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 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.

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 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?

One great philosopher, Adam of Douglas, believes that the number forty-two is an important factor, although I have yet to understand its significance. The Platonisti School, with whom I more familiar, make an argument that the quality of the soul is important – but even that is not clearly defined. I hope to improve and develop those concepts further.

The Platonisti describe all sentient souls starting out as Souls of Bronze, and that makes sense to me. It implies that all souls start out equal and are just another cosmological building block. It leaves the concept of animal souls hanging, but then it is not clear that non-sentient species have souls in the same way as sentients do. It is, perhaps, a philosophical point for further study. However, if all souls start out as equal, how do we differentiate between those who stay in the Boneyard, those who go on to the Planes and those who become independent of that process?

The Planonisti speak of Silver, Steel and Golden Souls who take on learning and responsibilities. But how do these changes occur? And what are the effects? Their philosophy speaks speak of Silver Souls of Steel as academics, Souls of Steel excel at the physical skills while Golden Souls are leaders, and step onwards for either Silver or Steel souls. Not all souls progress – only those people who develop their abilities make the grade. Few go on to become Golden Souls, leaders and rulers of their people - some might just rule a village, while others rule whole empires – however they might rule by feats of arms, of by the power of the mind. The cosmos doesn’t mind too much what techniques or philosophies these rulers have – just that they can rule.

So why is it that some souls can grow, while others appear not to? That, I believe, comes down to the flesh and blood that the soul inhabits. The new soul goes into a physical body, created by the union of a man and a woman and we know that these new bodies carry the same sort of traits as their parents. Skin colour, hair colour, eye colour are all similar - but so are physical and mental potential. A child born of athletes, for example, often has their physical characteristics, while the child of a scholar often has the mental abilities of the parents.

That doesn’t mean the progression is automatic nor fixed, the physical incarnation must have the opportunity to excel and the drive to make it happen. Again, some of this is genetic, but some is due to circumstance. It doesn’t matter how clever you are - if your whole life is spent chained to a mill wheel as a slave – you aren’t going to progress very far. Or at least it will be much more difficult. Equally, hard work and dedication, improving skills and abilities, making the best of your circumstances and wide experience, all go towards improving the soul.

Sentient Life is the randomiser of the Cosmos, and while it is that time spent in a mortal body that provides an opportunity for deities and other burgeoning powers influence the soul. But we also influence our own souls.

• Deities tempt priests to follow their philosophies with the promise of spells and respect in the mortal world with an assured place in the afterlife. All they need to do in exchange is live life in the deities image and convince others to do the same.
• Demons, devils, and some deities offer greater power NOW, in exchange for an eternity of service. Most recipients think they can outsmart the contacts the sign and vows they make – although few of them achieve their goal of outwitting a divine power.
• Others, such as the patrons of Witches and Oracles, are less clear-cut in the price of their help and the reward that they offer. Personally, I do not know, yet, whether they are powerful enough to offer an eternal afterlife, or rely on the Judgement of Pharasma to send a soul to a sympathetic resting place.

Those are, perhaps, the most obvious – but there are other forms of influence as well. Philosophies, such as The Green Way, offer a clear route to spiritual growth, others find ‘salvation’ in rituals that give them a form of undeath – and, I am assured, there are many other ways to delay, manipulate or influence the journey along the River of Souls and Pharasma’s judgement.

But what if you controlled the development of your soul directly? Mixed Bronze, Silver, Gold and Steel in equal measure? Never quite developing into that which is expected of you? Would that let you manage your own journey into the afterlife?

If so, it is confidence in your own mental and physical abilities, and a sense of self-reliance that will do it for you. Respect others, but make you soul your own, and make yourself in the image of the soul that you would like to be. Know yourself and your environment, and learn to be honestly confident, and competent, wherever you find yourself. Then, when the time for your journey to judgement day comes, you may have enough about you to take control of your own destiny.