Agathions

Petitioners are the souls of mortals brought to the Outer Planes after death in order to experience their ultimate punishment, reward, or fate. A petitioner retains fragments of its memories from life, and its appearance depends not only upon the shape it held in life but also upon the nature of the Outer Plane to which it has come.

Nirvana's serene landscapes are the backdrop for The Cleansed. These souls adopt the form of animals, a manifestation that mirrors their inner personalities. Their journey in Nirvana is one of introspection and enlightenment. As they come to terms with their essence and achieve true insight, a transformation awaits, allowing them to emerge as the benevolent agathions.

Foo creatures are benevolent guardian spirits that hail originally from the Outer Plane of Nirvana, where they spend their days cavorting in the idyllic wilds or aiding that realm’s inhabitants, particularly the agathions, in their work. Yet while they come from Nirvana, foo creatures are often encountered on the Material Plane as well, for they are favorite conjurations of many cultures and religions. Countless species of foo creatures exist—for if an animal dwells upon the Material Plane, it is certain that somewhere in the vast wilds of Nirvana its spiritual double frolics and plays. Nonetheless, certain foo creatures are more common than others, and the most often encountered of all are dogs and lions. A foo creature can be called to the Material Plane for any reason a conjurer can imagine—these monsters are generally much more intelligent than their mundane counterparts, and can not only follow complex orders but can speak and converse as well. Typically, a foo creature is contacted to serve for a time as a guardian—by adopting its statue form using its freeze ability, a foo creature can appear as little more than an ornate decoration astride the facade of a building or standing guard over a fountain in a city plaza. They are not as often called upon to serve as soldiers in armies, for foo creatures detest war. They generally dislike serving as mounts as well, although for particularly pious and kindly folk, they have been known to make exceptions.

Silvanshees are curious but reclusive cat agathions. Unobtrusive and able to blend in among normal animals (unlike the more anthropomorphic agathions), they are the eyes and ears of the good planes in the mortal world. Most roam hills, forests, and plains, keeping an eye out for evil influences. They can be taken as familiars by 7th-level good spellcasters with the Improved Familiar feat who meet the proper prerequisites. As familiars, silvanshees act as moral guides and steer their mortal allies toward corruptive forces that must be eliminated. In some mortal lands, they are called cat sìth or cath sidhe, and are believed to be disguised witches or fairies—and not necessarily benign creatures, which only encourages silvanshees to avoid strangers. Silvanshees are not fond of open combat, even against demons, devils, or other fiendish threats, and they’re likely to run away if confronted. When they must fight, they prefer greater numbers and the element of surprise, using their magic to temporarily overcome their physical weaknesses, and melting away into mist if the battle turns against them. A silvanshee is the size of a large domestic cat, though almost always sleek rather than fat, and weighs 20 pounds on average.

Reptials are curious and benevolent scholars of Nirvana. They spend their time collecting holy relics, no matter how minor, and can store some of their knowledge within a chosen relic. They keep most of these relics for themselves, but individual reptials have been known to distribute particularly useful pieces to good-aligned individuals and temples that are enduring difficult trials. Such relics often appear mysteriously within a temple or home, placed carefully among other objects. Reptials prefer to avoid combat if possible, using their abilities to escape instead and find heroes or more warlike agathions to combat evil directly. A reptial stands 3 feet tall and weighs about 40 pounds, not counting the weight of its many relics.

Among the smallest of the agathions, vulpinals tend to be the most outspoken and friendly of their kind, and also the most far-ranging across the planes. A vulpinal looks like a humanoid fox, often with brilliantly colored fur (usually red or red-brown, though silver is not uncommon) and a tail as long as its height. As the bards and sages of the agathions, they dress in functional clothing, typically embellishing a single article to show their creativity and personality. Most appear to be adults, though others look more like fox kits (with shorter stature and larger eyes) while some look much older (leaner, with gray fur on the muzzle, chest, and tail). Their hands are humanoid in shape, with tiny clawed fingers. A typical vulpinal prefers a life of solitary travel, though they have been known to pair up or travel in groups if they find like-minded individuals who have much to teach and share. They are particularly fond of lillends, and these winged azatas can easily carry the child-sized vulpinals, giving vulpinals many opportunities to share stories. Indeed, for a vulpinal, there are few greater pleasures than sharing their knowledge—acting as sages of the planes, teaching songs and dances from exotic places, and composing poems about beautiful places in the natural world. Though they are gentle by nature, they fight to defend beauty, especially if their magic can bolster the more martial celestial races. A vulpinal stands about 3 feet in height and weighs 50 pounds.

