The Celestials

The Ashar and the Vaenu awoke first in the unfolding dream, in the echoes of the lament of Nyris. They are both legendary celestial races, that are older than time, even by the accounts of the Unfolding Dream. For this purpose they are also known as the Aeons and the Ancients, for they were the first.

Thousands of Ashar and Vaenu awoke, but they were far apart, and knew little of each other at first. They were similar in appearance, winged and ethereal, resembling angelic beings, but the Ashar were fiery and bright, and of an extroverted disposition, and an elemental affinity for Fire, Air, and Light whilst the Vaenu were darker, calm and introspective with an elemental affinity for Earth, Water and Darkness.

These beings were the first to awake in the Cosmos, but they were not the only ones. Ulhaeron was said to be of a distinct kind, for he bore mixed traits of both kinds, and there were none who could recognize him as one of their kind. Some move on to argue that Ulhaeron had always been an abomination, but sadly that was not the case. He was as exalted as the rest of the Ashar and the Vaenu. A fact proven time and again by the hundreds of Ashar and Vaenu who chose to follow him willingly, even when he had become a tyrant, or worse, when he had turned into the sinister Shadow God.

In the timeless time that passed between the Dawn of the Ashar and the Vaenu and before the beginning of the War of Light and Shadow, other races awoke into the cosmos. These races are characterized by the three Eras that passed between the Dawn and the War of Light and Shadow.

With the exception of the Abyssals, the Khorgons and those who followed Ulhaeron before and after his rise as a Shadow God, those beings who awoke in the first Era, known as the Exalted Age, were collectively known as the Celestials. All the Celestial races share a few things in common. They are exalted and immortal beings, highly spiritual and evolved, and strongly attuned to the Flame Eternal.

It is impossible to cover all of the Celestial races here, so we will only cover the major ones:

- The Alahar: This angelic race came into being as a result of the union of Aellon and Nuviel. They are slender and delicate beings with slender, ethereal wings of light and natural telepathy. Their home is the crystalline world of Arallor, a realm of exceptional bliss and sublime splendor. The Alahar became allies with the Ashar, and the two races benefited greatly from this alliance.

- The Telcar: Also known as the Silent Ones, the Telcar are an intensely psychic and magical race, incapable of actual speech (or vibration of any kind), but still natural and gifted empaths with the ability to evoke thoughts in the minds of others. Their knowledge was vast, and their secrets were many. The Telcar have mastery over dimension and thought and are a prominent celestial race. They became allies with the Vaenu, and shared many secrets with each other.

- The Kuruon: Another delicate race, the Kuruon were golden and were mostly humanoid, but had slightly mantis-like features, and elongated limbs. The Kuruon were masters of time, and together with the little-known race of the Ahon grew to become guardians of the many time streams.

- The Darathrom: Born in the chaotic tempest near the heart of Yrion, the Darathrom are the wildest and most primordial of the Celestials. They are all temperamental and highly uncontrollable and volatile. In appearance they are humanoid, but much taller and with exaggerated musculature and feral features.

- The Aros: A very influential race, the Aros are also the most populous among the Celestials. Their primary domain is the divine realm of Ysedar, but they inhabit countless other realms. The Aros are attuned to the Flame Eternal. They are of great giant-like stature, but distinctly humanoid in form. The Aros welcomed all other Celestials in their vast domains, and they were the first to built huge cosmopolitan cities where all Celestials were welcome to stay and exchange philosophies and thoughts.

- The Shanacan: The Shanacan were born  by war. They are the offspring of the cleansing flame used by the Cal'ashan and Caldonas himself to combat their countless foes in the Dream. Each time such an enemy was consumed by their cleansing flames, or when one of the Cal'ashan would die, the six-winged Shanacan sprung into being, ready and eager for battle. The Shanacan became famous cohorts of the brave warriors, their spirits burning with undying thirst for war against the evils that would threaten the unfolding dream.