Abatha, Princess of Madness
Abatha in Detail

Insanity--a perfectly rational adjustment to an insane world.
-R. D. Lang

HISTORY
Abatha was created by Beleth in the early 11th century and excelled at her assigned duties in Marches. She did her work so well, in fact, that her request to work on the corporeal realm and further study the mind of mankind was granted with little question. She was one of Nightmare's rising stars.

In 1100 AD the Punisher witnessed the construction of Mets, "an asylum exclusively for sufferers from mental diseases," in northern France. Abatha became enthralled with the idea of inflicting waking nightmares--punishing and testing humans in a way that nightmares, time spent in the Marches, could never touch. She decided to study this human condition further, posing as a nurse in the hospital and following the insane into their dreamscapes. Her notes were expansive.

Successful Campaigns
In 1262, working with servitors of the then powerful Mammon, she helped implement De Praerogativa Regis, an Act which allowed the King of England custody of the lands of natural fools and wardship over the property of the insane. While much of the property of the land holders went to the king, Mammon and his ilk gained a small percentage. Abatha followed the Escheators (the inquisitors responsible for determining the mental faculties of the land holder in question) to study both their methods and their results.

Abatha saw madness everywhere she went, it seemed to have a more powerful and longer-lasting hold on humanity than Nightmares ever could. It lasted through both sleep and the passing days. It was a force that could not be broken. It punished not only the inflicted, but those around them. Some of those driven to madness could even see God in ways that the Host never could. To Abatha, madness could be punishment or perfection, and she reveled in it.

Where studies of madness and insanity went, Abatha followed, leaving a trail of further mental devastation in her wake. By the late 1400's, she was experimenting with methods of forcing madness on humanity. Working with remnant servitors of the then-destroyed Makatiel, Prince of Disease, the Punisher helped the spread of Syphilis across Europe, studying the effects the disease had on the mind. These methods of spreading "waking nightmares" pleased Lucifer. He commended her on coordination and the execution of her campaigns against humanity and offered her the Word of Madness. A rictus of malign glee lit the Habbalite's face; Abatha accepted.

As a demon with a powerful Word, Abatha continued her streak of successful endeavors. Further experimentation involved suggesting the use of mercury in hat-making, a process which not only allowed for ease in making the beaver fur hats of the 1600's, but which also exposed a large amount of hat-makers to the brain damaging and maddening mercury fumes.

The Far Marches
Beleth had been aware of her Punisher's movements and activities, but only when Abatha had received her un-petitioned Word did the Djinn Princess realize exactly how much influence her servitor had gained while on the corporeal realm. The paranoid Princess of Nightmares was suspicious of Abatha's intentions and sought out a way to diminish the power-base of this up-and-comer.

The Princess of Nightmares publicly congratulated the Demon of Madness on her triumphs and proposed an important mission, a mission which would further both Nightmares and Madness. Abatha was charged with exploring the darker portions of the Far Marches, from where few celestials had ever returned, and examine the dreamers and dreamscapes which had been trapped or lost there. Abatha saw wisdom in her Lady's assignment--though no one else did--and ventured deep into the Marches.

When the Punisher returned alive, and even more wild-eyed than before, a century later it was to the shock of everyone. Her dissipating power base not only returned, but grew, along with her reputation. Hell was rife with gossip about what she endured or what deals she made in the Far Marches. Abatha simply presented Beleth her reports on the few mortals who made it to the Far Marches and hasn't said a word about it since.

Pandemonium
Upon her return from the Far Marches, nearly a century after she had left, Abatha began to re-solidify her power-base in a shifting, secret area beneath Beleth's Tower. The region seemed to have more in common with dreamscapes than Hell itself, as if the Marches themself had begun sifting into Hell. The demons who gathered around her discussed the mortal mind and spirit and debated how to further spread madness.

The dawn of the twentieth century saw a whole new world interest in insanity. With arguments breaking out between the new studiers, the fathers of modern mental science, Malphas and Abatha worked together to sow new seeds of madness and mistrust.

It's unknown how long Lucifer had known of the region Abatha discovered or her crusades in expanding her Word but, in 1792, he publicly congratulated the Demon of Madness on her discovery of Pandemonium and her works prior. He raised her status to Princess of Madness, granting her both a place in Hell's descending hierarchy and a Principality of her own in a single stroke.

