Difference between revisions of "Mount Celestia"

Latest revision as of 22:52, 10 February 2024

Celestial Government

The Monarch of Heaven, the Lord of the Seventh Mount

For the wise upon Mount Celestia, it is generally agreed that the plane, or even the entirety of the Multiverse is ruled from the pinnacle of Mt. Celestia, the Lord of the Seventh Mount. As any who reach the Seventh Mount never return, because all divination about this uppermost layer of the plane return unanswered or uncertain, and because celestial beings and even the gods themselves either do not know or will not answer after this subject, ultimately the identity and nature of the Lord of the Seventh becomes a matter of belief. And for many of the wise, this is purposeful. For some sages, the Lord of the Seventh is an actual single being, the Monarch of Heaven. For other sages the uttermost height of Mt. Celestia is less an individual being, but rather a concept, and the union and source of all that is good and law within the plane. A third argument is that the Seventh Mount is less a place and less a realm where the Enlightened dwell, but rather it is the spiritual union of all those who ascend to the Seventh, and therefore all these in unity embody the Monarchy of Heaven. Whatever is the case, from the Seventh Mount all order and good are derived, and even the Powers of the Celestial Mountain cannot overcome or contradict its immutable laws.

Whatever the truth may be, it seems unknowable to mortals, and perhaps even to the Powers. There is but one known being who has returned from the Seventh Mount, the emissary from the Lord of the Seventh Mount, who is the Archon who rules there, being Zaphkiel the Watcher, the leader of the Celestial Hebdomad. He alone must know truths of the Seventh Mount, but what he knows of such things never reaches mortal knowledge. It is said that Zaphkiel issues no orders or commands to his colleagues in the Hebdomad, but merely provides advise and counsel. It could be argued he rules Mount Celestia as a proxy of the Monarch of Heaven, but if this is so, his rule is gentle and kind.

The Celestial Hebdomad

Though the gods rule their own realms upon Mount Celestia, it is the archons who rule Mount Celestia as a whole. And the archons are ruled by the seven Tome Archons. Each Tome Archon rules one of the seven mounts of Celestia, and the seven Tome Archons in council rule Mount Celestia collectively. This council, called the Celestial Hebdomad, govern all matters upon the Celestial Mountain save for those affairs governed by the Powers who dwell there, for though powerful the Tome Archons are not gods. However

Barachiel, Ruler of Lunia, ruling from the Citadel of Stars

The Golden Spire

The Hierarchy of the Celestial Government

Throne Archons: Each layer of Mt. Celestia is divided into 196 provinces, ruled by throne archons of the lowest grade. Among every seven provinces is a recognized senior archon, or prince, who rules a senior province called a principality. Every seven such provinces are themselves governed under an Authority, governed by a throne archon of the third rank. Among every seven Authorities is a recognized Virtue, a throne archon of the 4th rank, and the seven Authorities as a whole are governed by a Dominate, who is a throne archon of the 5th rank. The four dominions of each layer report directly the ruling archon of the entire layer, the Tome Archon. Though they may be called different titles, each Tome Archon typically enjoys a staff of senior throne archons, serving as advisors, ministers and generals. A throne archon of the 6th rank typically serves as the High Marshal of that particular Heaven, and a throne archon of the 7th rank serves as the prime minister or vicar of the Tome Archon.

Celestial Concordance

Though they may rule Celestia as a whole, it is not for the archons to interfere with the Powers, their servants, or their petitioners, at least insomuch as these do not violate the laws of Mt. Celestia or challenge the government of the Holy Mountain. The gods of Celestia surely do not allow their realms to be reigned over by archon governors, and no archon will in any conventional way command a god, or even command his celestial stewards and petitioners, to any act outside their purview. However, an archon governor rules every part of Mt. Celestia, and the Tome Archons recognize no physical limit to their jurisdiction. They may not govern all matters upon Celestia, but they do govern all affairs that pertain to them over all the plane. Therefore, archon governors will be found even in the realms of the gods. The balance between the rule of the gods and the governance of the archons is typically referred to as the Celestial Concordance, which is the understanding between archons and the gods, and upon which the good government of the Holy Mountain is based.

