From Unofficial Handbook of the Virtue Universe

Contents 1 Background 1.1 Hashmal 1.2 Fallen 1.3 New Life 1.4 The Final Order 1.5 Dissolution and Reconstitution

Background

Hashmal

Azazyel was created in heaven millennia ago. He did his duties diligently for most of his existence. Four thousand years ago he attained the station of Hashmal, administrator of Heaven and curator of the cosmos. He was sent to Earth on a minor task and for the first time directly experienced humanity. He was intrigued. Even after he returned to his station in Heaven, his attention remained distracted by what he saw on Earth.

While he had not stepped outside his bounds, he had entertained the thought from time to time. When he was called to judge a case of an angel for interfering with human affairs outside the laws so defined, Azazyel refused to pass judgement. For this he was banished from Heaven. When he found himself Fallen on Earth, he also found himself cursed. He was unable to experience positive emotions such as joy and pleasure.

Fallen

He took on the name Azazyel (not to be confused with Azazel or Azrael) and began a vendetta against Earth. He blamed the planet for tempting him and sought its destruction. While destroying the planet itself proved to be difficult, he was able to get humans to fight each other. Admittedly, it was not a difficult task, as the humans were prone to violence.

His mission to cause the annihilation of the human race and the destruction of their planet, however, seemed a futile one. Add to that the fact that he gained no pleasure from the vengeance. He almost gave up his vendetta and existence when he was approached by a sorceror. This sorceror was a master in dark arts never meant to fall into the hands of humans. But this human wielded the powers adeptly and he knew what Azazyel was and all about his predicament.

The Dark Sorceror offered a trade: He needed the feather of a Fallen Angel, freely given. In exchange he would offer Azazyel a means of experiencing the very emotions he had Fallen for. Azazyel was too smart to agree to the offer at face value, however. Such a feather, freely given, could be used to bind him. He agreed to the trade. However, after he had been taught the means to steal emotions, he turned on the Dark Sorceror, draining the man of those emotions he desired then cut his head off. He left the sorceror in his study, a bloody testament to the trustworthiness of a Fallen Angel.

New Life

Using this newfound skill, Azazyel became something of an emotion vampire. He seduced people into partaking in great pleasures only to steal the very sensations he offered. Through the ages he managed many different schemes aimed at gathering different emotional responses. He sought out physical pleasure as the financier of a brothel. He sought out love as a poet and musician. He sought out satisfaction as a trader.

After a a few centuries, he tired of the pretenses. He degenerated into little more than a thief. He'd come to a town, drain all the positive emotions around him. After he'd feasted, he move on to the next village, leaving behind a bastion of negativity. Some villages degenerated into anger-filled arguments and blood was spilled. Some villages became bastions of despair and hopelessness. His path was often tracked by demon hunters and the like, but none ever caught him. Those that got close found themselves strung up in the nearest village.

Though he was rarely seen, legends arose amongst the areas he visited. He became known as the Essence Thief and was feared by many. As she modern age approached, however, the Essence Thief passed from superstition to legend. He still drained people, but his methods changed again. He became something of a mercenary among the supernatural and magic-inclined populace. Armed with a multi-purpose assault rifle, he negotiates his pay not in money, but in emotions.

The Final Order

In Russia, Azazyel found himself employed by the head of some technological corporation. The corporation apparently had been plagued for a couple months by the machinations of a rival and was directed to Azazyel by a common contact. When the corporate executive, Nikolai Khostov, learned of Azazyel's unique talents, he started hiring the Fallen Angel as an interrogator. After Nikolai's expulsion from the corporation, he retained Azazyel's services as a criminal. Azazyel's exemplary performances led Nikolai to introduce Azazyel to Apollo Rovenski.

Azazyel began working for The Final Order, an alliance of villains. Soon he became one of their number, despite his dislike of many of his new allies. He sought no conflict however and honors his promise to help when needed and to not interfere in the others' affairs. While he has participated in conflicts with United Paragon and the Order of the Blue Crescent, he has no personal vendettas against either group and only works to honor his agreement with The Final Order.

Dissolution and Reconstitution

Azazyel found himself up against a hero, a reformed villain now going by the name Portent of Hope. Azazyel tried to use his powers on the hero, but instead found himself being absorbed by the hero. For a year, Portent of Hope struggled with the absorbed essence of Azazyel, but then the Fallen usurped control of the hero and reconstituted himself, burning his host's body and soul up in the process. Though now free of the hero, Azazyel found himself without his former powers and, on the bright side, his former curse. He had, however, retained the powers of his former host and assumed the name Portent of Disaster for himself as he went off to learn how to master his new-found powers with his new-found freedom.

The Final Order
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