The Prophecy

[flameangel_child524]

The Fall from Grace

Mankind is certainly no stranger to war. Each year or so there is a new danger to be faced; a new conflict to resolve; a new enemy to confront. And our race has weathered the worst of it. We survive still, but only through the grace of the One above.

Little does mankind know, however, of the one Great War fought centuries ago, when a single race was divided unto itself.

The Allfather's first creations, the heavenly host, possessed a heirarchy of its own, each rank having its own duties. The fourth highest rank - the Powers - were created for only one reason, and that was to rid the earth of any that was deemed 'a blight in the Allfather's perfect creation'. Now, they were turned against several of their own: the Fallen, followers of Lucifer, and the Grigori - angels sent to watch over mankind that had begun to crave the delights of the flesh.

What happened of Lucifer and his followers is well-known to man; however, what became of the Watchers, the Grigori? After the Great War, the Grigori were banished to earth, never to see Paradise again, for by their unclean thoughts and acts, they were deemed unfit to come before the throne of the Holy One. Stripped of their wings and all but the last of their mystic abilities, they were to roam the planet for centuries. This punishment seemed none too harsh, for it allowed these fallen angels to 'consummate their desires'.

Little did they know what consequence their acts would bring upon mankind. For from the union of angel and human came a new race, neither of Heaven nor of Earth. And once more the Powers descended upon the face of the planet, killing the 'atrocities' - angel and yet not - in large numbers. Great were the mothers' suffering in bringing a single child to term; more so that of the fathers when their offspring were wrenched from their grasps. Horrified and frightened, these little ones knew not what was happening and why they were being hunted, and were killed for it.

The massacre continues even to this day, for these angels - even those who have fallen - have lives almost as long as the Almighty. With the half-angels, half-humans still being born, the Powers still hunt them down.

The Prophecy

But a human seer foretold the rise of a yet another race, spawned once more from the Grigori and their mortal wives. The blind seer - for that he was - cautioned that these beings would be different from their brothers and sisters, more than human and somehow, more than angel; and somehow, it would be these people who would be the bridge between the fallen and Paradise.

Little is known of what this prophecy meant for the Powers, but for the Grigori, hope once more rose in their hearts; never did a day pass that one of them did not regret their decision, their fall from grace. They no longer desired flesh, the living of a human's life; what they craved most now...was forgiveness.

The Conflict

All this was blasphemy to the leader of the Powers. Ever since the prophecy, the killings had escalated. Children as young as seven years of age found themselves in the clutches of these once-noble warriors of the heavens, not knowing what wrong they'd done. Many begged for mercy, many more attempted to fight; all met the same fate as the others.

But not all of those under this ruthless leader's command thought the prophecy rubbish; in fact, several grew tired of the endless, tiresome slaughter - and mostly of innocents. They left the Powers; but because their cause was noble just the same, they did not end up like the Watchers.

Now, the Powers are divided, brother pitted against brother, in the race to find the group of special children the prophecy spoke of.

And whoever finds them first determines their future.

 

[flameangel_child524]

Race Against Race

Currently, there are four races entwined in this war, each with their own cause. The Powers, themselves divided into two factions; the remaining Grigori; their offspring, known as the Nephilim; and humans.

Powers

The first faction - once headed by Verchiel before his death - seeks to find the Grigori and kill them, preventing the appearance of any more Nephilim. Their other goal is to hunt down all Nephilim and eliminate them - and the younger, the better. They are able to call forth weapons made of heavenly fire merely by thought; bend the elements to their will; and create giant gusts of wind with a single beat of their great wings.

Members of the second faction are as skilled as their brethren, different only in that they seek to find the Nephilim and warn them, protect them. They also hope that they are helping to fulfill the prophecy in this manner, for any of the Nephilim they protect could be part of the group foretold.

Grigori

Not to be confused with the other Fallen, they fell from grace because of their desires of the physical, having acquired traits associated only with man. Upon their banishment, their wings were taken, leaving only pathetic vestiges of those once-mighty appendages, and stripped of all but the tiniest bit of cosmic power they possessed before.

The Grigori wandered from place to place, immersing themselves in the ebb and flow of man's life until they, too, were as men. What remains of the power granted them by the Allfather enables them to perform simple chores such as lighting a fire (with a snap of a finger) and to sense when a Nephilim is near.

Nephilim

The spawn of angel and woman, these halfbreeds don't know of their heavenly heritage until their 16th birthday. On the eve of their 'coming of age', each Nephilim dreams of the same place and event: the beginning of the Great War, where great numbers of their ilk were slaughtered, and the revelation of the prophecy.

Typical signs of their coming of age include an understanding of all languages, human or otherwise, including the language of the messengers.

There are two kinds of Nephilim, however, differentiated only by physical appearance when angered. The first - and the vast majority - remain largely human; those of the rare second kind appear as black-winged angels with angelic sigils.

The two kinds of Nephilim possess most of the same abilities: the ability to speak and understand any language and increased senses; the Dark Wings, however, are like the Powers, able to call forth any form of weapon from mere thought.

