Nirvana

Nirvana

(Plane)

Titles

The Great Wilderness
Sanctuary of Enlightenment

Sphere

Outer Sphere

Gravity

Normal

Time

Normal

Realm

Immeasurable

Structure

Lasting

Essence

Mixed

Alignment

Neutral good

Magic

Enhanced and impeded

Denizens

Agathions
Angels
Foo creatures
Moon dogs
Peris
Neutral good outsiders
Neutral good souls

Divinities

Sarenrae, Shelyn; Daikitsu, Kurgess, Qi Zhong, empyreal lords

Description

An infinite contemplative paradise of rolling hills and spring gardens

Source: Planar Adventures, pg(s). 160–165

Nirvana (pronounced nir-VAH-nuh) is a plane of the Outer Sphere and home to the souls of good mortals. Its true natives are the contemplative agathions and wise angels who guide spirits to enlightenment and unity with the plane and with themselves.

Alignment

Nirvana is a neutral middle ground between the chaos of Elysium and authority of Heaven, and its natives intervene in planar matters more frequently than these other goodly realms.

Mortal souls who arrive to Nirvana seek enlightenment, and the plane is open not only to the virtuous but also those seeking redemption and respite. Shades in Nirvana can shed their mortal memories and worries in their search for enlightenment.

Geography

Nirvana is characterized by pastoral hills, breathtaking mountains, and lush woodlands. The plane meets travelers' every expectation of an idyllic, restful paradise, while behind the plane's natural beauty lies mystery and true enlightenment.

Notable locations

In addition to its monasteries and the divine realms of Sarenrae (Everlight), Kurgess (the Field of Champions), and Shelyn (Blossomheart), Nirvana is also home to sanctuaries, refuges, and mysterious sites:

• The Hall of the Slumbering Kings is a shifting home of long-lost heroes and martyrs waiting to return in a time of great need.
• The Isle of the Penitent is home to the regretful souls of evil mortals seeking redemption. Those who gain it invariably join Nirvana's host of angelic crusaders.
• The agathion empyreal lord Bharnarol's workshop is located in Dragonmane Mountain's foothills.
• Korada resides in the blossoming violet palace known as the Dream Lotus.

Inhabitants

Agathions

A draconal agathion.

Agathions, the most prominent natives of Nirvana, are compassionate beast-aspected beings who guard the plane while also embodying its values. They can be broken down into the following forms:

• Avorals guard the monastic aeries of Dragonmane Mountain, including the monasteries of Xia Hua, Borolen, and Etamu. They also represent and fight for the plane's deities. Korada leads the plane's avorals.
• Vulpinals are messengers who serve as storytellers and sages, and are led by Lady Taramyth.
• Lion-headed leonals, responsible for guarding the plane's gates and portals, are led by Kelumarion.
• Bishops are unsettling fishlike agathions who work as liaisons between celestial leaders on land and sea alike.
• Cervinals, who resemble elk-like taurians, represent agathions in matters that span all good-aligned planes.
• Cetaceals, guardians of oceans across the planes, craft homes in the depths of the Sea of No Shadows among its coral reefs.
• Draconals have extravagant and diverse domains, particularly the Evergreen Palace and Lignitic Labyrinth, and are most responsible for their exceedingly timely insight and their actions in accordance with the gods' wishes.
• Taking the forms of housecats, Silvanshee travel mortal planes seeking wondrous curiosities.

Angels

In addition to the native agathions, various types of angels extend Nirvana's influence to other planes, watch over the River of Souls, and lead assaults on fiends in the Outer Rifts. Unlike the archons of Heaven, however, Nirvana's angels focus more on rescuing souls abducted or blocked from reaching their true planar destination, and less on attacking proteans in the neighboring Maelstrom.

Gigas

Nirvana is also home to a race of ancient, powerful, planar giants called Nirvana gigas, also known as "the Eternal Sleepers". These creatures exist in a hazy state of sleepwalking semi-awareness. As they wander across Nirvana they reflexively create fantastical illusionary worlds based on their endless dreams.

Other creatures

Phoenixes and simurghs also reside on the plane in their own quests for peace and enlightenment.

Golarion's beliefs about Nirvana

Vudrani believe that the purest souls in their faiths rise to become Anucaras, or "followers", of their gods in Nirvana.

References

For additional as-yet unincorporated sources about this subject, see the Meta page.