Post by Moonlight on Mar 13, 2015 6:19:16 GMT
Life, Death & the Realms and Dimensions of Existence
We have a delicate balance between life and death in TNRPG, and what paths we choose can change our fate. Many of the living like to believe that once someone dies, all their worries and problems are over, but that is not the case; death is the beginning of another journey. Before the process of death can be explained, there are key concepts that must be understood and defined.
Yggdrasil.
Going by hundreds and thousands of names from each civilization or culture that knows it, Yggdrasil, or the Tree of Life is the central pillar of the multiverse. Held in it’s countless branches are millions of dimensions that are connected, and it’s roots are intermingled with the Realms that spirits are drawn to after death. In the world of TNRPG, Yggdrasil is the connector; the tie that holds together and connects all realms and dimensions in our multiverse, and has been seen in many different forms across many religions, not even acknowledged in some; but the base idea remains the same.
Outside influences.
Magicborn, Gods and other powerful influences such as particularly strong Spirits are considered outside influences to the cycle of Yggdrasil; If Yggdrasil is represented by a tree, then the Gods and Magicborn could be considered Birds, creatures outside of the cycle that are free to travel between Dimensions and Realms both above and below, and able to influence souls as long as they are not directly within Yggdrasil, which is why Gods are keen to capture souls before they are drawn into the trunk.
Death.
The process of rebirth can be explained simply; the soul is naturally drawn to the earth to rest, and is drawn to a root of Yggdrasil. Upon being absorbed, the soul is transported through the vast network that makes up Yggdrasil’s roots, it’s memories, force of personality and anything else attaching the soul to it’s previous lives are cleansed, and the soul is reborn again. However, the chance that the soul is reborn as a similar person, same race, or even in the same reality is slim to none; the network of Yggdrasil’s roots are vast, and souls pass through many realms before they find life on another reality; some never find them, losing themselves to one of the many realms that the Roots of Yggdrasil run through, others find themselves within the Upper Realm, unable to leave. Though the normal process of rebirth can be explained simply enough, there is far more that takes place within this process that can complicate it, or requires further explanation below.
How a Soul is Born.
First, it is important we explain how souls work outside their vessels. Depending on the strength of the soul and nature of the transition, souls can retain their memories of previous vessels that they have inhabited, though without their vessels, they are far more susceptible to alteration and changes in energy, and are in essence the most fragile aspect of a being without the protection of a body, mana, or life force.
Yggdrasil represents the font of all living energy for the worlds in its interconnected branches. When one of the mortal realms requires a soul to fill a living being and none of Yggdrasil’s souls are ready to be reborn, a soul seed is broken off of Yggdrasil and placed into the being, expanding the number of active souls in the world. Yggdrasil feeds on the souls trapped in the realms of reincarnation and uses that energy to fuel its work and continue the cycle of cleansing souls, rebirthing them, and creating new souls when there are not enough to go around.
Ghosts.
Souls that become stuck on the physical plane that the living inhabit are known as Ghosts. Ghosts can become stuck in a variety of ways-- whether it be through the intervention of someone who prevents their soul from passing on, or if they become attached to an object or place. Ghosts who are left long enough lose all sense of who, what and when, simply lingering around a certain place important to them in their lives, or the place of their death. Some ghosts become bound due to strong emotions, and these ghosts are more like embodiments who can roam freely, dead set on whatever goal or regret they had in life. There are several other ways in which ghosts can occur, and all can have different attributes and features. The possibilities are endless due to how malleable souls can be. Ghosts exist as functional shells of life force that contain any residual mana, life force, and soul.
For souls that make it past the physical plane of life and are aiming to move on, they still have quite a journey ahead of them. Spirits that find rest in the Dimensions of Yggdrasil descent from its branches to it’s roots, where it then passes into and through the Six Lower Realms of Reincarnation. Passing through cannot be explained simply and is detailed in depth down below, but after this process can be more simply put; Once the souls are brought through their reincarnation, with a small chance of ascending further to the Upper Realm of Tranquility, they are born again within another dimension or “branch” of Yggdrasil. Below are the various Realms of our world explained, from the Upper Plane of Tranquility, to Eternia, which exists between all other realms, and The Six Lower Realms of Reincarnation.
Going by hundreds and thousands of names from each civilization or culture that knows it, Yggdrasil, or the Tree of Life is the central pillar of the multiverse. Held in it’s countless branches are millions of dimensions that are connected, and it’s roots are intermingled with the Realms that spirits are drawn to after death. In the world of TNRPG, Yggdrasil is the connector; the tie that holds together and connects all realms and dimensions in our multiverse, and has been seen in many different forms across many religions, not even acknowledged in some; but the base idea remains the same.
Outside influences.
Magicborn, Gods and other powerful influences such as particularly strong Spirits are considered outside influences to the cycle of Yggdrasil; If Yggdrasil is represented by a tree, then the Gods and Magicborn could be considered Birds, creatures outside of the cycle that are free to travel between Dimensions and Realms both above and below, and able to influence souls as long as they are not directly within Yggdrasil, which is why Gods are keen to capture souls before they are drawn into the trunk.
