Of all the original Archangel's, Michael's Fall struck Baal the hardest. As the third Seraph created by God and the reigning Archangel of Valor, Baal held a unique perspective concerning his two older siblings, Lucifer and Michael. Baal admired them both, Michael most of all, and the Third Seraph spent many days seeking the council of the Firstborn and the Lightbringer as he championed the causes of his angelic brethren.

When the time of the Fall came, Baal's faith was shaken to its very core. Here stood Michael and Lucifer, two of the wisest beings in Baal's eyes, speaking of rebellion against God. Many angels urged Baal to stand with his siblings, to champion the cause of all angels under Heavens sky, and bring victory to those who would mock the importance of the Firstborn. The pressure was immense, but Baal loved God. While he did not know why humans were so important, Baal understood that the corporeal realm was not his or any angels place, and that he would champion causes in Heaven and Heaven alone. Baal would not betray God, would not rise up against his fellow angels, no matter what Michael believed. He trusted his Creator implicitly. He could stand idle and watch the carnage unfold, or he could choose to stand against this, and make a difference in the conflict to come.

Baal chose.

The armies of Michael marched though the streets of the Eternal City that dark day, and Baal stood resolute with his followers to block the way. Michael had commanded his forces to stop, and walked up to Baal. With six eyes that burned like black suns, he told the Archangel of Valor to step aside, or forever earn the wrath of War.

Baal stood his ground.

With a black-fanged grin, Michael drew his axe, and the War of the Fall began. Baal fought with tears of white fire in his eyes as he felled those who had turned from God, and he felt his Word burn with a dark bent. The temptation to join Michael had been so strong before, but Baal now knew- Michael was gone, and a monster had taken his place. The battle drew to its bloody finale after several days, in the center of the Eternal City, under the glistening spires of Metatron's Cathedral. Baal stood with Lucifer and several other Archangels, fighting the battle-mad Michael, whose celestial form was now blackened and dripping with the blood of the thousands he had slain. In a final act of desperation, Baal threw himself upon Michael, the Firstborn's axe cutting deeply into his wings, and coiled himself tightly around the Fallen Archangel, as Lucifer delivered the final blow in a shining streak of light.

Bloody and broken, Baal lifted his former brother from the ground, and called for God to cleanse Heaven of its impurities. Space and time warped, and Baal, still weeping, cast Michael down into the blackest depths of the celestial realm, and watched as all who had turned from Heaven were drawn into the eternal blackness. Slowly, the darkened skies of Heaven lit up, and Baal listened as the silence was broken as the first few angels began to weep, and then as all of Heaven was filled with the awful sobbing of those who had survived the slaughter. Baal helped Lucifer up, and they both walked to Jacobs Ladder, the Host trailing behind them, where Lucifer begged God forgiveness for having been so blind, for having been so prideful, for turning away from the very force that gave them being and purpose. Baal stared up the Ladder, whose top he could no longer see, for it was now dark. Valor was broken, heroes had become murderers, and innocent courage gave way to selfish bloodlust. His tears then became wailing sobs, joining the caphacony of grief around him.

Baal had failed.

DISSONANCE

It is strictly forbidden for Servitors of Valor to show fear, to act in a cowardly manner, or to retreat from any battle unless they are near obvious defeat. They must include any level of the Cowardly Discord for any dissonance rolls they make!

CHOIR ATTUNEMENTS (Champions, Heroes, Lords, Baalites)

Seraphim
Seraphim of Valor can look into the eyes of anyone, and they will know that individual's breaking point- just how much suffering and fear they can go through before their valor reaches its limit.

Cherubim (Partially Restricted):
Anyone a Cherub of Baal attunes to will be filled with celestial bravery, and they will be immune to mundane fear, and resist supernaturally induced fear with a Will roll plus the Cherub's Ethereal Forces. Note that this bravery does not make the attuned foolhardy - they will know when they are in over their head.

Ofanim
An Ofanite of Valor may use the Songs of Motion for no Essence, but only if he uses them to save someone from immediate danger.

Elohim
With a Perception roll, a Power of Valor will know what will best inspire courage and valor in someone, with the level of inspiration being equal to the check digit of the roll.

Malakim (Restricted)
Instead of their normal resonance for honor, the Virtues of Valor can choose to instead resonate for courage. Use the same rules for a Malakite resonance, but replace "honor" with "courage".

Lilim (Partially Restricted)
Lilim who serve Baal act as the mentors to those who have much fear in their lives. When resonating a target, the Lilim will sense any fears the target has along with the Needs, and with 1 Essence and a Will roll, the Lilim can produce an illusion that will haunt her target, giving the individual a chance to overcome their fears (the Lilim can banish the illusion at anytime, and is encouraged to do so if her target is not ready to face it yet).

Kyriotates (Restricted)
Same as the canonical Kyriotate of the Sword attunement.

Mercurian
Mercurians of Valor gain 12 free points to spend on roles that include being brave and saving people, such as firefighters, soldiers, combat medics, self-esteem counselors, and so on.

