Eli, Mercurian Archangel of Creation

Eli is one of the eldest Archangels, first of the Mercurians to be created. He leads the Exiles' battle against the Symphony's unravelling; striving on all three planes of existence to put right what's going wrong. As a Mercurian, he works among humanity to further his goal, promoting creativity and creation wherever he goes. It may seem like a losing battle, but with the aid of his fellow Exiles, they're making progress.

If the other Archangels knew what he truly wanted, however, all Hades would break loose.

On the corporeal plane, his human vessels can take any form. These days, however, he's still personable and friendly, at least on the surface; he usually dresses seriously (if not always formally), and he always seems distracted, constantly examining everything around him, even when he's talking to someone. It doesn't affect his perception, though - he notices everything.

He has to.

Creation once embodied destruction, and perhaps still does; that's why, in the days before the Exile, Eli had no dissonance conditions... But with the decay of the Symphony, as entropy slowly tears it apart, that has changed.

Eli's angels must do everything in their power, and more, to set the Symphony right. Entropy already has too much of a grasp on the Symphony, without the Symphony's defenders doing its job for it.

It is dissonant for a Servitor of Eli to knowingly destroy something (including killing a human) if there is any reasonable way to avoid it. Killing in self-defence is fine, but breaking down an unlocked door is not. If the broken item can be repaired later, the dissonance will fade.

Eli has added a clause to this - things 'alien' to the plane of existence his angels are currently on are fair game. They disrupt the Symphony by their presence.

This includes angels' vessels...

Creation can be divided into three main parts: concept, action, and object.

The concept of creation occurs whenever someone (be they mortal, ethereal or celestial) is inspired to create something - a new idea, a new invention, a better mousetrap - something that did not exist before, no matter how ordinary. It is this that has angels of Creation constantly on the lookout for untapped talent - tap it, and more new things will be created.

Of course, sometimes that talent lies in destruction. At that point, Eli sends in his Malakim.

The act of creation happens every time something new is made (or remade) - which means that, technically, everything that currently exists furthers Eli's Word. It's part of the reason he encourages his angels to create themselves - and part of the reason he encourages them to help humanity create.

Sometimes, for something new to be created, something old must be destroyed. Eli understands this.

However, as the Symphony degrades, and more and more things are lost without being replaced, this part of Eli's Word has started to weaken - which is why his Servitors are prohibited from destruction for destruction's sake. That only furthers entropy, to Eli's way of thinking.

The object of Creation encompasses everything that exists. Not everything that has been, or everything that will be, but everything that exists, here, now. Destiny covered the Symphony as it could be. Creation covers the Symphony as it is. Eli is constantly aware of the strength of his Word - and of what his Word encompasses.

And it is this facet of the Word - in part, the reason why Eli accepted it - that now causes him the most grief.

Eli's angels are among the most dedicated in Heaven or Hades, not the least of which is because Eli is constantly checking on them. There's no room for letting anything slide - each angel reports to one of Eli's major Word-bound, who in turn report to Eli, and who hand out assignments. Once one assignment is finished, it's on to the next - there's very little time to rest for angels of Creation. When they do, however (if, say, a city-wide assignment has been completed), they throw some of the greatest parties anywhere on the planes. Music, art, dance, readings, revelry... whatever the focus, the parties become celebrations of Creation.

Eli smiles on this, too, and his personal attendance at such a party is one of the highest honours for any Servitor of Creation.

Many of Eli's angels are given the task of promoting human creativity, inspiring them to more and more acts of creation - without burning them out. These angels work closely with Blandine's, Nybbas', Raphael's and Vapula's angels. Others are talent scouts, seeking out new talents... and talents that have fallen into disuse. Eli works with Blandine and Haagenti on this.

Still others are tasked with promoting the act of creation - creating new pieces of art, new technology, new ideas, new concepts, new media... and some pursue the job of recreation - repairing, rebuilding, recycling anything that has been broken, worn out, discarded, or destroyed. (Many of these work to promote environmental causes, along with Novalis' angels.) Some (along with angels of Vapula and David) are charged with stabilising the Symphony - researching why it's dissolving, and looking for any means of slowing it down, stopping, or perhaps even reversing it.

