Empire Religion -Expanded

God

            The Burning God.

            He created the world and all the people in it from His Holy Fire, according to Ephesian-Catholicism. Also known as the Lord, “I AM” and various other deity-related names. Holy epiphanies and enlightenments are described as being “touched with fire” or “burning with ideas.”

            Some groups depict Him as a two-sided deity. He is seen as childish and innocent but also ancient and wrathful. These sects often draw Him as a child swathed in white cloth. However, this is not a popular view and most churches use the “Old man with a beard” pictures.

Gabriel

            The Messenger.

            Gabriel is the oldest and first among the messengers and serves as the left hand of God. He is the Divine Herald and will be the Trumpeter of the last Judgment when the Holy Fire consumes the earth and burns away the unworthy. He is generally called upon for mercy and truth due to his position as the left hand and is connected to the West.

            Gabriel defeated Lucifer after his rebellion by stabbing him through the heart and casting him from Heaven. Thus, he is also associated with vengeance. Gabriel is often shown as a man with dark hair that comes to carry the souls of Popes and Emperors to Heaven.

Metatron

            The Voice.

            Enoch was a mortal man that was brought to Heaven where he became a messenger and took the role of Voice of God. This is necessary as His voice is painful for mortals to hear and may even lead to their deaths. Before his ascension, Enoch wrote some of the holy documents now used by the church.

            He is often seen as disagreeing with Raphael and Michael while supporting Gabriel and Uriel. He serves as the celestial scribe and is associated with writing, knowledge and education. He is sometimes shown as a man holding a tablet and stylus.

Raguel

            The Judge.

            Often shown as a dark, blank-faced figure, Raguel is the judge of both messengers and mortals. He is the embodiment of justice, order and harmony. His purpose is to solve conflict and he is often called upon when one needs help deciding what is fair and just.

            He is also responsible for punishing the unjust and rewarding the pure. He is not affected by emotional pleas or begging and so is sometimes seen as a being ruled by logic and free of emotions. Free will is said to have been Raguel’s gift to mankind, allowing them to make their own judgments.

Michael

            The Soldier.

            Michael is the patron of warriors and protector of the weak and ill. He serves as general of Heaven’s armies and fights against his twin, Lucifer. He is the embodiment of strength, courage and power and performed the first act of chivalry. He represents the South point of the compass and is said to favor self-sacrifice.

            It is common to call upon Michael when one is feeling weak or needs the courage to make the right decision. Generally, he is pictured as a pure and loyal young soldier in dressed armor and guards the chastity of virgins.

Raphael

            The Healer.

            Mediator and peacekeeper, Raphael walks the thin line between Heaven and Hell and keeps all things in balance. He is the regent of the Sun and the East, angel of love and compassion and patron of physicians; the blind (and those with other eye problems), the sick, the insane and the injured; guardian angels; happy meetings and lovers; nightmares; travelers; and young people. He is considered a protector of mankind and binder of evil and is often depicted as a young man in blue with blonde hair.

Uriel

            The Artist.

            Uriel created art and music and gifted them to mankind before her fall. She is the sister of Raphael and is often viewed as both opposing and aiding him. She shares regency of the Sun with him and the two are often viewed as consorts to each other with their union serving to gift mankind with technology and innovation. Though, Uriel is generally seen as being responsible for the flaws in inventions that Raphael endlessly struggles to solve. She is the angel of prophecy and retribution and the North to Raphael’s East. She is often depicted as a young blonde woman wearing a long white dress.

Lucifer

            The Tempter (Also: The Light-Bringer, The Dark One, etc).

            The creator of sin and tempter of mankind, Lucifer works to bring the souls of men into darkness and ignorance. He is the twin brother and direct opposite of Michael and was once one of the highest of the messengers before Pride and darkness consumed him. Lucifer has many forms and actively tries to seduce people away from the light of the Holy Fire by creating his own false light. Often, Lucifer will take the form of young children and women when he is tempting but will always be shown for what he is by the scar on his chest where Gabriel’s sword pierced his heart.