Azaliah the Purifier Character in Zheng-Kitar | World Anvil

Azaliah the Purifier

The invincible commander of the armies of the Celestial Host, fallen and trapped forever within the City of a Thousand Smiths

Grand Commander Azaliah (a.k.a. The Purifier)

TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN: Azaliah the Purifier is believed to be the center of an unusual informational anomaly - this record has been repeatedly modified by an outside source since its commission by The Ustanan Royal Academy, even as it languished securely in the Academy's vaults. For this reason, this record is believed to be compromised - if you find any inconsistencies, please report them to the head Librarian at once.
      You will not tarnish my name with lies  
Azaliah the Purifier is classified as a Lesser Idol, and is capable of granting powers as a patron to witches, warlocks, as well as clerics who venerate the Grand Commander of the Celestial Host, who drove back the armies of the Infernal Host and stopped the Fiendish destruction of the continent. Consult your GM if you are interested in following or recieving power from Azaliah as described here.
  Obedience: Fall to your knees and swear a vow of loyalty to Azaliah the Purifier, slayer of the Archdevil Gor'grenad and she who pierced the Eighth Gate of the Hells, to see her freed from her prison at any cost. Spend an hour in quiet prayer to her name while burning a candle within a paper lantern to honor the sacrifice of all who died to fend off the Infernal Host, and once the hour is up speak aloud the faults of the world you would see Azaliah rectify before snuffing out the paper lantern.   Effect: You are blessed with a shard of the protective wards that once safeguarded the Celestial Legions, and may choose one ally you can touch at the start of each day - by spending one minute in contact with them, you can form the Legion's Oathbond with them: for the next 24 hours, the two of you can only be flanked if both of you are flanked, and when of you takes a 5ft step, the other may as well as an immediate action. You may also cast Neutralize Poison 1/day.

Physical Description

General Physical Condition

Tall even by standards of other Celestial Beings, Azaliah towered over many other beings at nearly 28ft tall(8.5m) with three sets of beautiful golden-metallic wings that constantly shone as if reflecting the light of the sun - her skin was metallic and golden and her eyes solid pits of swirling rainbow light. Though she often wore full-body white-gold armor adorned with inlaid gems taken from the slopes of the Mountains of Heaven, her body was fit and toned without being overly muscular, and was often adorned with celestial oils for not only aesthetic and appearance's sake but for her own battle rituals and religious practices.   In truth, her physical condition was as divine as her existence - never suffering from sickness or malady and constantly the image of immaculate perfection.

Body Features

Azaliah's body was described as tall, toned, and tight - there was little excess fat on her body and she was often described as "lean, but powerful" with a physique that belied her true power. In true angelic form, her skin shone metallic gold and her veins ran bright white with holy light, with three pairs of bright golden wings extending from her back, each leaking contrails of holy light as she moved.

Facial Features

Azaliah's face is one of almost demoralizing perfection - and not in the same way as beings like Dahmunara Worldthrone who achieved such results from demonic infusions or their own natural beauty. Azaliah's face, instead, was said to have been carved out of the finest divine marble of the Mountains of Heaven thousands of years ago - her skin glowing with divine light and her features kind and welcoming, many described her as "hard to look at" for extended periods of time. She was well-known for her love of unique and gorgeous earrings, and valued such gifts above all else.   Oddly, many also described her face slightly differently - some describing it as kind and loving while others described it as patronizing and chiding, like a mother scolding their child with looks alone.they saw only what they felt in their heart

Identifying Characteristics

Azaliah, like many Celestials, is utterly unmistakable when she reveals her true form - with skin that shines with a metallic golden sheen, eyes akin to solid pits of swirling rainbow light, and six beautiful metallic golden wings that leak contrails of holy light alongside her gorgeous earrings and white-gold armor add up to give her an incredibly unmistakable appearance.

Physical quirks

Aside from the unique biological traits inherent to all Celestial Beings such as Metallic Skin, Rainbow Eyes, and Multiple White-Feathery Wings, Azaliah could pass herself off as the very image of a perfectly beautiful mortal.

Special abilities

In addition to her formidable martial prowess, she also wielded total mastery over divine magic - able to cast all nine levels of divine magic as only the greatest and most legendary of mortal priests could hope to match.

