Realm of the Dead (33 page)
The Great Angelic Houses of Heaven
House Draco: Sigil: A dragon
House Draco is the first house of angels and is considered to be highborn in the angelic cast. All Draco are angels of praise and represent beauty, wisdom, and art. Lucifer, prior to his fall, was their represented leader and the firstborn of all angels.
Each Draco has within him the ability to generate sound; some Draco are specifically limited to areas of sound. For example, some Draco can generate all notes within the soprano range, other in the tenor, bass, and alto, but they cannot generate sounds outside the range created. Lucifer is not so and can create any sound.
All Draco have a shimmering translucent skin that allows them to reflect light and therefore project images. They can project certain wavelengths of the spectrum. Each Draco is unique in that they are limited to certain areas of the spectrum. Lucifer, as their leader, is not so limited and may project any image. He may even disappear from view if he chooses, to cloak himself in light and be invisible to the eye.
Metatron has now succeeded Lucifer as Prince of his people. Draco, when they choose to be visible to humans, reveal themselves as winged serpents.
Harrada: Sigil: An owl
The House Harrada are considered great sages of wisdom and lore, meticulous in their desire to create order and excel in the development of systems management and the written word.
Each member of house Harrada is adept at manipulating the elements, including heat, air, water, and earth. Also known as lovers of writing, they often create great literary works. Jerahmeel represents the embodiment of the Harrada. Prior to the Descension, God used Jerahmeel to temper Lucifer's tendency toward arrogance.
Harada are keepers of order within all three realms of creation, and also exercise control over time and seasons. Harrada is often the head or manager of Heaven's day to day operations, including the harvesting of manna. Other angels of this house include Zeus and Chronos.
Kortai: Sigil: A Hammer
The Kortai is a race of builders, muscular and adept in the manipulation of metallurgy and woodworking, minerals and gems. They are the ultimate engineers and constructors of Heaven. Curious to a fault, they have no qualms about delving into new architectural endeavors. It was the Kortai that volunteered to work against the Maelstrom to expand Heaven.
Kortai have a youthful appearance and are incredibly strong in spite of their smaller stature. The Kortai are the engineers of Heaven and are able to bring into creation whatever can be conceived. Michael the archangel, is the leader of this house. Since the war, they carry a hammer on one side of their belt and a sword in the other, ready to either build or fight at a moment's notice.
Assumably, all that left Heaven did so out of outright rebellion, but those Kortai that left went to see something new, thinking that more than what El had shown them existed, and they were moved to build something apart from El's designs. These are the builders of the Hellforge and the deep chasms that run throughout Hell. Lucifer has silently been turning the Kortai into daemons.
Grigori: Sigil: Two Eyes, a flame, an inkhorn, and stylus
The Grigori are chroniclers: They see all and record all. There are those who chronicle on behalf of God and those who chronicle on behalf of Satan. At least one Grigori records for God at all times. The watchers strive for perfection when documenting the events of history, but regardless of how they view God, their only motive is to chronicle as God designed them this way.
Those who chronicle for Satan say God's actions were not justified and therefore deserves to be overthrown. In the end, they believe their efforts will vindicate their belief in Satan's cause. They give commentary and chronicle with bias, or with an agenda that attempts to besmirch God. They do not simply chronicle...they editorialize. Their purpose for being is to compose. They may not, however, interfere with that which they behold. Those who attempt to harm them are themselves harmed. The Chief Prince is the exception, as he is embodied with authority and power over all angels.
Grigori cannot be stopped nor interfered with without penalty of Abyssian or Tartarus confinement. They can interact with their own kind.
Grigori do not possess the common instruments associated with sight and hearing as they are naturally blind and deaf. They can see as well as anyone and can hear equally well, but they can see nothing but El. They hover, cloaked in purple hoods, and no one has ever seen their face. They have immunity from harm and are able to move freely within both spheres of engagement.
Formerly, Raphael was the prince that oversaw this house but was killed by the fall of Kilnstones during the civil war. Argoth is now the Chief of Eyes and Sephiroth of his house. A few of the Grigori have been gifted with the 'sight', the ability to see beyond what is written to that which shall be written. El has limited this ability; thus, Grigori can only see one generation ahead. When the Grigori use this ability, they go into a trance-like state and attempt to articulate the visions they see.
