Earthbound

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While the Fallen still bear some resemblance to humanity, the Earthbound are utter monstrosities. Instead of inhabiting human hosts, they reside in inanimate objects either because they are too powerful for a human body to endure their presence, because they were summoned and bound into such an object, or because there simply was no suitable new human host around when they lost their old hosts.

[edit] Creation

The origin of the Earthbound can be found in Lucifer's five Archdukes, his most trusted advisors and leaders during the Rebellion. Each Archduke was in charge of one of the Legions, and they served him unquestionably. However, as the fighting wore on, some of them began to question Lucifer's motives and methods. When Lucifer proposed the Grand Experiment, they were further troubled; if humanity supplanted the Creator, would they really be any better off? When Asmodeus had a vision of humans ruling over fallen, it was all over. He and Abbadon created the nephilim, half-fallen meant to replace humans and be utterly subservient to the Archdukes. Azrael further helped develop them in exchange for their souls upon their deaths.

The nephilim moved through the world with the same callous attitude of their creators, destroying humans. When they killed Lucifer's precious Watchers, he called for revenge, hunted them down, and wiped them from the face of the earth. The Grand Experiment was ruined, brought down by Lucifer's own allies. Soon after, the Fallen (save Lucifer) were cast into the Abyss. There, the Archdukes, their great leader missing, stewed in doubt and anger, eventually convinced that Lucifer had betrayed them to the Creator in exchange for his own freedom. Their Torment eventually overtook them.

Lucifer had escaped, it turned out, but not by any kindness on the Creator's part. He remained hidden on earth, teaching humanity the arts of sorcery, hoping he could eventually call back the fallen, especially his trusted lieutenants, not knowing that the Abyss had turned them insane and hateful. Eventually, humans built five idols, one for each Archduke, and summoned them. The Archdukes quickly took control and began working towards humanity's destruction, much to Lucifer's horror. Other lesser fallen were similarly summoned using sorcery. Eventually, six-hundred and sixty-six of the creatures that became known as Earthbound were brought into being. They thrived in the pagan world and practically ruled Rome. However, with the coming of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, as well as enlightenment, many mortals turned from their wicked ways, and by the 1600's, the Earthbound had all fallen into slumber. They remained that way until shaken awake by the Sixth Great Maelstrom.

[edit] Powers

The object containing the Earthbound's essence is called its reliquary. Reliquaries can channel and contain vast amounts of energy, and are far superior to human hosts in terms of raw power (as an example, no Fallen can affect an area with a radius of more than a few miles with their Lore, but some Earthbound can potentially affect the entire planet at once). Unfortunately, having a body that can't move, has only a dim perception of its surroundings, and is completely without sensory input besides sight and sound isn't that much of an improvement compared to the Abyss. A reliquary's essential blank-slate state and lack of a moral compass furthermore provides no relief from the millennia-old wrath and madness of the Abyss, and as a result the Earthbound degenerate further and further as time wears on, unable to escape their own Torment.

Earthbound are so far removed from their angelic state that they no longer bear the Visages of the house they once belonged to. Instead they develop unique forms with far more power than their old forms. However, to reflect their twisted forms, they also bear grotesqueries, which are deformities that render mortals into mindless, babbling beings; even the most debased, tormented Fallen must turn away from an Earthbound in utter disgust.

[edit] Important Earthbound

The first five of the Earthbound, and now strongest of them, are the Archdukes, the Five Lieutenants of Lucifer:

• Asmodeus, a Neberu whose visions revealed that humanity would rise above the Elohim and hated them for it.
• Abbadon, a Rabisu who conspired with Asmodeus to supplant humanity with the nephilim.
• Azrael, a Halaku who assisted in the nephilim's perfection, and collected the souls after their destruction.
• Belial, a Lammasu who was once Lucifer's greatest supporter and most trusted lieutenant, and is now, as the "Great Beast", his fiercest enemy who exists purely for his former hero's destruction.
• Dagon, an Annunaki who also advised and was held close by Lucifer. He now desires to transform all of humanity into soulless, mindless clockwork beings, much in view of the Technocracy.

Lesser but still well-known Earthbound include:

• Avitu, a former Angel of Knowledge and Understanding, now Demon of Ignorance
• Baal, a Rabisu who claims to be an Archduke, even though he was a lowly fell knight. He has accumulated an impressive amount of power through his claims.
• Enshagkushanna, a vassal of Baal who nearly lost his carefully gathered power in Los Angeles when Lucifer reappeared.
• Manishtusu, the Lord of Murder, who controls and manipulates the street gangs of Los Angeles.

Source:

• DTF: City of Angels, p. 32
• DTF: Demon: The Fallen Rulebook, p. 28-29, 56
• DTF: Demon: The Earthbound, p. 16-19, 21-22, 26-39