FAR, FAR AWAY IN THE FAR MARCHES
Very few expected Abatha to ever return from the Far Marches when Beleth ordered the Demon of Madness to head an expedition into the bowels of the "uncharted regions." Though powerful, she certainly was weaker than some of the very old Ethereal spirits who reside in the deepest reaches of the Ethereal realm. She left Hell with a cadre of thirteen of the most powerful and loyal demons under her command, but she returned to Beleth's tower alone and seemingly unscathed--nearly a hundred years after she left. No one is certain where she went in the Marches or exactly what happened there, but there are a few rumors that have gained popularity over the years.

The Subconscious Madness
The Far Marches are made from the depths of the subconscious. Some say that in Abatha's exploration she discovered a babbling brook, streaming through the thickets of nightmares and fears, which she followed to its source: the wellspring of madness itself. There, she drank the from the spring and lost complete sense of both herself and time around her, wrapping herself completely in her Word, actually becoming Madness and only Madness for years.

The Wandering Wackos
There are more than dreamers and ancient Ethereals in the Marches. Those who experience the waking dreams of dementia and lunacy find themselves forever part of their own dreamscapes and some have walked beyond the Vale, deep into the Far Marches. It's rumored that Abatha gathered these dreamers and performed experiments on them, furthering their neuroses, gaining more knowledge of Madness and trapping them in the Far Marches forever.

Pacts With Elder Gods
Circulated whispers suggest that Abatha sacrificed her demonic companions to some of the powerful and dark Ethereals for their secrets and protection. It's speculated that the Demon of Madness offered promises of future Essence and worshipers to their cause if they would help solidify her power base upon her return to Hell. This may explain why Pandemonium was previously undiscovered and why shifts like dreamscapes--it may be an invasion of the Marches into Hell, brought forth by powerful Ethereals who now take residence near Beleth's tower and, uncoincidentally, the entrance to Abatha's Principality.

Maybe some of the above are true--maybe even all of the above! Whatever the case, Abatha neither confirms nor denies the rumors. She shared certain data with Beleth and even arranged new alliances with some Ethereals for the Princess of Nightmares, but the rest lies within the twisted passages of Abatha's mind.

PERSONALITY AND OUTLOOK
The Princess of Madness is capricious and unpredictable, smiling and serene one moment, snarling or screaming the next. Despite her tenuous grasp on her emotions, however, she has amassed a number of loyal servitors. Though outwardly unstable, there are obvious signs of a grand plan lurking behind her eyes and she has the intelligence and confidence to carry it out. She also rewards well those who further her Word. Though one never knows the mood their Princess might receive them in, she is rarely unhelpful towards those that please her.

Abatha typically appears as a short, very pale female. She may be wearing a regal gown, modern business suit, nurse's uniform or tattered rags, depending on her mood. Regardless of the style of clothing, her color preferences tend towards blacks, purples and reds. While her form is typically attractive, even at her most lucid she seems distracted by something permanently beyond her reach. This can be unsettling for all but the most unfazable--servitor and fellow Princes alike.

In truth, the distraction is more than an affectation; she is constantly in search for something beyond her reach: the spread of her Word to all of humanity. She has tightly bound herself to her Word and listens carefully to every shift in its growth; she feels every movement within it. When she feels a surge of madness through the Symphony, she allows it to wash over her and can appear quite sunny and enthusiastic, the moment it begins to wane she'll sulk or scream. Very few demons have allowed themselves to be as tied to their Words as she has become, for the very reasons demonstrated by the Habbalite Princess. A lesson Kronos is quick to point out to the newly Word-bound.

Priorities
Abatha wants everyone to succumb to their deepest, most volatile emotions, to find either their grace or damnation within it. The part of the soul that encompasses reason must be burned away to truly discover who is strong and who is weak. Physically, this often means altering the chemicals which govern the brain. Abatha would like this done by any means necessary: disease, chemicals, electricity, pressure or even simple lies. Whatever it takes. In her eyes, other Princes and even Archangels help her in this, whether they like it, realize it, or not. And it's when they don't realize it that Abatha is most amused.

