LORE

BROKEN SERAPH

Legend has it that Ada and her brother Gorgon created Sanctum in sixty-nine days. Colossal a task, it forced them to split their efforts channeling their distinctive strengths.
Ada was born Goddess of spirit and giver of life. She was entrusted the delicate task of grooming all that is ethereal. She grew dreams, joy, fantasy, and kindness and instilled them into the immortal souls of the living. Ada’s gentle and sensible hands guided her children in the art of meditation, compassion, and empathy. She watched them learn to cry their sorrows, and laugh their joys, and rejoiced at the ever-growing complexity of their souls.
Gorgon, God of Substance and overseer of death, built pain, pleasure, hunger, and passion, and forged them into the bodies of the living. Gorgon’s commanding voice taught his children the importance of logic, struggle, and self-esteem. He watched them make love and do war and shivered at the steady evolution of their physical yearnings.
Yet despite their differences, Ada and Gorgon had a shared vision. The final Goal, dictated by the One: Ascension. Brother and sister, substance and essence, were the two faces of universal equilibrium. Only through the evolution of both, would humanity ascend and join their souls to the Creator.

Alas, all balance kept by absolute opposites can only end in conflict. Metaron, the old scribe, suggested humans started it. As humanity evolved and thrived, they stopped looking up to the skies and turned to their mirrors. The frenzy of city life drove them away from old books and dusty traditions. Gods were forgotten, and prayers silenced.
Ada feared for Ascension and blamed Gorgon for driving men and women into selfish physical yearnings. Gorgon, on the other side, insisted humanity was evolving into a superior kind of ascension and that it should not be disturbed.


Differences turned to quarrel, then to fight and finally to fracture until Gorgon was expelled from the heavens. He found a new dwelling in the depths of the earth as a tortured and misunderstood being. From within his cave, fueled in resentment, he swore to prove his sister wrong. Gorgon embraced the souls of men and women alike who were brave enough to dedicate their lives to Substance. The Ethereals scoffed him and called his place Hell.


Ada remained in the heavens and, deeply hurt by the parting, set to build an Angelic Conclave. It would revere essence, and help her retrieve souls away from Gorgon and back to the One.
Ada’s followers were immortal creatures, made of music and light. She embodied Love and made a seraph for each of the other primal virtues: Innocence, Purity, Empathy, Bravery, and Protection. All of equal importance. All equally loved.

Gorgon called his followers the unbent. Mortal but powerful beings made of hardened flesh, leather, and bone. He gave them military ranks based on merit and competition. Down in the burning caves, power shifted constantly around force, trickery, and vanity. No position was free from challenge. Not even that of Gorgon himself. Yet throughout the centuries, the few unbent who dared defy the Dark One were crushed by his strength, speed, and intelligence.


And so it came to pass, that the once inseparable brothers turned their backs on each other. And their unbreakable love was hindered by the frantic struggle over human souls.

In Purgatory, the forces of essence and substance schemed and persuaded their way into the will of humans. It stayed that way for centuries as ethereal and unbent avoided direct confrontation. Or so it was until the incarnation of Lailah. The events that followed her fall broke the new balance into a thousand pieces.

Characters

ADA

Ada is pious, caring, and calm; but wields tremendous power. She treasures feelings and follows her heart but will not shy from using her superior intellect to achieve her goals. In that respect, some say she is not so different from her fallen brother.

RACE– celestial
RANK– Daughter of the One, Leader of Essence, and Seraph of Love
HEIGHT: unknown
WEIGHT: unknown
AGE– 1250 years

POWERS: Ada takes Mind reading to a whole new level. It is said she can even control the thoughts of others. She would never do this, of course, since it would disturb free will…
WEAKNESS: unknown.
PREFERED WEAPONS: She needs none. Her mind will do the job.
FUN FACT: Ada is the only seraph who has never incarnated. Her brothers and sisters have spent endless hours theorizing about her possible looks.

BARACHIEL

Barachiel is Ada’s right hand and closest counselor. The seraphim often picture him as the big brother they can count on. As a spirit he is peaceful and optimistic energy, and incarnates as an enormous holy warrior in heavy armor.

