"In the end, hope is all we have."
-Lorien, Babylon 5
"The world is a source of great hope and great terror. Foster the former, and remove the latter where you can."
Despite holding the power and rank of archangel, Soldekai avoids the use of the term when referring to himself. Most who choose to discuss it credit this either to a desire not to compound the insult perceived by the Menunim in a member of a choir other than their own being granted this Word, or to his oft-expressed disinterest in matters of celestial politics. His followers are divided among those he himself created, and those formerly serving other Words who have joined the cause of defending the Volcano and its surrounding dreamscapes. The vast majority of the latter are, unsurprisingly, servants of Fire.
Millenia spent protecting the Volcano from the Host, as well as the ongoing conflict against the forces of Holy Fear, have made Soldekai's servitors terrible foes in combat. In addition, the expertise Soldekai and his followers have acquired is equalled only by that of the angels of Resistance, and excelled only by angels of Hope and Holy Fear.
When Soldekai chooses to assume human form, he prefers to appear as a bald human male in his late 20s with piercing blue eyes, dressed typically all in black.
Soldekai inspires Hope in others, both through his example in preventing the Host from overrunning the Volcano, and in guarding the dreamscapes of mortals from the forces that would cause them to lose hope.
An angel serving the word of Hope takes dissonance if its actions cause a human to lose hope. This dissonance will fade if the angel is able to restore that lost hope within 24 hours, although if the human loses that restored hope for any reason within 24 hours of it being restored, the angel takes two points of dissonance. Those points can likewise be worked off by restoring lost hope within 24 hours, but if so the amount of dissonance suffered should the human lose hope yet again within 24 hours doubles. This has led to more than one servant of Hope becoming torn apart by discord, resulting in Soldekai both forbidding his followers to travel to the Corporeal plane without his personal dispensation, and a hatred of Beleth and her forces unmatched by any (save possibly Blandine, although she refuses to comment on this.)
It is also dissonant for a servant of Hope to ever give in to despair. This has led many to discount the forces of Hope as a collection of blind optimists, due to the tendency of those skirting most closely to dissonance to grasp any reason for hope that they can.
Seraphim: (Restricted) Seraphim of Hope can, with a successful resonance roll, detect whether the Truth of that which they say will inspire or damage the hopes of another. If the Truth will cause the one with whom they are speaking to lose hope, Seraphim of Hope can take Body hits equal to twice the amount of dissonance their words would incur instead.
Cherubim: (Restricted) When a Cherub of Hope attunes itself to another, it has a general feel for the location and condition of whatever its attuned hopes for. If this is a physical object, the Cherub of Hope gains 3 essence if it can deliver the object to its attuned.
Ofanim: (Semi-Restricted) Soldekai uses Ofanim as his primarcy scouts and messengers. Those with the Ofanite of Hope attunement may double their speed when moving within the Marches. Ofanim of Hope can, by making a successful Resonance roll, detect the Dreamscape of the closest person dreaming of something that brings him or her hope.
Malakim: (Semi-restricted) Malakim of Hope can detect the actions that the target of their resonance has taken to inspire or damage the hopes of another. Any angel with the Malakite of Hope attunement who fights against overwhelming odds will never be stunned or fall unconscious until either the ones they are fighting have either driven off or killed, or the angel with this attunement is dead.
Elohim: (Restricted) Elohim of Hope can use their Resonance to inspire hope in others. This lasts for a duration equal to the check digit in hours, or until something happens to cause the target to lose hope. If an Elohite of Hope uses its attunement to remove dissonance, the dissonance resulting from the loss of restored hope once the duration expires is not doubled. This can only be used once on any specific instance of taking dissonance.
Lilim: (Restricted) Lilim of Hope can sense what a subject Needs in order to restore its hope. When fulfilling such a Need, the Geas-hook gained is one level higher than the Check Digit of the resonance roll.
Kyriotates: (Restricted) Kyriotates of Hope may possess the dreamscapes of those whose hope is fading or lost, and manipulate them to renew that hope. They only suffer increased dissonance if this renewed hope is lost before the one whose dreamscape they have possessed wakes up, however, rather than the normal 24-hour period.
