recursal/Fanatic-Fandom huggingface dataset:
Nakael

Originally, it seemed like a great idea to the Seraphim Council. Litheroy had just been made an archangel and one of his most ancient supporters, Nakael, was in line for a fairly significant Word. Meanwhile, in the corporeal world, the diabolicals had finally gotten around to developing the idea of "spin" and were trying to make demons out to be "cool, anti-establishment rebels" instead of the more traditional "evil minions of darkness." Who better to reveal the Truth to the world but a servitor of Litheroy? And who better than a malak, since his job would doubtlessly mean encountering a good many demons?

So, Nakael was made angel of Demons, something that has come to cause a good many problems. First of all, as a malak, Nakael has started to feel that it is almost dissonant for him to have the Word of Demons, since his oaths mean that he would kill them all if he could, which in turn would destroy himself (as his Word died). This seeming contradiction is not actually enough to cause Nakael dissonance in and of itself, but the malak is starting to descend more and more into feelings of confusion and angst, not good things for a malak. Also, in his struggle to reveal the Truth behind demons to the world, Nakael has been faced with a great many discouraging facts.

For one, demons *are* kind of cool. Sure, "cool" doesn't have much meaning in the War or in the balance between good and evil, but Nakael can't deny that there are just some pretty appealing things about being a demon. Instead of being righteous, you can just be self-righteous. And diabolicals have a sense of style that, try as they may, most angels just can't beat.

So, basically, Nakael is stuck in a kind of vicious cycle. He both admires some things about demons and is oath-sworn to destroy them (and then, if he destroys too many of them, he's actually damaging his Word). Just what this ends up doing to him is up to individual GM's, but one thing's for sure: it ain't going to be pretty.

As a side note, it might be important to show why Hazzareth is a good successful supporter of his Word while Nakael is not. First of all, Nakael is only focused on the "real" meaning of "Demons," as he is Oathbound to reveal the true horrors of demonkind to the mortal world. This has limited him to the point that he finds it impossible to effectively accomplish his job. Maybe another choir would have been more effective, but the Seraphim Council was too afraid of having a servitor Fall, so it *had* to be a malak.

As a contrast, Hazzy doesn't care at all what angels are "really like." It doesn't matter to his work. He knows what he wants "Angels" to mean and works to impose that view on the world. He's also a great deal older than Nakael, and, as a balseraph, is much more ingenious and flexible about the way he implements his Word.
Burke's skin wallet

William Burke was one half of the pair responsible for the West Port murders committed in 19th century Edinburgh, Scotland. He and his partner, William Hare, smothered their victims and then sold the bodies to the anatomist Robert Knox. The pair's murdering spree was interrupted when lodgers at Mr. Hare's boarding house discovered the body of their 16th victim.

The police could not prove the pair guilty of their murders, so the magistrates offered Mr. Hare immunity if he turned King’s evidence. After being convicted for all 16 murders, Mr. Burke was hanged, his body turned over to anatomists for dissection, his skeleton put on display at Edinburgh Medical School (where it remains to this day), and a portion of his skin fashioned into a wallet.

## A Resurectionist’s Relic

The Burke’s skin wallet is a relic. Whenever the wallet turns up, it will be filled with a couple thousand dollars worth of local currency.

Unfortunately, this money does not come cheap. Whenever someone takes money from the wallet they will feel unclean and lose 1 Essence for every $50 (in 2016 dollars) taken. If they do not have enough Essence available they will go into “debt” and permanently lose access to one point of Essence. Additional permanent Essence can be lost by taking the maximum amount of cash their Essence can cover.

*For example, a Soldier with 6 Forces and 4 current Essence finds the wallet. If he takes $200 or less, he will only lose current Essence. If he takes $250 he will lose one permanent point of Essence, and he will lose an additional point of permanent Essence for each $300 he takes out of the wallet. (If he takes more than $1700 from the wallet he will have no essence left and will likely die and be sold for parts in the near future).*

Permanent Essence can only be regained through the intervention of a Superior or by repaying all money taken from the wallet. However, the wallet won't take just any money. Only money earned from the sale of organs and cadavers will count.

## Variations

By turning King’s evidence, William Hare escaped his partner’s ghastly fate . . . in this life. However, he was relegated to the care of the Game after his death. One of Asmodeus’s artificers has built a second such wallet out of Hare’s skin ~ one that is repaid out of the bounty on one’s erstwhile allies.
Abraham's knife

This relic is, as near as anyone can make out, the actual metal knife that Abraham supposedly hefted while preparing to sacrifice his son Isaac at God's command. The Host today prefers not to dwell on such matters; in fact, if it weren't for its origins, they'd probably be more than happy to get rid of it.

Possession of Abraham's knife gives some interesting benefits. To begin with, anyone carrying it can never be forced to change his or her mind about anything. Balseraphim and habbalot are well-advised to not even try. Also, possession of the relic seems to bring with it a bit of God's supposed favor towards its original owner: all rolls made by the possessor will have the most favorable CD possible. This means, among other things, that an infernal intervention becomes effectively impossible to roll, and that any natural roll of 2 will be a divine intervention. Third, the relic has a Power of 6 and an Accuracy of +3 ~ and all damage done to undead, Hellsworn, and demons will also do an equal amount of soul hits. Any servant of Evil that picks up the relic will take 3 soul hits per round, and all celestial damage done to him, her, or it will be tripled.

