The Cherubim (sg. cherub, pl. cherubim or cherubs) are a unique form of construct created by the Adeptus Mechanicus for the Imperium. In appearance they are small angelic children, with the intentional effect of symbolizing purity. The cherubim are specially-built for many purposes.
Vat-grown and enhanced with bionics and anti-grav technology they often swoop and chatter about the sepulchers and cathedrals of the Ecclesiarchy and act as sycophants to priests, cardinals and Inquisitors across the Imperium, babbling fanatical rhetorics in their high-pitched, querulous voices.
Society & Structure at the vessel
Formed around the ship’s massive Angelic Choir organ, the Aether Choir are a self-organizing cadre of cherubim whose roles, appearance, and behavior reflect their servile yet sacred purpose. They operate in cohesive squads—some as small as twos and threes, others near a dozen—always attuned to the flow of the crew’s emotional and spiritual state.
- Choristers: Clad in incense-burned robes, they aid the organ’s hymnals—each note they sing harmonizes with the organ’s vibrations, creating sanctuary zones and warding against psychic taint. One cherub’s trumpet can double the sanctuary radius—used only in extreme danger.
- Squires: Wear heraldic tabards with large front pocket or miniature ammunition satchels, scurrying amid officer cohorts to supply ammo, data-slates, or hololiths at a moment’s notice. Their silent service reinforces discipline during long engagements.
- Harpies: Noisier, more martial roles—some cherubim serve as guards for key personnel or reliquary caches, their small form belied by spiked claws or shock-field cuffs. They can intervene in boarding threats to contain intruders, a single +10 bonus on Defensive Boarding command checks during void combat.
The Choir in Action
- Within the Angelic Choir Chamber: At the heart of their society, cherubim tend the massive organ’s infrastructural needs—emptied ash-trays, tuned pipe vaporizers, incense vents. Choir-Sanctioners (senior cherubim) coordinate ceremonial cycles, ensuring the hymns don’t wear on the crew’s sanity.
- Throughout the Ship: Individual cherubim patrol decks—some on silent wings in crew quarters offering incense-pennants; others inspect weapons racks; choristers float at the command deck’s edge, humming spiritual melodies.
- Emotional Resonance: These cherubim are attuned to the crew’s emotional state—if tension spikes or morale falters, their song subtly shifts: the tempo slows, notes deepen, and a resonant hum bleeds through public vox-channels.
Aesthetic & Aura
- Their feathers gleam ivory, sometimes tipped with circuit-gild seam marks where bionics meet biological tissue.
- Eyes are lit with faint luminescence.
- Every cherub carries iconography: purity seals, data-token collars, heraldic ribbons, or purity lances strapped beneath wings.
Source: On Angels Wings for further player development, if needed.
!GM only”
Ignis Aeternus WH 40K campaign notes 