The Angel of Mercy

[clavis123]

Today's Choir of Angels is definitely not intended as just another adversary to fight. The Angels of Mercy are agents of Divine compassion, and completely non-violent. Which doesn't mean they are undefended, of course... There are numerous ways that an Angel of Mercy can aid adventurers, but they also present numerous ways that unsavory characters could get themselves in serious trouble. Just remember that the skinny beggar your swaggering PC kicks for laughs just might be a powerful celestial being in disguise.
ANGEL OF MERCY

NO. ENCOUNTERED: 1-4

SIZE: Medium

HD: 10 (d8)

MOVE: 30', 60' (fly)

AC: 20

ATTACKS: No Physical Attacks (see below)

SPECIAL: Magic Weapons To Hit, Deepvision, Electricity Resistance (Full), Immune to Poison and Emotion-affecting Magic, Angelic Guardian, Clerical Spells, Profound Wisdom, Virtue of Temperance, Covenant of Temperance, Spell Resistance 17, Spell-like Abilities

SAVES: M+P

INT: Genius

ALIGNMENT: Lawful Good

TYPE: Extraplaner

TREASURE:

XP: 4800+10

It is said that if the Angels of Mercy had their way, all souls would eventually enjoy Paradise. Existing to administer miracles of healing, give comfort to the afflicted, and to end conflicts between mortals, the Angels of Mercy are perhaps the most compassionate creatures in Creation. They exemplify the belief that Righteousness needs to be tempered with Forgiveness. It is the Angels of Mercy who interceded for the souls of those who have indulged in vice or been forced to break the law, but whose hearts nonetheless remained Good. Kind-hearted prostitutes, thieves who steal from the wicked wealthy to support the virtuous poor, oppressed freedom fighters, and repentant addicts who try to prevent others from following their sorrowful path, all have advocates in the Angels of Mercy. Some say that it is for that reason that the Angels of Mercy enjoy the particular favor of the Queen of Angels.

An Angel of Mercy in her natural form appears as a lovely young woman in a pure white, gown-like robe. The Angel possesses a pair of large, swan-like wings, also pure white in color. Her body constantly glows with white light, which becomes a particularly bright nimbus around the being's head. An Angel of Mercy can have any skin tone, hair color, and eye color possible for humans. These Angels will usually be encountered in a fully human form, frequently disguised as members of female religious orders. It is not unknown for an Angel of Mercy to take the disguise of one of society's outcasts, however, even seeming to be a common beggar or harlot.

In Heaven, the Angels of Mercy help to administer the pleasures of Paradise. To reward those who in life considered the good of others to be more important than their own enjoyment, the Angels create realms where Blessed Souls can indulge in endless play and sensory enjoyment. In the mundane world, Angels of Mercy will visit battlefields, places stricken by plague, or the scenes of atrocities, in order to bring hope, healing, and comfort. They sometimes take up residence in some natural feature, such as a grotto or spring, which may become a site of holy pilgrimage.

Angels of Mercy sometimes employ unorthodox methods to gain souls for Heaven. They are the particular opponents of the Corrupter Devils, who tempt mortals souls with forbidden and excessive indulges. Therefore, in order to counteract the pernicious influence of those Devils, the Angels are quite willing to lead souls to virtue through a path of apparent vice. The Angel may subvert the lust of a irreligious man by arranging a love affair with a beautiful but pious woman, who will ultimately bring him closer to Heaven. Another strategy would be to inspire the creation and distribution of delicious food and drink, with the profits befitting charity. Whenever they can, the Angels of Mercy will work to stop those who exploit the moral failings of humanity for profit, and will instead provide opportunities for those same weaknesses to actually lead people to a life of goodness.