Views on God
To the Princess of Madness, God is a being so powerful, so divine in His majesty that to try and comprehend the Supreme Being would cause both the mind and soul to shatter. Only when reason has been banished can one see God, for emotion and passion are what God is made of.

Abatha has wrapped herself so tightly around her Word that she feels each step of growth brings her closer to God, pulling away her rationale. Selfishly, she secretly realizes that only with some self-awareness and reason can she further her Word-growth and feel its rapture. She pursues that ecstasy all the while lying to herself and those around her, telling them that she will only fully commune with God when all others have had their chance.

Views on Lucifer
Lucifer is the ultimate experimenter, a powerful force who rewards his successful studiers. To Abatha, Lucifer is utilizing forces of Hell and manipulating those in Heaven to discover the best way to find God. Once Abatha has tested humanity and the other celestials, the burden of proof will be lifted, his experiment will have yielded proper fruit and the Morning Star will finally be able to commune with God.

Only when Abatha can study all the ways madness can be induced and which way yields the best results can she present her results to Lucifer. There is still so much work to be done for her benefactor.

Views on the War
What war? To the Princess of Madness, Heaven, Hell, even the Marches are simply different political courts charged with doing the same job: testing humanity and proving which ones are worthy. She simply has slightly more dealings with one court than the other. And her methods are superior; soon they'll all come to realize that.

She is aware that she has certain...rivals in the major political factions of Heaven and Hell and that the most adamant of those rivals include the Host. She instructs her servitors to "deal with them and be done with it," but is especially pleased when an adversary ends up joining her ranks or, at least, falls into the hands of one of her allies.

THE WORD OF MADNESS
Madness is the state of mind one enters when they have lost theirs; it is a state of insanity, intense anger, uncontrolled enthusiasm and chaotic activity. Falling into the extremes of any emotional state and losing grip on reality and reason are the pathways to madness. To Abatha, madness is the clearest method to determine the worthy from the unworthy, those who fall into the singular emotion that defines them best will either be strong enough to find God within or devoured by their own emotions.

Humanity is not the only creature struck with madness and Abatha is one of the few Superiors who directly interferes with Jordi's dominion. In order to expand her growing power and Word-strength, Abatha includes animals within her scope of experimentation. Rabies and, more recently, Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy--commonly known as "mad cow"--also further her Word and she finds little competition from other Princes in that arena. The relationship between BSE and Variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease has not been lost on many Archangels or Princes. Based on Abatha's prior actions, some wonder if these new diseases fall under her responsibility.

POLITICS
Abatha is one of Hell's younger aristocrats and, unlike many Princes, has a Principality all her own. She realizes this tends to make others jealous, but has little time to focus on politics--she's too busy inflicting Madness on humanity. She's neither foolish or unaware that jealousy often breeds violence, however, and is careful to protect herself, her territory and, when they deserve it, her servitors. Both unexpected alliances and arguments have appeared in her wake, which amuses Malphas to no end--especially the rift, however minor, that she has brought between Kobal and Haagenti.

Due to the proximity and possible connection of Pandemonium to the Marches and her focus on the mental state of humanity, many Princes view her as either an impediment or possible successor to Beleth's position in the War. Abatha is either unaware or unconcerned with the possible dangers of such thoughts, but Beleth is both aware and wary of this possible interloper.

Princely Opinions
Andrealphus: There is a line between passion and obsession and she crossed it and kept going. While obsession may have its place and she may be a wild time, her place should not be so high in the ranks. (There can be such a fine line between passion and obsession. Doesn't he understand that obsession is how we can recognize the weak and unworthy, or is he too obsessed with his own lust to realize that? Still, he has his uses and can be so... pleasurable.)

Asmodeus: I have little use for her or her former superior. Unlike Beleth, she seems to keep a tighter reign on her servitors. Whether she is doing this by keeping her own madness reigned in or by happenstance has yet to be determined. (He tries to keep Hell in order. Hell doesn't need order, it's a pot of chaos, boiling over--as it should be!)

Baal: She is a loose cannon, constantly getting in the way of The War with her idiotic interferences. If she continues to stumble into my way I will end her brief reign. (He is far to busy with politics between Heaven and Hell. He fights a battle that does not matter. Fortunately, we are are rarely around each other and I leave him to his toys.)