Humans

For the majority of the ongoing slaughter, man has remained ignorant. However, several have begun taking an interest in the heavenly war taking place in their midst, and, like the Powers, have taken sides: to help the Nephilim survive... or to destroy them completely.

 

[flameangel_child524]

The Beginning of a Modern Massacre

With a loud battle cry, Lira Murdock flapped her great ebony wings once, twice and lifted into the air. Battling the gale-force winds, she shot through the sky, towards the target of her ire.

Verchiel, commander of the Powers.

All was silent save for the howling of the wind, but to Lira's ears, more than the wind was crying that night. She could hear her chocolate lab retriever, Misty, crying forlornly for the family they'd both lost. The agonized, final whispers of love from her foster parents, Samantha and Gerry, wafted up, carried by the updrafts. In her mind's eye, the brunette could picture the pile of ashes that had once been the only family she'd ever known. And this drove her on, speeding towards the ruthless Power awaiting her in the stormy sky.

Wordlessly, through mere thought alone, Lira brought forth a fiery golden spear as she rushed Verchiel with another battle cry. The Power was about to dodge when he stopped short, shocked, the smirk wiped from his face. He recognized the jet-black symbols seemingly carved into the girl's skin: they were angelic sigils, usually found on only those of the higher orders. What manner of creature was this that was born of both heaven and earth, belonging in neither, yet possessing symbols of those of higher authority than him?

The gray-haired angel followed as Lira had done, calling forth a deadly broadsword. As the two beings neared, Verchiel raised his weapon high, ready to cleave Lira's skull in two. But, at the last moment, the dark-winged girl reached out a hand and grabbed her opponent's wrist, stopping his blade in midair; with the other, she thrust her spear deep into the angel's torso, just under his ribcage. There was a chilling scream, part human, part crow's cry, part thunder as the Power cried out in pain. So great was the shock that he let go of his own weapon, which disintegrated into nothing as soon as it left his grasp. It seemed impossible that a blasphemous halfbreed could wield the power of heaven's fire; yet here he was, skewered by a hateful Nephilim, on a spear made from that same force he used. Verchiel knew it to be true, for he could feel himself burning from the inside out.

Letting go of the spear, Lira called forth another weapon - a battle sword awash with flames - and turned to face two other Powers coming at her; one held a sword similar to hers, the other wielded a mighty axe. Without thinking, the brunette held her wings close to her body, allowing herself to drop; the two angels followed, only to be caught by surprise when Lira spread the jet-black wings again, a few feet from the ground, and zoomed upwards to meet them. Too late they reacted, the sword slicing through the abdomen of the swordsman and cleaving the axe-wielder's head from his shoulders. Both burst into flames.

The Grigori Kabaiel gazed in wonder at the Nephilim, who only days ago had accepted that other half of her. Lira had been so unsure back then, needing guidance and lacking courage. But now...a grin crossed his face; the girl took to her newfound wings with a grace not of this world, as though she'd had wings all her life. And she had the powers of the heavenly fire at her disposal, once more using it as though she were pure heavenly host rather than only half. Was she truly among those stated in the prophecy?

Kabaiel looked on as the Powers retreated, headed by Verchiel's second-in-command, his commander slumped against him. They disappeared once they hit the cloud bank, and the storm dissipated. Another roaring wind - though more gentle than the ones generated by the Powers - nearly blew the elderly Grigori off his feet as Lira alighted on the ground, black wings slowly disappearing as she had no more need of them for the time being. Without a word, she passed Jake and entered the house, coming out seconds later with Misty in tow.

They're gone, aren't they, Lira? Misty asked sadly, looking longingly back at the house.

"Yes, they're gone, Misty..." Lira replied, kneeling down beside her beloved pet and hugging her. "And I...I can't bring them back like I did with you."

Kabaiel was silent, allowing the pair to mourn their loss. After a few minutes, Lira stood up and faced him.

"Kabaiel," she began, absentmindedly patting Misty's head. "What happens now?" She had accepted both human and angelic aspects of her, making her whole and fully capable of fulfilling her part, but the human in her still craved direction and guidance; that much was apparent.

"Well..." the Grigori stuck a hand in his coat pocket, the other reaching up to scratch behind one ear. "Your immediate task would be to leave this place and search for the others like you -"

"In what sense?"

"I mean those who, like you, have accepted the two halves of their being, both angel and human, for they are among those mentioned in the prophecy. Not just them, though; other Nephilim are in need of your help as well."

Lira bit her lip, hands falling dejectedly to her sides. "But...how will I know if they're -"

Kabaiel touched her cheek lovingly with a callused hand, stopping her words short. "Believe me, child, you will know."

A few hours later, just before dawn, the Grigori Kabaiel left in search of the other Nephilim, to warn them of the Powers who would have them dead. Meanwhile, Lira and the dog Misty left on a journey of their own, to find 'the others', and gather them so they might stand a chance against the forces who wished to kill them.

That new day dawned on a bittersweet awakening: the awakening of a child of prophecy, and the re-awakening of a millenia-old feud between the Powers and the Nephilim.

 

[flameangel_child524]

Character Profiles

Name:Lira Murdock

Age: 16 years old

Race: Nephilim; 'Child of Prophecy'

Alignment: Nephilim

Appearance: Lira stands at 5'7", sports blue-black hair, purple eyes, and pale skin. She favors dark-colored clothing and prefers pants to skirts.

