Servitors of the Fallen: Martin, Malakite of Faith, Angel of Martyrs

By Manny Nepomuceno

**Flaming
Feather**

Corporeal Forces: 4
Strength: 8
Agility: 8
Ethereal Forces: 3
Intelligence: 6
Precision: 6
Celestial Forces: 3
Will: 6
Perception: 6

Suggested Word-Forces: 4

Vessel: Human male (Caucasian male)/4

Attunements: Malakite of Purity*, Malakite of Faith, That Which Moves Mountains, The Angel of Martyrs**

Songs: Form (Celestial/3), Light (Celestial/3)

Skills: Knowledge (Religious History/4), Fighting (Brawling)/3

Special Rites: Test a martyr's faith.

Malakite Oaths:

i. Never surrender or allow myself to be captured by the armies of Lucifer.
ii. Suffer not an evil to live, when it's my choice.
iii. Forsake not my faith or the symbols of my faith, heedless of cost.
iv. Allow none to dishonor a martyr in my presence.
v. Never disrespect another's faith in a divinely inspired religion.

*Malakite of Purity: Uriel's Malakim receive a bonus to the CD of a successful resonance roll equal to the level of dissonance or Discord of the creature currently being resonated, whichever is higher. Disadvantages will also raise the CD. The Virtue will become aware of how much dissonance his subject has, as well as the level and type of his Discord, provided that the resonance roll is successful.

**The Angel of Martyrs: Martin generates no dissonance for killing (or injuring) a human whose destiny is to be martyred, provided that the manner of his death allows his destiny to be fulfilled. In addition, killing performed in this manner will generate only half the regular amount of Symphonic disturbance, but this disturbance will be instantly recognizable as divine in origin. Martyrs so slain will recognize their killer as an angel.

Newly returned from a long stint on Earth, the Angel of Martyrs is once more acclimating to Heavenly society. For nearly a thousand years, he has walked the corporeal plane, assisting in the deaths of hundreds of martyrs. Now it is time for him to return to the graces of the Archangel of Faith.

After a thousand years of bloodshed, he's tired of his work. He'd like nothing more than to take a couple of decades off and teach in the Groves...he's not very good at hand-to-hand combat, but he's got a few moves that he's willing to share. Khalid, however, has other plans for him. While he's not Muslim (he's a Roman Catholic, and proud of it), there are a number of Muslims whose destinies have yet to be fulfilled...and they all involve dying in a messy, public and unpleasant manner. Guess who gets to pull the trigger on these holy fanatics?

It wouldn't be the first time. Eons ago, as a humble Roman soldier, he was ordered to nail a man to a heavy wooden cross. The resultant chaos after Christ's execution convinced him that God had indeed manifested in this 'King of the Jews'. He became a Christian almost immediately. For fulfilling the demands of his Role, and for the faith he so clearly displayed in the aftermath of Christ's execution, he was granted the Word of Martyrs. Some say he was Word-bound by God himself at the moment of the Crucifixion.

In that regard, at least, he overtook Uriel, who needed a lot of convincing by Khalid that the Catholic faith was divinely inspired. When the Archangel of Purity converted to Christianity, no one was happier than Martin. The subsequent conversion of most of his fellow Servitors of Purity was mere icing on the cake.

Because of his duties on Earth, Martin was unable to participate in the Purity Crusade. He did, however, support it wholeheartedly, and was surprised when Uriel was recalled to the Higher Heavens. Laurence's ascension was a shock to the Malakite, who already felt betrayed by the loss of his Archangel. Dazed and unwilling to commit to the new Archangel of the Sword, the Angel of Martyrs returned to the corporeal plane, an Outcast in all but name. Only his unbroken Heart remained in Heaven, silently waiting in Uriel's cathedral.

When Khalid was raised to Archangel, he allowed himself to hope again. He'd had a few dealings with Khalid, and had been quite impressed by the well-respected Elohite. He returned to Heaven and was offered a job by the new Archangel of Faith. Without a second thought, Martin accepted. Khalid returned to Earth to further his Word. Martin followed.

That's where it all went wrong.

Khalid's uncompromising patronage of the Islamic faith has been a constant source of tempation to Martin...he understands the call of Islam, and has nothing but respect for it. But he is also deeply committed to the Catholic faith, and can't reconcile the differences between the two belief systems. When Khalid began putting pressure on his Servitors to convert, Martin knew he couldn't, in good faith, become a Muslim...so he refused his Archangel. That didn't go over too well with Khalid.

To his credit, the Archangel of Faith has treated his Christian Servitor as well as any other. True, Martin has not been Distincted, despite long years of service. True, Martin has not been granted any additional Rites or attunements, despite his own zealousness in maintaining his faith. Khalid explains this by pointing out that Martin has spent years out of touch with Heaven or his Archangel. Martin shrugs and carries on. He doesn't need any special resources to carry out his duties.

When Khalid returned to Heaven's graces, Martin accepted him with equal measures of relief and wariness. After all, he's been betrayed twice already, both times by Superiors who thought they were being true to themselves. He still looks at Khalid askance, although the old Elohite has been much more open and willing to dialogue since his return. The rest of Heaven has taken note of the attitude of the Angel of Martyrs; with so much in the balance, Martin is under a great deal of pressure to make up with his Archangel. Whether he does so or not has yet to be seen.

(The attunement from Purity is conjectural. Martin is a point-balanced character.)

**Flaming
Feather**

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