Astral devas were a kind of angel and members of one of the three orders of the devas, the others being monadic devas and movanic devas.[4][3][1][6]
Description[]
Devas appeared as human-like men and women[note 1] of extraordinary beauty or handsomeness with two magnificent feathered wings emerging from their backs. Astral devas were especially tall, standing 7.0–7.5 feet (2.1–2.3 meters) tall and weighing 250 pounds (113 kilograms), but particularly mighty examples could grow to much larger size. Be that as it may, they had lithe and supple bodies, long wings, and moved with grace and unearthly speed.[4][5][3][6][1] They had golden-hued skin, fair or golden hair, amber-colored eyes,[4][5][3] and white wings tinted with gold,[4][5] and glowed with an inner power, so bright it was hard to look directly upon them.[1][note 2]
Devas were averse to clothing; when they must adhere to mortal custom, they donned simple loincloths or other coverings.[6]
Society[]
The astral devas were the strongest of the devas. Nevertheless, the orders of the devas were politically equal, and there was no rivalry between them.[3][6] Although the orders might sometimes bicker over differences in personality, they always cooperated.[6]
Astral devas chiefly existed to battle fiends in the outer Lower Planes, being able to travel there with ease. They also traveled to the Astral Plane to rescue lost or stranded mortals of good alignment. Otherwise, they performed services for their sovereigns.[4][5][3] They generally watched over and, where they could, aided good beings and served as patrons for planewalkers and mighty creatures who pursued good causes.[1]
They usually worked alone, but also operated in pairs, trios,[4][5][3][1] or squads of up to five members.[1]
Personality[]
An astral deva with wings raised.
No deva would knowingly deal peaceably with evil beings, but those of non-lawful bent sometimes dealt with neutral beings.[4][5][6]
Possessions[]
Each astral deva wielded a large mace-like weapon equivalent to a +3 mace of disruption[4][5][3] or a +3 heavy mace of disruption,[1] known as a celestial mace.[7] They had no need of any treasure or wealth,[3][6] but might still carry useful items.[1]
Combat[]
Reacting swiftly, astral devas entered melee without hesitation or fear, and were ferocious and joyous in fighting evil creatures. They attacked with power and cleaved through the ranks of their enemies.[1] They wielded their maces with finesse.[4][5]
Two blows from an astral deva in quick succession could leave a foe stunned senseless for a brief period.[4][5][3][1]
Alert to danger, they were never surprised and could react to defend themselves from even unexpected attacks.[4][5][3][1]
Powers[]
Astral devas possessed all the powers, protections, and traits common to devas and to other angels, and many more of their own.[4][5][3][1] They were immune to injury from mundane and minor magical weapons.[4][5][3][1] Furthermore, astral devas were entirely immune to death spells, loss of experience or life-force, and the effects of vacuum. Their souls could never be trapped or imprisoned.[4][5][3] As their names suggested, they were the only kind of deva capable of travelling astrally without a deity's command.[4][5]
In addition to the common spells of devas, astral devas could also cast blade barrier[4][5][3][1] In addition, it was originally reported they could cast dispel illusion, dispel invisibility of any kind, polymorph self, and remove curse,[4][5] and later just detect invisibility.[3] Later, it was reported they could cast cure light wounds, dispel evil, dispel magic, heal, holy aura, holy word, invisibility (but only upon themselves), and see invisibility.[1] If capable of psionics, they learned the psionic blast, mind thrust, ego whip, and psychic crush attack modes, and the mind blank, thought shield, and mental barrier defense modes.[8]
When a deva died on the Prime Material plane or the Elemental planes,[4][5] all parts of their body, what clothes they wore, their maces, and their other possessions vanished completely.[6] Only their material body was destroyed, while their immortal spirit returned to their home plane. It took ten years to regain the power to manifest a corporeal form. If they died on any other plane, then they were destroyed utterly.[4][5]
Relations[]
Devas of all kinds were known to serve the deities Azuth, Ilmater, and Mystra.[9][10]
A good and mighty spellcaster could summon and command an astral deva with a gate or planar ally spell[6] and an especially holy one could summon one in the awesome armageddon spell. To a lesser degree, the celestial aspect spell could grant the wings of an astral deva to a holy spellcaster.[11]
History[]
In 1369 DR, a group of six astral and monadic devas, led by Ariziel, was dispatched to capture the Winged, a dark planetar cast out from Celestia for failing Torm. The devas could not overcome the Winged, and found themselves captured in turn. They were turned into fallen devas and forced to fight in the gladiatorial arena of the Winged's master, the Thayan wizard Dennaton, where they eventually perished.[12]
Notable Astral Devas[]
- Lumalia, a servant of Mystra held prisoner within the Doomvault for centuries.[13]
- Micus and Tauran, high-ranking servants of Tyr.[14]
- Eirwyn, a servant of Helm and skilled diviner.[15]
Appendix[]
Notes[]
- ↑ The Monstrous Compendium Planescape Appendix for 2nd-edition D&D states that devas appeared as male humans, suggesting that they were only male. This was corrected in Warriors of Heaven, which on page 40 states that, contrary to the popular view, devas could be either gender. It explains, "Previous claims that all devas were male probably grew from the tales of explorers new to the planes who happened to see a few males and jumped to the wrong conclusion." The Monster Manual and Fiend Folio for 3rd edition only state that they appear as humans, but the Fiend Folio artwork presents the movanic deva as female, confirming that devas can be of either sex in 3e as well.
