Infinite Staircase

The Infinite Staircase, sometimes known to the inhabitants of Toril as the Celestial Staircase or the Celestial Stairway, was a network of pathways linking the Realms with the planes.

Cosmography
From various locations, a stairway led to a nexus, which led to the homes of all the gods. The network was used by deities to traverse from the Realms to their home planes.

The root or base of the Infinite Staircase was located in Selûne's palace of Argentil in the Gates of the Moon. It only appeared if the moon was full and when the fog from the waters surrounding the palace filled the hall. Multiple roughly carved landings of the stairway were also found on each of the three layers of Ysgard.

Description
The individual stairways, invisible to ordinary people, could only be seen properly by gods or by very powerful mortals potent in magic. When made visible to others, they appeared to constantly change shape, such as a long wooden spiral staircase, a marble ladder, a pathway of amber and pearl, or stranger forms. The goddess Selûne showed it to her friends as a glowing silver ribbon rising into the sky.

Locations
Some of the known entrances to the Celestial Stairway could be found:
 * Near the ruins of Castle Kilgrave in Cormyr
 * Near the Temple of Lathander in Shadowdale
 * Near a griffon eyrie on Mount Waterdeep.

Inhabitants
Lillendi lived on and guarded the Celestial Stairway.

History
During the Time of Troubles of the Year of Shadows, 1358 DR, the god Helm guarded the Stairway and prevented Waukeen and Lliira from using it to return to the Outlands from Shadowdale. Helm, obviously, was not tempted by Waukeen's bribes. Later that year, the Celestial Stairway appeared on Mount Waterdeep, seemingly in readiness for someone to pass between the planes and the realms, or because someone already had. Luna, avatar of the goddess Selûne, was shocked to see the Stairway and made it visible to her friends Vajra Valmeyjar, Kyriani Agrivar, Onyx the Invincible, and Timoth Eyesbright. Luna thought it signified Lord Ao was planning something.

Rumors & Legends
The connection between the Infinite Staircase and the Gates of the Moon was suspected to be a consequence of the presence of Shaundakul in the plane.

Appearances

 * Adventures
 * Tales from the Infinite Staircase • For Duty & Deity
 * Novels
 * Shadowdale • Waterdeep
 * Comics
 * Total Eclipse