Post by Kenneth New on Dec 2, 2012 0:32:20 GMT -5
General Beliefs
Living creatures are tripartite beings, comprising a body, a mind and a soul.
The body is the physical self that can be seen and touched. Most beings have bodies that are born, live and die. They require physical sustenance in order to survive.
The mind, or nous (No oos), is the mental self, the intellect and personality.
The soul, or psyche, is the spiritual self, composed of pure life energy. It is the eternal portion of the person.
So long as a person is alive, the three parts are inseparable. Upon death, the body is left behind in the world as the nous and psyche are drawn into the umbra.
The nous and psyche remain conjoined as they drift through the umbra. In time, the conjoined aspects find their way to the portal of souls where they are separated. The soul continues its journey through the portal, towards the cauldron of souls. The nous is left behind to wander the umbra as a shade. The shade retains cohesion for a time before degenerating into umbral matter.
It is believed by many that the shade of a deceased person can retain its identity so long as it is remembered by the living in prayers and song. Some shades are strong enough to survive on their own, while others turn predatory and consume other shades to extend their lives. Many scholars believe this is the origin of the creatures known as shadows.
Once a soul has passed beyond the portal of souls (which is open only on nights when Omphale is full), it is drawn into the cauldron of souls wherein it dissolves into a mixture of soul energy before being drawn out through the well of souls to reenter the world as part of a new being.
The Church of Light
When an initiate of the Church of Light dies and passes into the Umbra, a luminous guide meets them and leads the conjoined nous-psyche through the umbral landscape, revisiting shadowy reflections of its previous life. During this journey, which can take up to three cycles of Omphale, the shade makes peace with its old life. The final stop on the journey is the Hall of Shadows, a region of the umbra near the Portal of Souls. Here, the shade remains for so long as it takes to fade into nothingness. It can still be sustained through the prayers, thoughts and songs of the living.
Some initiates become enlightened. Upon death their nous and their psyche fuse into one transcendent entity known as an aeglophan (aiglophaneis). The aeglophan passes through the portal of souls and emerges in the realm of celestia to become part of the radiant chorus of lightbringers.
The Druidic Church
The nous-psyche must find its own way through the umbra, facing reflections of the glories and tragedies of its previous life. During this dangerous journey, the nous-psyche is guided by its spirit guide.
The end of the journey is the Portal of Souls as described above in the General Beliefs section.
Powerful or influential followers of the druidic faith will often be the subject of a reincarnation ritual, drawing their nous-psyche rapidly back into the world and housing them in a new body.
The Medani Church
The nous-psyches of initiates of the Medani Church are met in the umbra by a guardian spirit that escorts it to the House of the Judgement where the Tribunal of Souls sits in judgement. Those who've remained faithful are allowed to pass through the Portal of Souls, moving on to a new life. Those who've violated their oaths are consigned to the Fields of Wailing, a blasted field of cold stone and fierce winds. There they are manacled to pillars, exposed to the shadowy elements until their agony has atoned for their misdeeds. Some escape this punishment, and run headlong into the waiting arms of shadow devils who prowl the perimeter claiming escapees and hauling them through the Gates of Iron into the Nine Hells.
Those who've been judged exemplary in their faith are chosen to pass beyond the Gates of the Blessed to join the other faithful in the House of their Patron deity.
The Church of the Nine
Initiates of the Church of the Nine Citadels are met in the Umbra by Shadow Devils who take them to the Nine Citadels. If they have a patron among the Lords of the Nine, they are taken before him or her. Otherwise they are taken to the pits and inducted to service to the Bureaucracy of Hell. They are given the same opportunities to work their way up the ladder as everyone else. If they are deemed oathbreakers, they are thrown into the soul burner engines. This is also the fate of those beings are captured by hunting shadow devils.
Those with patrons will be inducted into the service of their patron. Truly exceptional petitioners may be granted service at a higher level, but most are expected to start at the bottom of their patron's service.
The Church of the Maker
This religion consists mostly of Dweir, but a few others have become initiates over time. They are met in the umbra by servitors of the Great Maker and are led directly to his shadowed halls. Those who're deemed unworthy are entombed in living stone. Those who were faithful in life, but failed to achieve legendary status are taken into the Hall of the Maker where their souls are hammered out until the old nous is completely burned off and only the pure psyche remains. The psyche is then sent back into the world to be reborn as a dweir, regardless of its species of origin. Those who've become legend are allowed to remain in the Halls of the Maker for eternity.