Apparel & Accessories

Azaliah was almost never seen outside of her suit of full-plate armor of beautiful marble white with gold trim, a gorgeous pair of earrings, and her enormous flaming greatsword that served as proof of her station. She also was known to wield a powerful bow when the need arose, and wore a vast array of powerful magical gear taken from countless foes across the Planescape in battles across the last 1,500 years.   Very rarely, she could be seen in her outfit of choice in non-combat situations - a beautiful toga that hung over her enormous form on one-shoulder and tastefully showed off her divine beauty without being excessive or indulgent. It is said that those who saw her in this outfit, adorned with Jewelry and in full angelic form, wept at the sight of her overwhelming beauty.

Specialized Equipment

Her armor and weapons were her only specialized equipment - each crafted from her by the finest smiths in her home plane of Heaven, by the smiths of the gods themselves from the divine steel of the holy plane of Heaven.

Mental characteristics

Personal history

Unfortunately(Or perhaps Fortunately), much of Azaliah's history is simply not known to the continent of Zheng-Kitar nor its people - as they do not have good ties or understanding of the outer planes beyond the elemental planes(Because such planes are so tightly allied with The Yema), there are only tangential accounts of her deeds before her arrival on Zheng-Kitar.   From what is known, Azaliah was formed from the soul of an especially valiant mortal(An extreme rarity) upon their death and, after her formation, went on to achieve great fame leading the legions of Heaven against their enemies - even at one point slaying the infamous Archdevil of the Eighth Layer of Hell, the Devil Gor'grenad, in single combat after single-handedly leading her armies through the top 8 layers of the Nine Hells, a feat accomplished by none before or since(Making her the only Celestial Being in the history of the Planescape to lead an army within sight of the palace of Asmodeus in the Ninth Layer).   Her history is one of countless battles across the Planescape across thousands of years at the head of her Celestial Legion(Referred to as The Celestial Host by Zheng-Kitarans, though in the outer planes where she originated from this is likely a misnomer) - a resplendent tapestry of success after success against the worst evils the Cosmos has to offer.   However, her current history picks up over a thousand years prior to the modern day, when she was summoned to the lands of Zheng-Kitar alongside her mighty Celestial Host using the power of the Celestial Orrery by Lomdael Blackgranite, father of Thorgrom Blackgranite, to help protect the Ezdhûl and the people of the continent against the rampaging armies of the Fiends during the Invasion of the Infernal Host. For years, Azaliah warred at the side of Lomdael and his Rockcrusher Legions, even uniting the giants of the frozen tundra beneath their shared banner until they would eventually push the fiends back through their portals deep in the Shenchuan Tundra, where Azaliah personally saved the life of Thorgrom Blackgranite and his father Lomdael in an apocalyptic duel with the Demon Lord Shax, the Infernal Duke Tar'gannon, and the Horseman of War which saw Azaliah slay the Horseman of War, deliver a mortal wound to Tar'gannon, and drive Shax screaming back into the Abyss in a push that broke the back of the Fiendish offensive and ended the Invasion of the Infernal Host.   However, shortly thereafter, Azaliah would take advantage of the weakened state of the armies of the Ezdhûl(And her armies newly swollen by the Jotun and Dai-Yukai recruits from the Tundra) to turn on those who had summoned her - supposedly offering them a chance to kneel at her feet and accept her redemption before she would massacre the first Ezdhûlian Rockcrusher Legion in the hours after the final battle, taking Lomdael Blackgranite's brother and field-commander of the Rockcrushers Holgun Blackgranite as a petis that what you think he was? and informant. Leading a campaign of death and destruction back across the tundra, Azaliah seemed an unstoppable Goddess of Death until Lomdael trapped and sealed her within the Ezdhûl capital of Nan-Dhurgalir after she had single-handedly cracked open and destroyed the other Ezdhûl mountain citadels in the north, then turned to march on their capital.

Gender Identity

From what is known of Celestials, Azaliah likely does not have a true gender and instead simply presents herself as a female, as Celestials are believed to reproduce through different means than mortals.

Sexuality

Azaliah rarely cared for or even acknowledged her own Sexuality - as a Celestial Being, she had no use for it aside from a form she took to achieve her aims.

