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=Judges=
 
  
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'''Suriel, the Phoenix'''
 
  
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The power of the Phoenix is the power of restoration. An Abidan of the Phoenix Division can use the Way to return order to a system, restoring it to prime condition. Phoenixes are used as mechanics and engineers as often as healers, and are prized on any battlefield.Though skilled Phoenix Abidan are rare, and their division small, they are also very durable. A Phoenix is said to be the second-most difficult of the Abidan to destroy (after a Titan), since powerful Phoenixes can regenerate even from total destruction.The Phoenix herself, Suriel, is the only entity capable of restoring the condition of an entire Iteration at once. This can cause irregularities for both the Spiders and the Hounds, so she is required to notify Sector Control prior to temporal reversion.Ozriel is well-known as the most powerful Judge since the first generation of the Abidan Court, and possibly of all time. However, he has no ability as a Phoenix. He has made it a point to befriend both the previous Suriel and this one, holding their talents in high esteem.
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==Abidan Organization==
  
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'''Makiel, the Hound'''
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The Abidan are an organization that governs the [[The Way and The Worlds|Iterations]], ensuring order among the worlds. Their job is to ensure the Iterations do not deviate too greatly from their natural progression. They protect worlds / Iterations from the enemy [[Vroshir]] and other outside interference. They quarantine worlds when it is time for collapse. The Abidan is an organization with seven divisions; each division is governed by a Judge. The Judges are also referred to as the Court Of Seven, or simply the Abidan. The Abidan are very powerful and their artifacts are coveted across all of [[The Way and The Worlds| the Way]], and some artifacts have been found on Cradle, Iteration 110. Abidan strength is possibly due partly to the Eledari Pact, discussed below, which allows them great control when manipulating the Way. The common troops of the Abidan can be compared in strength to the Monarchs of Cradle.
  
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The story of each universe is written in Fate.Fate governs the natural lifespan of each Iteration. It isn't a detailed plan that determines every action of each person, but rather a force like gravity that pushes a world toward a healthy life ending in that Iteration's natural death.​ Since humans tie the universe to the Way, people figure prominently in Fate. One individual life is unlikely to affect the destiny of an entire Iteration, but their actions might be a necessary step toward a world's continued existence. Or its end.Makiel and the Hound Division of the Abidan supervise Fate. They tap into the Way to read the past and the future, and to deal with any deviations that may jeopardize one or more worlds.Makiel is something of a leader among the seven Judges, though the Eledari Pact technically gives him no authority over his peers. This is a tradition continued from the original Makiel, who first realized the need for such a pact and organized its creation.He is rigid and inflexible, utterly dedicated to the enforcement of the rules that protect existence. This mindset has led him to clash with Ozriel, who tends to value his own will over externally imposed guidelines. He has tried many times to recover the Scythe and Mantle of Ozriel in order to pass the title to a different, more worthy bearer, but the Reaper has eluded or defeated him at every turn.
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The Abidan is composed of some seven or eight Judges and legions of supportive lesser Abidan. They are a force for order, not chaos, aligned with the Way. The Way is fundamentally a force of protection, a barrier against chaos and destruction. 
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<br>  <b> [https://www.reddit.com/r/Iteration110Cradle/comments/kppjj0/suriel_the_phoenix_sixth_judge_of_the_abidan/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=ios_app&utm_name=iossmf Image, Suriel, Abidan Judge, by @sh_aye_] </b> @sh_ aye_
  
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'''Zakariel, the Fox'''
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===History, Three Generations===
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The current Court of Seven Judges is the third panel of Abidan to maintain the Worlds. The original founding Abidan served thousands of years ago — perhaps 20,000 years, some readers have textimated. There are seven Abidan Judges in the Court of Seven, plus [[Ozriel]] the Reaper, 008. <br>
  