Mercurians: (Semi-restricted) Mercurians of Hope can sense when a mortal's hope is fading or lost. If these Mercurians can restore the target mortal's hope, they gain 3 essence, and can remove 1 point of dissonance gained through something other than Soldekai's dissonance conditions. Those of other choirs do not gain essence, but do lose the point of dissonance.
Beacon: The angel can, by spending 2 essence, make a call for help that will be heard by a number of angels sympathetic to the angel's current purpose equal to the angel's Celestial forces. The angels will know that their help is needed, in what direction, and whether it is near to or far from their current location(s). If the angels have already met the one placing the call, they will also be aware of whatever name they know the caller by.
The Last Spark: As written in Superiors 3
Watchman: Functions as per the Malakite of War attunement, except that if the posessor guards a person or place, danger to that which is being guarded can also be heard.
Whispers of Inspiration: As written in Superiors 3
Standard-Bearer: As long as this angel remains devoted to a cause, its allies will find its presence a particular source of morale and comfort. All uses of Songs, Resonances, Attunement, or Sorcery to force an ally of the angel to abandon the cause within a radius of ten times the angel's Celestial forces are resisted at the ally's Will + 2
Muse: By spending 1 essence, the Muse can banish fear from a subject by touching it and making a Will roll.
Knight of the Grail: Knights inspire hope and banish fear by their presence alone. By spending 1 essence, a Knight can make its inner glow of hope visible, banishing fear from a number of subjects equal to its Celestial forces. If their fear is the product of supernatural action, the Knight banishes it on a successful contest of Wills against the fear's creator.
Soldekai's higher distinctions are granted to those who have proved particularly capable in one of the fields in which Soldekai's forces are deployed. Those who do not already have the Beacon attunement are granted it along with the higher distinction, and it functions with the following additional effects: The angel's name and distinction will be known to those hearing the call, regardless of whether they have previously met the angel, and by spending a third point of essence the number of beings hearing the call is raised to the total number of personal (i.e., non-Word) forces that the angel has.
Shepherd of the Fields of Dream is the distinction granted to angels of Hope who have distinguished themselves in combatting the Host and hostile Ethereals in mortal dreamscapes. This is the most frequently-awarded of Soldekai's higher distinctions.
Guardian of the Volcano is the distinction granted to those who have aquitted themselves with particular honor in defending the Volcano against threats.
Agent of Inspiration is the distinction least frequently awarded, as it is only given to those among the select few that Soldekai assigns to duty on the Corporeal plane, specifically to those who have inspired mortals to take action that greatly furthers the Word of Hope. The last time this distinction was granted was during the American civil rights movement of the 1960s.
RELATIONS
Host:
Allied: None
Associated: Jean, Marc
Hostile: Demogorgon, Iblis, Kobal, Laurence, Magog
Enemy: Zadkiel, Beleth
Allied: Baal
Associated: Blandine
Hostile: None
Enemy: None
Allied: Fleurity, Gabriel
Associated: Ogiel
Hostile: Jordi
Enemy: None
CHANCE OF INVOCATION: 0
-2 Attempting to invoke Soldekai on the Corporeal plane
+1 On the Volcano (May be combined with other modifiers)
+2 Praying before a fight
+3 While standing in the defense of another
+4 An object or place that inspires hope in the viewer (such as a copy of the "I have a dream" speech)
+5 In a mortal dreamscape that is threatened (+6 if it is threatened by an angel serving Fear, +7 if that angel is one of Beleth's Wordbound or one of the Terror)
+6 While fighting against overwhelming odds (+7 if the fight is against the forces of the Host, +8 if it takes place on the Volcano)
Soldekai's faith in Gabriel's last words to him before she accepted exile sustained his hopes through the long, hard years of guarding the Volcano against both the Host and the occasional angel of Resistance who attempted to use it as the staging ground for a reckless assault upon Heaven without consideration for the consequences. His hopes, although faded somewhat, flared anew when the archangel of Fire made her way along one of the passages between the Volcano and Hades after Lilith broke open the gates that were sealed by Lucifer, only to be severely tested once the depths of his former superior's instability became apparent. Where once Soldekai's hopes sprung from his faith in God's plan for the Symphony, now his is the hope of one who knows that he has no other choice.
