Guardinal
Encyclopedia
Guardinals are a type of celestial from the Dungeons & Dragons
fantasy
role playing game.
in 1995, including the Avoral, Cervidal, Equinal, Leonal, Lupinal, Ursinal, Duchess Callisto, Duke Lucan, Duke Windheir, Lord Hwhyn, Lord Rhanok, and Talisid the Leonal Prince cards.
Guardinals appeared in second edition for the Planescape
setting in Planescape Monstrous Compendium Appendix II (1995). This book featured the avoral, the cervidal, the equinal, the leonal, the lupinal, and the ursinal. Guardinals were further detailed, and presented as options for player character
races in Warriors of Heaven (1999).
The avoral guardinal appears under the celestial entry in the third edition Monster Manual
(2000). The leonal guardinal appears under the celestial entry in the Manual of the Planes (2001). The cervidal guardinal and the lupinal guardinal appeared in the Monster Manual II (2002). Savage Species (2003) presented the avoral guardinal as both a race and a playable class. The avoral and leonal guardinals appear in the 3.5 edition revised Monster Manual (2003). The equinal, the musteval, and the ursinal guardinals appear in Book of Exalted Deeds
(2003). The book also details the celestial paragon
s of the guardinals: Talisid, the Celestial Lion and his five companions, Sathia, the Sky Dutchess; Manath, the Horned Duke; Vhara, Duchess of the Fields; Kharash, the Stalker; and Bharrai, the Great Bear. The avoral appears again as a player character race in the Planar Handbook
(2004).
to aid in battle against the forces of evil
. Guardinals live on the Outer Plane
of Elysium
.
Guardinals are all extraplanar outsiders
.
As such, guardinals share a number of magical powers:
s of the guardinals are collectively known as Talisid and the Five Companions. The members include:
Former Members:
From the Planescape
setting, Talisid's five original Companions were as follows: Duke Lucan (lupinal),
Duchess Callisto (ursinal), Duke Windheir (avoral), Lord Hwhyn (equinal), and Lord Rhanok (cervidal).
Dungeons & Dragons
Dungeons & Dragons is a fantasy role-playing game originally designed by Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson, and first published in 1974 by Tactical Studies Rules, Inc. . The game has been published by Wizards of the Coast since 1997...
fantasy
Fantasy
Fantasy is a genre of fiction that commonly uses magic and other supernatural phenomena as a primary element of plot, theme, or setting. Many works within the genre take place in imaginary worlds where magic is common...
role playing game.
Publication history
Guardinals debuted as several cards in the Blood Wars Card GameBlood Wars Card Game
Blood Wars is a collectible card game produced by TSR, Inc., based on the Planescape campaign setting from Dungeons & Dragons. The game was released in 1995 as part of TSR's 20th anniversary. Players use cards representing Warlords and Legions for combat to claim Battlefield cards.Blood Wars was...
in 1995, including the Avoral, Cervidal, Equinal, Leonal, Lupinal, Ursinal, Duchess Callisto, Duke Lucan, Duke Windheir, Lord Hwhyn, Lord Rhanok, and Talisid the Leonal Prince cards.
Guardinals appeared in second edition for the Planescape
Planescape
Planescape is a campaign setting for the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game, originally designed by Zeb Cook. The Planescape setting was published in 1994...
setting in Planescape Monstrous Compendium Appendix II (1995). This book featured the avoral, the cervidal, the equinal, the leonal, the lupinal, and the ursinal. Guardinals were further detailed, and presented as options for player character
Player character
A player character or playable character is a character in a video game or role playing game who is controlled or controllable by a player, and is typically a protagonist of the story told in the course of the game. A player character is a persona of the player who controls it. Player characters...
races in Warriors of Heaven (1999).
The avoral guardinal appears under the celestial entry in the third edition Monster Manual
Monster Manual
The Monster Manual is the primary bestiary sourcebook for monsters in the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game. It includes monsters derived from mythology, and folklore, as well as creatures created for D&D specifically...
(2000). The leonal guardinal appears under the celestial entry in the Manual of the Planes (2001). The cervidal guardinal and the lupinal guardinal appeared in the Monster Manual II (2002). Savage Species (2003) presented the avoral guardinal as both a race and a playable class. The avoral and leonal guardinals appear in the 3.5 edition revised Monster Manual (2003). The equinal, the musteval, and the ursinal guardinals appear in Book of Exalted Deeds
Book of Exalted Deeds
The Book of Exalted Deeds is an optional sourcebook for the 3.5 edition of the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game, providing supplementary game material for campaigns involving characters of good alignment...
(2003). The book also details the celestial paragon
Celestial paragon
In the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game, celestial paragons are powerful unique outsiders of the Upper Planes. They are to the celestials as the archdevils are to the devils and the demon lords are to demons....
s of the guardinals: Talisid, the Celestial Lion and his five companions, Sathia, the Sky Dutchess; Manath, the Horned Duke; Vhara, Duchess of the Fields; Kharash, the Stalker; and Bharrai, the Great Bear. The avoral appears again as a player character race in the Planar Handbook
Planar Handbook
Planar Handbook is an optional supplemental source book for the 3.5 edition of the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy roleplaying game.-Contents:...
