The Republic of Heaven

In the game Kings Quest : Mask of Eternity, the guardian of the Dimension of Death is named Lord Asrael.
For some time now, my friend has been writing this story involving an Angel of Death known as Lord Asriel.
Many consider the HDM Lord Asriel as the literary embodiment of Satan, due to his heretical viewpoints.

Just of out curiosity... Why does the name Asriel/Azrael always seem to belong to such dark and morose figues? Any thoughts?

Asriel (or some variant thereof) is the name of the Angel of Death in judaism, christianity, and islam. I think.

So that's the end of that conversation.

it is? I'll have to ask my dad... I don't think I've ever heard Asriel being used for the angel of death.

yeah, I think it's mostly Azrael for the angel of death.

Interesting that metatron is 'voice of god' or something like that... I remember seeing that in Good Omens, if anyone's read that book (if not, it's an interesting read... Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman).

Merlyn wrote:yeah, I think it's mostly Azrael for the angel of death.

Interesting that metatron is 'voice of god' or something like that... I remember seeing that in Good Omens, if anyone's read that book (if not, it's an interesting read... Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman).

'Metatron' is from the Greek for "after the throne" - ie second in command to the throne.

Apropos of nothing at all, 'Pantalaimon' is Greek for 'all sufferings'. Just thought I'd show off!

Enitharmon wrote:Apropos of nothing at all, 'Pantalaimon' is Greek for 'all sufferings'. Just thought I'd show off!

Really? I thought it was derived from 'Panteleimon,' a Macedonian saint whose name means 'all-merciful'. [google]

the angel of death wouldn't neccesarily be a morbid thing to one who was in pain where death would be the only thing that could stop it (euthanasia <sp>...)

http://www24.brinkster.com/menthapiperita/tgc1.htm

i've got little blurbs on both pan and asrield there... and links.

Absolutely right, Jessica. Yes, quite...
I originally pictured a phantom wraith who whispers in a sinister way (it... is... time...). I guess I should have read the "Angel" part of his title :)
Thanks everyone for the info. Appreciate it.

Daniel wrote:

Enitharmon wrote:Apropos of nothing at all, 'Pantalaimon' is Greek for 'all sufferings'. Just thought I'd show off!

Really? I thought it was derived from 'Panteleimon,' a Macedonian saint whose name means 'all-merciful'. [google]

Interesting...

I hadn't thought of doing a google search - I went to the library and looked it up in a Greek lexicon, from first principles.

Sorry if there's egg on my face here. I was rather pleased with my discovery - sounded just the sort of name the scholars of Jordan would give to their tiresome but loveable charge!

Maybe Pullman knew both definitions and thought that it would be an interesting juxtaposition.

i'm still under the assumption that pullman knows "everything". he's obviously very well read.

Heh. He did go to Oxford remember? He seems to like throwing in all these little mythological references to keep us on our toes..

In the Discworld series, Azrael is the Death of the Unvierse. As in that's his job.

angel of death, same thing.

jessia wrote:i'm still under the assumption that pullman knows "everything". he's obviously very well read.

He didn't know that the Royal Marines are part of the Navy, not the Army.

Although I strongly suspect that he does now...

army could be a generalisation...

jessia wrote:army could be a generalisation...

I'd better not show that to my ex-boyfriend, a former Royal Marines Commando! Associating the RM with the Army is potentially explosive...

No, I think it was a genuine mistake. Even Mr Pullman is allowed to make one occasionally, I think!

I feel pretty sure that JP was in special forces, given his familiarity with survival techniques. I certainly made this assumption in my story These Foolish Things- my first venture into serious fan-fiction

Daniel wrote:

Enitharmon wrote:Apropos of nothing at all, 'Pantalaimon' is Greek for 'all sufferings'. Just thought I'd show off!

Really? I thought it was derived from 'Panteleimon,' a Macedonian saint whose name means 'all-merciful'. [google]

Do either of you know what Kirjava means? Serafina never says but she says she'll know in time.

It means 'of many colours' in Finnish.

Thank you. I get the name now.