Aeron
Major Locations in Aeron
Realm of the Endless Hunt
The Eternal Savannah
Gnoman's Expanse
Sea of Souls
Glory Rock
Crystalline Reef
The Alltides Palace
Unfettered Paragons of Aeron
Major Locations in Aeron
Realm of the Endless Hunt
A proving ground of multitudinous terrains and hazards that allow for the glory of competition to reach its fullest potential, the Realm of the Endless Hunt bestows a singular protection onto those who partake honestly in its trials, bringing them back to life if slain. This protection, sort of, even extends to mortals killed here whilst visiting the plane—though technically they merely return as new inhabitants of the Realm, rather than being resurrected as they might think.
The Realm of the Endless Hunt is the domain of The Rampage, the elite shock troops of Aeron, kept in reserve now for many centuries in readiness for the next major interplanar war. The Rampage is named for and led by the violent Keruv Caernach, the Black Stag of Aeron who all too easily loses himself to bestial rage. In order to reduce the number of innocent casualties he inflicts at such times, Caernach storms through the Realm of the Endless Hunt, often with the two celestials Pahaliah and Selaphiel accompanying him to guide him away from others.
The Eternal Savannah
Though this region is technically part of the Realm of the Endless Hunt, it is possibly the safest and calmest part, dominated by herds of centaurs—including the striped Erunian iqwarha breeds with the blood-chilling screams—who race across the baking plains in a joyful celebration of speed and strength. Even Caernach has not passed through the Eternal Savannah for many decades, and though The Rampage does recruit from the centaurs, they are by far the most level-headed of these warriors.
Gnoman's Expanse
Whilst the vast majority of gnomes end up in Fel-Gabul, there is a significant minority which instead prefer the isolation granted by the sliver of rolling uplands alongside the Aeronite Cocytus. Even in life these were invariably considered eccentric among their peers, and in death this is no different, hiding away from even each other. Seekers of particularly esoteric knowledge often try to seek these souls out, but most leave without ever finding them.
Sea of Souls
The great ocean which covers a fair portion of Aeron is the shining Sea of Souls, tempests lashing across its expanse and steering clear of the countless islands dotted across the surface. This is the domain of Kantor the Crusader, ruling from his stronghold at Glory Rock, and of Thranton the Storm God, whose moods are reflected in the violently erratic weather across the Sea of Souls.
One of the largest islands is the colossal sheer-faced mountain rising up even higher than the storms of Thranton reach, wherein the Eyries of the Stormhatched, the afterlife of the aaracockra is located. From here the bird-folk soar out tirelessly across the ocean, dancing through the sky as they please before returning to their place of restful and quiet meditation.
Another significant site is the Farsight Spire, overlooking the Confluence and housing the Keruv Huitacah. The seer is actually of Nemux rather than Aeron, and is kept providing her oracular insights to Kantor by means of copious gifts and distractions. The arrangement is wordlessly acknowledged to be a temporary one, however, and eventually the Keruv will return to her native plane, taking all she has learned with her.
Glory Rock
Located at the edge of the nigh endless expanse of the Sea of Souls is Glory Rock, the stronghold of the Great God Kantor. The tallest point in the entire Sea save for the Eyries of the Stormhatched, Glory Rock is a mighty bastion with sheer cliffs rising impossibly tall on all sides. At the top of the Rock is the moss-covered castle of the god, an impregnable fortress that also somehow gives the impression of being the loveliest of ruins. Its vast courtyards and tumbled walls belie the bustle of activity within. None can scale the Glory Rock or approach it from the air without the leave of Kantor.
Crystalline Reef
Corals of living crystal and gems make up the impossibly beautiful expanse that is the Crystalline Reef. The souls of merfolk and dragon turtles abound here, sharing their poetry and philosophies with each other, or simply dancing to the music of the ocean. It is also the retreat of Bahamut, who glides amid the wonders therein when not out exploring the vastness of the Sea of Souls.
The Alltides Palace
The Alltides Palace welcomes every oceanic soul that has earned the rewards of Aeron, be it merfolk or merrow or sahuagin, and under the watchful eyes of its sea giant stewards, all grudges are slowly washed away. Elves and fey from both Efferenus and Tanis are often visitors here, and there is even a significant number of hositan souls who never even saw the Schmiles before arriving.
Unfettered Paragons of Aeron
Azrael
Domain: Glory Rock, upon the Sea of Souls
Position: Aeronite Absolutionist
Significant Titles: He Who Redeems, Gloomslayer, Lord of all Hope, Joybringer
Primary Adjutant: Caernach
Other Adjutants: Briggah and Huitacah
A Brief Overview
Azrael is one of the more congenial Sarafai, with a fondness for mortals that has only increased in the millennia since his first interactions with them. It is fair to say that he is fascinated by their diverse natures and philosophies, and he has taken it upon himself to speak with as many of those who come to Aeron as possible.
