Celestian
Encyclopedia
In the World of Greyhawk campaign setting
for the Dungeons & Dragons
role-playing game
, Celestian is the god of Stars, Space and Wanderers. His symbol is a black circle set with seven stars. His color is black.
An Oeridian god, he is called the Far Wanderer, and is brother to Fharlanghn
. It is said that the two followed similar but differing paths. Celestian is Neutral Good, but his worshipers may be any alignment of good.
Celestian is also an important deity in the Spelljammer
setting, as he encourages his followers to travel among the stars.
in Dragon
#68 (1982). Celestian was subsequently detailed in the World of Greyhawk Fantasy Game Setting
(1983), and in Greyhawk Adventures (1988).
Celestian played an important role in the Spelljammer
campaign setting
, as detailed in Greyspace
(1992), and The Complete Spacefarer's Handbook (1992).
His role in the cosmology of the Planescape
campaign setting was described in On Hallowed Ground (1996). Celestian is described as one of the good deities that celestials
can serve in the supplement Warriors of Heaven (1999).
(2000).
(2004).
. It is said that the two followed similar but differing paths; where Fharlanghn chose to wander the wide world, Celestian chose the void of outer space and the Astral Plane. Celestian is allied with Zagyg
, Keoghtom
, Heward
, and Murlynd
, and is often found in their company.
In space, Celestian's priests are disliked by followers of the Egyptian god Ptah, who envy their special abilities. The Seekers act as a communication network for the widely scattered Celestians.
Some claim that the souls of Celestian's faithful are ranked by how many worlds they have traveled to, but this is not considered official doctrine.
Described in the Living Greyhawk
adventure River of Blood
, Travels of the Far Wanderer is a 45-page book of aphorisms and devotionals to Celestian. An intricate star design has been worked into its leather cover.
While Celestian's following on Oerth
is small compared to that of his brother Fharlanghn, on other planes of existence and in the depths of space he is much more popular than his land-bound sibling. He is the deity of choice for planewalkers and many spelljammers. On Oerth, Celestian's followers wish to keep their journeys secret from those outside the faith.
One of Celestian's most famous clerics is Agath of Thrunch.
The "home" temple of Celestian is located in the Griff Mountains. The faithful of the Far Wanderer record their journeys to the stars and keep records of it beneath Grey College in the Free City of Greyhawk
. There is a major temple to Celestian outside the village of Thrunch. A place
in the Barrier Peaks is a holy pilgrimage site for Celestian's faithful.
There are Celestian hospices throughout the depths of space, tended to by priests who have decided to stay in one place for a time. They give shelter, food, air, and advice, appreciating donations, though there is no set schedule of fees. They may give directions and help travelers find work.
The only way to reach Celestian's Gift is a narrow natural bridge deep within the Underdark
. Monsters from across space and time are said to guard it.
Campaign setting
A campaign setting is usually a fictional world which serves as a setting for a role-playing game or wargame campaign. A campaign is a series of individual adventures, and a campaign setting is the world in which such adventures and campaigns take place...
for the Dungeons & Dragons
Dungeons & Dragons
Dungeons & Dragons is a fantasy role-playing game originally designed by Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson, and first published in 1974 by Tactical Studies Rules, Inc. . The game has been published by Wizards of the Coast since 1997...
role-playing game
Role-playing game
A role-playing game is a game in which players assume the roles of characters in a fictional setting. Players take responsibility for acting out these roles within a narrative, either through literal acting, or through a process of structured decision-making or character development...
, Celestian is the god of Stars, Space and Wanderers. His symbol is a black circle set with seven stars. His color is black.
An Oeridian god, he is called the Far Wanderer, and is brother to Fharlanghn
Fharlanghn
In the World of Greyhawk campaign setting and the default pantheon of deities for the third edition of the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game, Fharlanghn, the Dweller on the Horizon, is the Oeridian god of Horizons, Distance, Travel, and Roads. He is a well-known deity on the world of Oerth...
. It is said that the two followed similar but differing paths. Celestian is Neutral Good, but his worshipers may be any alignment of good.
Celestian is also an important deity in the Spelljammer
Spelljammer
Spelljammer is a campaign setting for the Advanced Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game, which features a fantastical outer space environment....
setting, as he encourages his followers to travel among the stars.
