Soul Rising

 

Trapped or Free?

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Since the sealing of the mortal realm, many have begun to question what life after death looks like. Without a way for a soul to make its way to the gods' planned afterlife, where would they go? It was known that one could communicate with the dead, but no real explanation could be given. It wasn't for almost ten years after the Sealing that mortals would get any answers.

 

Once Upon A Decade

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Every ten years, for reasons still unknown, the seal between the realms grows weak. When this happens, a sight both grim and wonderous occurs; all the souls of those who passed over the past decade rise from the earth and float into the sky. The result is often a city illuminated by bright souls, which appear round but wispy, leaving trails of sparkling energy in their wake as they rise into a night sky. From this point on, the dead can no longer be reached.

"I've never been one to think about the dead; they are no longer useful to society. But I can't help but look outside at this time and think but one word: beautiful." -from the journal of Cormac O'Fallon

"Does one wait ten years to receive judgement or ten years waiting their resting place?" -from the journal of Cormac O'Fallon

The Dead Must Wait

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No one is able to say what is happening to souls while they await their transcendence from the mortal realm; in fact, no one is even sure they transcend at all. But many choose to believe that with the Soul Rising, a soul makes its way to the afterlife it has earned, good or bad. Most people still hold faith that the gods did not abandon the mortals, but have placed them in a test of faith, and trust their gods will serve them in death rather than life. And so the popular opinion is that souls await judgement while trapped in the mortal realm, and receive their dues when their soul rises.

 

The Soul is Light

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The question became even more important with the discovery of soul showers, an event where one can literally see the soul manifest. Some believe that the soul is a persons raw energy; their link to the spiritual and the arcane. Others still choose to put their faith that souls were given by the gods. But with the gods gone, others still wish to know if souls are created and lost or if they cycle, a process of reincarnation.