The Celestial Animals

Far beyond the reaches of any mortal being, in the spaces between the boundaries of the universes, there exist twenty-five Celestial Animals, deities that guide the very fate of the multiverse. They were there at the creation of the multiverse, and their influence can be seen just about everywhere.

The Classification of the Celestial Animals

Each of the Celestial Animals has an associated class and element, with five classes and five elements in total (earth, water, air, fire, aether), allowing for twenty-five unique combinations.

Classes

• Catalysts: Responsible for the creation of their element. They generate elemental energy of their respective type and are the source of each of the four primal elements.
• Curators: Accompany the Catalysts on their journey through the cosmos to decide how to allocate elemental energy to create new planes and planets.
• Sentinels: Oversee the cycles of each element, making sure the Celestial Web and everything on it remains stable.
• Muses: Bring knowledge of their respective element to all beings that reside in the universes at the intersections of the Celestial Web. The Muses are the group most commonly seen associating with sapient beings.
• Inciters: Wreak havoc across the cosmos, creating messes for the Sentinels to clean up. Most cultures treat them in much the same way as you'd treat an archfiend.

Avatars of the Divine

The Celestial Animals exist in the spaces between universes, and are orders of magnitude larger than the universes they oversee. They are, however, capable of extending their consciousnesses to many places at once, and often commune with living beings by taking the form of a celestial avatar. These avatars are extensions of the gods themselves, ripples of the aetheric energy in the leylines that take on the shape of an animal representative of each deity. The avatars are ethereal, seemingly created from thin air and disappearing without a trace when they are dismissed.

In ancient times, people used to think that every fox was Arscita, every rabbit was Adurus, every eagle was Brontaevis, et cetera. This myth likely stemmed from the animals' connections to their respective deities, and the fact that they shared a similar form to the celestial avatars certainly didn't help to allay any confusion. Animals that walk the planes might share similar appearances to their celestial counterparts, but they are their own beings. The Celestial Animals are, however, able to speak through any animal that borrows their shape, as well as use their senses. Some animals who are willing might even ascend to become emissaries of their respective deities, gaining a small fraction of their power in return for their loyalty, which only helped to further cement this myth in the minds of the people who bore witness to them.

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The Benevolent Celestials

Of the twenty-five Celestial Animals, twenty are regarded as divine, benevolent deities. In many universes, there are groups devoted to one or more of them, each with their own spin on things, but for the most part, the ethos of each deity is as listed below.

The Catalysts, Creation Incarnate

The Celestial Spider, Aranarea
The Primordial, Weaver of Spacetime
(from the Latin “aranea” meaning “spider” and “area” meaning “space”)

The raw power of creation still exists within all things, giving rise to magic and life. To be a wielder of magic and spin this energy in its purest form to create new things is to be at one with the leylines and aether itself.

The Celestial Bear, Ferroden
The Iron Willed, Impetus of Stone
(From the Latin “ferro” meaning “iron” and “dens” meaning “tooth”)

The true power of earth is its ability to be both unmoving and unstoppable as necessity dictates. One who is as stone is a force to be reckoned with, whether they choose to stand their ground or charge endlessly onward.

The Celestial Whale, Abyssopes
The Boundless, Impetus of Tides
(From the Latin “abyssus” meaning “deep sea” and “opes” meaning “abundance”)

The true power of water is its ability to adapt. Sometimes water flows gently and smoothly, sometimes it exerts a powerful force. To be at one with water is to go with the flow and change shape to adapt to the current situation.

The Celestial Eagle, Brontaevis
The Tempestuous, Impetus of Gales
(From the Latin “bronte” meaning “thunder” and “avis” meaning “bird”)

The true power of air is its ability to expand. Air can be compressed into a small space with ease, but given infinite space it will continue to grow endlessly. To be like air is to always be growing and making the most of the space one finds oneself in.

The Celestial Lion, Stelleo
The Star-Maned Inferno, Impetus of Flame
(From the Latin "stella" meaning "star" and "leo" meaning "lion")

The true power of fire is its ability to release the potential of everything in its space. As fire spreads, it gives off warmth, energizing matter to be free from its bonds. One who is at peace with fire knows that energy can be just as transformative as it is dangerous.

The Curators, Architects of the Cosmos

The Celestial Wolf, Grexcubia
The Dutiful, Grand Curator of the Celestial Web
(From the Latin “grex” meaning “pack” and “excubia” meaning “to watch”)

There is a divine order to the cosmos that must be maintained at all costs. Being lax in one’s duty to uphold this natural order affects the life of every creature, and to willfully ignore it is beyond reprehensible.

The Celestial Beetle, Petrodeo
The Steadfast, Architect of Planets
(From the Latin "petra" meaning "stone" and "prodeo" meaning "beetle")

To be strong, one needs strong foundations. At the core of every person is a solid, immutable passion that burns hot under the pressure of the things that would weigh them down, and grants them the strength to support themselves and others.

The Celestial Frog, Rorana
The Patient, Architect of Seas
(From the Latin "roro" meaning "drip" and "rana" meaning "frog")

All the best things take time. Water has the power to grant life, but it cannot do so overnight. Growth is the result of nourishing something over long periods of time, and to rush this process is to risk being swept away by the rapids.

The Celestial Bat, Ventusilio
The Nebulous, Architect of Atmosphere
(From the Latin "ventus" meaning "wind" and "vespertilio" meaning "bat")

The air is invisible, and yet it grants us the ability to breathe and to live. It is unseen, and yet omnipresent, coming and going from our bodies without drawing our attention; for to be perceived is not necessary to be strong.