Indeed, Azrael has directed the celestials under his command to work especially hard at redeeming evil creatures so that their souls can reach the plane, and by extension him. Consequently, the fiends of Malor are particularly hateful of him, and it is well-known that Demogorgon's two heads will always stop arguing and cooperate in perfect harmony whenever Azrael is the opponent they are to face.
The Godsliver Fiend and the Saraf have only actually met the once, during a battle against the Incursion From Beyond in Nemux. The two promptly turned on each other, shattering their battlelines and handing the single most complete victory to their mutual enemies as a result. Both of the mighty entities were discorporated and hurled back to their native planes during this slaughter, and still bear the spiritual scars.
Azrael works especially hard to atone for this mistake, for he realizes that he could have ordered a retreat from Nemux instead of staying to fight Demogorgon. It is generally believed that his increased interest in mortals since that defeat, particularly those who turned away from evil and earned their place in a brighter afterlife, stems from a hope that he can learn from them how to forgive himself for his grievous error.
Azrael regularly journeys into the Penumbra for reasons known only to himself and Kantor. The fiends loyal to Vornoth believe it is because he is visiting the traitor Samael, as Azrael marched alongside the Godsliver Fiend to relieve the siege of Gennax. The other Sarafai believe this is nonsense, and point out that even if they had once been allied with Samael, no Saraf today is tasked with anything less than the destruction of such monsters.
Caernach
Domain: Anywhere within the Realm of the Endless Hunt
Position: Vanguard of The Rampage
Significant Titles: Heavenly Rager, The Black Stag, Doombound Lord
Primary Adjutant: Pahaliah and Selaphiel
A Brief Overview
Standing in stark contrast to the other celestials, and apart even from his fellow Keruvai, is the predatory Caernach of Aeron, who sprung up from a wound inflicted upon Thranton during the Incursion From Beyond, and who is filled with a burning fury that can never be quenched. To keep him from turning upon others by chance should his rage overtake him, Thranton bade Caernach stay within the Realm of the Endless Hunt unless explicitly called upon by the Saraf Azrael or an even higher power.
Whilst partaking in the Endless Hunt, Caernach enjoys a functional immortality beyond that of almost any other planar being, as he will resurrect like any other beast. Though others have since confirmed the prophecy, it was Huitacah who first foresaw that Caernach's final death cannot come until he faces the mighty Apollyon in battle - though it remains unclear as to whether or not that means he is actually destined to die at that time.
Caernach is often accompanied by the two celestials Pahaliah and Selaphiel, but they do not technically answer to him, even on those rare occasions he seeks to command them. Instead, their purpose is to direct him away from any who have entered the Realm of the Endless Hunt, or to defend them should he come across them anyway. However, when they must sometimes be called away for other duties, Caernach is free to roam as he wishes, and usually succumbs to his bestial rage during these times.
Caernach is adored by the other elites of The Rampage, who eagerly await those rare times when they are unleashed upon the enemies of Aeron. Caernach himself seems to reciprocate even in the depths of his unthinking fury, and not once has he turned his destructive power against another of The Rampage. It remains policy to warn against getting in his way regardless, just in case an exception ever occurs.
Huitacah
Domain: The Farsight Spire, overlooking the Aeronite Confluence
Position: Kyreion Omnissary
Significant Titles: Witchqueen, Heavenly Scryer, The Iron Owl, The Delightful
A Brief Overview
The most potent weapons in any war are those of knowledge, and the highest of these is foreknowledge. Every plane seeks to master the potential of prophecy, though it is Aeron which currently boasts the finest of all oracles. Huitacah, a Keruv of Flamgart and no native of Aeron, has spent the last four thousand years perched above the Confluence, peering into the future and telling of what she has seen. It is understood that at any moment she may decide to return to Nemux, so she enjoys many gifts and distractions to keep her tenuous loyalty aligned with that of Aeron.
Unusually for a Keruv, she has a sizeable following on the Material Plane, mainly sorcerers and bards on the continent of Forntol, who have a unique arrangement with the druids of that strange land. They actually make use of the same circles and ley lines as the druids, sharing the power in ways that are more reminiscent of fey magic than more commonly understood forms - and it is gaining the power of prophecy which is the intended goal.
Huitacah is also revered by the mysterious sheekaro of Eruna, and from time to time a small owl cult in her honor will appear and duly be stamped out in the Occupied Kingdoms. Huitacah does not appear to be entirely aware of these followers, less still responsible for them, but this does not dissuade the scholars of the esoteric in any way.
Strangely, the Incursion From Beyond caught her by surprise just as much as everybody else, not least because she had already foreseen a number of future events which did not come to pass as a result. This disruption to her oracular predictions caused her incredible distress, and it took many centuries for Huitacah to show signs of recovery from the emotional injury. Even more bizarrely, the Nemuxite native journeyed to Cogiton, of all planes, in order to recuperate.