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The Way governs space, separating universe from universe, but its branches reach into every Iteration. Foxes use these branches like tunnels, slipping through the Way to reach their destinations without the headache of physical distance.Virtually every Abidan has some ability as a Fox--at least the minimum spatial control required to enter and leave an Iteration. But only the best and fastest join the Fox Division: the heralds, scouts, and couriers of the Abidan.Each Zakariel has always been fickle and unpredictable, perhaps as a side effect of the ability to travel anywhere at any time. This generation's Zakariel likes to meddle, as a godlike child with her toys. She tests the bounds of the Eledari Pact with her actions, and the Foxes beneath her have grown unruly and undisciplined. She has been chastised before the Court of Seven many times, but her personal power and ability have kept her from being pressured out of her mantle.She is also an insatiable collector of anything she finds intriguing. Legendary weapons and rare creatures are displayed in her collection side by side with adorable stuffed animals and interesting leaves.
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Judges are mighty powerful, but they can die. They can be killed, for example, by a Class One Fiend of Chaos, like Oth’kimeth, the Conqueror:
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<blockquote>The Mad King hosts an entity that has killed Judges before. . . he represents a Class One threat.(Blackflame ch 21)</blockquote>
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1. The first group of Judges ascended from Cradle aeons ago, some time after they built the [[Labyrinth]]. Guided by the original Makiel, they created the Eledari Pact (see below). All Abidan are sworn to uphold the Eledari Pact. However, the non-interference clause is problematic. Apparently, for some as yet unstated reason, the first generation Abidan were killed? The books say little, though:<blockquote>He held the Sword of Makiel in both hands. The massive two-handed blade had once been used to pass capital punishment on the first generation of Abidan. (Bloodline ch 18)</blockquote>
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2. The second group of Judges set up the Executor Program, which failed. (more info below)<br>
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3. This third, current Court of Seven Judges initiated the growth of thousands of new Iterations, because they had finally found a Reaper who could erase all fragments of chaos and corruption, if and when the world finally died. These individual Judges are not united, cohesive, or even collaborative, based on dialogue between Suriel and her Presence: <blockquote> “What are my odds of getting two other Judges to work with me against the Vroshir directly?”
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[Not high.] (Reaper, ch 2)</blockquote> <br>
  
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'''Razael, the Wolf'''
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==The Court of Seven==
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The [[Abidan|Abidan Court of Seven]] was created with the founding of the Eledari Pact (see section on this page). The responsibilities of the Eledari Pact are divided between the seven, and their positions are named to reflect those duties. There are seven Judges in the current 3rd-generation Court of Seven, plus Ozriel the Reaper. Before they rose to the level of Judge, they typically served in a support capacity in an Abidan subdivision, learning from a master, eventually from the sitting Judge. If one of the Judges ever reaches their end, either through a desire to retire or through death in combat, a replacement is selected. Such a replacement takes up the mantle and authority of that Judge, going by that name for the duration of their service as a Judge.
  
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The Way protects, but it also strengthens. The Wolves are the Abidan combat division, and each of them commands formidable destructive potential. While most other divisions are filled up by Abidan from Sanctum and the other core worlds--and thus essentially born into the Abidan--the Wolves pride themselves on taking "wild" recruits.Most Wolves were renowned warriors in their original worlds, and they carry those powers with them into battle.As Gadrael is the Court's shield, Razael is their sword. She is the unstoppable force, the heavy artillery unleashed against the greatest of the Abidan's enemies.Before the rise of Ozriel, it fell to the office of Razael to destroy worlds as completely as possible. Razael therefore considers herself something of a rival to the Reaper.Ozriel does not return the sentiment.
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The Abidan Judges are tremendously powerful.  However, they are not perfectly benevolent —  some are self-centered. They come in a variety of humanoid forms, from a variety of worlds, with a variety of personality quirks. Yet compared to the world-killing [[Vroshir]], they are saints.
  
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'''Telariel, The Spider'''
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Every Judge wears a white mantle, passed down from generation to generation, except Ozriel, whose mantle is black. They all carry a unique and amazing personal weapon. They all have an intelligence, called a Presence. Each judge has a major connection to the Way, a connection to some fundamental aspect of reality. They all have a source of personal power, apart from the Way, and they have a great deal of Will.
  
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The Spiders essentially function as the Abidan intelligence network. They spread their awareness through the Way, sensing deviation and disorder all throughout existence. Spiders maintain the system of Sector Control, through which Iterations are divided into sectors in order to make them easier to manage.Inter-universal communication between Abidan is also handled by the Spiders, so they have a reputation as the busiest Division. However, they are also known as the weakest in combat, so they are usually left to roles in support and management.A Spider may be hard-working, but the Spider is lazy, disreputable, and prone to leaning on the perks of his position. Telariel has long ago reduced his personal responsibility to only handling communication between Judges, which rarely requires his personal attention.When Ozriel vanished, Telariel cast his laziness aside and bent his full attention to the search. He was soon forced to admit defeat. Ozriel took steps to hide himself from the detection of the Way, and the Spider's skill is nothing next to the Reaper's.(After receiving the blow to his pride, Telariel retreated back into seclusion. To sulk.)
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The [[Abidan|Abidan Court]] is the most powerful court in the “land” and the seven Judges have ultimate authority over life, death, imprisonment, the termination of entire worlds and Iterations, etc etc.
  