RACE– celestial
RANK– Seraph of Protection
HEIGHT– 7 feet 4 inches (225 cm)
WEIGHT– 374 pounds (170 Kg)
AGE– 850 years

POWERS: Barachiel has peripheral awareness, similar to the sonar of sharks or the echolocation of bats. Always one step ahead of his foes, he has never been wounded. His defensive skill in combat has earned him the nickname “The Wall.”
WEAKNESS: The impulse to protect others, can get him into trouble.
PREFERED WEAPONS: He is lethal with any, but excels with the flail and shield.

FUN FACT: Vesta’s Valkyries have an evident crush on him, and he is clueless about it.

LAILAH

Lailah is a gentle soul. She always finds the bright side in everything and everyone. Despite being the last Seraph created by Ada, she is one of her favorites.

RACE– celestial
RANK– Seraph of Innocense
HEIGHT– 5 feet 4 inches (163 cm)
WEIGHT– 127 pounds (58 Kg)
AGE– 415 years

POWERS: Lailah detests violence, but she did exceptionally well in Barachiel’s martial training.
WEAKNESS: She can be naive at times.
PREFERRED WEAPONS: Her diamond-edged wings.
FUN FACT: Lailah helped Ada with the final touches of creation.

GAVRIEL

Barachiel’s most valued apprentice. Highly respected by the Cherubs, Gavriel has declined several promotion offers to keep watch over the lesser virtue of Discipline as a plain celestial.

RACE– celestial
RANK– Keeper of Discipline
HEIGHT– 6 feet 4 inches (195 cm)
WEIGHT– 264 pounds (120 Kg)
AGE– 605 years

POWERS: Gavriel is capable of fast tissue regeneration. Additionally, It is rumored he is learning his mentor’s skills.
WEAKNESS (for a celestial): Unforgiving and sometimes cold.

PREFERRED WEAPONS: Long swords
FUN FACT: Ada cares for his straight forward points of view but couldn’t offer him a spot in the Council without pressing him. Thus, she assigned him as a personal guard of the silver door to throw casual questions from time to time.

VESTA

This tough Seraph knows no fear and admires Ada deeply. She can be severe at times, but her intentions are always noble. Vesta is the rightful leader of the Valkyries and is revered by them.

RACE– celestial
RANK– Seraph of Bravery
HEIGHT– 5 feet 11 inches (181 cm)
WEIGHT– 156 pounds (71 Kg)
AGE– 831 years

POWERS: Once incarnated, every celestial can abandon their flesh at will, but only Vesta can return to it and revive, as long as it remains biologically viable. This rare ability is a well-kept secret between Ada and her.
WEAKNESS: Temperamental, and some times reckless.

PREFERRED WEAPONS: Bastard sword.
FUN FACT: Vesta thinks Barachiel’s time is wasted on Gavriel. She believes she would make better use of the extensive knowledge of the Seraph of Protection.

DINAH

Dinah is Eris’s inseparable companion and as authentic a soul as can be. Always willing to taunt Eris with her funny jokes, she is a tornado of harmless gossip and positive energy.

RACE– celestial
RANK– Seraph of Purity
HEIGHT– 5 feet 7 inches (171 cm)
WEIGHT– 130 pounds (59 Kg)
AGE– 515 years

POWERS: Dinah has no particular power, but she is valued for her negotiation abilities.
WEAKNESS: She likes to be the center of attention.

PREFERRED WEAPONS: Her tongue. She’d rather not get into a real fight. She performed poorly at Barachiel’s martial training.
FUN FACT: She hates her nose.

ERIS

Sensible and dreamy, Eris is Dinah’s best friend and embodies one of the primal virtues of Essence. She will always put the welfare of others before her own, and for that, everyone loves her.