Slackers are frowned on; if you're not creating, you're not furthering the Word or the Symphony... and may even be working against them.

On the celestial plane, it's Eli's angels who create the relics, reliquaries, and talismans the Exiles desperately need... although, of late, there have been reports of artifacts weakening, malfunctioning and, in some cases, losing all power altogether. No-one knows what to make of this... but the angels of Creation are doing everything in their power to discover what, if any, truth lies behind this.

Eli is generous with Attunements, Songs, artifacts, and the occasional unique gift... as long as the job was done to the best of an angel's ability. He's something of a perfectionist - if an angel isn't performing up to standard, they'll be reassigned to something more appropriate (and less endangering to the mortals around them).

Eli's Cathedral is Hades' Workshop. Not just a Workshop of the crafts - but of ideas, of art, of vessels, and of Hades' relics and reliquaries, which were so vital after the First Incursion (Technological items and the sciences have been taken under Vapula's wing. Which doesn't mean that the Workshop can't come up with one or two surprises there itself...). As befits the Word of Creation, it is constantly rebuilding and renewing itself, so it never looks the same way twice, inside or outside - not even to those who have lived there since the Exile.

A long, long time ago, an irreverent Servitor of SCIENCE! nicknamed it 'the Factory'. For some reason, the name seems to have caught on among Hades' younger angels and the Fated...

Because of the Factory's constant production of ideas and concepts (including harebrained schemes to slip into Heaven, military tactics that no-one in their right mind would use, and paradigms no mortal would possibly accept... all of which, much to certain people's horror, actually worked), all the Exiled Superiors have agents there, listening for the Next Best Thing. Some of the Superiors have actually been seen in person ("seriously, Blandine? You've gotta be kidding..."). And if they should accidentally happen to bump into one another... well, what a surprise! You were interested too?

The Exiles' Council makes the official decisions for Hades. But the Factory is where the decisions that will affect Hades are discussed.

There is a Master Plan of the Symphony here, an exact replica of that in Eli's original Cathedral. Other Archangels use it, to co-ordinate their efforts to stabilise the Symphony... but Eli has not been seen near it since its creation. In fact, he is rarely found at his Cathedral any more, preferring to wander the planes of existence...

Seraphim:

Seraphim of Eli all believe in the Truth of creation, to some extent - that everybody has the power to create, as God did the Symphony. Sometimes, they need a little encouragement... which is where their Attunement comes in.

The Holy of Eli may create talismans, taking a week for each level of ability (an ability the Seraph must know) they place into it. They may focus on one talisman at a time. However, the Attunement will gradually fade over time, losing a level with each week that passes after the artifact's creation. The Seraph can not attempt to re-imbue a talisman until it has lost all levels of ability.

These Seraphim are responsible for a remarkably large number of 'lucky objects' littering the planes...

Cherubim (partially restricted):

The Overseers oversee the Symphony for signs of entropy - they may know when something they are attuned to enters an area of Symphonic Discord or a dead zone. They will seek, at all costs, to get their attuned out of the area at all costs - this borders on allowing willful destruction. They may also, should it prove necessary, break their Attunement to such an object without a Will roll.... which is only done if the item is truly beyond salvation.

They also retain a degraded version of their original Attunement - they will know what kind of being an object's creator was (human, undying, ethereal or angel), and on what plane they created it, when they attune to an object - but that's all they get, regardless of CD. This helps them discern whether an object is 'alien' to the Symphony...

Ofanim:

The Wheels still speed through the Symphony; in the service of Creation, this means their bodies constantly repair themselves, repairing one Body hit a turn. This will not repair a lost Force.

They throw themselves into Eli's cause with all the motion in them - entropy is everything they hate.

To that end, they may share their Symphonic motion with the Symphonies of others. They may stabilise an object's Symphony with this Attunement - with a successful Will roll, the object or person will not suffer Symphonic Discord for the Ofanite's Celestial Forces in days. This will only affect one object or location at a time.

(The object in question will retain any Discord they had before entering the area, though.)

