Erelim: The Gardeners

By Michael Walton

**Flaming
Feather**

Fleur barely held her tears in check as she surveyed the ruins of the conservatory. Pieces of stems and leaves mingled with broken glass from the windows and soil spilled from overturned pots. She had spent twelve years making this place of beauty, only to watch helplessly as a handful of Calabim and warrior angels had wrecked it in under two minutes.

It could have been worse, she said to herself, at least the forces of Heaven won. Not for the first time, she wondered if the Destiny of one man was really worth the loss of this island of green in the heart of the city. She sighed out a wordless prayer that Senator Reyes' protectors would avoid collateral damage in the future. There was nothing she could do for the dead plants, of course. Fleur released her frustration as another sigh, then invoked her Resonance to see what she could do for the survivors.

Oh, well, she thought, At least I know what I'll be doing for the next twelve years.




The Erelim are charged with nurturing and healing. As their secondary Choir name suggests, they are expert in dealing with plants. Erelim mostly work behind the scenes on the Corporeal plane; while other angels fight the war, the Gardeners are busy tending the battlefield. While no Gardeners have ever permanently left Novalis' service (no other Word suits them as well, after all), the Archangel of Flowers freely loans them to her less combative peers. Children, Creation, Destiny, Dreams and Trade all have work for these botanical angels from time to time. Even War has employed Erelim on rare occasions; no one knows the value of defensive landscaping better than Michael.

Resonance

Erelim Resonate with nurture. Their Resonance gives them information about the condition of a living thing within the angel's line of sight. Seeing through some kind of technological device (i.e. a telescope or television) doesn't count as line of sight for this purpose, but using a Song of Sight does. Consult the chart below; each CD includes the information gained from lesser results. This heightened sense lasts for (Ethereal Forces) minutes. A failed Resonance roll renders the Gardener's Resonance inactive for a number of minutes equal to the CD.

Erelim Check Digit Results

  1. You know the subject's general state of physical health.
  2. You know one specific health problem that the subject has (malnutrition, thirst, etc.). This tells you either the most severe problem or the one that needs to be dealt with first.
  3. As above, and you know the cause of the problem.
  4. You know the subject's general state of psychological health.
  5. You are aware of the subject's most severe or most urgent psychological problem (phobia, neurosis, normal anxiety, etc.) and its cause.
  6. You know the subject's overall state of spiritual health. This can tell you whether or not a Human is suffering a crisis of faith, an angel is close to Falling or a demon is ready to Redeem.


Dissonance

As agents of life, Erelim cannot cause death. They gain a note of Dissonance for killing a Mortal or even for dealing a mortal wound (this Dissonance goes away if the angel can heal the victim before actual death occurs). They can Vessel-kill demons (though most hate to do so), but Soul-killing any being -- even the most irredeemable demon -- causes them two notes of Dissonance. Erelim who grow too fond of killing are in danger of becoming Decani.

An Erelite gains one note of Dissonance for each instance of killing plants or animals. When killing Humans, a Gardener gains a note of Dissonance for each death. Setting off an explosive in the wrong place would send one of these angels spinning into Hell.

Manner and Appearance

Erelim prefer Vessels with a wholesome, earthy appearance. They echo the female principle of their patroness and are almost always feminine. Their dress is as casual as is appropriate (they often go nude when they think they can get away with it) and they don't worry much about style. Comfort and functionality are more important to them. Most Erelim have a distinctive feature such as a mole, buck teeth, prominent nose, etc. that would usually be considered a flaw but which the angel somehow manages to turn into a mark of unique beauty. Few would describe these angels as sexy; they're perfectly happy to be cute.

Erelim and Mercurians have a mutual admiration society that makes other angels long for insulin, but Gardeners are uneasy around Cherubim and Malakim. Indeed, warrior angels of any Choir make Erelim nervous. They tolerate fighters who avoid deadly force, but killers disgust and frighten them. This disdain for combat hardly indicates weakness, however; Gardeners display persistence in the face of adversity that draws admiration from the staunchest warriors in Heaven. Cherubim, ironically enough, tend to hold Erelim in high esteem.

The celestial forms of the Gardeners are treelike shapes composed of white fire. They walk on flexible roots and use their graceful branches as manipulative appendages. The sound of wind moving through leaves or grass is music to their ears.

Choir Attunement

Erelim of Flowers don't Disturb the Symphony when playing any Song of Healing in the realm appropriate to the Song played (i.e. playing Corporeal Healing on Earth). This does mean that an Erelite in Hell or at an infernal Tether can play the Celestial Song of Healing without creating a Disturbance.

Discord: Green Thumb

This Discord can afflict any angel of Flowers or Creation (not to mention certain Ethereals), but it is most common among Erelim. The Discord causes plants in the angel's immediate vicinity to grow with unusual speed. The effective range of Green Thumb is (total Forces) feet except where otherwise noted.

  1. Seeds will germinate or buds will bloom within an hour of the angel's arrival.
  2. As above, but the effect occurs within minutes.
  3. Any plant the angel touches -- even a dead one -- immediately freshens up and starts to grow or bloom.
  4. As above, but it effects all plants within range.
  5. Mortals become mildly ill (-2 to the TN of all rolls) as their intestinal flora multiply out of control. This effect passes within a minute of the angel's departure.
  6. As above, but the effect also does damage (1 Body Hit per minute). If a Mortal dies as a result of this damage, the Erelite gains Dissonance as normal.

**Flaming
Feather**

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