Mt. Celestia & it's paths - Downloaded from the Wizards Community, all coding removed by Solauren

Mt. Celestia & it's paths

Post/Author/DateTime Post
#1
Cyriss
Oct 07, 2005 20:11:43 Can anyone clear up some confusion I have with Mt. Celestia and it's pathways? When people go on a pilgrimage and the boxset says that they gain ability scores for accomplishing tasks such as poverty, kindness, courage, ect ect, does this mean that they are literally climbing terrain paths up Mt. Celestia or is this just a reference to what they do in their everyday lives even outside of Mt. Celestia?

My impression from the boxset is that there are no creatures/humanoids on the mountain that PC's would fight unless it's an invading force (no wandering monsters?). PC's would have to survive environmental hazards such as weather and rockfalls. And there are petitioners living on the mountain that they can interact with. But I don't see how you can work this into a full fledge adventure ride with a group of PC's so someone could achieve their goal to make it up a path. Say there was no invading force; going against environmental hazards and no monster encounters seems a little weak to build a path adventure from. What am I overlooking here?

Making adventures on evil planes is easy cause everything has potential to be attacked....but for players who like to fight as much as roleplay, how can you have a long adventure in Mt. Celestia?
#2
ripvanwormer
Oct 08, 2005 1:56:00
Can anyone clear up some confusion I have with Mt. Celestia and it's pathways? When people go on a pilgrimage and the boxset says that they gain ability scores for accomplishing tasks such as poverty, kindness, courage, ect ect, does this mean that they are literally climbing terrain paths up Mt. Celestia or is this just a reference to what they do in their everyday lives even outside of Mt. Celestia?

The paths are both physical and mental in nature. You can walk forever and never reach the next layer unless you understand whatever it is that the path of virtue you're on requires you to understand. You don't have to physically walk to learn about virtue, but once you do learn, you can walk up hill to the next layer whenever you want.

Say there was no invading force; going against environmental hazards and no monster encounters seems a little weak to build a path adventure from. What am I overlooking here?

If good characters can invade the lower planes, evil characters can invade the upper planes - everything from a single blackguard sworn to defeat the throne archon who has been hounding him from behind the scenes for years to an illithid mind-controlling that throne archon (and all the archons who serve her) to a warren of lost kobolds.

Mount Celestia has normal wild animals in it, neither good nor evil, that explorers may have to fight. And not all the natives are good - mortals living there are as imperfect and flawed as mortals are anywhere.

Rarely, good characters may have to fight celestial beings who are misguided, fanatical, or simply at odds with them for whatever "greater good" reason.

There might also be non-fatal contests of strength or other ability scores. Think of Jacob wrestling the angel in the book of Genesis.

But generally, you're correct - the Seven Heavens aren't the best place for good PCs to go to fight things. If the adventure depends on a steady stream of combats (as opposed to puzzles, riddles, treasure hunts, ethical dilemnas, and other cerebral challenges) Mount Celestia might not be the party's destination of choice.
#3
weenie
Oct 09, 2005 18:39:39 You could have them do hand stands and pretend they're on Baator, there's always that. "Avernus" spelled backward reads "Lunia", you know. A coure eladrin told me that once.

Just like alignments, planar layers are an illusion, too. A convenience. All planes are not only infinite, but endless as well. Counting layers is just a coping mechanism that mortals came up with. Limbo and Mechanus know that, and Abyss is learning fast.

Who says there are only seven heavens of the Mount? Dharma teaches that the path is eightfold, who are these Cook and Wise and McComb that would oppose the Buddha?

But this is beginning to sway a wee bit off topic now, so I'll stop rambling...
#4
zombiegleemax
Oct 15, 2005 22:28:10 Its largely Dante's Inferno D&D style. Moving up the mountain is an allegory for purifying/transforming your soul.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 Cyriss Oct 07, 2005 20:11:43	Can anyone clear up some confusion I have with Mt. Celestia and it's pathways? When people go on a pilgrimage and the boxset says that they gain ability scores for accomplishing tasks such as poverty, kindness, courage, ect ect, does this mean that they are literally climbing terrain paths up Mt. Celestia or is this just a reference to what they do in their everyday lives even outside of Mt. Celestia? My impression from the boxset is that there are no creatures/humanoids on the mountain that PC's would fight unless it's an invading force (no wandering monsters?). PC's would have to survive environmental hazards such as weather and rockfalls. And there are petitioners living on the mountain that they can interact with. But I don't see how you can work this into a full fledge adventure ride with a group of PC's so someone could achieve their goal to make it up a path. Say there was no invading force; going against environmental hazards and no monster encounters seems a little weak to build a path adventure from. What am I overlooking here? Making adventures on evil planes is easy cause everything has potential to be attacked....but for players who like to fight as much as roleplay, how can you have a long adventure in Mt. Celestia?
#2 ripvanwormer Oct 08, 2005 1:56:00	Can anyone clear up some confusion I have with Mt. Celestia and it's pathways? When people go on a pilgrimage and the boxset says that they gain ability scores for accomplishing tasks such as poverty, kindness, courage, ect ect, does this mean that they are literally climbing terrain paths up Mt. Celestia or is this just a reference to what they do in their everyday lives even outside of Mt. Celestia? The paths are both physical and mental in nature. You can walk forever and never reach the next layer unless you understand whatever it is that the path of virtue you're on requires you to understand. You don't have to physically walk to learn about virtue, but once you do learn, you can walk up hill to the next layer whenever you want. Say there was no invading force; going against environmental hazards and no monster encounters seems a little weak to build a path adventure from. What am I overlooking here? If good characters can invade the lower planes, evil characters can invade the upper planes - everything from a single blackguard sworn to defeat the throne archon who has been hounding him from behind the scenes for years to an illithid mind-controlling that throne archon (and all the archons who serve her) to a warren of lost kobolds. Mount Celestia has normal wild animals in it, neither good nor evil, that explorers may have to fight. And not all the natives are good - mortals living there are as imperfect and flawed as mortals are anywhere. Rarely, good characters may have to fight celestial beings who are misguided, fanatical, or simply at odds with them for whatever "greater good" reason. There might also be non-fatal contests of strength or other ability scores. Think of Jacob wrestling the angel in the book of Genesis. But generally, you're correct - the Seven Heavens aren't the best place for good PCs to go to fight things. If the adventure depends on a steady stream of combats (as opposed to puzzles, riddles, treasure hunts, ethical dilemnas, and other cerebral challenges) Mount Celestia might not be the party's destination of choice.
#3 weenie Oct 09, 2005 18:39:39	You could have them do hand stands and pretend they're on Baator, there's always that. "Avernus" spelled backward reads "Lunia", you know. A coure eladrin told me that once. Just like alignments, planar layers are an illusion, too. A convenience. All planes are not only infinite, but endless as well. Counting layers is just a coping mechanism that mortals came up with. Limbo and Mechanus know that, and Abyss is learning fast. Who says there are only seven heavens of the Mount? Dharma teaches that the path is eightfold, who are these Cook and Wise and McComb that would oppose the Buddha? But this is beginning to sway a wee bit off topic now, so I'll stop rambling...
#4 zombiegleemax Oct 15, 2005 22:28:10	Its largely Dante's Inferno D&D style. Moving up the mountain is an allegory for purifying/transforming your soul.