The armies of Paradiso and Inferno know no mercy, and are seemingly infinite in number. If you’re going to fight a one-witch war against them, you’ll need to have intimate knowledge of who’s who in their ranks. Study up on every foe you’ll ever meet here.
Acceptance
Third Sphere Angels
Among the nine ranks in the angelic hierarchy, Acceptance belongs to the bottom of the Third Sphere called Angels, the hierarchy’s lowest rank. It appears to those who are moments away from death in a half-human, half-pegasus form with glittering wings.
Characterized as the symbol of death and acceptance, various legends tell of Acceptance solemnly placing the souls of the dead upon its back and carrying them away, ignoring their past deeds and any pleas for a second chance.
Belief
Second Sphere Powers
Belonging to the Second Sphere, Beliefs are considered a Power, the sixth rank of the angelic hierarchy. Their sturdy, dominating size makes them an ideal candidate for giving orders on the front lines during wars with Inferno.
The gigantic snakelike right arm of Beliefs has caused them to often be depicted in legends as hideous creatures, but in reality, this feature is meant to be a divine whip for binding evil with its unwavering faith.
Accolade
Third Sphere Archangels
A large angel belonging to the Third Sphere, tasked with commanding the lowest-ranking angels.
Accolades are adept at using many of Paradiso’s weaponry, including swords, spears, hammers, and whips. They use these to instill fear into the hearts of all those who doubt the might of God. Accolades have long lived in legend; at times they were said to have answered the prayers of the most devout followers by temporarily bestowing upon them one of these divine instruments.
Valiance
First Sphere Cherubim
Valiance is a First Sphere Cherub considered particularly ascendant as a spiritual being even among the other angels. Physical shape means little to angels of this rank; they exist in a metaphysical form that demonstrates the majesty of God.
The most ambitious and brave of the Cherubim, there are some sources that believe Valiance first arrived on Earth thousands of years ago, riding a comet of God’s wrath that destroyed everything in its way.
Valiance’s sword, the Valiantium Blade, is said to have the power to cut in two anything in Paradiso or Inferno, and is prophesized to one day assist a team of over a hundred heroes in saving humanity from an invading evil.
cachet & Compassion
Third Sphere Angels
Belonging to the lowest rank of angels, these two angels are said to have been sacred weapons brought to Paradiso after the heroes they traveled with came to the end of a long journey.
Charged with protecting the gates of Paradiso, their powerful blades deal swift justice to anyone who carelessly trespasses into the divine realm.
Urbane
Second Sphere Virtues
The changes of a new era will always give birth to new angels. This is because angels are given form by the fears, doubts, and prayers mankind bases its faith on—feelings that change with mankind’s material obsessions.
As a notably advanced being even compared to other angels, Urbane, a Virtue in the angelic hierarchy, is said to be shaped by the subconscious fears of humans. In modern eras, he often appears as a giant with a ball and chain on each of his arms.
Urbane’s power to reduce the triumphs of civilization to mere ashes with a single swing of his arm most likely reflects the subconscious fears man harbors toward both the natural world and their own society.
Enrapture
Third Sphere Archangels
Though eighth in the angelic hierarchy, Enrapture was born many eons ago and is now considered the oldest angel to have ever existed.
Given the task of leading humans to bliss by speaking directly to their spirits, it is said that the concept of faith did not exist until Enrapture’s creation.
There are many theories debated as to why this angel possesses its strange form of two human bodies seamed at the torso; perhaps, their shape is meant to exceed the bounds of human understanding, or maybe, in the depths of meditation, a monk approaching enlightenment caught a glimpse of this angel while its form was refracted between dimensions.
Fidelity
Third Sphere Archangels
Considered a creature of the sea due to its fish-like body and multiple tentacle-like arms, Fidelity departed from the ocean to impart humanity with their primeval memories.
Those who forget their past and begin to disrupt the serenity of life are often dragged by this angel to the darkest depths of the ocean.
The ocean is a sacred place, the area of Earth that is closest to Paradiso, as the intense water pressure of the depths means it has remained untouched by human hands since the beginning of time. A large celestial veil covers the sea’s expanse, and until this day there has never been a human who has witnessed the seas in their entirety.
Gravitas
Second Sphere Dominions
A Dominion in the Second Sphere of angels. The name Gravitas means stern and severe, so this angel is often depicted as steep, uninhabited mountains forever frozen in ice.
