Heaven
Paradise
Realm of the Righteous
Heaven is a plane in the Outer Sphere that represents order tempered with compassion and goodness. Even though it is infinitely large, it appears to visitors as a gigantic single mountain with a flat summit. It is broken down into seven regions, or levels, six of which are overseen by a steward of immense power.123
Description
Heaven takes the form of an immense mountain, surrounded by shimmering walls of glass and gold that have been hardened to be as strong as iron. Each one of the seven tiers on the mountain is tasked with a different purpose, but the position of one level over another does not represent any kind of superiority. Each of them is guided by a steward, whose purpose is not to rule, but to help organize the residents of each level and serve as an official authority on all matters pertaining to that tier.
In order from the bottom of the mountain up the seven levels of Heaven are:4
- the Threshold, tasked with hospitality and defense;
- Proelera, the mustering ground of Heaven's armies;
- Clarion, dedicated to duty and self-purification;
- Requius, the final resting place of virtuous souls who did not follow a particular deity in life;
- Illumis, where residents gather to discuss philosophy and the nature of goodness; and
- Iudica, Heaven's administrative center.
- The peak of the mountain is flattened and contains somewhat of a mystery. A golden wall with a single gate provides access to the beautiful Garden. Some say that a huge fruit tree can be found at the center of it, while others claim to have seen an immense, empty throne. The gate to the Garden always remains open, its doors having wasted away eons ago.153
Visiting Heaven
Even though Heaven is a place of goodness and light, it is also one of strong laws. All living visitors that are not of adequate moral standing are, therefore, met at Heaven's borders by archons who oversee their movement throughout the plane. Most are then led to Heaven's Shore, sometimes called "Heathen Shore", where visitors to the plane are allowed to trade and speak with Heaven's residents.2
Inhabitants
Shades
Mortal souls who have received Pharasma's judgement and travel here are greeted by lesser archons at the foot of the mountain and taken to the region that best suits their personality. There, they are, if possible, reunited with deceased loved ones who eagerly await their arrival. A few souls are called by what they claim to be a voice calling their name from the top of Heaven's mountain. They undertake the long climb to the summit, and if admitted to the Garden, are miraculously transformed into archons themselves, forever to serve others.16
Divine beings
Heaven is home to a number of gods and other divine begins who have homes, or even oversee entire realms of their own. Each is sovereign within her own realm, and each of these realms may bear little to no resemblance to the general structure of the plane surrounding it.3
Celestials
Heaven is the home of the archons, who serve as its administrators, guards, and soldiers. They are born either from the souls of righteous shades, or are formed from the very substance of Heaven itself. Heaven is also filled with countless species of angels and other lawful celestials.3
References
Paizo published a major book on Heaven, Heaven Unleashed. Earlier Paizo books hold useful information, but much of it regarding the structure of Heaven has been superseded by Heaven Unleashed, which is the used as a primary source for PathfinderWiki.
For additional as-yet unincorporated sources about this subject, see the Meta page.
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 . “Chapter 3: Religion” in Campaign Setting, 185–186. Paizo Inc., 2008
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 . “Visiting Heaven” in Heaven Unleashed, 4. Paizo Inc., 2016
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 . “Visiting Heaven” in Heaven Unleashed, 4–5. Paizo Inc., 2016
- ↑ In the earlier sourcebook, The Great Beyond, A Guide to the Multiverse (publ. 2009), the seven regions of the mountain were said to be generally named after the presiding archons who rule them. In order from the bottom of the mountain up they were named: Ragathiel, Sandalphon, Jegudiel, Andoletta, Uriel, Melek Taus, and Salaphiel, and illustrated on p. 39. Heaven Unleashed (publ. 2016) supersedes that version of Heaven, however, that earlier concept is preserved here in a footnote to avoid confusion.
- ↑ . “The Outer Sphere” in The Great Beyond, A Guide to the Multiverse, 39. Paizo Inc., 2009
- ↑ . “Visiting Heaven” in Heaven Unleashed, 5. Paizo Inc., 2016