The Celestial Serpent, Vipuro
The Lodestar Serpent, Architect of Stars
(From the Latin “vipera” meaning “snake” and “uro” meaning “burn”)

The stars in the night sky give direction to those who are lost in the dark. To be a light for others, and to guide them to the places they desire to find, is the closest you can be to being one among the stars.

The Sentinels, Overseers of the Cosmos

The Celestial Crow, Corvesco
The Vigilant, Surveyor of the Immeasurable Void
(From the Latin “corvus” meaning “crow” and “cresco” meaning “expand”)

The energy of aether gives rise to the cycle of the cosmos, with entire universes coming into being and then fading away over the course of countless eons. The flow of aether shapes the very fabric of space, and the ripples on that fabric tell the story of everything in existence.

The Celestial Stag, Cervigor
The Ageless, Overseer of Eternal Glades
(From the Latin “cervos” meaning “stag” and “vigor” meaning “vitality”)

The energy of earth gives rise to the cycle of life, which is evident where trees grow forth from the leaves of those that came before them. Energy is never truly lost, only reborn in new shapes; a time-honored tradition of the natural world that gives new purpose to ancient things.

The Celestial Axolotl, Pluviatl
The Rhythmic, Overseer of Perpetual Storms
(From the Latin “pluvia” meaning “rain” and “axolotl”)

The energy of water gives rise to the cycle of weather, which is evident where the rains are frequent and the vegetation is lush. The rains habitually bring nourishment to the land, allowing for life to thrive and flourish, as good habits are wont to do.

The Celestial Bee, Silvea
The Adventurous, Overseer of Perennial Journeys
(From the Latin “silve” meaning “forest” and “vea” meaning “journey”)

The energy of air gives rise to the cycle of migration, which is evident where the seeds of many flowers have gathered from afar. Every single thing is on its own journey that never truly ends, and the places where these journeys cross are the places where magic blooms.

The Celestial Rabbit, Adurus
The Cultivator, Overseer of Enduring Renewal
(From the Latin “aduro” meaning “scorch” and “lepus” meaning “rabbit”)

The energy of fire gives rise to the cycle of rebirth, which is evident where plants have decided to grow in soil that has been scorched by the sun. Fire may raze everything in its wake, but the ashes contain nutrients to allow for new beginnings.

The Muses, Fonts of Elemental Knowledge

The Celestial Otter, Salutra
The Introspective, Exciter of Optimism
(From the Latin “sal” meaning “mind” and “lutra” meaning “otter”)

Knowledge of aether is knowledge of the universe itself and all beings who dwell within it. Everything was once pure aether, and as such, every creature is connected in ways that are only perceptible to those who know their own connection to their inner aetheric essence.

The Celestial Mole, Literra
The Practical, Galvanizer of Innovation
(From the Latin “litera” meaning “learning” and “terra” meaning “earth”)

Knowledge of the earth is what led to innovation, and the resources within it allow for feats that would not be possible otherwise. To make use of the resources around us and change their form to suit our needs is to have a better understanding of earth itself.

The Celestial Squid, Donumari
The Unfathomable, Stirrer of Curiosity
(From the Latin “donu” meaning “gift” and “mare” meaning “sea”)

Knowledge of the water is what led to curiosity, and drives the ongoing exploration of the beauty of nature. The more one explores the depths, the more they learn of the unfathomable secrets and wonders the universe has to offer.

The Celestial Owl, Ulumen
The Wise, Instiller of Enlightenment
(From the Latin “ulula” meaning “screech owl” and “lumen” meaning “glimmer”)

Knowledge of the air is what led to enlightenment, and fuels the quest for answers about the wonders of the land and what lies beyond it. To understand the patterns of the universe is to learn the answers of the questions that haven’t even been asked yet.

The Celestial Fox, Arscita
The Artful, Sparker of Creativity
(From the Latin “ars” meaning “craft” and “incito” meaning “inspire”)

The knowledge of fire is what led to creativity, and it grants the ability to shape the world like never before. Fire causes glazes to change color, clay to harden, and dough to rise, allowing for art to be made in a stunning variety of ways.

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The Inciters, Bringers of Destruction

In stark contrast to the benevolent deities, the Inciters stand to cause chaos and disorder wherever they go, rather than maintain the Celestial Web as their bretheren do. They are less widely revered than the other Celestial Animals, but that doesn't mean they're without their share of followers. In general, followers of the inciters tend to follow all five as a group, and their reasons for doing so tend to vary, although the general consensus between all of them is that an opposition to the natural order is necessary for some reason or another.

The Celestial Monkey, Zamian
The Forgotten, Facilitator of Chaos
(From the Latin “zamia” meaning “damage” and “simian” meaning “monkey”)

The Celestial Boar, Chasmasus
The Calamitous, Shatterer of Worlds
(From the Latin “chasma” meaning “chasm” or “meteor” and “sus” meaning “boar”)

The Celestial Shark, Squaltum
The Torrential, Bringer of Deluge
(From the Latin “squalus” meaning “shark” and “altum” meaning “deep sea”)

The Celestial Ostrich, Abluvis
The Abrasive, Eroder of Asteroids
(From the Latin “abluvio” meaning “erosion” and “avis” meaning “bird of omen”)

The Celestial Goat, Caprignis
The Unrestrained, Igniter of Planets
(From the Latin “capra” meaning “goat” and “ignis” meaning “fire”)