The following was originally intended as part of the entry In Nomine. As such, some of it may be erroneous, but it is correct for the game. When you think about it, it's possible that all of this is false, since no living human actually knows anything about the Celestial realm. However, for the most part, this agrees with standard Christian and Muslim dogma, theology, and demonology. Before you read this, it may be a good idea to read the entry on angels and demons.

A Few Words

Archangels

One might say that the Archangels are as far beyond angels as angels are beyond mortals, but this would be false. Archangels are significantly more powerful than that. They embody words in the Symphony to a scale beyond mortal understanding. There are more than those which follow, but these are the most visible ones in the current phase of the War.

Blandine, Archangel of Dreams

Blandine is a Cherub, and is not involved at all in Heavenly politics. However, she has done the most measurable good for humanity, helping the race along its way with as little Celestial interference as possible. Every night, her angels travel the Marches, helping people in their dreams. They tend to avoid violence, preferring subtle background manipulation. Blandine's greatest foe is her former lover, Beleth, Demon Princess of Nightmares. Blandine's rarely seen Corporeal vessel is a beautiful young woman with green eyes, grey clothes, and elaborate embroidery.

David, Archangel of Stone

David is a Malakite, and was responsible for the first human settlements. He and his Servitors taught the first humans the arts of pottery, metalworking, building construction, and combat. David forces humans to endure terrible torment to prepare them for the tough times ahead. He also encourages people to band together for mutual protection, which may take any form from tribes to street gangs. Though most other angels consider his servants too brutal, they themselves wonder if they're too soft. They are blindly loyal and will not tolerate anyone questioning David's orders. Though it is well known that David thinks he should be in charge of the War, he and his Servitors are ultimately loyal to Michael, and have been privately instructed to aid Gabriel. David's Corporeal vessel is a strong man with steel grey eyes. He rarely wears clothes, preferring to be as naked as stone. He can also manifest as a pile of rocks.

Dominic, Archangel of Judgment

Dominic heads up the divine Inquisition, and his job is to root out heresy among humans and angels. Especially angels. The most tyrannical and Old-Testament of the Archangels, this Seraph roots out highly dissonant and Discordant angels, Outcasts, and even helps Asmodeus track down Renegades *. The Inquisition is organized into triads, each consisting of a Seraph to tell if the plaintiff is telling the truth, a Cherub attuned to the plaintiff, and a member of another Choir to carry out the sentence. This last will often be an Elohite, to be objective. Sentencing is by majority vote of the triad.

Dominic only allows his most favored servants to come to the Corporeal realm, and these may only be assigned to missions requiring the utmost discretion. Dominic has little interest in the laws or problems of humanity. His servants will obey and assist (what they and Dominic consider to be) just laws, but will ignore those that do not aid Dominic. Most other angels consider Dominic too narrow minded, but his servants are very good at what they do. At present, his main target is the removal of the insane and dangerous Eli. He would also like to be rid of Gabriel (also insane, but for some reason protected by Yves), Janus (theft is always a sin) and Novalis (too airy and informal for her rank, plus she tries kindness with demons!)

Eli, Archangel of Creation

Eli is the ultimate Mercurian; he loves humanity so much that he went to live among them, sending most of his angels into the service of other Archangels, though a select few still do his direct bidding. To these he tells "Do what thou wilt, but be cool." Even the other archangels know not what he's up to. Insane hedonism, hidden meditation, and consorting with evil are just three of the rumours abounding in Heaven. Since dropping out of the political arena, Eli's influence has diminished considerably. He and his servants have recently become the focus of a major crackdown by Dominic. If Eli is captured, he will defend himself by saying he is doing the most measurable good for humanity, by living among them and surfing where the Symphony takes him. He no longer seems to acre about protecting his word, but creation is in no danger. Many in Heaven consider his servants to be modern Grigori, corrupted by the pleasures of the flesh. What they think is unknown.

