Illustration by Kuramochi
The Twelve Celestials (十二星神 Juu Ni Hoshigami) are major figures within the world of SaGa Scarlet Grace. They're otherworldly beings living in the firmament who gave humanity the needed skills to drive back the Infernals to the abyss of the world. Since then they've been revered all worldwide and haven't made a descent ever since. Amongst their ranks used to dwell the infamous Firebringer, who has kept waging war to humanity out of spite after being banished for treason.
Members[]
Ordered from the most relevant to the lesser one, their members are:
- Marigan: The Celestial of War and Military arts. Also regarded as the strongest one, Marigan is the leader of the deities. He is the one who guided the Empire in their fight against the Firebringer. He has personally fought the Firebringer many times, ending with the defeat and shattering of the old god during the Seventh Calamity. Recently, he has descended for unknown reasons alongside his sister Macha.
- Diemazu: The Celestial of Sea Voyages and the one who apparently kept the most contact with the Firebringer. She led the fight against the Infernals of the maritime regions and is the one who gave humanity the knowledge to allow safe exploration of the seas. She apparently served as mediator between the fallen god and the Celestials and was the one who ordered his banishment after discovering his ruses.
- Shaams: The Celestial of Law who taught order to humanity. If it wouldnt've been by his laws then mankind would still be living in complete chaos and disorder and the Infernal war would've never ended.
- Imhokiel: The Celestial of Architecture and the one responsible for giving humanity the knowledge to create vast cities and structures to ward them against the Infernals. His buildings most certainly proved helpful during the Infernal war, lasting even to the present day.
- Astel: The Celestial of Agriculture who taught mankind the way of putting their barren lands to good use. She's very revered all around even to the present day. After all, if it wouldn't be for the earth's blessing then humans would have easily disappeared.
- Tukuz: The Celestial of Nomadism and Cattle. His teachings allowed the Empire to make good use of the living stock allowing them to develop all manner of tools and products.
- Adamas: The Celestial of Blacksmithing who gave humanity a way of fighting the Infernals. His weapons aided Celestials and humans alike and were the ones that allowed the Celestials to deliver decisive blows against the near-inmortal fiends.
- Kada: The Celestial of Medicine who gave humanity the knowledge to utilize the land's bounty to mend their wounds and illnesses. His teachings allowed humans to perdure longer and live healthier lives.
- Bartlett: The Celestial of Commerce who created the many roads connecting vital points of the world to the imperial city of Urbs Azhuacan.
- Uzume: The Celestial of Performing Arts whose arts enriched humanity. Her arts allowed people to spark the needed inspiration to progress through their life.
- Tejedura: The Celestial of Handcrafted Arts who gave humanity another way of using their newfound creativity.
- Macha: The Celestial of Sorcery whose teachings allowed humanity to understand the nature of their world. One could argue her teachings did not bring much good, seeing the catastrophes it allowed mankind to produce on various points of their history.
- Firebringer: The fallen god whose ruses nearly put Celestials and Infernals in a seemingly endless war. The trickster god was banished for conspirating against the ones that showed him mercy.
Story[]
Legend[]
Once upon a time the world found itself within an endless swirl of chaos. Creatures roaming across the lands known as humans lived a terrible existence devoid of meaning. The ever-watching divine Celestials pitied the creatures and thus sent forth one of their own, the lowest amongst themselves, to grant them the gift of culture. The nameless god gave them the fire as his first and only gift, earning himself the name of the Firebringer by the masses. Fire allowed humans to develop a curiosity for their sorroundings, yet fire was used by the demonic Infernals to their favor, tainting the hearts of mankind with the desire and ambition for supreme power. Ever since, humanity has been waging war against their own kin, even having the audacity to rebel against their own creators. Fire was nothing but a foul gift by the trickster god, which he used to prolongate the ever-lasting war of the Infernals and Celestials.
As an act of redemption, the Firebringer had found a way of ending the conflict: He robbed the Infernals of their source of power―the mysterious Spirituals, and made them join forces with the ones of his kind. However, damage had been already dealt to the world and the Celestials had grown weary of his tricks. Thus, he was banished to the endless cosmos, only through pity being allowed to revisit his dear creation every 7000 years. Yet, he proved once again to be a crafty individual and rearranged the established pact, making his return be 7 times through the course of 1000 years. Humanity had to prepare to enter a new age of war, as the return of the Firebringer would surely lay siege to the world. Thus an Empire was created, and the Celestials had descended to impart their knowledge to people, hoping it would serve to defend the world against the fury of the fallen one.
Story - The Truth[]
Truth is that most of the common legend was in fact invented/twisted by the Celestials once they established their dominion over the world. The world's birth gave life to the original gods, amongst them the Firebringer, and many of the living creatures such as the humans. Below lies an epic explanation of how events went through before and after the intervention of the Celestials, based on the information given by several sources in the game. Beware of spoilers, as the tale relates most of the common story for all protagonists.
Arrival - Birth of the World[]
Once upon a time there was nothing but endless chaos. Suddenly, the world originated as if it was a miracle cast by a higher being. First came the Spirituals―supreme beings that incarnated the very nature of the world. Then came the original gods―the unnamed God of Fire and Ambition; Savnok, the God of Plague; Aranea, the God of Lies; Balor, the God of Conquest; and Chiyou, the God of War. Gods that would later go wage war against themselves and the lesser beings that would follow the birth of the world.
