The Celestial Planes & The Divine Order

The Celestial Planes are the Divine Realms contained within the Elemental Plane of Holy. Each one is ruled over by a deity and represents the seat of their power. These planes embody the domain of the deity who rules them, being a perfect image of their tenets and laws. These realms are never-changing being a mirror of their eternal creators, in stark contrast to the hells and their chaotic discord.

Within the Elemental Plane of Holy there are three lesser planes which are not directly reigned over by a specific deity, but represent the most fundamental components of the Divine.

Lightning

The Plane of Lightning is a place not of substance, but holy energy. Here the power of the Divine manifests in its purest form, as the Divine have no need of physical substance but exists as energy, eternal.

Order

In the radiant expanse of the plane of Order, all things move with a divine precision, each cog in the grand mechanism turning in perfect harmony with the next. No motion is wasted, no energy misplaced; every force flows to its destined point at the precise moment it is required, never before, never after.

Mind

The Plane of Mind forms before you through thoughts as they have been and always will be, where imagination and reality are one. This plane embodies the power of the Divine to create, through their thoughts and will being manifested.

Beings of The Celestial Planes

Deities

Deities are the highest order of holy beings, holding almost complete dominion over their respective realms within the Celestial Planes. Many refer to such beings as gods, and each one typically holds a portfolio, a selection of aspects that the deity best represents. While they are considered all-powerful in most regards, deities are limited in one crucial way, they are unable to exert power outside of their respective plane. Therefore, a deity must act through their divine agents and minions when exerting influence upon other planes or realms. These holy beings in service to the deities are referred to as Angels.

Angels

Angels are a broad category of powerful holy beings created by and in service solely to their deity, with the greatest bearing the title of Archangels. Archangels are the most closely connected with their respective deity, acting with the almost absolute authority and power of their creator. Beneath the Archangels are the other denominations of angels. While they vary somewhat between deities and their responsibilities all angels are holy servants of the divine. Some act as messengers, others protectors and avengers, others still are judges of right and wrong. Since angels act directly upon the will of their deity they are extremely powerful and have enough strength to complete the duty assigned to them.

Celestial Avatars

Celestial Avatars are mortal agents of the divine, people who have been gifted with the holy might and authority of their deity. Such people are rare, holding power that most mortals could only dream of obtaining. Many such people choose to reside within the Celestial Planes when they are not occupied with fulfilling their deity's will. However, there are some who choose to lead from within the ranks of mortal orders and sects, such as The Paragon who holds one of the leading seats of The Divine Order.

(Deities, Angels and Avatars represent an incredibly high level of power and authority, as such they are heavily restricted for DM plot use only (approved via the Head DMs collectively))

Divine Manifestation of Power

Deities are unable to manifest power outside of their planes; therefore, in order to facilitate oaths and other holy contracts a deity must act through their Archangels, Angels, or Avatars. This means that these divine beings are a conduit for their deities' power within the aetheric and material realms, and all holy power is in some way drawn from them.

• Power of The Divine: "Even when facilitated through an avatar or even a common worshiper, too much power would break the long standing peace" between divine and infernal forces. Gods possess the strength to cause catastrophe, yet refrain to prevent cosmic conflict.

• Strength of The Individual: Gods can grant and revoke their powers from devotees via their agents. However, mortals can only utilize as much power as "their body can physically handle." This capacity varies by individual, and exceeding it results in death. Non-DM characters cannot exceed 3rd level spell power.

• Oath Breaking: Those who make sacred vows must uphold their deity's values. "Those who stray from the path are filled with a great emptiness." Gods withdraw their power, leaving transgressors as Oath Breakers wielding diminished abilities.

The Divine Order

The Divine Order is a group that has brought together many religious sects and orders, giving them and their deities representation within the aetheric and material space. They focus on maintaining peaceful relations between these groups and protecting both the aetheric and material realms. They are willing to accept any religious orders into their united force, provided they are willing to work toward the fundamental goals of the Divine Order.

There is no single owner or guildmaster of the Divine order as it is overseen by the gods themselves. Everyone has their role to play as given to them by a messenger of the gods, such as an Archangel, Angel, or Avatar. Because of this the Divine Order has a strict hierarchy that they adhere to. Those highest ranking among the Divine Order are the Exemplar, the ArchBishops, and the Oathsworn.

The tasks given to The Order are often ones that present a cosmic threat to the material plane. These can be things like cults attempting to summon demons or creatures of great power to the material plane or something far worse such as invaders from beyond the stars.

Leaders

Exemplar: Leaders among the holy protectors and enforcers of the Divine Order and their respective sects. Usually the highest ranking and most experienced paladins. Becoming an Exemplar requires decades of training and strict adherence to an oath.

ArchBishop: High-ranking spiritual leaders who oversee religious doctrine, ensure adherence to divine law, and act as mediators between the various sects. They guide the faith, interpret divine will, and have the power to ordain new priests.

Oathsworn: The far reaching arm of the Divine Order. These leaders helm the search for evil outside of the Order's main regions of operation and adjudicate between right and wrong in the outside world. Often travel with an entourage or establish small sects where they travel, and are often sent to hunt those who would break their oaths.

History of the Divine Order

The Divine Order was created as a result of The Breach of Tartarus. This large-scale conflict between gods and demons forced both sides to unite against demonic forces. An agreement emerged: neither deity nor arch-demon could directly influence the material realm, only through their followers. The Divine Order maintains this covenant.

The Paragon served as the first Avatar, tasked with recruiting similar individuals. Over time, additional deities contributed their own Avatars and Angels. The Paragon, The Emissary, and The Advocate represent the longest-standing divine representatives.

Aether attracted the Order's attention historically due to its status as neutral territory. This allowed the Divine Order a secure meeting place in exchange for cosmic-scale protection. Though cooperative with Aether, "The Order is independent of Aether." Recent Umbral and Daedric threats prompted the Order to return in full force.

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And Remember The Holy Beige