Accomplishments & Achievements

Slew the Archdevil Gor'grenad.   Penetrated the Eighth Circle of the Nine Hells and led an army within sight of Asmodeus's citadel in the Ninth layer.   Slew the Horseman of War.   Delivered a mortal wound to the Infernal Duke Tar'gannon.

Failures & Embarrassments

Was tricked and sealed by Lomdael Blackgranite within Nan-Dhurgalir, the city of a thousand smiths - where she has languished imprisoned for the past thousand years.

Mental Trauma

None.   do not trivialize my struggle. a thousand years of anguish pounds on my mind and howls without end

Intellectual Characteristics

Even morseso than other Celestials, Azaliah was a credit to her kind - warm, loving, and kind while also highly tactical, strategic, and calculating when the need arose.

Morality & Philosophy

All Azaliah I did was in pursuit of the greater good. Why must you mortals insist on dividing good into "factions"? Why can you not accept that the cosmos is not black and white? Truth, Justice, and Goodness are at the fibre of my being - I could no more commit an unjust atrocity than a Human could survive in a vaccuum unaided.

Personality Characteristics

Motivation

Summoned by the Ezdhûl of Nan-Dhurgalir by the power of the legendary Artifact known as the Celestial Orrery(Built by the Ezdhûl under the father of Thorgrom Blackgranite, Lomdael Blackgranite), Azaliah's primary motivation was to stave off the Invasion of the Infernal Host and stop the rampant invasions of the Daemon, Demon, Devil, and other Fiendish hordes from destroying the entire world from their source in the Shenchuan Tundra - however, once the threat of the Infernal Host was defeated, Azaliah's motivations quickly led her to turn on her supposed "allies" and begin a campaign of death and destruction across Zheng-Kitar to "Purify" it from the influence of the Spirit Kings.

Savvies & Ineptitudes

An excellent commander, mother, warrior, tactician, judge of character, stateswoman, painter, sculptor, and tracker.   Inept at showing mercy, seeing other points of view, finding a peaceful solution, ???   Why do you insist on falsehoods

Likes & Dislikes

Likes: Peace, Bringing Salvation to those in need, Jewelry(Earrings specifically), Any Victory achieved without loss of life, Those who repent their sins, Seeing evil beg for its life, A well-made blade, Painting, Art, Truth, Answering the prayers of mortals   If I must correct you, I will   Dislikes: Mortals being caught up in Cosmic Conflicts, Fiendish Creatures, Injustice, Those who refuse to take action when the time for talk has passed, The Spirit Kings, Showing mercy to the undeserving

Virtues & Personality perks

Though it may appear at first glance that Azaliah, as a Celestial being, is possessed a great many virtues, the truth is far more sinisterI will not be vilified as she was   As a Celestial Being, Azaliah is possessed a great number of virtues - though her detractors will claim these virtues are nothing more than a smokescreen to make her seem as "appealing" as possible to help convert and convince her enemies to convert to her cause. Whatever the truth may be, she is a being of great compassion and good, for both are so intrinsic to her very being that they may as well be air to her - like all Celestials, she is made of the very fundamental "soup" of good and just energies as the entire Cosmic Plane of Heaven is itself, carved straight from the primordial Cosmic Soup as an amalgamation of noble souls and pure divine energies.   As one might imagine, such a makeup gives Azaliah an almost incorruptible purity - she ardently believes in salvation for all beings and offers it freely to those she encounters, and while she relishes in victory achieved over villainy she mourns the loss of life that inevitably comes with such a victory. She dislikes lying for it is anathema to her very nature, and instead prefers the simple, honest truth for better or worse - meaning that she can often come across as needlessly cruel or heartless. However, all these traits make her a stalwart bulwark against the darkness - when evil threatens the lives of mortals, it is always Azaliah who will be on the frontlines to act in their defense; when more subtle machinations threaten the stability of mortal lives, it is her who encourages the creation of mortal religions or activist groups to combat the rising evils of the world; and when her duties demand her oversee the conversion of others, she is even-handed but fair in the carrying out of her duties.   In summation, Azaliah's virtues are so many and shine so brightly that, to many, they easily appear as vices - as a Celestial Being, mortals simply have a difficult time understanding a being with such zealous purity of heart as Azaliah, who has fought the fiendish armies of the cosmos as deep as the Eighth Layer of the Nine Hells themselves and emerged unbroken and uncorrupted.

