humans see the beauty not only of thier world but in themselves and to draw inspiration from such.

Iofiel was devote but her belief in humanity waned considerably after she had to drive Adam and Eve from her beloved garden of Eden. She love her creator but believed him to be a bit misguided in his love for the beings who needed her guidance just to see the beauty of the world around them. She could not understand why her God would choose such lost creatures above his angels as his chosen race.

When the light bringer started whispering his temptations to the other angels Iofiel like the rest turned from him her faith in the creator still too strong to let her listen to Lucifer but time passed and his words filled her mind. She didn't exactly agree but she saw no other choice, she no longer believed the creator was right and loathed to stand aside and watch as her beloved lord sullied himself for them.

Iofiel eventually joined Lucifer a minor angel in his legion of two hundred to fight against all the angels of heaven. She like the rest was cast out for supporting him and was tossed into the void that would become hell in the eyes of Lucifer. Wearing her burned and blackened wings like a badge of honor Iofiel was never the same after she fell. She never lost her angelic form but she changed the separation from her beloved creator changing her. Hate seeded within her until she could feel nothing but hate and contempt for the things that crawled in the mud that her beloved god chose above her.

She found pleasure in twisting the simple minded being, tempting with the beauty of the world letting them fall victim to their desires, torturing them, tempting them with illusion of what they could never have. She grew cold and cruel a shadow of what she'd once been in paradise. Even her looks shifted to make her look harder, compared to the soft beauty she'd held in heaven.

No one's agenda has held her attention since the last war. She amuses herself most of the time finding distraction is tormenting the humans or serving where she was needed. since Lucifers move against the humans Iofiel had seemed to come to life again. She's been seen walking among the humans more then a few times each time leaving anger, jealousy, envy and desire in her wake. She bread discontent and hate without ever having to draw blood.

[Cameron182]

I like, welcome :)

[Phobetor]

Alright I'm going to throw mine up right now =/ I'm still working out a few things with her back-story and stuff but so far this is what I got. I was going to have Cameron check it out first, but I figured I better throw mine up before she gets snatched up! :P

Character Name: Ariel
Character Type: Archangel
Affiliation: Good
Special Abilities (Not normally had by your type or unique to your character): Healer/Protector, Control of all the Elements but Fire.
Appearance:

History:

“Is forgiveness easy, my Lord?” Ariel had asked as she walked with her Creator, looking down at the beings He had given His life to.

“No, Ariel,” He had said solemnly, “But forgiveness is needed. One day you will understand; sometimes things happen that will be out of your control, but trust Me; I have the control.”

War…She knew it would come eventually.

It was Ariel’s firm believe that everything happened for a reason, a purpose in the life all of them led. There were a lot of things out of her control; for example, being locked away in Hell with her brethrens, that was one of them. Hearing the demise of the Humans, that was another. But there was one thing within her control…and that was the belief that their Creator had NOT walked out on them. Something had happened to make God abandon them.

She had to find Him.

In the Heavens, Ariel had always been approached about her Intellect and her vast knowledge held within her heart and mind. She had also been known as the Healer, the one who Protected the Humans when they were sent on missions for their God. She had raised people from the dead, visited their dreams to give them warning…and had given them power over the elements when they needed it the most. It was what her God had commanded; and so she did it. She did not look down at the Humans with disgust, but with the same love and patience that He had shown them. After all, if they had been Created in His image, then it meant that He saw something worthy in them, didn't it? And Ariel was not one to question her Creator. Not like Lucifer had been.

When she had first heard the rumors of Lucifer uprising against their Creator, she hadn’t been shocked…she had been sad. How could he do that when He had done so much for them? He had given them life…and Lucifer was spiting on His honor. She had shunned him; when he had come to speak to her, she had ignored him. When he had tried tempting her, she had rebuked him. And God had favored her; had known she was not going to fall like the others. She had been worthy in His eyes. It had been her hope that Lucifer would have stopped the madness, would simply allow Him to do as He pleased and not question Him any longer. But it hadn't stopped; it had gotten worse. So much so that before they had known of his intention, Lucifer had rained down a battle within the Heavens...and he had taken many of their kind until he had been cast out.

And yet...here she was…fallen. Whether by force or voluntary, Ariel found herself in Hell, with her Brothers, wondering what was to happen to their existence. Lucifer wouldn’t dare kill them, she knew he would not. A misguided creature he was, but he was not going to slay the ones he had loved…he still loved. She had been questioned, she had been bribed and even tortured so that she could join their side, but Ariel had not spoken one word. She had not said anything, even when they had brought tears to her eyes, she hadn't cried out. She wouldn't speak to the ones she had loved before; just looked at Lucifer and Azazel in silence and let them see the pity in her eyes. She did pity them; their ignorance, their selfishness.

