Chronias

Mount Celestia — Layer the Seventh

The Illuminated Heaven, The Garden

Themes of the Layer: Transcendence, Truth, Perfection

Description: Chronias, the Illuminated Heaven, is the very apex of celestial splendor. Now, this is where the chant takes a turn into the realm of mystery and wonder. Picture a place so radiant with goodness and law that it’s said to burn away all darkness and indifference. It’s like stepping into the heart of pure joy, where sorrow dare not tread.

But here’s the twist – hardly anyone returns from Chronias, and those few who do are tight-lipped about their experiences. Some say it’s because words simply can’t do justice to the majesty of the place, while others whisper of secrets so profound they dare not utter them aloud.

Zaphkiel, the enigmatic leader of the Hebdomad, is the only one known to come and go from Chronias. They say he embodies the very essence of “perfect goodness,” a being so righteous and exalted that even the most virtuous mortals quiver in his presence. And let me tell you, friend, his motives are as mysterious as the depths of the Abyss. But one thing’s for certain—he’s said to watch over the spirits of dead children and stillborn babes, a task that would humble even the mightiest of beings.

Now, let’s talk about the Garden—rumoured to be the pinnacle of Chronias, floating above all else like a perfect jewel in the crown of creation. They say its appearance changes for every soul that sets foot within its walls, a reflection of the individual’s innermost desires and dreams. It’s where newly minted archons awaken, fully formed and ready to take on the challenges of celestial duty. Despite this, nobody really knows what lies inside the walls of the Garden. Some say it’s a paradise beyond imagining, where the very essence of the plane merges with the souls of its inhabitants. Others believe it’s a realm of endless possibilities, where the boundaries of reality blur and anything is possible. Still more say it’s a gateway to something beyond reality, to the Ordial Ocean where the powers themselves are said to frolic. They say a lot, don’t they?

Rumoured Locations of Chronias

The Kingdom / the Summit(site)
- The Garden (site)
- The Illuminated Throne (site)
River Eunoë (planar pathway)
River Lethe (planar pathway)

Rumoured Powers of Chronias

Ahura Mazda (Persian power of wisdom)

Philosophies of Chronias

The Celestial Hebdomad

Cutters of Chronias

Galgaliel — a solar aasimon, the Voice of the Shining Host, and the only solar known to have returned from Chronias
Zaphkiel — the Watcher, leader of the Celestial Hebdomad

Notes on integrating D&D editions & Pathfinder: Mount Celestia and Heaven both have seven layers, so I merged them directly one to one. Where descriptions of the layers differed, I used the Planescape descriptions as a base. Pathfinder names for layers are presented as alternatives that might represent the name for a layer (in the Empyreal tongue, perhaps?). Where the stewards of the layers differed, I used the Planescape version – or made up a story why there might be controversy. Powers, creatures and characters were all added in, and merged into single entries where appropriate. I supplemented additional locations and characters I found on the web while researching, including ideas from the Mimir.net site. I also added in many new non-canon ideas and added to canonical ones.

Canonical References

Read First: Planes of Law: Mount Celestia [2e] p25, 30-31

Book of Exalted Deeds [3e] p55, 135, 137
Manual of the Planes [3e] p136
Manual of the Planes [5e] p225
Planescape Campaign Setting: DM’s Guide [2e] p62
Planewalker’s Handbook [2e] p13
Heaven Unleashed [PF1] p6

Source: Jon Winter-Holt, mimir.net