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For thousands of years the people of the world have consciously and unconsciously relied upon guiding spirits. They are most often associated with a faith or religion; however, this is by no means necessary. In fact, outsiders rather than practitioners generally label belief systems as a faith or religion. Furthermore, it should be noted that some theories, such as animal spirit guides or demons, are embraced by more than one belief system. The nuances of cultures and belief systems make for variations to choose from in almost any type of spirit guide.
Keeping this in mind, biographical summaries for any SanctuaryME guiding spirit character should be well researched in the appropriate folklore, historical, and/or canonical texts. Any bio submission that is based upon belief systems created specifically for modern fiction or role playing games will be returned for revision.
Sanctuary authors are most likely to deal with belief systems that are more than a century old. The characters are also more likely to function as NPCs due to the tendency to be on earth for short-term assignments. Some guiding spirits may exist in a humanoid form and some may take a humanoid form in order to interact with humans.
The abilities and weaknesses of guiding spirits are, of course, dependent upon the origin and specific function of the character. Although society may refer to the guiding spirits of other belief systems as gods, their followers often do not consider them as such. Weaknesses can and do exist for these characters. An example would be the susceptibility of some demons to exorcism. As always, research is the key to creating an accurate character.
The most important guideline for creating a guiding spirits character is that if you can give an example of the character type in valid texts and have researched it well, the end product will be true to form and most assuredly well-received by the CA (Character Admin). In keeping with this, the examples used here are not the only options for guiding spirits characters in Sanctuary. These illustrations have been chosen because they fittingly depict various possibilities and lend themselves to the setting of SanctuaryME.
Each section includes a brief explanation of the guiding spirit, which you will want to supplement with your own research. It also includes a fictional depiction of each character type as a demonstration. Fictional representations are either excerpted from previous Sanctuary stories and used by permission of the authors or written by the CA for the guidelines.
Angels are Judeo-Christian spirits created by the Lord. The term refers to an office, which is why Lucifer and his demons are still referred to as angels, even though they have fallen from God’s graces. Within the office of angels, there are nine orders of angels divided into three hierarchies.
The first tier of the hierarchy includes the Seraphim, Cherubim and Thrones. Dominations, Virtues and Powers make up the second tier and the third consists of the Principalities, Archangels and Angels.
Guardians are assigned to one person for his or her lifetime, and will remain on Earth for much longer periods of time. Higher-ranking angels rarely visit Earth. They usually have special roles or commissions that they are assigned by God. A good example of this would be the purposes of Uriel, the Angel of Death and Metatron, the Voice of God.
Angels typically help by giving advice, performing protective actions, and interceding with God on behalf of sinners. Magic-users may invoke the protection of angels when performing ritual magic.
Translated into Sanctuary:
Guardian angels:
The Angel that watched them left finally and manifested on the roof of the small cottage, swinging her combat booted feet over the edge. She had short black hair that was spiked into a dangerous halo about her pixie like features and her large purple eyes were framed in tons of black eyeliner. Dressed in a short black leather mini and a short half top with netting over top and a battered motorcycle jacket, she looked the total antipathy of a Guardian Angel. She felt even less so, she reflected to herself as she lit a cigarette and blew the acrid smoke into the cold night air.
"Don't you think you should be down below--with her, I mean?" Tomiel, dressed in his trademark ripped jeans and T-shirt sat down beside her. "Tori, can't you do something with her?" This last was almost a plea. He was afraid Nadia would screw Drew up even further.
Toriel sighed and blew a smoke ring. "Like it's that easy? And *you* should talk...Dru-el's mouth should come with a warning label..." The voice had all Jersey in it's accent and resonance. Odd considering that she hadn't been born there. Even odder still since she hadn't been *born* at all. "Ashrendel did a decent mop up job in human form and I thought she'd pull through...I dunno..." Her shoulders slumped in resignation.
"He prefers to be called Drew..." Tomiel took the cigarette from her fingers and took a drag. "She looks long-term. Gonna be a constant battle all her life. Unless she finds a little faith and comes to some kind of peace with herself...I don't think brief moments will do it."
--From “Up On Rooftops, Angels Pause”, written by Barbara Akers and Nici Race, used with permission
Higher-ranking Angels:
Metatron squatted near the arm and sighed once more.
"Too late. He's gone on." Another Angel sat atop the ruins of the pub. His clothing was that favored by the locals. Jet black hair and blue eyes graced a perfect face. But then, he was an Angel. He was supposed to look perfect. "I'm waiting on another."
"Ah." Metatron's normally somber, but still perfect face got no cheerier as he stood and looked at the Angel before him. "What a mess they can make of things, these lovely creatures He created. Do you think you'll be waiting long? He can't last much longer surely?"