His extreme cold has been unpenetrated for eons, and it shows no change through the passage of time. Gravitas awaits silently for an opponent willing to sacrifice everything to face him.
Allegiance
Third Sphere Principalities
Allegiance belongs to the Principalities, ranked seventh in the angelic hierarchy and part of the Third Sphere. While Third Sphere angels are the most common type encountered in the physical realm, Allegiance, clad in solid gold armor, appears only during times of strife between Paradiso and the human world, in order to purge the armies of evil spirits.
Legends exist of Allegiance appearing before the kings of feudal nations who have prayed for the emergence of a hero; however, there are also stories of Allegiance seeing through the evil in these kings’ hearts and instantly reducing their thrones to rubble.
Affinity
Third Sphere Angels
Servants of heaven that populate the lowest of the angelic hierarchy, a Third Sphere rung known simply as Angels. Humans with deep faith often feel these angels close to their hearts. Descending from the heavens upon pure white wings, it is believed that the glimmering halo atop an Affinity’s head lights the path for those who have lost their way.
The religious articles they equip are all tools used to further their conviction to protect the righteous and can become powerful weapons used to strike down those with sullied hearts.
Applaud
Third Sphere Archangels
While still a member of the Third Sphere, Applauds are one step above Affinities and thus known as Archangels. Occupying the eighth position within the nine-level angelic hierarchy, Archangels are still considered close to the physical world, and often come into contact with humankind.
It is said that devoted prayer on the part of believers can call upon a host of angels to come to one’s aid.
Decorations
Third Sphere Angels
With limited spiritual powers, this angel is spotted comparatively frequently within the physical, human world.
Capriciously firing arrows, they are often mistaken for Cupid. It is said that one of their arrows, shot through the heart of a believer, can be as infatuating as the goddess of love.
Fearless
Second Sphere Dominions
Fearless are classified as Dominions, the fourth rank among the hierarchy of angels. Controlling the lightning feared by many as the instrument of divine justice, Fearless make known the majesty of God to the masses.
Almost all of the naturally occurring lightning in the world is a result of the actions of these angels. It is said that divine wrath against gluttons is released in the lightning’s flash, as the thunder signals heaven’s roar.
Fairness
Second Sphere Virtues
A Virtue charged with the administration of miracles, it is wrapped in flames when appearing in the physical world, a power emblematic of its courage.
A torrent of flame blazing as bright as the sun, these flames become the light that burns away darkness from those who receive the graces of Fairness. However, for those out of the angel’s good graces, they are the fire and brimstone of destruction.
Grace & Glory
Second Sphere Virtues
Grace, draped in flame, and Glory, controller of lightning, are the twin escorts of the Creator. They share a wild disposition and are often depicted as gods of war heroically leading the soldiers of Paradiso into battle, with their giant, clawlike weapons being symbols of their ferocity. Humanity recognizes the increased spiritual power of twins, a power that comes from the blessings of Grace and Glory.
Beloved
Second Sphere Powers
Beloved is a member of the Second Sphere class Powers, ranked sixth in the angelic hierarchy. Its status is more that of a spiritual being, but it is also burdened with destroying the enemies of Paradiso. While still considered among the lower classes of angels, Beloved’s power is of a far higher order than that of a human, and even those with strong spiritual powers are seldom afforded the chance to meet this being. Excelling in combat, Beloved are known for brilliant exploits in demonic battles.
Kinship
Second Sphere Powers
Kinship, as one of the Second Sphere Powers charged with defeating evil beings, is responsible for transporting the forces of Paradiso onto the battlefield. Leading countless angels to the front lines, catching sight of Kinship’s magnificent flying appearance is analogous to many as the arrival of true happiness.
It is thought that Kinship is the angelic manifestation of the ark that saved a foolish human race from the devastating flood described in The Book of Creation within the scriptures of Ithavoll.
Inspired
First Sphere Thrones
An angel of the First Sphere belonging to the class known as Thrones. Angels of this class are on such a higher plane of spiritual existence that there is a little chance of humans ever crossing paths with them. Some artists are able to see an Inspired as blazing wheels, but it takes a painter with particularly strong spiritual abilities to be able to paint Inspired’s long, curving, snakelike body.
Though they appear to have high honor as God’s only trusted divine war tanks, they do little more than ravage the battlefield in a berserk state, swallowing up the enemies of Paradiso.