Silas, Ofanite of Creation, Angel of the (Musical) Rest

By William J. Keith

**Flaming
Feather**

Attributes: Bah, it's late and I have school tomorrow. ;^) Ridiculous Agility and Precision (GURPS, DX), decently high Intelligence and Perception (GURPS, IQ, Alertness), doesn't concentrate so much on Strength (GURPS, ST) or Body Hits (GURPS, HT). Tweak to fit. Plenty of Forces, though, since Silas is a powerful Word-Bound angel that's been around for a while.

Advantages: Perfect Balance, Imperturbable

Disadvantages: Only Judgment poking around him more than most angels...

Quirks: Laconic, -1

Attunements: Ofanite of Creation, Malakite of Creation, Ofanite of the Sword, Angel of the Rest

Angel of the Rest: On the first action performed after a wait equal to the length of time normally necessary to take the action, an angel with this Attunement gains a bonus to any necessary roll equal to their Forces in the Realm they currently inhabit. As a side effect, Silas gains no Choir Dissonance from stillness.

Rites:

Creation's Rites
Spend two hours in silence(below 5 dB): +1
Make an object more useful (for its intended purpose) by removing unnecessary parts: +1

Skills notes: very high Fencing, Administration, Musical Instrument(percussion). Middling skills with Teaching, Appreciate Beauty(unspecialized). Low levels of sundry useful modern skills, like Driving and Computer Use.

Equipment: As an old angel of Creation, Silas probably has a few useful knickknacks (read: stuff from basic Flaming Swords to a couple of weirdities from Eli himself) stashed around.

Silas was Wordbound before the Fall; it is extremely unlikely that such a Word would ever have been granted, especially to an Ofanite, afterwards. Judgment keeps a close eye on him, and not just because Silas serves Eli directly. However, the triads assigned the duty can feel kind of silly doing it, since between Eli's lack of Dissonance conditions, and his own ability to remain still, the chances of his Falling are virtually nil. Other Ofanim to whom he granted his Attunement would receive the same effect, but they rarely want it -- it takes a particular kind of personality to desire closer knowledge of this particular aspect of the Symphony, and Ofanim are rarely among them.

From Silas' point of view, however, The Rest is a perfect Word for an Ofanite. Ofanim don't just go crashing around at top speed all the time -- well, novices do, but they learn. And Ofanim certainly don't try to make the rest of the world go as fast as they do. That's for Calabim. No, the best Ofanim recognize the place of, shall we say, punctuation in their motion. They realize that a pause makes the music more effective. Without rests, music would be overwhelming. Without things like silence and darkness and cold, the noise and the brightness and the heat of the Universe would be unbearable. Some people think that "a break in the flow" is Calabite thinking; Silas tries to make them understand that a rest isn't a break, it's a part of the music.

Observing him in action can help convince you he's okay. Silas is the stereotypical Ofanite when it comes to action -- he can move at lightning speeds, think rapidly (and deeply, for that matter), and is a fearsome force on the battlefield. In fact, he's even better at it than many Ofanim, who have a bit of trouble with concepts like "stop-thrust," "feint," and "hold position." It also doesn't hurt that, spending a moment or two waiting for an enemy's blow, he's had enough time for his Attunement to kick in for a parry or counterthrust. The words "deadly grace" have been ascribed to him more than once.

In social arenas, Silas' abilities are equally notable. A great deal of diplomacy and counseling is knowing when to keep silent, and a keen awareness of his Word gives Silas an insight into this. While other Ofanim can have a tendency to micromanage, trying to do everything, Silas holds an appreciation of stepping back and letting underlings do the work.

Silas has always loyally served the Word of Creation, sure that his Archangel has good reasons for his current journey which will be revealed in due time. He greatly favors minimalist schools of art, especially Japanese traditions. Concepts of empty space and negative space delight him. He adores music of all kinds, and frequently focuses on music education when he has the chance to support human activities. Beyond this, Silas feels that his Word connects him to a vital part of the Symphony -- perhaps even to the very moment when an unending, perfect God created shape and form by delimiting part of the Symphony.

With an interpretation of his Word like this, it is no wonder that Silas aspires to Superiorhood. He continues to hone his administrative skills and makes political contacts, all the while exploring facets of his Word connecting him to all manner of pause, hiatus, and patience to be found in the Symphony. He developed the Rite last listed while seeking to understand the Rest in its guise as Simplicity.

Laurence has taken a liking to the Angel of the Rest, since Silas seems less flamboyant than many angels of Creation, and concepts of discipline as "timing" and "self-control" are embedded in the Word. He has given Silas his Ofanite Attunement and frequently uses him as a contact point for Creationers. Even so, Judgment remains watchful, not least because one other minor ability of Silas' is to enter Limbo and return freely without losing a Vessel....

**Flaming
Feather**

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