Oriares, Demon Prince of Winter

By Michael Walton

**Flaming
Feather**

Oriares
Calabite Prince of Winter


The world is cold. So must you be.

Of all Kobal's new Princes, Oriares is the one who hates Heaven and humanity the most. His story parallels that of Haagenti in that Oriares worked his way up from demonling status and fledged as a Calabite of Fire. Unlike the Prince of Gluttony, Oriares enjoyed his time in Belial's service; being commended for breaking things suited him just fine. He differed from other Destroyers mainly in his approach to destruction; Oriares was methodical as opposed to wrathful, calculating rather than cruel. Oriares boasted that he was the most cold-blooded of a hot breed, which earned him little favor with the Prince of Fire. The one thing that kept him on Belial's good side was the fact that Oriares had never experienced Dissonance; his rational approach to destruction kept him from being burned by his own schemes. Even so, his coldness grated on Belial's nerves enough that Oriares was frequently passed over for promotions. This angered the Calabite, of course, but he was too smart to be angry at Belial. Instead, he vented his wrath on angels whenever he could.

The call to Armageddon was music to Oriares' pointed ears; he dove into the fray with a will and slew every angel who stood against him. He fought at Belial's right hand during the final showdown with Gabriel -- and promptly met his match. Oriares lasted in battle with Soldekai just long enough to see Belial and Gabriel consume each other in a blossom of glorious flame. Shortly after that, the future Prince was back in Hell trying to keep his remaining Forces together. When Kobal seized the reins of Hell and called for Princes, Oriares passed the Jester's tests (by not volunteering too quickly and not sucking up) and won the right to become one of Hell's new royalty.

Oriares never talks about the process of becoming a Prince; all of Hell knows that three applicants didn't survive it, so it must be unpleasant. Oriares' behavior toward Kobal confirms this; the Mocker is the only person towards whom Oriares displays open hatred. All the Prince of Ice will say of his ascension is that Kobal recognized his cold-bloodedness and rewarded it with a suitable Word. It is common knowledge that Oriares would kill Kobal if he could, but he admits openly that he cannot. Serving the Jester is the most logical thing to do, and Oriares is nothing if not logical.

But come next Armageddon, Oriares swears it will be someone else handing out Words at the end -- and it's hard to laugh with your mouth frozen shut. . .

Dissonance

Oriares' Word embodies chill in all its forms, but he also claims the metaphorical aspects of cold, especially its connections with death, fear, entropy and lack of passion. Demons of Winter cannot display genuine emotion (though they can fake it), nor can they promote new life. Winterites can never destroy out of anger; their depredations must proceed from reason and planning rather than passion. While using fire as a tool or weapon isn't Dissonant, Oriares frowns upon it most severely.

Band Attunements

Balseraphs: A Balseraph of Winter has an icy stare. If the Liar makes eye contact with the subject, he may add his Ethereal Forces to the TN of any attempt at intimidation. If someone tries to intimidate him, the Liar subtracts his Ethereal Forces from the other party's TN.

Djinn (Restricted): When these Stalkers try and fail to break Attunements early, they do not become obsessed with their targets. The Attunement merely runs its course, and the Djinn's heart stays cold.

Calabim (Restricted): Damage inflicted by a Calabite of Winter's Resonance can, if the demon chooses, look like damage inflicted by extreme cold. If a source of such cold is in the immediate area before the Resonance is applied, this damage does not disturb the Symphony. These Destroyers cannot take any Discord that involves strong emotions (i.e. Angry, Berserk or Murderous).

Habbalah: Oriares' Punishers are cool under fire. They subtract their Ethereal Forces from the CD of any successful attempt to manipulate their emotions, including backlashes from their own Resonance. If the CD is reduced to zero or less, the attempt fails.

Lilim (Restricted): These Tempters can use their Resonance to detect emotion-based Discords. With a successful Will roll, they can temporarily remove such Discords in a willing subject; relief lasts for a number of weeks equal to the CD. The recipient of this favor then owes the Lilim a Geas equal to the level of the Discord.

Shedim (Restricted): Oriares' Fleshless can age their Hosts instead of corrupting them. The game mechanics for this are the same as for getting a Host to perform an evil action, except that success ages the victim one year.

Impudites: Impudites of Winter can play the Ethereal Song of Ice at no Essence cost. They start with free levels of the Song equal to their Ethereal Forces.

Servitor Attunements

Cold Hands, Cold Heart: At the cost of 3 Essence the demon can surround himself with an aura of intense cold. Everything within (total Forces) inches takes damage equal to the demon's Corporeal Forces every turn until it is moved out of the cold aura. While this aura is active, the demon is immune to all damage from cold and from non-supernatural heat or fire. Cold Hands, Cold Heart lasts for up to one minute per Celestial Force; the demon may cancel it at any time.

Eyes of Frost: The demon can paralyze someone with fright simply by locking eyes. The victim must make a Will roll at a penalty equal to the demon's Celestial Forces (the Balseraph of Winter Attunement does stack with this!); Celestials and Ethereals add their Celestial Forces. If the victim fails, he succumbs to fear and is unable to act until he is attacked or until (demon's Ethereal Forces) rounds have passed. Elohim rightly fear this Attunement, as any successful use of it causes them to become Dissonant.

Wendigo's Bite: The demon can lower the ambient temperature or create snowstorms. He can cool the area by 10 degrees per Corporeal Force or cause a minor blizzard in the effected area. Wendigo's Bite covers an area (Ethereal Forces x 10) yards in radius and lasts for (Celestial Forces) minutes.

Distinctions

Knight of the Freeze: The Knight can, at will, create a zone of Symphonic stasis around himself. All Disturbance generated within this zone is frozen until the effect expires (total Forces) minutes later. The zone of silence and all Disturbance trapped within it move with the demon. The Knight can use this power a number of times each day equal to his Celestial Forces.

Captain of Killing Frost: The demon is gifted with the Calabite Resonance (and may now purchase the Calabite of Winter Attunement). He doesn t have an entropic field like a Calabite's, but he must have Discord of some kind in order for this power to work. If this Distinction is given to a Calabite, damage inflicted by his Resonance is doubled!

Baron of Fimbulwinter: The demon is able to extend the effects of Wendigo's Bite over an area (Ethereal Forces) miles in radius. The effect has a duration in hours equal to the demon's Celestial Forces.

Rites



Chance of Invocation: 1

Oriares doesn t much care for his Servitors calling on him; anyone who does so had better have a very good reason.

Invocation Modifiers

+1: In a naturally cold place (40 degrees or less)
+2: In a retirement home or hospice
+3: Standing knee deep in snow
+4: A mortal catatonic with fear
+5: A mortal freshly dead of hypothermia
+6: A piece of an Ice Age glacier

**Flaming
Feather**

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