Avorals are generally human-shaped, but their upper limbs are great wings with a human-like hand at the end of each, allowing avorals to use tools and weapons, though in battle they prefer to attack from the air and slash with the large claws on their feet and buffets from their great wings. An avoral’s head has a feathery cowl instead of hair, typically brown, white, gray, or golden, and its facial features are bird-like, with a large nose and piercing eyes. Its bones are hollow but strong, making it ideal for flying. Like eagles, avorals have phenomenal vision, and can see fine details even at great distances. Though on their home plane they are content to soar among the clouds and challenge each other to diving contests among the mountain peaks, in war avorals are the scouts, spies, and messengers of the agathions. With their incredible speed, phenomenal eyesight, and magical powers, they can sneak into an area, spy on whatever lives there, silently converse with the local fauna for additional information, and fly or teleport out again with a comprehensive report. They are experts at hit-and-run attacks and are often responsible for ferrying other celestial soldiers to battle. A typical avoral is 7 feet tall but weighs only 120 pounds.

Moon dogs are extraplanar hounds from Nirvana that frequently travel in nomadic packs onto Elysium, hunting planar menaces where they please. Often their hunts will take them beyond to the Astral Plane or the Ethereal Plane, and sometimes even to the remote wildernesses of the Material Plane. More often than not, they enter the Material Plane to combat eruptions of evil outsiders plaguing innocent mortals. When they do so, they often ally with powerful celestials, serving amid their forays as scouts and wise council.  Moon dogs can stand erect and wield weapons if desired, but they prefer the speed and mobility of traveling on all fours. Most moon dogs stand approximately 5 feet tall and weigh about 125 pounds.    

A leonal is a lion-like agathion, noble and fierce. Though gentle with their families and patient with strangers on their home plane, in battle leonals are deadly foes of evil and cruelty. They hunt fiends and other evil monsters, silently tailing their prey until they find the right time to leap and slash. Leonals pride themselves on their hunting prowess, and few land creatures can match their speed. Although capable of using weapons, the majority of leonals prefer to battle evil with tooth and claw. Leonals like their battles to be straightforward affairs. They begin with a roar to put their foes off balance, then follow up with claw and bite attacks. They closely coordinate with others in their pride, watching one another’s flanks and setting up devastating attacks. They mainly use their magical abilities against large numbers of weaker foes and against those they need to capture or incapacitate without dealing harm to them. Leonals stand 6 feet tall and weigh 270 pounds on average. Males usually have manes of either dark gold or black hair, which may only surround the head or may extend onto the shoulders and chest. Female leonals do not have manes, but may have longer hair on the back of the neck.

Peris are a race of celestials native to the good-aligned Outer Planes, but they are also often found in the company of mortals on the Material Plane. Believed to be the descendants of fallen angels, peris do penance for their ancestors’ sins before they can earn a place in paradise. As a result, peris work tirelessly to aid and support good heroes of the mortal realms in a never-ending battle against evil. Peris hate the evil fiends known as divs, who constantly seek to ruin the good works of mortals. Peris often work to repair damage wrought by the destructive divs. For their part, the divs take great pleasure in tormenting and persecuting peris, locking the fiery-winged celestials in cages of cold iron and endlessly torturing them.