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'''Darandiel, the Ghost'''
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===Seven Divisions===
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These names refer to the division, with the naming protocol dating back to the founding of the Abidan Court, long long ago.
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#Makiel, The Hound: Pillar of Fate - tap into the Way to read the past and the future, and to deal with any deviations that may jeopardize one or more worlds
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#Gadrael, the Titan: Pillar of Protection - the defenders of the Abidan worlds, raising shields and barriers against creatures of chaos and against the enemies of the Court
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#Durandiel, the Ghost : Pillar of Will (Conscious Will) - shepherding the birth of new worlds and defending old ones from the chaos of the void
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#Telariel, the Spider: Pillar of Awareness (Communication) - maintain the system of Sector Control, through which Iterations are divided into sectors in order to make them easier to manage. Also, Inter-universal communication between Abidan.
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#Razael, the Wolf: Pillar of Unstoppable Force (Warrior, Destruction) - As Gadrael is the Court's shield, Razael is their sword, an unstoppable force, the heavy artillery unleashed against the greatest of the Abidan's enemies. (Pre-Ozriel, it fell to the office of Razael to destroy worlds as completely as possible.)
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#Suriel, the Phoenix: Pillar of Restoration, Healing and Order (the Way) - can use the Way to return order to a system, restoring it to prime condition. Phoenixes are used as mechanics and engineers as often as healers, and are prized on any battlefield. They are also very durable.
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#Zakariel, the Fox: Pillar of Spatial Travel, tunneling into the Way as a shortcut through space - the heralds, scouts, and couriers of the Abidan.
  