Beleth: Her realm is too close to mine, as is her Word. She was much less of a problem before she became a Princess, before she gained her Word. Often she unintentionally furthers my own goals but, beyond that, she is a force that bears watching. (Beleth understands. Madness is so often bred in nightmares. And madness often breeds nightmares of their own. Were she not so obsessed with her former lover I could help her realize her full potential. Some day I will.)

Belial: She's just what we need to replace Beleth. An inextinguishable force who does more than frightens the mind--she burns it to the ground! (The Prince of Fire sees God in his fires far more than Gabriel does. We have no need to fear his flames, only the weak will be burned.)

Haagenti: I don't care that she's a thief, but she stole some of my cooks! If she's not careful, I'll be treating myself to Baked Abatha soon. Mmmm... (He's a pawn of Kobal and I'll tolerate him, but his ravenous appetite feeds little and does little. No wonder so many have left him to work for me.)

Kobal: She's quite a laugh. I mean, here you've got a Princess who thinks she's doing God's work. Not only that, but she's so busy pointing out the madness in us that she forgets to look at her own. A dizzy chick who's fun to be around? That's who we need keeping track of the Marches. (His bitterness puts an edge on his jokes that hints on hysteria. I'll work with him, so long as I'm not the punch line. Watch out for running gags.)

Kronos: She's about as subtle as a chain saw and thrice as destructive. She does her job, but her job is often irrelevant. Beleth is far more experienced at guiding humanity towards their darkest Fates. (Too calm, too... rational. I don't like him. He is empty of emotion and without emotion how can one see God?)

Lilith: Madness is a prison, not freedom, a prison where walls do not exist or matter. But, she pays her debts very well and her desires are quite obvious. I'll use both hers and Beleth's Needs against each other. Then they'll both owe me. Big time. (Her creations, once they understand, can be so useful to my cause. But Lilith is simply a trumped-up human. She'll examine her emotions and we shall see how worthy she is soon enough.)

Malphas: She is fractured and she brings fractures to Hell. I don't like her, but she can be a very useful tool. (He's very helpful for my efforts, the more people hate each other the more they hate themselves and lose track of the coherence that hinders them. In solitude a human will push themselves over the edge. He helps people punish themselves and others at the same time, often furthering my Word in the process.)

Nybbas: Oh, sure she's quite the looker, but mental problems are best saved for A Very Special Episode, not for a full-time series--didn't we learn that from "Stark Raving Mad?" It'll be a better line-up when her show gets canceled. (He's a smarmy fool who doesn't even know what he's doing half the time. The goal isn't to amuse people, it's to drive them to the brink and beyond. Media can be manipulated to serve Madness, however. There are so many people so weak, so eager to feel or be what they see in media that they drive themself insane.)

Saminga: When she came into power she stole souls that were rightfully mine. The dead have no madness, no weakness that she has power over. She is not only useless, she's an interloper who should be "punished" herself. (He's upset that I got some of the psychopaths that he thought he had control over. He should be serving me. He's far too mad and far too stupid to have his own princedom.)

Valefor: Sure, I helped her out when she got started. Gave her some tips on kleptos. She's got spunk, she's got style and she doesn't just steal minds, she breaks them. She's a good addition to the War. (He seems far too eager to help me out. I wonder what he's casing the joint for? Just what is he after?)

Vapula: I don't understand what she means by madness. What is her basis for comparison? ... She received her Princedom for a discovery? I should have been granted a hundred more princedoms last year alone if invention and discovery were all it took to gain highest favor. Her experiments are crude and useless. She's not worth the space she takes up. (I love the term "mad scientist." We're all mad here, but he is the embodiment of his term. He punishes and tests in his way and I punish in mine, we have little time for each other, but I'll help him where I can and use his pretty toys to further my own studies and means.)

Archangelic Opinions
Blandine: She is nearly as dangerous to humanity as Beleth. Her efforts have added so many to the numbers in the Asylum. For her there shall be no redemption. She must be stopped. (What are dreams but brightly colored nightmares? Both can lure humanity to madness, that ultimate test. Madness breeds dreams of its own. Why must she be so harsh? Can she not see that I can reunite her with her former lover? That she could be mine? Come to us, Blandine and realize how much the three of us can do.)