And the one person who had made hell tolerable...had been slain. There were whispers between the Brothers that Azrael had escaped; that he had found some way to escape Hell and would come and save them. But Ariel knew that wasn't true; if Azrael had escaped then he would not  bother to save them, he would do what God had created him to do and would bring Death down to those who deserved it. But...she knew he hadn't escaped. For she had heard from Azazel's very own lips, that Azrael was dead. The tears that had spilled down her cheeks had been without sound, the grief in her eyes obvious. She had loved him, favored him a bit more than her other Brothers...and he was dead.

Now Ariel had to get out; she had to finish what Lucifer had started.

(If there is anything on my background that you guys don't agree with (like Lucifer, Azazel or Azrael) then let me know and I'll make the corrections! :-) )

[Joslyn]

I have some general questions and concerns about the game as it is shaping up so far. As a disclaimer, please keep in mind that I am only talking about the fictional theology of the game itself, not anything in real life.

- Is this a collaborative game or is the GM going to be running it and providing settings/plot events/deciding results of actions/etc. ?

- I have a big problem with the whole "free will" theme, and I think we should lose it entirely. Any definition by which humans have free will, angels have it as well--after all, they all chose whether or not to rebel against God in the first place. Thus there's nothing special about humans compared to angels, other than maybe the fact that they reproduce.

- I was really hoping we weren't going to be using most of the Christian mythology so literally due to the concerns it introduces:

The Adam and Eve story (which I noticed Iofiel's background mentions while Lucifer's seems to skip in favor of theistic evolution. IMO we are better served by the latter) is pretty warped aesop--you've got something called the "tree of knowledge" which is supposed to be a bad thing?

Noah's arc, exodus, and a lot of other stories has God killing a bunch of innocent people for no good reason--we should probably rule these out of the canon of the game or else God would be an evil character.

The Jesus story doesn't really work in the context of this game, as we already agreed previously to throw out the Old Testament-style brutality Jesus supposedly overturned. This story would make more sense if it was about God trying to understand his creations better by "walking a mile in their shoes," so to speak.

Also, we should probably lose the idea that God is so egomanical that he wants his creations to worship him. In my opinion that should be a character flaw reserved for Lucifer and his followers. Maybe we could expand on this idea--maybe humans were created by God as a test for the angels of their humility, to see if they would treat intelligent creatures with less power as equals?

Finally, there's a clear disconnect between the time after the invasion--when there is very obvious proof of God, angels and demons existing--and the time before the invasion where that's not really the case. We really should not imply faith is a virtue in a setting where none is required in the first place. My character does not have "faith" that angels exist, she sees empirical evidence of it five times before breakfast.

[Kate]

hmm Joslyn does have a point.

My first post does toys with a Christian's sense of right ..

[Cameron182]

I definitely appreciate the comments and suggestions, however keep in mind it is a game and not every little minute detail has to fit in with other aspects of the mythology.

I intend this to be more of a group effort, I don't like controlling the entire thing myself and I think it would be more enjoyable if everyone had a hand in the shaping process. Of course I will control a few things that I'll mention as we go along and handle final decisions on things, but I don't want this to be a strict type of game where everyone is too afraid of stepping on someone's toes.

Really the free will issue is kind of pointless to me to even debate, 'free will' can be classified in so many different ways, but I think in this particular instance it has more to do with the wide emotional range that humans have compared to angels who are supposed to be less emotional, my thoughts anyways.

Once again I think the Adam and Even, Tree of Knowledge, etc, etc, is another pointless thing to debate simply for the fact that it would have no relevance to the current story considering that was events that would have happened long before. This is basically a mashup of several different versions of the mythology, so yeah there'll be a few inconsistencies, but it's nothing that's going to disrupt the game itself. Not to mention the Noah's Arc story along with many others that I remember from my church days as a kid, wasn't God killing for no reason it was because of the sinful nature of humanity in those situations and how they'd been corrupted. Atleast that's how I remember it.

That would be a better way to think of the Jesus situation, but once again rather pointless considering it has nothing to do with what's happening now.

