The angel Xaphania appears to Will Parry and Lyra Silvertongue.
An angel was a being composed purely of Dust.[1] They also went by the names bene elim or Watchers.[2]
Though corporeal in appearance angels' physical influence on the world was limited. Higher-ranking angels were easier to see in daylight. These were large winged creatures, human-like in form, but whose bodies were made of light not flesh. Angels were ancient and immortal beings whose true form is composed of intelligence and feeling, since they were structures of Dust.
There existed two groups of angels: ones faithful to the Authority and those who rebelled under Xaphania. Metatron was one such angel loyal to the Authority and lead the Authority's forces after being declared the Lord Regent. Two rebel angels, Balthamos and Baruch, aided Will Parry at various times.
Angels could be either humans who became angels, or simply angels. The most important angels were always visible, but less important angels could be seen only in the night. Angels were able to see and pass through the invisible windows between the worlds. They had the power to modify nature; angels altered the course of all evolution to create biological species to become rivals against the Authority. It also showed implications concerning the angels' view of biological sentient lifeforms.
Will told Mary Malone that, according to Baruch and Balthamos, angels wished they had bodies like humans.[2]
Notable angels
Appearances
References
- ↑ The Subtle Knife, Chapter 12
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 The Subtle Knife, Chapter 6 Cite error: Invalid
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