(2004).
Description
These creatures are sent by higher powers striving for goodAlignment (Dungeons & Dragons)
In the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game, alignment is a categorization of the ethical and moral perspective of people, creatures and societies....
to aid in battle against the forces of evil
Alignment (Dungeons & Dragons)
In the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game, alignment is a categorization of the ethical and moral perspective of people, creatures and societies....
. Guardinals live on the Outer Plane
Outer Plane
In the fantasy role-playing game Dungeons & Dragons, an Outer Plane is one of a number of general types of planes of existence. They can also be referred to as godly planes, spiritual planes or divine planes. The Outer Planes are home to beings such as deities and otherworldly creatures such as...
of Elysium
Elysium (Dungeons & Dragons)
In the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game, Elysium, or more fully, the Blessed Fields of Elysium, is a strongly good-aligned plane of existence...
.
Guardinals are all extraplanar outsiders
Outsider (Dungeons & Dragons)
In the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game, an outsider is a type of creature, or "creature type". Outsiders are at least partially composed of the essence of a plane other than the Prime Material Plane....
.
As such, guardinals share a number of magical powers:
- They possess Darkvision, the ability to see in the dark.
- They are immune to electricityElectricityElectricity is a general term encompassing a variety of phenomena resulting from the presence and flow of electric charge. These include many easily recognizable phenomena, such as lightning, static electricity, and the flow of electrical current in an electrical wire...
energy and petrificationPetrifaction in mythology and fictionPetrifaction, as definied as turning people to stone, is also a common theme in folklore and mythology, as well as in some works of modern fiction.-Historical:...
effects. - They are resistant to cold and sonicSoundSound is a mechanical wave that is an oscillation of pressure transmitted through a solid, liquid, or gas, composed of frequencies within the range of hearing and of a level sufficiently strong to be heard, or the sensation stimulated in organs of hearing by such vibrations.-Propagation of...
energy. - They are resistant to poisonPoisonIn the context of biology, poisons are substances that can cause disturbances to organisms, usually by chemical reaction or other activity on the molecular scale, when a sufficient quantity is absorbed by an organism....
. - They can speak with any animal.
- They can 'lay on hands' to provide healingHealingPhysiological healing is the restoration of damaged living tissue, organs and biological system to normal function. It is the process by which the cells in the body regenerate and repair to reduce the size of a damaged or necrotic area....
like a paladinPaladin (Dungeons & Dragons)The paladin is one of the standard playable character classes in most editions of the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game. The paladin is a holy knight, crusading in the name of good and order, and is a divine spellcaster...
.
Types of Guardinals
- Avoral - Winged guardinal with unmatched visual acuity.
- Cervidal - Satyrlike guardinals that form the bulk of any guardinal army.
- Equinal http://www.wizards.com/dnd/images/boed_gallery/75109.jpg - Horselike guardinal; strong, boisterous, and generally good-natured champions of good.
- Leonal - Lion-headed guardinal with martial prowess.
- Lupinal - Half-human, half-wolf guardinals constantly on the prowl for evil intrusions.
- Musteval http://www.wizards.com/dnd/images/boed_gallery/75111.jpg - Ferretlike guardinal that serve greater celestials as spies, and messengers to humanoid heroes.
- Ursinal http://www.wizards.com/dnd/images/boed_gallery/75112.jpg - Bearlike guardinal; the scholars and philosophers, advisors to the leonals and record-keepers of Elysium.
Talisid and the Five Companions
The celestial paragonCelestial paragon
In the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game, celestial paragons are powerful unique outsiders of the Upper Planes. They are to the celestials as the archdevils are to the devils and the demon lords are to demons....
s of the guardinals are collectively known as Talisid and the Five Companions. The members include:
- Bharrai, the Great Bear http://www.wizards.com/dnd/images/boed_gallery/75087.jpg - The matriarch of the ursinals, resides on Eronia, the second layer of Elysium.
- Kharash, the Stalker http://www.wizards.com/dnd/images/boed_gallery/75086.jpg - The paragon of lupinals.
- Manath, the Horned Duke http://www.wizards.com/dnd/images/boed_gallery/75084.jpg - The duke of the cervidals.
- Sathia, the Sky Duchess http://www.wizards.com/dnd/images/boed_gallery/75083.jpg - The voice of the avorals, and matron and muse for painters and sculptors.
- Talisid, the Celestial Lion http://www.wizards.com/dnd/images/boed_gallery/75082.jpg - The most powerful of leonals. Spends most of his time on Amoria, the topmost layer of Elysium.
- Vhara, Duchess of the Fields http://www.wizards.com/dnd/images/boed_gallery/75085.jpg - The duchess of the equinals, resides on Amoria.
Former Members:
- Duke Rhanok
From the Planescape
Planescape
Planescape is a campaign setting for the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game, originally designed by Zeb Cook. The Planescape setting was published in 1994...
setting, Talisid's five original Companions were as follows: Duke Lucan (lupinal),
Duchess Callisto (ursinal), Duke Windheir (avoral), Lord Hwhyn (equinal), and Lord Rhanok (cervidal).