Then at last came the other living creatures but foremost―humans. The world found itself in complete disorder as the gods went to use the lesser beings as pawns for their little game of supremacy. The unnamed God of Fire took pity on the humans and chose to give them the gift of fire, in hopes of giving them a way to freedom or to a higher state of being.
Humans soon grew foul in nature, slaying themselves and of their kin, conquering and subduing with the power of fire; thus ambition was cast and burned into their souls. Seeing this the God of Fire requested help of his brethren: his call being answered by the God of Plague. Despite the given wisdom by the God of Plague, humans kept their deceitful and warring nature, sowing more chaos over the disordered world. The conflict had gone for too long and the unnamed god had decided to inquire for help, as he knew his waning power would not be enough to quell the ambitions of his peers and guide the humans to a better path. Thus he set out from his world and requested for the help of twelve divine figures of an outsider world in an attempt to put an end to the gruelling war.
Infernal Conflict - Surrendering of the World[]
Then the twelve figures came, and by request of the unnamed god, their gifts of knowledge and revelation. A pact had to be formed, as the celestial figures asked for the world of the unnamed god in return for their help. To drive back those of his kin, the God of Fire foolishly betrayed and robbed them of their source of power―the ever mysterious Spirituals.
An empire was formed by the newly wisened humans at the center of the world. Lead by their emperor and guided by their new gods, humans went to fight a cruel war against the evil gods and their forces. Even when lacking power, the old gods proved to be tough foes and held their own against the illuminated humans, but soon fell to their might and were banished to the depths of the earth. The war had come to an end and after so many years of intense conflict the world had began to see a slight glimmer of peace; yet the naivety of the old god of the flame would come to pay him soon.
Aftermath - Fall of the World[]
With a new world at dawn the unnamed god had to leave as part of the pact; yet his plans were not fulfilled, as the humans still bent their knees to a higher force. Out of pity they made an accord to allow his perpetual return, and yet he was ignorant of what awaited for him...
The divine beings went to be known as the Celestials and turn into revered figures across the world; while the original god was painted as an evil figure, intending to return, to claim vengeance for having been unjustly banished. Humanity began to prepare to repel the rage of the evil god, now known as the Firebringer, while he who had lost all retreated to solitude somewhere in the world. Robbed of his creation, the fallen god plotted to use his future resurrections to make his creation reach for the truth. Even after knowing that said task would eventually lead to his demise, the old god resolved to give away his life just to see his creation reach the way it was intended to be in the beginning, hoping mankind would stand to his equal or to perhaps surpass him.
Fall of the Empire - Demise of the World[]
And so the old god had indeed returned, and battled the reigning emperors, from the first one, at the legendary city of Ei-Hanum; to the sixth one―the valerous Vaknas Mitreos, at the Erakleos Wall; to the final one―Emperor Mikaelos, he who was guided by Marigan. At the end of his seventh return his star was finally shattered and scarlet-colored fragments fell all over the world. People cherished this victory, and while this meant the world was free from the fiery scourge, this also meant the Empire was but a thing of yore. Previous to the Empire's victory, knights from Provincia Jusitania had found a relic from the ancient gods: the Eye of Balor. whose power was meant to shackle the will of the Celestials. Unbeknowingly the ever-meddling knights lured the Empire to a path of certain destruction.
Left without purpose, the Empire fell prey of confusion and despair, and so amidst the chaos the Emperor was killed by greed and ambition of one of his sons. Thus, what little remained of the Empire had to be divided between those of the Emperor's blood to avert further havoc; but likewise ambition prevailed and the inheritors were disposed, marking the end of the Emperor's lineage.
The world had returned to its original state of chaos, and it was said chaos which allowed the sealed Infernals to make return to the surface. Soon the scarlet stones that fell to the world would mark the start of a new era that would see the birth of the scarlet revelation; the revelation that would go to forge individuals with the power to carve a righteous future for mankind.
Marigan's Plan - Revival of the World[]
Following the collapse of the empire the world would soon witness the birth of―a young girl whose wish was to reconstruct the empire of yore; a young man who sought to become a true adult; a woman who wished naught but living the rest of her days in peace; and a humble man who was fit for a greater rule. Individuals that would become of interest to the fallen god of flames, and individuals whose force of will would guide them to wondrous deeds.
As chaos had been plaguing the world ever since the fall of the Empire, the Spiritual balance was disrupted, forcing the Sublime Spirituals to take action; whereas legend says the Scarlet Shards of the Firebringer would eventually reunite to revive him. However, there were those who were consumed by ambition and sought to control the world of the humans. And so, a union was formed between the God of Plague and the Celestial of War, with the intent of subduing humans, Celestials, Infernals, and Spirituals alike.
A hero soon appeared, and so the hero danced once again to the tune of the Wicked One, and so the hero quenched the flames of the world. At last the Firebringer had met his end, but not before entrusting the hero with the Scarlet Grace―the hopes of the old god, and so justice was delivered ...or was it?
Humanity's foul nature yet prevailed, leading them and of their kin to ruin. Ambition prevailed, leading those who wished for greatness to drag their brethren into a war of fools. And wherefore had the Celestials vanished into thin dust? Perhaps they chose not to meddle with the matters of so-cursed creatures. Perhaps the way to freedom for mankind had always been just another way to doom and ruin.
Gallery[]
[]
 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||