"I walked the twisted path through the desert. Sand turned to glass, glittering in the yellow sun and crumbling beneath my boots. Strange whispers drifted out from the everpresent fog, blanketing my head. I have died here a thousand times. Torn my own body to shreds. Failed. Lay in the sand, the heat baking my skin until it cracked like dry clay. Failed. I can feel their gaze through the fog even now, their judgement unending. With every attempt I can feel myself breaking away, sinking into the sand. I don't know how many times I have failed. I don't know how many more times I will fail. Soon I will shed all of me, yet what remains will keep going." - The Heretical Yellow Book of Gods, Unknown
The Place Beyond the Sky, or just the Beyond, is where the souls of the departed are sent. There are countless theories of what this place actually looks like, though no living being has ever seen it. There are nearly as many varied descriptions as there are believers of the Imperial Pantheon. The single constant is what takes place once the soul has reached this mysterious location.
It is said by some that this realm that reflects the soul’s deepest fears and regrets, twisting familiar landscapes into desolate parodies. For the warrior who reveled in bloodshed, it might be a battlefield littered with the corpses of those they've slain, their cries echoing endlessly. For the scholar who pursued forbidden knowledge, it might be a crumbling library, its shelves lined with books filled with blank pages, the knowledge they sought forever out of reach.
Tests of the Divine
According to the priests of the Imperial Pantheon, acts and beliefs contrary to the teachings of the Emperor Eternal stain the eternal soul. In the Beyond, all pretensions, lies, and mortal trickery is scoured away, leaving behind the true essence of the soul. The gods test this naked soul and determine its worth. Those that pass this test are granted entry to what lies past the Beyond.
The exact nature of these tests is said to vary, Some see a grand hall, where the gods sit in judgment. Others imagine a solitary journey through a treacherous landscape, where the soul must face its own inner demons and overcome personal trials.
Those who fail the divine tests are condemned to wander the Beyond, trapped in a cycle of torment and regret, until they find their way back to the place of judgment. They become wraiths, their forms translucent and ethereal, their voices mere whispers carried on the wind. They are haunted by their failures, reliving their worst memories and longing for a chance at redemption. Despite the horrors of this existence, a flicker of hope remains. It is believed that even the most tainted soul can eventually find redemption, if they truly confront their failings and strive to repent. Though it may take countless attempts, they may eventually earn their escape.
"The Place Beyond the Sky... it’s the ultimate ghost story, isn’t it? The great unknown, the whisper that follows you like a shadow, no matter how fast your airship flies or how many bottles of ale you use to drown out those unsettling thoughts.
Every culture in Yrdde's got their own version— endless deserts, oceans of swirling stars, halls of judgment where gods with questionable fashion sense weigh your soul on rusty scales. Frankly, it all sounds a bit dreary. Me? I prefer my afterlife a little more lively - a tavern with endless ale, a sky full of dazzling fireworks, and a front-row seat to watch those pompous Emperors squirm as their grand legacies crumble to dust.
But it’s the uncertainty that really gets under your skin, isn't it? That fear that maybe, just maybe, those old wives’ tales are true. That after you breathe your last, your soul's gonna be stuck wandering some desolate wasteland, reliving your worst memories and yearning for a second chance you'll never get.
It’s a good motivator for a girl like me - a reminder to savor every sip of wine, every stolen kiss, every adventure that makes my heart race. Because if this is all we get, darlings, then it’s gotta be a damn good show, wouldn’t you agree?" - E Dawnstrider
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