That's the good news. The bad news is that possession of the relic means that you have effectively signed over your free will for the duration. The possessor will immediately and irrevocably decide to go about doing God's Will . . . and if they don't know what God's Will is, they'll make their best guess. This includes servants of Evil, actually. The possessor will also tend to choose a violent method of doing God's Will whenever possible. In other words, committing a sin ~ any sin ~ in the presence in the wielder of the relic will result in a violent attack, with no consideration given for mitigating circumstances or whether or not others may not consider the action to be a sin. Also, those that wield it will ignore such considerations as dissonance conditions or disturbance.

The Host tries to keep this relic locked up: only a Superior can safely use it, and they don't need the advantages that it gives. However, from time to time a particularly fanatical angel will figure out some way to steal it, and then the fun starts all over again. It's rumored to be even more Unbreakable than normal, which could be one reason why, say, Novalis didn't just bite the bullet and destroy the thing . . . .
Isaac Asimov

The others just knew it, once they got up to Heaven. There was no way that any human could have written that many books on that many topics for that many years unless they didn't have to either eat or sleep. More than one Cadre member felt posthumous vindication for their good-natured envy of the bastard. Anyway, since his "retirement", Isaac naturally drifted into the company of the Cadre (they've declared him an honorary saint). His typical Cadre missions involve . . . well, there isn't a common theme, actually. Isaac goes in mostly as a scout for Marc's Collation Department. He's good at doing a quick and dirty analysis of the situation, then calling for the right Cadre specialist (assuming that one is needed at all).

Also, he apparently also takes the time to drop off book ideas to some of his posthumous collaborators, much to the good-natured disgust of his peers. Doesn't the angel know when to quit?
Achaiah

Opposes Kezef.

## In Service to Faith and the Sword

While Khalid was forsaking Heaven, many of these Virtues wanted nothing to do with him. Now that he has taken a more equitable view, malakim from every corner of Heaven have been begun to coordinate with him.

However, the malakim of the greatest virtues also play a special role in the War if they are responsible for coordinating actions against the Princes of Sin. As such they are expected to liaise and coordinate with Laurence. Each of them holds one of the Sword’s command-level distinctions (even if Laurence does not get along with their Superior).
Hachamel

### Discord

Angry/3 *(Hachamel was originally Slothful, but Nybbas removed that after Hachamel’s Fall.)*

## Resources

### Attunements

Habbalah of Media, Habbalah of Factions, Subliminal

### Songs

Affinity (Celestial/3), Hysteria (Ethereal/4), Nightmares (Corporeal/2, Ethereal/1, Celestial/1), Numinous Corpus (Barbs/3, Eyes/2), Opening (Ethereal/2), Plagues (Celestial/4), Unity (Celestial/2)

### Skills

Computer Use/4, Fast Talk/4, Literacy/4, Lying/2, Throwing/2

### Servants

Followers/2 x more than you’d care to count

Once, not terribly long ago, Hachamel was a minor servitor of Stone.

As an angel he spent decades of his immortal existence growing up and growing old so that he could be truly embedded within a mortal community. However, when his orders finally came down, Hachamel was not commissioned to take on the forces of Hell. His job was to join local letter writing campaigns. Lots of local letter writing campaigns.

The causes were good and moral, and directed against entirely human evils.

When Hachamel did finally encounter a demon, he did not recognize it for what it was, one of Nybbas‘s lilim. Bit by bit she trained the angel in how to use the internet to maximize his impact while minimizing his investment.

> Doxing, v. – searching for and publishing private or identifying information about an individual, usually with malicious intent.
>
>

It was pleasant, it was addictive, and it was not something that made David particularly happy. The butthurt at being outcast (and condemned to a brand-new vessel with no Role to speak of) inspired Hachamel to reveal the locations of some of David‘s secret bases of operations. Praise and support flowed in from assorted demons, soothing Hachamel’s battered ego.

Before he knew, revealing the personal information of his enemies had become a habit. A way of venting his own rage and directing it in others. He pledged his allegiance to Nybbas on some minor subreddit and accepted his Word from Lucifer in the midst of an online flame war with the lilu who originally tempted him to Fall.
Bonoham bat Bonoham

### Songs

Flame (Corporeal/4), Nimbus (Ethereal/3), Numinous Corpus (Flame/4), Tongues (Corporeal/1), Shields (Celestial/4)

### Skills

Chemistry/3, Dodge/3, Emote/4, Fast Talk/4, Fighting/4, Knowledge (Sheol)/3

Some years back, an audacious sorcerer attempted to commune with Bonoham, the Duchess of Phosphor. Intrigued by someone with the power and temerity to reach out to her, she opened a hellmouth and extended a portion of her undying fellfire into the mortal realms. However, his rituals and her attunement interacted in an unexpected way causing the portal to snap shut and severing a portion of her Forces from her.

Rather than dissipating, the Forces took on a life of their own, immolating the sorcerer on the spot and possessing what remained of his ruined flesh. When the duchess re-established the hellmouth, her Forces had already fled ~ no longer wishing to be reunited with their infernal whole.

While others would view such severed Forces as Bonoham’s daughter, she views herself as the better parts of the Duchess Bonoham, and has no desire to be forcibly re-integrated with her larger, baser self. Although she no longer has the powers of a duchess of Hell, Bonoham is no less convinced of her nobility and is slowly building up alliances that might help her to overthrow herself.