Elohim:

The Powers' love of their Word manifests in their Attunement. They may bind Essence and Songs into a corporeal object to create relics and reliquaries - this will take a week for each level of Song/point of Essence. However, they also bind their emotions into the artifact - anyone who uses it will be affected by the Elohite's driving emotion for a number of minutes equal to the Elohite's Celestial Forces, unless they make a Will roll to resist.

Better hope that Elohite's feeling good today...

Malakim (restricted):

To Eli, wilful destruction dishonours the Symphony itself. Eli's Barons have been granted an addition to their resonance - they may also know the greatest act of destruction (including injury or death) their target has knowingly committed, within the time indicated by the check digit, and (if applicable) whether the target is truly repentant for it.

Note that this does not detect accidental destruction.

Lilim:

Creation's Charismatics already have the ability to create trust; it's built into them. Their task is to liberate creativity. With a Perception roll, they will know how much potential in a given talent a person can attain - in game terms, what their highest (below level 6) ability is, and how much further they can go (and they usually Geas them to attain it). On a CD of 6 on the roll, they may also know whether the target has the potential to gain another Force.

Kyriotates (restricted):

Eli's Kyriotates have been given an unusual twist on their curse. When they leave their host, instead of corrupting them, they may convert that corruption into a physical transformation of their host, equivalent to the Celestial Song of Form, with no disturbance. The Song's duration (in days) is equal to the check digit of the Kyriotates' Will roll to possess. They may choose either corruption or transformation - but they must choose one. (And Eli frowns on corruption...)

Mercurians (restricted):

The Friends of Man have now earned that name in truth: they are Eli's muses, advisers and guides. With their resonance, they may create a Role for themselves in the Symphony of the 'pseudo-relationship' they establish, with a level equal to that of their original check digit. The Role will last as long as the 'pseudo-relationship' does, (Celestial Forces in hours), and the Mercurian can establish no other relationship while the Role is active, or have one established before the Attunement is used. The Role will extend to covering disturbance in the Symphony, and to creating temporary documentation, which fades when the resonance ends - establishing actual memories and documentation of a Role is going to require a lot of work on the Mercurian's part.

Servitor Attunements:

Transubstantation:

This works as it did before the Exile.

Animation:

For a brief period, the Servitor of Creation may imbue an inanimate object with the life-spark. With the expenditure of 1 Essence, the object will move as the Servitor commands - in a method in keeping with its nature (don't go expecting a rock to float) - for a number of turns equal to the Servitor's Celestial Forces.

Copying something is easier than creating it from scratch; that's why Eli hands this Attunement out.

For a cost of 1 Essence, the angel may create up to (angel's Corporeal Forces) duplicates of a single object. The object may be organic or inorganic, but cannot be animate. The object may not be an artifact, relic, or reliquary - duplicating such an object creates mere mundane copies of the object without special abilities. These objects may be up to 1 cubic foot in volume. GMs are advised to charge more Essence for duplicating larger objects.

With this Attunement, a Servitor of Eli embodies the spirit of creativity - they can inspire a human to create a new idea. The angel engages in conversation with a human, and, during the course of the conversation, the human will be inspired to come up with an idea of their own, based on what they've been talking about. However, the angel has no way of knowing what form the idea will take...

This may be used once per day.

Eli's Mercurians, in particular, love this Attunement.

Creationers find that sometimes, someone must be shown the Symphony to make them stop damaging it. By use of this Attunement, the subject becomes one with Creation.

Be warned; this isn't Nirvana.

The Servitor makes a Will roll, which the subject may resist; if the angel is successful, the subject will suffer a penalty to all their rolls, of the Servitor's CD, as he experiences what everyone - and everything - around him is feeling. They, in turn, get a hint of what he feels... but since the feeling is spread over the local Symphony, the effect is negligible.

Should the subject damage or destroy anything or anyone while this Attunement is in effect, they will be mentally stunned, unable to act for the object's Forces in turns. This lasts 10 minutes for every point of Essence the Servitor spends.

(An older version of this Attunement enabled a Communion with Creation, heightening the subject's awareness. Eli has not been known to hand this version out for a very long time.)

