Angels

An angel is a celestial agent sent forth into the planes to further its god’s agenda for weal or woe. Its sublime beauty and presence can drive awestruck onlookers to their knees. Yet angels are destroyers too, and their appearance portends doom as often as it signals hope.

Shards of the Divine

Angels are formed from the astral essence of benevolent gods and are thus divine beings of great power and foresight. The gods create angels from the spirits of select petitioners. The divinity forms a new body around the spirit of the chosen follower in their afterlife, transforming them into Agathinon. Angels act out the will of their gods with tireless devotion. Even chaotic good deities command lawful good angels, knowing that the angels’ dedication to order best allows them to fulfill divine commands. An angel follows a single driving purpose, as decreed by its deity. However, an angel is incapable of following commands that stray from the path of law and good. An angel slays evil creatures without remorse. As the embodiment of law and good, an angel is almost never mistaken in its judgments. This quality can create a sense of superiority in an angel, a sense that comes to the fore when an angel’s task conflicts with the goals of another creature. The angel never acquiesces or gives way. When an angel is sent to aid mortals, it is sent not to serve but to command. The gods of good therefore send their angels among mortals only in response to the most dire circumstances.

Fallen Angels

An angel’s moral compass grants it a sense of infallibility that can sometimes spell its undoing. Angels are usually too wise to fall for a simple deception, but sometimes pride can lead one to commit an evil act. Whether intentional or accidental, such an act is a permanent stain that marks the angel as an outcast. Fallen angels retain their power but lose their connection to the deities from which they were made. Most fallen angels take their banishment personally, rebelling against the powers they served by seeking rulership over a section of the Abyss or a place among other fallen in the hierarchy of the Nine Hells. Zariel, the ruler of the first layer of the Nine Hells, is such a creature. Rather than rebel, some fallen angels resign themselves to an isolated existence on the Material Plane, living in disguise as simple hermits. If they are redeemed, they can become powerful allies dedicated to justice and compassionate service.

Immortal Nature

An angel doesn’t require food, drink, or sleep. They can partake in these activities, but seldom see the reason to. Notable Angels There are countless angelic beings that make up the celestial hosts, but these are a few well known individuals:

Anaya, Baatral, Harajin, Lorabelios, Nemevon, Silnia, Tamiel, and Zarod; the eight fallen angels who were petrified for their crimes within the Labyrinth of the Underdark.
Asmodeus, the fallen angel who became the Lord of the Nine Hells of Baator.
The Shards, a group of seven female planetars in service to the goddess Selûne who were composed of moonlight and divine flame.
Zariel, a fallen angel who became the Archdevil of Avernus and is a major player in the Blood War.

Agathinon

These good-natured warriors and messengers of the gods are the largest and weakest caste of angels. They serve deities in their afterlife and are directly formed from the souls of petitioners. Agathinon who serve faithfully as warriors in holy armies could be promoted to higher tiers of angelic being through a process called Ascendance. This process forms them into a Deva, Planator, or possibly even a Solar. As angels, agathinon are able to change their forms at will, but they are also able to mimic the abilities of the form they take. They often use this ability to take a form that suites the terrain they are traveling of battling upon. They can also innately cast some cleric spells, turn undead, and freely navigate the Ethereal and Astral Planes whenever they desire.

Deva

Devas are angels that act as divine messengers or agents to the Material Plane, the Shadowfell, and the Feywild and that can assume a form appropriate to the realm they are sent to. Legend tells of angels that take mortal form for years, lending aid, hope, and courage to goodhearted folk. A deva can take any shape, although it prefers to appear to mortals as an innocuous humanoid or animal. When circumstances require that it cast off its guise, a deva is a beautiful humanoid-like creature with silvery skin. Its hair and eyes gleam with an unearthly luster, and large feathery wings unfurl from its shoulder blades.

Planetar

Planetars act as the weapons of the gods they serve, presenting a tangible representation of their deities’ might. A planetar can call down rain to relieve a drought, or can loose an insect plague to devour crops. A planetar’s celestial ears detect every falsehood, and its radiant eyes see through every deception. They often lead contingents and armies of Agathinon and celestial archons. Planetars are muscular and hairless and have opalescent green skin and white-feathered wings. They tower over most humanoids, brandishing immense swords with grace. Sometimes sent to aid powerful mortals on important tasks for good, planetars are especially fond of missions that involve battling fiends.

Solar

The most powerful ascended, a solar is godlike in its glory and power. On the battlefield, the solar’s sword flies into the fray on its own, and a single arrow from a solar’s bow can strike a target dead on contact. So great is a solar’s celestial might that even demon princes shrink at its resonant commands. It is said that only twenty-four solars exist. The few solars that are known are stewards of specific deities. The others rest in a state of contemplation, waiting for the time when their services are needed to stave off some cosmic threat to the cause of good.

Deva Loot

1 Holy Mace. Acts as a magical mace that deals an additional 18 (4d8) radiant damage upon a hit. If wielded by a creature with a different alignment than the angel's creator, a critical failure fuses the weapon to the creature's body and begins a horrifying transformation that cannot be stopped except by a Wish spell. The creature transforms into the original angel, who gains all its stats and abilities and has full hit points. This transformation takes a number of minutes equal to the original creature's Charisma modifier and kills the original creature upon completion.
6 Holy Feathers. Each feather acts as a Holy Symbol. When touched, they char the skin of any creature with an alignment different than the angel's creator. Each feather can replace 500 gp of Diamonds for the material component of a Resurrection spell.
2 Blessed Gauntlets. Requires attunement. When worn together, the wielder gains a +1 bonus to AC, and they may cast Spare the Dying three times per day.
1 Sacred Robe. Acts as padded armor. If the wearer worships a god of the same alignment as the angel's creator, then the wearer does not need food, drink, or sleep while wearing the armor. In addition, they gain the benefits of a short rest after 30 minutes of prayer, and the benefits of a long rest after 4 hours of prayer.

