Erwin Hessl

A complete analysis of the term "Sacred Guardian Angel" and the concept of achieving "Knowledge and Conversation" with it in the published prose works of Aleister Crowley

general review

First of all, it is important to realize that in the philosophy and in all of Aleister Crowley's work, the Holy Guardian Angel was indisputably central. "Knowledge and Conversation with the Sacred Guardian Angel" Crowley identifies with the "Great Work" and proclaims the achievement of this goal as the main task of all magical training, which is conducted at the degrees of the Outer Order A:.A:.. In the essay "The Star Is Seen" - " detailed description structures and systems of the Great White Brotherhood" (i.e., the A:.A:. order) - Crowley explains that

The Degree of Junior Adept is the central theme of the instructions A:.A:.. This level is marked by the Achievement of Knowledge and Conversation with the Sacred Guardian Angel<…>. This is the main task of every person; and it is unparalleled in importance both in terms of personal development and in helping others. Until man has fulfilled it, he remains the most unfortunate and blind of all animals. He is aware of his indescribable plight, but cannot improve it. Having achieved Knowledge and Conversation, he becomes - no more and no less - a co-heir of the gods, the Lord of Light. He is aware of his sacred path and is ready to follow it with complete confidence.

Crowley continued to insist that Knowing and Conversing with the SAH is the most important task of the magician until the end of his days. Even in his last book, “Magic Without Tears,” he points out: “Do not forget for a moment that the main and most important task of the magician is to achieve Knowledge and Conversation with the Holy Guardian Angel”.
A direct connection between the SAH and the Great Work is also made in the 90th chapter of the “Book of Aleph”: “...The Great Work is the Achievement of Knowledge and Conversation with Your Sacred Guardian Angel”, - and in Chapter III “Magic in Theory and Practice”:

It is the second half of this formula [i.e., the Tetragrammaton formula] that symbolizes the Great Work that we have undertaken to accomplish. And the first step towards this achievement is the achievement of Knowledge and Interview with the Sacred Guardian Angel, which turns the Magician into an Adept of the Inner Order.

It is important to keep in mind that in the context of the A:.A:. and the general program of magical training, Crowley's term "Sacred Guardian Angel" is closely associated with the concept of individual achievement, "personal advancement" and self-development.
This connection becomes even more clear when we notice that Crowley often identifies the “Holy Guardian Angel” with the “True Will” or the revelation of this will. This can perhaps be seen most clearly in The Heart of a Master, where it states:

Thus, the Path to Perfection is twofold: firstly, the True Will must be realized by the Mind, and this task is akin to what is called the achievement of Knowledge and Conversation with the Sacred Guardian Angel. Secondly, it is said: “You have no other right than to do your will”; and therefore, every particle of energy that his Tools [i.e., the abilities of his mind] are capable of generating. - Note. author], a person must direct to the fulfillment of his Will.

The same identification is found in Crowley's New Commentary on AL I:7:

Likewise, our Silent “I”, helpless and unreasonable, hidden within us, will break out (if we manage to release it into the Light) and greedily rush forward with the Battle Cry - the Word of our True Will. This is the Task of the Adept - to achieve Knowledge and Conversation with His Sacred Guardian Angel, to comprehend his essence and his purpose and fulfill them, -

and also in the New Commentary on AL II:65:

Here Crowley defines the Sacred Guardian Angel as the “True Self,” and elsewhere in Liber II he notes that the Will “is but the active aspect of the self.” Crowley further identifies the Holy Guardian Angel with Hadit and states that "every Star" (ie, "every man and every woman," according to AL I:3) is a "sheath of Hadit." In other words, the Holy Guardian Angel is inside a person, and not outside him.
Chapter XVIII of Magic in Theory and Practice further explains that

...A magician who has not yet achieved Knowledge and Conversation with his Guardian Angel is subject to endless delusions. Without knowing Himself, how can he explain to others what he needs?

And the identity under consideration is already quite directly carried out in “Liber Samekh” - a ritual that “THE BEAST 666 used<…>to achieve Knowledge and Conversation with your Sacred Guardian Angel":

…The Adept will free up resources to focus his innermost “I” (that part of himself that unconsciously formulates his True Will) on the awareness of his Sacred Guardian Angel.<…>For his Angel is the intelligible Image of his True Will, to the fulfillment of which the entire Law of his Existence is reduced.

Finally, we find this same identification in chapter 7 of Equinox of the Gods, where Crowley writes:

The teeth are exposed when our Secret “I” - our Unconscious Ego, the Magic Image of which is our individuality, expressed in mental and physical form - our Sacred Guardian Angel - comes into the light and declares our True Will to our fellow humans: with a grin or with a grin, a smile or a laugh.

It is worth noting that the term “Sacred Guardian Angel” does not appear even once in The Book of the Law, although the concept of SAH underlies the Book of the Serpent-Entwined Heart, one of the three main sacred books of Thelema. The connection between the concept of SAH (which would otherwise remain a general magical, and not strictly thelemic idea) and the teaching of Thelema is provided only by Crowley's identification of the Holy Guardian Angel with the revelation of the True Will.

In Chapter II of Magic in Theory and Practice, Crowley writes:

The one who later became MASTER THERION once had to face exactly the same predicament. Determined to act as a teacher to humanity, He sought a simple verbal form to express His purpose. His will had enough common sense to formulate the task as follows: he would teach humanity to achieve the Next Step - that is, to approach the entity located in the hierarchy directly above man. One could call this entity “God” or “Higher Self”, “Augoeid”, or “Adi-Buddha”, or one of sixty and one other names... however, He discovered that all these names are one thing - and that, at the same time, each of them implies one of the possible theories of the structure of the Universe, a theory that will ultimately fall apart, unable to withstand criticism (for He had already passed the kingdom of Reason from end to end and knew that every statement is internally contradictory). Therefore, He said: “I will publish this Work under this title: “Achieving Knowledge and Conversation with the Holy Guardian Angel” - for the theory to which these words hint is obviously absurd to such an extent that only simpletons will waste time to research it. It will be accepted as a mere convention, and no one will seriously be in danger of building a philosophical system on its basis.

A similar argument first appeared in the first volume of Equinox in 1909, where J.F.C. Fuller, in King Solomon's Temple, quoted Crowley's letter:

Abramelin calls him the Holy Guardian Angel. I accept this option because
1) the Abramelin system is so simple and effective;
2) since all theories of the world order are absurd, it is better to speak in the language of the one that is obviously absurd, in order to instill humility in the seeker of metaphysical truths;
3) even a child can understand this name.

As we can see, Crowley believed that “the theory to which these words hint” (that is, the idea that somewhere in the universe there really is an “angel” specially assigned to supervise man) is “patently absurd” - and to such an extent that “no one will seriously be in danger of building a philosophical system on its basis.” But this last assumption turned out to be overly optimistic, because in fact many people still try to build a “philosophical system” on the basis of “the theory to which these words hint.”.

To summarize, it can be noted that Crowley:
- identified the achievement of “Knowledge and Interview with the Holy Guardian Angel” with the execution of the “Great Work”;
- identified the achievement of “Knowledge and Conversation with the Holy Guardian Angel” with the revelation of the “True Will”; And
- accepted the term “Holy Guardian Angel” as a deliberately “absurd” convention and did not imagine that it would be given any philosophical or metaphysical meaning.
Having taken note of these findings, we can move on to a more detailed analysis.

The problem of "subjectivity"/objectivity"

In discussions within "magical" or "occult" communities, the issue of the "Sacred Guardian Angel" is often reduced to a question of "subjectivity/objectivity". It is often claimed that Aleister Crowley changed his point of view on this issue over time, sometimes describing the Holy Guardian Angel as a “subjective” phenomenon existing only in the mind of the individual, and sometimes as an “objective” entity external to the person . One of the purposes of this essay is to demonstrate that this dichotomy is false and that, in fact, Crowley approached this issue quite consistently and uniformly throughout his life, although he did not always take the trouble to express his point of view clearly enough. To do this, we will have to turn again to his works and first consider those statements in which the MAR appears as an “objective” entity.

Objective SAR

The bulk of quotes in support of the “objectivity” of the SAH are contained in “Magic Without Tears.” It is often argued that in this book, the last of which Crowley wrote, his ideas about the SAH are expressed in the most “mature” form and, thus, surpass and “outweigh” all earlier opinions. This point of view is too superficial; Moreover, as we will see, in the same work Crowley continues to support adherents of the theory of the “subjective” MAR. However, we are getting ahead of ourselves; Let's first look at the quotes mentioned and then try to analyze them in the context of the entire discussion.
The “great-grandfather” of all arguments of this kind should be recognized as a quotation from a letter entitled “The Holy Guardian Angel is not a “Higher Self”, but an objective individuality”:

Holy Guardian Angel<…>- something more than a person; perhaps it is an entity that has risen in its evolution above the human stage and is connected with its ward by bonds of friendship, community, brotherhood or Fatherhood. Let me emphasize that it is not just some part of your own personality; and that is why I so insist that, when applied to him, the term “Higher Self” implies a disgusting heresy and dangerous error. Otherwise, "The Sacred Magic of Abramelin the Mage" would have no meaning. Even if we leave aside all speculative reasoning, we have to admit that neither sammasati nor analytical work never gave me a single hint of the existence of a Guardian Angel. It is impossible to find it by examining your own personality.