Pahaliah
Domain: Anywhere within the Realm of the Endless Hunt
Position: Left Flush of Caernach
Significant Titles: The Temperate, He of Unending Patience, Bestower of Wisdom, Truthspeaker
A Brief Overview
Pahaliah and Selaphiel are the two celestials who most commonly accompany the Keruv Caernach through the Realm of the Endless Hunt, and who direct him as best they can away from those who enter that place. When Caernach is in his more calm state, it is Pahaliah who speaks to him with encouraging words and slowly guides him to a new path.
Pahaliah is only rarely called away from this duty, most usually to deliver a particularly important message between planes, for he is gifted with the inability to speak any falsehood, even if he does not know that it is untrue. This makes him unpopular with the majority of planar diplomats, who prefer to work through more subtle means than perpetual and unvarnished honesty.
This even extends to the technical truths of the devils, including the wording of their most convoluted contracts. It has become planar shorthand for uttermost sincerity, and the severity of the situation, for a devil to request the presence of Pahaliah as an interpreter at any neutral meeting. His reputation is such that the archdevil Baalzebul recently issued a decree guaranteeing the validity of any document signed by Pahaliah that may pass through the Judiciary of Sheol.
Perhaps a result of working together for so long, Pahaliah and Selaphiel have developed a rare empathic connection that can even transcend the planar barriers if their emotions are sufficiently heightened. In particularly close proximity, such as when following Caernach, this connection verges upon actual telepathy. Though no words are exchanged as such, the celestials report that the sense of their ideas is transmitted between themselves almost perfectly.
Selaphiel
Domain: Anywhere within the Realm of the Endless Hunt
Position: Right Flush of Caernach
Significant Titles: Master of Ceremonies, First Exorcist, Prudent One, Incense Bearer
A Brief Overview
Selaphiel and Pahaliah are the two celestials who most commonly accompany the Keruv Caernach through the Realm of the Endless Hunt, and who direct him as best they can away from those who enter that place. When Caernach is in his more bestial state, it is Selaphiel who lures him to a new path, igniting his censer and letting its scent attract him. Selaphiel’s Brightsmoke Censer is no mere celestial artifact, but a Dominion of Aeron, and thus permits Selaphiel free passage throughout the plane should ever he had need of it.
Selaphiel is called away quite frequently from this duty, as his original task was to examine the souls being brought over directly from the Penumbra by well-meaning celestials and to cast out any malevolent spirits which had infiltrated Aeron. This was originally more of an honorary duty, but in recent centuries there has been a disturbing increase in the number of cases.
Investigations initially led to the Memory Palace and grasping Mnemosyne, which made no sense, and then to Izanaruggathol and lurking Camazotz, which was even more nonsensical. Prevailing opinion is that some entity of the Hells is responsible, but Selaphiel and his more trusted agents are working on the assumption that another Erebusite is to blame. Unfortunately, the only one the evidence fits, the distant and isolationist Belobog, died during the Incursion From Beyond thousands of years ago.
Perhaps a result of working together for so long, Selaphiel and Pahaliah have developed a rare empathic connection that can even transcend the planar barriers if their emotions are sufficiently heightened. In particularly close proximity, such as when following Caernach, this connection verges upon actual telepathy. Though no words are exchanged as such, the celestials report that the sense of their ideas is transmitted between themselves almost perfectly.
Bahamut
Domain: The Crystalline Reef, within the Sea of Souls
Position: Independent, Cleansed Fiendspawn
Significant Titles: Adamantine Dragon, Of Infinite Hues, Reluctant Nemesis
A Brief Overview
Bahamut is one of the oldest spawn of the abominable Elderfiend Ulupi. He was hatched from her very first clutch, one of many left in the dust of Carcus to live or die as chance willed, and at best intended to be nothing more than another horror of the Hells. That destiny was changed when he and his siblings were found by Tiamat. She saw them only as rivals, many being far too similar to herself in appearance, and immediately began to devour them.
Her infanticide was halted by the arrival of Ladon and Nakhash, primordial dragonlords of Tanis, who were ironically investigating rumors of the death of several dragon-like Godsliver Fiends by one of their own. The pair engaged Tiamat in battle, ultimately giving their lives to distract her whilst their aides stole the five surviving hatchlings away. Much to everyone's relief, as the hatchlings grew they proved to be neither inherently evil, nor otherwise defiled by the power of Carcus.
Bahamut eventually took up residence in Aeron, greatly enjoying his travels through the unexplored depths of the Sea of Souls. Few can find him in these waters if he does not wish to be found, but his siblings know the secret words to call him back to his lair at the Crystalline Reef. Though he refutes the title strenuously, in practice he is the leader in their interminable war against their many enemies.
Tiamat in particular seeks to hunt each of them down and feed on them slowly. She has sworn an oath to this effect, with a special emphasis on making Bahamut suffer - for he was snatched from her very jaws, and Tiamat recalls the intoxicating taste of his blood for an instant before he avoided death. Bahamut himself is eternally confused by this, but acknowledges that understanding is irrelevant when it comes to such monsters as Tiamat.