Advanced Dungeons & Dragons 1st edition (1977-1988)
Celestian was first detailed for the Dungeons & Dragons game in "The Deities and Demigods of the World of Greyhawk" by Gary GygaxGary Gygax
Ernest Gary Gygax was an American writer and game designer best known for co-creating the pioneering role-playing game Dungeons & Dragons with Dave Arneson. Gygax is generally acknowledged as the father of role-playing games....
in Dragon
Dragon (magazine)
Dragon is one of the two official magazines for source material for the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game and associated products, the other being Dungeon. TSR, Inc. originally launched the monthly printed magazine in 1976 to succeed the company's earlier publication, The Strategic Review. The...
#68 (1982). Celestian was subsequently detailed in the World of Greyhawk Fantasy Game Setting
World of Greyhawk Fantasy Game Setting
The World of Greyhawk Fantasy Game Setting and the World of Greyhawk Fantasy World Setting are two closely related publications from TSR, Inc. that detail the fictional World of Greyhawk campaign setting for the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy roleplaying game...
(1983), and in Greyhawk Adventures (1988).
Advanced Dungeons & Dragons 2nd edition (1989-1999)
Celestian was one of the deities described in the From the Ashes set (1992), for the Greyhawk campaign, and appeared again in Greyhawk: The Adventure Begins (1998).Celestian played an important role in the Spelljammer
Spelljammer
Spelljammer is a campaign setting for the Advanced Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game, which features a fantastical outer space environment....
campaign setting
Campaign setting
A campaign setting is usually a fictional world which serves as a setting for a role-playing game or wargame campaign. A campaign is a series of individual adventures, and a campaign setting is the world in which such adventures and campaigns take place...
, as detailed in Greyspace
Greyspace
Greyspace is an accessory for the Spelljammer campaign setting for the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game. The book was written by Nigel Findley, and was published in 1992. Cover art is by Tom Baxa, with interior illustrations by David O...
(1992), and The Complete Spacefarer's Handbook (1992).
His role in the cosmology of the Planescape
Planescape
Planescape is a campaign setting for the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game, originally designed by Zeb Cook. The Planescape setting was published in 1994...
campaign setting was described in On Hallowed Ground (1996). Celestian is described as one of the good deities that celestials
Celestial (Dungeons & Dragons)
In the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game, celestials are a class of creatures and monsters known as outsiders who are of wholly good alignment....
can serve in the supplement Warriors of Heaven (1999).
Dungeons & Dragons 3.0 edition (2000-2002)
Celestian's role in the 3rd edition Greyhawk setting was defined in the Living Greyhawk GazetteerLiving Greyhawk Gazetteer
The Living Greyhawk Gazetteer is a sourcebook for the World of Greyhawk campaign setting for the 3rd edition of the Dungeons & Dragons roleplaying game. Despite the title, the Living Greyhawk Gazetteer is not exclusive to the Living Greyhawk Campaign...
(2000).
Dungeons & Dragons 3.5 edition (2003-2007)
His priesthood is detailed for this edition in Complete DivineComplete Divine
Complete Divine is a supplemental rulebook for the 3.5 edition of the Dungeons and Dragons fantasy role-playing game published by Wizards of the Coast...
(2004).
Description
Celestian often appears as a tall, lean man of middle years, wearing black garments set with his symbol, often worked in jewels (diamond, amethyst, sapphire, emerald, topaz, jacinth and ruby) that shine like distant suns. His smooth skin and his eyes are ebony. His voice is a cold and unearthly whisper, which carries well despite its softness, but he seldom speaks. He has power over meteors, comets, asteroids, and similar bodies, and some influence over light and weather. He can summon astral devas to serve him.Relationships
Celestian is brother to FharlanghnFharlanghn
In the World of Greyhawk campaign setting and the default pantheon of deities for the third edition of the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game, Fharlanghn, the Dweller on the Horizon, is the Oeridian god of Horizons, Distance, Travel, and Roads. He is a well-known deity on the world of Oerth...
. It is said that the two followed similar but differing paths; where Fharlanghn chose to wander the wide world, Celestian chose the void of outer space and the Astral Plane. Celestian is allied with Zagyg
Zagyg
In the World of Greyhawk campaign setting for the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game, Zagyg is the god of Humor, Eccentricity, Occult Lore, and Unpredictability...
, Keoghtom
Keoghtom
In the World of Greyhawk campaign setting for the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game, Keoghtom is the hero-god of Secret Pursuits, Natural Alchemy, and Extraplanar Exploration. His symbol is a round disk, bisected by an upward-pointing arrow....
, Heward
Heward
In the World of Greyhawk campaign setting for the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game, Heward is the god of Bards and Musicians. Heward is notable not only for his musical prowess, but also for his technological skills....