Gabriel, Archangel of Fire

As well as representing fire itself, Gabriel also represents its metaphorical power and strength - for example, as in the phrase 'fiery passion.' She also has a great interest in vengeance. Her two corporeal vessels (one male, one female) are both flawless, though her mind is not (though it is probably more stable than Dominic makes it out to be). She was responsible for the conceptions of the two offshoots of Judaism: literally for Christianity, and recited the Qu'ran to Muhammed under the instruction of Yves, thus causing Muhammed to found Islam. However, Dominic attacked her verbally, since he and Laurence support Christianity in particular and Catholicism specifically, completely ignoring the fact that she only appeared to Muhammed at the instruction of Yves. Though Yves and Michael defended her, Gabriel stormed off to her volcano and has not been seen since. That was over 1,000 years ago.

Each of Gabriel's angels is attuned to specific kinds of cruelty, except for her Malakim, who are given specific tasks. They are charged with punishing the cruel and the wicked. They do not have to do this to everyone that they meet, but are expected to deal with the very next one that they meet after dealing with one. The Ofanite is too unstable to manage the armies of God, too disturbed and quick to anger to rehabilitate, and too powerful to destroy. She can sometimes be channeled but never controlled, and still those who move against her are balked by Yves.

Janus, Archangel of The Wind

The servants of Janus, an Ofanite, are Heaven's angels of change, though Janus himself has changed very little in recent millennia. His angels generally blow into town, scope the place out, and mayhem ensues. Those last three words are often the ending of any adventure involving these angels. They aim to disrupt normality as much as possible without actually messing up the overall balance of the Symphony. It is dissonant for them to stay in the same area for more than three days. They are divine thieves, confounding the wicked with their daring exploits, and are recognizable by their light fingers and bulging jackets. Janus is very gregarious, though just as quick to punish a friend as praise him/ her. However, after these fits of criticism, he is very apologetic. Though his stability is highly questionable, his usefulness is the only thing that Gabriel and Dominic agree on.

Jean, Archangel of Lightning

An Elohite, Jean is in charge of not just lightning, but all energy as well as science and technology. He has this to say of humans: "In spite of their tiny cranial volumes, they still manage the occasional flash of insight." This is often chalked up to Lucifer and Vapula. While Jean's machines are designed to be gradually seeped into the Corporeal realm to reduce the selfish desires of humanity, Vapula's are basically shoved in (when he feels they're ready) to increase the inherent selfishness of Homo Sapiens. Jean manifests as a tall, middle aged blonde man, with very sharp features. He is proud and pedantic, though generally a nice enough, easy going Archangel.

Jordi, archangel of Animals

Jordi is the only major Archangel that is a Kyriotate. He wishes for the downfall of 'society' and 'civilization,' and for humanity to return to its wild state. He believes that if this does not happen, the race will go extinct. He may be right - civilization is racing headlong for the Inferno. Lucifer attempted to play on Jordi's disdain for humanity, but the Archangel was never tempted and remains totally loyal to God. He does not hate all humans - just those that don't passionately love animals, which, when you think about it, is most of us. Jordi has little interest in Celestial politics, but he doesn't ignore it. This gives him a lot of influence as a swing vote, since other Archangels try to persuade him to vote their way. Like Novalis, Blandine, and Eli, Jordi believes the other Archangels are too political and not dedicated enough to their divine missions. His influence as a swing vote means that he can often extract favours in order to further his own goals. The other Archangels care nothing about Jordi's goals, and thus think he's insane. Jordi shuns them so that they can't shun him first.

Laurence, Archangel of the Sword

Laurence is in charge of the armies of God. As you may have guessed, he is a Malakite. He is the most honourable being in the Universe, though this is both a blessing and a curse. A blessing, because it means he's a good person and will not betray you; a curse, because he doesn't realize that his own troops are imperfect and the other side fights extremely dirty. Laurence was not always an Archangel - the previous general, Uriel, Archangel of Purity, was recalled to the higher Celestial realms after overstepping his word by killing all the remaining dragons, fairies, etc. on Earth. Since then, Laurence has manage the Divine army, and also been appointed patron Archangel of Christianity. With Dominic's support, he wishes for Catholicism to become the dominant world religion. Though an exceptional military leader, he is too idealistic, so when things go wrong, he invariably calls on Michael help him out. While other angels don't particularly want to help Laurence's angels out (but that doesn't mean they won't), Laurence's angels will always come to the aid of an angel in distress, postponing their own dealings until after providing the assistance.

