From one of Derek's emails to the In Nomine List.
This is Copyright 1997 Derek Pearcy/SJ Games, as appropriate.
[Khalid's] the only big guy we know of who wasn't at least mentioned
anywhere in the book. In the modern day, Khalid is not merely the protecter
of Faith, but the guardian Archangel of Islam. This puts him at odds with
Laurence, Archangel of the Sword, who is the guardian Archangel of Christianity,
and Dominic, the tight-sphinctered Archangel of Judgment.
Almost 1500 years ago, Gabriel, Archangel of Fire, narrated the Koran to
Mohammed and started Islam. Islam became an incredible threat to Christianity.
Uriel, as the Archangel of Purity and that era's protector of Christianity,
convinced Dominic that Gabriel's actions were heretical -- even though she'd
been ordered to do so by Yves, the inscrutible Archangel of Destiny -- and
tried to have her exiled from Heaven. Khalid (along with others, most notably
Michael, Archangel of War) grew mistrustful of Yves, even though Yves moved
with political machinations to stop Dominic's persecution of Gabriel. Gabriel
left Heaven of her own accord, building a new mosque in the caldera of a
volcano which sits on the edge between the ethereal landscapes of Blandine,
Archangel of Dreams, and the furthermost edge of Heaven.
It would be impossible for him to mass Heaven's armies to attack the volcano
on their own perimeter; the Seraphim Council would not have allowed it.
Uriel knew he would have to raze Blandine's end of the Marches as an excuse
to get at Gabriel.
At this time, both Laurence and Khalid were powerful angels of Purity in
the service of Uriel. Uriel waged war on the Earth's creatures of myth,
knowing the dragons to be a favorite of Gabriel, and eventually took the
battle to the Marches -- the ethereal realm of dreams which lays between
the celestial realms of Heaven and Hell, and the Earth -- and attacked the
remaining creatures of myth while getting a head start on taking out the
pagan gods. Many hid in the Far Marches, or the dark side of the ethereal
realm (ruled by Beleth, Demon Princess of Nightmares); many were slain by
the agents of Uriel.
In a move that surprised everyone, Uriel was recalled to Paradise by God
for his pains, leaving a power vacuum in the celestial hierarchy. Khalid
was furious when Laurence took Uriel's place as leader of Heaven's troops
and protector of Christianity, thinking himself to be a more experienced
choice. Khalid, not only to snub his nose at Laurence but to show support
for Gabriel, took up stewardship of Islam and became Archangel of Faith.
He'll be included in the supplement introducing Islam, but I don't know
when that will be. He may show up in an issue of Pyramid
before then. He's a bad-ass and I'd like to see him in people's games; we
just didn't seem to have the room to do justice to Islam and all the issues
Khalid has to grapple with in just two pages.
(By the way, Uriel gets a little play in Night Music, as we introduce the
Purifiers, the Vatican's secret cult of Soldiers of God. You'll see Uriel
up close and personal in The Marches, the supplement scheduled after Night
Music, when we introduce the angelic Servitors of Purity who have retained
contact with their Superior and continue to do his work in the lands of
the remaining pagan dieties. The Marches also fleshes out the Servitors
of Blandine, Archangel of Dreams, and Beleth, Demon Princess of Nightmares
and shelterer of the surviving creatures of myth.)
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Elizabeth McCoy <arcangel@prismnet.com>
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