It is said by some Sages that the Angels of Mercy are actually the original form of the Corrupter Devils, before the later lost the Virtue of Temperance and became lost to Gluttony. According to these authorities, the Angels of Mercy do not seek the destruction of the Corrupter Devils. Rather, the Angels want to convince the Devils to renounce their Vice and reclaim the Virtue that will grant them a place back in Heaven. However, even the scholars who promote such a view cannot say that the Angels have ever been successful in bringing any Infernals back to Paradise.
Combat: Angels of Mercy carry no weapons, and embody a wholly pacifistic philosophy. They personally abhor all forms of violence, and refuse to even defend themselves. The prefer to lose their physical forms and be sent back to Heaven than use any weapon or spell effect that causes actual damage to an opponent. It is usual for an Angel of Mercy who is engaged in healing to ignore successful attacks and continue their work, until their bodies are destroyed. The Angels can and will, however, use non-offensive spells to prevent opponents from harming others. In addition, Heaven takes a particularly dim view of anything that attacks an Angel of Mercy, and a Guardian Angel will always be sent to stop the attacker.
Angelic Guardian: Attacking an Angel of Mercy causes the instantaneous appearance of a Guardian Angel. Each opponent who launches an attack on an Angel of Mercy will have to deal with a separate Guardian Angel. The Guardian Angel will do everything in its power to stop the Angel of Mercy from being attacked, but once the attack ceases the Guardian Angel will stop its attacks as well. Only one such Guardian Angel will be sent per attacker, but once the Guardian Angel arrives it will remain with the Angel of Mercy for the remainder of the day.
Clerical Spells: An Angel of Mercy has the spell ability of a 12th Level Cleric. This includes gaining bonus spells for their Profound Wisdom.
Profound Wisdom: Angels of Mercy have Wisdom scores of 20. This grants a +4 bonus on all relevant SIEGE checks and Saving throws. They also gain the appropriate number of Clerical bonus spells.
Virtue of Temperance: The mere presence of an Angel of Mercy suppresses hunger and thirst, automatically Purifies Food and Drink, Neutralizes Poisons, deactivates the harmful effects of all drugs, spoils all potions created by Arcane magic, and reveals all magically disguised substances within a 30' radius.
Covenant of Temperance: Angels of Mercy do not withhold their healing from anyone who suffers, but they are also able to bestow a special blessing upon those who are willing to completely abstain from intoxication. If a character agrees to a Covenant of Temperance, they are bound to never willingly become intoxicated by any means, or ever willingly consume a potion of Arcane origin. The character can still drink wine or beer, but must never willingly drink enough to experience actual intoxication. In return, the Angel blesses the character with total immunity to all diseases and disease-like effects, mundane or magical. The immunity lasts for as long as the character keeps to the Covenant. Naturally, anyone in a Covenant of Temperance should expect to be targeted for temptation by the powers of Hell.
Spell-Like Abilities: At will: Feather Fall (on others), Suggestion, Major Creation. Once a day they can use Enhance Attribute to benefit another, and raise a Minor Globe of Invulnerability. In common with all Angels, an Angel of Mercy can also use Improved Invisibility, Know Alignment, create Light, Polymorph Self, perform feats of Prestidigitation, and Teleport Without Error, all at will. They can roam the Ethereal and Astral planes; speak, write and and understand all forms of communication; and can see perfectly regardless of illumination. Once a day an Angel of Mercy can Summon another of its kind. All spell-like abilities have an effective caster level of 12, and are in addition to the Angel's Clerical spells.
Immune To Electricity: Like all Angels, an Angel of Mercy cannot be harmed by Lightning or Electricity.
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[serleran]

Any plans to do the true mythological cherubim? I was going to post one, but thought it bad form to steal thunder.
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[clavis123]

serleran wrote:
Any plans to do the true mythological cherubim? I was going to post one, but thought it bad form to steal thunder.

Yep, they're on the list.

The remaining Angelic Choirs I have planned are:

"Chariot" Angels (based on the Ophanim from Ezekiel)

Cherubim (four faces, four wings, flaming swords and all)

Herald Angels

Guardian Angels

Seraphs

Warrior Angels

I've decided to treat the angels that are mentioned in theology but have little or no popular folklore associated with them (like the Dominions, Powers, and Principalities) as the titles used by the nobility of the choirs.