Archons who govern all or part of the realm of a Power rule over all that does not fall under the sphere of influence of that Power, and generally over the rare capital crimes that occur within their jurisdictions. For example, in the realm of Draco Paladine, a governing archon would likely never interfere in a proxy's ruling over territorial disputes between dragons of that realm. However, they would investigate a case regarding a dragon potentially consorting with fiendish contacts in an attempt to conjure demons upon the celestial slopes, and would try, convict and sentence such a dragon. It is within the right of an offended power to demand appeal, and thus the matter may be elevated to the Authorities, but unless that ruling archon chooses to elevate the case himself, even the greater gods may not normally appeal for a higher decision unless there is great cause.

Within the realms of the gods, as elsewhere upon the Plane, the governing archon will rule upon all matters

From time to time, the the ruling archon of a layer of Mt. Celestia may convene a Celestial Concordance, or a council of the Powers of that layer, so that the archon might consult the gods, resolve dispute amongst them, or even give commands and rulings within the purview of his governance.

General Properties of the Seven Mounts

Celestial Bodies for Astral Travelers

For souls' residing or traveling upon Mount Celestia due to astral projection, they will almost without exception form physical bodies created from the pearlescent sand and holy waters of the Silver upon arriving on Lunia, the first layer of Mount Celestia. The perfection of these celestial bodies will be principally based on the moral qualities of the naked astral soul or spirit that touches this plane. Those with lawful good hearts, for example, will be forged into idealized versions of their true selves, whereas chaotic evil hearts will appear as shifting and decrepit sandy translations of the vileness and disorder in their hearts. Some of the qualities of these celestial bodies, in game terms, are listed below.

Lawful Good – AC 1 (+1 weapon to hit); ultravision, detect magic (constant), +2 to strength, +2 to constitution, +2 to dexterity, regenerate 1 hp/turn; -2 damage to any successful hit (at least 1 point of damage); MR 10%, prot. from fire/cold and lightning at 20th level (renewed w/ healing magic), does not require air to breathe or food/water, no excrement

Neutral Good – AC 5; infravision, +1 to strength, +1 to constitution, +1 to dexterity, regenerate 1 hp/hour; -1 damage to any successful hit (at least 1 point of damage); MR 5%, resist fire/cold and lightning at 20th level (renewed w/ healing magic), requires only 1/4th food/water/air, excrement is only white sands and water

Chaotic Good – AC 7,

Lawful Neutral – AC 5; infravision, +1 to strength, +1 to constitution, +1 to dexterity, regenerate 1 hp/hour, -1 damage to any successful hit (at least 1 point of damage), MR 5%, resist fire/cold and lightning at 20th level (renewed w/ healing magic), requires only 1/4th food/water/air, excrement is only white sands and water

Neutral – AC 7,

Chaotic Neutral – AC 10, +1 damage to any successful hit

Lawful Evil – AC 7, -1 damage to any successful hit (at least 1 point of damage)

Neutral Evil – AC 10, +1 damage to any successful hit

Chaotic Evil – AC 10, +2 damage to any successful hit

Other General Qualities of Celestial Flesh

Although composed of the sands of Lunia, with the holy water of the celestial Silver Sea as blood, the specific nature and substance of an astral traveler's celestial flesh depends completely upon the moral composition of the soul or spirit in question.

Upon Mount Celestia, petitioners commonly manifest as lantern archons, and thereby fall under that order of celestial beings, known as guardians of the Holy Mountain itself. To this fate go the souls of the dead who served not one particular god of law and goodness over all others, or to whom the pursuit of holy goodness and law transcended their devotion to divinity. As lanterns, such petitioners fall under their own rules of nature, and those particular to their race.

Many petitioners will manifest upon Mount Celestia in some semblance to their formal mortal forms. The exact nature of their being upon the Seven Mounts depends greatly upon whether or not they were devotees of a particular deity in life. If so, their forms reflect the nature and laws of their god, so long as they are in accordance with the law of the Mountain. If not, their forms adhere to the general law and nature of Mount Celestia, as discussed below.

Travel and Directions on Mt. Celestia

Cardinal Directions and Orientation: Due to the nature of the plane, and the absence of the sun and antipodes in most layers and realms. However, regardless of the realm, province or layer, the light of the Illuminated Heaven on the 7th layer is always visible from any uncovered point on the entire plane, and therefore this is among the most basic and useful methods of orientation. One is either drawing closer to, or further away from, the light of the 7th Heaven, and therefore it is typical to refer to directions as "hither" or "further", with hither meaning closer to the 7th Heaven, and further meaning farther away.