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Just as the other Judges supervise the life and health of a world, someone must oversee the process of universal death and rebirth. The Ghosts watch over the broken fragments of worlds, guiding the development of new Iterations and protecting them from malign influence during the vulnerable cycle of destruction and creation.As Hounds tap into the power of Fate and Titans into the power of protection, Ghosts manipulate the force that binds existence to the Way: conscious will. This is an esoteric power that, depending on the situation, can be either overwhelmingly powerful or totally useless.Darandiel is rarely seen in Sanctum, the headquarters of the Abidan. She and her Ghosts spend most of their time beyond the Iterations, shepherding the birth of new worlds and defending old ones from the chaos of the void.
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===Legendary Adriel===
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[[Adriel| Adriel, the Creator]]: Pillar of Creation - design and create Iterations out of whole cloth. With his legendary hammer, he forged new worlds, introducing fresh pieces into the cycle of existence.  (Adriel is not explicit in the books and is possibly a myth)
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<blockquote>Adriel, the Creator: The first seven Judges inherited their power and titles. Only Ozriel and Adriel are the exceptions: Ozriel because there has never been a Reaper before him, and Adriel because there has never been a Creator since.Adriel is a myth to the modern Abidan. Some of their oldest records posit his existence, but he vanished before the Eledari Pact was signed. The strongest pieces of evidence for his existence are indirect references left behind by the first Abidan Court.The Judges can defend, maintain, and alter Iterations. They can combine fragments into new worlds.But only one person could, according to legend, design and create Iterations out of whole cloth: Adriel. He created new worlds, introducing fresh pieces into the cycle of existence.His weapon, the Hammer of Adriel, is sometimes used by the Abidan as a symbol of creation. ([https://abidanarchive.com/events/2/#e36 Will Wight, Abidan Archive e36])</blockquote>
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==Current Judges==
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This 3rd-generation Court of Seven is not united, cohesive, or even collaborative, based on dialogue between Suriel and her Presence: <blockquote> “What are my odds of getting two other Judges to work with me against the Vroshir directly?” Suriel asked.<br>
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[Not high.]. . . [It is a shame that those who rise to become Judges tend to be unusually individualistic,] her Presence continued. [Forceful. Difficult to persuade, even with objective facts.] (Reaper, ch 2)</blockquote>
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<blockquote> Telariel, the Spider, wouldn’t risk his own life even in the event of total system collapse.. . Zakariel, the Fox, was more selfish even than Telariel. She had a lot in common with the Angler of the Crystal Halls, and each considered the other something of a rival. If it didn’t benefit her directly, she usually didn’t do it. . . (Reaper ch 2)</blockquote>
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*[[Makiel|Makiel, the Hound - 001]] future sight, supervise fate
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*[[Gadrael|Gadrael, the Titan - 002]] defense
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*[[Durandiel|Durandiel, the Ghost - 003]] unmaking techniques, spatial control, guiding new Iterations together
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*[[Telariel|Telariel, the Spider - 004]] communication and detection
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*[[Razael|Razael, the Wolf - 005]] attack
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*[[Suriel|Suriel, the Phoenix - 006]] healing and restoration
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*[[Zakariel|Zakariel, the Fox - 007]] transportation
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Additionally<br>
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*[[Ozriel|Ozriel, the Reaper - 008]] ultimate termination, destruction, but has abilities on par or better with all the other divisional judges, except Suriel of the Phoenix division
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===Lesser Abidan===
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Not judges, but supporting members
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*[[Pariana of the Titans]]
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*[[Kiuran of the Hounds]]
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==Abidan Purpose==
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The Judges and their support forces access the serene blue Way, white-armored legions fulfilling their purpose: taking care of the numerous Iterations that make up [[The Way and The Worlds]]. They cannot create new Worlds from whole cloth, but they can help stitch Iterations together from fragments of dead worlds. They would need a valuable and rare Worldseed to create a brand new world, and they only have three left (Uncrowned, ch 17). 
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Each division of the Abidan has a different job description. The responsibilities of the Phoenix Division are varied, including healing and restoration, and protecting the weak, within the bounds of non-interference with fate.<blockquote> Suriel thought. This was the sort of person the Abidan were created to save: the weak who stood against the strong. The sort of person the Phoenix was meant to save. The sort of person who might, with a little outside help, even reach beyond their fate. (Unsouled, ch 11)</blockquote>
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The Abidan also uphold the tenets of the Eledari Pact across the cosmos, and battle  cosmic supervillains, including the [[Vroshir]], etc.
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*<b>See article about [[The Way and The Worlds|The Way, The Void, The Worlds]] </b>
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==Abidan Headquarters==
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HQ is located on [[Sanctum]], Iteration #001. This is where the vast numbers of Abidan forces are based, where they work and where they live when not called away.  
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<br>However, [[Makiel|Makiel’s First Division: the Hounds]] moved to Outpost #01, aka [[Oversight]], to improve on their ability to observe Fate.
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==The Eledari Pact==
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An ancient agreement between the original Founders of the Abidan — all of them originally ascended from Iteration #110, Cradle. This pact both increases and restricts the powers of the Abidan. It is the tool that allows the Abidan Judges to control the power of the Way as they do. There are many rules in the Eledari Pact, but the most relevant one is the Abidan cannot use their powers to prevent the natural progression of an Iteration. If an Iteration, or World, is destined to die, then that’s a matter of fate. “Everything ends.”
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The Eledari Pact was first conceived of by the original, first generation Makiel, Hound of Fate, thousands of years ago. <blockquote> Makiel is something of a leader among the seven Judges, though the Eledari Pact technically gives him no authority over his peers. This is a tradition continued from the original Makiel, who first realized the need for such a pact and organized its creation. (-[https://www.willwight.com/a-blog-of-dubious-intent/cradle-world-the-abidan-part-2 Excerpt Makiel, Will Wight’s blog])</blockquote>
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===Executor Program & Eledari Pact===
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The former panel of seven Abidan Judges created the Executor Program to work around the most upsetting clause of the Eledari Pact, non-interference. The Executor Program failed abysmally, as Duruman, [[Vroshir|The Mad King]], will testify:
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<blockquote> Daruman was chosen by the second Court of Seven to be among the first of what they were to call their Executors. He was an agent of the Abidan, but un-bound to the Eledari Pact, so he was not prevented from interfering in Fate. He and his four peers were sent to dying worlds, to defeat the threat from the inside and prolong the existence of the Iterations as long as possible. At first, the experiment was declared a success. .  . . By this point, trust in the Executors was nonexistent. A second generation had already been appointed, but these had been raised from birth by the Abidan themselves, designed to be perfectly competent and loyal. Daruman was already considered a relic of an embarrassing past. (Bloodline ch 5)</blockquote>
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The second group of hand-raised and loyal Executors failed, too, and the program was discontinued. So, as it stands, the Abidan, according to the Pact, cannot stop a global war from claiming billions of lives and destroying a planet,<b> unless that war was started by outside forces or by a significant subversion of fate.</b> Abidan representatives only descend to correct a deviation of fate, though they're granted a certain freedom of action in doing so. This law exists both to preserve the natural balance of existence and to prevent the Abidan or other powers from settling down in lesser worlds and ruling like gods.
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For example, Judge [[Suriel]] the Phoenix descended to [[Sacred Valley]] to arrest the ascended Grand Patriarch  [[Li Markuth]], who returned to rule as king.  His crime: spatial violation and attempted domination of local inhabitants. <blockquote> ''“Li Markuth was not permitted to return to this world. His attack was a deviation from fate, which I have reversed. When I depart, it will be as though your festival continued uninterrupted.” ''(Unsouled, ch 11)</blockquote>
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==Enemies==
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*Members of the [[Vroshir]], a cosmic criminal organization, are relentless against Abidan order.
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*[[Vroshir#The Mad King|The Mad King]] in particular absolutely hates the judges and their Eledari Pact. He considers the Abidan to be criminals themselves, and tyrants.
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*Class-One Fiends are another threat to the Abidan, but there are only a limited number of them, and they are imprisoned on Asylum. Right?
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*The Abidan Court of Seven itself seems to be splintering from within. Perhaps the judges are their own worst enemy. Certainly, [[Makiel]] is not supportive of [[Ozriel]], for one example.
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<br><b>Detailed info on enemies at [[Vroshir]]</b>
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==Key Iterations==
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The Abidan oversee thousands of Iterations, or worlds, more fully listed and detailed at [[The Way and The Worlds]], but some Iterations are central to the Abidan and to the Cradle series.  <blockquote> Important worlds like Cradle, Haven, Sanctum, and Asylum would be protected. Even in the event of total system collapse, the Abidan would collect and quarantine these worlds, their last bastion against the infinite chaos. But in times like this, anything could go wrong. Cradle might be safer than anywhere else, but it wasn’t safe. (Unsouled, epilogue)</blockquote>
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*[[Cradle Locations|Cradle]] #110 — Birthplace of founding [[Abidan]] and later, of [[Ozmanthus Arelius]], who became [[Ozriel]], the Reaper of the Abidan, 008
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*Limit #216 — Where [[Ozriel]] was last seen when he stopped the [[Vroshir|The Mad King]]’s attack 200 years ago (Bloodline, ch 8)
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*Outpost #01 - aka [[Oversight]]. Headquarters of [[Makiel|Makiel’s First Division: the Hounds]]
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*[[Sanctum]] #001 - Headquarters of the [[Abidan]] organization, except for [[Makiel]]’s HQ
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*Haven #002 —  Where Mad King was imprisoned and where the Abidan keep their treasures in a secure vault (but Oz keeps his in the deepest Void)
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*Asylum - Major fiends of chaos kept in prison here
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<br><b>All Iterations are listed and detailed at [[The Way and The Worlds]]</b>
  
