Brief history
Since the dawn of time, two kingdoms were always in conflict, driven to eradicate the other faction and claim the realm. First kingdom was created for the Angelic host and "The White City", a place of awe and marvel stretching as far as eye can see, bathed in purest of light. The second kingdom was claimed by demons and devils. "The Black Towers" they named it and it became the place where wicked are given birth to. A place of sin and pleasure, where deepest of desires are fulfilled... for a price. For eons, Heaven and Hell waged war that spanned across the plains of existence, with no side showing signs of weakening. The conflict, as everyone believed, was the natural outcome for Angels and Demons had entirely different set of morals. For Angels, existence is nothing if not bound by laws created to preserve order and stability. Demons, on the other hand, value nothing more than their belief that life itself should be led by instinct and rules created by themselves. Chaos is natural order only way to be fully free is to live life as one sees fit.
The great and seemingly unending war suddenly stopped when the Third Kingdom was made and given to Men. Peace was made, intended to last until the final war can begin and Apocalypse descends upon three realms. Kingdom of Heaven and Kingdom of Hell stopped the open slaughter but found new battlefield has been created and war for human souls began. Both sides were prohibited from initiating any kind of open conflict but skirmishes never stopped. From time to time, small conflicts between small groups would occur when superiors are too busy looking elsewhere. The struggle to gain more souls has began.
Setting
Los Angeles, California. Modern day, summer. It is one of the many cities in which both angels and demons reside, constantly fighting for humans. This battle is nothing as it was in ancient times as the main goal today is to draw more humans to their side. For Angels, it is a promise of Heaven and afterlife of peace and serenity while Demons promise the life of luxury, wealth and every desire fulfilled. Los Angeles holds two very important, albeit secret spots and they are the main gathering spots for the opposing factions.
Factions
Pure, blessed, good. There are very few religious books that leave out angels from their scripts. They appear in one form or another but all of them describe few most prominent traits. Originally, angels were sent to Earth in order to guide and protect humans from the influence and the temptation of demons. All angels possess the innate ability to make themselves invisible to human eyes and perform acts of miracles in order to guide humans. However, if necessary, every Angel can take on the physical form and look like any other average human.
All angels represent a single virtue through which they channel their divine power which helps them to perform a miracle. It can be as simple as pulling someone away from harm's way or as complex as setting a series of steps to guide someone on path of good. The job would be simple enough if not for the intervention of the demons who constantly lure and tempt humans with worldly pleasures, making the work far more difficult for the angels. Being the entities that embody virtues and order, obeying such order a must but there are always those who often bend this rule, often with good intentions. But even though Angels seem pure and incorruptible, there are cases of Angels falling from their grace and into temptation. For them, returning back to White City is almost impossible task... a weakness that demons most often exploit to fullest.
Most people see angels every day, without even realizing of their existence. They seldom show themselves, preferring to appear as a common people, most often those of little wealth and draw no attention to themselves.
Angels are creatures of order and they chose to follow the chain of command. Angels report to their superior who in turn report to another superior. A well executed command is reward itself. This does give the impression of limited free will but it is not enforced. An Angel placed on Earth is given wide room to act according to his own plan, however, Angels still prefer to follow everything by the book. Their greatest strength comes from unity and order.
Although their unity is what gives angels edge, it also reveals their weakness. Left alone and cut off from White City, angel may even fall into temptation to reach for the freedom that humanity offers or temptation that lurks around every corner in form of a smile and a twinkle in eye. If such temptation would to overcome the purity that exists, angel may fall from the grace and lose ability to channel divine powers of miracle. Without the light of White City, wings of turn black, mind becomes twisted and fallen angels is born.
The hierarchy of angels is well defined and clear. At the bottom stand lowest triad consisting of angels, archangels and principalities. The second, middle triad, consist of powers, virtues and dominions while the highest triad consist of seraphim, cherubim and thrones. Progression is very difficult and requires hard and dedicated work.
Host in the city of Los Angeles is led by a single Seraphim who passes down the orders from the White City and monitors work of other angels in vicinity. Despite their disguise, all Angels can recognize each other along with rank that they hold. Like demons, all angels carry a single item that limits their power while worn and make them indistinguishable from humans in demon's eyes. Without this item, their presence would be akin to a ping on a radar, alerting all demons in vicinity. The feel of this limiter can often become burdensome and each host in city uses one designated place where they meet to receive orders, deliver reports and remove their shackles and spread wings without fear of being detected. One such location is bookstore "El Paradiso".
To be unaffected by worldly desires and to overcome temptation and teach others.
To display discipline and self-control and be aware of your surrounding, to practice abstinence moderation and achieve balance.
To be generous toward others, to understand what it means and to be willing to undergo self-sacrifice for others
To be zealous but careful actions and work, strong work ethic and constant vigilance for laziness and eagerness to eradicate it.
To seek harmony and avoid conflict and hostility, to find the time to understand actions and forgive.
To be compassionate and value friendship, to love unselfishly. To see beyond prejudice and show empathy toward everyone.
To value yourself less than others and to give credit when credit is due. To value your own word and give yourself to work, no matter how below yourself work is.
The horned, grotesque image of a creature with hooves and sharp teeth is all but exaggerated... a true demon wears a suit and a tie. His voice is charming, his words smooth and tempting and before him no man or woman is strong enough to resist. They embody their sins perfectly and draw best and worst from it to achieve their agenda. But they are not slaughtering juggernauts, no far from it. Demons prefer to work behind many masks and curtains but always taking all the credit for the work. Throughout ages, their agenda remained the same, although their methods changed. Simple temptations were no longer sufficient and they improved it, perfected it, drawing the basic needs and twisting them to become strong desires from which they feed.