Distinctions:

Friend of Creation:

This works as Eli's old Abracadabra Attunement.

Vassal of Preservation:

Creation's Vassals work to preserve Creation. To that end, they can stabilise Creation.

For every point of Essence they spend, a Symphonic dead zone will be stabilised for a week - the zone will not grow for a number of weeks equal to the amount of Essence they first spent. However, if someone causes disturbance in a dead zone, the Distinction will not prevent that disturbance from expanding the zone. This will only work on one dead zone at a time, but it can be reapplied.

Master of Renewal:

With this, a Servitor of Eli may strike against the Symphonic corruption that threatens Creation - be it a person deliberately and actively forwarding the cause of entropy, or an object whose degradation affects everything around it... by turning Creation against it.

On a successful Will roll (and the expenditure of 5 Essence), the designated person or object will be expelled from Creation, into Limbo... permanently. If a person, they may make a Will roll to resist. If successful, the Distinction fails. The objects it was affecting will all be affected as per the Ofanim Attunement. This will only function on objects or people who fulfil one of the above two criteria.

Eli, unusually enough, is closer to Gabriel than most of his fellow Exiles. Where she must hear the screeching static of the Higher Heavens, he must feel the dull pain of the Symphony's decay. They share a common bond. Jordi's current course of action he sees as ultimately suicidal - why would anyone seek to join themselves with a dying Symphony?

He loathes Andrealphus, seeing him as blinded to what's happening to the Symphony by his own self-imposed delusions. Marc, who more than any other should understand what's happening, has placed himself above it. For that, Eli despises him.

He and Israfel work together often - she's the only one who can feel what Eli does, that and so much more...

Of his fellow Exiles, he is closest to Blandine, David, Novalis and Vapula - they, at least, understand what is happening to the Symphony, and that something must be done. Though they disagree on exactly what. He respects Baal's leadership, and does not seek to challenge it - there are far more pressing issues. Nybbas, he knows, is necessary to their causes. And he understands that anything must be done to win their fight.

Eli often clashes with Ogiel and Uriel in the Exiles' Council - they seem more intent on winning the War against Heaven than on saving the Symphony.

Relations with the Exiles:

Allied: Blandine, David, Vapula

Associated: Baal, Novalis, Nybbas

Hostile: Ogiel, Uriel

Relations with the Host:

Allied: Israfel

Hostile: Andrealphus, Marc

Enemy: Demogorgon, Lucifer

Relations with Others:

Associated: Fleurity, Gabriel

<sidebar>

Chaos in Creation

Why hasn't Eli squashed Demogorgon like a bug? Heaven distrusts him, Hades would certainly be willing to take out one who's speeding the Symphony ever-closer towards destruction, and it's not like Eli wouldn't have help if he asked...

There are a number of problems.

First, while Eli is older, more powerful and more familiar with his Word, Demogorgon has the advantages of unpredictability... and an almost instinctive connection with his Word. And as the Symphony distorts, his Word grows ever faster...

Second, Eli focuses most of his energy on shoring up Creation. To battle Demogorgon - and win - he would have to draw all his attention - all his energy - into the fight... letting the Symphony degrade that much further. As it stands, it is entirely anyone's guess who'd win, without outside help...

Third, Eli has asked the rest of the Exiles' Council not to attack Demogorgon - or any other Superior. He fears that the destruction - the disturbance - the soul-death of a Superior would cause would send the Symphony into a final, entropic spiral... giving Demogorgon the final victory.

The Council has accepted this with bad grace - but that doesn't mean they don't have plans... Perhaps isolating the little upstart from the Symphony first. Perhaps finding a way to banish him to Limbo. Perhaps leaving him a mindless, Traumatised wreck...

Hmm...

Some of the Exiles' Council are in contact with Beleth and Mariel to this end.

Just in case, you understand...

</sidebar>

- Succeed at three Precision-based rolls in a row

- Have consensual sex (including foreplay and afterplay) for an hour.

- Prevent a building being demolished (or aid in its demolishing, if Symphonically dissolving).