Cetaceals are great water-dwelling agathions who swim the planar seas and commune with the creatures of the deeps. Rarely seen by landwalkers, they defend the waters against aquatic evils such as aboleths. Their spirits usually were those of great mortal leaders of aquatic or coastal tribes, or good folk who died underwater serving some great cause, reborn in a celestial form that is part humanoid, part orca. They are social beings and develop close friendships with other celestials and marine creatures. A cetaceal is 8 feet long and weighs 400 pounds, although some grow quite a bit larger than that.

Cervinals stand proud and regal at the head of Nirvana’s agathion forces. Sometimes termed the “knights” of the agathions, cervinals have gained a reputation for their battle prowess, noble natures, and admirable wisdom, as well as their fearlessness and willingness to lead from the front. They stand almost 11 feet tall, though part of that height is their magnificent racks of antlers, which can measure up to 4 feet across. These antlers gleam as if forged from beaten bronze, and a fine fuzz of downy gold covers their entire bodies, particularly along the shoulders and neck. Cervinals from the more frigid regions of Nirvana sport an entire coat of chestnut fur up their chests and shoulders.    

Draconals are mighty agathion lords, few in number and greatly removed from mortal affairs. They watch over powerful magic and are direct agents of the gods and the needs of the good planes. Patient and ageless, they plan for the long term, which often frustrates mortal creatures who seek to gain their assistance with a threat in the here and now. A draconal would rather support or enhance a group of heroes than tackle a problem directly, maintaining its focus on planar matters. Draconals are attuned to nature and believe in cycles of life and death. Though they are good, they understand that the presence of evil gives good creatures something to strive against, preventing stagnation and complacency. This means their outlook sometimes appears almost neutral, though they hate suffering and needless death.

DRACONAL COLORS
A draconal’s coloration represents mystical elements relating to energy, life, and the natural world. These colors are normally chromatic rather than metallic, and an ignorant person seeing a draconal’s colors may mistake her for an evil half-dragon. However, some draconals have metallic or gem-like coloration; for example, a yellow draconal may appear mustard yellow or metallic gold, while a white draconal may be chalk white, pearlescent white, or metallic silver. Draconals can change their coloration after a lengthy period of meditation, but normally only do this in response to some horrible evil that requires their direct intervention. This change affects the draconals’ personality, and may alter their physical shape or apparent gender.
Black: Black is a balance between male and female energy, and represents the sky, stars, immortality, and leadership. Black draconals are immune to fire damage, and their breath weapon is fire. A black draconal adds Fire, Glory, and Luck to its list of possible domains.
Green: Green is slightly skewed toward masculinity. It represents wood, plants, and flowers. Green draconals are immune to cold damage, and their breath weapon is cold. A green draconal adds Animal, Plant, and Water to its list of possible domains.
Red: Red is a strongly masculine color, and most red draconals are male or have aggressive or gregarious personalities. Red represents fire, light, and warding against bad luck. Red draconals are immune to fire damage, and their breath weapon is fire. A red draconal adds Fire, Protection, and Sun to its list of possible domains.
White: White is slightly skewed toward femininity, and most white draconals are female or have protective or serene personalities. White represents brightness, fulfillment, metal, mourning, and purity. White draconals are immune to cold damage, and their breath weapon is cold. A white draconal adds Artifice, Liberation, and Repose to its list of possible domains.
Yellow: Like black, yellow is a balance between male and female energy. Yellow represents earth, oracles, stone, and luck. Yellow draconals are immune to acid, and their breath weapon is acid. A yellow draconal adds Earth, Glory, and Luck to its list of possible domains.