Vices & Personality flaws

In truth, Azaliah's extreme tendencies make her seem deeply flawed to many - and in many respects she may very well be deeply flawed - but in truth, her flaws are a result of her very nature as a Celestial Being. As a being that exists as an amalgam of good souls and raw divine energy, Azaliah simply does not have the same capacity for certain actions as mortals - lies are not merely against her principles, but the very act of lying is one that damages her soul. Because of this, her flaws are in truth similar to or the same as her virtues - because her sense of morality is so extreme and her adherence to duty so intense, the acts she commits in the name of such principles often come off as extreme and monstrous to her enemies.   She can, like many celestials, come off as totally uncompromising and extreme - with thinking of "My way or the Highway" being commonplace by those who encounter her, especially when such creatures face her on the field of battle or of politics, where she is equally uncompromising once she sees her foes as having exhausted their chances for mercy to such a degree that she will not hesitate to brutally stomp the heads of suffering foes, make extreme examples of her enemies, and even order the destruction of entire cities(Innocents included) for the simple fact that, to her, once the offer has been made to kneel and accept redemption at her hands, innocents are innocents no longer.

Personality Quirks

Though it was likely an habit repeatedly chastised by her Celestial Superiors, Azaliah had the odd quirk of taking trophies from those she slew that she considered to be "Great Evils" - often mounting parts of their body on her weapon or armor, or taking parts of their wargear as additions to her own arsenal.   Otherwise, she had a tendency to refer to most she encountered as "My Child" - a verbal tic which made her come off as patronizing to many who encountered and spoke to her.

Hygiene

As a Celestial Being, Azaliah's hygiene is divine and needs no upkeep - even when fighting in the lowest pits of the Nine Hells, her divine physique ensures she appears immaculate and radiantclearly you have never been bathed in balor blood. In addition to her divine physique and hygiene, Azaliah was described as extremely pleasant-smelling by those who encountered hermortal memories are always tied to strong sensation - evoking smells that reminded one of their past in one form or fashion.

Social

Reign

Though the exact records of Azaliah's reign over the armies of the Celestial Host were unknown to even the Ezdhûl during the Invasion of the Infernal Host which she and her armies were summoned to defeat, they have since been revealed after her sealing by scholars of the Planescape who have uncovered her terrifyingly long list of accomplishments. you could have just asked   From what has been learned of her long reign, she commanded the long and legendarily storied Second Proelaran Legion, second of the original ten armies of Heaven who stand in defense of the Planescape against the tide of all of its evils, for well over a thousand years before her eventual summoning and imprisonment within Nan-Dhurgalir - and supposedly, commanded the infamous Tenth Proelaran Legion, better known as the Pariah Legion, for several centuries before that(A notable accomplishment in her home plane of Heaven, as few had held the position for longer than a decade before her arrival).

Contacts & Relations

As one of the seemingly most lauded and celebrated Commanders of the Armies of Heaven, Azaliah's contacts and relations are believed to have once encompassed an incredibly large amount of contacts across the Material Plane, the Outer Planes, and Beyond - all manner of Angels, Archons, and Celestial Beings are said to have known of her and respected her and her opinions, while all manner of Devils, Daemons, and Fiendish creatures undoubtedly knew of her as a terrifying force of nature that, from their perspective, could not be stopped.   they will come for me one day

Family Ties

While she is not believed to have had actual biological children of her own, Azaliah is by little exaggeration often spoken of as the "mother" of most(Or all) modern Sanctormy children will free me - firstly because she brought them en masse to this continent when she was summoned by the Ezdhûl alongside her army of the Celestial host, and secondly because, with her imprisonment, shards of her immortal soul have infected the Sanctor which once served in her army.