Eli's attention is constantly distracted by the Symphony's dissolution; roll a six-sided die to get the base chance that day for any Servitor of Creation to invoke him.

+1 - A paintbrush or musical instrument

+2 - Some form of birth control, unused

+3 - An artist currently creating a new piece of art

+4 - A blueprint of the building you're currently in

+5 - A rare plant, animal or mineral, saved from destruction

+6 - A unique plant, animal or mineral

In the Beginning...

...there was Yves, and God. Then came Michael, Lucifer, Baal, Uriel, Eli, Gabriel and David. And together, they built the Universe.

And it was good. For a long, long time.

Then, humanity evolved. Eli walked amongst them, seeing the horror - and the beauty - they could create. Whilst he understood Jordi's desire to cull them, he never agreed with it. Instead, he urged that they should watch, and guide humanity towards Destiny.

But the failure of the Eden experiment left him wondering whether _celestials_ were truly responsible enough to guide humanity. He thought on this, and started to walk among humanity more and more.

Then, one day, Lucifer came to the shining Archangel of Creation, and spoke with him. How could these half-evolved... apes be the pinnacle of Creation? They killed, they devastated, they destroyed. Surely, they were no better than animals?

But, Eli replied, I have walked among humanity. I have seen what they are capable of, for better or worse. I have seen the potential they can reach, glories to make even a celestial weep. And I believe that, in time, they will achieve even greater things.

For I love them.

And Lucifer slid away, and they did not speak again until the Rebellion.

Eli saw it all.

Saw bright, shining Michael - first of angels, Eli's brother - slaughtered by Lucifer, as a human might slaughter an ox. Saw dark-winged Laurence swear himself to Lucifer's service, believing him to be the chosen of God. Saw Baal watch, spellbound. Held frozen by Lucifer's dishonour and lack of valour. Saw Lucifer's wings rise, still dripping with Michael's blood, ready to command his new Champion. And Eli knew, then, that he would not stop. That Lucifer would continue, until all who had opposed him, who had dared to challenge his oh-so-important pride, were swept away.

And then the battlefield hushed.

And Yves - quiet, gentle Yves, who had been Eli's Namer, who was First of All Things - came forward. And the anger was plain on his face. And none on either side dared to raise a hand against him. And Yves spoke to Lucifer. And naught but one in the assemblage heard what they said. But when they were done...

There was a new order in Heaven. And the old one was swept away.

The rebels, as their first act, would show mercy to their opponents. They could join with Heaven - or they could accept exile. Exile from the Light of Heaven. Exile to the other end of the Symphony. Exile eternal.

There was no choice for Eli. No choice at all.

Eli looked into Lucifer's face. He saw the Creation Lucifer sought to make… and before the Lightbringer could speak, to offer him pardon and power, he whispered 'Exile'. He did not follow Novalis or Yves. Instead, he walked.

Walked from one end of the Symphony to the other.

And the others followed.

And when the Exiled gathered by the gates of their prison, Eli witnessed some of the most harrowing scenes of all. Saw quiet Beleth cry to the Heavens above for her love's return. Saw Andrealphus and Beleth weep. Saw that Lucifer, alone, among those gathered, did not. And then the gates slammed shut.

Forever.

Or so they thought.

Afterwards, after the Exile...

...Eli wept. Wept for the death and destruction he had seen. The violence of brother turned on brother, the bloodshed of celestial against celestial, the suffering of innocents…

He locked himself away, painting, writing, singing - doing anything, anything at all - to get it out.

It is said that none of Eli's art from this time survives. Only Eli knows if this is true.

And when he left his seclusion, and came upon his angels again...

...he told them that to destroy, to kill, for no other purpose than its own, was become anathema to him. And they, one and all, knew this to be True.

Without Eli's understanding of politics, some say, the Exiles would have torn themselves apart, fallen on each other like rabid dogs. Eli waves this away; Novalis, he says, was the responsible one.

But what Hades' histories do not deny is that it was Eli who brought the Exiled Superiors together in the first Exiles' Council... with, it is whispered, the assistance of Blandine and Yves. But Yves is dead, Blandine silent... and Eli will not speak on the matter.

