Celestials and Infernals

A glimpse – a merest glimpse – into the realms from whence sprang both celestial hosts and infernal hordes may be enough to drive the mortal mind to distraction. Not for their nature, for some parts of both are much alike to our world, but for their scope. Their skies go on forever, their world so vivid, that the material and the real seem but pale shadow cast from them.

• Inquisitor Weale of Clovis, Debriefing of Crusader <Redacted>, ~1880 A.T.

Although there is an understandable stereotype of celestials and infernals taking the form of winged guardians or horned fiends, the truth is a little more complicated. The main connection between the two groups is that – like fae, they originate from another plane of existence, overlaid with, but seldom directly interacting with that of the world of Ariel. Almost all celestials act as direct servitors to a god, but while many infernals align themselves with gods – and, as magically powerful as they are, come to take on associated physical characteristics – their relationship is more complex.

In most cases, an army of infernals harassing a settlement or nation is undoubtedly bad news, but while celestials showing up might be good news, the impious have sometimes believed this to their own detriment. The actions of celestials is as a reflection of the will of the gods themselves, and their favour may be fickle indeed.

Celestials – Hands of the Divine

The will of the gods may be inscrutable or arcane, but when they intervene in ways beyond the empowerment or direction of clerics, it is usually done through celestials. A god’s desire to destroy may take the form of a Celestial Legion, a hundred strong faceless servitors that will not stop until the last of them is defeated; a god’s desire to protect may take the form of a Celestial Guardian, no less dangerous for being a singular powerful warrior, clad in armour and raiment that reflects the domain of the god whose will they make manifest. Muses inspire and teach, Heralds deliver messages, and while each servitor is shaped according to its purpose, every one of them will reflect their divine patron in their appearance. Many are beautiful – but this is an elegance of function, not a requirement.

As manifestations of divine will, it is usually quite difficult to negotiate with celestials. Their existence is a reflection of the will of a being that has an established manner of granting favours to mortals, and individual celestials usually begin without complex will or personality of their own. They are made to fulfill a purpose, and unless that purpose is in service to negotiation, they are difficult to sway.

More complex celestials may be created with personality of their own – especially if having nuance and a complex mind helps to fulfill their purpose. These celestials still tend to favour their creator’s nature, but may serve one aspect of a divine domain over another. Some older celestials, such as Heralds that flit from place to place instead of being reformed as needed, Muses that have more than one or two students, or Celestial Guardians that have spent a great deal of time guarding a person, place, or thing, may slowly develop a personality naturally. After all, all things strive, and as a being gains more and more complex experiences, they will sometimes have to come up with new ways to interact with the world.

Infernals – Manifest Ambition

Infernals are free to act according to their wills, but many seek divine or more powerful infernal patrons. Territory and power beyond the curtain is divided between infernals, the native residents of that plane – and the largest helpings go to those with the most power to seize it. To that end, many infernals will swear allegiance to more potent beings, such as gods (with the most common of these being Kazzok, whose domain extends to all infernals who would flock to his banner. Mutable in form, powerful infernals who align themselves to gods will often begin to take on characteristics suitable to the god that they serve; an infernal servant of Callis might gain a fiery mien, whereas a servant of Kell might grow shadowy in form and substance. Some infernals swear allegiance to no god at all, or to other, more powerful infernal beings.

Because power so often determines control, Infernals have been known to pursue their patron’s goals aggressively, both to expand the power of those patrons, and to earn further favour. They are most likely to take a hard-line approach to a god’s theology, whatever shape that takes, leading some to describe them as the representation of a god’s ambitions. If the god grows in power, then the acclaim and potency of a favoured servant is more robust, after all.

Infernals are potent in their own realm, beyond the Curtain, but many find the process of summoning to be traumatic, and lack some of that potency when conjured to Ariel. Hellspawn, Imps, Manes, and Devils all have considerably more powerful abilities in their native territory, but some would still rather carve out fifedoms of their own on Ariel, than to serve at the pleasure of more powerful beings beyond the Curtain.

Some more powerful infernals exist as well. Lesser Infernals (in spite of the name) tend to be powerful spellcasters, individual in form and powers, and taking on changes to their shape and nature based on the powers upon which they draw. Greater Infernals tend not to swear allegiance to other powers; while they may be powerful arcane spellcasters, they are also capable of granting spells to followers as a demigod might, leading to cults like the Cults of Malabaskamakar or Carbunkle, who draw power from these demons directly. It is rumoured that there are more potent infernals still – the church of Clovis has heard whispers of four great Abyssals, who seem to have no interest in the world of Ariel. Already potent leaders beyond the curtain, their attention is drawn to other, perhaps more ominous matters.

Extraplanar Beings

As beings native to other planes, infernals and celestials do not generally die if slain on the Prime Plane of Ariel. Upon what would be their death, they are instead hurtled back to the plane of their creation, uninjured but usually displeased by this event. This can be accomplished more directly using the Banishment spell, a powerful working that sends a creature not on its home plane back to the realms to which they are anchored.

Actually slaying such a being requires one to be on the plane to which it is anchored. Usually for infernals and celestials, this is beyond the Curtain, with some rare exceptions – and given their relative power increase in the magically rich lands beyond the curtain, this is quite difficult. The spell Anchor Infernal will technically work on any extraplanar being however, and if cast on a visitor such as an infernal or celestial, will tie them to the plane in which they exist at the time of the casting. Such beings must then be very careful, for lethal harm that comes to them will stick, and they may die the same as any other resident of that plane.

Beings of Light and Darkness

One additional reason that infernals are viewed more negatively, and celestials more positively, is that they will often have an affinity for dark and light energies respectively. Dark energy has a spiritually chilling nature shared with the Undead, and Light energy is searing and viewed by some as spiritually or physically cleansing – but they’ll both kill their target just the same (barring a magical resistance).

While this trend is not without its origins in fact, infernals and celestials may also call upon different energies, especially ones aligned with elemental gods. Servitors of Callis – celestial or infernal – are just as likely to call upon fire as servitors of Balaxa are to call upon ice or servants of Blythe are to call upon toxin and disease. Trying to tell “the goodies” from “the baddies” becomes hopelessly muddled, and hardly worth the effort at that point.

Opposition By Clovis

The god Clovis, having ruptured the Curtain in an attempt to cast light upon the goddess Fiona‘s path through the night sky, stands vigilant against otherworldly foes trying to cross the Curtain. If Clovis has infernals in service to him, they vigilantly stay on their side of the Curtain, likely seeking to banish or slay beings from Ariel who trespass there.

Clovis does have some rare celestial servants, the most famous of which took the form of the holy weapon Light’s Beacon (known also as Lightbringer). At present, the location of this holy servant is unknown.

Authored by: Jared Hindle
Fantasy Alive Lore Team 2021
Copyright © Endless Adventures Ontario

Revised by: Andrew Dunlop
Fantasy Alive Lore Team 2026
Copyright © Endless Adventures Ontario