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library:philosophica_gasgana [2023/03/14 14:15] – created johnblibrary:philosophica_gasgana [2023/03/14 14:28] (current) johnb
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 The journey of a mortal soul has been well researched and, to some extent, documented.  We know that souls are grown on the Positive Elemental Plane, and distributed to the material planes by the Jyoti, although the process is poorly understood. Creon of Baras argues that sun rays are new souls travelling from the Positive Plane to the Prime Material, and that conception only occurs (in sentients) shortly after a great burst of solar activity.  He has little to support that, although it is an interesting proposition, worthy of more investigation. The journey of a mortal soul has been well researched and, to some extent, documented.  We know that souls are grown on the Positive Elemental Plane, and distributed to the material planes by the Jyoti, although the process is poorly understood. Creon of Baras argues that sun rays are new souls travelling from the Positive Plane to the Prime Material, and that conception only occurs (in sentients) shortly after a great burst of solar activity.  He has little to support that, although it is an interesting proposition, worthy of more investigation.
  
-Once the soul has found its mortal vessel, it travels through life gathering experiences and deciding on its personal philosophy.  Finally, the mortal body fails and the soul is released to continue its journey.  Most souls travel the Paths of the Dead and the River of Souls, until they arrive at Pharasma’s Boneyard which is their main staging ground, and where their future is decided.  Most are sent quietly to outer planes that match their personal philosophies and, if they have faith,  as a servant of their deity.  Others are sent back to the Prime Material to reincarnate, gather more strength and experience more things, while others are left to rot in the boneyard.  A few don’t even make it to the boneyard, either becoming unquiet spirits or, in the case of the more powerful, an entity in their own right.+Once the soul has found its mortal vessel, it travels through life gathering experiences and deciding on its personal philosophy.  Finally, the mortal body failsand the soul is released to continue its journey.  Most souls travel the Paths of the Dead and the River of Souls, until they arrive at the Boneyard which is their main staging ground, and where their future is decided.  Most are sent quietly to outer planes that match their personal philosophies and, if they have faith, as a servant of their deity.  Others are sent back to the Prime Material to reincarnate, gather more strength and experience more things, while others are left to rot in the boneyard.  A few don’t even make it to the boneyard, either becoming unquiet spirits or, in the case of the more powerful, an entity in their own right.
  
-The journey to the Boneyard is straightforward, and relatively well understood.  Initially the departed soul travels along the Paths of the Dead, as they negotiate the route along the margins of the Ethereal, Shadow and Prime Material Planes.  This is a dangerous region, populated by ghosts, unrequited spirits and outsiders wishing to ‘steal’ a soul for their own purposes.   A well conducted funeral ceremony, especially one that includes a cleric of a Psychopomp, can ease a soul’s journey along this part of the route.  Eventually, the paths merge into streams and, eventually, one great river, the River of Souls, which winds its way across the Ethereal and Astral planes to the boneyard.  The last part of the journey is overseen by powerful Psychopomps and other outsiders, although there is some risk to the soul.+The journey to the Boneyard is straightforward, and relatively well understood.  Initiallythe departed soul travels along the Paths of the Dead, as they negotiate the route along the margins of the Ethereal, Shadow and Prime Material Planes.  This is a dangerous region, populated by ghosts, unrequited spirits and outsiders wishing to ‘steal’ a soul for their own purposes.   A well conducted funeral ceremony, especially one that includes a cleric of a Psychopomp, can ease a soul’s journey along this part of the route.  Eventually, the paths merge into streams and, eventually, one great river, the River of Souls, which winds its way across the Ethereal and Astral planes to the boneyard.  The last part of the journey is overseen by powerful Psychopomps and other outsiders, although there is some risk to the soul.
  
 While we don’t understand why some souls take longer than others to reach the Boneyard, or exactly what happens in the Boneyard, we know that this is the process by which the outer planes and the deities are maintained, refreshed, and kept in balance.  Even the most Evil and Chaotic of deities and powers seem to recognise this, and don’t interfere too much.  There are, of course,  those who wish to increase their own powers by stealing souls, but these are generally individuals rather than an organised power grab on behalf of a whole plane or philosophy. While we don’t understand why some souls take longer than others to reach the Boneyard, or exactly what happens in the Boneyard, we know that this is the process by which the outer planes and the deities are maintained, refreshed, and kept in balance.  Even the most Evil and Chaotic of deities and powers seem to recognise this, and don’t interfere too much.  There are, of course,  those who wish to increase their own powers by stealing souls, but these are generally individuals rather than an organised power grab on behalf of a whole plane or philosophy.
  
-It raises the important question of whether Good can survive without Evil?   Would we recognise it? Can Chaos exist if Lawfulness does not counter it?   Once those distinctions have gone, would we exist?  What about the Deities and Powers themselves?  Would they exist?  That is an interesting philosophical discussion, but it truly is a lifetime of research, even for an immortal.  And, I suspect, many of the deitiesdon’t know for sure.+It raises the important question of whether Good can survive without Evil?   Would we recognise it? Can Chaos exist if Lawfulness does not counter it?   Once those distinctions have gone, would we exist?  What about the Deities and Powers themselves?  Would they exist?  That is an interesting philosophical discussion, but it truly is a lifetime of research, even for an immortal.  And, I suspect, many deities don’t know for sure.
  
 However, there are some aspects of the process that can be examined which may, eventually, add to the overall discussion on life, death, the universe and everything.   Why, for example, are some souls left to disintegrate in the Boneyard?  Is this just a way of maintaining the plane?  Or is there another reason?  Why do some souls end up in Outer Planes, while others are reincarnated and a few become powers in their own right? However, there are some aspects of the process that can be examined which may, eventually, add to the overall discussion on life, death, the universe and everything.   Why, for example, are some souls left to disintegrate in the Boneyard?  Is this just a way of maintaining the plane?  Or is there another reason?  Why do some souls end up in Outer Planes, while others are reincarnated and a few become powers in their own right?
library/philosophica_gasgana.1678799703.txt.gz · Last modified: 2023/03/14 14:15 by johnb