Angiris Council

The **Angiris Council** is a group of five Archangels, assumed to be the most powerful or wisest Angels in Heaven, they govern Heaven and rule over it. It is shown in the Sin War novel, The Veiled Prophet that when the council makes important decisions it works on a majority vote, having five members there can be no tie. The Council acts from the legendary Silver City.

## Current Members

* ***Tyrael***

A Male Archangel. The most influential Angel in the Diablo games so far and the one who sways the Angiris Council's vote towards Sanctuary's survival. He likes to be directly involved with the affairs of Sanctuary, even against the wishes of the Council. This may be due to his witnessing Uldyssian's selflessness and great acts in the Sin War trilogy. He was the Aspect of Justice, currently he is the Nephalem of Wisdom.
* ***Auriel***

A Female Archangel who is dressed in soft blue robes, she appears to embody the emotions of love and empathy, being sympathetic towards Sanctuary and its inhabitants. She is known as the Aspect of Hope, and her encouragement and bright thinking holds the Angiris Council together.
* ***Imperius***

A Male Archangel who is dressed in royal red robes with a shining breastplate over top. On his breastplate there is an image of a blazing upturned sword. He is very aggressive, much the opposite of Auriel. He believes Sanctuary should be destroyed due to man's demon-blood, and is known as the Aspect of Valor.
* ***Itherael***

A mysterious Archangel who wears gray robes. This Aspect is naturally neutral, being neither male nor female in aspect. This Angel voted with Auriel to save Sanctuary. It is known as the Archangel of Fate, viewing the possibilities of the future. Ostensibly, man is the only exception to Itherael's power. It cannot see man or the future of man.
### Exiled Members

* ***Malthael***

A Male Archangel whose robes and breastplate are black, his face gaunt and shrunken. He appears to represent death. He abstained from the vote to destroy Sanctuary. Malthael is known as the Aspect of Wisdom, and has grown increasingly grim over the millennia, possibly mad. This may be attributed to his analytical approach to interpreting the on-going war between demon and angel, and the events transcribing in Sanctuary.
* ***Inarius***

A Male Archangel. Tired of fighting in the Eternal Conflict, he left the Council and the High Heavens to create Sanctuary. Father of Rathma and former lover of Lilith and Brother of Tyrael.
## The Sin War

It was these five Archangels that decided the fate of Sanctuary after the hidden world was discovered. Their original plan was to destroy it, mostly with Imperius' aggressive backing, however they were forced to take a vote due to extenuating circumstances. The main point against its existence was also the reason for it to be preserved - the humans having the blood of both Angels and Demons in them had the potential to be stronger than both, serving as powerful allies in the Eternal Conflict. The result was in favor of letting Sanctuary live on. Imperius vouched for Sanctuary's destruction seeing humans as an abomination containing foul demon blood while Auriel and Itherael saw its potential as a powerful ally. It was Tyrael who gave the final and most impacting vote which saved Sanctuary from imminent destruction, ending the vote 3 to 1, as Malthael had abstained.

The Council made a pact with the oldest of the Prime Evils, Mephisto, that he would leave Sanctuary untouched in exchange for the traitor Inarius, who created Sanctuary, an act forbidden by the Council. Sanctuary was then left in the hands of the humans, with their memories wiped, allowing them to grow from the beginning and ultimately to their own end. Each individual is left to decide either to live by the light or the dark.