Autonomist Afterlife Myth in Symbols of Power | World Anvil

Autonomist Afterlife

This article is a Work in Progress and will be finished soon™
  In the Autonomist faith, primarily practiced in the island of Dhalmain, living creatures return to the Laws of the Universe after their death.
The Law they get to become is decided based on what their life reflected, and which of the ten Laws they stayed closer to.   Devoutees of specific Laws or people that find the afterlife associated with one of them better will try to lead a life that ensures they turn into their preferred deity, which includes the treatment of their bodies after death.   This belief led the Dhalmanite to be the culture with the most diverse funerary practices in the archipelago, as the followers of each deity tried and perfected diverse ways to turn their bodies into reflections of their chosen patron.
In this culture, thus, the dead body itself is considered a means to an end and treated as such. Though some of the practices are close to those of other cultures, others are more creative and unusual, and could be considered gruesome or disrespectful in some places.  

Alocardenas, the Curiosity

200908 - Alocardenas.jpg
Alocárdenas by Naelín
Alocardenas represents the drive to learn and understand the universe. Becoming part of this Law after death allows one to inspire all other living creatures in their own pursuits.   Those who want to become Curiosity pursue an academic life and become scholars or teachers and, for their deaths, they prefer to donate their bodies to art or science. They often become museum pieces, anatomy subjects for medical training, or materials for statues, pottery or painting.  

Rheshnaghty, the Intention

Rheshnaghty by Naelin
Rheshnaghty represents having goals, based on one's own wishes and manipulating curiosity to further those goals.
Becoming Intention allows one to be the willpower of the living creatures, giving their family, friends and every other creature the strenght necessary to have a fruitful life.   Those that want to turn into the force of Intention try have a life marked by their chosen purpose, or in more recent times they might choose to devote their lives to help the community around them prosper.
Jobs such as therapy, healing and matchmaking, as well as those revolving around money such as accounting or banking.
While it is not admitted out loud, contact weaving is known to be favoured by the followers of Rheshnaghty as one of the most Intention-driven professions.   For their bodies in death, there isn't a prescribed method of funerary arrangements that gets one closer to Rheshnaghty, as they are the representation of free will. One must choose their own preferred method, which many modern devote followers take to try to find the one that will further their goal of helping their community the most, such as donation to science or the one that would be the easiest on their families based on their current situation.  

Gleamauros, the Time

Gleamauros represents patience, the cycle of growth and decay, the seasons, and rythm both in life and in art.
Turning into Time allows one to join the cadence of the universe, making the seasons follow each other, turning the day into night and helping the hearts beat in rythm.   Those who want to join the Time pursue a life and a career governed by rythm or cycles, such as farming, weaving clothing, lighthouse keeping, music, poetry or singing.
For their deaths, they ask to get preserved for as long as possible using chemicals and dissecation, in some cases becoming successfully mummified. The richest among them might request to be entombed within the walls of a famous, strong building, to be part of a long-lasting structure.  

Primarite, the Space

Primarite by Naelin
Primarite represents the drive of expansion, to become bigger and cover more land.
Becoming one with Space allows a person to expand the universe, reaching the farthest stars.   Those that want to turn into the Law of Space try to extend the reach of their properties such as by increasing their worked or owned land or physical area of influence, including by working as city planners or explorers, or literally turn their area of expertise to the space by becoming astronomers.
Careers that require an expert understanding of the physical space, such as dancing, are also considered primarely under the Law of Space.
When planning their funerary arrangement, followers of Primarite search for means of having parts of their body travel the world, such as turning into museum pieces for different islands, hiring services that will drop their bones one by one at sea or requesting the distribution of their body parts to their family and friends.  

Termomin, the Directions

Termomin represents guidance, being secure on one's steps and trust.
Becoming the Directions allows the deceased to guide others, helping those lost and giving confidence to the untrusting and the insecure.   To join the Directions, people lead a life reigned by the distances, by precise measuring and by careful picking of directions themselves, such as with sailors, travelling merchants and cartographers, or less directly in the case of furriers, locksmiths and weavers.
The way to honour and get closer to Termomin after one's death is to get buried at high sea.  

Isimoje, the Dimensions

Isimoje represents the consideration of all angles and points of views in one's decision-making and philosophy.
Becoming the Dimensions makes a person become nuance and complexity themselves, adding depth and richness to the world.   Some who aim to become Dimensions choose to donate their bodies to taxidermy artists in order to be turned into taxidermy pieces. This is often chosen by taxidermists themselves, whom will ask their disciples or mentors to carry out the job.  

Dencaza, the Physics

Dencaza represents the almost-immutable properties of the inorganic materials and life's unique capacity to defy them.   Those who want to turn into Physics try to incorporate its understanding into their careers, becoming blacksmiths, gymnasts and jewellers, and upon death, parts of their body are melded and worked into jewellery and weapons. The rest of their remains are usually cremated.  

Flejnathry, the Matter

Flejnathry represents the love for the material world, the environment, and the pleasures of the flesh.
Becoming one with Matter allows a person to nurture the earth and the seas, helping the plants and the creatures grow healthy and strong, and providing joy and pleasure to the living beings.   Those who want to become Matter search for a career that will get them close to the flesh of the world and the living things on it, becoming miners, artisans, shepherds, lumberjacks or park rangers, and upon death they get their naked bodies buried, usually covered in only a shroud.  

Vhas, the World

Vhas represents the worldly nature of the social creatures, and the ability to form alliances, manage relationships and become well known in society.
Those that join Vhas in death will strenghten the bonds between the creatures, keeping pacts alive and communities thriving.   Those who want to expand the reaches of The World become food for allied pactual creatures.  

Regicielo, the Chemistry

Regicielo, the Chemistry
Regicielo represents change, and the cycle of life and death.
Becoming Chemistry means one will power this cycle itself, and become the fuel of life.   Those who want to become Chemistry will try to get close to her, often by working in a field closer to her such as cooking, which the followers of Regicielo condiser the most noble of crafts as it is the most practical application of precise knowledge of chemical reactions, or maybe in scientific pursuits (The field of chemistry itself being the obvious favourite).
Working in funerary affairs is also considered a Chemistry-honouring profession, so the people that carry out the many methods that the Dhalmanite use to become their chosen Law are usually followers of Regicielo, working towards this goal themselves.   Finally, for their deaths, they will request to get their bodies burned, to become Regicielo's body of flames and the field of ashes she walks on.
Symbol of Autonomism by Naelin
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