Demons are always around, standing in plain sight among the crowds with eyes of a predator. Their success and influence. in modern day cannot be denied and they often appear as important political figures, owners of large corporations or any other figure that can utilize their sin best. Some of the most famous figures of past and present are nothing more than masks that hide devilish grin.
There is no singular specie of demon, rather, they are composed of various wicked supernatural creatures. Imps, succubi, vampires, fallen angels... there are many types and none rules above other. The only way to be on top is to earn that spot through strength or cunning.
Unlike their rivals and enemies, demons prefer to work directly, drawing desires and intensifying them until human is ready to give in. Seven sins they embody and through them they draw their power to twist and corrupt. Born out of chaos, there is little to no love for law and order, preferring their freedom above all else. In that freedom, they can grow, they can flourish and live their lives as they see fit. Any law is nothing more than shackle around necks, made to take away their right. Strength and cunning is all that truly matters.
To mock the White City is perhaps greatest of pleasure but also their biggest weakness. A demon, upon wishing so, may be absolved of the sins under the guidance of an angel and be given a chance for redemption and passage to Heaven. Returning to Hell becomes a thing that cannot be accomplished and even if somehow achieved... welcoming party will not be pleased and the torment will become unimaginable.
There is nothing more terrifying than a horde left unchecked. To prevent chaos and disorder beyond the desired level, there always are those demons who command large number of underlings and ensures that they do not cause trouble... well... not more than required. A single Duke/Dutches monitors entire coven in city, ensuring that people are drawn to sins and desires. Before arrival on Earth, a demon is obligated to wear but a single item at all times to ensure his identity is concealed from angels, but not by demons. Like with angels, strain tends to place a burden on bearer and to prevent permanent damage, demons gather in special, designated place where they can let loose and stretch their claws and hooves without the fear of entire angelic host appearing before their doors.
To display insatiable desire for sex and all pleasures of the body and constantly crave for more.
To indulge oneself to extreme, to enjoy food and drink beyond measure, to give into and exploit abuse of modern drugs.
To always display the desire for physical possessions, to always want for more regardless to whom it belongs to.
To shun all desire for work, to keep oneself in state of stagnation and accept depression as ultimate emotion.
To allow anger and fury to overtake, to avoid patience and constantly act with great passion and often bring harm to others.
To always want to have better than others, to desire possessions and status of others.
To think of oneself as better than others, to see beauty only in oneself and constantly working to ensure that others are not nearly as good.
Humans are very paradoxical creatures. They are weak and fragile but at the same time they are strong willed and cunning. Being a human always meant being watched by both sides, often object of struggle and conflict. It wasn't for their bodies for they were frail, it wasn't for their minds for they are so narrow and see only forward, failing to realize the magnitude of universe that surrounds them. No... it is their souls. Such fragile thing at first sight, so gentle and pure but at the same time completely indestructible. You may torture them, bend them, twist in every direction but human spirit that resides in that small soul keeps on going, refusing to give up. From that determination came the greatest gift that one could ever have... Freedom to chose their own path in life.
That very freedom was something that both angels and demons admired, always wanting to feel the vast array of emotions, so complex and often overlapping. Then the first ones dared to hide their wings and tails and dive into very unique experience...
First of the Nephilim was born, a union of human and angels or demon. Sometimes blessed, sometimes cursed but Nephilim never live life quietly. They felt the call, deep within their very souls and it drove them faster and further than other humans. A single virtue or sin, carved deep into soul that will be their motivation throughout life.
Those Nephilim who are born with angelic parent often become paragons of the virtues, taking on dangerous jobs for the sake of others. Cops, firefighters, doctors, priests... in modern world they are often known as 'heroes without capes' living in modest albeit short life that ends in their sacrifice for the sake of others.
But there are also those whose parent was from different side, a demon of sin. Those children utilize the sin of their parent to live long and prosperous life. Nephilim of Lust will find that her charm is irresistible and indulges himself in life of sex with little to no failure in finding next partner. Although they appear superior, Nephilim are still physically no different than humans. It is their morals, desires and drives that are notch above the rest.
Angels
1. Reserved (Seraphim) Liky
2. Charity
3. Kindness (Chaosheart13)
4. Temperance
5. Diligence
6. Chastity
7. Patience
Demons
1. Wrath (Shayla)
2. Lust (Unbound)
3. Greed (Leucothea)
4. Envy
5. Gluttony (Gateman)
6. Pride (Justin)
7. Sloth
Humans and Nephilim
1. Kythera
2. Pasi
3. Justin (chastity)
4.
5.
6.
7.
Goal
There is no set goal or end point. Idea is to place up to 7 members of each faction in same city as they try to achieve their own agenda. At the beginning positions are set however there is no restriction in joining other side: Angel may be tempted and fall from grace and join demons or demon may be absolved of sins. Humans are not aligned with any of two factions so it will be up for angels and demons to lure them as best to their abilities and for humans and nephilim to freely decide whom they like more. Drama, love, betrayal, schemes... If you can think of it, you can do it.
Rules
Standard Iwaku rules will be applied, more detailed in sign-ups.
If there any questions, feel free to ask, I am more than happy to answer.