Three themes emerge here, each of which we will consider separately:
- “Higher Self” as a “disgusting heresy”;
- “meaning” of “The Sacred Magic of Abramelin the Mage” and
- the idea of ​​“objective individuality”.

"Disgusting heresy"

To understand why Crowley calls the concept the "Higher Self" "disgusting heresy" and "dangerous error", one should consult earlier sources, because the letter quoted is by no means the first time he touches on this topic. In the same “Magic without Tears,” in the immediately preceding letter, he states:

The conclusion suggests itself that Augoeides, the “genius” of Socrates and the “Sacred Guardian Angel” of Abramelin the magician are identical to each other. But we cannot include the “Higher Self” in this list, because an Angel is a full-fledged Individual, possessing his own Universe, just like a person (or like anyone - or even like a corpse fly!). He is not simply some selection, squeeze or sublimation of our own favorite qualities, which, apparently, is the “Higher Self”.

As we have seen, he expressed the same idea twenty years earlier, in the New Commentary on AL I:65:

It is curious that this verse turned out to be associated with the number 65 - the number L.V.X.

Two important conclusions can be drawn from these two passages. First, they refute the idea that the refusal to identify the SAH with the "Higher Self" means that Crowley at some point changed his position on this issue: it is clear that he opposed the term "Higher Self" back in 1920, when the New Commentary was written. There are other arguments in favor of the fact that Crowley did change his point of view, which we will consider later; but here we wish to point out that his remarks regarding the "Supreme Self" cannot be accepted as such an argument. Secondly, by rejecting the concept of the Holy Guardian Angel as the “Higher Self,” Crowley does not thereby reject the entire theory of the “inner” or “subjective” Angel. We will consider the concepts of “Augoaid” and “the “genius” of Socrates” a little later, but now it can be noted that these concepts are definitely “internal”, and meanwhile in “Magic without Tears” - in the letter immediately preceding the one in which the idea of ​​the "objective individuality" of the Angel - Crowley directly states that they are identical with the SAH. An even more obvious argument is the identification of the Angel with the “True Self”: after all, it would be absurd to assume that our “True Self” is some kind of completely separate, external entity from us. All this once again confirms the fact that in “Magic Without Tears” Crowley did not at all change his position on the issue of the nature of the SAH. In this work he defines the Angel in the same "subjective" way as in many of his earlier works. At the very least, one might suggest that Crowley contradicts himself in this book; but in general it is impossible to use "Magic Without Tears" as evidence that he has "changed his mind."
In protesting against the use of the term "Higher Self" in relation to the Holy Guardian Angel, Crowley is in fact rejecting not the "subjective" approach as such, but only one of the variants of the "subjective" approach, namely, the one in which the Angel is understood as "some sampling, squeezing or sublimation of our own favorite qualities.”
Such an approach, based on the identification of the Angel with the “Higher Self,” is not at all uncommon. For example, Will Parfitt in his book “Living Kabbalah” offers the following criteria for assessing the reliability of contact with an Angel:

Does the scene look right? Do you feel the correctness of the symbols present in it? Is your Angel manifested correctly?

Or, for example, in a 2008 post on the LAShTAL.com forum, a quote is given from a text called “Principles of White Magic” (http://blazing-diamond.angel_re.com/101over.htm), written, in all likelihood, by the author of the mentioned post:

…one of the most common questions one hears from novice mystics and magicians is “But how do I know if this information is genuine? How do I know whether this message is coming from my higher self or from some highly evolved entity, or simply generated by my desires and fantasies? Maybe I’m fooling myself?”

To which the answer follows:

...if internally, intuitively, the message is perceived as true, then it should be accepted as true.

Both of these passages perfectly illustrate the problem that Crowley raised when he objected to the identification of the Holy Guardian Angel with “a certain selection, squeezing or sublimation of our own favorite qualities”, since both of them recommend evaluating “messages” from the Angel in terms of what is known to “feel right” or “perceive as right.” In the letter already quoted from Magick Without Tears, Crowley notes that

...it is necessary to insist that you be told unambiguously some information that you yourself clearly do not have. Relying on your own internal feelings is damn tempting: they seem completely undeniable (of course! After all, there is simply no one to argue with them!). Once you step on this path, you will easily achieve heights in the fine art of self-deception.

As noted, Crowley uses the term "Sacred Guardian Angel" in the context of a system of self-development, and the most obvious requirement for any such system is that it should not be limited to what we know perfectly well and can feel without its help: in order to develop truly, we must go beyond the known. In addition, we already know that Crowley identified the achievement of Knowledge and Conversation with the SAH with the revelation of the "True Will"; and the very idea of ​​the need for such a revelation implies that initially we do not know our “True Will”... and we will not know until, in our assessment of communication with this Will, we are based only on old, obviously existing ideas about ourselves and our values.
In practice, the term “Higher Self” is used to designate the source from which our “highest” values ​​or qualities emanate. This implies that our ordinary, everyday “I” is defiled by so-called “lower” values ​​or qualities that prevent the “Higher Self” from becoming the only force guiding our behavior. In other words, it is assumed that we already know what we are “supposed” to do; and the problem of “achieving” comes down, in fact, to the question of how to force yourself to do it constantly. This view is entirely consistent with the Christian concept of “sin” as expressed by St. Paul in Romans 7:14-20:

For we know that the law is spiritual, but I am carnal, sold under sin. For I don’t understand what I’m doing: because I don’t do what I want, but what I hate, I do. If I do what I do not want, then I agree with the law that it is good, and therefore it is no longer I who do it, but the sin living in me. For I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my flesh; because the desire for good is in me, but I don’t find it to do it. I don’t do the good that I want, but I do the evil that I don’t want. If I do what I do not want, it is no longer I who do it, but sin living in me.

This approach is diametrically opposed to the teachings of Thelema, according to which the main “problem” of achievement is not the inability to do what is “supposed” to do, but the inability to understand (or the mistaken understanding) of what exactly it is “supposed” to do. Thus, in the introduction to “Magic in Theory and Practice” it is stated:

The most common reason for failure in life is ignorance of your True Will or the ways in which this Will can be realized.<…>A person may imagine that his duty is to act in accordance with some fictitious image of himself, rather than to explore his true nature. For example, a woman may doom herself to suffering for the rest of her life, mistakenly believing that love is more important to her than her position in society, or vice versa. One lives with an unloved husband, although in reality she would be happy with her sweetheart in a hut; the other, succumbing to romantic deliriums, decides to secretly elope with her lover, while true pleasure comes only from the role of a society lady. Or, for example, some boy dreams of becoming a sailor, and his parents force him to study to become a doctor. It is clear that practicing medicine will not bring him either success or happiness.

If we want to discover for ourselves this “True Will” - which for Crowley, again, is identical to the achievement of Knowledge and Conversation with the Holy Guardian Angel - then it is first of all important not to limit ourselves to “selection”<…>our own favorite qualities”, because the selection of “favorite qualities” - that very “fictional image of our own “I”” - is precisely what prevents us from considering our “True Will”. This is exactly what happens when we accept the concept of the “Higher Self”. In fact, “higher” inevitably comes down to “what seems good to me,” and “lower” to “what I don’t like.” Our ideas about the “Higher Self” are made up of qualities that obviously seem preferable to us, so that in striving for this “Higher Self” we are in reality chasing only the “imaginary image” that Crowley warns us against in the introduction to Magic in Theory. practice." The true process of achieving Knowledge and Conversation with the Sacred Guardian Angel should reveal to us such truths about our “I” that we did not even suspect (and which, accordingly, cannot a priori be “perceived as true”), and sometimes such, which we would definitely prefer to do without. The practice of self-analysis usually leads to awareness of inconvenient and unpleasant facts about our personality. These facts often contradict the “fictional image” we have created for ourselves, and it can be difficult to accept them, but we cannot turn away from them if we truly strive for meaningful development.

Independent Mind

That is why Crowley states that “otherwise the Sacred Magic of Abramelin the Magician would have no meaning.” For this meaning, as we have already seen, is to obtain “some information that you yourself definitely do not have.” Exactly the same thing is discussed in the “Notes on the Astral Atlas,” written many years earlier, one of the appendices to “Magic in Theory and Practice”:

There is nothing easier than instilling visions into ourselves or sculpting phantasms in accordance with our ideas. Communicating with an independent mind - which is the only real purpose of astral exploration - is obviously impossible while we are surrounded by flatterers generated by our own imagination.<…>
The essence of true sensation is the awareness that another Entity is real. As a rule, this is accompanied by some hostility, even if there is mutual sympathy. After all, a person will never mistake even the “other half of his soul” for himself at the first meeting.
Therefore, it should be strongly emphasized that any true phenomenon on the Astral Plane produces the same impression as when meeting a stranger. You need to recognize that the Essence you perceive - be it an Archangel or an Elf - is independent and comprehend your reaction to it. You need to learn from this Essence, no matter how much you despise it; and you need to love her, even if she disgusted you.
When describing the encounter you experienced in your diary, you need to realize that under its influence certain changes took place in you. You learned and felt something foreign to you, and did not just try on a new dress.