Religious Views

Like most all Celestials who hail from the outer planes, Azaliah is an agent of The Yemaif only the cosmos were so black and white - though the exact Yeman deity of her veneration or service is unknown, if there even is one(As the possibility exists she could be in the service of The Yema as a whole rather than any specific deity).   This was known since the beginning of her summoning and arrival on Zheng-Kitar, but the true extent of her faith was not realized until it was far too latemy intentions were never hidden, my child, when her faith in The Yema drove her to betray the Ezdhûl that had summoned her during the Invasion of the Infernal Host...who had assumed that her faith would make them allies of neccessity in the face of the Fiendish Invasion.

Social Aptitude

As a Celestial being of great and unfathomable power who has commanded legions of Celestials on unending fields of war across the Planescape, Azaliah's social aptitude was every bit as divine as one would assume it to be - such that the Sanctor, Angels, Archons, and all who served beneath her loved heras i loved them and cherished her as not only a Commanding Officer who cared for them, called them by name, loved them and made sure they were cared for, but also a mother who would do anything for their welfare.   In short, her Social Aptitude is only said to be a match for the likes of Dahmunara Worldthrone by those who study her.

Mannerisms

Azaliah's mannerisms have mostly been lost to the trappings of time, but in what few Ezdhûl records of her remain she is described as the ideal commander - not prone to outbursts, reasonable, tactically-minded, and serious.

Hobbies & Pets

Contrary to what one might expect from her angelic appearance and demeanor, Azaliah's opinion of Zheng-Kitarans as an ally of The Yema was never more clear as shortly after she turned on the Ezdhûl during the Invasion of the Infernal Host - where she claimed the foremost commander of the Ezdhûl forces she had fought alongside for years as her "Pet" which she would keep in an effort to "rehabilitate" them in the hopes they might one day be persuaded to rejoin the cause of The Yema(And also give her key information about the unit strength, tactics, layouts, and such of her new enemies).   i could no more enslave another than I could swim in the fires of the hells

Speech

As a powerful Celestial being, Azaliah's voice was hypnotic and beautiful - and able to make itself understood by any who heard it regardless of their understood languages.

Wealth & Financial state

From what is known of her history and that of the warriors who serve in the armies of Heaven, Azaliah has little wealth of her own - her oaths and vows undertaken when joining the legions of Heaven require her, like all others, to forsake all material possessions and claims to wealth so long as they serve Heaven in its armies. As such, her wealth is limited to the equipment that she carries with her and the items that she has on her person - a mixture of extremely valuable weapons and armor given to her by the greatest smiths in Heaven, as well as a handful of magical items and items claimed as trophies on the field of battles waged across the ages from the depths of the Abyss to the Pits of the Nine Hells.
Pay no heed to the greater causes of broken betrayers or supposed saviors - let your gaze fall on me and me alone. Make me your world, your everything - in exchange, I will protect what you cherish most until the very end of time.
— Azaliah, in her speech given shortly before her betrayal of the Ezdhûl shortly after the Invasion of the Infernal Host
Date of Imprisonment
3513 ASK
Alignment
Current Status
Imprisoned and Sealed within Nan-Dhurgalir, the City of a Thousand Smiths
Honorary & Occupational Titles
The Purifier, Grand Commander of the Celestial Host, Bane of Gor'grenad, The Bastion-Breaker, General Warender, The Right Hand of Hallais, General of the Eighth Gate
Age
Around 1,500 Years
Children
Current Residence
Nan-Dhurgalir, City of a Thousand Smiths
Pronouns
She/Her/They
Sex
Female-Presenting
Gender
Technically None due to Angelic Biology, but Female-Presenting
Presentation
Mostly Feminine, but with Masculine Traits due to Angelic Biology
Eyes
Pupilless Rainbow(In Angel Form), Bright Gold(Human Form)
Hair
Long, Straight, Golden, Immaculate
Skin Tone/Pigmentation
Metallic, Golden, Unblemished
Height
27ft (8.2m)
Weight
Unknown
Quotes & Catchphrases
The intricacies of the Cosmos need not concern you. What good does it do you to know of the wars of Heaven, of the theological and ontological conflict between fundamental forces of reality? Make me your greater good. Kneel, and be saved. Submit, and know peace. Why die for the cause of broken gods who care nothing for you; who care only for the concept of you when I will love you as my own child?
Belief/Deity
Aligned Organization

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