## Possible Plot Hooks

The creation of a new demon is typically one of the powers reserved for princes. Although there were extenuating circumstances, the fact that the Bonoham in Hell was able to accomplish it means that she’s far closer to making a bid for prince than anyone realized. She is desperately eager to be reunited with the apostate fragment of herself to learn what secrets it holds. At the same time, she must move circumspectly, there’s no way to predict how Belial will react if he learns that one of his dukes is ready to make a play for prince. And, of course, should any other power player in Hell learn the truth about Bonoham bat Bonoham, they will likely hold it as leverage over her ducal “mother.”
Allies

Pick an individual or organization that you have as an ally (subject to GM approval). The target number to contact your ally is (your reaction TN + ranks in this resource – the status of the ally). For ethereal and celestial allies use (Celestial Forces + Distinctions) for their status.

Your ally will get back to you in 7 – CD days.

As a default the reaction of an ally will be (4 + ranks in resource – status of ally). However, in-game treatment of your allies can influence their actual reaction level.

## Servants v. Allies

A servant is effectively an NPC you can boss around. An ally is a touch more complex. Servants can be compelled to say yes, allies not so much. This means that allies are also free to be much more powerful or nebulous than servants.

## Allied Pantheons

An ethereal pantheon is almost certainly led by a Superior. No matter how you cut it, Superior is equivalent to at least 4 distinctions and will probably have 6 Celestial Forces, so being able to take a whole pantheon as an ally would be akin to taking on a Status 10 ally.
Camille

the Gate-Hopper, Who Didn't Pay . . . Again

### Skills

Artistry (Spraypaint)/2, Acrobatics (Parkour)/3, Climbing/1, Dance/3, Dodge/1, Fast Talk/5, Fighting/1, Move Silent/5, Running/1, Seduction/3

Camille is the very spirit of gate-hopping (well, aside for the demon who got that Word first, the bastard). It doesn’t matter if it’s a concert, all-you-can-eat, public transit, or anything else: so long as there’s a door fee, she’ll find a way in (and out) without paying. Some call that theft of services, but to Camille it’s only thrift.

It's a distinction the Tempter really cares about. Burglary, filching, and long cons all strike her as singularly tacky. Sure, she might lift a VIP pass to hang out with a band she *really* enjoys, but it (or a replacement) will make its way back to the original owner before the event is over.

Most servitors of Valefor think she’s nuts. Not that this bothers Camille. In fact, she loves the debate. It’s intellectually stimulating and often gives her an excuse to take offense and storm out, stiffing the other Magpie with the bill.
Great Hero

Apparently, Eli was hungry.

The Great Hero resembles ~ well, actually, it is ~ a three-foot submarine sandwich (ham, cheese, bologna, onions, lettuce, oil and vinegar, mayonnaise and a little pepper). Among other things, it's the tastiest submarine sandwich that you'll ever taste in your entire life.

The powers of the Great Hero are two. First, it's got a variation of the Corporeal Song of Succor that will let you carve off pieces and feed them to people. Carving off pieces never diminishes the mass (and, in fact, cannot be done without activating the Song). The Great Hero never grows stale.

Second, and possibly more importantly, it's a fairly potent weapon (use the statistics for a longsword). The fiery weapon feature takes some getting used to, but the look on your opponent's face alone is worth the hassles. No one is precisely sure why Eli needed a three foot, flaming submarine sandwich that could punch through steel: very few people are sure whether they *want* to know.

Some things are better off as mysteries.

## Doing the Math

* **Long Sword/6** (Special effect: submarine sandwich) 6pt
* **Relic/2** (Corporeal Song of Succor variant) 6pt
* **Fiery Sword/1** (Variant) 3pt
* **Unbreakable** +5pt
* **Visibility**: automatically Detectable -4pt
* **Disturbance**: 3 points per use (Constant) -3pt
* **Vulnerability**: celestial Artifact destroyed if corporeal artifact destroyed -4pt
* **Total**: 9pt
146 p.e.v.

Demogorgon, the powerful demon of Destruction, is destroyed by Belial amidst speculation that Lucifer is about to crown him prince

## Africa

In spring, Carthage falls to Roman forces under Scipio Aemilianus and the city is completely destroyed. End of the Third Punic War.

## Europe

The Achaean War. The Romans conquer the Achaean League and southern Greece becomes a Roman province. The Battle of Scarpheia: the Romans led by Quintus Caecilius Metellus Macedonicus defeat an Achaean League force under Critolaus. Critolaus, general of the Achaean League, dies. The Battle of Corinth: the Romans under Lucius Mummius defeat the Achaean League near Corinth. Corinth is destroyed, and the Achaean League dissolved.

With Carthage and Greece conquered, Rome becomes the sole superpower in the Mediterranean world, a distinction it will continue to hold for approximately the next 600 years.

Hipparchus determines the equinoctial point.

Gentius, the last king of Illyria
715 e.v.

The Purification Crusade begins. Beleth offers ethereals sanctuary in her realm, for a price. Some pagan gods choose to retreat into the Far Marches instead.

## Asia

Empress Genmei abdicates the throne after an 8-year reign, in which she has built a replica of the Chinese imperial palace at Japan's new capital, Nara. Genmei is succeeded by her daughter Genshō. Fujiwara no Matate, Japanese nobleman, is born (he will die in 766).

Stephen the Younger, Byzantine theologian, is born. The newly-appointed Patriarch Germanus I of Constantinople organises a council propagating Dyothelitism, and attempts to improve relations with the Armenian Apostolic Church.

Muhammad ibn Qasim, Arab general, dies (he was born in 695). Muhammad ibn Yusuf al-Thaqafi, Arab governor, dies. Qutayba ibn Muslim, Arab general, dies (he was born in 669).