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'''Gadrael, the Titan'''
 
  
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The Way is fundamentally a force of protection, a barrier against chaos and destruction. Gadrael is the embodiment of that concept.Titan Abidan are the defenders of the Abidan worlds, raising shields and barriers against creatures of chaos and against the enemies of the Court. Whenever the Abidan need a world quarantined, a weapon sealed, a prison reinforced, or an attack turned aside, they call on the Titans.This generation's Gadrael was rescued from a dying world, then raised as a son by Makiel. His loyalty to the Hound is total.He once had a reputation as the weakest Judge, due to his lack of skill in any discipline but his own. Other Judges typically have expertise in more than one area; Suriel, for instance, is an accomplished Fox (who excel at instant travel) and an able Spider (who detect deviations in chaos). Makiel could have inherited the post of Razael the Wolf instead, had he desired to do so, and Ozriel was skilled enough to fulfill the duties of any Judge but Suriel.Gadrael cannot read Fate, he can barely cross through the Way, and his combat power is lower than many ordinary Abidan.But his barriers are flawless.Gadrael is is the sturdiest protector in existence, a one-man fortress, an immovable object, an impenetrable wall. Worlds under Gadrael's protection can rest easy, but there are thousands of Iterations under the purview of the Judges.And the Titans cannot be everywhere at once.
 
  
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==Special Cases==
 
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'''Ozriel, the Reaper'''
 
  
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When a world lives too long and drifts from the Way, only one person can terminate the Iteration without scattering corrupted fragments that threaten other worlds.For most of the history of the Abidan, there was no Ozriel. They eliminated worlds the old-fashioned way, and most of their manpower was spent defending Iterations from chaos-corrupted fragments. Ozriel reduced the threat of corruption to such a degree that the Abidan could spread their manpower to an unprecedented degree. Where once it took hundreds of Abidan to protect and maintain a single Iteration, now that same team could supervise an entire Sector of ten or more worlds.However, the entire system of the current Abidan now hinges on one man.Where most Judges are rule-abiding and structured by nature, Ozriel is not so rigid. He often challenges Abidan laws and traditions, trying to change and improve the policies of their organization. He might have succeeded by now if he were willing to relinquish control and cooperate with others. But, traditionally, he has never been much of a team player. When others don't agree with him, he tends to do exactly what he wants anyway.As the one individual in existence with a world-erasing superweapon, he's used to getting his way.And now he's missing.
 