Player Characters

Thieves

Pickpocketing: The powers of Mount Celestia do not smile on low thievery. Pickpocketing rolls receive a cumulative -5% for every layer of the plane a rogue ascends.

Hide in Shadows: The nature of the various layers of Mount Celestia varies the effect

• Lunia: unaffected

• Mercuria: -10% during the day

• Venya: -5% during the light, unaffected during the dimming

• Solania: -10% during the light, -5% during the dimming

• Mertion: -15% during the light, -10% during the dimming

• Jovar: -25%

Celestial Cosmology

Petitioners of Mount Celestia view their plane as the center of perfect order in the multiverse, and the highest most noble plan of all existence.

The precise nature of the rules, laws and celestial nature of the Holy Mountain are debated among living souls and petitioners, and different terms and concepts tend to be used regarding the various faiths that rest upon the Seven Heavens. Generally speaking, and within concordance with the gift of Free Will, the higher one reaches on Mount Celestia, the more in agreement the inhabitants thereupon tend to be.

The 1st Mount: Lunia

The Celestial Vault

The Grand Cathedral of the Vault of Heaven. The esoteric science of celestial astrology pursued in Lunia ascribes much to the movements and revelations of celestial phenomena in the Vault of Heaven.

The Fixed Stars

Being the layer of Mount Celestia closest to Astral Plane and furthest from the light of the Illuminated Heaven, the stars and astral phenomenon blaze with a magnificent brilliance in Lunia, their tapestry being so rich and captivating that stargazers often fall in love with the sight, never wishing to look away. It is widely agreed that the stars of Lunia are the most beautiful such objects in the Multiverse. Lunian astronomy and astrology are popular and cultivated sciences on this layer, and the lorecraft of such observers is both complex in various theories and calculations, as well as powerful in the practice of predictions and divination.

The exact nature of the stars is much discussed, but it is generally agreed that these stars are the immutable spirits of those who have attained the Seventh Heaven, and this is why the stars shine so brightly and so beautifully, exceedingly more so than on any mortal world. Having reached the Illuminated Heaven, it is thought such souls can never again directly influence or leave the 7th Heaven, or rather, that they would not want to do so. However, from Lunia they are perceived of as the stars, set into the Vault of Heaven, or the untouchable outermost sphere of Mount Celestia, the sphere of Chronias the 7th Heaven itself. Although in a sense the furthest from the Seventh Heaven, those who walk the shores of the Silver Sea, are blessed to constantly behold the sparkling reminders of the proximity of the Highest Heaven and those who have achieved the highest goal of reaching the 7th Heaven, and thus give them hope of eventually reaching such a lofty destination.

The Moving Stars - the Celestial Planets: Save for the golden light of the Illuminated Heaven far above, four great planets dominate the astral skies of Lunia: The Messenger, the Lover, the Warrior, and the Ruler. All four are wondrous to behold, each having their special characteristics. Using the traditional hour of the so-called ordinal worlds, the Messenger rotates around Mt. Celestia every twenty-four hours, the Lover every seven days, the Warrior every 49 days, and the Ruler every 343 days.

The Messenger:

The Lover:

The Warrior:

The Ruler:

Constellations: The myriad constellations of Lunia might overwhelm some observers...

Proficiency - Lunian Astrology (wizard, priest, intelligence, 2 slots (or 1 if normal astrology already possessed)): Considerably more complex and mathematically demanding than the astrology of most prime material worlds, Lunian astrology is also considered to be a refined science, providing great insight as to the future, the present, and even the past, to those who now how to read the stars and constellations of the Vault of Heaven. Many schools of thought and methods exist in this class of science, but the use of dates must be exactingly calculated to the dating system of Lunia, typically calculated by the revolution of the celestial planets, and the relation of persons and events to these rotations.

In game terms, the clarity, specificity and range of astrological calculations is effectively tripled when utilizing lunian astrology, and therefore many of the finest astrologers in the multiverse travel to Lunia to read the future from the stars. However, fortune of the stars is less effective further one is from ordered goodness. The chaotic find nothing but disordered readings, and the calculations of the evil find only doom and disaster for the fate of their spirit and souls. Lawful good astrologers performing readings for lawful good persons have a +3 bonus to their rolls, with penalties to this bonus for every degree of separation for the both the astrologer and the read. Evil and chaotic beings can neither give nor receive astrological readings using the stars of Mount Celestia.