And for the first time, the Exiles knew hope. They had a chance, to create a better life.

Slowly, so slowly, they began to make a home for themselves in the wasteland. Began to work with the Fated they dwelled amongst.

And then, one terrible day, the Symphony tore.

All the celestials - all, be they in Heaven, Hades or Limbo - felt it, the deep, burning pain that came as the Symphony began slowly to come apart. The sheer wrenching agony of it.

And all knew that, in that moment, they had changed.

Eli, from that moment on, alone among celestials, has felt the Symphony as it slowly dissolves, eaten away by entropy. For him, the pain of that terrible moment can never end. It is always with him, his own wound of the Exile.

Things changed, even in Hades...

...until Lilith, desperate for someone, anyone, to help her, for Heaven would not listen, set the Exiles free.

And while they had felt what had happened to the Symphony, they had not seen - they had not understood - until they set foot on Earth again. And afterwards, Baal charged Eli to put this right, to stabilise the Symphony, and set it going once more. From that day onwards, he did nothing else.

And then... then came Israfel, Archangel of the Symphony, once his Angel of Music.

She came upon him as he destroyed an Ethereal Domain (in sadness, for he had loved those who had dwelt there). And he saw the pain in her - his pain, but magnified beyond all conception, almost beyond comprehension. For she was Word-Bound to the entire Symphony, not just Creation.

The student had surpassed the master.

And Eli wept, for the first time since his seclusion. And he took Israfel in his arms, yet found he could give her no comfort. From thence, he has worked ever harder on his efforts, driven by Israfel's prophecies of what will be... and by the suffering that consumes her, body, mind and Truth - even as it burns him. And minute by minute, second by second, both are eaten away.

By their own Words. By Creation itself.

Personality & Outlook:

In many ways, Eli's situation can be best compared with that of a terminal patient - passing through the stages of denial, rage, depression, and final acceptance.

His Word is constantly degrading, constantly unravelling... and he is constantly aware of this, and of precisely _where_ it is unravelling. This is a boon for the other Exiles... but none of them must endure what Eli does.

Eli knows that if his Word vanishes from the Symphony, not only will _he_ die with it, but so will everything else God has created. For the Archangel who bound himself to Creation out of love for God and the Creation he had made, this must be fought. No matter what the cost.

Because Eli is constantly aware of where the Symphony is unravelling, he is compelled to seek out those places, and either destroy that thing totally, before the unravelling spreads, or shore it up, hoping to stabilise and maintain its existence.

This means that he's constantly checking on his environment, afraid that if he lets his attention slip for even a minute - even a second - that something will start to unravel, and he will have to destroy it.

This is why he keeps wandering. He must make sure that another part of his Word has not degraded - and the only way he can do that is by checking it himself. He keeps in constant contact with his high-ranking Servitors, though - usually through the Songs of Projection or Tongues. Or a telephone, if they happen to be on the same plane. But he does try to check up on all his Servitors, when possible.

And he will know if someone's actively working to further the Symphony's dissolution. Because when that happens, he feels another of the Symphony's notes degrade into the dull monotone of entropy.

And he will find whoever has done this. Sooner, rather than later.

Eli's punishments are rarely spoken of, even in Hades.

Views on Lucifer:

Eli hates Lucifer with a cold, burning fury that surprises even those closest to him.

The Symphony tore, because of Lucifer's pride.

The once-dynamic Creation slowly dissolves, lost to entropy, because of Lucifer's pride.

And Heaven stands by and lets this happen. Because of Lucifer's pride.

Eli believes Lucifer cannot be turned aside from his path. Believes he will stop at nothing - nothing - to salve his own pride.

Eli knows there will come a reckoning. And when it comes, he will show Lucifer precisely what he has done to the Symphony.

Because of his pride.

Views on God:

Eli loves God. Loves the One Above who created all things, as he loves that creation.

Note there's no mention of 'faith in God'. That's Novalis. Not Eli

Privately, Eli is afraid. He fears that the Symphony's slow destruction has gone too far for anyone to repair - even God. He wonders, sometimes, if God is _letting_ the Symphony's self-destruction happen, letting it come to a natural end... upon which he will make a new, unflawed Symphony. Maybe God cannot bear to destroy his Creation, and can only watch as it dissolves.