### February 23

Caliph Al-Walid I dies at Damascus after a 10-year reign and is succeeded by his brother Sulayman ibn Abd al-Malik. During his rule the Umayyad Caliphate reaches its greatest height, with successful campaigns undertaken in Transoxiana (Central Asia), Sindh (Pakistan), Hispania and against the Byzantine Empire.

**Umayyad conquest of Hispania:** Arabs led by Tariq ibn Ziyad advance from the area La Rioja (modern-day Spain) and conquer the fortress city of León.

### May

Emperor Anastasios II is deposed in an army mutiny, and succeeded by Theodosius III, a tax-collector from the theme of Opsikion (modern Turkey). After a six-month siege, Theodosius and his troops take Constantinople; Anastasios is forced to abdicate the throne and retires to a monastery in Thessaloniki (Macedonia).

## Europe

**Battle of Woden's Burg:** Kings Ine of Wessex and Ceolred of Mercia clash at Woden's Burg (Wiltshire). Tewkesbury Abbey is founded on the site of an ancient hermitage in England, by the noble brothers Oddo and Doddo. Milburga, Anglo-Saxon abbess, dies.

King Nechtan mac Der-Ilei invites the Northumbrian clergy to establish Christianity amongst the Picts. Winning, an Irish monk, lands at the mouth of the River Garnock in Scotland, and establishes a community or cell of monks (termed cella or "Kil" in Gaelic).

Stephen II, pope of the Catholic Church, is born (he will die in 757)

### April 9

Pope Constantine I dies at Rome after a 7-year reign. He is succeeded by Gregory II as the 89th pope of the Catholic Church.

### September 26

**Battle of Compiègne:** Ragenfrid, mayor of the palace of Neustria and Burgundy (appointed by King Dagobert III), defeats Theudoald in the first battle of the Frankish civil war, following the death of Pepin II (of Herstal).

Dagobert III dies of an illness and is succeeded by Chilperic II, son of Childeric II, as king of Neustria. Charles Martel is freed from prison at Cologne and is proclaimed Mayor of the Palace of Austrasia at the capitol Metz.
2000 p.e.v.

Horses were tamed and used for transport.

The last woolly mammoth goes extinct on Wrangel Island.

Ethereal spirits have become very powerful pagan deities, sometimes rivaling the power of an archangel. The Seraphim Council declares that something must be done, and Yves suggests promoting monotheism as a way to cut off ethereal spirit worship.

Glass appears.

## Africa

Farmers and herders traveled south from Ethiopia and settled in Kenya.

### Sovereign Political Entities

* Egypt
* Punt

## Asia

Bronze Age began in north China.

Middle Jōmon period ended in Japan. A vessel, from Asahi Mound, Toyama Prefecture, was made. Dogū, from Kurokoma, Yamanashi Prefecture, was made.

Decline of Harappan civilization began.

The Harappa Torso was sculpted by a member of the Indus Valley culture.

Dawn of the Lal-lo and Gattaran Shell Middens pilings in the Philippines

In the Old Assyrian Empire, the Sumerian cuneiform had evolved into Old Assyrian cuneiform, with many modifications to Sumerian orthography.

Abram (Abraham) leaves the city of Ur and makes a pact with God, becoming the Patriarch of Judaism, and eventually of Christianity and Islam.

### Sovereign Political Entities

* Amorites
* Armi
* Aramea
* Arzawa
* Assyria
* Dilmun
* Ebla
* Elam
* Eshnuna
* Gojoseon
* Gutium
* Hatti
* Indus Valley
* Lukka
* Lullubi
* Luvia
* Magan
* Mari
* Namar
* Purushanda
* Qiang
* Sea Peoples
* Sumeria
* Ugarit
* Văn Lang
* Xia
* Xu

## Europe

Arrival of the ancestors of the Latins in Italy. Town of Mantua was founded.

First of the Minoan palaces on Crete. Site of palace complex Knossos started to become occupied.

Stonehenge construction largely completed.

### Sovereign Political Entities

* Illyria
* Minoa
* Pelasgia

## North America

Dawn of the Capacha culture in modern-day Colima, Mexico. Humans settle in Matanchén, modern day Nayarit, Mexico
Greenwood

Founded in Nottingham shortly after the Norman invasion, Greenwood was revived in Scotland, in 1879, by Queen Victoria, after she was attacked by a werewolf. They take the name from Luke 23:31 – "If they do these things in the green wood, what will they do in the dry?" – which Victoria took to mean that, if even someone as well-protected as a queen is open to supernatural attack, what about everyone else? The internal meaning is that there are worse times coming and they should prepare.

From its start, Greenwood has had a general animosity toward the esoteric; supernatural / magic / psychic / paranormal = enemy. They are very much the Crown's monster-hunters.

Since some of the monsters are intelligent, Greenwood is ruthless about staying secret. The only reason they let Stoker publish the letters and diary entries of the humans involved when Prince Vlad Tepes Dracula tried to invade England shortly after Greenwood's revival is that they saw that presenting the incident as fiction was the best way to hide it. And you've never heard of the Edinburgh Werewolf, the Pevensie Anomaly (except in the most heavily disguised form), the Barsetshire Regulars, the Devonshire Vampires, what's buried under Amesditch, or what really became of Spring-Heeled Jack.

Their contacts in the mundane government are limited to the Prime Minister, the monarch, and whoever the monarch deigns to tell. (Greenwood almost always wishes the royal lips would stay a bit better buttoned, but after all it's a hell of a secret and you have to talk about these reports with *someone*. So, the consort and one or two very close friends usually get let in. The heir is generally left to find out for themselves).

