angel
In mid-September, 1938, winged giants began to appear all over the known world. They appeared primarily at major conflicts in what became known as the second World War. Upon their arrival, they attempted to stop physical conflict between human nations and wept openly over the dead. Due to their physical resemblance to Renaissance depictions of angels, they became known as such. English named them angels. German named them engels. Mal'ach in Hebrew.
They spoke a language thought to be unique to them at first, but scholars quickly recognized it as having a Semetic root. The angels called it duafri or "singing" and named themselves duafrim, "the songs."
By the end of 1945, they made it clear they had no intention of returning to wherever they came from. They were here to stay.
Basic Information
Anatomy
Angels are bipedal hominids with large, feathered wings attached to a second set of shoulder joints located slightly below and behind the arm-joints. These wings allow them to fly as birds do using additional muscle sets in chest, back and abdomen. Most angels can stay aloft for 3-4 hours if a decent updraft can be located and can ascend to as high as 500 feet without loss of consciousness from oxygen deprivation. Some medical experts believe this is due to their ability to breathe carbon dioxide in place of oxygen in some circumstances.
When in good health, angels present the ability to shapeshift in order to hide (or case) their wings and change their features. They must conform to the law of conservation of mass, so their appearance is limited by their actual mass and the process of changing their features appears to burn more calories than hiding their wings, as most of them are very hungry after a change. Some physiological conditions prohibit this ability, including Wasting Fall.
Genetics and Reproduction
All angels present on Earth appear to be male. They possess reproductive capabilities compatible with and nearly identical to humans and have proven to be cross-fertile with humans. Offspring between a human and an angel are human.
Growth Rate & Stages
The angels who arrived in 1938 were all adults and have not aged appreciably since that time.
Dietary Needs and Habits
Angels require at least one liter of fresh water and 120 minutes of direct sunlight per day. In addition, Heaven provides the Blessed Choir with supplemental tablets. Many angels--especially older ones--prefer to carry their own water from known, reliable sources rather than consume local water potable by human standards. Tea is one of the more popular alternatives to water and many angels enjoy the flavors of green, black, and herbal teas. Soup and broth are also popular.
In addition to these elements, angels also require some level of caloric intake, though greatly reduced from human requirements. Their nutritional diets are usually around 700-1000 daily calories and consist of 80% protein, 15% carbohydrates, and 5% fat. Any additional eating is recreational, which many angels enjoy with enthusiasm. They seem to suffer no ill effects from overeating, though some of them say flying is uncomfortable after a big meal.
Additional Information
Perception and Sensory Capabilities
Angels' eyesight is much improved over humans at distances of 100'-500' to aid in perception during flight.
Civilization and Culture
Naming Traditions
Most angels are given Hebrew-rooted names ending in -iel or -ael. Individuals often take a personal name or a nickname which may be a shortening of their given name, a personality-reflecting nickname or a name they simply prefer over their given names. Attitudes toward taken names vary among individuals. Examples: Zadriel's personal name is Killian (personal preference), Dariel's personal name is Duck (fallen wings appear like a mallard), Asiriel goes by Siri (shortened given name), many angels call Musiel "Moose" though he prefers his given name (variation of pronunciation).
Major Organizations
The Blessed Choir is the organization of Heavenly-sanctioned angels.
Relationship Ideals
Angels consider themselves as brothers, all children of the same Father. Within squads, this bond tends to be stronger and squad mates are more likely to spend time together outside of duty requirements. The bond is even stronger between those who spent their fledgling years together, called bethkim. While many angels aren't grouped together into squads from the same fledgling class, individual bethkim tend to stay in contact even after their assignments. Many angels have what they term rishki, an angel from their fledgling class they were particularly close to. Usually rishkim are assigned to the same squads for the comfort of both angels.
Average Technological Level
Weapons and tools supplied by Heaven consist of an unknown metallic alloy known as celestial steel. Only members of the Blessed Choir are permitted to carry celestial steel weapons.
Major Language Groups and Dialects
All angels speak Duafri, the angelic home language which is related to many Earth-based Semitic languages. Many angels pick up human languages throughout their lives depending on where they are stationed and what duties they perform in regards to humans. The angels stationed in North America are usually fluent in English, Spanish, and French. Angels stationed in Rome speak Italian and Greek while the Tibetan-based angels usually speak Tibetan and Mandarin Chinese. Angels stationed in Mecca are usually fluent in Arabic.
Common Dress Code
Fallen angels wear whatever clothing they can get their hands on, usually second-hand jeans or sweatpants. If they have Wasting Fall, they will be wearing a blanket wrapped around their chests and between their wings, as they will be unable to case their wings. Otherwise, they wear casual human clothing, though usually in poor repair.
Angels of the Blessed Choir have a military dress code consisting of a leather-and-canvas kilt and a long strip of either woven wool or woven cotton depending on the weather which is worn around the chest and shoulders. Angels stationed with different units may differentiate themselves from other units with hats, colors, adornments to clothing or regimental tattoos but otherwise, their uniform is the same regardless of the nationality of their unit.
When off-duty, angels are given more leeway in regard to their personal presentation. Many wear casual variations on their military uniforms, favoring kilts and chest-wraps in various fibers. The international clothing and fashion industries have also shifted to accommodate angelic fashion and some angels wear more fashionable items such as dress pants, jeans, shorts, etc. Upper body fashion is limited to wraps or clothing tailored to accommodate wings and flight. For example, Lunariel is known for having full suits tailored to allow for his wings.
Common Customs, Traditions and Rituals
Sexual relationships between angels and humans are frowned upon but not explicitly forbidden. Friendships, romantic relationships, and other forms of social contact are expected to be limited due to fears of potential corruption.
Common Taboos
Sexual and romantic relationships between angels are strictly forbidden.
Historical Figures
- Serafiel - the first angel
- Samael aka Lucifer - the first fallen angel, leader of the Twenty Flocks
- Hana - Lucifer's nefil wife
- Jeshua aka Jesus - the human son of Wayin
- Rishonael and Miloel - the most prolific and respected fledgling trainers in Heaven's history
Common Myths and Legends
Scientific Name
Homo angelus
Average Height
5'10" - 6'8"
Average Weight
175 - 300 lbs
Average Length
Wingspan: 12-30 feet
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Related Myths
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