RACE– celestial
RANK– Seraph of Empathy
HEIGHT– 5 feet 1 inches (156 cm)
WEIGHT– 112 pounds (51 Kg)
AGE– 515 years

POWERS: While all celestials can speak telepathically over a certain distance, Eris knows no boundaries to connect with her brethren. Because of this and her sensibility towards the feelings of others, it was only natural for her skills to transfer into mind reading. Ada fears Eris’s potential can grow beyond her control.
WEAKNESS: Since Eris has spent most of her existence in the ethereal plane, she is unaware of the physical implications of her powers.
PREFERRED WEAPONS: For the time being, diamond wings. She would never use her powers to harm others.
FUN FACT: Eris is the only seraph with pink eyes and transparent wings.

THE CHERUBS

Barachiel thought Valkyries alone were a pure representation of the fighting spirit of Essence and that there was no need for a male army. Still, Ada insisted. She believed that the male characteristics would enrich the versatility of their forces as a first-line division. For centuries, since open war seemed remote, the Cherubs served as private guards and expeditionary forces to patrol the surroundings of Purgatory. The result was a flexible elite group capable of a lot more than holding a shield line.

RACE– celestial
RANK– Cherubs are higher than Valkyries and lower than Seraphs.
NUMBERS– 201
AVERAGE HEIGHT– 6 feet 2 inches (190 cm)
AVERAGE WEIGHT– 253 pounds (115 Kg)
AVERAGE AGE– 412 years

POWERS: The Cherubs have extreme tolerance to pain and fatigue. They are much like the Spartans of heaven.
WEAKNESS: They stick to training, no out of the box thinking.

PREFERRED WEAPONS: Spear and shield
FUN FACT: Cherubs dream of the day their might shall be put to the test.


GORGON

Gorgon is a demi-God and equals the power of her twin sister Ada. He respects only the thrive of the fittest and sees the virtues of Essence as weak. He is both respected and feared and has yet to find someone strong enough to challenge his leadership.

RACE– celestial (Fallen)
RANK– Son of The One, Leader of Substance and Guardian of Death
HEIGHT– 7 feet 7 inches (230 cm)
WEIGHT– 399 pounds (181 Kg)
AGE- 1250years

POWERS: His strength and speed are unparalleled, but his personal seed has far more sinister energy. No woman has ever resisted it’s altering influence.
WEAKNESS: unknown
PREFERED WEAPONS: His giant iron pitchfork.

FUN FACT: His anatomy below the waist, is more like a horse, and less like a man.

LILITH

Lilith was Gorgon’s first mistress after his fall, but her constant thrive for power eroded their relationship. She has taken different roles throughout history, and is now a lonely wolf that will never stop scheming her way to the top. Lilith will not shy from using her irresistible seduction to bend others into her will.

RACE– unbent
RANK– Former Guardian of Lust – demoted by Gorgon.
HEIGHT– 5 feet 10 inches (178 cm)
WEIGHT– 154 pounds (70Kg.. much of which is boobs)
AGE– 700 years

POWERS: Lilith is one of the few shape-shifters in Hell.
WEAKNESS: Lilith is always in control. She knows all there is to know about lust and manipulation. Love, however, can be a nuisance to her; It’s a good thing she has no feelings…
PREFERED WEAPONS: Turning her arms into serrated harpoons, lighter than paper, harder than bone.
FUN FACT: She is bald, but occasionally wears colorful wigs.

SAMAEL

When his leader was kicked off from the heavens, Samael followed him willingly, despite the efforts of Eris and Dinah trying to retain him.
During his extended time in the caves, Samael has dedicated to the search for beauty in all its forms. He believes the ascension of Substance can only be reached by embracing technology, as humans have. Reaching no agreement with Gorgon, he built Aurum, his own realm in the far corners of Hell, where his utopia is taking shape.

RACE– celestial (Fallen)
RANK– Guardian of Vanity (former Seraph of Humility)
HEIGHT– 6 feet, 7 inches (200 cm)
WEIGHT– 227 pounds (103 Kg)
AGE– 850 years


POWERS: Samael’s physical prowess is only surpassed by his cunning and resourcefulness.
WEAKNESS: Vanity can deter the clarity of the mind.
PREFERRED WEAPONS: Zweihänder.
FUN FACT: For his obsession with beauty, he is referred to as “The jeweler.”