Each choir will be ultimately headed by its Archangel.

I'm not sure yet whether to treat the Italian Renaissance "fat baby" style of Cherub as a form occasionally assumed by the Cherubim, or as a class of minor angels equivalent to the Imp or Quasit.
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[Lurker]

Quote:
Covenant of Temperance: Angels of Mercy do not withhold their healing from anyone who suffers, but they are also able to bestow a special blessing upon those who are willing to completely abstain from intoxication. ... Naturally, anyone in a Covenant of Temperance should expect to be targeted for temptation by the powers of Hell.

Now that is a great idea !

Quote:
serleran wrote:

Any plans to do the true mythological cherubim? I was going to post one, but thought it bad form to steal thunder.

Yep, they're on the list.

I might be overstepping good form, but I'd love to see both of you all write ups.

Clavis is doing great work here, but Serl, you have always had interesting ideas. Plus there is plenty of room in heaven for both your types of angle. Especially with the fact that there are a million and 1 books about demons devils and other evil bad things that go bum in the night. There are so few good guys out there to come to the aid of my poor beleaguered Paladin ...
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[Go0gleplex]

Or to inspire said paladins to adhere to their difficult road of virtue.

Great stuff as usual dude.
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[Breakdaddy]

Lurker wrote:
Now that is a great idea !



I might be overstepping good form, but I'd love to see both of you all write ups.

Clavis is doing great work here, but Serl, you have always had interesting ideas. Plus there is plenty of room in heaven for both your types of angle. Especially with the fact that there are a million and 1 books about demons devils and other evil bad things that go bum in the night. There are so few good guys out there to come to the aid of my poor beleaguered Paladin ...

If I were to write up angles, they would all be acute or reflex angles. Im an extremist.

[Omote]

clavis123 wrote:
Yep, they're on the list.

The remaining Angelic Choirs I have planned are:

"Chariot" Angels (based on the Ophanim from Ezekiel)

Cherubim (four faces, four wings, flaming swords and all)

Herald Angels

Guardian Angels

Seraphs

Warrior Angels

I've decided to treat the angels that are mentioned in theology but have little or no popular folklore associated with them (like the Dominions, Powers, and Principalities) as the titles used by the nobility of the choirs.

Each choir will be ultimately headed by its Archangel.

Interesting. Does that mean you might include archangels in your write-ups of the various choirs (even if "generic" archangels to head each choir to avoid sensibilities)?

Also, did you post in one of these angel write-ups what you are considering for the various choirs (i.e. Seraphim, Cherubim, Dominations, Thrones, Prinicpalities, Potentates, Virtues, Archangels, Angles? Any specific heirarchy, etc.)? How about fallen angels?

Sorry for the randomness, but it's pretty late. I guess what I'm trying to decern from what you have so far, is there some sort of Clavis Micro-Mythos involved in what you have done with these angels?

~O

~O
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[clavis123]

Omote wrote:
Interesting. Does that mean you might include archangels in your write-ups of the various choirs (even if "generic" archangels to head each choir to avoid sensibilities)?

Also, did you post in one of these angel write-ups what you are considering for the various choirs (i.e. Seraphim, Cherubim, Dominations, Thrones, Prinicpalities, Potentates, Virtues, Archangels, Angles? Any specific heirarchy, etc.)? How about fallen angels?

Sorry for the randomness, but it's pretty late. I guess what I'm trying to decern from what you have so far, is there some sort of Clavis Micro-Mythos involved in what you have done with these angels?

~O

~O

Yes, I plan on eventually creating stats for the more powerful "noble" angels of each Choir, as well as the Archangels that are the heads of the Choirs. I plan on a similar scheme for the Devils, with more powerful "noble" versions of the common members of the castes, and an Archdevil at the head of each Caste. There are a few reasons I'm not presenting everything at once:

1. I want the creatures to be modular, so that a CK doesn't have to accept the entire suggested hierarchy to utilize individual creatures.

