Azrael

Azrael

Alignment	Sword Pantheon
Opposite (Seal)	Humact
Opposite (Bone)	The Seeker
Holy symbol	Sickle

It has long been curious to me that you don’t feel it. You go every day, every hour, ignorant to your life leaking – ticking, indeed, away from you. On you go, blundering blindly into oblivion, ignorant. If you’re going to be so blind, why not lay down and die? Go on. Right here, right now. Lay down and die. After all, you are going to die one day anyhow, so why fight it?

No? You won’t? Well, then you had better listen to what I have to say – because if you’re going to face your end, hadn’t you better do it with your eyes open? Or would you prefer to spend your life blind?

Marcus Thanatos on the nature of enlightenment.

History

The origins of the church are far from clear; they are thought by sages to be an offshoot of the Humacti faith but this is understandably disputed by Azraelites. Nevertheless, the churches obviously have a shared past but their differences in interpretation have led to wildly divergent beliefs.

Philosophy

All mortals have a predestined time to die. There is no immortal truth in life; there is life and then there is death. At death all souls are asked a unique question. If they manage to answer it correctly then the soul is allowed to pass and to bask in divinity. However, if the Question cannot be answered, then the soul is reincarnated, thus allowing it to learn until the soul is ready to pass. This cycle of reincarnation may take thousands of attempts or just one; it is dependent upon the individual. Thus death is not to be feared: it is Azrael’s will and he believes it is time for another attempt at the Question. The soul will learn much on its journey but to Azrael, there are no moral issues; souls will be judged on their understanding of themselves.

Undeath is a curse as it binds the soul to a useless shell and thus prevents the soul from joining the cycle of reincarnation. Therefore they must be destroyed and those who make them. Another enemy is Humact; it is his limiting influence that allows child deaths and stillbirths as he denies the soul the opportunity to learn.

Azraelites believe that using spiritual healing to mend body and soul pollutes the soul with elements of the miracle spirit used in healing. They feel this harms the soul’s ability to know itself and answer the Question, and thus reject all divine healing as anathema.

Strands

Teachers

The Teachers quite simply believe that by educating people, they will help them to answer their questions and thus not have to infinitely repeat life. Thus they train people to think; they teach philosophy and logic as well as more traditional subjects.

Reapers

The Reapers have understood that there is no guilt through killing; it is in fact helping the individual by giving them more chances at their Question. In addition, Azrael has predetermined people’s deaths, therefore by killing they are in fact merely agents of Azrael’s will. Therefore, the Reapers search for those that they intuitively know to be at their time and then they help them.

Ushers

The Ushers provide comfort to those nearing the end of their lives; the sick and the aged. Whilst they care for these people, they help to teach them, so as to give them a better chance with their Question. They traditionally provide funereal services in communities.

Strictures

When you strike, strike with intent to kill.
Divine personal healing is unforgivable, do not allow it to happen to you.
Undead must be released and all dead must be laid to rest to prevent servitude.
Do not blindly follow any other’s philosophy. Seek to forge your own path.

Domains

Primary domain: Harming

Secondary domains: Debilitation, Dismissal, Divination, Protection, Warding