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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Sepulchrave II" data-source="post: 790972" data-attributes="member: 4303">Note that this information has been collected from many scattered notes: I haven't yet checked it for typos, consistency etc. By request, two of the four templates that I use have been included. The third (Paragon) is in an already published source. I will add the fourth (Perfect) later. And, yes, 'angelology' really is a word.CELESTIALS The organization of the Celestial Host in the Wyre campaign has changed over time – notably, with the release of various supplements, which have demanded an ongoing modification and retroengineering of game statistics.The need to rationalize the various orders with regard to a) each other; b) fiends and arch-fiends as presented in the various supplements; and c) the classical typology of angels, has necessitated a number of changes.There have been several driving concerns in detailing the celestials:* The most powerful celestials should be greater than the most powerful fiends, excepting the Adversary himself. * Zoomorphism was to be avoided in celestials. Although there is angelological precedence for it, it is not consistent with Oronthonianism.* The idea of uniformity within celestial orders should be much more apparent than with fiends. This is not to say that no variation exists, because celestials need to fulfill a number of different roles. But as servants of a single deity, who have no ego concerns, no desire to establish their own goals – in fact no purpose other than to act out their god’s will – celestials should on on some level have a ‘vanilla’ quality. There are shining exceptions, of course – notably those who are particualrly favoured – ‘exemplar’ and ‘exalted’ celestials.Another issue was that of class levels. I have a general uneasiness about assigning them to outsiders, but one which is particularly marked with celestials. This is a largely philosophical objection – celestials are ‘Created,’ and are embodiments of Oronthon’s power. They are dependant wholly upon him. They do not grow in power, and there is a kind of ‘static’ or ‘unchanging’ quality about them – note that detractors would use words such as ‘stagnant’ or ‘atrophied.’ Class levels imply the idea of ‘becoming’ and celestials are more about ‘being.’ A solar with 30HD has not ‘grown’ from a solar with 22 HD – it was simply created that way, more powerful than its peers. It’s designed to demonstrate both the idea that individuation really isn’t what celestials are all about, and one of the principal dualities in the game mythos – that demons and devils, by rejecting Oronthon’s law have embraced individualism, whereas celestials, by submitting willingly to it, have overcome the desire for change. Of course, fiends have paid a heavy price for their rebellion. Devils have ultimately been denied what they originally sought – they are locked into a regime far more rigid and oppressive than the one they originally sought release from. And demons, although totally liberated, have lost all desire for everything except gratification – preferably of the immediate type – through pain, lust, anger and violence.Perhaps these failures are indicative of the fact that it is not within the Original Nature of a celestial to exert individual will, to choose a course of action – to do anything, in fact, which is contrary to the Will of Oronthon. If they try, they are as doomed to failure as a human who jumps from a cliff and hopes to fly. Of course, others would characterize the Bright God as a vengeful, vindictive despot, who hates to see his creations assume responsibility for themselves. Either, both, or neither may be true, depending on the observer. Powerful Celestials: Enitharmon as a BaselineEnitharmon is regarded as the greatest of all celestials. As Marshal of the celestial host, he is unique – a member of the highest choir, who is also highly proactive in cosmic events. Perhaps there are other celestials who are more powerful than him, but if there are, their names are not known, and they remain always in the presence of Oronthon. For our purposes, even if they exist, they are irrelevant.Enitharmon is greater than any fiend, save the Adversary only: this can be inferred from the fact that although he triumphed over many of the proto-fiends during the rebellion, it was only after he was both perfected and nine times magnified that he could expel their chief from Heaven.My original intention with Enitharmon was to place him at 66HD – the maximum possible technical advancement for a Solar. I decided against it for four reasons:1) The idea of a possible 16 HD range above Enitharmon, where perhaps other solars, unknown to all, exist – I liked the ambiguity it afforded.2) 50 HD places him well above my final versions of the archfiends, and he squarely outclasses them when the ‘exalted’ template is applied to him.3) Aesthetics. 50HD is a nice, round number. And an exalted solar with 66HD just has too many hitpoints.4) Once a 50HD exalted solar has had the ‘perfected’ template applied to it, and nine divine ranks, I was satisfied that it could put the smack down on anything short of a greater deity.No Zoomorphism, and the Need for UniformityAnimal-headed celestials were a big no-no in the Wyre campaign for flavour reasons. Solars, planetars, ghaele, trumpet archons, and devas (monadic, movanic and astral) are all humanoid in visage, although their beauty is far greater than any mortal.Avorals, on the other hand are a little too avian as detailed in the Monster Manual. For the purposes of the Wyre campaign, although their game stats are largely unchanged, their appearance is decidedly more human: their talons are gone, and they possess arms as well as wings. Natural attacks are replaced by a +1 greatsword (Attack: +10/+5). Other abilities remain unchanged, except where noted for celestials in general.Most among the faithful – lacking detailed knowledge of such matters – will not be able to distinguish between the various kinds of celestials based on appearance alone. Obviously, members of the church hierarchy are more educated in the function and disposition of the celestial orders, as are many wizards, artists and iconographers. But as far as the majority of the population is concerned, a celestial is a celestial is a celestial. Their manifestation is always significant, and indicates – to them – that Oronthon has taken a personal interest in matters. Celestial Qualities All celestials possess the following attributes in common. These are somewhat modified from the official qualities as detailed in the Monster Manual.Universal Qualities:* Tongues (Su): All celestials can speak with any creature which possesses a language, as though using a tongues spell cast by a 14th level sorcerer. This ability is always active.