Seraph

Seraphs are difficult to categorize. By some definitions, they are a type of intelligent aether sprite and by others, they are a type of devil. Many agree that seraphs belong in their own category, but their similarities to aether sprites and devils continue to spark debates among those who study them. Whatever the case, they are powerful magical creatures that can only enter the mortal realm when summoned with a careful hour-long ritual that involves drawing a complex summoning circle and by offering an object of personal value to be consumed by the ritual. This object and the summoner’s emotional attachment to it serve as an anchor that the seraph can use to pull itself into this world and tether itself here.

Seraphs are naturally skilled with life magic and can heal allies’ wounds when the situation calls for it. However, they use this ability sparingly as doing so weakens their tether to this world. Healing will not immediately banish a seraph, only daze it depending on the severity of the injury, but healing too often or too much in a short amount of time will.

## Means of Summoning

In order to summon a seraph, one must draw a circle of elaborate runes and spend one hour of uninterrupted focus willing the seraph to appear and lend aid. An object of personal value must be placed in the center of the circle as an offering so that the seraph can tether itself to this world. Without the object, the Seraph will only appear briefly as a gleam of light and then disappear. Additional measures may be required for a ritual to help with summoning a specific type of seraph, but the unique nature of seraphs means that summoning a particular seraph can never be guaranteed.

Once fully summoned, a seraph will only remain in the summoner’s plane for a limited time. This amount of time is determined by the value of the offered object, the summoner’s need, and their motivations for summoning the seraph. For example, someone who summons a seraph for aid in resolving a minor conflict will only gain their assistance until the matter is resolved. If the summoner seeks help with a greater cause or is truly desperate, a seraph might be bound to the summoner’s plane for longer if they also have sufficient energy. However, a seraph will resist being summoned for too long.

There is no way to choose which seraph will answer a summoner’s call. The intent of the summoning and the summoner’s character, however, can influence which seraph will feel drawn to the circle. For example, a soldier wanting to serve his country and protect his fellows would likely draw the attention of a Seraph of Loyalty.

Summoning a seraph can pose a significant risk to the summoner if they are not careful. Since there is no easy way to dismiss a seraph without it completing its goal, a seraph could irreversibly harm the summoner because the summoner would not be able to cut off the magic sustaining the seraph. There can only ever be one summoner linked to a seraph, but multiple mages can be tapped into the summoning circle as secondary energy sources.

## Means of Banishing

A seraph is banished moments after its summoner is killed, although a seraph with a strong will can cling to this world for long enough to perform one final act, provided it takes no longer than roughly ten seconds.

Since seraphs are beings composed of light and life magic, a powerful dark or corruption mage could banish a seraph instantly, but at a cost. An hour-long ritual combining elements of dark and corruption magic can instead be used to lay a trap that would force the seraph back to their home plane at a lesser cost, but this trap has a risk of failing.

## Biology

Seraphs appear as humanoid warriors with two large, glowing feathered wings like those of different species of birds. They wear masks or helmets and a full suit of armor or another similar form of dress. While a seraph can be dressed like a warrior from any human culture, there is one constant: no part of a seraph’s body will be uncovered, and it will be impossible to determine the seraph’s hair color, eye color, skin color, or even their gender by appearance. While most seraphs are gender neutral, there are some who occasionally identify as male or female and allow the inflection of their voice to indicate their gender, but even these seraphs cannot truly be identified as either gender by humans.

## Sociology

Seraphs are primarily protectors and value all life. Seraphs of Peace will only fight to defend another creature, usually their summoner if they are a good or neutral alignment or a good or neutral-aligned target of the summoner’s choosing. Seraphs of War will take more active roles in combat, but again primarily act as defenders rather than aggressors, preferring to strike only if struck first. Neither type of seraph will kill a human unless the situation is dire and calls for it.

All seraphs carry a shield of some sort, whether it is a tower shield, a buckler, a heater shield, or something else, and they favor melee weapons such as swords, morningstars, and axes. These can be changed at will, with the weapon becoming enveloped in the light that reshapes itself into the desired weapon. There have been no reports of a seraph ever wielding a ranged weapon.

While Seraphs of Peace rarely engage in combat, both Seraphs of War and Peace will attack a devil without hesitation. To compare a seraph to a devil would be a grievous offense.

## Variants

There are two main subspecies of seraph: War and Peace. Seraphs of War have an aura that aids their allies in combat while Seraphs of Peace emit a ward that protects everyone near them from harm. There are different types of seraphs within these subspecies that serve different purposes and are drawn to certain types of individuals more than others. Currently, the only known type of Seraphs of War and Peace are Loyalty and Joy respectively.

### Seraph of Wars

A magical aura envelops all in the presence of a Seraph of War that a rush of energy like adrenaline to any the seraph chooses that allows them to ignore severe injuries and blood loss so they can continue fighting longer than they naturally would have been able to. However, leaving the range of the seraph’s aura\* causes the effects of all wounds to shock the individual’s system at once, rendering them immediately unconscious and at risk of death.

\*OOC: This range is the /talk range. If you can’t hear the seraph’s /talk, then you can’t gain the benefits of the aura.

#### Loyalty

Seraphs of Loyalty are drawn to individuals who prioritize helping those close to them or who are strongly patriotic, faithful, or otherwise dedicated to a cause. They often join their summoner in whatever conflict they encounter and act as an ally, watching their summoner’s back to make sure that no attack takes them by surprise. The summoner can choose to have this seraph accompany a close friend, family member, orally instead if they wish, and the Seraph will guard them fiercely. These Seraphs of War are common.

### Seraphs of Peace

A magical ward envelops all in the presence of a Seraph of Peace that protects them from harm. Everyone within the ward’s range\* resists all types of damage, whether it be from blades, magic, arrows, or etc. Even the summoner’s enemies are protected when they are in range. However, no one is completely invulnerable to damage in the ward, only resistant to it. Attacking the Seraph of Peace directly can weaken this ward as the seraph’s concentration is disrupted.

\*OOC: This range is the /talk range. If you can’t hear the seraph’s /talk, then you aren’t protected by its ward.

#### Joy

Seraphs of Joy are drawn to individuals who feel lonely and struggle with connecting to other people. They act as a companion to the summoner and follow them through their everyday life, giving advice on how to get involved with events and sometimes causing problems for the summoner to solve. While this can give the summoner a sense of accomplishment and help others see them more favorably, their mischief can lead to property damage and the loss of others’ personal belongings if the summoner fails to find or save them. These Seraphs of Peace are common.

Trivia:

* No seraph has ever removed any piece of its armor for any reason, and thus no one knows what they actually look like aside from their wings.
* There has been no recorded instance of the same individual seraph being summoned within one’s lifetime. Seraphs have, however, been known to resurface after some time has passed.
* Seraphs identify themselves with names ranging from those used by humans, objects, or descriptive words. For example, there could be a seraph named Rosario, Compass, or Burn.

* Photo is from this link: https://soft-h.deviantart.com/art/knight-563406521