The Angel of Pain

By Anders Sandberg

Description

In the high Umbra all kinds of concepts exist in manifested form, emanations from the minds of the Aeons. Some are beautiful, others terrible, but they all have a purity of existence impossible to understand by mortals. Except perhaps one, the Angel of Pain.

The Angel looks completely human -- except that it lacks skin. Its glistening organs are clearly visible and some of its tendons have been severed so that all muscles hang freely from its body. The loose muscles (which do not bleed) serenely drift around its body like a seaweed in the ocean, red veils of agony. All its movements are slow and graceful, as it floats weightlessly a foot above the ground.

The Angel is the manifestation of pure pain. Everyone in its vicinity feels its presence, not as pain but as potential pain; as if a sharp knife moved a hairsbreadth above the skin, ready to cut a deep gash. Anybody who touches the Angel, either physically or magickally, immediately is paralysed by agonising pain. The pain is far beyond anything normally experienced by mortal flesh, it is the essence of anguish magnified a thousandfold. In some rare cases the Angel has kissed a mortal, who has been "blessed" with total agony for the rest of his or her (usually short) life.

The Angel seems to be an independent being, not serving any power other than itself. It doesn't care about the affairs of mortals or their wishes, and it doesn't strive to extend its pain to others -- maybe there is enough pain in the world already. It never speaks or tries to communicate. In fact, the Angel seems almost serene, and a few mages have argued that if one could only accept it and reach the same mental harmony its touch would no longer be agony but ecstasy and tranquillity united.

Systems

Any contact with the Angel, through touch, magick or through a tool (Like a sword hitting it or a gunshot) will cause agony in the human. The important thing isn't physical connection but the fact that the person seeks contact with the being, a thrown rock will be just as painful as a direct touch.

The pain is not physical but mental. Mages with Mind can counteract it using their Arete against a difficulty of 8 to reduce the pain of the Angel. It has 5 dices of pain initially if the mage just touches it, and 8 dice if it deliberately reaches out and embraces the mage. Some rotes can also build up a mental barrier before touching the Angel; they also reduce the number of dice.

To be able to act at all while in total agony, the victim has to succeed with his Willpower against a difficulty equal to the remaining pain dice plus four. A botch means the victim has been completely overcome with pain and cannot do anything until it ends; a multiple botch might lead to a permanent phobia against all painful stimuli. If the victim succeeds in steeling his will and acts, his dice pool is reduced by the remaining dice of the Angel.

After being touched, the pain will gradually subside with one step per turn, until the victim is painless again (if it has not been touched by the Angel in the meantime, of course). However, if the angel kisses a victim on the mouth (which requires it to hold him in its arms) it can insert a fragment of its being into the very soul of the victim. The resulting pain will never go away until the soul is cleansed -- somehow.