2. It's a BIG project, since I also plan on presenting the Archons of Cosmic Law, the Demons of Chaos, and the Fairy Folk. It's going to take me a while to write it all, so I want to present all the common types first, then move on to suggested "advanced" types.

3. I don't want readers to get "burnt-out" from having too much information to process at once, especially when other people are also presenting excellent work on these forums.

I absolutely have a mythic scheme in mind for how these being interrelate with each other, but as I previously stated, I want them to still be usable to those who are utilizing a different mythos. So while I might present a particular Angelic hierarchy, there should be no reason a CK couldn't discard it and just say that the Angels of Mercy directly serve their campaign's Goddess of Mercy.

The "noble" titles I have in mind for the Castes of Devils are:

Corrupter - Prelate

Seducer - Duke or Duchess

Wrath - Count or Countess

Pact - President

Accuser - Marquis (the common Accuser is an "Esquire")

Craft - Master

Luminous - King

Tormentor - Overseer

For the Angels, the "noble" titles I have in mind are:

Death: Dominion

Mercy: Virtue

Chariot: Throne

Cherubs: Holy Living One

Herald: Principality

Seraph: Shining One

Warrior: Power

Guardian: Lord

A CK could, of course choose to simply treat the "noble" Angels and Devils as just maximum strength members of each Choir or Caste, or not have "nobles" at all.

The Archangels and Archdevils (as well as the eventual Demon Lords, Supreme Archons, and Fairy Kings and Queens) will be presented under generic titles, rather than proper names. This is both because I assume a CK will give them names appropriate to the campaign, and also to avoid unnecessarily offending religious sensibilities (since I am basing this work on actual legends, myths, and folklore).

The titles of the Achdevil at the head of each Caste:

Corrupter - The Lord of the Flies, High Priest of the Worm

Seducer - The Prince(ss) of Darkness, Lord of Lust

Wrath - The Destroyer, Marshall of Hell

Pact - The Devil of Riches, The Man, Grand Chancellor of Pacts

Accuser - The Crooked Serpent, Father of Lies

Craft - The Lord of Evil Inventions, Grand Engineer of Hell

Luminous - The Light Bearer, Emperor of Hell

The Tormentor Devils have no Archdevil

The Absolute ruler of Hell is The Adversary, and his consort the Queen of the Night (who may or may not be one and the same)

And the Archangels of the choirs will be:

Angels of Death: Archangel of Death

Angels of Mercy: Archangel of Mercy

Chariot Angels: Archangel of Secrets

Cherubim: The Archangels of the North, South, East, and West

Herald Angels: Archangel of the Annunciation

Seraphim: The One Before The Throne

Warrior Angels: The Warrior Archangel

The Guardian Angels have no single Archangel.

The absolute ruler of Heaven would be the Lord of Hosts, along with the Queen of Angels. (who may or may not be one and the same)

Close reading of my descriptions of the Devils and Angels will reveal that there isn't a single, consistent story being presented. That's intentional. I'm very much into the idea of multiple narratives, with different beings having completely different takes on history, and even the structure of Creation. So, the Luminous Devils say that they and all the Devils are exiled Angels, and the Angels likewise say that all the other spiritual beings are fallen Angels. Most Devils, however, will claim to have no memories of Heaven at all, and to have always been what they are. It's up to individual CK's to decide on the truth, or even if there is a Truth at all.
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[Omote]

Fascinating.
~O
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> Omote's Advanced C&C stuff <
Duke Omote Landwehr, Holy Order of the FPQ ~ Prince of the Castles & Crusades Society

[Go0gleplex]

Sounds like that could be a book in its own right dude.
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The obvious will always trip you up FAR more than the obscure.

Baron Grignak Hammerhand of the Pacifica Provinces-

High Warden of the Castles & Crusades Society

[Lurker]

Clavis

That sounds great. I look forward to your write ups because 1 they are too cool, and 2 they will fit nicely (with only a little tweaking) into my home brew once I finish school!
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Forgive all spelling errors.

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