Marc, Archangel of Trade

Marc, a Mercurian, has used commerce to complicate the lives of humans, but has dramatically lowered the amount of bloodshed. Wars cannot be fought without spilling blood, but the only casualties in commerce are paper and numbers. This means that Marc is not only Archangel of trade, but also the unofficial Archangel of cooperation . His servants are Heavenly diplomats and negotiators, who lie only by omission and always for a good reason. Marc invented the concept of salary, and doesn't stint himself. In his own words, Marc 'bears the heavy burden of promoting the abstract concept of currency and managing the Divine fortune.' Though he has occasionally stumbled during times of war when his word was not given proper treatment, but nothing serious has really stood in his way except the hordes of Lucifer.

Michael, Archangel of War

A Seraph, Michael is overall in charge of the war against Lucifer. However, with David in charge of uniting humans and Laurence managing the armies of God, Michael is directly in charge of those who fight alone. He was the first angel created by God, older than any but Yves, and, of course, God himself, and realizes that things aren't run in Heaven the way they used to be. He doesn't complain, but is getting a bit weary of saving Laurence's hide every few centuries. The strongest angel of them all, Michael defeated Lucifer in single combat and personally kicked his red ass out the gates of Heaven. The other Diabolicals conceded this victory and found their own ways out.

A warrior, Michael lives only for God's struggle and fight hard so that one day the War will end. He prefers a battleaxe to a sword and this disregard for 'noble' weapons has earned him the disdain of many Archangels, except for Laurence, who has humble memories of the day he and Michael crossed iron. Many millennia ago, Dominic launched an inquest into the suspected vianglories Michael, accusing him and his servants of such heresies as collecting trophies, supporting warrior cults, and carrying blasphemous heraldry. God, however, pardoned Michael, because, though guilty, Heaven needed him and, without pride and glory, Heaven's greatest battles would be lost. Since that day, Michael and Dominic haven't gotten along, and are always looking for ways to get at each other. Michael is also the only Archangel who is hostile to Yves, distrusting the Archangel of Destiny's motives as the War has gone from bad to worse.

Novalis, Archangel of Flowers

Novalis is the most new Testament of the major Archangels, and her servants are so kind and friendly that other angels and in some cases, demons, can't help but get along with them. Novalis, a Cherub, forbids her angels to harm any human, and will not allow them to aid overtly violent missions unless their presence might prevent bloodshed, and Novalis will even try kindness with demons before killing them. For this reason, and her fashion sense (Hawaiian skirts and birkenstocks, sarongs and sandals, etc.), some of the other Archangels think she is blasphemous, but Novalis merely smiles and compliments the appearance of her critics. Her nature makes her an unofficial Archangel peace. She is, however, hostile to Michael and David because they are very violent, plus Stone tends to work against Flowers. Novalis' Corporeal vessel tends to be that of a hippy chick, but she may also appear as a young girl with a basket of flowers, or a sprightly old gardener. She has a particular affection for live, outdoor concerts.

Yves, Archangel of Destiny

Yves, the first soul created by God, is the one Archangel who belongs to no Choir. Heavenly theologians speculate that he may represent a higher order of being, sent to guide angels as angels are sent to guide humans. Yves, the first soul created by God, knows the true name of all things, and it is even believed that, after god named Yves, Yves was then told to name God. Some speculate that, through this action, Yves actually created God, and the difference between good and evil. A few have taken it a few steps further, arguing that if this latter is the case, it was Yves who facilitated the Fall. Yves himself spends most of his time meditating. He once attempted to use religion to brighten the hearts of humanity, but he gave up on that when the foundation of Islam caused unjust persecution, Crusades with warrior Archangels on both sides, and the persecution of Gabriel. Yves delegated technology to Jean, and is now attempting to further philosophy as an answer to humanity's darkness. On every plane, he manifests as a kind old man with a twinkle in his eye *, radiating spiritual strength and calm good cheer.

The Demon Princes

The Demon Princes are the Infernal Equivalent of the Archangels. However, while the Archangels merely compete with each other, the Demon Princes war openly among themselves, rooting out their too ambitious and intelligent servitors in order that they will not be rebelled against. While an Archangel's dearest foe is a Demon Prince, a Prince's worst enemy is most likely another Prince. This infighting is one of the main reasons that the Diabolicals have not yet won the War. This situation is fine with Lucifer, as it means the Princes will never unite against him.