The Athamel
The Athamel experience is much like that of the Druidic Church.
Living creatures are tripartite beings, comprising a body, a mind and a soul.
The body is the physical self that can be seen and touched. Most beings have bodies that are born, live and die. They require physical sustenance in order to survive.
The mind, or nous (No oos), is the mental self, the intellect and personality.
The soul, or psyche, is the spiritual self, composed of pure life energy. It is the eternal portion of the person.
So long as a person is alive, the three parts are inseparable. Upon death, the body is left behind in the world as the nous and psyche are drawn into the umbra.
The nous and psyche remain conjoined as they drift through the umbra. In time, the conjoined aspects find their way to the portal of souls where they are separated. The soul continues its journey through the portal, towards the cauldron of souls. The nous is left behind to wander the umbra as a shade. The shade retains cohesion for a time before degenerating into umbral matter.
It is believed by many that the shade of a deceased person can retain its identity so long as it is remembered by the living in prayers and song. Some shades are strong enough to survive on their own, while others turn predatory and consume other shades to extend their lives. Many scholars believe this is the origin of the creatures known as shadows.
Once a soul has passed beyond the portal of souls (which is open only on nights when Omphale is full), it is drawn into the cauldron of souls wherein it dissolves into a mixture of soul energy before being drawn out through the well of souls to reenter the world as part of a new being.
The Church of Light
When an initiate of the Church of Light dies and passes into the Umbra, a luminous guide meets them and leads the conjoined nous-psyche through the umbral landscape, revisiting shadowy reflections of its previous life. During this journey, which can take up to three cycles of Omphale, the shade makes peace with its old life. The final stop on the journey is the Hall of Shadows, a region of the umbra near the Portal of Souls. Here, the shade remains for so long as it takes to fade into nothingness. It can still be sustained through the prayers, thoughts and songs of the living.
Some initiates become enlightened. Upon death their nous and their psyche fuse into one transcendent entity known as an aeglophan (aiglophaneis). The aeglophan passes through the portal of souls and emerges in the realm of celestia to become part of the radiant chorus of lightbringers.
The Druidic Church
The nous-psyche must find its own way through the umbra, facing reflections of the glories and tragedies of its previous life. During this dangerous journey, the nous-psyche is guided by its spirit guide.
The end of the journey is the Portal of Souls as described above in the General Beliefs section.
Powerful or influential followers of the druidic faith will often be the subject of a reincarnation ritual, drawing their nous-psyche rapidly back into the world and housing them in a new body.
The Medani Church
The nous-psyches of initiates of the Medani Church are met in the umbra by a guardian spirit that escorts it to the House of the Judgement where the Tribunal of Souls sits in judgement. Those who've remained faithful are allowed to pass through the Portal of Souls, moving on to a new life. Those who've violated their oaths are consigned to the Fields of Wailing, a blasted field of cold stone and fierce winds. There they are manacled to pillars, exposed to the shadowy elements until their agony has atoned for their misdeeds. Some escape this punishment, and run headlong into the waiting arms of shadow devils who prowl the perimeter claiming escapees and hauling them through the Gates of Iron into the Nine Hells.
Those who've been judged exemplary in their faith are chosen to pass beyond the Gates of the Blessed to join the other faithful in the House of their Patron deity.
The Church of the Nine
Initiates of the Church of the Nine Citadels are met in the Umbra by Shadow Devils who take them to the Nine Citadels. If they have a patron among the Lords of the Nine, they are taken before him or her. Otherwise they are taken to the pits and inducted to service to the Bureaucracy of Hell. They are given the same opportunities to work their way up the ladder as everyone else. If they are deemed oathbreakers, they are thrown into the soul burner engines. This is also the fate of those beings are captured by hunting shadow devils.
Those with patrons will be inducted into the service of their patron. Truly exceptional petitioners may be granted service at a higher level, but most are expected to start at the bottom of their patron's service.
The Church of the Maker
This religion consists mostly of Dweir, but a few others have become initiates over time. They are met in the umbra by servitors of the Great Maker and are led directly to his shadowed halls. Those who're deemed unworthy are entombed in living stone. Those who were faithful in life, but failed to achieve legendary status are taken into the Hall of the Maker where their souls are hammered out until the old nous is completely burned off and only the pure psyche remains. The psyche is then sent back into the world to be reborn as a dweir, regardless of its species of origin. Those who've become legend are allowed to remain in the Halls of the Maker for eternity.
The Athamel
The Athamel experience is much like that of the Druidic Church.