Those not born on Mt. Celestia or reading events that occured off the Holy Mountain must covert the dates and times to the order of Mount Celestia. This often requires careful charts and calculations. If such charts are available and the dungeon master decides they are generally accurate, this proficiency may be utilized normally. If charts are not available, the calculations must be done by hand, necessitating significant mathematical skill (mathematics proficiency), or the use of this proficiency will be impossible.

The 2nd Mount: Mercuria

Summary: The second heaven, also called the Golden Heaven, is the armory and mustering ground of the Seven Heavens. It is here that the noblest of fighters take their eternal rest. Draco Paladin, also called Bahamut, is said to make his home here with his celestial court.

The Mercurian Vault: Although varying by province and realm, a sun and a moon, called Sol and Luna, appear in the sky of Mercuria. By all scientific observation, both Sol and Luna appear to be infinitely distant from Mt. Celestia, and their light appears to be infinitely fast. Both Sol and Luna are also perfect discs of light, with Sol being utterly inscrutable, regardless of lens or spell, and will cause sun blindness to those who look upon it too long and too directly. Stars and other astral phenomenon, the same as those in Lunia, appear in the night sky of Mercuria, and are brilliant and majestic, but are not as awesomely clear as they are in the eternal night of the first layer, nor are there as many celestial phenomenon. Luna never decreases as the moons of prime material worlds, save for when its gods are displeased or wish to show signs. Reflecting the eternal light of Chronias, it rises as the sun sets, and vice versa. To the keen of eye, Luna bears details, and it is said deities, and their courts and followers reside there.

The 4th Mount: Solania, the Electrum Heaven

Solania, the 4th Mount of Heaven, is the mountainous crucible of Mount Celestia, beyond which very few pass.

Summary: Called the Electrum Heaven for its vaulted sky which gleams with the color of burnished silver, Solania is cold and mountainous, almost the whole of the layer being composed of icy clouded peaks, dramatic misty valleys of raging waters and immense chasms, and enormous glaciers and boulders that make travel difficult. The very clouds here often gleam with their own silvery glow. The gods of the dwarves, among others, dwell upon this layer in the great realm called Erackinor, at the center of which is Soul Forge, where it is believed that the souls of the dwarves are hammered into existence. Among the petitioners of Mt. Celestia, it is said that Solania is a layer of toil and adversity, where souls must be tested and purified with long labor and ardor in order to ascend to the next layer.

Magical Alterations: Creation spells upon this layer are enhanced.

The Solanian Vault: As in the case of Venya, there is no sun or moon to be seen in the sky of Solania. The pale silver-gold hue of the sky gleams with its own light, when not obstructed by the common clouds and mists of this layer, but even these have their own light, usually of a similar light to the sky, if less bright and glorious. As with the case in Venya, day and night exists here, and although the scientific observer might calculate that the night is slightly shorter upon Solania and its sky brighter, for most travailing upon the layer it is perceived to be darker upon the Fourth Heaven, due to the shadows of the soaring peaks, and occlusion provided by the ubiquitous gleaming clouds, the glows of which generally illuminate like silvery and gold faerie fire, subduing the brighter light of the sky above. Also as is the case with Venya, the seasons of Solania respond to the regular waxing and waning of the brightness and duration of the electrum gleam of the Solanian Vault. But even in the depths of winter the electrum glow of the sky never completely fades, although the shadows of the peaks, the depths of the valleys, and the umbrage of the clouds may often make it quite dark.

Fauna: The Creatures of Mt. Celestia

Pisces Celestiae

Heaven Fish - Perhaps the creation of some power of the Celestial Slopes, or a manifestation of some property of the Holy Mountain itself, heaven fish are seemingly unintelligent creatures that inhabit the skies of the six higher Mountains of Heaven. Usually about one foot long, these feathery and translucent fish are of a golden gleam, and shine with a gold light, especially within the dark, for no dark is able to eclipse their light. It is thought they feed off the goodly and virtuous thoughts and dreams of the living faithful upon the upper slopes of Mount Celestia. As the astral plane does not touch these Second through Seventh Mounts, such thoughts have nowhere to go. Instead the seem to gather and congeal, appearing as auroras in the sky, and other prodigies of light and magic. Upon such essence the heaven fish seem to feed, catching the light in their membranous and feathery fins. Heaven fish float slowly in the skies, usually appearing alone, and only rarely with companions.