Embedded Files
The Passage of Souls
The Passage of Souls
Death and the Afterlife in the Multiverse of Arcainia
Across Arcainia and the realms beyond, death is not an ending but a crossing. Mortal bodies perish, yet the soul — the fragment of cosmic mana that grants consciousness — continues its journey through the hidden pathways of existence.
Scholars, priests, and necromancers largely agree on the sequence of events that follows a mortal’s final breath, though the experience itself can vary depending on the soul and the forces that claim it.
What follows is the most widely accepted understanding of the Path of the Dead.
I. The Arrival of the Angel of Death
I. The Arrival of the Angel of Death
When a mortal dies, their soul lingers briefly beside the body, confused and untethered.
At this moment, Revan, the Angel of Death, appears.
Revan rarely manifests in their true form. Instead, the Angel appears to the dying soul as the most beautiful person they could possibly imagine — a comforting figure shaped by memory, longing, or love. To some, it appears as a lost spouse, to others a childhood hero, or even a stranger whose presence simply feels right.
Once the soul accepts their passing, Revan gathers them into their wings.
With silent grace, the Angel of Death carries the soul away from the mortal world.
II. The Veilstream
II. The Veilstream
Revan transports the soul through the Veilstream, the invisible currents of magical leyline energy that weave together the realms of the Multiverse.
To mortal perception, the Veilstream resembles an endless river of light and shadow flowing through the stars. Countless souls drift through it each day, escorted by Revan.
At the far end of this spectral current lies the realm of the dead:
III. The Black Dog of the Threshold
III. The Black Dog of the Threshold
Souls are not abandoned at the edge of the Underworld.
Instead, they are met by a silent guardian spirit — a great black dog, whose eyes burn with pale blue fire.
This spirit guides newly arrived souls across the misted plains of Umbra Vitae toward the great gate that divides the living from the dead.
The creature never speaks, yet every soul understands its purpose.
It leads them to Morghath.
IV. Morghath — The Gate of Death
IV. Morghath — The Gate of Death
Morghath
(Infernal: “Gate of Death”)
Morghath is a towering obsidian gate standing at the threshold of the Underworld. It is the barrier between the mortal realms and the domains of the dead.
Guarding this gate is a terrible sentinel:
Vorthak
Vorthak
(Infernal: “The Severing Sentinel”)
(Infernal: “The Severing Sentinel”)
Vorthak appears as a colossal winged skeleton clad in black infernal armor. His hollow eyes burn with cold fire, and he wields a blade capable of severing the soul from the body of any living creature that dares approach the gate.
His duty is simple and absolute:
No living being may pass into the Underworld.
Should a mortal somehow slip past the gate while still alive — through forbidden magic or necromantic ritual — Vorthak unleashes his pack of Hellhounds.
These infernal beasts hunt relentlessly across realms until the trespasser is dragged screaming into the Hells.
V. The Chamber of Weighing
V. The Chamber of Weighing
Beyond Morghath lies the Chamber of Weighing, where every mortal soul must face judgment.
This chamber is ruled by an ancient council known simply as: The Fates
The Fates were once mortal liches who attempted to escape death itself. For their arrogance, the gods condemned them to eternal service in the Underworld.
Their punishment became their purpose.
They now weigh every mortal soul that enters Umbra Vitae.
At the center of the chamber stands a great scale.
On one side lies a single phoenix feather.
The soul is placed upon the opposite side.
If the soul weighs the same as the feather, or less
If the soul weighs the same as the feather, or less
The soul is considered balanced.
These souls are given a choice:
Remain in Umbra Vitae, dwelling peacefully with departed loved ones.
Return to the cycle of life through reincarnation.
Many souls choose to remain in the Underworld for centuries before eventually returning to the mortal realm.
If the soul is heavier than the feather
If the soul is heavier than the feather
The soul carries too much corruption, cruelty, or destruction.
Such souls are condemned to one of the Hells.
The Hells are not a single realm, but many pocket dimensions, each ruled by a powerful devil lord or lady. These rulers shape their domains as they please, creating endless variations of torment, servitude, or cruel order.
Souls too wicked to endure
Souls too wicked to endure
On rare occasions, a soul is so monstrous that even the devils refuse it.
These souls are cast into The Maw.
VI. The Maw
VI. The Maw
The Maw is the abyssal domain of Lilith, where souls are broken apart and twisted into demonic entities.
Unlike devils, who bargain for souls and rule structured infernal domains, demons are corrupted remnants of mortal existence.
To be devoured by The Maw is to lose all identity.
The soul becomes something else entirely.
VII. The Path of Reincarnation
VII. The Path of Reincarnation
Souls that choose reincarnation are guided by a second spirit — a great white dog.
This spirit serves the Angel of Reincarnation, the sister of Revan, whose name is largely forgotten among mortals.
The white dog leads the soul beyond the Underworld and into the deepest layer of existence: The Cosmic Mana Pool
This vast ocean of raw magical essence lies at the core of the Multiverse. All souls originate from it, and all souls eventually return to it.
Before rebirth, the soul must drink from the pool.
Doing so erases the memories of its previous life, cleansing the spirit so that it may begin again.
Once the soul has drunk from the mana, it is pulled downward through reality itself.
It falls like a shooting star back toward the mortal realm.
There, it is reborn in a new body.
VIII. Echoes of Past Lives
VIII. Echoes of Past Lives
Older souls — those that have reincarnated many times — sometimes experience fragments of memory from previous lives.
These usually appear as dreams, visions, or strange feelings of familiarity.
However, the more lives a soul has lived, the more fragile these memories become.
Some ancient souls eventually struggle to distinguish between past and present identities, leading to madness or prophetic insight.
IX. Divine Claim
IX. Divine Claim
Though rare, a god may intervene before judgment occurs.
If a deity has taken special interest in a mortal, they may claim the soul directly.
The god may:
• Restore the soul to life (often demanding a price)
• Take the soul into their divine realm as a servant or champion
• Bind the soul into a relic or sacred object
Such fates are both blessings and curses, depending on the god.
X. True Death
X. True Death
True annihilation of the soul is exceedingly rare.
However, certain forces can destroy a soul completely.
The most infamous example is a Godslaying weapon forged from a Black Soul Gem.
When a mortal — or even a god — is slain by such power, their soul does not travel to the Underworld.
There is no judgment.
No reincarnation.
No afterlife.
The soul simply ceases to exist.
Even the gods cannot restore what has been erased.
Page updated
Google Sites
Report abuse