"He's not human. He'll last longer. I'm estimating another half hour. By the time they dig nearly halfway down to him, he'll be beyond help. What brings the Voice of God my way? Surely He's not displeased with me? I can explain about that opened window."
Metatron actually smiled. "I just bet you can--did Mary ask you to let in some more?" He approached him and sat next to him, crossing the rubble easily and gracefully. He arranged his black raincoat around him as he joined Uriel on the pile, his soft brown eyes scanning their surroundings. "They've been talking, you know? Your interest in that city that seems to draw you like a lodestone."
"Well, it does. But then, I did have a job to do there. And it was an interesting vacation spot. Who's talking? Michael?" Uriel waved it off as of no consequence.
--From “Angels in the Garden of Flesh”, by Barbara Akers and Nici Race, used with permission
A Bodhisattva is an individual on the path to Awakening. The Mahayana describes them as having compassionately delayed their own enlightenment in order to assist all other beings. It is believed they will thus attain the ultimate enlightenment, or Bodhi. Other schools of Buddhism have similar beings, however they are not usually referred to as Bodhisattvas.
In non-Mahayana Buddhism, it refers to Maitreya, the Buddha of the Future, or the historical Buddha Gautama, prior to his enlightenment. Regardless of the school of Buddhism you select for your guiding spirit, it will be associated with an appropriate Jataka, or birth story.
The Jataka is the story of the lives of the Bodhisattva, or how they were born and came to be enlightened. As with any other historical portion of a bio, it does not have to be overly detailed and thus hamper a character’s development; general description will suffice.
Translated into Sanctuary:
Ksitigarbha is the master of the six worlds of desire and the six destinies of rebirth. His role as a Bodhisattva is to comfort beings in hell by relieving the burdens of evil actions, obtaining alleviation from the judges of hell for the condemned, and consoling them during their stay in Hell.
Ksitigarbha was a reassuring presence in Timothy’s mind. Sifting through the young man’s memories he seemed to peel away layers of negative thoughts and deeds from Timothy’s life. One by one, he began to shoulder them himself. Although Timothy had not escaped the Hell in which he currently existed, it was not as horrifying as it had originally been.
“How much longer?” he dared to ask.
An ethereal form appeared next to him. “I will speak to the judges for you,” Ksitigarbha replied.
--written by Laura Masters, Guiding Spirits CA Demons have been described historically as evil spirits, divine beings in Greece that are both malignant and beneficial, or even the fallen angels of the Judeo-Christian religion. They are summoned, sent, or appear by their own will depending upon the belief system to which they pertain. They can be hierarchical and at odds with their fellow demons. Love, affection, loyalty, or other virtues may or may not exist for them. Some are capable of possessing humans. Some examples of demons are: Incubus and succubus, male and female demons who feed off of sexual energy produced by having intercourse with humans. This helps them to maintain their human form and is also done to corrupt. Daevas, demons who cause plagues and diseases as well as fight every form of religion. Their root is in Persian mythology. Sholmos, evil humanoid demons from Mongolian mythology. Eudemons, the beneficial “divine powers” thought by the Greeks to act as guardians or intermediaries between men and the gods. Hisa-Me, female demons of death in the Japanese underworld. Translated into Sanctuary: *You are nothing without me,* offered the corrupter in an oily voice. A quiver of fear ran through the lean handsome black man, but his face showed nothing. You didn't survive on the streets or deal drugs for as long as he had by letting your face give anything away. *I wish access to the ley lines. The longer that you dally, the harder it will be to wrest it from them.* The venom in its voice let him know on no uncertain terms that them meant the alliance of Morgan and Loren Devon. The demon had ranted about them over the last few days. Thomas' mental voice was placating. *If we run in without a plan, we going to be like your last boy: dead. You want that, we go after 'em now. Maybe this time, you'll find someone else that can pick up your ring and keep you from falling into their hands. I'm sure they be real gentle to you.* *You forget yourself. You are a servant, not an equal.* A burning spear of pain curled his hand around the ring. He must have let out a squeak of pain, because the blonde that was showing him the condo turned toward him. Her mouth opened and closed, but he didn't hear anything over the scream he was holding in. "Water...," he managed. "Can I get a glass of water?" He stumbled against the counter and leaned heavily. She scurried into the kitchen and got him a glass of water. "Are you all right?" "Fine. It'll pass. I have to go to the dentist this afternoon - it'll be taken care of then." He sipped the water, pushing down the pain. She prattled on about her husband's wisdom teeth. Thomas nodded and continued his inner dialogue. *You made your point.