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SOLDEKAI'S OATHS
"I will protect the Volcano against all threats."
"I will never forget Laurence's treachery."
"I will not suffer insult to myself, or the order of things, when it is my choice."
"I will act within the Order of Things, without fail."
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Soldekai was the second angel Gabriel created. As such, he always felt a kinship with Lucifer as the secondborn seraph created by God.
As both a Mercurian of Fire and the second-oldest of Gabriel's servitors, Soldekai seemed the perfect choice to help guide the humans in discovering how to harness fire. It was during this time he worked with Lucifer, much as Gabriel had during the formation of the stars. Each found the other most agreeable company, and the mutual furthering of the Word each served made their time together all the more pleasant. The discussions the pair had as they worked together in guiding the humans brought both much joy.
When Lucifer approached Soldekai with his concerns about the humans being raised above the angels, the Intercessionist thought it nothing more than another of their debates of the relative merits of the species. It was not until Heaven was stormed by the Lightbringer's followers that Soldekai grasped the true meaning of Lucifer's words to him, and in his rage both at Lucifer's betrayal of God's mandated order and at his own lack of understanding, he transformed into a Malakite, as Uriel had before him.
When Gabriel cast his Volcano from Heaven into the Marches, he turned to Soldekai. "YOU SHALL HOLD THIS UNTIL THE DAY OF MY RETURN," the archangel spoke in what Soldekai recognised as the words of prophecy, then turned toward Lucifer. Soldekai immediately fled to the Marches, taking half of Fire's servants with him. In the years that followed, Soldekai and his followers searched out the various points of entry from the Volcano into Heaven and the Marches, as well as mapping out a number of passages that led nowhere (the better to plan a defense against any possible attacks. They also scouted the Marches (when they could be spared from defense,) studying the nature of the realm of dreams.
All the while, Soldekai never lost his faith that his creator and master would return to him. It was due both to his having never lost the spark of hope for Gabriel's return, and to his forces' having done so much to protect mortal dreamscapes from Beleth's forces, that the archangel of Fire declared him the Angel of Hope following the Exiles' release from Hades. While this caused much dismay among the followers of Blandine, those who were present to hear Gabriel's words could also feel the Truth behind them.
Andrealphus: "Although her love is misplaced, her Word is a potent weapon with which we can further my own. Win her to our side if you can."
Beleth: "The Fear she now brings brings only despair. The only thing sweeter than a mortal's dreamscape reflecting newborn hope is a mortal's dreamscape reflecting such hope when it was purchased through the destruction of one of this perverter's servants. Destroy her works wherever you can."
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Hope and Fear: The endless struggle.
As Beleth's primary opponent in the Marches during the years the Exiles were locked away in Hades, Soldekai hates the archangel of Fear with all the passion of his being. The primary duty of a servant of Hope dispatched to patrol the Marches is to guard any dreamscapes that border on Beleth's territory from the servants of Fear, with any tactics that do not result in the dreamer losing hope being given at least tacit approval.
The Terror has proved a particular source of irritation to Soldekai: Although those angels of Hope who have dealt with them do not fear Beleth's warrior elite, the damage that would result from all-out war between Hope's forces and the Terror prevent them from raising their enmity to more active warfare.
Since the liberation of the Exiles, one of the methods Soldekai has employed in his attempt to placate the resentment of Blandine's servants has been to offer their assistance in fighting the servants of Fear. While he has yet to gain more than grudging acceptance among all but a select few of those serving Dreams, he refuses to give up the hope of someday winning over not only them, but Blandine as well.
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Beth: "She knows no hope, save that about which she reads. As empty as the corridors of her chosen territory."
Christine: "A most vexing riddle. Is there no way to make her see the folly of siding with the Host that will not drive her further from my Word?"