Before moving on to a detailed analysis of such terms as “independent mind,” let’s look at what Aleister Crowley himself writes about the “reality” of such “minds.” In Chapter XVIII of Magick in Theory and Practice, Crowley discusses the "Body of Light" and "astral travel" as follows:

Of course, this second body [i.e., the Body of Light] is not “real”<…>. Before we come to the question of clairvoyance, we will have to briefly consider this problem of “reality”, because misunderstandings connected with it constantly give rise to a lot of trouble.
There is a joke: two Americans are traveling on a train. One has a strangely shaped basket on his lap. The second one becomes curious, he leans over to the first one and asks: “Tell me, what do you have in your basket?” The first - a thin, long-faced guy - reluctantly mutters through his teeth: “Mongoose.” The second one is perplexed - he has never heard of mongooses. After waiting a little, he, at his own peril and risk, turns to the owner of the basket again: “What is this, a “mongoose”?” “Mongooses eat snakes,” he explains. “Why the hell did the mongoose surrender to you?” - the second one exclaims, even more puzzled. The first, leaning towards him, says in a confidential whisper: “You understand, my brother... sees snakes everywhere.” The second one falls silent, thinks for a long time, looks pitifully at the first one and finally can’t stand it: “But they’re not real snakes!” “Of course,” the owner of the basket nods. “But the mongoose isn’t real either!”
This is the perfect parable of Magic.

In Notes on the Astral Atlas this idea is developed further:

Recognize the objective existence of a certain “Angel” who gives us new knowledge, More comfortable than to assume that as a result of the invocation we have awakened some supernatural abilities in ourselves.
The question of the “reality” or “objectivity” of these symbols is not subject to discussion. The concepts x4 or v(-1) contribute to the development of mathematics and its approach to the desired Truth, regardless of whether the Fourth Dimension “exists” in reality or whether the expression v(-1) has a “meaning” of the same order as expression v4, implying the number of units on the side of a square of 4 units.
The Astral Plane - no matter whether real or imaginary - poses a danger to anyone who tries to swallow it without the salt of the Wisdom contained in the approach described above<…>
We have no right to assert that any Astral Entity is “real” or “objective” based solely on the subjective sense of its independent existence. Only evidence valid to any qualified observer can serve as an argument in favor of the basic premise of Religion - the existence of a Conscious Mind independent of the brain and nervous system in the form in which we imagine them.

We have shown above that Crowley's rejection of the term "Higher Self" in Magick Without Tears does not indicate that he has changed his position on this issue: in the same way he rejected this term twenty years earlier, in the New Commentary. to the "Book of the Law". And based on the passages given here, we can now say the same in connection with the concept of an “objective” Angel: the ideas expressed in “Magic without Tears” were developed by Crowley back in 1921, when “Notes on the Astral Atlas” were written.
However, more importantly, in the Notes on the Astral Atlas, which contains completely unambiguous discussions about “independent minds,” Crowley repeatedly emphasizes that the very question of their “reality” or “objectivity” is irrelevant. Moreover, he states that we have no right to judge their “reality” or “objectivity” without having “evidence valid to any qualified observer.” The same idea about the insignificance of the very question of the “reality” of the Angel is heard in “Magic without Tears”, in a letter entitled “Can an Angel Cut Himself While Shaving?”:

Should we, on this basis, conclude that this entire complex of impressions is merely symbolic in nature? Should it be seen as part of our personality, like a dream, although more vivid than ordinary dreams and more “real” because its main components turn out to be true, as is almost always the case when a vision is tested for authenticity?<…>In my opinion, it is much simpler to say that these angels are “real” individuals, albeit living in a world of whose laws we have no idea, and that they use suitable symbolic forms to communicate with us.

At the same time, Crowley insists that terms such as “angel” are adopted only for convenience, in order to avoid unnecessary difficulties. Thus, while Crowley easily talks about "objective individuals" and "independent minds", Crowley constantly emphasizes in the same works that it is pointless to try to seriously defend the "reality" of such phenomena. Thus, based on his own words, we can conclude that from the description of the Holy Guardian Angel as an “objective individuality” or “independent mind” it does not necessarily follow that it is an absolutely independent and external “entity” in relation to us, in no way dependent on the person perceiving the “vision”.
As Crowley notes in Chapter VII of Magic in Theory and Practice, “to cling to the belief that Marius of Aquileia really existed would be naive”. It would be equally naive to cling to the belief that “angels” are truly “supernatural creatures” in the literal sense of the word. And yet, the notions of “objective individuals” and “independent minds” only highlight the dangers that we discussed in the previous section in connection with the concept of the “Higher Self”, and Crowley so insistently refers to these concepts again and again that we cannot simply discount them. Showing that Crowley at least doesn't declare these "angels" etc. undeniably “real entities”, let’s try to find out what can actually stand behind these concepts. But first, let’s look at the meaning of the concept of “objective individuality.”

Objective individuality

In a letter from “Magic Without Tears” entitled “The Holy Guardian Angel is not the “Higher Self”, but an objective individuality” is mainly about what plane of existence “angels” belong to, and, in particular, whether they are “subject to accidents, vicissitudes of fate, etc. Further".
Already in the second paragraph of this letter we are faced with the problem of distinguishing between “subjective” and “objective”. This distinction itself contains many subtle nuances of meaning, and each time it is important to understand exactly which of them are used in a given context. If we consider the unfortunate quote about “objective individuality” in the context of the entire letter, it takes on a completely unexpected meaning. Crowley claims that

...in this letter I will use the word "angel" as a designation for all incorporeal beings, from demons to gods, - understood in all cases as objective: a subjective "angel" is not much different from an empty dream.

Firstly, we will not find fault with the definition of “incorporeal,” otherwise we will have to limit ourselves to only those entities that obviously do not even have the semblance of bodies (such as, for example, the deity worshiped by Christians). In reality, this category is much broader. For example, Zeus fits perfectly into it. On the one hand, he is undoubtedly a “being”: he is the king of the gods in Greek mythology, the lord of the sky, the husband of Hera, the owner of at least two older brothers and many children; and a great many deeds are attributed to him, which only a “being” can perform. On the other hand, he is “incorporeal” - if only because in the physical sense he does not exist.
So what does “objective” mean in this context? Just that anyone can independently discover a whole range of qualities, characteristics and plots associated with Zeus by consulting a vast corpus of literary and other sources. Whether it physically exists or not, in this sense it has "known" properties and appears in well-known legends. It is impossible to say the same about the “subjective angel” mentioned by Crowley: he is accessible to the perception of one single person and really “does not differ much from an empty dream.”
This is important. “Objective” in this case does not mean at all that we can grab Zeus by the chest or slap him on the back of the head. This is merely an indication that Zeus possesses a number of objective qualities that exist independently of any given person. If any person claims that Zeus is not the king of the gods, but just an unknown carpenter from Nuneaton, his statement can be easily refuted. But it is impossible to do this with a “subjective angel” known only to one single person. “Objective” can mean something that exists completely independently of anyone’s consciousness, but in this case that is not what is meant at all. To claim from the above quotation that Crowley believed that there were angels who actually existed completely independent of anyone's consciousness is to claim that the Book of Genesis does not tell the story of the “(sin)fall of man,” since neither On one of its pages we will not find a story about how Adam tripped over a stone and broke his knee. The argument that the “Fall of Man” is not described in the Book of Genesis does not help matters, since there was no Fall in reality: the life and times of Sherlock Holmes are successfully described in the stories of Conan Doyle, despite the fact that there is no Sherlock Holmes in reality existed. In a word, it’s easy to get confused in such terminology, so you should be on your guard all the time.
With this in mind, let's look at the distinction that Crowley further makes between two groups of "angels", some of which are "microcosms" and others are not:

...some angels are just emanations of the elements, planets or signs to which they correspond. They are inferior beings, in almost the same sense as animals. Unlike humans, they are not microcosms. They consist almost entirely of their planet or other principle to which they correspond.<…>In the above case, its existence obviously depends on the planet Venus; and, it would seem, if this planet is suddenly knocked out of the solar system, Kedemel will also order to live long. But you shouldn’t rush to conclusions: after all, Venus itself is just an emanation of the number 7, and in this sense it is indestructible<…>Some similar idea is behind the traditional idea that elemental spirits are immortal, but become mortal when, under the influence of their aspirations or attachments, they are incarnated in the form of people.