  
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'''Adriel, the Creator'''
 
  
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The first seven Judges inherited their power and titles. Only Ozriel and Adriel are the exceptions: Ozriel because there has never been a Reaper before him, and Adriel because there has never been a Creator since.Adriel is a myth to the modern Abidan. Some of their oldest records posit his existence, but he vanished before the Eledari Pact was signed. The strongest pieces of evidence for his existence are indirect references left behind by the first Abidan Court.The Judges can defend, maintain, and alter Iterations. They can combine fragments into new worlds.But only one person could, according to legend, design and create Iterations out of whole cloth: Adriel. He created new worlds, introducing fresh pieces into the cycle of existence.His weapon, the Hammer of Adriel, is sometimes used by the Abidan as a symbol of creation.
 
  
 
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[[Category:Cradle]]
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[[Category:Cradle Characters]]
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[[Category:Abidan]]

Latest revision as of 21:56, 5 July 2022


Abidan Organization

The Abidan are an organization that governs the Iterations, ensuring order among the worlds. Their job is to ensure the Iterations do not deviate too greatly from their natural progression. They protect worlds / Iterations from the enemy Vroshir and other outside interference. They quarantine worlds when it is time for collapse. The Abidan is an organization with seven divisions; each division is governed by a Judge. The Judges are also referred to as the Court Of Seven, or simply the Abidan. The Abidan are very powerful and their artifacts are coveted across all of the Way, and some artifacts have been found on Cradle, Iteration 110. Abidan strength is possibly due partly to the Eledari Pact, discussed below, which allows them great control when manipulating the Way. The common troops of the Abidan can be compared in strength to the Monarchs of Cradle.

The Abidan is composed of some seven or eight Judges and legions of supportive lesser Abidan. They are a force for order, not chaos, aligned with the Way. The Way is fundamentally a force of protection, a barrier against chaos and destruction.
Image, Suriel, Abidan Judge, by @sh_aye_ @sh_ aye_

History, Three Generations

The current Court of Seven Judges is the third panel of Abidan to maintain the Worlds. The original founding Abidan served thousands of years ago — perhaps 20,000 years, some readers have textimated. There are seven Abidan Judges in the Court of Seven, plus Ozriel the Reaper, 008.

Judges are mighty powerful, but they can die. They can be killed, for example, by a Class One Fiend of Chaos, like Oth’kimeth, the Conqueror:

The Mad King hosts an entity that has killed Judges before. . . he represents a Class One threat.(Blackflame ch 21)

1. The first group of Judges ascended from Cradle aeons ago, some time after they built the Labyrinth. Guided by the original Makiel, they created the Eledari Pact (see below). All Abidan are sworn to uphold the Eledari Pact. However, the non-interference clause is problematic. Apparently, for some as yet unstated reason, the first generation Abidan were killed? The books say little, though:

He held the Sword of Makiel in both hands. The massive two-handed blade had once been used to pass capital punishment on the first generation of Abidan. (Bloodline ch 18)

2. The second group of Judges set up the Executor Program, which failed. (more info below)

3. This third, current Court of Seven Judges initiated the growth of thousands of new Iterations, because they had finally found a Reaper who could erase all fragments of chaos and corruption, if and when the world finally died. These individual Judges are not united, cohesive, or even collaborative, based on dialogue between Suriel and her Presence:

“What are my odds of getting two other Judges to work with me against the Vroshir directly?” [Not high.] (Reaper, ch 2)


The Court of Seven

The Abidan Court of Seven was created with the founding of the Eledari Pact (see section on this page). The responsibilities of the Eledari Pact are divided between the seven, and their positions are named to reflect those duties. There are seven Judges in the current 3rd-generation Court of Seven, plus Ozriel the Reaper. Before they rose to the level of Judge, they typically served in a support capacity in an Abidan subdivision, learning from a master, eventually from the sitting Judge. If one of the Judges ever reaches their end, either through a desire to retire or through death in combat, a replacement is selected. Such a replacement takes up the mantle and authority of that Judge, going by that name for the duration of their service as a Judge.

The Abidan Judges are tremendously powerful. However, they are not perfectly benevolent — some are self-centered. They come in a variety of humanoid forms, from a variety of worlds, with a variety of personality quirks. Yet compared to the world-killing Vroshir, they are saints.

Every Judge wears a white mantle, passed down from generation to generation, except Ozriel, whose mantle is black. They all carry a unique and amazing personal weapon. They all have an intelligence, called a Presence. Each judge has a major connection to the Way, a connection to some fundamental aspect of reality. They all have a source of personal power, apart from the Way, and they have a great deal of Will.