Perhaps Eli's efforts are for naught, going against God's desires. Perhaps he should simply... let it happen. God has not said otherwise...

Eli will never speak of this.

But there is an even deeper worry gnawing at him. Why didn't God intervene at the Rebellion? Why didn't he stop it? If he foresaw this... why did he let it happen? And why hasn't he spoken to them since the Exile?

Eli thinks. He wonders. Sometimes, he disappears for weeks on end, speaking to no-one, not even his fellow Exiles. When he returns, he looks more drained than before, but waves away all help.

Privately, the rest of Hades is concerned. What if...?

No one has, as yet, completed the unspoken question.

<sidebar>

Eli and Word-Binding

Without Eli's understanding of relationships, without Raphael's knowledge of emotion, the Exiles' Council might never have been brought together. Without Novalis' healing and Baal's inspiration, they might never have agreed to come. But they did agree. They came together...

...and found that, together, pooling their mutual abilities, they could grant Words, could rise up an ordinary angel to the rank of Archangel.

It's rumoured, both in Heaven and Hades, that Eli is critical to this process; that without his connection to the Symphony, the Exiles would be unable to grant Words... or create another Archangel.

Hades doesn't want this to be tested; Heaven wants to know the Truth.

For if it is True, then all they would have to do, to render the Council powerless...

...would be to remove Eli. One way or another.

Heaven waits. And watches Eli.

Very closely.

</sidebar>

Variations on a Theme:

Assisted Destruction

Eli sees the pain the Symphony's destruction causes - causes him, causes Gabriel, causes Israfel... affecting everyone and everything.

And he can't stand it any more.

Better to end it all, let Creation die with as little pain as possible. Because he can't stand it...

This Eli works to end everything. To him, everything in the Symphony is suffering... and it can't be put right. It's too late for that. Much too late. His actions are geared towards finding a way to end the Symphony... but without giving entropy the final victory. A quick end... to stop the pain being drawn out.

Depending on how dark the campaign is, this Eli may be Outcast... or the other Exiles may know... and approve.

The Fisher King

This Eli bears the wounds of the Symphony's destruction - literally. He bleeds from the cuts each dead zone inflicts - celestially and corporeally. (Depending on the mood, the wounds can be stigmata, or a spear wound in his side.) He spends what little rest time he has in Brocliande... where it is said he has learned much from the Fisher Kings.

It is rumoured that if anyone could find the Holy Grail, and let Eli drink from it, then his wounds would be healed... and the Symphony's healing would begin. But the Grail has never been found - and some say it cannot, for God, and his signs, have withdrawn from the world. Others remember the story of Galahad, and hold out hope.

And with each dead zone that is formed, Eli's wounds grow deeper...

To Eli, there is only one true war - the war against entropy, the war to save creation. Nevertheless, he and his angels are the ones who supply many of the artifacts the Exiles need - both against Heaven and against entropy. They were also the ones who first discovered how the Exiles could make vessels - if an angel needs one without his Superior's knowledge, they can strike a deal.

They're also Hades' ace in the hole - if an Archangel finds that their current plans or tactics have ground to a halt, they turn to the Servitors of Creation for advice or assistance. Sometimes they fail miserably - sometimes, they succeed beyond their wildest dreams.

Creation's main focus, however, is on the corporeal plane. Humans must be encouraged to create, convinced that they have the ability, the unique talent to create, the uniqueness that Heaven ignores - and in doing so, he gradually breaks Heaven's grip on humanity. Most often, Heaven sets Demogorgon and/or Zadkiel against him - learning where Eli's influence has spread, convincing the mortals of Heaven's agenda, and disrupting and confusing what they create. For now, the two sides seem closely matched.

Opinions on the Exiles:

Baal: He was broken, nearly destroyed. And he rebuilt himself from the ground up. He knows what we must do to fight back - and what we fight for.

Blandine: In the days before... She had such a beautiful voice, and her love made the Heavens shine. Now, she is silent, and her love is broken. If I have any say in this, she will speak again...

