Happy Thanksgiving, Joe! Celestian was also one of my favourite deities when I used to run a campaign in Greyhawk. We did attempt a brief Spelljamming campaign launching from Greyhawk but it didn't get too far.
I did a massive Perrenland / Wolf /Tiger Nomad campaign in both 3.5e and 5e which was centered on an ancient order of Celestian which was once in the north. It was based around the northern lights being a transport mechanism, a massively powerful ancient shadow demon, and the ancient priests of Celestian having provided a weapons made of stars metal (meteors) Players needed to find the ancient weapons in hopes of using them against the creature, but it turned out the demon's followers were duping the PCs to collect the metal so they could use it to shatter the seals around the demon's prison. One of my better campaigns as it was subtle. My favorite moments... * The players recognizing codes for various puzzles were star constellations no longer used. * The players mapped out an ancient circular castle complex only for one player to realize the terrain/layout was that of an ancient meteor impact. * Underground areas where the trap was a vacuum (no air, temperature, pressure, etc.) (They figured the star codes out pretty quickly after encountering the first one) * Odd flickering gems stones where were used to power a transporter by summoning an aurora. * PCs being transported to an asteroid floating as part of the rings around another planet and visiting a crypt of an ancient Celestian priest who broke his oath to never speak about the demon, but telling the PCs the truth about it -- causing him to lose his place in the heavens. It was a fun god to work into a campaign as there is lots you can do with it. Even before that, I once had a Celestian cleric who was an astrologer whose big thing was to go around and take star observations to find a missing star who he associated with his wife's death.
Paladin and cleric in my current party serve Celestian and Fharlanghn, respectively. It's a great motivation to keep the party moving. They always want to explore and investigate.
There are four sources of Greyspace canon in the Spelljammer RPG products: * AD&D Adventures in Space boxed set (which has Greyspace content scattered in both the Concordance of Arcane Space and the Lorebook of the Void - instead of keeping it together). * War Captain's Companion boxed set (mostly just chapters 3 and 4 of the War Captain's Guide) * SJR6 Greyspace (which you already mentioned) and * CGR1 The Complete Spacefarer's Handbook CGR1 is the source you want to go to for the Celestians. It has a section on the Celestians (as an organisation) on pages 82-84. The write up talks about the spacefaring races that join the Celestians. That is useful if you want to put a few unusual non-humans onto a flying ship that is visiting the home temple of the Celestians in the Griff Mountains. That section also mentions the other spacefaring organisations that the Celestians get on with and the spacefaring organisations that they do not get on with and explains why. (The other sections for spacefaring organisations also gives you their take on the Celestians.) There is a brief mention of the responsibility of lay members of the faith (something a lot of RPG setting books with gods neglects). There is one bit of the CGR1 write up (a restriction) that I would personally houserule to work slightly differently, so as to get Celestian priests in crystal spheres that Celestian is not worshipped to be able to regain low level spells, including the Contact Home Power spell on large worlds. The level of restriction that CGR1 added over and above how AD&D Adventures in Space does things would prevent priests of Celestian from recruiting new followers into a "cult of Celestian", building a temple and then following the year-and-a-day ritual that allows the new worshippers to invite Celestian into that crystal sphere as a new deity. (Full spell access only in wildspace makes sense. Blocking Celestian priests from recruiting navigators and astrologers on alien worlds does not.)
In my Greyhawke Khuerne the Blood God has portaled an army of chaos warriors into the North wastelands from another martial plane (ahem)...and seeks to cover all of the Flanaesse in darkness. He has declared war on the aloof God Celestian and his brother in light Pholtus, that all may grovel in shadow at his throne of skulls. Currently those chaos forces are engaging in delightful battle royale with 'holy' knights and forces allied and dedicated to Pholtus and Celestian in the Imperial Great Kingdom and Theocracy of the Pale. Sometimes Lord Kyaornye the Victorious portals in other armies of various daemons, drakes, orc and ratmen with their various weapons assemblages. So far the ranks of Pholtus and Celestial have staved off the darkness, but the Chaos Legions numbers grow great. The PCs are usually sent on missions to close this or that portal, but should their mission fail, they are often forces into leadership positions in melee combat. Certain miniatures from certain wargames work well with these themes and kingdoms.
Really happy that your channel is moving towards enhancing the lore. Greyhawk fan are some time too weary of canon, and sometimes censoring their ideas and creativity. I am looking forward the next videos. Please share your passion snd make this setting lively.
One of my favourite Dragon magazine series. Great fodder for creativity.
Celestian is the most fascinating Greyhawk deity in my opinion. Thanks for giving him some attention 👍
Happy Thanksgiving, Joe! Celestian was also one of my favourite deities when I used to run a campaign in Greyhawk. We did attempt a brief Spelljamming campaign launching from Greyhawk but it didn't get too far.
Celestian is one of my favourite Greyhawk deities due to his connection to Spelljammer.