And in my opinion, God is egotistical, it's littered throughout the Bible about how we must worship Him in like a billion different ways, pretty sure he wants worship lol, not to mention this game is revolving around the story that God has simply vanished, so he'll probably have very little influence/direct contact with any of the characters and that wouldn't even be until it gets closer to conclusion. He's basically more or less tipping the first domino and watching the rest fall, it's like he's reached the stage in parenthood where he's allowing his creations to walk on their own feet, clean up their own messes. This is basically a test on humans and angles alike to see how they fare on their own.

Obviously the humans would no longer have need for faith when living proof is at their doorstep, but there would still be need for faith in God himself, considering most people think he abandoned them or doesn't care. So yeah the faith would have more or less shifted from believing in his existence to believing in his love if that makes any sense.

And I'm not trying to sound like a jerk or anything, please don't take it that way if it comes across like that, it's almost 8 a.m. and I had a wonderful insomnia-filled night of no sleeping :/ lol but this isn't final, I'm still open to discussion, I just think we should focus on less trivial matters.

[Phobetor]

Question:

Are we going to have different Thread for different locations? (Heaven / Hell / Earth) OR are we just going to use the one thread for everything? AND is there going to be an OOC thread...or are we just sorta going to use this as an OOC thread? :-)

Okay off to work!
Ya'll have a good one!

[Cameron182]

I just figured we'd use this as the OOC thread, and I don't really see a need for multiple threads yet unless you guys feel we should have them.

[Joslyn]

I hope I'm not being difficult, but I don't think history and character backgrounds are trivial--they directly inform the character's motivation and personality. That in turn defines the very nature of the conflict--why Lucifer wants to destroy humanity, what motivations his followers might have, and so forth. I’m actually much more concerned about stepping on other people’s toes if these things are not defined ahead of time.

Good and evil need to be very clearly explained in a story of this nature. As an example, I don't see my character as someone who worships God--she is just someone who wants humanity to survive and follows her own ethical rules. If we judge her by a standard where only obvious things like murder and rape are sins, then she can be considered good. But if being impious is a sin, she suddenly has a fatal flaw that prevents her from being considered good. If on the other hand being impious isn't a sin, then God is a bad guy due to punishing people for it all throughout history. And if we say God has never punished people for being impious in this setting, then really we have throw out or alter almost all of the biblical history. The Egyptians in Exodus weren't tortured and killed because they were a giant pack of rapists and murderers--they were punished because their pharaoh didn't believe in God's power.

This is important because, sooner or later, the characters in the game are going to mention events that happened in the past--then you'll have to suddenly arbitrate who has the correct version of the past if there is a conflict. I think it will be much less upsetting to the players if these conflicts are resolved before the game begins rather than down the road when everyone is more heavily invested in their idea of who their character is and what makes him/her tick.

As an example--we have to assume that Lucifer will still be trying to convince the arch-angels to join his side. He'll also try to tempt mortals. He's obviously going to try to point out what he considers examples of God's poor judgment or hypocrisy. But what examples does he use if we don't even have a clear history of what happened? Are any of his grievances legitimate?

Please keep in mind, I’m just bringing all this up because I want this game to be as enjoyable and interesting as possible. We can’t really deal with complex themes like temptation, redemption, the nature of good and evil, and so forth if we don’t know exactly why our characters are good or evil in the first place.

(btw, we should probably make an OOC thread pretty soon, I don’t think we’re allowed to use this forum for that purpose after the game is out of the formative stages)

[Starlequin]

I believe Joslyn does raise some interesting points, some that I clearly overlooked in my literary zeal to create a fitting villain. Bad source of all evil! No cookie for me! So after a few minutes of debate, I think I've come up with a  plan that will satisfy everyone. I say...

Imma go have a bowl of cereal, and then I'll be back to tackle these ages-old philosophical conundrums.   :D

*munches on a cookie*...what? I'm evil, 'member?

BTW, nice intro posts, Kate and Cameron. And yeah, an OOC thread is definitely a must have. We love us some OOC goodness.

[Kate]

a dedicated ooc thread is pretty justified i think (best if it is linked in the other fist posts of other threads) otherwise this is always at the top of a group interest...

we should really free up the group area for what it was designed for

[Starlequin]

*cracks knuckles* Alright! Had mah cereal, and am now ready to lift the veil on popular theological enigmas.

