OUR PROTAGONIST
To hear him tell it, he's a wanderer, a treasure hunter, a philosopher and, if he has a weakness, a bit of a hedonist. He's fought demons and angels, drunk the finest spirits that humanity has to offer in the biggest cities humanity has ever built and slept with the daughters of kings and the sons of dictators. Hunted by Hell and rejected by Heaven, he is doomed to live out his existence trapped in the city of man. Unless... unless he can attain that most fragile of states, completion, and pull himself back up into the arms of God. The ultimate nature of his quest? Why, the Grail, of course. What else is there?
To hear Game tell it, he's a murderer, a thief and a traitor. Hell's longest lived Renegade, in fact. Although not at risk of Redemption, the glamour of his position (he refers to himself as the "second revolutionary") and his apparent success has, over the years, seduced any number of otherwise blameless demons into going renegade. He will be captured and destroyed, force by excruciating force. At any cost.
Our protagonist finds himself in a rather difficult scenario. What's worse, he has no idea the fix he has once again gotten himself into. Having lost his trusted side-kick, Joha, that brave Soldier of Creation, to the euphoria of matrimony and family life, he finds himself lonely. A companion is what he needs, and a trip to San Diego zoo turns up just the thing: Mantidae Brachypelma Smithi; the red-kneed Mantis, a beauty almost a foot tall, with a well documented habit of eating her mates after copulation. A creature after his own heart!
What he doesn't know is that this insectoid Aphrodite is actually Marcifel, a Habbalah of Baal and an old rival and lover, who is even now waiting for the right moment to summon her Superior and have our protagonist clapped in chains and brought back to Hell. There is an escape, though. Our protagonist has just caught wind of the Grail, stored, or so rumour has it, under an abandoned Masonic lodge in the heart of London. Marcifel, as avaricious as ever, will wait until he has fully investigated this avenue before calling the boss, in the hope that she will be able to claim both him and his prize as her own. Joha has gotten wind of her scheme, and has sent a plea for aid through a friend of his in Heaven. A group of angels have been sent to put an end to the mantoid Marcifel, and, if possible, to bring our protagonist to face enforced Redemption in Heaven.
Our bold renegade will not wish to be caught. Now inextricably trapped by Marcifel's Song of Attraction, he will catch wind of his Heavenly pursuers and lead them on a dizzying chase through downtown London, on bicycle, foot and finally over the rooftops, taking a roundabout route to his final destination; an abandoned manse and the treasure hidden beneath.
The treasure is not unguarded, of course. Corethiel, a Cherub of Stone brought low by an encounter with our Protagonist some years ago, now an unaligned Djinn, set up residence in the manse after his fall from grace and will defend it with the ferocity of one who has lost hope. Our protagonist and his would-be rescuers will be harried by Corethiel from his hiding spot in the walls and passages of the former lodge, as they make the trek down into the caverns beneath.
The final confrontation will take place in the alleged Grail's resting place, an hour's hike beneath the lodge, through stinking sewers and damp tunnels. It rests in the eye at the peak of a hundred foot pyramid carved into the wall of an enormous cavern. The angels will have to deal with the beserk Corethiel and Marcifel as our protagonist makes the climb.
Should he make it before Marcifel is dealt with, she will summon the Prince of the War, and things will got very badly indeed for both our protagonist and the brave angels who hoped to rescue him. Should Marcifel be sent to meet her maker, though, he will come to his senses. He has a well developed sense of caution surrounding his fellow celestials, however, and will attempt to escape, with the Grail if possible, using the Celestial Song of Motion. Should this fail, he will do whatever it takes to fight, bargain or suicide his way out of their grasp. A bit of time in Limbo never hurt anybody.
And the Grail itself? A clay cup, with a crude pattern carved into the brim. Nothing more. Our protagonist will have to continue the search for his redemption elsewhere, it would seem. However, should the angels give the cup to the triad of Judgement who will question them after this affair is over, it will disappear into the folds of Dominic's robe, never to be seen by man or angel again.
Malachi, Renegade Calabite, formerly of the Game
15 forces.
Vessel/1 (young human male, Charisma +2).
Skills: Malachi has access to most skills at levels 4-6 (with combat and
athletics tending towards the higher)
Songs: Has Charm, Entropy, Numinous Corpus: Wings, Form, Healing,
Possession, Shields, Tongues and Motion, all at high levels, but is
generally reluctant to use them (they're not very sporting)
Attunements: Calabite of the Game, Humanity, Knight of Judgement,
Calabite of Lust
Discord: Aura/3, Lustful/2, Need (to move at very high speeds/3)
Marcifel, Habbalah of the War
14 forces, balanced towards Ethereal
Vessel/3 (mantis)
Skills: Dodge/5 and several others, few of which are especially usable
in her current body
Songs: Attraction (all/6), Entropy (Ethereal only), Shields, Thunder,
all at levels 3-5
Attunements: Lilim of the War, Habbalah of the War
Corethiel, Fallen Cherub, formerly of Stone
10 forces, balanced towards Corporeal
Vessel/3 (Elderly human human, Charisma +1)
Skills: of import are Fighting/4, Dodge/2, Climbing/5, Move Silently/2
and Throwing/1
Songs: Charm (Corporeal only), Dreams, Attraction (Ethereal only), Light
(Ethereal and Celestial) at levels 2-4
Attunements: Cherub of Stone, Deep Gaze
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