David: The Servitors of Madness are weak but infuriating. Her methods of inflicting insanity separate each person to an individual island, incapable of seeing the people around them. (Oh, David. Strong, handsome, David. It's a shame you have nothing but rocks in your head. Allow me to bulldoze your brains and you will see how good it feels to strike first with your hard hammer.)

Dominic: How many hospitals must we build? How many souls will come to us, marred and weakened by her hand? She will be stopped. (You hide behind thick robes, but you can not conceal your emotions. Can you feel them building inside you, Dominic? Let them overtake you and you will be able to see God again, no matter how thick the fabric in front of your eyes.)

Eli: Moments of madness can sometimes inspire, but she's not after inspirational moments, man. She can inspire creators and destroy them in the same breath. Look after those she's affected and show them that they can still be useful. (Vincent Van Gogh. Edward Munch. Surely Eli understands how important it is the work I do. Without my work, would they have created so much? I help him more than anyone else and soon enough he'll realize it and reciprocate.)

Gabriel: She is a cruel Punisher who burns minds as quickly as Belial's cruelty burns flesh. But soon Fire shall cleanse them both away. (She is consumed with her own emotion and pain, but still she fails to see God. She raves inaccuracies and rants against the strong, calling them "cruel." Her weakness has been shown for what it is. She is a wane mirror of Belial and should be broken and swept aside.)

Janus: Madness stops change, it can completely halt movement. It can be a cage that can not be broken out of. Better to change the minds of those that serve her and, barring that, make sure they never move again. (Arrogant and flighty, he is a pest. Insignificant and best ignored or, better yet, squashed.)

Jean: She blemishes a budding science which would allow humanity to grow at its proper pace, turning it into a very dangerous farce. It may be best to ensure she does not forever spoil psychiatric science. Stop her. Remove her from the hospitals, clinics and offices. (How much longer can you hide your emotions, Jean? Your walls are crumbling around you, show that rage you contain inside and I shall teach you how to smile.)

Jordi: This vile one extends her reach beyond the humans, attempting to grasp and claw all of God's creatures. Isn't the damage done by humanity bad enough? Stop her. (All creatures must be tested. All creatures live to help that test grow. Can't Jordi see that only the strongest creatures of mind deserve to be saved? How now, brown cow?)

Laurence: She forces her abnormality on the populous in a variety of methods, but her soldiers can be swiftly struck down. Guard yourselves well and show that The Sword can not break or bend to her will. (A pretty boy wearing his father's shoes. You must be so scared and lonely, little Laurence. Come to me and cry, let your emotions break through and I will show you how little you need your steel.)

Marc: There is no trading reason for emotion, both are needed for a fair deal. She would have us bankrupt our minds; but without our minds how can we properly measure the wealth of what we feel? (No scale is ever perfectly balanced. There is no excellent exchange. It's better to put all the weight on one side--let the scales tip, God can not be found any other way.)

Michael: A surprisingly good tactician, she keeps her champions moving through the field. If there were only some way to show her the Truth; God can not be found in madness. If she can't learn that lesson, though, then show her to her grave. (You see part of the Truth in your emotions, simply let go of your pride and false honor and the grand plan will be revealed to you.)

Novalis: She is so hurt inside, the ravages of her own Word are killing her as much as madness harms everyone else it touches. If she would only let us heal her, help her control emotions, she could be such a force for good. (Whether you Fall from your false smile or are consumed by the despair I know you feel inside, I shall administer my care to you soon enough, my pretty flower.)

Yves: Abatha is not as dangerous or as overwhelming as she'd like to believe she is. Madness is not the equivalent of Fate. However, the madness she inflicts can diminish a person's Destiny. It's best to see that she does not succeed in her goals. Help people to shine their brightest and her heavy-handedness will not hinder them. (Why should the weak be so coddled and allowed to see grace when they do not deserve it? Those strong enough will resist, the rest will experience Pandemonium and their proper punishment.)

Humans and Others
Humanity: Those who can see and commune with God in their madness are His favored, those who can not should be punished and used. Their emotions so strong, their minds, so weak in every way. I shall be the one to tear down the rot of reason to expose the Truth to each one of them. And we shall see who can face the divine.