First off, the nebulous issue of 'Free Will'. This can be dealt with most easily if we first define the concept in a more narrow frame, and this is what I suggest: Free Will refers only to the ability to choose whether to love God, or deny him. For the angels, this is impossible; all angels, both good and evil, have no choice but to love God with all their being, as it is literally a part of their nature. They cannot help but love God anymore than mortals can help breathing. Humans, on the other hand, do have this power to willingly give themselves over to God (and the easiest form of this would be worship, but not the only means) or to refuse to do so.

Secondly, as far as biblical history vs theistic evolution, I don't think it should be too hard to reconcile the two. One of us can introduce elements through conversation or flashback scenes indicating that the two are largely one and the same, but have become warped and distinctive through overuse of metaphor, poorly translated history texts, inaccurate oral histories, etc. Concerning the violent God of the Old Testament, that's easy enough to handle, I think; could we not simply agree that all the violence and slaughter attributed to God was, in fact, simply perpetrated by men who sought to wipe out their political or ideological opponents and used the old 'God told me to do it' defense to justify their actions, or natural disasters as appropriate?

Concerning Jesus, I believe I actually addressed that issue in Lucifer's history when I wrote that God 'went down among the humans and lived as one of them,' to teach and inspire them personally in a way they could better relate to.

As for desiring worship, if we look at this in the terms that Cameron has already pointed out, e.g. God as a parent who is stepping back from his children and letting them learn to stand on their own, I don't think it would be worship He would be after so much as simply the love of his children, like any parent would want. His oldest children (angels) want to please their father, but aren't sure how, and his youngest children (humans) are still more concerned with their own gratification than their father's approval.

The idea of worship supplanting love could be attributed to a few loud-mouthed or prolific zealots spreading the wrong idea through history. It's not that God is a poor father or an immoral creator, and it's not even that angels and humans are bad children; it's just that we're young, and still don't entirely understand what our father wants from us, but if we can learn to stop murdering each other (fighting over our toys, lol) maybe we can grow up enough to find out.

As for faith, I don't think faith has become entirely obsolete, merely that its necessity has shifted directions. Cameron touched on it, I think: we don't need faith to believe that God exists anymore, but we still need faith that He loves us and wants what's best for us.

The conflicts between character histories, I think, is probably at least partly inevitable, since taking enough time to ensure that all parties' histories mesh would probably mean we'd never have enough time to actually, you know, play. However, I think these could be resolved in-game easily enough, if CSs aren't treated as set in stone.

Now, about 'Good' and 'Evil'. These really aren't as important as you might expect; no matter how we define them, no being, whether mortal, angelic, or demonic, will ever embody only one and none of the other. Even Lucifer could be qualified as 'Good,' because all of his actions stem from one thing: his love for God. Everything he does, he does because he loves God and wants to 'save' Him from Himself, like the domineering oldest son who wants to put his aging father in a nursing home so he'll be properly cared for. Is he evil, or just misguided? The same could be said for many -- if not all -- of the other demons and fallen angels; they misbehaved, their father kicked them out of the house to help them learn, they misbehave more because they want daddy's attention back. 'Good' people are those who love God, make mistakes, and ask forgiveness; 'Evil' people are those who love (or in extreme cases, don't love) God, make mistakes, and don't ask forgiveness.

So, anyway, that's my thoughts on the matter, and I hope they made a smidgen of sense. Probably not my best writing ever, but maybe not too shabby for only bein' awake for two hours, lol.

[Phobetor]

That (to me at least) made PERFECT sense. :-) And it helps explain the little bits of information we're going to throw in from our own experience. At least...that's what I think.

...What the hell do you drink in the morning to come out with that with only two hrs of sleep??? ;)

[Starlequin]

Cocoa krispies and a bottle of gatorade laced with a shot of 5hr energy    :D

[Joslyn]

'Good' people are those who love God, make mistakes, and ask forgiveness; 'Evil' people are those who love (or in extreme cases, don't love) God, make mistakes, and don't ask forgiveness.

If we went by this standard, I'm not really sure where my character fits in. She doesn't love the God character--at most she feels some gratitude that he went to the trouble of creating the universe in the first place. But I also see her as someone who diligently follows her own code of ethics and wouldn't really be tempted by anything the forces of evil have to offer. I suppose I could settle for just saying she's neither good nor evil, but in this sort of story that's vaguely unsatisfying.

I think; could we not simply agree that all the violence and slaughter attributed to God was, in fact, simply perpetrated by men who sought to wipe out their political or ideological opponents and used the old 'God told me to do it' defense to justify their actions, or natural disasters as appropriate?