Greenwood is very possessive of weird stuff: "If it's magic, it's ours." They want specimens to investigate and weapons to use. Any British magician that poses any problem at all will be taken down and *looted*. Non-human problems are generally killed, but, if they leave a body, it's taken in for examination. Greenwood has quite a collection of bottled ghosts; they disapprove of ghosts more than they disapprove of ghost-drinking and so take no steps against the ghost trade. Their research facilities are in their safe houses, scattered in isolated bits of British countryside.

Since they have to pick up their talent where they can, Greenwood has been progressive about using agents of any class, religion, race, or sex. It is currently headed by Capt. Jacob Harker, of Jamaican extraction, who took the post in 1978 and still looks a vigorous fifty ~ presumably the result of some of that magical looting. He and his staff have a reputation (in a very small circle) for showing up abruptly, acting abrupt, and leaving abruptly, but when they leave at least things are back to normal. They keep close tabs on each other, since Greenwood agents who have "gone under deep cover" have often not appeared again, or not as Greenwood agents.
Commissar

## Resources

### Attunements

The vast majority of commissars are servitors of Godless Communism and so have the Socialist Atheist Goetia attunement.

All spirits of Godless Communism are equal, but some are more equal than others. Commissars are the agents of the principles. Their objective is to educate and to discipline, but they are not above destroying intransigent counterrevolutionary spirits (including angels and demons).

Most commissars can detect how well someone has adhered to Communist ideals ~ but also what has led them to stray from those ideals. While some are of the “kill them now and reeducate the rest” camp, many will actually try to solve the problem on the ground that is causing the doubt before resorting to violence.

Should a party of celestials outsmart, defeat, or befriend the first soviets they encounter ~ a commissar will most likely be assigned to lead the opposition against them. Unless you are specifically playing through the overthrow of the USSR, this commissar should be powerful or wily enough to present a genuine obstacle to the party and will be able to call upon enough support to be a recurring antagonist.
Datura

aka Jim Weed, Ms. Thornapple, Moonflower, and Devil’s Snare

### Distinctions

Angel of Devil’s Snare, Vassal of Flowers, Friend of the Gardeners, Master of Peace

## Resources

### Attunements

Seraph of Flowers, Malak of Flowers, Crown of Joy *(see Unique Attunements)*

### Songs

Charm\* (Corporeal, Ethereal, Celestial), Calling (Ethereal), Daydreams (Ethereal), Draining (Ethereal, Celestial), Dreams\* (Corporeal, Ethereal, Celestial), Entropy (Celestial), Form (Celestial), Harmony\* (Corporeal, Ethereal, Celestial), Healing\* (Corporeal, Ethereal, Celestial), Ice (Ethereal), Memory (Ethereal), Nightmares (Ethereal), Opening (Ethereal, Celestial), Poison (Ethereal), Seals (Celestial), Sensation (Celestial), Silence (Celestial), Sleep (Ethereal), Solace (Corporeal, Ethereal), Succor (Corporeal, Ethereal), Truthswearing (Celestial)
*\* Virtuoso*

### Skills

Chemistry/4, Dancing/4, Detect Lies/6, Dreaming/4, Emote/4, Fast Talk/4, Healing/4, Savoir-Faire/5

Datura is known by many names. As a man he styles himself as Jim Weed, as a woman she’s Ms. Thornapple, while off duty they prefer Moonflower. Regardless of context demons will use “Devil’s Snare.” By any name, Datura looks like a figure from Haight Ashbury who arrived by way of Alfons Mucha’s art. Their cream and lavender draping is simultaneously plain and elegant.

She is peaceful, laid back, and divinely inspired when it comes to what questions he should ask of those high on his presence (being around Datura is like taking a hit of atropine).

Like most agents of Novalis, she prefers to avoid violence if she can help it. However, he has been known to send mortal and demon alike into deep sleeps from which they never awake.

## Unique or Wordbound Attunements

In addition to its usual effects, Datura's Crown of Joy attunement also has the effects of taking one hit of atropine.
1550 p.e.v.

The city of Mycenae, located in the northeast Peloponnesus, comes to dominate the rest of Achaea, giving its name to Mycenaean civilization.

End of Seventeenth Dynasty of Egypt, start of the Eighteenth Dynasty upon the coronation of Ahmose I. Saminga arrives in Egypt. He begins studying the necromantic arts, becomes very proficient (with some help from the Egyptian gods), and earns the Word of Death.
Japanese America (the Symphony That Never Ends)

Japanese America is more typical of the overseas Japanese populations than Aoteara. Despite its large population (about 250 million, four-fifths Japanese), its separate administrative units all focus back toward the home islands. Underdeveloped in high culture and education, the provincials send their best and brightest back across the Pacific for their education. Some of them return.
Mark Cheddwin

### Skills

Acrobatics/1, Driving/2, Dreaming/4, Fighting/3, Knowledge (Sports/6), Move Silently/4, Running/4

### Songs

Dreams (Corporeal/2, Ethereal/3), Might (Ethereal/2), Healing (Corporeal/1, Ethereal/2)

Mark Cheddwin always wanted to be a basketball star. Like a lot of black kids in the inner city, he idolized Magic Johnson and Dennis Rodman and other sports heroes and dreamed of playing in the NBA.

He was, unfortunately, rail-thin and asthmatic, and never had a hope of being able to perform at that level. But his dreams were so vivid that they attracted the attention of a servitor of Blandine, who recognized in the mortal the potential for becoming a Soldier of God.

