Lunia, the Silver Heaven, was the first and lowest layer of the plane of Mount Celestia in both the Great Wheel[3][4][5][8][9][10] and World Tree cosmologies.[7] It was sometimes called the Silver Sea, after its great ocean.[11]
Description[]
Lunia was a large mountain-island sparsely covered with citadels of white stone,[3][4][5][8][9][10] atop white cliffs,[8] and with the palaces of minor deities.[4] Visitors reported different architectural styles for these citadels.[3][5][8][9] Some of the citadels were located on separate islands,[3][9] some of which were miles long.[9] Trading towns also dotted Lunia,[4] and sea elves from the Material plane were commonly found engaged in trade there.[5]
Some cosmologists considered Lunia something like a subsection of the greater mountain of Celestia;[4] others considered it one of seven separate mountains that were all a part of a single mountain chain.[6][note 1] In any case, to reach the next layer/mountain of Celestia, Mercuria, one had to first summit Lunia.[11]
It was always night here,[3][4] but the dark sky was full of silver stars collectively so bright that a moon was not needed to provide light,[3][4][5][9] and the temperature was like that of a summer's night.[4]
Most of the portal connections from other planes came into this layer.[3][4] Some insisted that this was the only way to enter the greater plane.[11][8] Most of those arriving by such a means found themselves plunging into a vast ocean of clean and fresh holy water,[3][4][11][8][9] called the Silver Sea[11][10] or the Silvery Sea,[8] somewhere in the shallower waters near the shore.[3][4][11] These waters were salt-free[5][9] and pleasantly sweet[4][9] and had the appearance of dark wine.[5] The crashing of the waves on the shore in calm weather reminded some of chimes or the tolling of bells.[9][12] During stormy weather, the sound was like that of thunder.[12]
The Silver Sea contained all manner of sea life, from schools of tiny silver fishes,[5] to sea elves,[9][10] dolphins,[9] and celestial whales,[10] to giant creatures of the deep.[5] In calm weather, some of these creatures could be heard singing songs of praise toward the archons.[12] Those who could not swim were quick to be rescued by the zoveri and led to shore[8][9]—assuming that they were not a kind of creature harmed by holy water![9]
To reach Lunia with the plane shift spell required a gold planar fork tuned to the note of D.[13]
Government[]
Barachiel, the ruler of Lunia.
The ruler of Lunia was Barachiel,[14][15] one of the celestial paragons of the archons. He commanded all of Celestia's forces against attacks on the sacred mountain, though these rarely occurred. He reigned from the Citadel of Stars.[15]
Lunia was divided into 196 provinces, each with a throne archon serving as governor. These 196 thrones reported through the hierarchy up to Barachiel.[note 2] The defense of Lunia was ensured by the host of hound archons.[14]
Locations[]
The largest trading center of Lunia was known as Heart's Faith, located not far from a portal from the Outlands.[4] It was built into the side of a cliff and was ruled by a powerful lammasu and his harem. The town had a central plaza that flooded at high tide to serve as a harbor for travelers.[9]
Besides Heart's Faith, another well-known complex was the Fortress Eternal and Everlasting.[9] Barachiel's palace, the Citadel of Stars, was located on the shore of the Silver Sea.[15]
One of the castles found on the shore of Lunia was the home of an evil wizard trying to reform his ways.[5][8] Castle Mahlhevik was built with full permission from the archons of Lunia.[5]
Far out in the Silver Sea was found an abandoned tower known as the Tower of Fire. Powerful magic prevented anyone from flying to the tower; the only way to reach it seemed to be by water. The purpose of the tower was unknown, but the place was filled with an eerie blue fire that was very hot but caused no harm. The rooms of the tower seemed to shift and change without reason, though some claimed that there was a yet-to-be-discovered pattern to this.[16]
Realms[]
One of Tyr's domains, the Court, was located here.[17][18][19][20]
Inhabitants[]
Besides the many varieties of sea creatures living in the Silver Sea, Lunia's primary inhabitants were the lantern archons,[14][21] the petitioners of the deities of The Triad.[7] Hound archons were also present in considerable numbers, as they had the two jobs of greeting guests to Lunia[7][14] and keeping watch over the lanterns.[22]
Appendix[]
Notes[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 While Lunia is not specifically named in the 4th-edition Manual of the Planes as one of the seven mountains of Celestia, Venya, Solania, Mertion, and Chronias are, so it can safely be assumed that the three unnamed mountains correspond to the other three layers from the other cosmologies.
- ↑ The text of Planes of Law: Mount Celestia, p. 10, and Warriors of Heaven, p. 43, claim that a warden archon governs each of the 196 provinces of each of the Seven Heavens. This is assumed to be an error and should read "throne archon". It is well established in the Planes of Law boxed set (Mount Celestia, p. 10) that the layers are ruled collectively by the throne archons as the leaders of each town and city and that "they can command any other archon on the layer they rule," excepting the single tome archon on each layer. This arrangement is further confirmed and clarified on p. 8 of that boxed set's Monstrous Supplement, and on p. 42 of Warriors of Heaven. Within the strict hierarchy of Mount Celestia, it is highly unlikely that a warden archon would have authority over a throne archon, and warden archons already had different established roles, as laid out in both sourcebooks.