I agree that's the best way to handle it, but I'm not sure if everyone is on the same page there--we'd be throwing out/altering the vast majority of the bible mythology in the process. Of course, it's ultimately up to Cameron to make these sorts of decisions and enforce them.

[Starlequin]

Ok, how about this. If we expand the definition of 'Good' / 'loving God' to include an active embracement of  a sort of a 'golden rule of  probabalistic determinism'?  (yes, ive been waiting months to use that phrase again, lol) Basically, if your character actively tries to make the world a better place by demonstrating generally agreed upon virtuous behavior (ie, compassion for others, protecting the weak, working toward a widely consented common good, etc) and / or avoids opposing negative behaviors (murder, malevolent deception, joyfully causing suffering, etc.,) then your character can be generally described as 'Good' / 'Godly', since that would basically be the sorts of behaviors a father would ostensibly encourage in his children.

As for altering biblical history....I still don't see the problem with that. We are writing a game, after all,  not crafting our own religion, so what's wrong  with rewriting it to suit our creative needs? That said, you're right. It is Cameron's call.

[Cameron182]

Oh Starlequin you're a life saver lol, and yeah I think that's the best way to handle the whole 'violent God of the old testament', simply because it's best to keep him as a good character and like you said, we're building a game and not a full-scale religion so I don't see any harm in twisting the events when we need to so that they all fit together. Personally I'm not looking forward to dissecting each and every part of the mythology to make sure everything is kosher, if we have any issues or anything with events like that I'm sure we can resolve it when it pops up. I'd love to elaborate more, but I have to get out to a show tonight and probably won't be back around til late, but I'll get an OOC thread and all that going when I get back, annnnnd if anyone likes hip-hop you should totally check out some of my music :) lol www.reverbnation.com/ceethreee

[Cameron182]

I lied, I made the OOC now lol

OOC Thread

[Crovonovin]

At Cameron's request, I give you the Black Sheep of God's bickering family!

“    The whole earth has been corrupted through the works that were taught by Azazel: to him ascribe all sin.    ”
     
— 1 Enoch 10:8

Character Name: Azazel, the Prince of Lies 
Character Type: Archangel
Affiliation: Evil (Himself?)
Special Abilities:

• False Nirvana:  Azazel is a being whose mind seems to be utterly at peace with itself, free of all desire, of all hatred, and of all negative thought.  It is a blank parchment, a tranquil void, a Beginning and an End unto itself.  To peer upon it is to know the beauty of Emptiness, and to dwell within it is to know Oblivion.  But this state is merely a clever shroud, a stalwart shield protecting his true thoughts from those who might seek to read them. 
• The Masquerade:  To wear the right mask around the right person is to hold their heart in your grip, and no one knows this better than the Prince of Lies.  His body is mutable, his personality like softened clay, and both can be altered to suit the one he wishes to manipulate.  To some he might appear as a beautiful maiden or bewitching gentleman, while to others his abominable guise cows all who dare to look upon it.  He is many things to many people, and only God knows his True Face, free of deception and trickery.
• Sin's Vessel:  Housed within his very being is a compendium of all the sinful machinations of the Past, the Present, and the Future; an innate and inexhaustible knowledge of all the harms Man may visit upon his fellow Man.  In practical terms this allows him to devise some of the most potent and horrifying weapons utilized by those under Lucifer's banner, matching and in some cases even exceeding those wielded by the forces of Good.
• Sacrificial Temple:  Through some twisted art crafted by Azazel's hands alone, he has gained the blasphemous ability to take sacrifices unto himself and feast upon their power, making it his own.  He has been deified by certain sects of demon and human cultists down on the Earthly plane, where animals and virgins spill blood upon stone altars or blacken beneath torrents of devouring flame.  His power still pales in comparison to the glimmering radiance of the Morningstar, but his wiles run deep and his plots are manifold...

Appearance:
[Angelic Form]

History:

One of the oldest of God's angelic host, Azazel was initially no different from the others.  He loved his Father with all his heart, and his brothers with all his soul, but in that purity of spirit and innocence there rested the kernel of corruption.  God came unto him and said that he was to contain within his breast all the knowledge of Sin, to seal it away within himself so that the eyes of others would never have to behold that which is Hateful, Dark, and Evil.  In doing so he sealed the fate of his most trusted children, the repercussions of this single act resounding through all existence and ultimately bringing ruin to the world that He had so lovingly crafted.