Death.
The process of rebirth can be explained simply; the soul is naturally drawn to the earth to rest, and is drawn to a root of Yggdrasil. Upon being absorbed, the soul is transported through the vast network that makes up Yggdrasil’s roots, it’s memories, force of personality and anything else attaching the soul to it’s previous lives are cleansed, and the soul is reborn again. However, the chance that the soul is reborn as a similar person, same race, or even in the same reality is slim to none; the network of Yggdrasil’s roots are vast, and souls pass through many realms before they find life on another reality; some never find them, losing themselves to one of the many realms that the Roots of Yggdrasil run through, others find themselves within the Upper Realm, unable to leave. Though the normal process of rebirth can be explained simply enough, there is far more that takes place within this process that can complicate it, or requires further explanation below.
How a Soul is Born.
First, it is important we explain how souls work outside their vessels. Depending on the strength of the soul and nature of the transition, souls can retain their memories of previous vessels that they have inhabited, though without their vessels, they are far more susceptible to alteration and changes in energy, and are in essence the most fragile aspect of a being without the protection of a body, mana, or life force.
Yggdrasil represents the font of all living energy for the worlds in its interconnected branches. When one of the mortal realms requires a soul to fill a living being and none of Yggdrasil’s souls are ready to be reborn, a soul seed is broken off of Yggdrasil and placed into the being, expanding the number of active souls in the world. Yggdrasil feeds on the souls trapped in the realms of reincarnation and uses that energy to fuel its work and continue the cycle of cleansing souls, rebirthing them, and creating new souls when there are not enough to go around.
Ghosts.
Souls that become stuck on the physical plane that the living inhabit are known as Ghosts. Ghosts can become stuck in a variety of ways-- whether it be through the intervention of someone who prevents their soul from passing on, or if they become attached to an object or place. Ghosts who are left long enough lose all sense of who, what and when, simply lingering around a certain place important to them in their lives, or the place of their death. Some ghosts become bound due to strong emotions, and these ghosts are more like embodiments who can roam freely, dead set on whatever goal or regret they had in life. There are several other ways in which ghosts can occur, and all can have different attributes and features. The possibilities are endless due to how malleable souls can be. Ghosts exist as functional shells of life force that contain any residual mana, life force, and soul.
For souls that make it past the physical plane of life and are aiming to move on, they still have quite a journey ahead of them. Spirits that find rest in the Dimensions of Yggdrasil descent from its branches to it’s roots, where it then passes into and through the Six Lower Realms of Reincarnation. Passing through cannot be explained simply and is detailed in depth down below, but after this process can be more simply put; Once the souls are brought through their reincarnation, with a small chance of ascending further to the Upper Realm of Tranquility, they are born again within another dimension or “branch” of Yggdrasil. Below are the various Realms of our world explained, from the Upper Plane of Tranquility, to Eternia, which exists between all other realms, and The Six Lower Realms of Reincarnation.
The Upper Realm of Tranquility
The powerful celestial beings we call Gods or Magicborn have the ability to transverse and move between both dimensional branches and realities, but it is not known to many--or any at all, even-- that these deity creatures have realms of their own that rest outside of the earthly worlds that we reside in.
The powerful celestial beings we call Gods or Magicborn have the ability to transverse and move between both dimensional branches and realities, but it is not known to many--or any at all, even-- that these deity creatures have realms of their own that rest outside of the earthly worlds that we reside in.
Xijgura; The Domain of the Magiborn
This realm is where most of the divine creatures, the “birds” on Yggdrasil’s branches, rest and are--or were-- born. Not unsimilar to the Realm of the Daeva, the Domain of the Magicborn is an endless expanse of interconnected worlds, where those of divine being, of both peace and destruction, manifest their own realities and hide away, using their domain to touch and influence the lower and earthly realms. Compared to the Lower Realms, spirits rarely wander here but are more often brought here by Magicborn or Divine who seek to bring devout followers to heavens or hells of their own making. As the Domain of the Magicborn is outside the reach of Yggdrasil’s branches, Spirits who are brought here cannot leave and return to the Cycle through normal means, and often live out the rest of their existences in peace or torment until their spirits eventually become one with the energy of the Realm, feeding it energy for its ever endless expansions.Materios: Realm of Material Possessions
Material is a realm that rests between the earthly realms and the Domain of the Magicborn. To call it a city is an understatement and misconception-- Materios is a labyrinth with no end; but it does resemble an earthly city to a degree. The land of earthly possessions and materials, it is a mostly peaceful realm that many Magicborn, over time, have brought Material possessions that they covet into to preserve forever, and many creatures of the godly realms find this realm to their interest, piqued by the strange and wondrous creations brought from the Branches of Yggdrasil. The land has no sky and many of the buildings spiral endlessly into the air with no visible end, mismatched and disjointed as if taken from different realities and times of the earthly realms. With no sky, the Realm is dark, but always illuminated by the various lights and trinkets scattered throughout the city. As for the streets themselves, this would be a mismatched patchwork of roads made by earthlies, all from different times. This realm is also the only upper realm that is possible to slip into by normal means of the cycle, as Yggdrasil’s highest branches only reach the tip of Material. Time runs differently within this realm, almost not at all; creatures and beings brought here do not age, and the items taken from the lower Dimensions stay eternally youthful and new, as if made just yesterday.The Ethereal Plains (Eternia)
Said to be located in the "heart" or center of Yggdrasil, Eternia is composed of good and evil spirits of nature and the mortal world. The ethereal plains exist alongside all mortal planes and it allows spirits to move freely into and out of as it is connected to the mortal world, yet mortals cannot cross this boundary without help. Eternia is vibrant and full of life without the impact of the mortal races, and since spirits here do not age, there exist ancient spirits that act as the guardians to this realm. In addition to being linked to the mortal plane, the ethereal plains have ties to Yggdrasil itself and can pass through the tree of life to cross domains with some effort. The spirits of Eternia act as caretakers for Yggdrasil and protect it at all costs.