Crowley's "some such idea" is, in short, the fact that the "non-microcosmic" angels are merely manifestations of "something else," and that "otherness" is in turn eternal, so that "angels "in this case - just its conventional names or epithets. Crowley notes that “there are many Eastern legends about how dryads or nat were killed when someone cut down the tree that served as their abode” - and this is quite natural, because entities of this kind are by definition the spirits of the trees in which they live , and when a tree disappears, its spirit disappears. On the other hand, the “spirit of thunder” is much more stable: it cannot be gotten rid of so easily.
So, a “non-microcosmic” angel can be “objective” as the personification of a certain phenomenon or object (for example, thunder or a tree), possessing certain properties that any attentive observer can notice without much difficulty. In essence, this is also just a name or epithet for a thing that exists on the physical plane. It is in this sense that the quoted phrase should be understood: “Some angels are just emanations of the elements, planets or signs to which they correspond.” These “angels” are simply convenient “labels” that we have hung on the corresponding objects or some particular manifestations of these objects. Spirits of this kind are inseparable from these objects, because they are defined through them.
On the other hand, there are "microcosmic" angels -

microcosms in exactly the same sense as people. They are individuals who have assembled themselves from various particles in accordance with their capabilities and needs, just like ourselves. I want you to understand that such goddesses as Astarte, Astaroth, Cotis, Aphrodite, Hathor, Venus are not just manifestations of the planet: they are separate individuals identified with each other and put in correspondence with the planet Venus only because The most striking feature of their character is close to this ideal.

Let's take Zeus as an example. Zeus is not just the personification of the sky or thunder: he is a certain individuality with his own personal characteristics, inclinations and character traits described in myths; and this totality of its properties is greater than any particular object or phenomenon with which it is associated. And this description, again, remains true in the face of the argument that Zeus "is not real" - just as the statement "Sherlock Holmes was a man" does not lose its truth despite the fact that "in reality" There was no Sherlock Holmes either. Such imaginary individuals "assembled themselves from various particles in accordance with their capabilities and needs," since these "particles" were created by various people over time and gradually changed, combined and mixed with the particles composing other mythological individuals, so that these individuals themselves transformed and developed over time - exactly the same as the personalities of real living people.
Thus, the definition of this type of “incorporeal beings” as “objective individuals” in no way means that angels of this kind exist in the same sense as people living on earth. We are talking about completely fictional creatures, and “objectivity” in their definition only means that their properties and characteristics are more or less generally accepted and specific. To claim on this basis that Crowley actually advocated the real existence of "Astarte, Astaroth, Cotys, Aphrodite, Hathor and Venus" is completely absurd, especially in the light of passages such as this one from Magic in Theory and Practice:

Thus, when we affirm that Nahiel is the “Mind” of the Sun, we do not at all mean that he dwells on the Sun: we only thus indicate the class to which he belongs, and the character which he possesses; and although we can "summon" him, this does not oblige us to believe that he "exists" in the same sense as the butcher from whom we shop.

So, having examined Crowley's thoughts regarding the “objectivity” of the Angel, we discovered four important points:

* statements from “Magic Without Tears”, which are usually taken as arguments in favor of Crowley changing his point of view on the question of the “reality” of the SAH, in fact cannot serve as such, since Crowley expressed the same provisions twenty years earlier ;
* Crowley’s refusal of the term “Higher Self” as a synonym for SAH refutes not the very position about the “subjective” or “internal” character of the Angel, but only one of the variants of this point of view, according to which the Angel is “simply a certain selection, squeezing or sublimation of our your own favorite qualities";
* the term “objective individuality” in the context of the entire letter where it is used should not necessarily be understood as a statement that the SAH is a “real entity”, external and completely separate from the person; And
* to reach the Sacred Guardian Angel it is necessary to establish contact with some “independent” entity, since this is the only alternative to the point of view that equates the SAH with the “Higher Self”.

Only the last of all the listed points can be used to support the opinion about the “objectivity” of the MAR

Aiwass problem

In addition to all the various and sometimes seemingly contradictory statements about the Holy Guardian Angel, Crowley especially stands out one group of statements that speak of Aiwass as his personal SAH. In Equinox of the Gods, Crowley writes:

I declare myself to be the only authority authorized to make decisions on controversial issues, arising in connection with the “Book of the Law” - on the basis that its Author, Aiwaz, is none other than my own Holy Guardian Angel, Knowledge and Conversation with Whom I have achieved and therefore have exclusive access to Him.

And even earlier, in the New Commentary on AL, III:68:

And what is this Book if not the Word of Aiwaz, and He - who if not my Sacred Guardian Angel?

In the previous section we showed that those remarks by Crowley, which are often used to support the hypothesis of the “objectivity” of the MAR, in fact do not at all contradict the “subjective” approach. But the idea that Aiwaz is Crowley's Holy Guardian Angel, when seriously considered, gives rise to many contradictions.
First, it may be noted that in the essay "A Star is Seen" Crowley states:

It is impossible to set out the exact rules by which a person can achieve knowledge and conversation with His Holy Guardian Angel, for for each of us this is a special secret - a secret that cannot be told or even hinted at to anyone, no matter what. he has not reached that degree. This is the Holy of Holies, in which every person is his own High Priest; and no one can know either the Name of God of his brother, or the Rite in which he calls upon Him.

But it turns out that Crowley’s “Name of God” is well known to us (and even in two versions), as well as the Rite in which he called Him (Crowley published it in 1929 under the title “Liber Samekh”). True, this is not the most serious problem; after all, why shouldn’t a person make public his method of invoking SAH and the names he calls Him by?
Something else is much more serious. If we accept that Aiwaz was Crowley's Holy Guardian Angel and that he achieved the Knowledge and Conversation with Him (as stated in both the Equinox of the Gods and other sources) in October 1906, after "six months of Invocations", then how to be with the legend about the “receipt” of the “Book of the Law” in 1904? The ability to record the words of the Angel from a voice accessible to physical hearing should be regarded as evidence of the Cognition and Interview that had already taken place - and the latter took place only two and a half years later.

Moreover, in Magick in Theory and Practice, Crowley states that a person who has achieved Knowledge and Conversation with his Sacred Guardian Angel "is aware of his sacred path and is ready to follow it with complete confidence" - and yet Crowley himself in his own words, he rejected Aiwass's message until he found the "lost" manuscript of the "Book of the Law" in the attic of his house in Boleskine in June 1909. In a letter dated April 25, 1938, Crowley admits: “I have fought against [these] forces [behind the Book of the Law] with all my might for many years.”, - and in “Magic without Tears” he notes: “You disagree with Aiwass - exactly like the rest of us”. So, if we agree with the statement that Crowley's Holy Guardian Angel was Aiwass, then to what year should we place the achievement of the Knowledge and Interview with Aiwass - 1904 or 1906? And what to do with the facts that Crowley rejected the message of Aiwass and fought against it? “with all our strength for many years” and even in 1945 there was still “I don’t agree with Aiwass”? It turns out that Aiwass in the role of SAH has very little in common with the SAH that Crowley discusses in all his other works.

Another problem arises from Crowley's statement that "no man can know either his brother's Name of God, or the Rite by which he invokes Him." The fact is that in order to communicate with Aiwass, he constantly needed the help of other people. The “Book of the Law” in 1904 was obtained thanks to Rosa - it was with her, and not with Alistair, that Aiwass first spoke; and in April 1906, Crowley asked Sister F (Elaine Simpson) to call Aiwass so that he could talk with Him, an operation that appears to have been successful. If the Holy Guardian Angel truly represents the “Great Work” and the “True Will”, as Crowley constantly writes, then serious doubts arise that anyone’s Angel can be called upon by an outsider.

In addition, in “Magic Without Tears” he describes the way in which the “Masters” - that is, the very “forces behind the “Book of the Law”” - contacted him:

...for my part, I made absolutely no effort and was annoyed at their interference with arrogant, bitter and angry distrust.<…>They chose me.

This statement is entirely consistent with Crowley's statement that he "struggled against [these] forces [behind the Book of the Law] with all his might," and indicates that all his communications with these forces (and Aiwass as one of them, or at least a representative of them) was the result of some work that was carried out on himself, and not of any of his own labors. All this cannot be reconciled with the idea that the Knowledge and Achievement of the SAH is equivalent to the accomplishment of the “Great Work. If Aiwass really was Crowley’s “Sacred Guardian Angel”, and his communication with Aiwass was the results of “Knowledge and Interview,” then we have to admit that we are dealing with a completely different type of SAH than the one with whom all the knowledge and interview is directed program A:.A:..

Moreover, the very context in which claims about Aiwass appear as Crowley's personal SAH often turns out to be quite strange and contradictory. In The Equinox of the Gods, Crowley defines the Sacred Guardian Angel as “our Secret Self—our Unconscious Ego,” but then states:

...these words are not mine, unless you take Aivaz as just my subconscious “I” or some part of it; in the latter case, it remains to assume that this part was cruelly suppressed, because my conscious “I” knew nothing about the Truth hidden in this Book, and had hostility to most of its ethical and philosophical positions. From this hypothesis it would also follow that I - unknown to myself - possessed all kinds of supernatural knowledge and abilities. The law of economy of thought (see the works of Sir W. Hamilton) argues against such an assumption.