Personality: This Nephilim is a bit of an introvert; she has only a few friends aside from her pet Misty. She isn't very talkative, but won't hesitate to join in a conversation if she can contribute to that particular group's knowledge of a subject. Lira is very determined and will work hard in order to achieve her goals and fulfill the task which has been newly set before her.

Background: Lira's mother died shortly after giving birth to her - living long enough only to name the child; Lira never knew who her father was. She grew up in foster care, the longest placement she'd had being with Samantha and Gerry Corbet. On her 16th birthday, she encountered Kabaiel, who told her about the implications of her birth. Lira, however, would hear none of it, claiming she wanted a normal life; Kabaiel had no choice but to put Lira's chocolate lab, Misty, in mortal peril. Frantic, Lira acceptad the angelic part of her, healing Misty and transforming her into something more than a dog by virtue of the abilities she'd inherited. The end result was better than Kabaiel had expected: Lira was whole...and a child of prophecy.

A week afterwards, Verchiel and several other Powers showed up on the Corbets' front door. They'd been able to track Lira because of her powerful essence, which was stronger than that of an ordinary Nephilim. Verchiel killed Samantha and Gerry, claiming that by killing those close to one of Lira's kind, he and his fellows would be able to rid the world forever of the 'awful stench of the blasphemous offspring'. This only served to anger Lira, awakening her angelic self and spurring her into action against the Powers.

Name: Aerelia
Age: 16 1/2
Race:Nephilim; 'Child of Prophecy'
Alignment: Nephilim
Appearance:
Personality: depends on the situation, oftenchildlike with certain exceptions
Background: Was born to a wealthy merchants wife in a small manor away from human civilization. generally grew up a normal, though somewhat sheltered beyond normal, and happy life until a month or so before her sixteenth birthday, when her mother told her that the merchant wasnt her real father, that her real father was one of the grigori, and that since she was one of the nephilim and would soon come of age, she was in serious danger from the power's. Aerelia is one of the dark-winged nephilim, which she finds funny, because generally she dislikes fighting.


Name: Soliel

Age: appears 45, but is actually ageless

Race: Power

Alignment: Power

Appearance: Soliel stands at around 6'2", has salt-and-pepper gray hair, and lightly tanned skin. He is well-built - as are his fellow Powers - and seems to favor trenchcoats and turtlenecks when walking among humans, searching out the Nephilim

Personality: Soliel is very dedicated to 'the cause' and is every bit as merciless and ruthless as his former captain, Verchiel, was.

Background: Like his brethren, Soliel was created by the Allfather. He was there on the night of the confrontation between his commander and the first of the Children of Prophecy; and was present once more when Verchiel finally expired. Being second-in-command, he was instantly granted the position of Captain of the Powers.  

[flameangel_child524]

How to Join

1. PM me (flameangel_child524) with 'The Prophecy' in the subject. Include your character's rofile and an RP sample.

2. Wait for me to post your profile in the 'Characters' post. You can play a maximum of two characters, and as much as possible, have them on opposite sides.

3. Please take note that a maximum of 10 to 12 Nephilim characters will be accepted, and of those only five will be Children of Prophecy - including my first character. The same goes for Grigori and Powers: I'll be accepting only five for the Grigori; 10 for the Powers against the Nephilim; and 2 for the Powers siding with the Nephilim.

General Rules

1. Follow Gaian and guild rules and TOS.

2. No godmodding and/or auto-hitting.

3. This is a semi-literate RP; please keep one-liners to a minimum, and absolutely no chatspeak and/or l33tsp34k!

4. PM all applications to me; do not post them here! The same goes for questions regarding the RP itself. If you do post them in the thread, please delete them once I've answered them (in the form of a PM).

5. Have fun!

Character Profile

Please use the profile skeleton I've provided here.

Name:
Age:
Race: [choose from Nephilim, Power, Grigori, and Human]
Alignment: [choose from Nephilim and Power, regardless of race]
Appearance: Just the bare minimum (see my character's profile for an example)
Personality: Again, just the bare minimum on how your character is most likely to act.
Background: (for Nephilim and/or Children of Prophecy, don't forget to include who told them of this)

Things to remember:

1. Neither the Grigori nor the 'normal' Nephilim can fly; the former have only feathery stumps on their shoulder wings.

2. Powers and Children of Prophecy are almost equal in ability: both can fly and wield the 'fires of heaven' as weapons. However, all Powers have white wings while Children of Prophecy have black wings.

3. The Children of Prophecy are just a small sub-race within the Nephilim race, and they share most of the abilities - most notably heightened senses and the ability to converse in any language they desire.


This RP is loosely based on a series of short novels I'm reading, written by a Mr. Sniegnoski; therefore, the premise really isn't mine.  

[flameangel_child524]

List of Characters

Nephilim
1. Lira Murdock*
2. Aerelia*
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.

Grigori
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

Powers
1. Soliel
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.

*Child of Prophecy.
Also, names of Powers written in italics are those siding with the Nephilim.