Rabisu
Angels of the wild.
The House of the Wild was granted dominion over every living thing that crawled,
ran, flew or slithered across the earth. As the wilderness spread across the
earth, the Angels of the Wild wove the countless strains of life into an intricate
tapestry of beauty, majesty and power. The Angels of the Wild fulfilled their
duties with solemn pride and a strong sense of personal honour, governing
their realm with justice and compassion.
The birth of humanity was a source of both wonder and consternation for the
Angels of the Wild. While God made it clear that mankind was meant to master
the wilderness and every living thing within it, they were completely ignorant
of its ways. This presented the angels with a paradox: Their duty was to protect
and preserve the wild, but the greatest threat to the natural order was the
ignorance of humankind, which they were forbidden to interfere with.
For all their reputation as impetuous, instinctual beasts, the Angels of the
Wild were the most reluctant of the Host to consider defying the will of Heaven.
In the end, though, those who joined the ranks of the fallen believed that
there was no other way to be true to their mandate. Once committed, however,
there were none braver or more devoted than the Devourers, who filled the
ranks of the rebel legions and fought their former comrades without quarter
across the length and breadth of Paradise. The Devourers were feared and respected
by both sides, and they never lost their belief in final victory, even at
the very end.
At first, the Devourers accepted their exile stoically, but separation from
the living world eventually took its toll. Worse, the disappearance of Lucifer
was a terrible blow to the spirit of the House as a whole, leading many to
feel a deep sense of betrayal. As their anger and pain grew, they reverted
more and more to their feral nature, trading reason and guilt for mindless
instinct.
Upon their escape from the Abyss, the Devourers were shocked to discover how
much the world had changed. The humans they fought and suffered for had forgotten
all they had been taught after the Fall, raping the world of its dwindling
resources and driving whole species into extinction. This realization was
the last stroke for many Devourers, who surrendered completely to their monstrous
urges in the desire to make mankind suffer for its crimes against nature.
For the rest, the pain of the dying earth was enough to shake them from their
fugue and spur them to restore the earth and pulling mankind back from the
brink of annihilation.
Factions: Devourers tend to fall into one of two factions, depending on how
well their convictions weathered the agonies of the Abyss. Many Devourers
still believe that their loyalty to Lucifer and the cause of the fallen must
still be honoured, and their newfound freedom comes with an obligation to
reform the ranks of the infernal legions and resume the war against Heaven.
Those who aren't Luciferans tend to become Raveners, as their sense of betrayal
after the war and humanity's destruction of nature drives them to seek bloody
vengeance on God's beloved children.
Outside these two factions, the next largest group of Devourers can be found
among the Reconcilers. The Devourers in their ranks tend to be those who are
weary of war and bloodshed, and feel that the only way they can atone for
their past crimes is to rebuild the gardens that time has destroyed.
Less common are Devourer Cryptics, though a significant number seek answers
to the manner of Lucifer's disappearance, both for the sake of their own honour
and out of respect for their lost leader. These Devourers enjoy more success
than might be expected, because other fallen frequently underestimate their
intelligence and cunning.
Rarest of all are Devourers who follow the call of the Faustians, simply because
deception is so foreign to their nature, and they chafe at the patience required
for elaborate schemes. Those who are loyal to the faction do so because they
believe that the only way to restore the earth is to subjugate mankind.
Prelude: On the surface, it would seem that Devourers would be drawn to people
such as soldiers, drug dealers, gang members, or police officers, individuals
who have eroded their souls through lives of violence. Yet they are also drawn
to stockbrokers, sales persons, fire fighters and political activists - individuals
who pit themselves against enormous odds and are often emotionally scarred
by the experience.
Unsurprisingly, Devourers are also drawn to hosts who share an obsession to
protect - or exploit - animals and nature. An environmental activist whose
zealous crusades have cost him his own humanity or a cold-hearted poacher
are equally likely possibilities, depending on the demon's personality.
Faith: Devourers are masters of the art of reaped Faith.
Indeed, their impulsive nature makes them more comfortable with such short-term
gains than nearly any other demon.
Low-Torment Devourers are usually careful to restrict their reaping to criminals
or individuals who by their actions are actively destructive to their environment.
Even then, they avoid killing the individual if possible, preferring to gain
Faith through acts of pain or terror in the hopes that the victim will take
the experience as a warning and mend his ways.
High-Torment Devourers are less discriminate when choosing their victims.
Anyone, even mortals who are sympathetic toward the demon's cause, can be
a target. Faith is Faith, and such demons will take it wherever they find
it, usually killing the victim in the process.
Devourers are drawn toward strong, aggressive individuals as thralls. They
can be individuals who are no strangers to violence, such as gang members,
soldiers or cops. Conversely they can be driven intellectuals, political activists,
corporate raiders or entrepreneurs. When it comes to thralls, Devourers have
no use for the weak or timid.
Character Creation: It's no surprise that the feral Devourers
favour Physical Attributes above all, but Mental Attributes come in a close
second. Many Devourers have at least two dots in Alertness, Animal Ken, Brawl,
Dodge, Intimidation, Survival and Stealth. They may also inherit dots in Firearms
and Melee from their hosts.
The less-common socially oriented Devourers tend to have high Intimidation
and Leadership Abilities, as well as knowledge appropriate to their profession.
These Abilities are often balanced out with some degree of athletics, but
combat-oriented Abilities are less common, at least initially.
Devourers draw upon a variety of backgrounds. Thralls are a favoured choice,
forming a pack that the demon calls upon when needed. Additionally they may
also have allies and contacts to help them out, usually inherited from the
host. More social Devourers may have careers in which they wield influence
and have high Resources ratings.
Starting Torment: 4
House Lore: Lore
of the Beast, Lore
of the Flesh, Lore
of the Wild.
Visages: Zaltu,
the Visage of the Beast, Ninurtu,
the Visage of the Wild, Aruru,
the Visage of Flesh
Weaknesses: Devourers have never been known for their tact,
and most never know when to keep their big mouths shut. In situations where
diplomacy is essential, Devourers can be brutally honest and quick to anger,
prone to starting fights at the slightest provocation. It's fairly common
for a Devourer to make a delicate situation worse simply by showing up.
Because of their lack of social skills, many Devourers can be easily manipulated.
Some demons trick them into serving as bodyguards or assassins by playing
of their sense of honour and obligation. Such manipulations are not without
risk, however, for if the Devourer ever sees through the charade, he won't
hesitate to seek immediate and bloody revenge.
Stereotypes
Devils: During the war, Devourers respected the Devils as
noble leaders who sacrificed so much for the cause. Their mortal connections
are respected, and they always seem to have opportunities for combat.
Scourges: On the field of battle, Devourers would rather
fight with the Scourges than against them. The suffering that their power
inflicts, however, alienates all but the most Tormented Devourer.
Malefactors: The Devourers enjoy a close kinship with the
Malefactors, going back to the days when the two Houses worked hand-in-hand
prior to the Fall. Devourers respect and admire the demons of the earth, and
consider them friends until proven otherwise.
Fiends: The Devourers have little patience and less understanding
for the Fiends and their arcane pursuits. The movement of the planets and
the groupings of stars seem trivial compared to the visceral joy of the hunt.
Defilers: Devourers love the Defilers for their passion and
inspiration, but their mercurial nature exasperates the steady, driven Devourer.
Slayers: The Devourers treat the Slayers with an equal amount
of respect and pity, admiring their dedication to an onerous and painful calling.