By CeIestiaI7@aol.com
I'm currently working on a series of NPC celestials (angels), each of whom holds a particular Sacrament as their Word. I'm not familiar with any such series to date, so I thought I'd give it a try. For those not familiar with the Seven Holy Sacraments, they are: Baptism, Confirmation, Holy Eucharist, Penance, Anointing the Sick, Holy Orders, and Matrimony. I have a few ideas for each of them and will post each as I finish it. If you have any *must see* ideas, send them to my private email address. Otherwise, I'd rather just have public discussion on what I've already posted. So here's part two...
Corporeal Forces - 3 Strength 4 Agility 8 Ethereal Forces - 5 Intelligence 10 Precision 10 Celestial Forces - 4 Will 8 Perception 8
Human/2 (Adult Female); Role: Nurse/1
Human/2 (Adult Male); Role: Priest/2
Artistry (Quilting)/4, Knowledge (Child Development)/3, Medicine/6, Singing/4
Healing (Corporeal/1, Ethereal/3, Celestial/3), Light (Corporeal/2), Tongues (Ethereal/6)
Elohite of Destiny, Ofanim of Destiny, Divine Destiny, Divine Logic
"Adrienne is such a pretty name. Tell me, how did you ever think of it?" Tebaliah asked as she cooed at the baby through the incubator.
"Actually we've been calling her that since...wait. We haven't even told the nurses! How did you know?" the child's father demanded.
Tebaliah shrugged, "She looks like an Adrienne. Tell me...Patrick, isn't it? Have you and Lucy thought of baptizing her?"
Pat shrugged and ran his hand through his hair, "Honestly, we haven't had time to think about it. I mean, all the tests they've been doing, the doctors in and out. You know -- it's just one more thing. I don't know if she could take the ceremony. Besides, we aren't particularly religious people. God and I aren't exactly on a first name basis."
Tebaliah took the man's hand and smiled gently, "Oh, I don't know. The ceremony is very simple. Most children sleep through it. And as for you and Him...well, maybe your daughter could facilitate a meeting. I mean, He'll be there too, at the baptism - in Spirit," she added.
A nurse walked in and checked the heart monitor at the child's incubator. She looked up to Pat and smiled, "Pat, would you like to hold your daughter?"
Pat took the infant from the open crib and held her nervously. He kissed her forehead and wept quietly, "You just got here and now they tell me that you'll be leaving us soon." He looked over at the Elohite. "Can you arrange for her to be baptized today?"
"Of course," said Tebaliah, "I'll speak with Him immediately."
Few of the Host are as compassionate as Tebaliah. She is gentle and caring to a fault, for her charges are the newest and brightest hope for the Symphony at large. Her Word is the Water. It is the Water of Life, the Water Which Purifies, the Water Which Quenches the Soul. Of all the Sacraments, Tebaliah's Word remains the strongest. Few children these days are not presented to the Almighty in some manner or another. The Word of the Water is flexible, in that any similar ceremony of presentation fulfills the spirit of the Word (a bris, for example).
Tebaliah was created by Yves several centuries ago. Soon after her introduction into celestial society, she was given her Word. Older, "more deserving" angelics were simply outraged that such an upstart would be given a Word of such import. Laurence in particular, was furious with Yves, for Yves, Laurence believed, knew full well of Laurence's intention to petition one of his own Host to the Council. The young angel took all the attention in stride and performed her duty most notably.
Today she is most honored among the Word-bound. It is by her ministrations that young souls are led into the Flock. With experience, she has learned to identify those infants with the potential to become Soldiers of God. These favored children are immediately given a cherubic guardian of the Water until they reach they age of Confirmation (for most, this is at age 13). Of course, not all with this potential can be afforded such a blessing, only those selected by Tebaliah herself.
Tebaliah has been haunting the darkened halls of the Infant ICU as of late. The increase of infants born with substance addictions, and subsequent health concerns has hastened the need for the cleansing of the Original Sin from their young souls. She doesn't necessarily buy the Original Sin gig, but touting the Party Line seems to keep the hard-liners off her back.