The Third House were the makers of form, the shapers of Creation. They defined spatial relationships, the paths from one place to another. Theirs is the power to shape the earth, create paths and to make astonishing artifacts.
Beings of earth and magnificent gifts.
Favored Attributes Intelligence, Strength, Dexterity
House Lore: Lore of the Earth, Lore of the Forge, Lore of Paths
As Angels: On the third day, The Creator separated the seas from the land, and He gave stewardship of the land to the Artificers. These Celestials governed, and loved the earth and all that lay within it. To them was given an affinity with soil, stone and most especially, with metal.
Antu, the Visage of Paths is one of the Apocalyptic Forms available to the Annunaki.
The Antu take on a very subtle Visage that looks quite human in daylight; evening reveals deep lines that form patterns on their form. Antu can move their bodies and hands quickly, have an unerring sense of direction, and extremely sharp senses. When consumed by their Torment, Antu become erratic and physically unstable, with echoing voices, fluctuating proportions and a blurred outline. They also tend to pull those around them into states of confusion and uncertainty. Unlike most of the Fallen, the Antu do not manifest wings when they transform as they never needed them to perform their duties nor did they need them when they lost the war in Heaven as they knew they would fall into Hell.
Many do not give the Antu enough credit for their work; many think of them as literal trailblazers. However, along with simple trails, the Antu were responsible for the currents of air and water and the abilities of humans and animals to travel. The angels of the elements, the Adad, the Ellil, and the Kishar were particularly close in these endeavours, helping the Antu see their visions through. Many of the Antu who have escaped the Abyss are troubled at the distinct lack of direction many humans have developed; some seek to help them find their way while others wish to confuse things further.
Image: The Angels of the Path look closely like humans with deeply tanned skin, as though they'd spent a lifetime in the sun, and deep intricate lines also cover their skin. At night these lines reflect the moonlight in ghostly traces that seem to shift and realign themselves as the angel speaks.
Torment: Monstrous Antu cannot conceal the path lines crisscrossing their faces, they stand out as angry cuts of black and red against their tanned skin. The air shifts and trembles around them when they speak, and their eyes cast reflections of long roads covered over in ash and blood.
(In ancient Mesopotamia, Antu was a goddess and the first consort of Anu, the king of heaven. She is the mother of the Annunaki, among others.)
Kishar, the Visage of the Earth is one of the Apocalyptic Forms available to the Fallen, specifically those of the House of Annunaki.
Angelic Kishar appear like hairless giants made of living earth, with gemstones for eyes. They are extremely strong, can see in the dark, and are immune to blunt trauma. They also tend to reflect where they once worked by taking on the colors and textures of the stone and dirt they shaped. When they become consumed with Torment, Kishar grow spines and additional arms, and a foul sap drips from their bodies. Most of their enhancements in their dark natures are purely physical; for all their diligence, the Kishar are not subtle.
Although many consider the Kishar to be simple and primal, further examination shows that the Kishar were responsible for the complex land masses and land formations of the world. Because of the slow nature of their work, many Kishar have extreme amounts of patience towards any task they set themselves to; in spite of all they accomplished, most of them were surprisingly humble. Few Kishar joined the rebellion; those who did served as powerful warriors who mastered using their elements to attack, like many other angels of the elements.
Image: These angels manifest as towering figures with earth toned skin that ranges from a creamy brown to pitch black, and they appear as though hewn from stone, on a frame devoid of soft flesh. The Kishar are hairless, and the irises of their eyes have the clarity and color of gemstones. The air about them smells of freshly turned earth, rich with the promise of life.
Torment: Monstrous Kishar are vicious and misshapen, horns rise from their heads like a bulls. Their skin becomes cold with sharp protrusions, and fissured with deep cracks. Their voices take on the foreboding of a shifting boulder balanced above.
(In ancient Sumerian mythology, Kishar was, appropriately, a goddess of the Earth. She is both the sister and wife of Anshar, a sky god.)
Mummu, Visage of the Forge is one of the Apocalyptic Forms avaliable to the Fallen, specifically those of the House of Annunaki.
The Mummu are giants of black iron with veins of red-hot blood. Their craftsmanship is unsurpassed, and they are completely immune to heat or cold. Once they become consumed with Torment, they turn into four-armed monstrosities with steel-like skin and serrated claws. Pure chaos writhes around them.
Like some of the other Visages, the Mummu could not exist until the Fallen violated God's decree and made contact with man. Prior to that, those who eventually became Mummu tended to work with the Zaltu and the Mammetum to show humans how to build and master their domains through the example of animals. Adam even managed to build a sling, and use it, but when he forgot how the next day, the frustrated Mummu-to-be decided to rebel. They became the weaponsmiths of the war, forging the tools that their fellow Fallen would use to destroy their enemies. Many were driven crazy after being cast into the Abyss because there was nothing for them to create or create with.
Image: The angels of the forge appear almost as statues hammered from the black iron of the earth, and their eyes shine like disks of burnished brass. Their voices are deep, like the roar of a furnace. When in their Apocalyptic Form, the Mummu are immune to extremes of fire. They can handle hot coals as mortals do ice cubes.
Torment: Tormented Mummu are cruel looking nightmarish creatures with serrated spikes, surrounded by a haze of smoldering brimstone. Their eyes are twin globes of roiling fire, and wherever they go, electrical devices break down; lights flicker and radios are afflicted with static.
(Mummu was the ancient god of the mists, and eventually became god of craftsmen in ancient Babylonian. He also advised his father, Apsu.)
The Pitt: When the rebels lost the war and were imprisoned in Hell, the Malefactors found it difficult to cope, separated from the earth that was their reason for being. They became cold and withdrawn, preferring careful, calculated acts of vengeance and cruelty to brash upheavals of wanton rage.
The Return: Released from Hell, Malefactors find themselves in a world transformed. Humanity has finally embraced the use of tools and become a race
of makers, but in doing so, they have ravaged the earth and left it wounded and unloved.
Possession: Malefactors gravitate toward souls that are as emotionally damaged as their own. Those feeling something lacking in their lives; drug addicts, the ugly or disfigured, people who cling to abusive spouses or teenagers trying to modify themselves with tattoos and piercings. Also, those more comfortable with machines than other people.
Factions: Most Malefactors are Faustians. Using their penchant for manipulating humans with their poisoned chalices and cursed gifts. Reconcilers form the next largest group, for all their attempts to stop caring about the world, these demons can never truly sever their link to the land and nature. Cryptics bend their natural cunning and intelligence toward unraveling the mysteries of the war and the Fall. For many Malefactors, this often keeps them from directcontact with people. Luciferan Malefactors are not very common. Most were too damaged to retain faith in their lost leader. As for Raveners, very few acquire a taste for pure destruction, but when theydo they are often exceedingly wicked.