Urban Fantasy: On Celestial Spirits, Part 3

Cherubim by David Romero

Final part of the three-part series of shitty rambles various information on the mighty and alien Celestial Spirits. More, specifically this is what happen on when they 'fall'. Of course, this isn't quite as clear cut as it may appear.

Fallen Celestials

A 'Fallen' Celestial is one which has fundamentally changed and has become separated from its kindred in some shape or form. Now on one hand, it would be fairly easy to simply reduce this to the obvious, that it mean the Celestial has become some sort of demon but it isn't that clear cut. There are two primary ways which a Celestial can fall and they can fall as one or the other or even maybe both. Possibly at different times:

• Corporeal Incarnation is what happen when a Celestial choose (or is forced to) abandon its spiritual nature permanently. Much of the creature's power is lost and/or altered in the process. The end result is the Celestial transforming into a corporeal, semi-mortal being of form and function outwardly similar to a human. While the creature lose much of its power it gain a permanent foothold in the material world and become able to experience it. Some Celestials choose this life out of curiosity for mortality and the unique properties of flesh, such as in  Ezekiel 32:27. While flesh and blood, the Celestial remain gifted with many supernatural powers and said powers and blessings have been known to carry to their offspring. Some Celestials willingly choose mortal existence to enact long-term agenda on Earth, acting as a liaison between the mortal world and their more aloof siblings. While Celestial Spirits lack strong opinions, many of them feel something akin to revulsion or displeasure toward their kindred who willingly debased themselves but few can complain about the utility of an 'inside man'. How exactly a Celestial can restore itself to its true Spirit nature is unclear.
• Corruption is exactly what it sound, however. The Celestial Spirit become twisted in mentality and increasingly disconnected from its original purpose. They become driven by hate, envy, madness or worse. Most demons are not fallen angels but some fallen angels definitely become demons. It is fortunate that such beings are stunningly rare. Because they are functionally demons their abilities are now affected by Mantles, however.

Corrupted Celestial Spirits retain much of their original nature and powers, as well as their mind-bending incandescent forms. However, those which undergo Corporeal Incarnation become fundamentally different beings as they cease to be Spirits.

A  Corporeal Celestial

If the fallen Celestial is now a corporeal creature, it ceases to be a Spirit. It may retain spirit-like traits and powers but it is metaphysically no longer a Spirit and thus no longer bound by effects which target them. It is a fundamentally different creature with different stats:

• The Corporeal Celestial is now a humanoid being of HD equal to half its original HD as a Celestial. It is, by default, a Nemesis and a Worthy Foe.
• It has a natural AC of 18 as its hardened, fast-healing supernaturally infused flesh is surprisingly tough. It can be wounded by mundane weapons as anybody else but not permanently killed. If reduced to 0 HP by mundane means, a Corporeal Celestial with return to life with full HP in a number of days equal to its HD.
• It can deal 1d12 damage with its bare hands, as its body remain imbued with herculean strength.
• It can speak, understand and read all mortal languages.

What abilities a Corporeal Celestial has beyond this varies on an individual basis. Some of them may retain the abilities tied to their original function and goal while others may retain the psychic-like abilities of their original state, especially Telepathy and Metapsionics.

Playing A Fallen Celestial?

Can a Fallen and now Corporeal Celestial be played as a character? Yes and no. Their fully powered state isn't exactly suitable to player characters, however it is possible to play a Celestial whose powers and connection to the celestial realms have utterly faded. In some cases, certain Corporeal Celestial choose to 'lay low' and 'cheat death' by reverting to a pre-existence state. They revert to the state of a child, wipe their own memories and basically completely reshuffle the mock DNA of their body, usually matching the genetics and phenotype of the area of the world they currently inhabit. In some cases, particularly unscrupulous Celestials even go as far as to brainwash people to raise them as their own child. These celestial changelings are quite blasphemous in concepts, as one might guess by the implication of their existence. In fact, quite a few liars who have undergone this process through the ages have gone as far as to claim Jesus (and other Messianic figures) were such changelings or, in some cases, they claim to even be Jesus. So far, these have been proven to be liars, often of a demonic persuasion. In recent years, the rise of New Age nonsense related to UFO has left many of these lying changelings to claim to be reincarnated aliens. Which isn't technically wrong but still...

A playable Fallen Celestial is one who would have lost most, if not all of its memories over the eons. They are Heroic Adventurers of any combination that is not any hypothetical supernatural class (beside Psychic, as its been established Celestials are a form of Psychic). In the future I might write a 'proper' class for the Fallen Celestials who are attempting to recover a portion of their true power. Since these beings who undergo this reversion process attempt to mimic human, it make sense their celestial powers would be often channeled in ways similar to supernaturally gifted human.