Angels

Angels and other angelic beings are creatures deeply tied to the Celestial Planes and the Divine. From the smallest cherub to the mightiest archangel, every angel serves (or at some point has served) one of the Gods.

The Gods made themselves known in force during the end of the Age of Reverie and throughout the Age of Lucidity. With them came their Angelic Hosts; powerful servants and warriors that could act as both an extension of their will and a more physical presence on Arthos for whenever the Gods themselves could not attend.

The majority of angels remain nameless and unknown, for fame is not their objective. They are, for the most part, extensions of the will of their god and to seek the attention of mortals for their work might detract from their mission. For some this is a sign of humility, believing themselves to be less important than their patron deity and less deserving of mortal adoration. Many others, however, simply believe that mortals are not particularly worthy of their time and ignore those who are not directly involved with their god or goddess.

While almost all angels serve their respective gods, there are few that have fallen from grace. Fallen angels are those who have left or been cast out of the Celestial Heaven of their former god. Some choose to work for other Gods, while others pursue their own hidden motives and alliances. While fallen angels are often distrusted by the Angelic Host they once came from, a fallen angel is by no means inherently evil. An angel of Malagant that turned from the dark might be seen as benevolent to mortals, even if the others of Malagant’s Heaven would see them hunted for their betrayal. Angels cannot reproduce, thus a fallen angel without a master is sometimes seen by the Gods as an opportunity add to their ranks.

Demons

Demons are fearsome and loathed creatures that can be found trespassing on Arthos, seeking to trick or torment the weak and desperate. The more intelligent and cunning of demons seek to bind mortals to contracts that will promise the demon pieces of their soul in death, while others act as foot soldiers for Demon Lords seeking to extend their influence from the fractured hells into the Mortal Realm. The most powerful of these demons are The Nine Demon Princes, who rule over the nine principalities of the Hellstack.

The Hell King, his name now lost to history, once ruled over a single united plane of Hell until the Age of Lucidity. Beneath him were The Nine Demon Princes, each with their own principality. It was during the Age of Lucidity that, for reasons unknown, The Hell King removed his crown and sundered the united plane into three main plateaus before piercing a hole through their center. Within this central chasm is a swirling tempest, and at the eye of the storm, The Hell Crown.

The Nine Demon Princes were left without a ruler, and most immediately began to vye for this crown. Some of the Princes are more preoccupied than others by this quest, while others have their own agendas which they favour over all else. With their combined power the Princes could overcome the magic of the Spirit Tempest and seize the crown, but by their very nature they are too mistrusting of one another to ever allow that. The crown remains untouched to this day as the Princes battle over which among them is worthy enough to wear it, using mortal spirits as fodder in their unending war. Demons cannot be born so they use mortal spirits as fuel for resurrection and battlefield healing among other things.