So, within one chapter, Crowley argues that the Holy Guardian Angel is “our Secret Self - our Unconscious Ego,” and at the same time, that Aiwaz should not “be accepted<…>just for my subconscious self.” The fact that these statements, one after the other, cannot be true simultaneously leads us to suspect that in calling Aiwass his SAH, Crowley was using the term in a different sense than usual.

Moreover, in The Equinox of the Gods we find the following statement:

Now I am inclined to believe that Aiwass is not only the God, Demon or Devil who was once worshiped in Ancient Sumer, and not only my own Guardian Angel, but also a man, like myself... -

whereas the previous chapter states:

But who Aiwass is by nature - a spiritual entity or a certain person familiar to Brother P - can only be guessed.

The idea of ​​a Holy Guardian Angel as some kind of "supernatural entity" is no longer easy to accept, but the idea that someone's Holy Guardian Angel might actually be another person living on this Earth (as Crowley makes clear in the first of these quotes and expresses full readiness to admit - in the second) it finally nullifies all our attempts to include Aiwass in the definition of the MAR.

So, Aiwass's identification with his personal SAH Crowley's is a clear anomaly. This may be because Crowley claimed a deeply personal connection with the “supernatural author” of the Book of the Law only to claim “exclusive access” to him and remain “the only authority authorized to rule on controversial issues arising.” in connection with the “Book of the Law,” thereby strengthening his position as a world religious leader. Whether this is true or not, the fact remains that in relation to Aiwass the term “Holy Guardian Angel” is used by Crowley in a completely different sense than in all other contexts. If we were to assume otherwise, we would have to conclude that Crowley at some point abandoned his entire philosophy and system of magical development, when in fact he continued to develop and propagate this philosophy and system until the end of his days.

Translation © Anna Blaze, 2012

It could equally well be argued that this book is a dubious anomaly, that towards the end of his life Crowley began to “lose his grip”, that he was just trying to adapt his theories to the level of a novice student, or that he decided to experimentally present them in a more “religious” way. ” key, recognizing that previous, more rational attempts to present material in the spirit of “scientific illuminism” did not attract so many followers. But first, we must at least try to simply listen to what exactly Crowley is trying to tell us in this work. - Note auto

The seventh component of the “Noble Eightfold Path” of Buddhism is “mindfulness,” or awareness of one’s bodily functions, sensations, and the contents of one’s consciousness. Jeffrey Block describes sammasati as “pure attention, detached observation of what is happening within and around us in the present moment.” Crowley here implies that the Holy Guardian Angel - and the "True Self" - are not related to our thoughts, sensations and consciousness, but exist somewhere beyond them. We will return to this point later, after we take a closer look at the idea of ​​an “independent mind.” - Note auto.

Above was Crowley's statement that it is impossible to find the Holy Guardian Angel "by examining one's own personality." But there is no contradiction here: by “own personality” Crowley in this case means the conscious “I”, or the contents of the psyche, and we are talking about exploring the nature of the True Self. The difference between these concepts will be discussed in more detail below. - Note auto.

Another argument against the idea that the messages of the Holy Guardian Angel can be judged by the criterion of what “feels right.” - Note auto.

Crowley further states that such guaranteed "proof" is the Book of the Law. Of course, we are not obliged to accept this statement on faith: it requires skeptical analysis, but this question is beyond the scope of our essay. - Note auto.

A Roman in whose body Aleister Crowley was embodied in one of his past lives. - Note auto.

The Order of the Guardians of Death was founded at the end of the 12th century, in a Catholic monastery in Italy, at a congress of incarnate necromancers convened for this purpose. The history of the Order spans many centuries before this great meeting, but is rather informal and based on the voluntary participation of a number of interested persons.

At that time, there were a sufficient number of necromantic orders, but none of them set themselves the goals of maintaining the general balance of the elements, so their actions were not coordinated and were based rather on observing personal interests and meeting the personal needs of the members of these orders.

Such an order on Earth could not exist indefinitely; the established balance of the elements was disrupted as a result of uncoordinated actions of adherents of the opposite element and a number of “random” events in the World. Necromancy, practically prohibited by that time, was rapidly losing its position on the map of the distribution of the Earth’s elements, and terrible times were approaching. The time for decisive action had come, and the result of such actions was the creation of the Order of the Guardians of Death, which absorbed all the advanced magical technologies of that time and accepted powerful necromancers into its ranks.

However, even these circumstances did not allow changing processes that had already begun long ago. The created necromantic Order began to actively function. For the success of the enterprise, new, additional, sufficiently powerful technologies of Death Magic were needed, which would allow restoring the balance of the elements within an acceptable time frame. The first step towards obtaining them was the collection of information about bygone peoples and civilizations that practiced Necromancy in the form of science and religion. Members of the Order went all over the Earth, searching for the lost Knowledge and collecting it bit by bit. They visited large magical libraries, bought entire collections of “cursed” books, explored ancient monuments, descended into dark catacombs and crypts, and wandered through the ruins of abandoned monasteries.

Very soon, the Order's library began to rapidly replenish with still scattered information, which required long and painstaking work to verify and systematize it, as well as establish connections with known technologies. A huge amount of work has been done, fundamentally new techniques have been obtained, and magical machines have been developed. Almost simultaneously with this line of activity, a new organization of global scale was created - the Holy Inquisition, where it was planned to invest the acquired technologies. The Inquisition subsequently fully lived up to the expectations of its creators, and the balance of the elements in the World was restored largely thanks to it.

Symbols and attributes of the Order

The symbol of the Order of the Guardians of Death is the image of the wheel of Death, in which the necromantic sign of transition is inscribed. The symbol may be depicted on the robes of Death adepts to directly indicate their affiliation with the Order. The symbol may also be depicted on magical machines, artifacts and equipment. The symbol of the Order of the Guardians of Death is a powerful tool for inclusion in the egregor of Necromancy. Various services of the Order have their own unique modifications of the main symbol.

Adherents of the order can be embedded in various natural and artificial egregors to coordinate their life activities, in order to maintain the balance of the elements. The Charter allows adherents to join any ethnic, social, mystical, religious and other groups to achieve the goals of the Order.

Directions of work of the Order

Currently, the Order is going through a difficult period of revival. In this regard, the main and priority activity of the Order is the training of Magic and the selection of individuals with the ability to do Death Magic. The Order is also strengthening its technological base.

Methods of work and means of achieving goals

The activities of the Order are not aggressive in nature. The Order does not wage magical wars and does not take part in conflicts of interest among magical groups.

The Order actively interacts with adherents of the Magic of Life, within its sphere of activity, to maintain the balance of the elements on the planet. The Order protects the sphere of its interests and the scope of its activities from any encroachment. The Order has no enemies.

Excerpts from the Order's statutes

The Order is a strictly organized social structure, which has an internal hierarchy and a number of services involved in maintaining the life of the Order.
The order has its own structural units in territorially isolated areas of this world, carrying out the main activities of the Order in these areas and managed by the Masters of the units.
The Master of the Order has supreme authority to manage the activities of the order. The Council of Masters of the Order's divisions has the right to an advisory vote in making all decisions.

Membership in the Order is an act of goodwill. At the same time, membership in the Order testifies to the high spiritual development of an individual who has significant success in Necromancy and occupies a significant position in the hierarchy of the Planet. Membership in the Order can be obtained only after the applicant has acquired the necessary knowledge and passed a series of tests that certify his capabilities in Magic and Necromancy. The decision to accept an applicant is made by the master of the Order's division.
Membership in the Order cannot be a means of achieving one’s own goals, like any other means - it is an end in itself.
Membership in the Order can be interrupted at any time upon receipt of a corresponding application by the master of the Order's unit.

Adherents of the Order can be embedded in various natural and artificial egregors to coordinate their life activities in accordance with the goals of the Order. Adepts can enter and have membership in any ethnic, political, social, mystical, religious and other groups to achieve the goals of the Order. At the same time, it is allowed and recommended to occupy leading positions in these groups.
Any actions of an adept can be reviewed by a general meeting of the Order’s unit to identify any mistakes made. In case of causing obvious damage to the achievement of the goals of the Order, general meeting members of a subdivision of the Order, the question of expelling a given adept from among the members of the Order can be raised and resolved.

Current activities of the Order

According to the charter, the Order is considered to exist as long as at least one of its members is embodied on Earth. Currently, due to the change in the Law of the Earth, the adherents of the Order are again incarnating among people and the Order is experiencing its rebirth.
When the element of Life on Earth began to rapidly decrease, due to the active activities of adherents of the orders of Death Magic, the Law changed and necromancers could no longer incarnate in a physical body. They were preserved by the planet's organism in a special state (which can hardly be called pleasant) to maintain the balance of the elements in the future. Necromancy, the greatest and most powerful of all the sciences of Magic, was prohibited.