- ↑ The appearances of devas have been switched in each edition, though astral devas have remained consistent. However, in Monster Manual v.3.5, the artwork gives the astral deva a darker complexion similar to the monadic deva.
Gallery[]
Appearances[]
Adventures
Novels & Short Stories
Video Games
Organized Play & Licensed Adventures
Further Reading[]
- Tedd Crapper (September 2001). “When Celestials Attack”. In Dave Gross ed. Dragon #287 (Wizards of the Coast), p. 42.
- Chris Thomasson (September 2001). “Vs. Celestials”. In Dave Gross ed. Dragon #287 (Wizards of the Coast), p. 43.
References[]
- ↑ 1.00 1.01 1.02 1.03 1.04 1.05 1.06 1.07 1.08 1.09 1.10 1.11 1.12 1.13 1.14 1.15 1.16 1.17 1.18 1.19 1.20 1.21 Skip Williams, Jonathan Tweet, Monte Cook (July 2003). Monster Manual v.3.5. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 11. ISBN 0-7869-2893-X.
- ↑ James Wyatt (October 2001). Oriental Adventures (3rd edition). (Wizards of the Coast), p. 145. ISBN 0-7869-2015-7.
- ↑ 3.00 3.01 3.02 3.03 3.04 3.05 3.06 3.07 3.08 3.09 3.10 3.11 3.12 3.13 3.14 3.15 3.16 3.17 3.18 3.19 3.20 3.21 3.22 3.23 Allen Varney, ed. (June 1994). Planescape Monstrous Compendium Appendix. (TSR, Inc.), pp. 6–7. ISBN 978-1560768623.
- ↑ 4.00 4.01 4.02 4.03 4.04 4.05 4.06 4.07 4.08 4.09 4.10 4.11 4.12 4.13 4.14 4.15 4.16 4.17 4.18 4.19 4.20 Gary Gygax (July 1982). “Featured Creatures”. In Kim Mohan ed. Dragon #63 (TSR, Inc.), p. 6.
- ↑ 5.00 5.01 5.02 5.03 5.04 5.05 5.06 5.07 5.08 5.09 5.10 5.11 5.12 5.13 5.14 5.15 5.16 5.17 5.18 5.19 5.20 Gary Gygax (August 1983). Monster Manual II 1st edition. (TSR, Inc), pp. 42–43. ISBN 0-88038-031-4.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 6.4 6.5 6.6 6.7 6.8 6.9 Eric Cagle, Jesse Decker, James Jacobs, Erik Mona, Matthew Sernett, Chris Thomasson, and James Wyatt (April 2003). Fiend Folio. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 55. ISBN 0-7869-2780-1.
- ↑ James Wyatt, Darrin Drader, Christopher Perkins (October 2003). Book of Exalted Deeds. (TSR, Inc), p. 114. ISBN 0-7869-3136-1.
- ↑ Steve Winter (1991). The Complete Psionics Handbook. (TSR, Inc.), p. 124. ISBN 1-56076-054-0.
- ↑ Julia Martin, Eric L. Boyd (March 1996). Faiths & Avatars. (TSR, Inc.), pp. 34, 76, 129. ISBN 978-0786903849.
- ↑ Sean K. Reynolds (2002-05-04). Deity Do's and Don'ts (Zipped PDF). Web Enhancement for Faiths and Pantheons. Wizards of the Coast. pp. 10, 12, 13. Archived from the original on 2016-11-01. Retrieved on 2018-09-08.
- ↑ James Wyatt, Darrin Drader, Christopher Perkins (October 2003). Book of Exalted Deeds. (TSR, Inc), pp. 84, 90. ISBN 0-7869-3136-1.
- ↑ Beamdog (November 2013). Designed by Philip Daigle, et al. Baldur's Gate II: The Black Pits II – Gladiators of Thay. Beamdog.
- ↑ Scott Fitzgerald Gray (April 29, 2014). Dead in Thay. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 61.
- ↑ Thomas M. Reid (March 2011). The Empyrean Odyssey. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 744. ISBN 0-7869-5768-9.
- ↑ Thomas M. Reid (November 2008). The Fractured Sky. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 72. ISBN 0786948078.
Connections[]
Celestial Stewards: Deva (Astral deva • Monadic deva • Movanic deva) • Light • Planetar • Solar