I did a massive Perrenland / Wolf /Tiger Nomad campaign in both 3.5e and 5e which was centered on an ancient order of Celestian which was once in the north. It was based around the northern lights being a transport mechanism, a massively powerful ancient shadow demon, and the ancient priests of Celestian having provided a weapons made of stars metal (meteors) Players needed to find the ancient weapons in hopes of using them against the creature, but it turned out the demon's followers were duping the PCs to collect the metal so they could use it to shatter the seals around the demon's prison.
One of my better campaigns as it was subtle. My favorite moments...
* The players recognizing codes for various puzzles were star constellations no longer used.
* The players mapped out an ancient circular castle complex only for one player to realize the terrain/layout was that of an ancient meteor impact.
* Underground areas where the trap was a vacuum (no air, temperature, pressure, etc.) (They figured the star codes out pretty quickly after encountering the first one)
* Odd flickering gems stones where were used to power a transporter by summoning an aurora.
* PCs being transported to an asteroid floating as part of the rings around another planet and visiting a crypt of an ancient Celestian priest who broke his oath to never speak about the demon, but telling the PCs the truth about it -- causing him to lose his place in the heavens.
It was a fun god to work into a campaign as there is lots you can do with it. Even before that, I once had a Celestian cleric who was an astrologer whose big thing was to go around and take star observations to find a missing star who he associated with his wife's death.
I find the whole stats on deities concept really interesting. Makes me wonder how often players actually attempted to throw down with the gods.
Paladin and cleric in my current party serve Celestian and Fharlanghn, respectively. It's a great motivation to keep the party moving. They always want to explore and investigate.
Good to see the Greyhawk folio, good god, great video. Thank you!
Thank you so much for this wonderful video! Also thank you for giving Greyhawk love.
Happy Thanksgiving!
Thanks for the video
you have such cool content great channel
There are four sources of Greyspace canon in the Spelljammer RPG products:
* AD&D Adventures in Space boxed set (which has Greyspace content scattered in both the Concordance of Arcane Space and the Lorebook of the Void - instead of keeping it together).
* War Captain's Companion boxed set (mostly just chapters 3 and 4 of the War Captain's Guide)
* SJR6 Greyspace (which you already mentioned) and
* CGR1 The Complete Spacefarer's Handbook
CGR1 is the source you want to go to for the Celestians. It has a section on the Celestians (as an organisation) on pages 82-84. The write up talks about the spacefaring races that join the Celestians. That is useful if you want to put a few unusual non-humans onto a flying ship that is visiting the home temple of the Celestians in the Griff Mountains. That section also mentions the other spacefaring organisations that the Celestians get on with and the spacefaring organisations that they do not get on with and explains why. (The other sections for spacefaring organisations also gives you their take on the Celestians.) There is a brief mention of the responsibility of lay members of the faith (something a lot of RPG setting books with gods neglects).
There is one bit of the CGR1 write up (a restriction) that I would personally houserule to work slightly differently, so as to get Celestian priests in crystal spheres that Celestian is not worshipped to be able to regain low level spells, including the Contact Home Power spell on large worlds. The level of restriction that CGR1 added over and above how AD&D Adventures in Space does things would prevent priests of Celestian from recruiting new followers into a "cult of Celestian", building a temple and then following the year-and-a-day ritual that allows the new worshippers to invite Celestian into that crystal sphere as a new deity. (Full spell access only in wildspace makes sense. Blocking Celestian priests from recruiting navigators and astrologers on alien worlds does not.)
Please do a focus on Zilchus
Hey Joe, we ought to get a little bonus XP for watching on Thanksgiving holiday, ought'n we?
In my Greyhawke Khuerne the Blood God has portaled an army of chaos warriors into the North wastelands from another martial plane (ahem)...and seeks to cover all of the Flanaesse in darkness. He has declared war on the aloof God Celestian and his brother in light Pholtus, that all may grovel in shadow at his throne of skulls. Currently those chaos forces are engaging in delightful battle royale with 'holy' knights and forces allied and dedicated to Pholtus and Celestian in the Imperial Great Kingdom and Theocracy of the Pale. Sometimes Lord Kyaornye the Victorious portals in other armies of various daemons, drakes, orc and ratmen with their various weapons assemblages. So far the ranks of Pholtus and Celestial have staved off the darkness, but the Chaos Legions numbers grow great. The PCs are usually sent on missions to close this or that portal, but should their mission fail, they are often forces into leadership positions in melee combat. Certain miniatures from certain wargames work well with these themes and kingdoms.
Celestian is aloof, and he wants you to be aloof too. Be aloof, the world needs more loofs...
_"I'm escpaing to the _*_one_*_ place that hasn't been corrupted by WotC…"_
*_"SPACE!!"_*
Really happy that your channel is moving towards enhancing the lore.
Greyhawk fan are some time too weary of canon, and sometimes censoring their ideas and creativity.
I am looking forward the next videos.
Please share your passion snd make this setting lively.
Does Greyhawk Adventures have stats for his avatars and the powers granted to his clerics?
Yes, but only for a handful of gods.
Yes it does. It also has a special Celestians only spell called Meteors. I'm surprised Joe didn't mention the book.
Great content as always! Can you do one on St. Trowbane?