Over the past centuries, the element of Life on Earth has been steadily increasing and has reached a certain extreme, further growth beyond which can lead to undesirable consequences for the entire planet, which is a complex organism. In this regard, the Law changed and the Necromancers again set foot on the sinful Earth. Very soon, the Magic of Death will again return to its position and will thoroughly displace the representatives of the opposite element. And woe to those who will then find themselves in the opposite camp.

edited news Lycanthrope - 16-12-2011, 06:12

Diablo I Glossary

• Tristram

Diablo II Glossary

Personalities

• Akara(English: Akara) - sorceress and merchant magician. things, books, potions and scrolls in the Vagabond Camp.
• Alcor(English Alkor) - alchemist and merchant in Kurast.
• Andariel -
• Anya Anya is a dealer in weapons and unidentified items in Harrogate (LoD). Appears instead of Nihlathak.
• Atma(English Atma)
• Asheara(English: Asheara) - leader of the mercenaries in the Kurast Docks.
• Warriv(English Warriv) - a caravan driver from the Vagabond Camp in Lut Gholein.
• Wirth -
• Geglash(eng. Geglash)
• Guide(eng. Gheed) - a merchant who sells unidentified items in the Vagabond Camp.
• Grayz(English Greiz) - leader of the mercenaries in Lut Gholein.
• Deckard Cain(English: Deckard Cain) - the last Horadrim.
• Jamel(eng. Jamella) is a dealer in potions and unidentified items in the Fortress of the Doomed.
• Jerin(eng. Jerhyn) -
• Drognan(English: Drognan) is a sorcerer who sells potions and scrolls in Lut Goleyn.
• (eng. Qual-Kehk) - leader of the mercenaries in Harrogate (LoD).
• Kasia(English Kashya) - the head of the mercenaries in the Vagabond Camp.
• Kaylan(English Kaelan) - guard at the palace in Lut Golein.
• Larzuk(English: Larzuk) - blacksmith in Harrogate (LoD).
• Lysander(English: Lysander) - potion merchant in Lut Goleyn.
• Malakh(English: Malah) - healer and dealer in weapons and potions (LoD).
• Meskhif(eng. Meshif) - ferryman in Lut Golein.
• Natalia(English Natalya) - a woman from the secret Order of Assassins, who is in Kurast on some personal matter.
• Nihlathak(eng. Nihlathak) is a dealer in weapons and unidentified items in Harrogate (LoD).
• Ormus(English Ormus) is a weapons and potions dealer in the Kurast Docks.
• Tyrael(English: Tyrael) - archangel.
• headlight(English: Fara) - blacksmith and merchant from Lut Goleyn.
• Flavius Flavie is an archer who meets the player at the entrance to the Cold Plains location.
• Halva(English Halbu) - blacksmith and arms dealer in the Fortress of the Doomed.
• Hratli(English: Hratli) - blacksmith in the Kurast Docks.
• Charsi(English Charsi) - a blacksmith from the Vagabond Camp.
• Elzix(English: Elzix) is a merchant who sells unidentified items in Loot Holein.

Cities and locations

• Kurasta Docks
• Fortress Pandemonia
• Kurast
• Hobo Camp
• Loot Golein
• Tristram
• Harrogate

Items and artifacts

• Immortal King(English: Immortal King) - set set for a barbarian.
• Buriza-do kenonu(English: Buriza-Do Kyanon) is a unique and exceptional crossbow.
• Herald of Doom(English: Doombringer) - a unique elite sword.
• Will of Halim(English: Khalim's Will) is a unique flail. A quest item collected from four parts (eye + brain + heart + flail-base) by the player to access the dungeon with Mephisto in Act 3 of the game.
• Etlich's Eye(eng. The Eye of Etlich) - a unique amulet.
• Homunculus(English Homunculus) - a unique trophy of a necromancer.
• Thunder Shield(English: Stormshield) - a unique elite shield.
• Children of Bul-Katos(eng. Bul-Katho's Children) - set of weapons
• Golden skin(English Goldskin) - a unique ordinary Gothic armor.
• Jordan stone(English: Stone of Jordan) - a unique ring.
• Healing Manald(English: Manald Heal) - a unique ring.
• Kaleidoscope of Mary(English Mara's Kaleidoscope) is a unique amulet.
• Nigel's Ring(English Nagelring) - a unique ring.
• Azure Fury(English: Azurewrath) - a unique elite sword.
• Face of Andariel(English: Andariel's Visage) - a unique elite helmet.
• Tyrael's Might(English: Tyrael's Might) - unique elite armor.
• (eng. Natalya's Odium) - set kit.
• The ever-watchful protector(eng. Lidless Wall) - a unique exceptional shield.
• Bul-Katos wedding ring(English: Bul-Kathos" Wedding Band) - a unique ring.
• Masserschmidt's kidnapper(English: Messerschmidt's Reaver) - a unique elite ax.
• Ancestor(English: The Grandfather) - a unique elite sword.
• Gauntlets of Blistering Cold(eng. Frostburn) - unique ordinary gloves.
• Wind power(English: Windforce) - a unique elite bow.
• (eng. Tal Rasha's Wrappings) - set set.
• Arcane Thorn(English: Wizardspike) - a unique elite dagger.
• Horadric cube(eng. Horadric Cube) - a cube with cells. A unique quest item for assembling a staff of the same name.
• Horadric Staff(eng. Horadric Staff) - a unique staff consisting of two parts: the shaft (staff) and the pommel (amulet). The staff is required to access Tal Rasha's tomb in Act 2 of the game.