Andrealphus, Prince of Lust

Andrealphus (Andre to his friends) is the ultimate Impudite - he refuses to deal with demons who look even the least bit ugly, always opting for 'pretty people.' He loves Earthly missions of glamour, politics, and sexual desire. He and his servitors are well liked by all demons with a taste for pleasure. He should therefore theoretically get along with Eli, but no one knows what has become of the latter. Lately, he has been working with Nybbas to create a new paradigm for religion, based on entertainment and the kind of selfish freedom demons enjoy. This is confidently expected any year now, though may be almost complete. In the meantime, it is the job of Andre's servants to tell humans that sometimes it's good to just lose yourself in the pleasures of the flesh.

Asmodeus, Prince of the Game

A Djinn and the Infernal counterpart of Dominic, Asmodeus leads Hell's secret police, rooting out and eliminating Renegades. According to them, a demon is a Renegade if it acts against the explicit or implied wishes of his/ her Prince, has any Celestial Discord, or behaves in a way that calls its loyalties to evil into question. That will not let someone off for the sake of 'friendship' - as a matter of fact, they will likely let a hostile traitor stay around a bit longer to see who else they can smoke out. Above all, they must eliminate demons who Asmodeus, Lucifer, or they themselves think might defect to the angelic side. Asmodeus is the counterweight to the unrest Malphas stirs up, keeping Hell running as smoothly as possible without actually making the demons trust each other. While any Prince may call on Asmodeus' servitors, they prefer to deal with their problems themselves rather than drawing attention. Asmodeus tends to manifest as a tall man with burning eyes - the Inquisition made spirit.

Baal, Prince of War

Unlike Michael, this Balseraph is firmly at the head of Hell's armies. Baal is one of the most contradictory demons around - at that start of the War, he fought like a champion for the right of the demons to rebel, but he killed many of his best followers for threatening to rebel against him. He likes to think of himself as a cultured killer, with more class than Belial and more brains than Saminga. His favorite vessel is that of a cultured, charismatic statesman, but he may also appear as various enormous, monstrous, alien beings with incredible physical power. On Earth, his servant encourage the self-destruction of Humanity by whatever means are available and seem to be good at stirring up conflict between nations. He rarely stays in one place for any length of time for two reasons - 1) he is pressed for time, as there is always an army looking to be led to satanic victory, and 2) there are no worthy opponents. With Baal in charge of Hell's army, the Vacuum's chances are looking better every century.

Beleth, Princess of Nightmares

The servants of this horrifying Djinn defend themselves from life by becoming the most terrifying things in it. Even the Malakim get nervous when discussing the Princess of Nightmares. She despises humanity, which is why she left her lover, Blandine, to side with Lucifer. Her servants are always working hard to stir up fear and paranoia, though they will never admit to the fact that they do this to mask their own insecurity. Beleth thinks the other Princes are too soft, especially those that merely kill their prey.

Belial, Prince of Fire

Before the Fall, the Calabite known as Belial served Gabriel. Lucifer promised him the word of Fire once god was thrown down, and surprisingly has kept his promise. However, Belial only represents fire in its most literal and destructive form, not its metaphorical power, as Gabriel does. The hatred between these two is legendary, burning like the heat at the heart of a star. Belial has good fashion sense, but hates all signs of weakness and is always armed. Typically, he will show up in a three- piece suit with a flamethrower on his back. His servants all smoke so that they have an excuse to carry a lighter. The Shining One likes Belial well enough, but limits his power for fear of treachery. Belial believes that if you're not fire, you're fuel.

Haagenti, Prince of Gluttony

Haagenti, a Calabite, spent 600 years toiling under other demons as a familiar, an assistant in animal form. He vowed that once he became a full demon, he would eat those who slighted him. On a whim, Kobal adopted him as a brother and helped him through several difficult and ugly growth spurts until Haagenti became a full demon and, indeed, ate all those who had slighted him. Modern Princes treat their familiars nicely, just in case. Generally appearing as a hideous monster about three feet tall, Haagenti is a bully and a buffoon, running around helping various Princes (especially Kobal) and harassing humanity with torture and visual jokes - which, some argue, are a form of torture. If you see him, don't stand too close or you'll lose an arm. Mmm, arm.