Grigori (Restricted)
Anytime these Grigori hear a disturbance through their resonance, they may choose to automatically know the exact origin of the disturbance, but -only- if they go investigate it themselves. If the Grigori tells someone else to do it, they will incur a note of dissonance.

Ethereals
Spirits of Baal can muster great courage and hope in the face of despair, and receive a bonus to all rolls equal to half their Ethereal Forces, if they are fighting on Blandine's side of the Vale.

SERVITOR ATTUNEMENTS

Art of Valor
Same as the canonical Art of Combat attunement.

Heart of Valor
Same as the canonical Knight of the Black Order distinction.

Sword of Valor
If the angel has a melee weapon and full Body hits while on the corporeal plane, he may create a field of energy about his weapon, which he can fling at his foe, treating his weapon as a ranged weapon, with a range equal to his Corporeal Forces in yards, and an accuracy equal to one-third his Precision.

Shield of Valor
Angels with this attunement take 1/2 normal damage from all attacks that inflict Body hits.

Divine Wave
For 1 Essence, the angel can push away anyone surrounding him, with a bright wave of light. The distance the target(s) is flung is equal to the angel's Celestial Forces in feet. This gives the angel time to recover stance, or push back a swarm of foes.

Fierce Glare If the angel engages a minion of evil in combat, before the battle begins, she may look directly into the eyes of her foe, and engage in a contest of Wills. If the angel wins, her opponent will feel compelled to back down -- they get the sense that their opponent is powerful, far too powerful for them to handle (penalty to all combat rolls equal to the amount the Will roll was failed by). This may end the fight before it even starts, or drive the angel's opponent into a suicidal rage. If the angel fails the contest, then -she- will be at a penalty to all combat rolls equal to the amount she failed the Will roll by.

Voice of Faith
If the angel leads his group in a prayer to God before a battle, he can imbue his companions with holy strength, granting them a bonus to all rolls during the next battle they engage in equal to half his Celestial Forces. This can only be used once; leading multiple prayers by several different angels will not "stack bonuses".

Holy Duel
If the angel challenges a demon to celestial combat, and the demon accepts, both the angel and his opponent may assume celestial form for the duration of the battle without causing disturbance.

Braveheart
If an unaware human is performing an act of selfless bravery, this attunement will allow the angel to grant immunity from harm to the human for the duration of the act for 4 Essence. For the duration of the brave act, the human will not take any Body hits, and cannot be killed unless someone assaults him through supernatural means.

DISTINCTIONS

Vassal of Courage
The angel has an aura of bravery and courage about them that cannot be denied, anyone who serves Heaven or is inherently good will be drawn to ask the Vassal for help if they need it, and will never treat the angel worse than coldly neutral on a failed reaction roll. Inherently evil people and those who serve the Horde will be unnerved by the angel's prescience, and will try to stay out of his way.

Friend of the Brave
If a human is trying to do something out of selfless bravery, these angels may lend their own skills or Forces to the human so that he may succeed at his goal. For every level of skill given, the angel must spend 1 Essence, for every Force transferred, 2 Essence. This lasts until the act of bravery is completed, or the human fails. It is these angels who are responsible for events such as mothers pulling up cars to save their children, or victims attacking their assaulters with deadly skill.

Master of the Final Battle
If the Master faces a foe of equal or greater power, she may enter a contest of Wills. If the angel wins, then she and her chosen foe will have to fight one another until one of them wins, neither the angel nor her opponent can escape; the battle will go until vessel or soul-death. Many speak in quiet voice that Baal waits eagerly for the Last Day, when he can have his Final Battle with his Fallen brother.

HIGHER DISTINCTIONS

Martyr
If an angel sacrifices himself for a greater good, suffering extreme vessel-death or near soul-death, they are awarded with this distinction. Any time the angel dies and goes into Trauma, he will get an automatic 4 Essence from Baal himself to use on the first roll to break out of it.

RITES

-Kill a demon in fair combat (+3 for soul-death)
-Save someone through bravery
-Help someone to overcome his or her fears
-Kill a Servitor of War (+2 vessel-death, +4 soul-death)
-Overcome overwhelming odds
-Face your greatest fear and overcome it
-Directly assault a Demon Prince (+6 Essence)

RELATIONS

Baal tries to keep excellent relations with others in the Host, but there are still a few Archangels who irk him. Makatiel's constant insistence on preserving all life appeal to Baal, but the Elohite's refusal to support battles against Hell infuriates him. Haagenti is too concerned with pleasures of the corporeal for Baal's liking, and tries to avoid the youthful Archangel. Lilith is the only being in Heaven Baal truly has no love for, for it was she who released Michael from Hell, and Baal cannot forgive her for that, no matter how much she has repented.

Allied: Belial, Lucifer, Asmodeus
Associated: Magog, Legion, Genubath
Hostile: Makatiel, Lilith, Haagenti

CHANCE OF INVOKATION: 1

INVOCATION MODIFIERS

+1 A warrior's sword
+2 The tomb of someone who died valiantly
+3 A medal of honor
+4 A human or angel facing off with 5 or more demons
+5 A human dying because of selfless courage
+6 A human or angel facing off with a Demon Prince