The Afterlife

As difficult as life is on Jhordunne, death is no better. Once free of earthly bonds, the deceased have to worry about greedy necromancers, warring gods, and things that feast on spiritual energy.

Most sentient beings on Jhordunne are made up of three parts: Körprisch, Absicht, and Geistun. These three parts give the being physicality, locomotion, and intellect/feelings, respectivey. Upon death, the three separate.

The Aelfer are special in that they do not have Absicht and Geistun as separate forces. Because they were once immortal, when they die, their lifeforce simply dissipates. It is unknown by any but the Aelfer where they go after death and they refuse to speak of it to non-Aelfer. Many scholars believe the Aelfer return to the world from whence they originally came, to be reborn as Aôlerian.

Körprisch

The physical vessel or body. The Körprisch eventually decays, leaving behind only bones.

Absicht

The force that gives the Körprisch locomotion.

It, along with Körprisch, is required to create mindless undead, such as zombies and animated skeletons. Upon death, it quickly dissipates. A skilled necromancer can capture it when a being dies, using it to animate another Körprisch or to power more powerful spells. It is also drawn upon by life and blood magic.

Geistun

The force that gives a being sentience and feelings. Often referred to as a soul, in Low Empiric. Once a sentient being dies, its Geistun moves beyond the physical realm and is taken by Ostara; those sacrificed to Ludger, however, belong to him.

Like Absicht, a necromancer can capture Geistun as it leaves the body and use it for their dark magic. Geistun, alone, allows the creation of incorporeal undead, while a mix of Geistun and Körprisch will result in the creation of intelligent undead, such as Wights and Ghouls.

Ostara’s Domain

As goddess of death, Ostara has domain over all Geistun, once it is released from the Körprisch. She sends the most faithful along to their chosen god’s realm and keeps the rest for herself.

The Passage of Sarne

It is in Ostara’s great hall that souls are divvied between the gods. Ostara determines who has followed the word of a god closely and sends those to the respective god’s realm. The rest remain with Ostara in her misty realm of Ysthae. The most faithful of her female adherents join her court as one of the Dar-Shalon, ghostly apparitions who help Ostara sort the spirits of the deceased. Although many of the gods grumble about Ostara’s role in the afterlife, they cannot argue that she is unfair in carrying out her duty.

Ludger’s Domain

Ludger keeps the Geistun of those murdered in his name, to serve him in his court at Therane.

Morklav’s Domain

Morklav’s necromancers raise the dead in her honor; every soul stolen from Ostara or Ludger and raised as undead makes Morklav stronger. Since the death of the Kai Dolar and the spread of undead across the eastern regions of the Dragonspine Empire, Morklav has had a bit of a resurgence.