Kobal, Prince of Dark Humour

Kobal, an Impudite, is Hell's court Jester. He holds a special place in the Dark One's heart, as he is allowed to say things that other demons wouldn't dare think. Kobal's job is to torture humanity by perverting the precious gift of humour, turning thought to laughter, concern to callousness, reverence to blasphemy - all in the name of good clean fun. Kobal specializes in word games and intelligent humour, leaving the crudity of visual gags to his adopted brother, Haagenti. He appears in a different body every time, but his servants always recognize him. He used to spend a lot more time on Earth, but now he has heard and seen all the jokes, and has become jaded and bored. Nowadays he only very rarely drops by to help out a servant or enjoy an especially brutal practical joke. Slowly, in the depths of his mind, the ultimate joke is taking place. Where, when, and upon whom he plays it on might make all the difference in the War. His philosophy is "The World is a joke, and humanity is the punchline.

Kronos, Prince of Fate

There is a difference between Fate and Destiny. Destiny is the brightest possibility in a person's life, Fate is the darkest. Hitler's destiny was to be an artist, but his fate was to be a tyrannical dictator. Kronos, a Balseraph and the most powerful demon in Hell (apart from Lucifer, that is), is in charge of making sure as many humans as possible meet their fates, just as Yves is in charge of sending them on their way to destinies. Without Kronos to counter Yves, the angels might have already won. Kronos' demons can hear the Symphony, thus making their jobs a lot easier. Kronos cares not about the general population of the world, only those who aspire to greatness and hear the call of their bright destiny. Those patterns in the Symphony he will force down paths of weakness. Kronos manifests as an older man of small stature. On the rare occasions he speaks, it is always with calm authority. The other Princes are jealous of his position, but respect the vastness of his knowledge.

Lilith, Princess of Freedom

In the Garden of Eden, before Eve, there was Lilith. However, Lilith exercised her free will and walked away. Lucifer offered her power, dark Essence, and the word of freedom. Lilith accepted, but insisted that perfect freedom meant more to her than power over others. This means that she has much less power than the other Princes, rules no Principality in Hell, and commands no Servitors. Technically she's not even a demon - she's just Lilith, exquisite, unique, and beautiful, who no one can ever own. If she wants something, she'll trade a favour and if she comes out on top, c'est la vie. she can also provide what no other Prince can - the Lilim. Each of these temptresses is an individual creation of Lilith herself, and after creation, she leaves them to succeed or fail on their own. Other Princes have tired to make their own Infernal seductresses, but none can match the Lilim. Lilith has no permanent Servitors, deeming that too much like slavery. She avoids Infernal politics wherever possible. Most Archangels would like to see her destroyed, but not all - Jean in particular.

Malphas, Prince of Factions

It is the job of Malphas to divide people. He believes that, ultimately, every being is a faction of one. Most other demons like him, but he does not return this affection, practicing his art among his peers as much as on Earth. Lucifer approves, and this is why Malphas keeps his high state - as long as the Princes are arguing among themselves, they will never unite against him (Lucifer). Presenting himself as an old, mean-looking man, Malphas will listen to complaints from even the most minor of his servants, but this is all part of his game. Each of his demons thinks he has a special 'in' with Malphas and is always looking for one of his fellows to slip up so he can report him/ her to Malphas, which makes his organization inefficient but 100% reliable. The Shedite allows his followers to incite violence, but forbids them to partake in it, believing that to be the mark of a failure; he also secretly believes that most of the other Princes are clumsy dolts.

Nybbas, Prince of The Media

120 years ago, Nybbas was a low ranked servant of Vapula, without even a word of his own. Then, in 1884 and with the help of several human allies, he invented television. When he was immediately crowned by Lucifer, is caused great controversy on both sides of the Celestial War. However, TV has permanently changed the way humanity thinks and dreams, and his plot to mould the minds and psyches of humanity is working all too well. His manner and appearance are worse than that of the most horrifying game show host, his grinning countenance terrifying to even the most cheerful Girl Scout troop. He sees the world in the manner of a Hollywood movie: the world is a beautiful place inhabited by beautiful people, and everything will turn out fine in the end. An Impudite (well, what did you expect?), Nybbas (partially rightly) believes everyone who serves him is his puppet. Though he gets along very well with Andrealphus and Vapula, he barely tolerates them. The other Princes fear he is gearing up to take revenge on those who slighted him in the past, and there is widespread fear that Hell may have another Haagenti on its hands.