Said to be located in the "heart" or center of Yggdrasil, Eternia is composed of good and evil spirits of nature and the mortal world. The ethereal plains exist alongside all mortal planes and it allows spirits to move freely into and out of as it is connected to the mortal world, yet mortals cannot cross this boundary without help. Eternia is vibrant and full of life without the impact of the mortal races, and since spirits here do not age, there exist ancient spirits that act as the guardians to this realm. In addition to being linked to the mortal plane, the ethereal plains have ties to Yggdrasil itself and can pass through the tree of life to cross domains with some effort. The spirits of Eternia act as caretakers for Yggdrasil and protect it at all costs.
The Six Lower Realms of Reincarnation
Beyond the mortal plane that we have grown accustomed to, there exists six realms of being that lie in parallel with our world. These six realms comprise unique realities for souls that have gone through the Yggdrasil cleansing process. Once a soul has been cleansed, it can be set upon one of these paths to begin its new life as a member of the associated realm of existence. Not every soul walks these paths, and not every soul makes it through these paths unscathed, but those that do make it through will be able to pass on to be reborn into the mortal plane once more. Typically, once a soul has walked through one of these paths, Yggdrasil will opt to bring that soul to the higher planes, the dimensions held within its branches, to be reborn, but this is not always the case.
The First Realm: Nakara, the Demons
The first realm is made up of a hellish landscape of nightmares and illusions. This realm is filled with everything that would plague the minds of living beings and its inhabitants spend their days torturing and being tortured by one another. The Nakara are a special brand of demon that infect the minds of one another to place insidious nightmare seeds. Passing through this path is perilous and filled with danger that threatened a newly cleansed soul’s ability to continue.The Second Realm: Preta, the Hungry Ghosts
The second realm is made of a barren wasteland filled with the Preta, who exist in a constant state of craving but no satiation. This realm is empty of joy and the beings passing through here will know thirst and hunger beyond comparison. The Preta who exist in this realm will greedily try to consume wandering souls that are walking the path through, in a futile attempt to sate their cravings. Passing through this path is to know despair and feel emptiness while struggling to survive in an empty world.The Third Realm: The Animals
The third realm is made up of natural scenes, such as lush forests and wide expansive oceans. This realm is filled with animals and instincts, with no higher thoughts or beings present. The animals who exist in this realm encompass the entire animal kingdom and beyond, with nothing but the desire to hunt, eat, and reproduce to fill the days. Passing through this path will connect one with their primal sides and know the true fear of being hunted.The Fourth Realm: Asura, the Demigods
The fourth realm is a warzone, filled with Asura in a constant state of war. This realm is filled with conflict and strife as an eternal conflict is waged between immortal beings. The Asura are known as demi-gods because their destructive powers are on a completely different level than you would experience in the world of the living. Passing through this path is to walk through an active battle zone and know the pain and suffering of loss, knowing what it means to kill, and know what it means to be killed for no reason at all.The Fifth Realm: The Humans
The fifth realm is made up of human civilizations and structures. This realm is filled with the everyday hum of humanity’s activities and conversations. The humans in this realm are mundane and monotonous, with very little interaction between one another. The civilizations of this realm are unoriginal and are all the same, which leads to homogenization of humanity that exists without large scale conflict. To pass through this path is to take a walk in the shoes of another and live a mundane, normal human life in a world without chaos.The Sixth Realm: Deva, the Gods
The sixth realm is a utopia of existence, where no suffering occurs for anyone. This realm is filled with the Deva, who are divine entities with long life spans who do not need to eat, sleep, or work. This realm is a paradise where cleansed souls who are placed here are considered to be incredibly fortunate. Passing through this realm is akin to what most would consider heaven, and for that reason souls get lost here due to their own unwillingness to continue the path onwards.