#merthael

[hidden-heavens]

Saw a brilliant post that suggested mermaids have poison sacs instead of breasts and by that logic

Merthael should have the biggest tits out of the archangels considering that he's venomous as heck

[dangergrandpa]

HE IS DONE, HE HAS COLOURS!! :D

So yeah Merthael is a fancy angel fish under that armour, it turns out!

[hidden-heavens]

The Archangels and Anu

Stay a While and Listen...

A lore post detailing the Archangels of this particular AU, and their God, Anu. Cut for length.

Anu: God of the angels, father and mother both. Anu are a hivemind of organisms forming a massive winged pyrosome. Their origins are shrouded in mystery; all that's truly known about them is that they're the progenitor of the angels and that they dwell in the deep heart of the Silver City, guarding the Arch and the nesting grounds around it. They cherish their children deeply.

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Archangel Inarius: The Aspect of Creation, Anu's First Note, Master of the Worldstone, Creator and Sculptor of Sanctuary. Such are Inarius' titles in this world, and he exercised them often. Unknown to many is that he also brought the Arch into being (although it was accidental). After the creation of land Inarius disappeared, never to be seen by his younger siblings again. Only Malthael knows the truth of his disappearance; the rest of the Council and all of angel-kind believe him either dead or lost in some form of madness.

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Archangel Malthael: The Aspect of Death and Wisdom, Master of Chalad'ar, Keeper of the Soulstone. As with most of his siblings, Malthael is representative of two aspects: the Major Aspect of Death and the Lesser Aspect of Wisdom. Born with Death in his nature, he's never gone mad in this timeline and is in perfect control of himself and his powers. Mortals haven't touched Chalad'ar and muddied its depths, but he holds little fondness for them after witnessing their tendency to take more than their fair share of the ocean's bounty. He is very attentive to the needs of Heaven as a whole, aware of the potential for chaos to take them or for the demons to attack at any moment. The only one of the Archangels to see mortals as prey.

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Archangel Itherael: Aspect of Fate, Reader of Talus'ar, Keeper of the Library of Fate, Oracle of the Heavens. Itherael may only have one aspect but Fate covers a wide spectrum of duties, and he is just as active as the others. Jellyfish-like in appearance, Itherael is known for their generally slow, almost hypnotising way of swimming. They're still very monotone, but have a tendency to fluoresce brightly when emotional. Retains his ability to manipulate space and time to teleport, an ability shared by their host. Finds humanity vaguely interesting since they can't see the Fates of mortals.

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Archangel Auriel: Aspect of Love and Hope, Siren Supreme. Despite her lack of titles, Auriel is no less powerful than her siblings and commands perhaps the greatest respect of them all, due to her no-nonsense attitude towards wrangling the Council. Perfectly willing to force through necessary changes. Often accompanied by a small entourage of angels whenever she ventures into the open ocean. Al'maiesh in this world is a literal part of her, two long squid-like tentacles that hang from her head and reach most of the way down her body. She regards humanity with curiosity, as do many of her host.

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Archangel Imperius: Aspect of War and Valor, Leader of the Armies of Heaven, Forgemaster of Heaven. Imperius is familiarly argumentative and stubborn to a fault, his spear Solarion always at the ready, and craves nothing more than a good fight. He's the master strategist of Heaven, but will take advice from Malthael and Auriel. Argues with Tyrael tirelessly, seeing such debates as a battle to be won. He shares Malthael's dislike of the mortals of Sanctuary, although he doesn't quite go so far as to declare them prey or to actively hunt them. 

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Archangel Tyrael: Aspect of Justice, Judge of Heaven, Lord of the Courts, Bearer of El'druin. He resides over the judgement of both angels who break the laws of Heaven and demonic prisoners with the assistance of representatives from each of the four Courts of Justice. He and Imperius argue over many topics. Smitten with humanity, Tyrael is known to often venture to the surface and walk amongst mortals - much to Malthael's distaste and secret fear.

[hidden-heavens]

10.What objects do they always carry around with them? (What do they need for their normal, day-to-day routine? What does ‘normal’ even look like for them.) 

...Tyrael

Or Mert.

Or both if you're up for it

When in the Silver City and its surrounding areas, Tyrael doesn't really have much need to carry anything other than El'druin or a mother-of-pearl slate and light quill for taking notes during Council meetings. 

When he ventures up to the surface, however, he keeps an array of things on his person at all times. Quill and slate, El'druin, water, food, and a scrying mirror (much to the annoyance of a certain member of Malthael's brood). 

Heaven's local cryptid and Aspect of Death carries a surprising number of things with him for a mer. While most only carry their weapons, Malthael is known for carrying various vials, his signature scythes, at least two slates and quills (different colours for maximum note taking potential), an empty pouch for collecting any crystals or interesting rocks he might find, and on occasion the Chalice.

[dangergrandpa]

Merthael, being Death and needing to take armour on and off on an unpredictable basis, has a tendency to just summon soul energy to create ghostly gauntlets which are no less sharp than his canon gauntlet. This also allows for the webbing on his hands to remain undamaged from any potential rubbing of armour.

[hidden-heavens]

Does Merth have any special grooming rituals?

Generally, Malthael will give himself a quick clean down with a sponge. When he has the time, though…

There is a pool of brine, deep in Death’s territory. Not many know of it but Malthael and a select few of his angels, hidden as it is. The Aspect goes to the pool surrounded by microbial mats, clearing away new corpses from the edges where unfortunate fish and crustaceans had ventured too close. 

Once done, he sighs deeply, sets down a fresh sponge for cleaning and submerges himself tail first. The brine seeps into his gills and Malthael shivers, taking a last gasp of pure water before holding his breath and leaning against the edge. The chemicals contained in the brine are acidic and choking, killing any parasites in his scales and skin.

Were he of any other Aspect, it would cause severe damage but being Death has many advantages. When he begins to feel dizzy, the archangel drags himself out and takes a moment to breathe, clearing his gills of brine and scrubbing off the viscous fluid that clings to his form still. Then he takes a few more minutes to savour the feeling of the slow current flowing over his cleaned scales, nerves lighting up and bioluminescent cells flashing for a couple of seconds until his body adjusts to the increased sensitivity.

[dangergrandpa]

Done! Merthael is all drawn and coloured, I might? Shade him later? But for now this is he, Reaper of the Seas, sinker of boats, devourer of souls, etc.

[dangergrandpa]

Mer-DER 🗡

Tyrael puffs out his gills at Malthael, whose response is simply to tilt his head and chuckle deeply.

"I have told you many times before, brother: Stop killing the mortals!"

"No."