David: Entropy erodes Stone as it erodes all of Creation. My Servitors aid his... even if he would rather I left him to die.

Dominique: It's not about Justice any more, Nikki. It's about survival. If only you'd let me help you see...

Haagenti: Invigorating. <smiles>. He may just be onto something - things need to be reinvigorated, renewed, and he doesn't forget that...

Lilith: There are some things even you cannot Liberate, Lilith. You may free Creation, but you cannot free me.

Malphas: I am... torn. Malphas provokes conflict and debate, which in turn provokes inspiration and speeds creation... but he doesn't see the waste it causes...

Novalis: To be quite honest, I think we'd have all snapped if it weren't for her. Her lack of doubt is... it may be blind, sometimes, but she holds us together.

Nybbas: Without Communication, how can you show what's happening to Creation? If you can't create signals, how can you Communicate? We need him.

Ogiel: Every time one object acts on another, resistance is created. If he'd just expand beyond the military mind, see the Symphony for once, and understand what it's about, we'd get along fine.

Raphael: I sought creation for creation's sake; she sought knowledge for the sake of knowledge. Now, we both must use our Words to try and save Creation... and I wonder how much it's changed her, sometimes...

Uriel: He... He understands that deadwood needs to be cut away, that the Symphony must be healed... but I think the pain of his Word's blinding him. Heal first, deal with Heaven later.

Vapula: His work furthers my own. His dedication has never faltered. And he comes up with the most incredible things sometimes...

Opinions on the Host:

Andrealphus: Once, he understood. Once, we worked together. And now he thinks that only Love can put everything right?! Entropy eats away at everything - even Love.

Beleth: I wonder sometimes. Wonder about just wandering over to her Tower and letting it all spill out. Maybe she'd understand... but I know whom she fears...

Beth: She's thorough with the Library, I'll give her that. If only she were so thorough in correcting the flaws in creation...

Christopher: She's... innocent. Do you have any idea how much creation innocence inspires? And she seems totally convinced everything's going to be all right. Disappointing her is not an option. I wish I could be that certain...

...Oh yeah. Give her this Barbie next time you see her, 'kay? <drops original Barbie doll in interviewer's hand> <mutters 'Lucy won't lemme play any more?!'>

Demogorgon: Bastard. He wants chaos? I'll show him chaos. Creation is chaos - and stability - together, working in tandem. He'd lead us down the path to dissolution, laughing all the time...

Gebbeleth: He calms it for a while, calms the pain... I know this, I know it... but I have not met him. He stays away... and I don't know why. He could tell me so much...

Israfel: She's screaming! So loud, so long... Can't those idiots hear it? Were they so deaf to the Symphony? If her pain is even twice as much as mine, even ten times... She's falling apart, and no one else will do anything...

Jean: The spark of inspiration ignites creation. He's trying to re-ignite it himself... but it won't work. You need creativity, too.

Kobal: Why is he even up there? He's seen the tragedy they're creating; what's left up there for him to laugh at?

Laurence: He sees everything in black and white. Unfortunately, he's got the colours reversed. We don't have time to fight...

Lucifer: One day, you will understand what you have done. And on that day, you will truly understand what millennia of pain means...

Marc: The balance has been overthrown. Entropy overruns structure. And he just sits in his tower and watches. Why doesn't he feel it? Why?

Zadkiel: For someone who claims the Watch, she's too short-sighted. Watch the Symphony for once, then you might learn what really needs protecting...

Opinions on the Others:

Fleurity: If only he'd stayed. He knew what to do, and where to go. He eased it, if only for a while. I help him when I can. I can do nothing less.

Gabriel: She understands. She understands, like no one else. The Symphony's pain is always there, always there, and it never goes away...

Jordi: Is he insane?! Can't he see what's happening? He's destroying himself! Can't he see that?!

Mariel: Things are created, but they need to be preserved... especially those that have gone before. Mariel understands this. She does her job. <mutters> If only she'd spend more time outside her ivory tower...

With thanks to Ben Acosta, Manny Nepomuceno, Charles Smith and James Walker for suggesting corrections and additions.