When El gives a prophecy to a prophet, He speaks to the prophet and allows the Grigori that shadows him to see ahead in time. Angels from this house include Argoth, Hadriel, and Lilith, prior to his dissolution.
Arelim: Sigil: A bull's face
Arelim are strong angels who have the faces of bulls and cloven feet. They can be extremely aggressive in that they enjoy forms of competition. Highly driven by order and authority, yet always seeking to be first in every endeavor, they constantly use their great powers to move planets and power suns.
Able to manipulate the forces of gravity, El has used them to fling planets and keep orbits. Headed by Talus, many of those that left to follow Lucifer were of this house. Proud and strong, they comprise over half of Lucifer's force, making his numbers, though smaller than Heaven, equally formidable in power, for in his ranks reside some of the most powerful of angels. Other angels from this house include Apollyon aka Abaddon, Marduk, and Sasheal
Issi: Sigil: A butterfly
Issi are lovers of beauty and their gifts allow one to touch anything and manipulate its color. They are also creatures of light, typically soft-spoken, they are humanoid yet prefer to be in touch with creation and typically morph into creatures such as Pegasi, unicorns, and even satyrs.
Able to mimic all life, they, like the Harrada and Draco, contribute to the culture of Heaven through their paintings and works of art. Gifted in tailoring and the beautification of one's physical form, their beauty is such that even Lucifer takes notice. When in their humanoid form, Issi possess wings similar to butterflies. Sariel was the former Prince but sacrificed himself to expose the vulnerability of Abaddon. Azaziel now stands as Prince of his people.
The Issi also excels at all levels of herbalism and have now become healers as a result of the war. Issi can summon great celestial forces and target their enemies when in battle. Other angels from this house include Ashtaroth and Iblis.
Malakim: Sigil: Winged Feet
The angelic order of house Malakim are the messengers of God. If the Grigori are the eyes, the Malakim are its nerves. They constantly move to and fro throughout the realm delivering messages from various groups and ministers to one another. Like the Grigori in their numbers, they are similar in that they keep Heaven's communication lines open.
The Malakim ride steeds called gryphons. Each angel has a steed that is actually obtained when they acquire their first assignment from their Prince. Only the Chief Prince, the Grigori, and the House are aware of the celestial home of the Gryphons. Able to move at incredible speeds, they are the fastest of all angelic kind. Gabriel, who is their leader, is the fastest and wisest. It is rumored that his speed rivals that of the Ophanim.
This has yet to be tested. All Malakim have wings on their feet and not on their shoulders as others of their kind. Malakim actually run, but their speed is so fast that they appear to fly. Malakim can also manipulate lightning.
Articles of War
When El exiled the Horde to the nether, He then placed within the Kilnstones of all angelic kind His law that restricts the actions of our people. The following is understood by all Elohim concerning Elomic intervention in the affairs of men:
1.
All souls are the Lords.
2.
There shall be no interbreeding between species.
3.
Humans shall not be brought into knowledge of your presence except through prayer or by voluntary submission to sin or by permission from El.
4.
Agents of Lucifer may influence to their own ends human activity that humans, have submitted themselves to, or through affairs of those who possess spiritual authority have yielded themselves to.
5.
Members of the Host will not invoke the powers of the enemy nor seek to derive and use powers apart from El's design. Doing so will constitute a rebellion and those who do so will be marked as members of the Horde.
6.
The ruling powers over a household, region or power will be held responsible for all those under their charge.
7.
Any officer who shall presume to muster a human as a soldier (who is not a soldier) shall be deemed guilty of having made a false muster and shall suffer accordingly.
The Shaun-tea'll will monitor the terms of these articles among both host and horde and shall have the power to imprison within Tartarus all who break them.
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A lover of thought and the Bible, the Art of War and gaming. Donovan works professionally in the Human Services area and has a Master's degree in Nonprofit Management. He has over 20 years of service to the Christian community teaching the Bible as a member of the ordained clergy. Now retired from the clergy, Donovan has taken up his pen to express what has long been the untapped call God has placed in him to reach people through fiction.
Donovan's heart for ministry has carried into his secular pursuits and he has worked with countless abused and neglected children, adults with developmental disabilities, and women who have been victimized by domestic and sexual abuse. He has taught as an adjunct professor for several years and currently works full-time to end hunger in his local community.
Donovan has three children: Candace, Christopher, and Alexander. Each is saved and involved in ministry. They currently reside in Michigan.
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