Appearances[]
- Adventures
- Tales of the Outer Planes
- Video Games
- Baldur's Gate II: Enhanced Edition
References[]
- ↑ Jeff Grubb (April 1987). “Plane Speaking: Tuning in to the Outer Planes”. In Roger E. Moore ed. Dragon #120 (TSR, Inc.), pp. 42–43.
- ↑ Jeff Grubb (July 1987). Manual of the Planes 1st edition. (TSR), p. 73. ISBN 0880383992.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 3.6 3.7 3.8 3.9 Jeff Grubb (July 1987). Manual of the Planes 1st edition. (TSR), p. 87. ISBN 0880383992.
- ↑ 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 David "Zeb" Cook (1994). Planescape Campaign Setting, A DM Guide to the Planes. Edited by David Wise. (TSR, Inc), p. 62. ISBN 978-1560768340.
- ↑ 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 Jeff Grubb, Bruce R. Cordell, David Noonan (September 2001). Manual of the Planes 3rd edition. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 134. ISBN 0-7869-1850-8.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 Richard Baker, John Rogers, Robert J. Schwalb, James Wyatt (December 2008). Manual of the Planes 4th edition. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 91. ISBN 978-0-7869-5002-7.
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3 Richard Baker, James Wyatt (March 2004). Player's Guide to Faerûn. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 159. ISBN 0-7869-3134-5.
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 8.3 8.4 8.5 8.6 8.7 8.8 Colin McComb (February 1995). “A Player's Guide to Law”. In Michele Carter ed. Planes of Law (TSR, Inc), p. 30. ISBN 0786900938.
- ↑ 9.00 9.01 9.02 9.03 9.04 9.05 9.06 9.07 9.08 9.09 9.10 9.11 9.12 9.13 9.14 9.15 Wolfgang Baur (February 1995). “Mount Celestia”. In Michele Carter ed. Planes of Law (TSR, Inc), pp. 12–13. ISBN 0-7869-0093-8.
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 10.2 10.3 10.4 Richard Baker, Joseph D. Carriker, Jr., Jennifer Clarke Wilkes (August 2005). Stormwrack. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 10. ISBN 07-8692-873-5.
- ↑ 11.0 11.1 11.2 11.3 11.4 11.5 Jeff Grubb, Bruce R. Cordell, David Noonan (September 2001). Manual of the Planes 3rd edition. (Wizards of the Coast), pp. 132–133. ISBN 0-7869-1850-8.
- ↑ 12.0 12.1 12.2 Wolfgang Baur (February 1995). “Mount Celestia”. In Michele Carter ed. Planes of Law (TSR, Inc), p. 3. ISBN 0-7869-0093-8.
- ↑ Jeff Grubb (April 1987). “Plane Speaking: Tuning in to the Outer Planes”. In Roger E. Moore ed. Dragon #120 (TSR, Inc.), pp. 42–43.
- ↑ 14.0 14.1 14.2 14.3 Christopher Perkins (April 1999). Warriors of Heaven. (Wizards of the Coast), pp. 41–42. ISBN 0-7869-1361-4.
- ↑ 15.0 15.1 15.2 James Wyatt, Darrin Drader, Christopher Perkins (October 2003). Book of Exalted Deeds. (TSR, Inc), p. 126. ISBN 0-7869-3136-1.
- ↑ Colin McComb (February 1995). “A Player's Guide to Law”. In Michele Carter ed. Planes of Law (TSR, Inc), pp. 31–32. ISBN 0786900938.
- ↑ Colin McComb (October 1996). On Hallowed Ground. Edited by Ray Vallese. (TSR, Inc.), pp. 178, 181. ISBN 0-7869-0430-5.
- ↑ Ed Greenwood, Jeff Grubb (August 1987). “Cyclopedia of the Realms”. In Karen S. Martin ed. Forgotten Realms Campaign Set (TSR, Inc.), p. 15. ISBN 0-88038-472-7.
- ↑ Jeff Grubb and Ed Greenwood (1990). Forgotten Realms Adventures. (TSR, Inc), p. 35. ISBN 0-8803-8828-5.
- ↑ Julia Martin, Eric L. Boyd (March 1996). Faiths & Avatars. (TSR, Inc.), p. 169. ISBN 978-0786903849.
- ↑ Colin McComb, Dori Hein (February 1995). “Monstrous Supplement”. In Dori Hein ed. Planes of Law (TSR, Inc), pp. 4–6. ISBN 0786900938.
- ↑ J. Paul LaFountain (1991). Monstrous Compendium: Outer Planes Appendix. Edited by Timothy B. Brown. (TSR, Inc.). ISBN 1-56076-055-9.
Connections[]
| Lunia | Mercuria | Venya | Solania | Mertion | Jovar | Chronias |
| The Court | Bahamut's Palace Radiant Light Trueheart Undying Flame |
Green Fields | Erackinor Uroboros |