How do you flavor your Qashmallim?

[RomulusGloriosus]

I think we can all agree that the Qashmallim are some of the coolest parts of this game.

How do you style yours? The text presents them as being very similar to Biblical Angels, but definitely definitely definitely not really Angels, so don't think that. Unless you want to, because this is CofD and you can do whatever you want. So I'm curious how you guys like to play your Qashmallim in your games.

For myself, I like to flavor them based off of the mythology associated with the Promethean they have been sent to deal with. A Frankenstein would likely encounter a pretty stereotypical Christian Angel, whereas a Galateid might encounter a Greek Messenger God of sorts, similar to Hermes or Iris or the Winds. Unfleshed might encounter suited Agents or encoded AI within computer programs.

What about you?

[Caladriu]

Rare footage of a Tormented Promethean encountering a qashmal: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yn_2Vks2yK0

[Mangle77]

I like to flavor them with garlic and smoked paprika.

[RomulusGloriosus]

Rare footage of a Tormented Promethean encountering a qashmal: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yn_2Vks2yK0

Dr. Steve Brule is most definitely a Promethean. Never been to medical school. Don't know how he ever got to be a doctor. But has enough Mesmerism that he just is.

[Azahul]

Not all Qashmal are linked to a Promethean, so I haven't been writing mine with much attention paid to who they are targeted at. I've only written two at the current time. One spends most of their time looking human, the other is an amalgamation of nightmares and more pleasant imagery (trying to be a visual Pandora's Box). Judeo-Christian symbolism and Greek mythology both seem like excellent pieces of source material though, with a bit of biopunk body horror for good measure.

[Demigod Beast]

I run them as alien and unknowable. They have a Mission, and that Mission's success is just as impassively achieved as that Mission's failure. There's no sentience in there as we understand it: just the Mission and the bare minimum required to attain the Mission's potential success. There's no Aspirations, no higher agenda, no celestial/Supernal truths. Capturing one magically will be a useless endeavor, as they cannot be tortured.

In fact...they might not even independently exist. Like the Hindu gods, maybe qashmallim are all the same entity, just putting on different masks...

As to appearance: each is as alien in appearance as it is devoted to its Mission: popular visages are drawn from Biblical artwork, but some are living optical illusions or miniature alternate timelines that 'exist' by replacing regular time with themselves, however briefly. In fact, the stranger the better, as if the Principle really has no clear picture on what living things are or how they properly function.

Are they frightening? Yes. Are they eldritch abominations? No. Just strange.

[RomulusGloriosus]

In fact...they might not even independently exist. Like the Hindu gods, maybe qashmallim are all the same entity, just putting on different masks...

Great imagery right there. That is, kind of sort of, what the qashmallim are. Merely reflections of the Principle - Brahman, as it were.

[Cleverest of Things]

I honestly have a bit of trouble flavoring them right, because my setting was long running enough it predated the god machine's angels. But I played up the connection they hinted at back in 1e. Now I am backpedaling, and not sure how to. As of right now, because of that mix up, I'm relying on my OWoD flavoring of Weaver versus Wyld. I try to focus on chaos and change with Qasmal, order and stasis for Angels. Qasmal are thankfully rare thus far in my game, though. I am still wanting to use the OWoD book of the wild for some inspirations for what qasmal can be like. My favorite aspect of the owod Wyld, Wyldstorms, are most DEFINITELY a useful inspiration for Firestorms, so I took that further and decided to take qasmal into the direction of change and chaos and evolution to try to set them apart to the players (who all have a demon alt or someone who knows about angels of the machine).