, and Murlynd
Murlynd
In the fictional World of Greyhawk campaign setting for the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy roleplaying game, Murlynd is a minor deity. He began as a player character created by Gary Gygax's closest friend Don Kaye in 1972 for the second-ever session of the game that would become D&D...
, and is often found in their company.
In space, Celestian's priests are disliked by followers of the Egyptian god Ptah, who envy their special abilities. The Seekers act as a communication network for the widely scattered Celestians.
Realm
Celestian wanders the Astral Plane, the Ethereal Plane, and the Inner Planes, but especially favors the Astral. The souls of those who worshipped him in life become the stars in his robes, and travel with him. When their wanderlust becomes so great that they want to travel on their own, they and Celestian become one.Some claim that the souls of Celestian's faithful are ranked by how many worlds they have traveled to, but this is not considered official doctrine.
Dogma
Celestian encourages his followers to wander far from home, just as the stars do. Astrology is as much a part of Celestian's faith as astronomy is, and his worshippers are encouraged to discover the secrets within the patterns of the stars and other celestial bodies.Scriptures
Though Celestians must pledge to wander, they may remain in one place for decades without receiving more than a gentle chiding from Celestian priests. Priests are expected to take their oaths much more seriously.Described in the Living Greyhawk
Living Greyhawk
Living Greyhawk was a massively shared Dungeons and Dragons living campaign administered by RPGA that ran from 2000 to 2008. The campaign setting and storyline were based on Gary Gygax's World of Greyhawk setting, and used the Dungeons and Dragons Third Edition rules...
adventure River of Blood
River of Blood
In the World of Greyhawk campaign setting for the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game, the River of Blood, or more properly, the River of Blood Murders, refers to the mass murder/ sacrifice of eight children of wealthy Greyhawk families in 565 CY by Sir Bluto Sans Pite, a local knight...
, Travels of the Far Wanderer is a 45-page book of aphorisms and devotionals to Celestian. An intricate star design has been worked into its leather cover.
Worshippers
Celestian has but a small following in the Flanaess, being revered by astronomers, astrologers, navigators, philosophers, dreamers, and others who are interested in the sky and the cosmos. Demihumans and some other humanoids with their own racial deities sometimes worship Celestian alongside their own gods. Members of nocturnal races who have been banished from their kin, perhaps for crimes such as mercy or love for humans, often take to the worship of the Far Wanderer because though the sunlight hurts their eyes, the gentle light of the stars offer acceptance.While Celestian's following on Oerth
Oerth
In the Dungeons & Dragons roleplaying game, Oerth, pronounced as "Orth" or "oyth", is the name of the fictional planet on which one of the earliest campaign settings, the World of Greyhawk, is located...
is small compared to that of his brother Fharlanghn, on other planes of existence and in the depths of space he is much more popular than his land-bound sibling. He is the deity of choice for planewalkers and many spelljammers. On Oerth, Celestian's followers wish to keep their journeys secret from those outside the faith.
Clergy
Celestian's priesthood is divided into seven ranks of ascending power and knowledge, each differing from the last in its number and the placement of the gems in its holy symbol. They search the world, the sky, and other planes for magical meteorites, artifacts, and lore relating to Celestian's spheres of influence. They are adept at divinations. They are very studious and meditative, secretive, and detached from day-to-day existence. They will not use their expertise with stars and space to pilot warships or slave ships, and they will not aid unjust conquerors. Their favored weapon is the shortspear. They cooperate with the priests of Fharlanghn extensively.- The First Order wears light blue robes. Their symbol is the ruby.
- The Second Order wears robes of light gray. Their symbol is the jacinth.
- The Third Order wears robes of violet. Their symbol is the topaz.
- The Fourth Order wears blue-gray robes. Their gem is the emerald.
- The Fifth Order wears dark blue robes. Their gem is the sapphire.
- The Sixth Order wears robes of the deepest purple hue. They use the amethyst as their symbol.
- The Seventh Order is the most potent. They wear robes of black, and their gem is the diamond.
One of Celestian's most famous clerics is Agath of Thrunch.
Temples
Celestian shrines are located in the country, away from city lights, and are often built upon mountain peaks or hilltops with a clear view of the sky.The "home" temple of Celestian is located in the Griff Mountains. The faithful of the Far Wanderer record their journeys to the stars and keep records of it beneath Grey College in the Free City of Greyhawk
Free City of Greyhawk
The Free City of Greyhawk, also known as Greyhawk City and the "Gem of the Flanaess," is a fictional city-state in the World of Greyhawk campaign setting for the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy roleplaying game...