* --from “Busy Busy Busy”, by Jp, used with permission Loa are spiritual beings of the voodoo belief system that are neither good nor evil. They are not deities, but rather lesser entities that are more accessible. Some loa protect or inhabit specific places, such as cemeteries, the sea, and crossroads. Others are ancestral spirits. They fall into one of three main groups: the Rada, the Ghedes, or the Petro. Groups and/or specific loa have characteristics such as sacred numbers, colors, days, ceremonial foods, speech mannerisms, and ritual objects. Loa communicate with humans, usually priests or priestesses, through dreams, unusual incidents, or trance possession. The priest or priestess is referred to as a “horse” or a “mount” and the loa is said to “ride” him or her. Possession is considered customary and the relationship between loa and voodoo practitioners is viewed as mutually beneficial. Through the horse, the loa may sing, dance, or give advice. Possession is complex. It generally requires specific rituals to call the loa. Also of note, is that not all loa speak directly to people through their mounts. It is not unheard of for loa to communicate only through actions or limited vocalizations. Horses function as a vehicle and only the loa’s personality and traits are exhibited during trance possession. Translated into Sanctuary: The moment should have been humorous. ‘Nessa watched as Samuel crawled around on the ground like a snake. She shook her head. She had met him in the square many months before. She and several others were taking a brief holiday from the dig. Everyone else had been wary of him, even scared. She herself had only been intrigued. After several summer months visiting with him, she had been told she could attend the ceremony. She wasn’t sure what she had been expecting. This definitely hadn’t been it, though. It was surprising enough when he had dropped to the ground. Possessed by Dambala, Samuel made his way towards a tree and began climbing up the trunk. ‘Nessa gasped, realizing he wasn’t using his hands or feet for purchase on the bark. Ticia, who was sitting beside her, gripped her hand and reassured her. “Dat’s normal. Don go worryin’ for nothin’.” She nodded in response, but couldn’t take her eyes from Samuel throughout the rest of the ceremony. -- written by Laura Masters, Guiding Spirits CA Totem animals function as messengers, teachers, and guides. They provide strength, wisdom, insight, and power. Totem animals do not always appear in their true form. In the Otherworld, they may appear to shamans in a human form. An individual may interact with a variety of totem animals for different durations of time over the course of their lifetime; however, typically a person receptive to animal spirit guides will develop a special relationship with one specific totem animal. This totem animal will remain with them throughout their life’s journey. Totem animals are sought through vision questing, dreaming, dancing, and drumming, although there are other methods, as well. Translated into Sanctuary: "Jenny, listen to me. In a lot of ways it's true that Alex is moon to your sun, but don't get carried away with that. He won't always be content to reflect back your light. Give him a chance to shine on his own." "That's really trite." "Hey, I'm a totem spirit. Sometimes the material is a little hokey. So sue me. My point is that balance isn't stagnant. Think of the two of you like yin and yang. Sure, you're yang, the fighter, the Knight of Swords. Alex is the healer and the caretaker. But that's not the whole story. You're both more than that. Balance is dynamic. You'll both change. Don't try to keep it from happening. Won't work." "Doesn't mean I have to like it," Jen said glumly. "He needs protecting, that's what I'm around for. I guess I worry that he might not need me otherwise." "Well, that gives him a lot of credit." "Look, did you come here to harass me about my love life? Because I have a more pressing problem at the moment." "Right. Death. Where were we?" Dragonfly settled lightly on the stone next to Jen's. "Yes, you were wondering 'why'? Talk about trite." "So what's the answer? I haven't heard one yet." "You won't like it much. It's fairly abstract." "It's okay. I'm feeling kinda abstract tonight." -- from “In the Garden”, by Kelly Rhodes, used with permission Helpful Hints: These are intended as helpers for research and creation of a bio. While they coincide with the rules, they should not necessarily be considered as “musts”. Guiding spirits, though often touted as beneficial, or neither good nor evil, can and may be malignant. When researching your character you will invariably find conflicting opinions; because of this it is very helpful to make sure that one of the sources you consult is written by a practitioner. The opinions of anthropologists are likely the next most reliable source. Sources written by what practitioners might term an “outsider” are not necessarily invalid, but they are often influenced by the author’s own beliefs. Keeping this in mind will simply speed the research process and avoid possible confusion. Internet research is convenient and can provide wonderful resources, however it can repeatedly turn up web sites that are sparsely written or patently false. If you’re having problems with this, try a site such as About.com that employs ‘experts' to weed through sites for you. You will probably have the most success researching (specifically with papers and books) by looking up the associated belief system.
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