Soldiers of God: These misguided wretches call themselves Soldiers of God, when they can be so far from seeing Him. They have been blinded by the arrogant Archangels but I shall help them open their eyes.

Soldiers of Hell: Orderlies in the ward who have allowed themselves damnation to help the tests continue. Their rewards will not be as great as they think, they will never see God. But the Great Work must continue, best not shatter their illusions and allow them to help in their clumsy way. They may never commune with God, but their bodies can provide a use on earth and their souls certainly are excellent resources.

Sorcerers: Errant school children seeking shortcuts to earthly power and denying themselves the divine. They are tools to be used, manipulated. then disposed of like so much garbage.

Ethereals: The cast-asides and refuse of a bygone age. Many seek to further The Cause, however, and dealing with them can prove to be educational and profitable. I do not hate our twisted brethren, but I do pity and envy them. Will they ever find God? Do some already see?

Animals: Their reason and intellects are small, but their passions do exist. They provide excellent subjects for experimentation and, in doing so, allow even the lowliest beasts to see God. They are insignificant in God's Final Plan, but useful in the travel.

BELETH
The Princess of Nightmares was already paranoid about her Punisher when Abatha became Word-bound to Madness without even petitioning for the Word. She thought that by sending Abatha to the Far Marches, she would cut off any support her demon might have and stem her power growth. When Abatha returned from the Marches a century after she had left, successful and seemingly unscathed, Beleth was shocked. However, the research and additional Ethereal "allies" Abatha shared with Beleth were helpful to the cause of Nightmares, despite any suspicions the Princess had. Abatha was promoted to Dukedom. Despite further attempts to monitor her powerful servitor, she was unaware of Pandemonium until Lucifer's promotion of Madness to Princedom. Beleth's own fears were realized. She now had new potential competition on the fields of the Marches.

While Beleth now shares an uneasy alliance with her former servitor, Abatha holds the Princess of Nightmares in the highest of regards. Abatha believes their futures are intertwined, nightmares leading to madness which, in turn, promote the darkest of nightmares. Abatha desires Beleth as both a lover and an ally, hoping that the two can work as closely as Fear and Dreams once did.

LESSER OPINIONS
Abatha is not the only "second-tier" Superior and she can conflict or work with her peers (in terms of power level) as much as she does with those in higher positions of power. Below are the opinions of some of the other, lesser, Princes and Archangels on the Princess of Madness.

Princely Opinions
Alaemon: Secrets can be locked away forever in Madness, hidden behind barred doors no key can open in prisons that no longer exist. Madness can also be a secret unleashed. She can be a useful tool, if needed and one is careful. But be very, very careful. (He builds walls in mind and heart alike. While he will occasionally further my cause, it is too rare a case for me to deal with him. He is a very small spider with a very fragile web.)

Fleurity: Yes, we have worked together, she and I. After all, even madmen need their "meds." And, if a job is well done, they'll keep needing them and, sooner or later, it won't do them any good. Not one of my best customers, but when she comes to me, I'll entertain her. She'd just better be careful about what Words her servitors are petitioning for. (Hallucinogens and painkillers can aid Madness as much as fluoxetine and beta-blockers. If his demons happen to get those Words before I can, they'd do best to work with me as well. If so, then Fleurity and I can retain our... alliance.)

Furfur: With the right music on, this bitch knows how to rock, man! Madness? Hell's bells, just call the world a mosh pit. Yeah, she's alright. Crank it up and blow your mind away. (He can offer a temporary escape from reason, but he doesn't do enough. He, like his favored music, is temporary and shall burn out as quickly as it appeared.)

Magog: I hear she can be so cruel to the minds, but she is far too weak to the souls. I could govern Pandemonium so much better than she. (He blunders through the world and his Word. A useless relic of a bygone age with only one or two tricks. His servitors would do so much better serving me or as fodder for greater needs.)

Mammon: Let her harvest all the minds she wants, just make sure I get their stuff! She's helped me out in the past, but since she's become a Princess she's forgotten her place. Eventually I'll help her remember. (Ah, Mammon, your focus is so unfounded. You were a stepping stone for me, and may be again, but how much longer can you last? Still, better you as a stepping stone than the maw of Haagenti. Perhaps I will help you last long enough to help close your "usurper's" mouth.)