* Immunities (Ex): All celestials are immune to electricity, poison and petrification attacks. They are immune to all diseases, except those of supernatural origin. They do not breathe, and hence are not subject to suffocation or drowning. Celestials require no sustenance or sleep, and are immune to sleep effects. They are immortal.* Keen Vision (Ex): All celestials have low-light vision and 60-foot darkvision.* Plane Shift (Sp): All celestials may use this ability at will to move between Oronthon’s Heaven, the Material Plane, the Elemental and Energy Planes, the Astral and Ethereal Planes, and the Region of Dreams. Treat it as the spell as cast by a sorcerer of a level equal to the celestial’s hit dice where appropriate, except that the creature can only plane shift itself and up to 50 pounds of objects.* Teleport without Error (Sp): All celestials may use this ability at will: treat it as the spell as cast by a sorcerer of a level equal to the celestial’s hit dice where appropriate, except that the creature can only transport itself and up to 50 pounds of objects.Specific Qualities:These remain unchanged. Trumpet archons retain their aura of menace and magic circle against evil; and ghaeles, devas, planetars and solars their protective aura abilities. Devas, planetars and solars are immune to cold and acid and have fire resistance 20; avorals and ghaeles  have cold and acid resistance 20.    Parallels with the Nine Choirs in Classical AngelologyAt times, during the campaign, references have been made to the classical typology of angels as it appears in Christian literature. This is partly out of the familiarity that the parallel affords, and partly because the names of the nine choirs are so evocative. To speak of a seraph holds more gravitas than ‘powerful solar’ or even ‘exemplar solar.’ Whether other orders, with more obscure names exist besides the nine is one of those areas as yet unexplored in Oronthonian belief. Previously heretical groups certainly maintain that the Orthodox classification is either incomplete or entirely flawed: they include Aeons, Flames, Innocents, Sovereignties and many more – the list is long.The list presented below describes the function of celestials in general terms only. There is, in fact, considerable variation and in their appointed tasks – particularly amongst the lower orders of celestials. It should be seen as an overview, and nothing more.  1) Great Solars (Seraphim): The highest of the choirs, they surround the throne of Oronthon, closest to his presence. In game terms, they are represented by powerful advanced solars (35+HD) who are exemplars or exalted far above the rest of the celestial host. Their numbers vary according to different sources, but are probably not more than a thousand. The Irrenites, preoccupied with numerolgical significances, place the original number of seraphs at 343 – i.e. 7 x 7 x 7.  If this is true, and 169 of them fell from grace, that would leave a total of one hundred and seventy-four seraphs. It would also indicate that almost half of the highest choir followed the Adversary’s call to rebel. As has been noted, aside from Enitharmon, seraphs seldom concern themselves with earthly affairs.2) Lesser Solars (Cherubim): The second choir is composed of solars of less dignity and power (22-35HD), but more active in the world and the conflict between heaven and hell. Although great warriors, the second choir is also concerned with the transmission and preservation of knowledge, and the wrathful aspect encountered by mortals is only one facet of their existence. Because of both their relentless pursuit of evil and desire to preserve truth, of all the choirs they are the most feared by the fiends. They probably number in the tens of thousands. When the ninth host descended at Khu, they were led by several hundred cherubim. 3) Planetars (Thrones (Erelim, Merkabah)): The third choir consists primarily of planetars, whose role is justice, inspiring confidence in Oronthon and his power, and the judgement of souls petitioning for entry into Heaven. They are eager warriors, but their humility is such that they are often used in a context which allows Oronthon’s will to shine directly through them – Urthoon, who mediates between mortals and Oronthon, and Rintrah, who brings revelation are two examples. 4) Ghaele (Dominions (Kuriotetes, Hashmallim)): The fourth choir are represented by the ghaele eladrin. They are dispatched by Oronthon on urgent missions, often outside of the affairs of mortals, and typically work alone or in small groups. When they intervene in earthly affairs, it tends to be from behind the scenes – the virtuous are sometimes protected by ghaele whose existence they never suspect. They act as messengers to the lower orders of celestials, communicating the divine will to devas and avorals.5) Trumpet Archons (Virtues (Malakim, Tarshishim)): The fifth choir, highly active as protectors of heroes and champions of good, present in the world as miracle-workers and bringers of grace. They act as heralds within the celestial host, proclaiming the arrival of Heaven’s generals and warriors, or signalling the impending judgement of Oronthon or his agents.6) Astral Devas (Powers (Potentates)): The sixth choir, and Heaven’s most famous and uncompromising warriors. Guides to lost souls, indomitable foes of evil, and the celestials most frequently dispatched in a martial capacity, astral devas are deployed primarily upon the astral plane, where the war against the fiends is most fiercely fought. 7) Monadic Devas (Principalities): The seventh choir is detailed with the guarding and management of places within the Heavenly, Material, Ethereal or Elemental  Planes. They bar access, or permit it. They guard sanctuaries, holy places, and sites of pilgrimage.8) Movanic Devas (Archangels): The eighth choir, and commonly in command of groups of avorals, movanic devas are appointed as guardians of all good people who strive to remain virtuous. They provide inspiration, and exercise a particular protective love for innocents who would otherwise be corrupted and despoiled. Of all of the celestials appearing in Oronthonian iconography, movanic devas are the most commonly represented, bearing their characteristic flaming swords.9) Avorals (Angels (Malakh)): The ninth and lowest choir, closest to humanity in terms of their power, but distinct from it in terms of their purity and goodness. Avorals work more closely with humans than any other choir, acting as teachers, mentors, dispensers of lore, and moral chaperones. Their presence is seldom felt in anything beyond gentle promptings, as they prefer to remain Ethereal or communicate in Dream, working to foster human growth in subtle and non-coercive ways.</blockquote>

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