Mount Celestia
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In Dungeons & Dragons, the fantasy role-playing game, Mount Celestia or more fully, the Seven Mounting Heavens of Celestia, or even the Seven Heavens is a lawful good-aligned plane of existence. It is one of a number of alignment-based Outer Planes that form part of the standard Dungeons & Dragons (D&D) cosmology, used in the Planescape, Greyhawk and some editions of the Forgotten Realms campaign settings.
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[edit] Description
Celestia is the ultimate in law and good. All aspects of Celestia are beautiful and perfect; it is where the souls of many creatures of lawful good alignment go to Celestia after death. It is home to numerous celestial creatures including various types of archons, the petitioners of this plane.
[edit] Structure
As an outer plane, Celestia is spatially infinite, further consisting of seven infinite layers (or sub-planes). The seven individual layers form a colossal (perhaps infinite) mountain that rises from an infinite sea of holy water on the bottommost layer, to the summit on the topmost layer. Ascending the mountain is analogous to travelling through subsequently higher or 'deeper' layers to the top. Each of the different layers consists of various beautiful mountainous environments becoming more breathtaking the higher the mountain is ascended. Celestia’s first (bottommost) layer shares borders with the neighbouring planes of the Peaceable Kingdoms of Arcadia and the Twin Paradises of Bytopia; travel is possible between Celestia and these planes at certain locations.
[edit] Layers
Celestia consists of seven layers:
[edit] Lunia
The lowest and first layer of Celestia is Lunia, also referred to as The Silver Heaven , due to its vast dark Silver Sea of holy water and beautiful shining cities of white stone. The Silver Sea itself is pure freshwater, not salt, filled with many aquatic life forms. Numerous portals to other planes connect near to the shores, the masses of holy water acting as an effective deterrent to evil outsiders. The sky above Lunia is perpetually dark, filled with beautiful constellations of silver stars bright enough to illuminate the base of the mountain. Innocence is the theme here.
Lunia is the location of a number of godly realms, including Tyr's secondary realm of The Court, Brihaspati's realm of Nectar of Life, and the Shifukujin's realm of The Eight Happinesses. Trishina can be found wandering on Lunia when not with her consort, Deep Sashelas.
[edit] Mercuria
The second layer, called Mercuria is also known as The Golden Heaven, so called because a mysterious golden light permeates everything within it. Gentle hills and lush green valleys comprise this layer, dotted with small settlements of archons and other good-aligned beings. Mercuria is known for its great tombs and monuments to noble fighters and paladins who now rest on this layer. These warriors are honoured during an annual Day of Memory.
The palace of the good dragon deity Bahamut moves about the first four layers of Celestia. It is made entirely from Bahamut's enormous treasure hoard, with walls made of mithral and windows composed of huge gemstones. Inside, seven great wyrms closely guard the huge hoard of amassed treasure.
Mercuria is the location of a number of godly realms, including the god Rao's realm of Sweet Reason, Torm's realm of Trueheart, Surya and Mitra's realm of Goldfire, Vishnu's realm of The Divine Lotus, and Amaterasu's realm of Radiant Light [1]
[edit] Venya
Venya, the third layer, is also known as The Pearly Heaven. This layer is somewhat colder than the previous two and its slopes are often seen covered with a gentle layer of snow. Peaceful brooks and carefully terraced fields are common on Venya.
The Green Hills, a separate plane in the 3rd-Edition Forgotten Realms cosmology is located on Venya. It is a place of safety for the many halflings that live here; their crops always give plentiful harvests and there are no large predators to speak of. It is also home to the halfling deity Yondalla, and other members of the halfling pantheon (Arvoreen and Cyrrollalee). [2]
The Fields of Glory are the realm of Heironeous, the deity of justice and valor.
[edit] Solania
Solania, the fourth layer, is also called The Crystal Heaven. Many valleys comprise Solania, covered with luminescent fogs and strange scents. The peaks are homes to numerous holy shrines, including monasteries and magnificent cathedrals. Many of the slopes are rich in precious ores and minerals and are mined by populations of dwarves that reside there.
A vast dwarven mansion called Erackinor is located on the slopes of Solania, where the dwarven deity Moradin makes his domain, with his wife Berronar Truesilver. Here exists the giant Soul Forges, that Moradin is said to use to temper the spirits of his people.
Solania is the location of a number of other godly realms, including the couatl deity Jazirian's realm of Uroboros, the Gates of Wisdom, Paladine's realm of The Dome of Creation, Chung Kuel's realm of The Ministry of Virtue, Kuan Yin's realm of The Lotus Garden.
[edit] Mertion
Mertion, The Platinum Heaven, is a layer of gentle slopes and wide plains. The many great citadels that dot the layer are the mustering grounds for forces of paladins and celestial creatures.
The City of Tempered Souls, Empyrea is located on the edge of a cold mountain lake. It is known to host many magical fountains with powerful healing properties, as well as many hospitals and expert healers.
[edit] Jovar
The sixth layer, Jovar, is The Glittering Heaven. Its hilled are studded with precious gemstones that glitter in the light.
Yesteria, The Heavenly City is a huge seven-layered ziggurat, with a large staircase on each face connecting the terraces of each layer. The stones that make up the city are made of precious gemstones, similar to those seen around the surrounding hills. On the topmost terrace is the bridge of al-Sihal, formed of pure light. Here lies the portal to the topmost layer of Celestia, Chronias; it is guarded by a powerful solar named Xerona who judges who may and may not enter.
[edit] Chronias
Chronias is the topmost and final layer of Celestia, also called The Illuminated Heaven. There is no real account or description of Chronias, as no entity that has ever entered has ever returned.
It is thought to be the ultimate goal of the inhabitants of Celestia to ascend the layers one by one in order to reach Chronias, where their souls will join with the essence of the plane itself.
[edit] Fauna
[edit] Historical influences
The Seven Heavens are loosely based on the Nine Spheres of Heaven (skipping the Seventh Sphere and combining the Eighth and Ninth) in Dante's The Divine Comedy, in the same way that the Nine Hells of Baator are based on his Nine Circles of Hell.
[edit] Footnotes
- ^ McComb, Colin (1996). On Hallowed Ground. TSR Inc., 180. ISBN 0-7869-0430-5.
- ^ Baker, Richard; Wyatt J. (2004). Player's Guide To Faerûn. Wizards of the Coast. ISBN 0-7869-3134-5.
[edit] References
- Grubb, Jeff; Cordell, B.R.; Noonan D. (2001). Manual of the Planes. Wizards of the Coast, 132-136. ISBN 0-7869-1850-0.
| Outer Planes | ||||
| Celestia | Bytopia | Elysium | Beastlands | Arborea |
| Arcadia | Outlands |
Ysgard | ||
| Mechanus | Limbo | |||
| Acheron | Pandemonium | |||
| Baator | Gehenna | Hades | Carceri | Abyss |
