Elohim

Calm and self-restrained, the Elohim sit dispassionately at the midpoint of the divinity ladder. They are the Symphony's expression of balance, the compromise between thought and feeling, the middle-Cs of the Heavenly Chorus.

Resonance
Ideally, Elohim perception is objective, cleansed of the stain of personal prejudice. Just a glance at someone gives an Elohite an immediate feel for that person's psyche, and for his emotions at that moment. A perceptive Elohite can use this knowlege to accurately predict how a person will react at that moment to any given action, barring the intervention of celestial forces.

Only the Elohim's reserved nature allows them to profit from their perceptions; an Elohite never stoops to "taking sides" beyond the direct instruction received from an Archangel. Elohim are the best examples of angels who give into the glory of existing merely as an instrument of the Symphony, denying themselves a personal point of view.

They have no inherent conflict with any particular Choir. As the incarnations of balance, they recognize the purpose of each Choir and hold bias toward none. The other Choirs, while reciprocating the respect, think the Elohim focus too much on the forest at the cost of losing sight of its trees. More outspoken angels find Elohim boring in their reserve, empty in their passion, and frustrating in their inability to grab a single subjective perspective and take a stand.

Dissonance
Subjectivity is dissonant to an Elohite. He forms opinions from trusted fact and careful observation (the inherent subjectivity of observation being a heated topic of discussion for this Choir) but refuses to allow himself the vanity of acting as his passions might incline him.

This isn't to say the Elohim don't feel emotions: they just don't allow themselves to act on them. When an Elohite alters the nature of the Symphony out of selfish desire, he pushes himself farther into a subjective model of action, away from grace and closer to damnation.

Manner and Appearance
The opinion of a Seraph, focused strongly on "the party line," is supposed to be the final word in celestial discussions. In practice, an Elohite's counsel is the most sought-after. They are Heaven's seers, insightful critics born of the celestial realm. Unlike the Seraphim, they're not above getting their hands dirty and are found just as often in bars and brothels as libraries and diplomatic embassies. None of these places would make an Elohite feel uncomfortable; these angels are above making value judgments about one place being any better than any other. Where you are is where you are; if you want to be somewhere else, go there.

On the celestial plane, Elohim have vaguely human shapes with smooth and idealized features. They are androgynous, though sexless would be just as good a description; their long thin necks balance hairless heads with large, perceptive eyes. Their corporeal vessels look much the same, barely passing as human in their smooth strangeness.

As far as music goes, while Elohim seldom let their passions show, they have a certain affection for (and identify strangely with) bells, chimes and xylophones.

In general, the Elohim lack the conceit to slip into many of the traps that lead an angel to Fall, and live their lives with the hope of achieving the ultimate goal of perfect objectivity. And even though stripping away the subjectivity of passion is an Elohite's strongest desire, other angels are understandably nervous about them actually attaining it -- the principalities of Hell are filled with heartless angels who were once Elohim, the Habbalah.

Elohim Game Mechanics

Choirs of Angels -- Seraphim | Cherubim | Ofanim | Malakim | Kyriotates | Mercurians | Grigori