Korada is the champion of peace, kindness, and forgiveness. While he loves and respects his fellow empyreal lords for their tireless fight against wickedness, Korada believes good’s final triumph will come from the redemption of evil creatures rather than their destruction. Honest, joyful, and clever, the Open Hand of Harmony dispenses wisdom with warmth and humility, and freely shares the secrets he has amassed over ages of study and meditation. Korada’s dedication to philosophy and introspection have garnered him the ability to read the diverse threads of the world, see their nearly limitless connections, and then act on them with uncanny foresight. With neither the naïvety of youth nor the jaded weariness of age, Korada is a perfect balance of sentient intelligence and animal instinct, at home wherever he is. Though he can assume many forms, Korada’s true appearance is a slender, athletic man wearing a simple monk’s robe. He has a golden monkey-like beard and sideburns, three monkey tails, and a light layer of downy golden fur covering the rest of his body. On Nirvana, Korada dwells in the Dream Lotus, a serene palace city whose blossoming violet walls always drip with cool, golden nectar that is said to calm even the wildest of spirits. It’s a place of refuge and healing, and no violence is allowed within its walls; those with problems controlling their anger are sent to meditate at one of its many calming sacred pools. Korada is said to possess the gift of foresight, but he rarely acts on these strange visions. He believes the struggle to change is always worthwhile, even if such a journey does not always end in success. It’s the process, not the result, that matters most to Korada. Despite his staunch dedication to peace, Korada’s skill in battle is respected, and he’s able to utilize almost any fighting style without a second’s pause. He may be responsible for inspiring or teaching the animal combat styles to mortals, using various guises over the course of history on many worlds—or he may even have persuaded the creator gods to give the animals their instincts and talents for fighting, which led to mortals studying and emulating animal combat styles. Korada’s reputation for peace and martial skill earned him the role of the diplomat of the empyreal lords and their celestial armies. Balor lords, demodand warlords, and even infernal dukes have (temporarily) abandoned their dreams of conquest and warmongering when the Open Hand of Harmony has arrived—alone—in their court to suggest that they consider a different path. These visits always leave behind a path of dazed and stunned fiends, surprised and awed by how easily he defeated them; most silently suffer this indignation and plan vengeance for the next time he appears. Although Korada is usually serene and gentle, he has a mischievous side and has been known to poke fun at or harass his opponents like a capricious monkey. He combines his skill in battle and gift for trickery to lead dangerous opponents away from innocents or into places where they can more easily be captured or subdued. That said, Korada abhors violence, and he prefers to make nonlethal attacks (using his primal aura and tranquil master abilities), disabling foes so he can speak to them of their weakness. He dispatches mindless opponents without hesitation, not wanting to waste energy debating or persuading a thing empty of thoughts and incapable of making moral choices. He challenges enemy leaders to single combat if doing so would prevent violence between other combatants.

KORADA’S FAITH
Korada is worshiped by good fey, awakened animals, and mortal clerics and monks seeking inner peace. Many who have lived with constant violence pray to Korada for guidance in finding balance; others are inspired by his light heart and willingness to confront wickedness with compassion and humor. Many who worship him are once-evil creatures who chose the path of redemption, as well as paladins who strayed and are working to stay true to the path of righteousness and mercy. The empyreal lord’s sacred places are diplomatic embassies, mountain monasteries, and wells. Korada’s holy symbol is two devotees kneeling before a lotus or a golden monkey with three tails. His favored weapon is the unarmed strike. His clerics have access to the domains of Good, Healing, Magic, and Protection, and the subdomains of Agathion, Defense, Divine, and Restoration.

Arshea is known as the embodiment of irrepressible passion and exultation, and is also named among mortals as the Spirit of Abandon and the Host of Delectation. Their unique form combines the most attractive traits of both femininity and masculinity—seen as such not only by members of the human race, but by those of any species that have an encounter with the empyreal lord. The empyreal lord is of both genders and neither, unfettered by such distinctions. Arshea has no personal realm, instead journeying throughout the celestial realms and the mortal world unpredictably, trailing a wake of beauty, freedom, and sensuality.  

ARSHEA’S FAITH
Arshea is the angelic patron of freedom, physical beauty, and sexuality, and their worshipers include artisans, courtesans, some fey, and those seeking to escape repression. Arsheans often follow in their deity’s footsteps and spend significant time experiencing life as every gender and sexuality, experimenting in order to overcome their preconceptions and ensure they each express their truest identity.  Arshea’s holy symbol is a reclining figure draped in multicolored sashes, and their favored weapon is the flail. The Spirit of Abandon grants access to the domains of Charm, Good, Liberation, and Strength, and to the subdomains of Agathion, Freedom, Love, and Lust.