Saminga, Prince of Death

Three millennia ago, the Shedite known as Saminga was an ordinary demon. He learned the secret of mummification form the Ancient Egyptians, used it to create an army of Undead sorcerers, and soon had more power than many Princes. Lucifer considered slapping him down, but Saminga isn't going anywhere - he has everything he wants. Saminga believes Death is the ultimate evil, since Death is his word, ergo he is the ultimate evil. Lucifer doesn't mind one bit, and finds the Prince of Death pathetically easy to manipulate. His Celestial form is a mass of decaying bodies, and on Earth, he wears the vessel of a dead corpse. Though not very bright (he prefers dead puppets to living servants), ha makes up for it by being savagely paranoid, especially with a servant he perceives to be even slightly insolent.

Valefor, Prince of Theft

Since humanity learned to tell one cave from another, the species has struggled with the concept of ownership. It is the aim of Valefor, a Calabite, to further confuse this issue. With an unusual sense of style for his band, Valefor quickly made a name fro himself several centuries back by stealing everything from the Spanish Armada's gunpowder barrels to Nikola Tesla's electrotherapy cure for cancer, and even swiped the true prophecies of Michel de Nostradame, a.k.a. Nostradamus, from Yves' Library in Heaven. These thefts raise a lot of Hell on the Corporeal plane without disrupting the Symphony, but what they do even better is put a lot of strain on mortal society. Theft frequently opens the door to greater crimes, and promotes anger and greed in the victims - the snowball effect! What with Nybbas' recent portrayal of stylish thieves such as Robin Hod and Dillinger as cool media heroes, there is now more theft leading to greater sins than ever before.

Lucifer made a daring thief a Prince; however, many the rest of Hell's royalty believe there's something very wrong with Valefor - namely, why are the his and Janus' servants so similar? However, Lucifer finds Valefor a useful tool, and if another Prince needs something stolen, he is likely to call directly or indirectly on Valefor.

Vapula, Prince of Technology

Our final member of Hell's royalty is the only major Demon Prince to be a Habbalite, and the only Habbalite to recognize himself as a demon and be proud of it. That demon's name is Vapula, and it is his job to make humanity reliant on evil technological and scientific devices, such as chemical weapons, automobiles, cement, fast food, and explosives *. He generally manifests as a mad scientist. He frequently uses the souls of the damned as guinea pigs, but will smile encouragingly all through the process. Cut off from the Symphony, Vapula has been reduced to experimentation - however, he's gotten very good at it. He loves gadgets, and his forges in Hell are full of dark secrets - however, few demons who enter here are allowed to leave, as no Prince wants Infernal secrets to get out easily. Lately, Vapula has been working with Nybbas to create a combination TV/computer. Tentatively dubbed the 'Nybbas Computer,' or NC, it would draw Essence from those nearby, or accept Essence 'broadcast' from some central location, to power the dark designs of the cathode ray tube. With this machine, the Diabolicals' domination of humanity might be complete.

Correspondences

Many Archangels have corresponding Demon Princes, though not always the way you expect. While Gabriel obviously corresponds to Belial and Blandine to Beleth, Baal corresponds more closely to Laurence than to Michael. While the Archangels generally work together (though may subtly sabotage each other's plans if their words are in conflict), the Demon Princes war openly among themselves, meaning that, while an Archangel's dire enemy is a Demon Prince, a Prince's nemesis is likely to be another Prince. This explains why Jordi hates Haagenti for his wastefulness, but Haagenti is too scornful of other Princes to bother noticing the Archangel. Also, though David hates all demons equally, his aim to unite humans is directly at odds with Malphas' aim to divide them. Additionally, while Jean hates Vapula, that doesn't mean he dislikes Belial any less, nor would he wait for Gabriel's approval to clean up one of Belial's messes.