Planetar Loot

1 Holy Greatsword. Acts as a magical greatsword that deals an additional 22 (5d8) radiant damage on a hit. If wielded by a creature with a different alignment than the angel's creator, a critical failure fuses the weapon to the creature's body and begins a horrifying transformation that cannot be stopped except by a Wish spell. The creature transforms into the original angel, who gains all its stats and abilities and has full hit points. This transformation takes a number of minutes equal to the original creature's Charisma modifier and kills the original creature upon completion.
1 Consecrating Sash. Requires attunement. While attuned, the wearer can cast Death Ward on themselves once per day. If the sash is wrapped around a corpse or other remains, it has the effect of a Gentle Repose spell as long as it remains around the body.
1 Divine Tongue. Can be burned in effigy to cast the Zone of Truth spell.
1 Vial of Angelic Blood. When ingested, heals the drinker for 30 (6d8 + 3) hit points and cures and disease, poison, blindness, or deafness afflicting the creature.
8 Holy Feathers. Each feather acts as a Holy Symbol. When touched, they char the skin of any creature with an alignment different than the angel's creator. Each feather can replace 500 gp of Diamonds for the material component of a Resurrection spell.
2 Blessed Gauntlets. Requires attunement. When worn together, the wielder gains a +1 bonus to AC, and they may cast Spare the Dying three times per day.
1 Sacred Robe. Acts as padded armor. If the wearer worships a god of the same alignment as the angel's creator, then the wearer does not need food, drink, or sleep while wearing the armor. In addition, they gain the benefits of a short rest after 30 minutes of prayer, and the benefits of a long rest after 4 hours of prayer.

Solar Loot

1 Holy Greatsword. Acts as a magical greatsword that deals an additional 27 (6d8) radiant damage on a hit. If wielded by a creature with a different alignment than the angel's creator, a critical failure fuses the weapon to the creature's body and begins a horrifying transformation that cannot be stopped except by a Wish spell. The creature transforms into the original angel, who gains all its stats and abilities and has full hit points. This transformation takes a number of minutes equal to the original creature's Charisma modifier and kills the original creature upon completion.
1 Holy Longbow. Acts as a magical longbow that deals an additional 27 (6d8) radiant damage on a hit. If wielded by a creature with a different alignment than the angel's creator, a critical failure fuses the weapon to the creature's body and begins a horrifying transformation that cannot be stopped except by a Wish spell. The creature transforms into the original angel, who gains all its stats and abilities and has full hit points. This transformation takes a number of minutes equal to the original creature's Charisma modifier and kills the original creature upon completion.
1 Consecrating Sash. Requires attunement. While attuned, the wearer can cast Death Ward on themselves once per day. If the sash is wrapped around a corpse or other remains, it has the effect of a Gentle Repose spell as long as it remains around the body.
1 Divine Tongue. Can be burned in effigy to cast the Zone of Truth spell.
1 God's Pendant. Requires attunement. While attuned, the wearer may cast Commune once per day. If the spell is used to contact any extraplanar being other than the Solar's creator or patron god, the wearer must make a DC 20 Wisdom check. On a failure, the spell contacts the Solar's creator or patron god.
1 Head of a Solar. The head continually whispers prayers of blood and vengeance. The creature who killed the solar can always hear these prayers, no matter what distance they are from the head or what measures are taken to stop the sound. After 1d6 days, a Planetar arrives at the killer's location to collect the head. If they do not have the head, the Planetar will become hostile. If killed, another will come in 1d6 days. If the killer has the head and gives it to the Planetar, the Planetar eats the head and gives up its body to resurrect the Solar. The Solar returns with full hit points and all its weapons and abilities. The Solar will then attempt to kill the creature who killed it. Looking into the eyes of the head causes an epileptic fit of faith in any creature who does not share the alignment of the Solar's creator. The fit lasts 1d4 hours and cannot be stopped except by a Wish spell or divine intervention. A creature may make a DC 25 Wisdom saving throw to avert its gaze before looking directly into the eyes. The head can be traded for a Major Boon from a Lord of the Nine Hells. It can be used as a Holy Symbol and will double the effect of any hit points healed or damage dealt by a cleric spell cast by a cleric that shares an alignment with the Solar's creator. If the head is buried under a castle, the walls of that castle gain immunity to any damage dealt by any creature with a different alignment than the Solar's creator or patron God.
11 Holy Feathers. Each feather acts as a Holy Symbol. When touched, they char the skin of any creature with an alignment different than the angel's creator. Each feather can replace 500 gp of Diamonds for the material component of a Resurrection spell.
2 Blessed Gauntlets. Requires attunement. When worn together, the wielder gains a +1 bonus to AC, and they may cast Spare the Dying three times per day.
1 Sacred Robe. Acts as padded armor. If the wearer worships a god of the same alignment as the angel's creator, then the wearer does not need food, drink, or sleep while wearing the armor. In addition, they gain the benefits of a short rest after 30 minutes of prayer, and the benefits of a long rest after 4 hours of prayer.