Although he never got to play on a court, Mark has been able to play against every sports star in history in his dreams, and he's also been able to help a lot of kids overcome their fears and reach their dreams ~ whether in athletics or in school or just making their way in life. Sometimes he wonders if he's achieved his Destiny, but he enjoys what he does.

He's not as militant as his malak superior, but Mark has learned enough to defend himself in the Marches. On the corporeal plane he's not so capable, but he doesn't try to fight battles there.
445 e.v.

Uriel slays Beelzebub, first demon prince of Corruption.

## Asia

Domnus II, Patriarch of Antioch, summons a synod of Syrian bishops to confirm the deposition of Athanasius of Perrha.

Fan Ye, Chinese historian, dies (he was born in 398 e.v.)

## Europe

Emperor Valentinian III issues an imperial edict against Manichaeism. Heavy penalties are decreed against those who do not denounce the religion and retain Manichaean books. Petronius Maximus, prominent aristocrat, is given the title of Patrician. He becomes the most honored of all non-imperial Romans, and political rival of Flavius Aetius.

Bleda, co-ruler of the Huns, dies in a hunting accident. He is possibly murdered at the instigation of his younger brother Attila, with whom he has ruled since 434 e.v. Now about 39, Attila takes the throne for himself, and becomes king of the Hunnic Empire.

The Diocese of Armagh is created in Ireland. Nath Í mac Fiachrach, High King of Ireland, dies.
Emmanuel

First of the menunim

## In Service to Faith and the Sword

While Khalid was forsaking Heaven, many of these Virtues wanted nothing to do with him. Not so the ever-hopeful Emmanuel (who also happens to not be a malak).

However, Emmanuel, like the malakim of the greatest virtues, also plays a special role in the War as they are responsible for coordinating actions against the Princes of Sin. As such they are expected to liaise and coordinate with Laurence. Each of them holds one of the Sword’s command-level distinctions (even if Laurence does not get along with their Superior).
Martus

### Skills

Climbing/1, Computer Operation/1, Dodge/2, Driving/2, Fighting/4, Knowledge (Dallas/4), Move Silently/4, Ranged Weapon (Pistol/5), Running/3

Martus is one of Michael's favored servitors in Dallas. He is essentially an assassin. While not as good at all-around combat as a malak, he is an excellent sharpshooter with his pistol, and has mastered the quick approach and the bullet-to-the-back-of-the-head. He's usually assigned to take out particular demons, and he does so quickly and quietly. An occasional hit here and there, besides the frontal assaults by servitors of Laurence, keeps diabolicals nervous. In his Role as a somewhat shifty high-school dropout, usually working odd jobs or for minimum wage at liquor stores, Walmarts, or fast-food franchises, he is able to keep an eye on a large segment of his community, and watches carefully for any signs of diabolical influence. Angels of Stone sometimes ask him to deal with a problem that they can't, and occasionally he's asked to accompany angels of the Sword as a backup gun.

Martus doesn't usually shoot mortals, even Hellsworn; too much disturbance. He has a Soldier friend who often takes care of mortal matters; otherwise, he'll use more subtle means (such as applying his resonance and finding out who is a good candidate for manipulation against his target).

In his primary vessel, Martus appears to be a lean young African-American male with dreadlocks and baggy pants, usually wearing sunglasses. He has been mistaken for a malak before, and usually doesn't bother to correct that misapprehension.
Equinox

The equinoxes are special times for celestials.

Now, normally a celestial will recover Essence at sunrise or sunset, depending on whether they're an angel or a demon. However, on those two days per year when day and night are of equal length, this rule is somewhat changed: instead of at the beginning or the end of a day, celestials will regenerate at the exact midpoint ~ and will regenerate two Essence, instead of one. This is true for everybody: outcasts, the celestially discordant, renegades, remnants ~ even those in Limbo.

Naturally, traditions have sprung up around this twice-yearly phenomenon. Angels usually try to spend that "special Essence" to do someone a favor, or just give it away to the less fortunate: demons are permitted by their prince to use it on anything they damned well please (even the ones in Hell). It can get pretty noisy on those two days.

There's also, of course, a massive blowout at the Glades. Novalis and her servitors throw a party that everybody who's anybody shows up for ~ even archangels that normally wouldn't be caught dead in the place. The rule is, if you can stand the Light of Heaven, you've got an automatic invitation: ethereals have calmly walked in, hung out, then left without being molested, and there's been more than one Redemption that's taken place there. It's also about the only time that anyone's ever seen Dominic sit down and have a drink. He keeps the hood up, though, which usually clashes horribly with the garland of roses that somehow manages to accumulate around him.

Hell's bashes are a lot more diverse (every prince tries to outdo the other, except for Mammon and Kronos: the former's a skinflint and the latter's just not a partying type), but about as safe a place to be as one can find in the infernal regions. Obviously, they have themes, which should probably be left to the imagination. The prize is to have Lucifer show up, of course: the maneuverings and plotting can be intense (and invariably fatal to some servitors) in the weeks before the Day. Of course, the Lightbringer merely picks a spot to go at random each time. Still, it's quite the coup, and the other princes will be a little more wary around you for the next six months, so who cares?
Le Directoire d'Éclipse

The Eclipse Directorate

The Eclipse Directorate was founded, under the name *la Garde d'Éclipse*, during the Reign of Terror, to defend against the plague of wrathful ghosts released by the mass executions. The Kerdeans believe that many techniques of the ghost trade were developed or became much more widely disseminated under la Garde d'Éclipse. La Garde continued under the Directory government, renamed le Directoire d'Éclipse, controlled by the Eclipse Director.

