The Afterlife

by

Finley Vorden

My research into beliefs regarding the afterlife has required countless conversations with clergy, scholars, and one particularly garrulous gravedigger who claimed to regularly share tea with departed spirits.

Death, as I have come to understand it, arrives with the compassionate embrace of Ōphīa, who approaches each soul with warm understanding regardless of their mortal standing, acting as guide rather than gatekeeper.

According to most theological traditions, Ōphīa personally accompanies each soul on its journey from mortal form to appropriate afterlife domain. She walks with departed spirits, leading them in conversation about their lives and choices. These discussions reveal (according to a surprisingly detailed account from a priest who claimed to have briefly died before medical intervention) not condemnation but gentle understanding, as souls naturally recognize where they belong.

Souls whose lives embodied virtues aligned with Ilhdeinia’s benevolent deities find themselves welcomed to the Celestial Domain: a realm said to exist “above” our world, though theologians insist this represents spiritual rather than literal positioning. This domain contains individual Holds for each deity, essentially divine provinces where like-minded souls gather in communities reflecting their patrons’ values. Movement between Holds remains unrestricted, with souls free to visit different divine realms or even relocate permanently as their spiritual development continues.

Those whose lives were dominated by cruelty, selfish ambition, or deliberate harm find themselves drawn to the Fallen Domain: a realm existing “below” the mortal world that ranges from temporary purification grounds to eternal territories of consequence. Several traditions maintain that souls are never permanently confined to the Fallen Domain against their will; rehabilitation and eventual ascension remain possible though the journey may span time-frames beyond mortal comprehension. The Holds within this domain reflect their divine patrons’ darker aspects, creating environments that many theological traditions describe less as punishment and more as natural consequence as souls experience the culmination of paths they themselves established through lifelong choices.

Necromantic Disruptions

The natural transition between mortal life and appropriate afterlife domains can be disrupted through necromantic practices; interventions universally condemned across even the most theologically divergent traditions. Such violations attract particular divine outrage, with Ōphīa’s siblings becoming her fierce protectors when necromantic arts disrupt her sacred work.

Necromancers who disturb the dead or attempt to harness death energies for personal power find themselves cut off from healing magicks, as the gods collectively block access to restorative power. While Ōphīa herself might forgive, her divine siblings are far less accepting of those who bring anguish to their kind-hearted little sister.

That being said, many traditions maintain that spirits can sometimes linger in the material world or temporarily return under specific circumstances. Ghost stories exist in every culture I've encountered, with remarkable consistency in their fundamental elements if not their specific details.