Diablo III Glossary

Personalities

• Abd al-Khazir- scientist and researcher. Author of most works on the bestiary of Sanctuary.
• Adria- witch, Leah's mother.
• Azmodan (Lord of Sin
• Ivy -
• Aidan- eldest son of King Leoric.
• Alaric -
• Aleran- resident of the Hasim outpost.
• Alchemist Zaven- a merchant encountered in Act 2 at the entrance to the Mysterious Cave (Dalgur Oasis) with a liquid rainbow.
• Alchemist Roger- a merchant found in Act 1 in the Wortem Cliffs (between Wortem and the Arana Caves). Gives the task “Selfless Hermit”.
• Alchemist Halmin- a merchant encountered in Act 3 in Foundry Level 1 (Battlefield).
• Albrecht- youngest son of King Leoric.
• Angirsky Council- a council consisting of five angels who rule the heavens.
• Andariel (Maid of Torment) - one of the four minor incarnations of evil.
• Antique Adena- a merchant encountered in Act 1 in the location Antique Dealer's House (Bad Fields).
• Pharmacist Raik- found in the Southern Highlands location (Cave in the Highlands). Gives the quest “Brother of the Pharmacist” (act 1).
• Auriel- Archangel of Hope, one of the five angels of the Angir Council.
• Ashira- Captain of the Steel Wolves in the city of Kaldea.
• Baal (Lord of Destruction
• Bashiok- a unique monster that must be hit with the Rakanishu blade to obtain the “Bashanishu” achievement.
• Belial (Lord of Lies) - one of the four minor incarnations of evil.
• Brycen- a man rescued from the Musty Cellar on the mission “Noise in the Basement” (Survivor Camp), Act 5. Blacksmith Hedrig's apprentice.
• Brother Andreus- healer from Acts 3 and 4, location Main Tower of the Bastion.
• Brother Anselm- healer from Act 5, location Camp of Survivors.
• Brother Gein- healer from Act 2, Secret Camp location.
• Brother Malachi- healer from Act 1, New Tristram location.
• Brother Francis -
• Bronnik Wendel- a merchant found in Act 1 in the Southern Highlands (Watchtower, level 2). Gives the quest “Inlaid Scabbard”. Author of the entries “Scabbard of Talik the Defender”.
• Bul-Katos- His descendants are all existing barbarians.
• Former Mayor of Holjus -
• Warriv- deceased caravan driver.
• Verrall- a deceased priest sent by Zakarum to serve in Vortem. Author of the diary “Observations of a Priest” in two parts.
• Virgil- his body is found in the basement of the Wortham Chapel, Act 1.
• General Torion
• Herot- his body is found next to a strange mechanism in Endless Sands, Act 2.
• Gillian -
• Gozek Skwalyga- his corpse lies in the location Skvalyga’s Shelter (Shopping Quarters of Westmarch) according to the task “Skvalyga’s Testament”, Act 5. Author of the book “The Testament of Skvalyga.”
• Messenger Martins- a messenger bringing news from the King of Westmarch about the refusal of reinforcements.
• Gordon- author of “The Diary of a Commoner.”
• Gorrell- found in the location Wheaton Yard (Shopping Quarters of Westmarch) on the assignment “Death of the Aristocrats”, Act 5.
• Dalgur- a certain character who helped the townspeople of Caldea find an oasis that would supply the city with water. Now this oasis is known as “Dalgur”.
• Dargon- a thief who robbed the gunsmith Cyrus.
• Deckard Cain- scientist and historian. Also Leah's uncle.
• Despina- refugee from old Tristram, author of the "diary from old Tristram" and the "diary of Despina".
• Diablo (Lord of Terror) - one of the three great incarnations of evil.
• Duriel (Lord of Pain) - one of the four minor incarnations of evil.
• Tinsmith Rina (Tinsmith) - a merchant encountered in Act 1 in the location Tinsmith's House (Bad Fields). Author of the diary of a traveling tinsmith.
• Za'Rith Keeper of the Key- the keeper key of horror for the infernal device from Act 3, Stone Fort location.
• Zale- necromancer and acquaintance of Lorath Nara, found in the Path of the Drowned in the Bloody Swamp.
• Zoltun Kull- a magician who studied the properties of soul stones. Creator of the Black Soul Stone, capable of containing the souls of demons and angels. The body of Zoltun Kull, headless and drained of blood, was sealed in the world of shadows by the magicians of Horadrim for many centuries.
• Ibn Fahd- hunter, author of "The Hunter's Diary".
• Izual -
• Elaine -
• Empires- Archangel of Valor, one of the five angels of the Angir Council.
• Quartermaster Victor The hero first meets Victor in the old Westmarch warehouse, where he was hiding from monsters.
• Quartermaster Gorel
• Iskata -
• Iterael- Archangel of Fate, one of the five angels of the Angir Council.
• Kadin- resident of the Hasim outpost.
• Kayla- one of two children who need to be rescued on the mission “Hide and Seek” in the house of Captain Haile (Upper Westmarsh), act 5.
• Kalem- resident of the Hasim outpost.
• Kamir -
• Captain Vonn -
• Captain Nowell- found on the assignment “The Last Frontier” in the location Old Smuggler’s Warehouse (Westmarch Shopping District), Act 5.
• Captain Rumford -
• Captain Stokely- his ghost is encountered during the quest “Shameful Death” in the location Murder Site (Westmarch Shopping District), act 5.
• Captain Tollifer- his body is found in the quest “Tollifer’s Last Battle” in the Westmarch Trade Quarter, Act 5.
• Captain Haile- found in the Stone Fort location on the quest “Waiting for Reinforcements” and on the Rakkis Bridge on the quest “Shining of Glory”, Act 3.
• Karina- a magician rescued by the hero from the web in Arana's cave.
• Carla- a merchant from Act 3, found in the Flooded Passage location (Caldean Bazaar).
• Cartographer Essen -
• Treasure Hunter Botulf- merchant from Acts 3 and 4, location Main Tower of the Bastion.
• Treasure Hunter Lugo- merchant from Act 2, location Kaldeisky Bazaar. Also found in the Shelter location (Dalgur Oasis), Act 2.
• Treasure hunter Tashan- merchant from Act 1, New Tristram location.
• Korlik
• Cormac- mercenary warrior, companion of the player.
• Corelan- son and heir of Corsiccus. He died without leaving an heir.
• Korsikk- son and heir of Rakkis, second king of Westmarch. Built Bastion. One of the bridges near the fortress is named in his honor.
• Queen Asilla- the late wife of King Leoric, imprisoned and executed by her own husband.
• Blacksmith Maldonado- a merchant encountered in Act 3. Location Lower floors of the fortress lvl. 1. Gives the quest “Forged in Battle.”
• Khom (Lord of Gluttony) - lives in warehouses on the lowest floor of the Bastion fortress.
• Larra- merchant from Act 2, location Abandoned Cellar (Black Canyon Mines).
• Lahdanan- Captain of the royal army who killed King Leoric.
• Lady Serena- wife of Lord Harold Snow.
• Lieutenant Griffith- recipient of a spyglass on the mission “Crazy Ascent”, location Bridge of Rakkis (act 3).
• Lieutenant Clifton -
• Lieutenant Lavaille -
• Leoric (Black king / Skeleton King) - King of the state of Khandaras. Driven mad by Diablo and subsequently killed by his knight Lahdanan. Diablo did not accept defeat and resurrected Leoric from the dead at his funeral in the form of the Skeleton King. The Skeleton King was dealt with by the monarch’s own son, Aidan.
• Lyndon- mercenary shooter, player's companion.
• Leah- Deckard Cain's niece.
• Lloigor the Madman- mage found in the Cathedral, lvl. 4 (1 act). If you talk to him, he pays off the player with money so that he does not touch the ancient scrolls. If you touch the pedestal again, you will have to kill the magician.
• Lorat Nar- the first character encountered by the hero at the beginning of Act 5 in the Westmarch Highway location.
• Lord Vermilion- a noble nobleman and 7th contender in line to the throne of King Justinian IV.
• Lord Harold Snow -
• Lord Dewhurst- found on the “Harvest” quest in the Westmarch Trading District location, Act 5.
• Lord Winton- meets on assignment " True Son wolf" in the Clifton Hall location, act 5.
• Magda- leader of the cultists
• Madawk- one of the three legendary barbarian heroes who stood guard over Mount Arreat.
• Malthael- former archangel of wisdom, one of the five angels of the Angir Council. Left the Angirsky Council.
• Marlow -
• Merkhan- a prisoner in the iron maiden, encountered by the player on the quest “Stranger in Trouble” (act 1), location Halls of Agony lvl. 2.
• Mephisto (Lord of Hate) - one of the three great incarnations of evil.
• Mira Eamon- wife of the blacksmith Hedrig Eamon.
• Miryam Yazia- artisan fortune teller.
• Gravedigger Darris- Gravedigger at the Cemetery of the Damned near New Tristram. Author of the gravedigger's notes.
• Morgan -
• Wise Diadra -
• Mayor Holius- Mayor of New Tristram.
• Butcher- one of many similar demons of the Underworld. Butchers are assembled from the body parts of other demons and brought to life using dark magic. The player encounters one of these demons along the main quest line in the Hall of Suffering at the end of the first act.
• Overseer- Chief jailer in the service of King Leoric. Found in the Cursed Fortress, Act 1.
• Nek Rowdy- a character with which you can get to a PvP location.
• Nekarath Keykeeper- keeper of the sketch for the infernal device from Act 4, location Silver Spire lvl.1. After update 1.0.8, there is a chance that it will give out not only a sketch of an infernal device, but also with some probability one of the keys of destruction, hatred or horror.
• Necromancer Meitan -
• Odig Keeper of the Key- the keeper key of destruction for the infernal device from Act 1, location of the Deadly Fields.
• Orek- Guardian of the Nephalem Portal in Adventure Mode.
• Gunsmith Kir- a gunsmith and merchant encountered at the crossing in the Highlands. Gives the task “Restore Reputation” (1 act).
• Oswin -
• Ferryman -
• Reseller Jumpy- merchant from Act 2, Secret Camp location.
• Colonel Severin- Found in Battlefields in Act 3. Gives the task “A turning point in the battle.”
• Poltar- a treasure hunter searching for the idol of Rignar.
• Rakanoth (Lord of Despair)
• Rakkis- Legendary general and first king of Westmarch. One of the bridges near the fortress is named in his honor.
• Rashid -
• Private James- found on the Rakkis Bridge, Act 3. Gives the quest “Crazy Climb”.
• Severin- found in the Captured Possession location (Westmarch Trading Quarters) on the quest “Common People in a Difficult Situation” (Act 5).
• Selantiel- scribe of the Angirsky Council.
• Sergeant Brooks- found in the Battlefield location, Act 3. Gives the task “First Aid”.
• Sergeant Pale -
• Sergeant Samuels -
• Sister Melana- found in the Battlefield location, Act 3 on the “First Aid” quest.
• Buyer Litton- merchant from Acts 3 and 4, location Main Tower of the Bastion.
• Buyer Radek- merchant from Act 1, New Tristram location. The same (or the same) merchant sometimes appears in the “Highland Crossing” location.
• Buyer Silmak- merchant from Act 2, Secret Camp locations.
• Buyer Ruthie- merchant from Act 5, location Camp of Survivors.
• Servant Koin- deceased servant of Emperor Hakan. Author of the "Servant's Diary".
• Councilor Eamon- grandfather of the blacksmith Hedrig Eamon.
• Sokar the Keeper of the Key(Master of the Restless Wind) - Guardian key of hatred for the infernal device from Act 2, location Dalgur oasis.
• Solan- an outstanding Kejistani poet.
• Sofia -
• Steel Wolf Bowden- his body is found by the nephalem in the Black Canyon Mines location. There are no tasks or storylines associated with the body.
• Steel Wolf Jarulf- he needs to help protect people from monsters at the entrance to the Plateau of Howling Winds.
• Ragman Argus- merchant from Act 1, New Tristram location. The same (or the same) merchant sometimes appears in the Abandoned Servants' House location.
• Ragman Vidar- merchant from Acts 3 and 4, location Main Tower of the Bastion. Vidar is also found in the Bridge Warehouse location (Rakkis Bridge).
• Ragman Tilnan- merchant from Act 2, location Kaldeisky Bazaar.
• Ragman Delilah- merchant from Act 5, location Camp of Survivors.
• Stilgar- his body is found by the nephalem in the Endless Sands location. If the body is disturbed, stone beetles emerge.
• Wanderer Teren- author of the wanderer's notes.
• Talik- one of the three legendary barbarian heroes who stood guard over Mount Arreat.
• Tyrael- Archangel of Justice, one of the five angels of the Angir Council.
• Tirra- the rebellious empress of Westmarch, who ascended the throne during an uprising that escalated into war.
• Merchant Javad- merchant found in the Rotting Cellar location (Dalgur Oasis), Act 2.
• Fezuul (Fezuul al-Kazarr) -
• Fuad- locked up in his own cellar, poor Fuad lost his mind and became a cannibal, trying to survive.
• Hakan I- the first ruler of the Kedzhistan Empire. Moved the capital from Kurast to Kaldei.
• Hakan II- a boy from a poor family, chosen by the Zakarumite priests for the coronation and enthronement of the Kejistani empire after the death of Khakan I.
• Caliph Sardar -
• Khan Dakab -
• Hedrig Eamon- artisan blacksmith.
• Hamish(Haimish Bode) - a mad hermit found in Act 5, location House of Madness.
• Tavernkeeper Bron- merchant and owner of the Slaughtered Calf tavern in New Tristram.
• Tavernkeeper Sadir- merchant and owner of the Burning Sands tavern in Caldea.
• Cydea (Maiden of Lust)
• Miner Powell- merchant from Act 5, location Camp of Survivors.
• Shen the Miser- artisan jeweler.
• Shiman- one of two adventurers in the Kaldean sewers, standing near the chest.
• Assault Beast- one of several creatures guarding the demonic gate.
• Edric -
• Emily- the sister of Quartermaster Victor, rescued with him from the old Westmarch warehouse in Act 5.
• Eirina- a mercenary spellcaster, the player's companion.
• Justinian IV- the last king of Westmarch at the time of the events taking place in Diablo III "Reaper of Souls".