Above all else, Azazel loved God's flawed children, those He called Man and Lucifer called Monkey.  He loved how they scurried about in ignorance, how weak and frail their bodies were, how all their imperfections played off one another in that ceaseless comedy called Life.  But they were still slow, and without His word they would surely never travel far.  And so Azazel slithered among them in a serpent's scaled skin, drew upon his knowledge of Sin and hissed the first lie into the ear of a brother, so that he might shed his own brother's blood in anger.

Though his Father rebuked him for this heinous deed, the damage was already done.  Lies and Murder had been released into Creation, and so were planted forever into the hearts and minds of Man.

Azazel found endless amusement in what he considered to be his Father's "games".  The archangel laughed like a child at His scoldings, his heart alight and full of mirth.  For truly God must have known that he would do these things, Omniscient as He was, and meant for him to do so.  Azazel wondered at God's plans and delighted in guessing at His ends, and in time he returned to walk amongst Mankind.

And Azazel taught men to make swords and knives and shields and breastplates; and made known to them the metals [of the earth] and the art of working them; and bracelets and ornaments; and the use of antimony and the beautifying of the eyelids; and all kinds of costly stones and all colouring tinctures. And there arose much godlessness, and they committed fornication, and they were led astray and became corrupt in all their ways.
1 Enoch 8:1-3a

And so War and Lust steeled the blood and soured the minds of Men, granting them new Godless freedoms that they took to eagerly and without reservation.  He had planted the seeds of the endless Arm's Race that would continue throughout history, each nation of Men seeking new and inventive ways to kill one another, standing upon the very foundations that Azazel had shaped.  Again he was scolded and shamed by his Father, but was not yet turned from His holy light.  In His mercy, Azazel knew with all his heart that his deeds were correct, and that he was simply following the path set out before him like a dutiful son.

Content to let Humans bury themselves under his teachings, Azazel turned his attentions to his most beloved of brothers and God's most cherished son, Lucifer.  So consumed was his brother by disdain and confusion, incapable of understanding the attentions their Father paid upon his mortal children, that he had failed to see that it was Azazel's corrupting influence that had first turned Man away from His grace.  Azazel consoled and comforted his brother as only he could, feeding his mounting anger towards the creatures that bleated and bemoaned their fates even while spitting on the name of the Lord.  Truly he believed that Morningstar's love for their Father was without equal, and that he deserved His love more than the piddling, humorous insects below.  In so doing, he twisted the intentions of His most cherished son, resulting in their Fall.

Azazel fell to Earth with laughter on his lips when Lucifer's rebellion failed, amazed by his Father's wit.  'What a twisty, winding Plan he has for us!' Azazel thought to himself, 'That He would cast us out for doing as He wished of us!  What fun!  What joy!  What rapture!  Our Father's cunning is without match!'

Free of inhibition and fear, Azazel's machinations ran rampant.  As Lucifer's most trusted adviser he had the ear of the most powerful being next to God Himself, and as his Right Hand he possessed more freedoms than he ever had whilst behind Heaven's gates.  He much preferred the realm of Man anyway, those laughable little gnats who always managed to surprise him with new and unexpected acts of debauchery.  But his whispers, through Lucifer, reached those of his Brothers who had not yet Fallen from God's grace, those who had felt the most hesitance upon casting them out all those years ago, so that when the Second War surged forth the Betrayers willingly turned upon their Brothers and imprisoned them. 

That God had abandoned his own Creation did not perturb Azazel in the slightest.  For God's Plan is inscrutable and unknowable, and Azazel is all too eager to see where it goes.

[Starlequin]

Whoo-hoo! Damn, I dunno about the others, but I LIKE IT! I was a little worried I'd end up having to play Azazel myself along with Lucifer, lol.

[Crovonovin]

I'm glad Lucifer likes it!   ;D  It was tempting to simply make a generic "Evil for the sake of it" type of character, but it really didn't mesh with the idea that your posts have given me of angels in this setting and in general.  Looking at the angels as a bunch of children (literally and figuratively) made it much clearer to me what Azazel should act like, and what you've shown of his personality in your post is easily reconcilable with the sheet I've put on the table.

[Starlequin]

It's very close to how I was planning to write too, bit so much better. I loved the origin of sin bit; I had something like that in mind, but just couldn't figure out how to word it clearly. Well done, mate. *chuckles gleefully*  hehe, we're gonna go far, kid!   >:)

[Cameron182]

Magnificent like I expected :) Very pleased to have you aboard sir.

[Crovonovin]

Grand!  I'll probably make my first post tomorrow.

[Cameron182]

Character Thread

There we go :)