Alexandrael is a svargduta alder and the mother of Captain Maiel. More commonly known as Alex, this wise erela (female duta) has been around since before the Conflict of Hosts. The war is something that she remembers well, even after all these years. Her long memory is one of her greatest attributes and what makes her so qualified for service as an alder.
One might wonder how a svarg can be the mother of a duta. That is a valid question. Alex had all three of her children when she was still a duta. Her husband, the principality Gragrafel, has risen twice since their children were born. Alex willingly stagnated to care for the children and allow him to do so. Each time, their ketu (marriage like bond) was renewed. Gragrafel took charge of his older children, in kind, when it was Alex’s turn to rise.
The alder Alexandrael, like her second and third children, is a twin. Her khata (sister), Magiel, is also an alder. Of the two, Alex has the gentler disposition. Daughter Maiel’s personality is balanced between these two erela, and her looks favor this side of the family, as do those of eldest akha (brother) Zacharius. Though he is Maiel’s twin, Joel favors his father. The strong genetics of Alex’s family have shifted down through her daughter’s family. Maiel is the mother of two sets of twins, one set resembling Alex and Magiel, and the other resembling herself and her husband (like she and Joel).
Alex’s appearance suggests that she is approaching yet another rising. Her long hair is silver and her eyes have gone a deep ebony, as she begins to resemble the principality she will become. Gragrafel is not a young principality either. More than likely, by the time that Alex matures, he will have risen again. Their story is not unique in Zion. Many ketu are put on indefinite holds while the partners rise, catching up and loosing touch at intervals. However, they always come back together at some point. The phenomena is adamant.
Other than her silver hair, Alex is characterized by the black alder robes of her vocation. Similar robes can be found in the Eastern Orthodox Christianity Earth based faith system. Her higher station requires the wearing of a habit on the head, fully covering the hair, while presiding over council work. It is a matter of formality that discerns Alex’s ranking on councils from other alders. For instance, her son Zacharius does not wear the habit, because he is a prevenient alder (not to be confused with an initiate who is the first level). Prevenients serve on few councils and are often charged with research assignments. The councils they do serve on award them low ranking votes. Alex’s position oversees multiple principals of councils, and are considered primes. They review dharma and sign off on them. Primes report to leaders who report to the supreme alder, Ganesha. Other ranks are the omphalos (middle rank alders who serve the principals) and cardinals who make up the general ranks, just above prevenients.
Both principalities and svargs serve as primes. Leaders are principalities and the supreme alder is a s who directly reports to the king. Duta can serve as high as prevenient, meaning that Alex’s son will be in the position for as long is takes for him to rise. He stands to master the vocation well before rising and this will benefit him greatly in his future positions with the councils. Zacharius is already a very wise young alder.
Eastern Orthodox Christian Monk
In her position, Alex is privy to a great deal of secret information. Confidentiality is one of their greatest attributes and comes from their years of exercising wisdom and knowledge on the behalf of others. One can imagine that an alder of Alex’s years would be hard to fool should a soul, or even a duta, try to conceal a burning down.
Another attribute of the alder is a near perfect memory. What they do remember is exact, and what they forget is very little.
The alder position is also political in nature. Much of their work results in needed legislation and writing of rules due to the unique experiences of their charges. Some view them as dark figures, somewhat in opposition to souls or the rising of any beings, as they seem to hold the keys to one’s dharma. Things are much less sinister than this, but the shadow of the Conflict has stained the alder house, and they do control an atman’s choices to an extent as advisers and caretakers. Alders are often asked to take a hard line with some of their charges to better insure their success. They are also required to report burning down when they have identified it, which can lead to outcasting the individual, or locking them down. This is for the safety of other atman connected to the individual as well as Zion in general. This power over other atman can make them appear authoritarian.
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