Demogorgon: "He leaves far too many shattered hopes in his wake. Do what you can to minimise the damage he causes, preferably by introducing as many of his angels to trauma as you can."
Eve: "In the name of hope she enslaves herself to those who spat upon God's plan for her race. She is either deluded, or merely to be pitied."
Gebbeleth: "He channels the hopes of humanity to the wrong ends."
Iblis: "Nothing but one more foolish strutting popinjay among the Host. Crush his dreams of glory, and teach him what life without my Word is like."
Israfel: "I know not what she knows. Given the shadow that it casts over her, I know not whether I wish to."
Jean: "Though seemingly free of hope himself, he strives to inspire it among humanity and the Host. The irony is not lost upon me."
Kobal: "The only comfort he offers is that of mocking his and his servants' pain."
Laurence: "The greatest fool, the greatest traitor, the greatest blindness. One day, my teeth shall be at your throat."
Lucifer: "What kinship I felt for him was proved to be a lie by his actions. How could one who gazed upon the face of the almighty do so much to destroy that which He had wrought?"
Malphas: "Worth notice only when his actions endanger the hopes of those caught in his coils."
Marc: "One of the few among the Host who places the proper values upon Eve's children. If I could do more to assist you, once-brother, I would."
Zadkiel: "More dangerous than the Baron placed in name above her, if only because her forces have clashed with my own all the more frequently."
Baal: "For all his sin in siding with the Lightbringer, he at least saw the error of his ways and can now hope for redemption."
Blandine: "Assist her and hers however you can."
<sidebox>
Hope and Dreams
Soldekai doesn't understand why the Word of Hope was given to him rather than to one of Blandine's angels, but once it was his, it was part of The Order Of Things. Still, he gives her whatever aid he can, hoping as always that someday he will win the support of Blandine's followers. Some even whisper that the Archangel of Hope seeks to win the love of the Archangel of Dreams, but on this subject, Soldekai is every bit as silent as Blandine.
</sidebox>
David: "His pain is the spear in my side. Find a way to ease it."
Dominique: "Like David, an example of what happens when we give into despair. Unlike David, she has found a hope to replace that which was lost."
Eli: "He is cloaked in a shoadow much like that which causes Israfel such pain. Find a way to help him regain the hope he has lost if you can. If not, do what you can to avoid increasing his sense of loss."
Lilith: "More than any other human, she proves Lucifer wrong about humanity. If I ever feel my confidence in the decree of God's which spurred the Rebellion falter, I have but to look at her, and it is restored."
Malphas: "Unable to aid our efforts as much as we might wish, but still a valuable addition to our ranks when he is able."
Novalis: "Once, she spread hope. Now she merely spreads comfort instead. I would give more than I can say to see her restored to the way she was."
Nybbas: "Without clear lines of communication, an army cannot stand. He does much to keep our cause active, perhaps more than he himself knows."
Uriel: "He shows that even we may become more than we are."
Vapula: "I know not what gives him cause for hope. I only wish that more of our number could follow his example."
<sidebox>
Hope and the Lifeboat
If Soldekai ever learned of Vapula's Lifeboat, he is one of the few beings in all of reality who would neither oppose its construction nor try to gain a place in it. Instead, he would give Vapula what support he could in completing it (as a symbol of Hope for something better beyond the fraying reality from whence it comes, it would be perhaps the most powerful relic to his Word ever created,) and then watch its departure from the crest of the Volcano, his own hopes for its crew bringing a smile to his face as all of Creation came crashing down around him.
</sidebox>
Adam: "He hopes for escape, but to where?"
Beelzebub: "He gives hope to those who might otherwise have nowhere to turn but toward the Host. And his continued existence is a thorn in the side of that bastard Laurence. Give him what aid you can without antagonising Ogiel."
Fleurity: "How can one offer succor without also offering hope? Assist him whensoever you can."
Jordi: "Proof that even hope can be perverted, but as he has shackled himself to the Corporeal, he rarely warrants my notice."
Mariel: "She sees what has been, and in her Word may be found cause for hope which is all the greater."