Celeste (species)

The Celeste are one of the vested races, created by the Great Vaenir. Each Celeste has a feathered cloak it can turn into its wings, and back again into the cloak. If a Celeste’s cloak is taken from them, they may make another from have’ene feathers — the have’ene being large, chicken-like birds kept in flocks in Celeste villages, towns, and cities, and in the Saudient Mountains. For the Celeste’s standing in the world and their history in the war, see The Celeste.

Homeland and history

The Celeste’s ancestral home is the deep Lor’Sha’Une, an ancient kingdom built and grown into the giant Lor’Sha’Une trees, which stand as tall as mountains. There they have lived in towns, villages, and cities for thousands of years.

More than a thousand years ago a royal inheritance dispute divided them: the crown princess dared to fall in love with a non-Celeste and was banished. She left, and many followed her, settling in the Saudient Mountains. This is remembered as the Schism at Saudient; the princess is named on Aria’s page.

Appearance and temperament

A Celeste may be of any medium height. Their wings run the colors of chicken feathers, with exotic colors possible but rare. In cloak form they have the appearance of Nordic humans; in wing form their features sharpen and they look more elf-like. They are proud, wise, steeped in tradition, and fiercely protective of their forests and mountains.

Playing a Celeste

Rules for a Celeste player character, as given by the Dungeon Master; the playable species is published on D&D Beyond.

Creature type: Humanoid (Vaenir). Size: Medium. Speed: 30 feet. Life span: nearly immortal — thousands of years before dying of old age. Ability scores: increase one score by 2 and another by 1, or three different scores by 1 (max 20). Languages: Common, Celestial, and one more you and the DM agree suits the character.

Traits:

• Flight — a flying speed equal to your walking speed; unusable in medium or heavy armor.
• Lightning Surge — your unarmed strikes deal 1d4 + your Strength modifier lightning damage instead of bludgeoning.
• Vaenir Ancestry (Dize) — you know Shocking Grasp, Lightning Bolt, and Chain Lightning, and may cast them using spell slots of the appropriate level. You may also use the Dize effects below a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus every 3 days.
• Dize — Strike — when you hit a target with an attack and deal damage, you may deal an extra 1d8 lightning damage to it.
• Dize — Shock — when you hit a target with an attack, or a target fails a spell save against you, you may shock it: it is stunned until the start of your next turn.