Archangelic Opinions
Christopher: She strips away both childhood and growth from everything she touches, spoiling innocence and tainting purity. She must be stopped, for the sake of the children and all those who still have a childlike nature within them! (A fool toddler who would do well to toddle off. His teeth have yet to grow and his servitors are easily driven to Madness. Little Christopher, you will be pushed eventually and not even your diaper wish cushion your Fall.)

Khalid: She spurs powerful emotions, but with no reason or thought behind them. Faith is lessoned without reason. She is a painful, faithless one. A dark shadow of what I almost became. The shadow will not exist in the light of faith. She must be destroyed. (He almost came to me and became one of mine. He almost saw God in a way that he could not have otherwise. Given time and the proper prodding, perhaps he can be set upon the path again. Perhaps someday I can help him see God again.)

Litheroy: She wants to make a Labyrinth of the mind and cloud the judgement of the heart. Once we know how she has hurt others, we can heal them. Once we understand her methods, we can unravel her. (He seeks them here, he seeks them there, Litheroy seeks secrets everywhere. He is a foil for Alaemon and little more. Let the two of them play their games into oblivion, sowing seeds of chaos around them.)

Zadkiel: We must help those she has harmed and protect those she targets. Can you not see how dangerous she is? She must be stopped now, before she becomes stronger! (How difficult it must be to try to protect everything. How utterly futile. Can you not feel the pain in your heart, Zadkiel? Embrace it. Let it consume you until reason is boiled away. Only then can you stalk the truth which will lead you to God.)

VARIATIONS ON A THEME
Abatha can be viewed in a number of ways, depending on the flavor of the campaign and the GM's personal view on her.

Doctor Abatha
This version of the Princess of Madness paints her as a distorted mirror to Vapula. Utilized this way the two Habbalah may be great allies or fierce competitors. This variation's Abatha has not allowed herself to become so tied to her Word. She is the studier of the mind, tearing it down layer by layer to discover the differences in every human, ethereal and celestial. As a clinically distant observer and experimenter, she listens to everything her servitors say, studying the nuances of what they say and how they say it. While Vapula focuses on the physical, her attention is on the mental and the emotional.

The psychoanalyst persona presented here still believes that within madness one may find God, but until her own codification is complete, she will not allow herself to succumb to it. Her servitors, on the other hand, may be just as useful as psychologists or test subjects.

Behind a Straight Jacket
Abatha has released all control of reason and it won't be long before her small empire crumbles around her. The White Queen and Red Queen she "crowned" actually run Pandemonium and the servitors of Madness while vying with each other for total control of the domain. Meanwhile, Abatha sends her servants on random errands, like petting bunnies, collecting flowers, or burning down churches. Those in higher positions attempt to disguise her words as metaphor for actions against Archangels, but know the truth: Abatha, for all her power, has lost control. And some wonder if Pandemonium is not a Principality but a prison; Hell's own ward for the insane and their Princess.

Portrait of Abatha as a Young Man
The male version of Abatha appears as a tall, lithe, and pale young male in dilapidated Edwardian fashions, replete with top hat and cane. Observers may note that in place of a standard white shirt, a straight jacket lurks beneath the frayed coat of the Habbalite Prince.

There is more than physical difference between the Prince of Madness and the Princess, however. Mr. Abatha wants his subjects and students to bring about Madness solely in areas dementia or frenzy. While the "standard" version of the Princess of Madness believes grace can be found in succumbing to any emotion, Abatha as a male is far more restrictive in his views.

He is no less emotional than the female version of Abatha, but is much more violent in his outbursts. Servitors find it easy to move up in the ranks of the Prince of Madness, largely due to his constant destruction those around him when he's upset. His Rooks and Bishops do not last long and those empty spots are often replaced by younger demons who hope they manage to please their volatile master longer than their predecessor, so they can reap the rewards.

WELCOME TO THE HOUSE OF FUN: SECRET SONGS
Abatha is not as powerful as some of her Princely peers but, from Malphas, she has access to the Songs of Disjunction (Liber Canicorum, p. 68), which the Princess may offer as a reward to her successful servitors. She is also well aware of the Song of Daydreams (Liber Canticorum, p. 66) and is working on her own version. She and a special task force are currently experimenting with new chords, hoping to pen the Songs of Madness.