The Eclipse Directorate was disbanded at the end of the Republic but reinstituted by Napoleon. It went underground or rogue when Napoleon was exiled, but continues to function to this day, recruiting from French espionage networks. As with the Department of the Ulterior, it is a department most French presidents don't even know they have. The current Director is Emil Lonvelin.

Very shortly after its inception, the Eclipse Directorate found itself up against l'Armée du Soleil, the French Circle, which would have put a Bourbon on the throne of France if the Directorate and les Chevaliers de Charlemagne had not jointly opposed them. In this way, the Directorate learned of the existence of les Chevaliers, whom it regards as an organization similar to itself, a precursor dating back to the early Middle Ages (which explains their religious overtones). Since that time, the Directorate and the Chevaliers have been distant allies against l'Armée. The Directorate thinks somewhat more highly of les Chevaliers than Greenwood does of Logres.

During World War II, the Directorate fought der Ahnenerbe in an occult spy-war. It joined forces with les Chevaliers, and Geroldseck, the Teutonic Order, in hunting down and wiping out the last remnants of der Ahnenerbe at the end of the war. Since then, aside from "routine" ghostbusting and the occasional werewolf- and vampire-hunts, the Directorate's main job has been thwarting the activities of the CPPU in France.
Nara Tokin

Her Sisters' Keeper, Pawn of Asmodeus and Ba'al

### Songs

Empathy (Ethereal/3), Opening (Ethereal/3, Celestial/2), Solace (Ethereal/2), Truth (Celestial/3)

### Skills

Area Knowledge/1, Computer Use/1, Detect Lies/4, Dodge/1, Emote/2, Fast Talk/3, Psychology/2, Savoir Faire/1, Survival (Urban)/2

They say no demon can serve two masters. However, this is not true of Nara Tokin, nor of anyone else who serves under the Bejeweled Marquis of Shogi. Officially, the March Lord serves Ba'al, unofficially they serve Asmodeus.

The arrangement is something of a public secret ~ but like all such secrets, one can never be sure it is actually the truth.

Nara has three assignments on Earth, and she takes all three seriously.

1. Ensure that all demons in her jurisdiction are as well supplied as she can manage.
2. Keep the peace by supplying angels with what favors she can (so long as they do not directly disadvantage Hell).
3. Report and, if possible, capture any lilim on the road to Redemption.

## Outlook

Nara considers Hell to be the only major power that offers a real chance at freedom. Humans and angels in service to Heaven may think they’re free, but only because they cannot see the strings that bind them. By tempting such beings and placing her hooks in them, Nara creates a tension within them that can cause them to realize she is not the only one binding them.

It’s an important lesson, and one she hopes they learn. But much as she believes in her lessons, it is ultimately the choice of the individual to decide which force they will serve, and Nara will respect that (at least until a future weakness of character reveals they are not so decided as they previously indicated).

The only exception to this rule is her sister lilim. They should *know* better, and Nara is her sisters’ keeper. She’ll stall, kill, or even imprison a fellow lilu in order to keep her from making herself a slave for all eternity.
Mirror magic

Mirror magic includes a Geas of severe prana loss and lowered success for breaking mirrors.

* **Automatic**
	+ recognize an enchanted mirror when you see one
* **Easy**
	+ use an enchanted mirror for visionary divination ("speculomancy")
	+ store prana in a mirror
* **Moderate**
	+ make a shiny surface into a perfect mirror
	+ view and talk though a pair of enchanted mirrors
	+ use an ordinary mirror for speculomancy
	+ regain prana quickly by standing between parallel mirrors
* **Tough**
	+ make any surface into a mirror
	+ create an enchanted mirror
	+ show speculomancy to another
	+ view and talk from an enchanted mirror to an ordinary mirror
* **Hard**
	+ alter reflections
	+ conjure a mirror
	+ view and talk through a pair of ordinary mirrors
	+ make a pair of enchanted mirrors into a portal
* **Very Hard**
	+ do transformations by exchanging places with altered reflections
	+ fetch reflections out of mirrors as props or ka-servants, lasting one day
	+ make fetched reflections permanent (requires smashing their mirror of origin)
	+ make a portal from an enchanted mirror to an ordinary mirror
	+ make an ordinary pair of mirrors into a portal (even harder)
La Lune (the Symphony That Never Ends)

The key to French power, now that they have lost their monopoly on orbital space, is their control over the moon. Lunar manufacturing is less profitable than that done in orbital space, but mass drivers offer a cheap method of export to Earth. The mass drivers also serve as the French contribution to the balance of power, capable of doing as much damage as a nuclear strike ~ admittedly, only over a greater period of time, but then their arsenal is much larger. The total population of La Lune is about 900, of which about 100 have physiologically adapted to low gravity; the rest rotate back to Earth regularly.

## Mass Drivers

One non-rocket means of space transport is used exclusively for sending freight from the moon. The lunar mass drivers use a long row of electromagnets to accelerate a metal-jacketed package to escape velocity, in essence *throwing* it into space. With lighter gravity and no air, the lunar mass drivers are sometimes less expensive to use than rail transit. Mass-driver packets are sent to land in the ocean (usually the North Atlantic) for retrieval. While mass drivers could theoretically be used for passenger traffic, existing technology would probably kill anyone who attempted to hitch a ride. In any case, packets sent by the mass drivers contain no life support.
Juvenal

### Wordbound or Unique Rites

Initiate a conflict between two people, if it involves a boundary dispute (2 Essence). Encourage one person to kill another over a boundary dispute.

