Jovar

Mount Celestia — Layer the Sixth

The Glittering Heaven, Iudica, the Heaven of Enlightenment

Themes of the Layer: Virtue, Trust, Mercy

Celestial Hebdomad: Sealtiel the Defender

Description:

Welcome to Jovar, the Glittering Heaven of Mount Celestia, where the very sky twinkles like a bejewelled tapestry woven by the gods themselves. You’ve never seen anything quite like it, I can assure you. The heavens above are as dark as a moonless night, but bedecked with countless gems that shimmer and glow with the pulse of life itself. It’s like walking into a dream, cutter, but a dream so real it would make even the most cynical of sods believe in miracles.

First thing you notice about Jovar is the gems. Everywhere you look, the ground beneath your feet sparkles like a treasure trove spilled open by some divine hand. It’s as if the whole layer was built upon a bedrock of precious stones, each one as breathtaking as the last. And speaking of breathtaking, let me tell you about the air up there. Thin as a whisper, it is, yet somehow it fills your lungs with a sense of purity you never knew you were missing. That’s the grace of the archons for you, always looking out for worthy travellers.

But let’s not forget the crown jewel of Jovar—Yetsirah, the Heavenly City. Imagine a giant ziggurat, rising up like a stairway to paradise. Each layer adorned with the same dazzling gems that litter the landscape, it’s a sight to behold. And at the very top, guarded by Xerona, one of the mightiest of the solars, grows the Sidrat al-Muntaha, the Lote-Tree of the Utmost Farthest Boundary, marking the gateway to the Seventh Heaven. It’s a place steeped in mystery and reverence, a boundary beyond which no mortal may pass. This is where the Bridge of al-Sihal begins. This is a bridge of pure light leading to the pinnacle of Celestia, where only the most righteous may tread.

Sealtiel the Defender is the ruler of all of Jovar. From his fortress of Pax Exaltea, he commands an army that could give even the most battle-hardened fiends pause. It’s said that his vigilance is what keeps impure beings from sullying the sanctity of Celestia’s uppermost layers.

But it’s not all about grand palaces and celestial armies in Jovar. The Courts of Accord stand as testament to Celestia’s commitment to justice and order. With the Grand Court at its helm, Heaven’s highest legal authority ensures that virtue, justice, and benevolence reign supreme here. It’s a place where even the most complex of disputes are settled with wisdom and fairness, guided by the light of truth itself.

Typical Settlements:

Gardens of jewelled flowers
Cities studded with gemstones
Orchards where the trees are made from songs and the fruits are blessings

Locations of Jovar

Bridge of Al-Sihal (site)
Canali Sancti (site)
Cathedral Church of Divine Inspiration (site)
Empty Palace of Melek Taus
Iudica — Heaven’s administrative centre (independent burg)
- Courts of Accord (site)
- Grand Court of Heaven (site)
- Red Rotunda (site)
Jabulqa (independent burg)
Jabulsa (independent burg)
Palace Without Rival (site)
Palace of Zohls (site)
Pax Exaltea (site)
Sidrat al-Muntaha (palace of Sealtiel)
Yetsirah, the Heavenly City(independent burg)
- The Exchequer of Souls (site)
- Pax Exaltea (site)
- Radiant Arsenal (site)

Powers of Jovar

None, the archon host is all-powerful here

Philosophies of Jovar

Council of Vision, the — the Head, the Heart, and the Hand — who oversee the administration of Heaven itself. Its three members are known as the Head, the Heart, and the Hand, which respectively embody knowledge and wisdom, love and salvation, and righteous military action. Even though it is no secret which archon currently holds each position, each is only referred to by their title when acting in an official capacity.

Cutters of Jovar

Arithiel — a solar aasimon who protects the cities of the archons; his many archon followers call themselves the Sun-Blinded
Arkaron — a movanic deva
Dammerich — the Hand, the Weighted Swing. He is a heavily armoured empyreal lord who is responsible for executions in Heaven
Kemuel — a sword archon, leader of the defenders of Yetsirah
Melek Taus — the Peacock Angel
Olheon — the Just Arbiter, empyreal lord of the Courts of Accord
Paramon — an ancient solar of incredible power who tends an orchard
Phaleg — sword archon castellan of the Radiant Arsenal, the armory of the city of Yetsirah
Remiel — warden archon and the Keeper of the Exchequer of Souls, a record of good deads and the cirtues of archons
Sealtiel the Defender — the Heart, and Celestial Hebdomad ruler of Jovar
Tsadkiel — throne archon ruler of Yetsirah
Xerona — solar guardian of the Bridge of al-Sihal, the radiant gateway to the seventh Heaven
Zohls— the Head, empyreal lord of determination, investigation, and truth

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

Book of Exalted Deeds [3e] p135
Planescape Monstrous Compendium I [2e] p59
Manual of the Planes [3e] p136
On Hallowed Ground [2e] p78-79, 164, 172, 177-178, 180
Planescape Campaign Setting: DM’s Guide [2e] p62
Planewalker’s Handbook [2e] p13
Planar Handbook [3e] p68

Source: Jon Winter-Holt, mimir.net