Cities and locations

• Alcarn
• Endless sands- were formed due to a destructive surge of magical energy during the war of magicians.
• Wiz-June- a city next door to Kaldey, destroyed during the war of magicians.
• Westmarch
• Wortham- a village located across the river from New Tristram. Almost completely destroyed and burned by Magda cultists. Attractions - chapel (destroyed).
• Mount Arreat
• Hall of Suffering
• Hasim outpost
• Ivgorod
• Kaldey- city and capital of the Kedzhistan Empire. Sights - Zakarumite Cathedral Saldenkal.
• Kaldeisky Bazaar- the trading part of the capital Kaldei.
• Kingsport
• Cemetery of the Damned- the location where the crypt of advisor Eamon, guarding Leoric’s crown, is located.
• Edge of the Abyss- a location guarded by an assault beast.
• Crystal Arch
• Kurast- the old capital of the Kedzhistan Empire.
• Wailing Hollow- location in Act 1, located outside the gates of New Tristram.
• New Tristram- a small city formed near Tristram due to the influx of adventurers.
• Peak of Heaven
• Limit- a location in which, according to the plot, the entrance to the storage of the Black Soul Stone is located.
• Sanctuary- the world of the game.
• Heart of the Damned
• Silver Spire
• Secheron- city, capital of the barbarian state. The attraction is the sanctuary of the stone of the universe.
• Xiansai
• Tavern "Slaughtered Calf"- tavern in New Tristram.
• Burning Sands Tavern- tavern in Kaldea.
• Secret camp- location in Act 2 of the game.
• Tristram- ruined city. Attractions - Tristram Cathedral (also destroyed).
• Khandaras
• Harrogate

Items and artifacts

• Infernal device- a mechanism that opens one portal to the world of demons in one of the locations where the uber-bosses are located.
• Murloc keychain- a magical amulet with a unique description, dropped in the Kaldean sewers.
• Griswold's Jagged Sword- a sword with a unique description, dropped from an anvil in Tristram.
• The twisting spine- One of the three ingredients to create a ring of hellfire. Dropped by defeating King Leoric or Magda in the Realm of Discord.
• Universe stone (Eye of Anu) - discovered in Pandemonia and placed in a sanctuary in the depths of Mount Arreat, where, in addition to the angels, barbarians led by the legendary heroes Madavka, Korlik and Talik stood guard over the artifact.
• Blade of Rakanishu- a magical sword with a unique description, dropped at the end of the “Sanctuary of Rakanishu” event in the Dalgur oasis (act 2). Needed to complete the Bashanishu achievement.
• Devil's Fang- One of the three ingredients to create a ring of hellfire. Dropped by defeating Khom or Rakanoth in the Realm of Chaos.
• Vengeful Eye- One of the three ingredients to create a ring of hellfire. Dropped by defeating an Assault Beast or Zoltun Kull in the Realm of Confusion.
• Anvil of Fury- an anvil found in the Ruins of Tristram. It drops Griswold's Jagged Sword.
• Anvil of Sin- an anvil found in the Arreat crater.
• Secateurs- a magical knife with a unique description, dropped from the unique monster Nine Toads.
• Heart of Sin -
• Kingdom of Discord- a portal to the royal tombs from the infernal device.
• Kingdom of Confusion- a portal to the Edge of the Abyss from an infernal device.
• Reign of Chaos- a portal to the storage room from the infernal device.
• Black Soul Stone- a powerful artifact created by the magician Zoltun Kull. Capable of containing the souls of demons and angels.

Description:
At the request of workers, and with the written permission of the author, meet the unique companion Heather Caden.

More details:
Heather is a caravan merchant, born and raised in the Commonwealth. She hates and distrusts synths, wishes she lived before the war when everything was good, believes in aliens, and has heard that pre-war donuts were delicious. Heather is a complex companion with over 1,200 lines of voiced dialogue that appears during quests, in certain locations, and in random chatter and conversations with the player and other NPCs.

Heather has a tragic past, like most of the rest of the Commonwealth, and when you meet her, she still feels the pang of loss. Upon completion of the Sweet Revenge quest, you will help heal her wounds, allowing her to move on with her life. Over time, her story will be revealed to you through conversations and general chatter.

Where can I find Heather?
The quest "Kaden Caravan Radio" starts a few minutes after leaving the shelter / starting the game with the mod installed. A quest marker on the map will help you locate its location. There is absolutely no need to listen to the radio. You can go straight to Heather.

Do I need to start new game?
No, you don't need to start a new game to play with Heather. She has comments for locations throughout the game world, so if your character is at a very high level, she will still have dialogue to communicate with you. You can skip the main quest, but if you like her, you can always take her with you to a new game.

What abilities does Heather have?

1. Special ability: “Don’t trust the synth” - attack damage is increased by 10% against synths.
2. It has a laser carabiner.
3. Her default outfit has a bulletproof layer and provides +30 AR and +30 energy resistance.
4. Her bag (which can be removed) provides an additional +25 to carrying loads. If you remove it, she loses this ability.
5. She can hack entry-level terminals. You can train her to hack more complex terminals by having her hack the terminal through the command menu. Every five hacked terminals improve her qualifications.
6. She has perks that improve her characteristics:

• - She has four levels of the stealth perk.
• - Her default running speed is much higher than the player's.
• - She does not take damage when falling from a height.
• - Her power armor does not wear out.
• - It has infinite ammo for any weapon, similar to how it works for settlers. It is enough for her to have one cartridge.
• -It actually stays where you left it.

Damn it, why isn't she naked with no clothes on?

• I don't want the mod to be marked 18+
• You can download a file from the additional link that will give her the same body (CBBE) but without the granny panties.

Update: 1.03

• - Added changes to Heather's terminal:
  a) The player can disable/enable conversations in stealth.
  b) The player can disable/enable non-unique, random conversations.
  c) The player can disable/enable Heather and Piper's quarrels.
• - If the player used the cheat/debug terminal to complete the alien ship and cave stage, the task would not complete. Corrected.
• - If the player had a recruited companion somewhere in the game world, but not nearby, while recruiting Heather, the opening scene would not advance beyond the first line. Corrected.
• - After completing the Beneficial Intervention quest, Heather could nag Kate about using drugs. Corrected.
• - If the player chose "just friends" at the highest relationship level, this dialogue began to repeat itself endlessly. Corrected.
• - The player could get stuck in the workbench while modifying Heather's armor. Corrected.
• - The normal map for Heather's hands was indicating the wrong texture. Corrected.

Update: 1.02

• - If the player rejected the stealth bonus, the theme was played repeatedly. Corrected.
• - Added switches in Heather's bunker terminal so that the player can enable/disable Heather's Invisibility perk and the Power of Alternative Medicine perk.
• - Fixed Hancock missing dialogue when talking to Heather.
• - The conversation about aliens could be repeated many times. Corrected.
• - When you gave the "stay" command in the command menu, Heather wandered around so far that she could run into enemies. I reduced this radius to a quarter of the original one.

Update: 1.01

• - Fixed problems with reloading vendor container scripts;
• - The player can enable/disable the Power Armor marker in the bunker terminal;
• - Fixed several errors in the game world where Heather starts and where her Bunker is located;
• - Heather detection in enhanced stealth is enabled by default;
• - Added a cheat/debug terminal that can be created in any settlement.

Installation:
Copy files from the archive to a folder Data games and activate llamaCompanionHeather.esp in your mod manager. Work and education