## Resources

### Roles

None currently: he's trying to build up one, but he hasn t gotten far yet. Juvenal usually prefers one that's at least level/3, Status 3.

### Attunements

Habbalah of Factions, Imbroglio, Polarize, Demon of Boundaries

### Songs

Charm (Celestial/3), Empathy (Ethereal/4), Hysteria/3, Light (Celestial/6), Shields (All/2), Tongues (Corporeal/2, Ethereal/2)

### Skills

Chemistry/4, Dodge/3, Fast-Talk/4, Fighting/3, Knowledge (Law/3,Psychology/3), Lying/3, Ranged Weapon/2 (rifle), Tactics/1

Ah, the old days. It was amazing how many fights could get started over a simple piece of rock.

Juvenal used to be a servitor of Stone, but that didn't last long. He had too much trouble dealing with the heated emotions going on over the human proclivity for starting a century-long vendetta over six square feet of land that really didn't belong to anyone. After a while, the eloah started to think that the ungrateful fools were touched in the head ~ and, when a Power has gotten to that stage, Falling is almost a formality.

Malphas understood the Punisher's sudden revelation that all of this was a test of God's, of course: really, for a damned demon the Prince of Factions is quite unconsciously sensible of the Lord's real plans for humanity. So, humans want to fight over a meaningless symbol, do they? Well, then, the best thing is to encourage that, make them express all the anger and petty hatred that they're keeping imperfectly secret. Whoever wins is obviously less undeserving of the empty honor. It improves the breed (God knows that nothing could make them any worse).

Juvenal is actually in recovery, right now: David doesn't particularly like defectors, and this one is most annoying at times. The last bout with Stone's servitors managed to strip a few Forces from the habbalah, so Juvenal is trying to hide out and lick his wounds. Unfortunately, he has difficulty keeping his mouth shut ~ and simply cannot bear to not stir the pot, above and beyond the call of duty, wherever he goes. He possibly should have taken up his prince's suggestion that he stay in Hell for a while, but even a habbalah isn't insane enough to get involved in the perennial border disputes about where one Principality ends and another begins . . . .

## Special or Unique Attunements

### Demon of Boundaries

Juvenal can look at a boundary dispute and immediately determine every claim and counterclaim involving it, plus which side actually has the best claim. He could care less about who is actually right, but knowing gives him more options. He can also double the duration of his Habbalah of Factions attunement when it involves a boundary dispute. Finally, Juvenal always knows when he's crossed a corporeal boundary.
Kum Jihun

the Contingency Planner

### Distinctions

Never get caught without a plan or a backup plan; Never usurp the authority of a human; Never suffer an evil to live when it is my choice; Never surrender in the face of hell. The more horrible the nightmare the harder I must fight for hope and dreams.

## Resources

### Songs

Dreaming (Corporeal/2, Ethereal/6, Celestial/1)

### Skills

Computer Use/3, Detect Lies/4, Dodge/1, Dreaming/2, Fighting/1, Move Silently/2, Small Weapon (Short Swords)/1, Tactics/4

By day Mr. Kum is an exceptionally competent (but unassuming) middle manager. He supports his subordinates, the trust of his superiors, an impeccable sense of professionalism, and will not stay in the office a minute more than is necessary. He cannot afford to. Happy hour is the only time that Jihun has “to himself,” and he likes to spend it catching up with his friends and divine colleagues.

Once 9 o’clock rolls around, his real work begins. As a blackwing, Kum Jihun serves the Warden of Anticipatory Dreams. Should a dreamer look to be heading into Beleth’s realm, Mr. Kum will dive into their dreamscape and “remind” the mortal that they had made plans for just such an occasion.

If the dreamer cannot call up the specifics of these plans, Jihun will provide them as if they were the dreamer’s own idea.
Jingle

### Songs

Dreams (Corporeal/3,Ethereal/3, Celestial/6), Motion (Celestial/2), Tongues (Ethereal/3)

No, it's not always Jingle's fault when you can't get a song out of your head. However, it's not for lack of trying.

Jingle was just another one of those dream fragments out there, trying to stay stable for more than 15 seconds at a time, when he happened upon a trick. Humans have always had this problem with especially catchy tunes or sayings; quite by accident, Jingle discovered that if he encouraged that while in someone's dreamscape, then he could hitch a ride in that person's subconscious when he or she woke up.

Seeing as even the nastiest human's subconscious mind is often healthier than the Marches when the Tsayadim wander on by, this was a pleasing revelation. Jingle tends to spend his nights in the Marches, then grabs an available dreamscape, piggybacks into the corporeal plane and proceed to encourage repetitive mental behavior. That keeps him in the host's mind until he or she falls asleep again. It also nets him the occasional bit of Essence, especially when people complain about whatever it is that keeps them from getting the chorus to "Hey Nikki" out of their heads.

Jingle isn't a bad spirit, really: he just wants to continue to exist, humans would be doing this sort of thing anyway and he's not doing anything that actually hurts anybody. Besides, some humans seem to *like* sitting around singing the same song over and over again (or shouting out odd but interesting phrases like 'Waitangi Day!'). However, he's realized that his mere presence on the corporeal plane is only tolerated because nobody's noticed yet . . . and when they do, Jingle has no combat abilities or real defenses except Running Away. He's hoping that nobody will take him seriously enough to want to hurt him.

Of course, the next kuriotes or shedu that encounters a squatter in an area considered theirs will probably take steps to disabuse him of that notion.