The Abidan Court is the most powerful court in the “land” and the seven Judges have ultimate authority over life, death, imprisonment, the termination of entire worlds and Iterations, etc etc.

Seven Divisions

These names refer to the division, with the naming protocol dating back to the founding of the Abidan Court, long long ago.

  1. Makiel, The Hound: Pillar of Fate - tap into the Way to read the past and the future, and to deal with any deviations that may jeopardize one or more worlds
  2. Gadrael, the Titan: Pillar of Protection - the defenders of the Abidan worlds, raising shields and barriers against creatures of chaos and against the enemies of the Court
  3. Durandiel, the Ghost : Pillar of Will (Conscious Will) - shepherding the birth of new worlds and defending old ones from the chaos of the void
  4. Telariel, the Spider: Pillar of Awareness (Communication) - maintain the system of Sector Control, through which Iterations are divided into sectors in order to make them easier to manage. Also, Inter-universal communication between Abidan.
  5. Razael, the Wolf: Pillar of Unstoppable Force (Warrior, Destruction) - As Gadrael is the Court's shield, Razael is their sword, an unstoppable force, the heavy artillery unleashed against the greatest of the Abidan's enemies. (Pre-Ozriel, it fell to the office of Razael to destroy worlds as completely as possible.)
  6. Suriel, the Phoenix: Pillar of Restoration, Healing and Order (the Way) - can use the Way to return order to a system, restoring it to prime condition. Phoenixes are used as mechanics and engineers as often as healers, and are prized on any battlefield. They are also very durable.
  7. Zakariel, the Fox: Pillar of Spatial Travel, tunneling into the Way as a shortcut through space - the heralds, scouts, and couriers of the Abidan.

Legendary Adriel

Adriel, the Creator: Pillar of Creation - design and create Iterations out of whole cloth. With his legendary hammer, he forged new worlds, introducing fresh pieces into the cycle of existence. (Adriel is not explicit in the books and is possibly a myth)

Adriel, the Creator: The first seven Judges inherited their power and titles. Only Ozriel and Adriel are the exceptions: Ozriel because there has never been a Reaper before him, and Adriel because there has never been a Creator since.Adriel is a myth to the modern Abidan. Some of their oldest records posit his existence, but he vanished before the Eledari Pact was signed. The strongest pieces of evidence for his existence are indirect references left behind by the first Abidan Court.The Judges can defend, maintain, and alter Iterations. They can combine fragments into new worlds.But only one person could, according to legend, design and create Iterations out of whole cloth: Adriel. He created new worlds, introducing fresh pieces into the cycle of existence.His weapon, the Hammer of Adriel, is sometimes used by the Abidan as a symbol of creation. (Will Wight, Abidan Archive e36)

Current Judges

This 3rd-generation Court of Seven is not united, cohesive, or even collaborative, based on dialogue between Suriel and her Presence:

“What are my odds of getting two other Judges to work with me against the Vroshir directly?” Suriel asked.
[Not high.]. . . [It is a shame that those who rise to become Judges tend to be unusually individualistic,] her Presence continued. [Forceful. Difficult to persuade, even with objective facts.] (Reaper, ch 2)

Telariel, the Spider, wouldn’t risk his own life even in the event of total system collapse.. . Zakariel, the Fox, was more selfish even than Telariel. She had a lot in common with the Angler of the Crystal Halls, and each considered the other something of a rival. If it didn’t benefit her directly, she usually didn’t do it. . . (Reaper ch 2)

Additionally

  • Ozriel, the Reaper - 008 ultimate termination, destruction, but has abilities on par or better with all the other divisional judges, except Suriel of the Phoenix division

Lesser Abidan

Not judges, but supporting members

Abidan Purpose

The Judges and their support forces access the serene blue Way, white-armored legions fulfilling their purpose: taking care of the numerous Iterations that make up The Way and The Worlds. They cannot create new Worlds from whole cloth, but they can help stitch Iterations together from fragments of dead worlds. They would need a valuable and rare Worldseed to create a brand new world, and they only have three left (Uncrowned, ch 17).

Each division of the Abidan has a different job description. The responsibilities of the Phoenix Division are varied, including healing and restoration, and protecting the weak, within the bounds of non-interference with fate.

Suriel thought. This was the sort of person the Abidan were created to save: the weak who stood against the strong. The sort of person the Phoenix was meant to save. The sort of person who might, with a little outside help, even reach beyond their fate. (Unsouled, ch 11)

The Abidan also uphold the tenets of the Eledari Pact across the cosmos, and battle cosmic supervillains, including the Vroshir, etc.