TRIPOD

Tripod belongs to a subspecies called Acralans. These energetic underlings don’t stand out for their lethality, but a pack of them can overwhelm the unaware. The short lifespan and single offspring of Acralans are compensated by their vigorous mating habits.

RACE– unbent
RANK– Gorgon’s spy
HEIGHT– 2 feet, 11 inches (90 cm)
WEIGHT– 77 pounds (35 Kg)
AGE– 19 years


POWERS: Tripod can camouflage changing the color of his skin. He is elusive and fast, but you wouldn’t want to find out what he’s like when cornered.
WEAKNESS: Cannot wield weapons
PREFERRED WEAPONS: Claws and teeth.
FUN FACT: For learning the basics of spoken language, he is considered a genius among his kind

NAHKNO

This beastly brute is one of Gorgon’s most trusted officers and the brand new Guardian of Lust. This is maybe the first promotion in centuries that has little to do with merit and a lot to do with screwing Lilith up for the heck of it.

RACE– unbent
RANK– Guardian of Lust
HEIGHT– 7 feet, 6 inches (230 cm)
WEIGHT– 529 pounds (240 Kg)
AGE– 221 years

POWERS: He was the first unbent chosen by Gorgon to carry the black seed, but now is one among many with this treat.
WEAKNESS: Not too smart, and tends to delegate important tasks.
PREFERRED WEAPONS: Axes and machetes.
FUN FACT: He is the eldest of twenty four brothers, all of whom fight for Gorgon.

ASTAROTH

Born a mutant, he was destined to sacrifice, but Gorgon saw potential in his four arms and spared him. Time proved him right. Astaroth developed an exceptional ability in combat and became the spearhead of Gorgon’s army. He is now as loyal to Gorgon as he is brutal to everyone below.

RACE– unbent
RANK– Guardian of Cruelty
HEIGHT– 6 feet, 1 inches (210 cm)
WEIGHT– 374 pounds (170 Kg)
AGE– 842 years

POWERS: Astaroth is a master of pain. Be it on the battlefield or in a torture chamber, he is drawn to weak spots like the hound to a rabbit’s hole.
WEAKNESS: His leadership is based on fear and not respect.
PREFERRED WEAPONS: Whips and knives.
EERIE FACT: He can climb walls like a spider.

KRAMPUS

This ancient demon has made himself a name from his unparalleled lethality. Undefeated in the many conflicts of Hell, he found a place under Samael’s command as the inspiring champion of his legion.

RACE– unbent
RANK– Guardian of Violence
HEIGHT– 5 feet, 7 inches (170 cm)
WEIGHT– 178 pounds (81 Kg)
AGE– 790 years


POWERS: Krampus can jump many times his height. He relies on his superior speed and aggression to overcome his foes with a barrage of strikes.
WEAKNESS: Unknown
PREFERRED WEAPONS: He changes his weapons regularly to deter enemy preparation.
EERIE FACT: Krampus believes the fountain of his speed comes from children. Thus, he kidnaps and eats a few once a year.

SUCCUBI

Contrary to popular beliefs, Succubi are a rare species and highly sought for by every male in the Caves. Unfortunately for most, Samael has taken claim of the best of them and tamed them into his personal harem. Violent and independent by nature, they have turned docile, thanks to his toxic methods.

RACE– unbent
RANK– Elite escorts
AVERAGE HEIGHT– 5 feet, 5 inches (165 cm)
AVERAGE WEIGHT– 127 pounds (58 Kg)
NUMBERS– unknown (estimated in less than twenty)
AVERAGE AGE– 215 years
POWERS: Known for their unending sexual appetite, Succubi can drain the vital energy of their mates and eventually kill them.
WEAKNESS: They are vulnerable after orgasm.
PREFERRED WEAPONS: Sex.
FUN FACT: Samael’s succubi have been stripped of their wings, like caged birds. It happened so long ago that they hardly remember what it was like to fly.


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