Zhaal, Allies of Heaven
The car burned, the child inside wailed, and the young couple screamed in frustration as they yanked futilely at the crumpled door with burnt hands, trying to get in. Then a bear of a man in a fireman's protective clothing pulled them away effortlessly, before ripping the door out with a grunt of effort and a shriek of tortured metal. Gently extricating the child the fireman ushered all three over to the ambulance that had just screeched to a halt, paramedics leaping out, before stepping off to one side. Nobody recalled seeing him leave.
Thirty seconds later, the car completely engulfed in flames, the fire truck arrived with sirens blaring.
Ancient spirits given form as protectors of the innocent and righteous, the Zhaal's cooperation with the Celestial Host was dealt a painful blow by Uriel's Crusade; many died protecting or rescuing Ethereals from the Archangel's madness. Still, their good works caused many a Celestial to turn a blind eye where they could, while Zhaal sneaked the more benign Ethereals to the Far Marches, rather than follow Uriel's wishes unbendingly. These strange guardians can sense a mortal in danger, even before the event, and can lend their strength in that person's moment of need.
Much fewer in number now than they once were, the Zhaal still serve alongside the Host, acting both as servants of Angels, especially the Cherubim, and independantly (often following Novalis, though some also follow Janus, Eli, Yves and a few Jordi, Gabriel and Jean). Zhaal who follow Dominic, Laurence or Michael are very rare, if only because Zhaal have long memories where advocates of the Crusade are concerned...
Nature:Zhaal are among the more exotic of spirits, having no permanent physical form. Intangible presences existing in the boundary between the Corporeal and Ethereal realms, they are able to slip from one to the other with relative ease (roll Will); they cannot however Ascend or Descend on their own. With an effort of Will they can temporarily manifest a "Vessel" equal to their Forces in the appropriate realm for a number of minutes equal to the check digit (extra minutes require Essence on a one-for-one basis). After their vessel disappears, Zhaal are unable to manifest for the same duration (not including Essence). Zhaal cannot normally demanifest early; they must wait for the vessel's note in the Symphony to end. Note that in the Celestial realm, they are always tangible (and vulnerable) whether they will it or not.
If they are endeavouring to protect someone in imminent danger of death, their roll to manifest is at +2. Regardless, most mortals simply fail to notice the exact moment and manner of the vessel's appearance and disappearance, though Soldiers may make a Perception roll to realise what actually happened. Cameras and the like experience "technical difficulties".
Intangibility:When you think you feel a presence behind you only to turn around finding nothing there, chances are you just noticed an intangible Zhaal. When not manifest, Zhaal float on the edge of the Corporeal or Ethereal realms, able to observe and move around but otherwise unable to communicate or interact without the use of Songs (save for other intangible Zhaal). They are difficult to spot - a Perception roll to sense their presence is required, with a check digit of 4+ needed to actually be able to see them; mundanes need the CD of 4+ simply to sense them, and cannot see them at all. Intangible, Zhaal look like vague blobs of glowing mist. Some celestials claim that you can tell them apart by minor differences of hue and intensity.
Resonance:Zhaal can instinctively sense (with a Perception roll) nearby people about to be mortally endangered, such that if they immediately follow this instinct they can arrive up to a minute before the calamity. While they can recognise those at risk on sight, only a successful Perception roll once on the scene gives them an idea of the mortal danger about to be faced, with the amount and precision of the information proportional to the check digit: a one might give "struck by gunshot", while a six might give "a blue car will drive past from the left and a demon inside will shoot at the mortal as he steps out of the grocery store".
"Mortal danger" applies to any situation in which serious injury, trauma or death is likely and imminent for a mortal. Supernaturals in mortal danger do not normally trigger this resonance. Possessed mortals are a special case: imminent danger or not, a Zhaal may perceive that a mortal is possessed and on a high check digit gain an idea of by what (if the Zhaal fails, in a number of minutes equal to the CD the Zhaal gets another chance to detect the possession).
Zhaal who serve Jordi have a slightly different Resonance - they sense animals in mortal danger from those who are not animals (eg, humans, celestials, etc). Finally, as Zhaal are guardians of the innocent and righteous, those who choose to serve the ambitions of Hell (whether they believe in demons or not) place themselves beyond the resonance of the Zhaal. Thus, someone in imminent danger of being shot because they tried to mug someone (who has a gun) is unlikely to be noticed by a Zhaal.
Dissonance:Acquired by ignoring the nature of their Resonance unless doing so would endanger another person; they can do violence to a mortal without suffering Dissonance only to protect another being from harm*. Thus, a Zhaal of Novalis witnessing a gunfight between police and criminals would try to keep bystanders from harm, a Zhaal of Gabriel would charge heroically into the fray, and a Zhaal of Jordi would be looking for animals to protect. Zhaal do not have Fallen counterparts; for a Zhaal to Fall means an end to their existance - in effect, Falling is suicide. Zhaal are subject to the Dissonance conditions of the Superior they follow.
*the GM should keep in mind the nature of the Superior followed: some Zhaal are far less tolerant than others and tend to behave more like Gabriel's Malakim (an eye for an eye and then some) than Novalis's Cherubim (keeping the victim safe is good enough). Also remember that Zhaal are protectors of the innocent and righteous, not all mortals in general.
Disturbance:When manifesting a temporary Vessel to rescue someone in mortal danger, Zhaal may also choose a temporary Role/1 suitable to the Vessel and occasion (eg, fireman, police officer, doctor, etc); this Role masks the manifestation and any physical Disturbance caused by the Zhaal in the performance of its task, but has the usual limitations where Songs and Essence are concerned.
Vulnerabilities:Using a Song of Possession on the vessel of a Zhaal causes it to demanifest, sending the Zhaal back to the boundary between the Marches and Earth and leaving the singer in celestial form where the Zhaal's vessel used to be. A song of Thunder that stuns a Zhaal also disrupts its note of manifestation in the Symphony, causing their Vessel to dissolve and hurling them back into the boundary between the Marches and Earth; they cannot manifest again for at least a number of hours equal to the check digit. If physically killed, the Zhaal don't experience Trauma as celestials are familiar with the term, but the shock is sufficient to disperse their consciousness for a number of hours equal to the check digit of the attack.
Other Notes:Zhaal typically have anywhere from six to nine Forces, usually with high Corporeal Forces and equal Ethereal and Celestial Forces, favouring Precision over Intelligence. Songs of Shields, Healing and Motion are common, as is Tongues and/or Ethereal Form. They may buy one level of Charisma for their temporary Vessel (the Charisma applies to the Vessel whenever it is manifest). They may buy a "permanent" Role, though such can be hard to maintain when you have to disappear every few minutes (literally). Choir attunements cost 6 points, Servitor Attunements 12 points. Like angels, Zhaal gain essence at sunrise.