Abidan Headquarters

HQ is located on Sanctum, Iteration #001. This is where the vast numbers of Abidan forces are based, where they work and where they live when not called away.
However, Makiel’s First Division: the Hounds moved to Outpost #01, aka Oversight, to improve on their ability to observe Fate.

The Eledari Pact

An ancient agreement between the original Founders of the Abidan — all of them originally ascended from Iteration #110, Cradle. This pact both increases and restricts the powers of the Abidan. It is the tool that allows the Abidan Judges to control the power of the Way as they do. There are many rules in the Eledari Pact, but the most relevant one is the Abidan cannot use their powers to prevent the natural progression of an Iteration. If an Iteration, or World, is destined to die, then that’s a matter of fate. “Everything ends.”

The Eledari Pact was first conceived of by the original, first generation Makiel, Hound of Fate, thousands of years ago.

Makiel is something of a leader among the seven Judges, though the Eledari Pact technically gives him no authority over his peers. This is a tradition continued from the original Makiel, who first realized the need for such a pact and organized its creation. (-Excerpt Makiel, Will Wight’s blog)

Executor Program & Eledari Pact

The former panel of seven Abidan Judges created the Executor Program to work around the most upsetting clause of the Eledari Pact, non-interference. The Executor Program failed abysmally, as Duruman, The Mad King, will testify:

Daruman was chosen by the second Court of Seven to be among the first of what they were to call their Executors. He was an agent of the Abidan, but un-bound to the Eledari Pact, so he was not prevented from interfering in Fate. He and his four peers were sent to dying worlds, to defeat the threat from the inside and prolong the existence of the Iterations as long as possible. At first, the experiment was declared a success. . . . By this point, trust in the Executors was nonexistent. A second generation had already been appointed, but these had been raised from birth by the Abidan themselves, designed to be perfectly competent and loyal. Daruman was already considered a relic of an embarrassing past. (Bloodline ch 5)

The second group of hand-raised and loyal Executors failed, too, and the program was discontinued. So, as it stands, the Abidan, according to the Pact, cannot stop a global war from claiming billions of lives and destroying a planet, unless that war was started by outside forces or by a significant subversion of fate. Abidan representatives only descend to correct a deviation of fate, though they're granted a certain freedom of action in doing so. This law exists both to preserve the natural balance of existence and to prevent the Abidan or other powers from settling down in lesser worlds and ruling like gods.

For example, Judge Suriel the Phoenix descended to Sacred Valley to arrest the ascended Grand Patriarch Li Markuth, who returned to rule as king. His crime: spatial violation and attempted domination of local inhabitants.

“Li Markuth was not permitted to return to this world. His attack was a deviation from fate, which I have reversed. When I depart, it will be as though your festival continued uninterrupted.” (Unsouled, ch 11)

Enemies

  • Members of the Vroshir, a cosmic criminal organization, are relentless against Abidan order.
  • The Mad King in particular absolutely hates the judges and their Eledari Pact. He considers the Abidan to be criminals themselves, and tyrants.
  • Class-One Fiends are another threat to the Abidan, but there are only a limited number of them, and they are imprisoned on Asylum. Right?
  • The Abidan Court of Seven itself seems to be splintering from within. Perhaps the judges are their own worst enemy. Certainly, Makiel is not supportive of Ozriel, for one example.


Detailed info on enemies at Vroshir

Key Iterations

The Abidan oversee thousands of Iterations, or worlds, more fully listed and detailed at The Way and The Worlds, but some Iterations are central to the Abidan and to the Cradle series.

Important worlds like Cradle, Haven, Sanctum, and Asylum would be protected. Even in the event of total system collapse, the Abidan would collect and quarantine these worlds, their last bastion against the infinite chaos. But in times like this, anything could go wrong. Cradle might be safer than anywhere else, but it wasn’t safe. (Unsouled, epilogue)

  • Cradle #110 — Birthplace of founding Abidan and later, of Ozmanthus Arelius, who became Ozriel, the Reaper of the Abidan, 008
  • Limit #216 — Where Ozriel was last seen when he stopped the The Mad King’s attack 200 years ago (Bloodline, ch 8)
  • Outpost #01 - aka Oversight. Headquarters of Makiel’s First Division: the Hounds
  • Sanctum #001 - Headquarters of the Abidan organization, except for Makiel’s HQ
  • Haven #002 — Where Mad King was imprisoned and where the Abidan keep their treasures in a secure vault (but Oz keeps his in the deepest Void)
  • Asylum - Major fiends of chaos kept in prison here


All Iterations are listed and detailed at The Way and The Worlds




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