. There is a major temple to Celestian outside the village of Thrunch. A place
Expedition to the Barrier Peaks
Expedition to the Barrier Peaks is a 1980 adventure module for the Dungeons & Dragons roleplaying game written by Gary Gygax. While Dungeons & Dragons is typically a fantasy game, the adventure includes elements of science fiction, and thus belongs to the science fantasy genre...
in the Barrier Peaks is a holy pilgrimage site for Celestian's faithful.
There are Celestian hospices throughout the depths of space, tended to by priests who have decided to stay in one place for a time. They give shelter, food, air, and advice, appreciating donations, though there is no set schedule of fees. They may give directions and help travelers find work.
Holy days
- Dark Night, also called Black Night, Star Night, and the Night of Hopeful Dawn, is observed on Goodmonth 11. It is a holy night for the church of Celestian because the stars are so easy to observe without the light of one of the moons getting in the way.
- Great Moon's Glory on Readying 11th, when Luna is full but Celene is new, is holy to Celestian.
- Midwinter Night, also known as Dark Time, Dim Time, and Handmaiden's Glory. It is this night when Luna is completely dark and only Celene is visible in the sky. It is the longest night of the year, during which clerics of Celestian conduct all-night services of moonwatching and stargazing.
Celestian's Gift
According to legend, Celestian sent an enormous meteor hurtling toward the Oerth thousands of years ago. This celestial body buried itself miles beneath the surface somewhere in Western Oerik. The pulsing core of the meteorite has never cooled in the countless centuries since. This core is said to hold a priceless gift from the Far Wanderer, though the precise nature of this gift has not been agreed on. Some say it is the purest adamantium in the multiverse, while others say the gift is a deep philosophical truth.The only way to reach Celestian's Gift is a narrow natural bridge deep within the Underdark
Underdark
The Underdark is a fictional setting which has appeared in Dungeons & Dragons role-playing campaigns and Dungeons & Dragons-based fiction books, including the Legend of Drizzt series by R. A. Salvatore...
. Monsters from across space and time are said to guard it.
Additional reading
- Brown, AnneAnne Brown (game designer)Anne Brown is a writer and editor in the role-playing game industry.Brown began working as an Assistant editor for Dragon magazine in 1989, on issues #147 to #151 . She was later transferred to TSR's Games Division...
. Player's Guide. Renton, WA: Wizards of the Coast, 1998. - Conforti, Steven, ed. Living Greyhawk Official Listing of Deities for Use in the Campaign, version 2.0. Renton, WA: Wizards of the Coast, 2005. Available online:http://www.wizards.com/rpga/downloads/LG_Deities.zip
- Gygax, GaryGary GygaxErnest Gary Gygax was an American writer and game designer best known for co-creating the pioneering role-playing game Dungeons & Dragons with Dave Arneson. Gygax is generally acknowledged as the father of role-playing games....
, and Frank MentzerFrank MentzerJacob Franklin "Frank" Mentzer III , is an American fantasy author and game designer best known for his work on early materials for the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game. He was a performing folk musician from 1968 to 1975, and played one concert at the White House during the...
. The Temple of Elemental Evil (TSRTSR, Inc.Blume and Gygax, the remaining owners, incorporated a new company called TSR Hobbies, Inc., with Blume and his father, Melvin Blume, owning the larger share. The former assets of the partnership were transferred to TSR Hobbies, Inc....
, 1985). - Mona, Erik. River of Blood. Renton, WA: Wizards of the Coast, 2000.
- Niles, Douglas, and Carl SargentCarl SargentCarl L. Sargent is a British author of several roleplaying game-based products and novels.-Early career:...
. The City of GreyhawkThe City of GreyhawkThe City of Greyhawk is an boxed set accessory published in 1989 for the World of Greyhawk campaign setting for the Advanced Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game.-Contents:...
(TSR, 1989). - Pramas, ChrisChris Pramas-Career:His works for Dungeons & Dragons include: Slavers , Guide to Hell , Apocalypse Stone , Vortex of Madness , as well as some work on the third edition Player's Handbook and Dungeon Master's Guide .He has also done work for Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay.He quit Wizards of the Coast in 2000 to...
. "Underground Scenarios." DragonDragon (magazine)Dragon is one of the two official magazines for source material for the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game and associated products, the other being Dungeon. TSR, Inc. originally launched the monthly printed magazine in 1976 to succeed the company's earlier publication, The Strategic Review. The...
#294. Renton, WA: Wizards of the Coast, 2002. - Living Greyhawk Journal no. 3 - "Gods of Oerth"