Rivers of Worlds
The Flowing Pathways Between Realms
A Treatise by the Arcane Citadel
Throughout the cosmos, rivers serve as divine boundaries, conduits of fate, and pathways between life and death. Unlike mortal waters, these currents do not follow the natural order—they carve paths through the very fabric of existence, ferrying souls, gods, and seekers toward their destinies.
These rivers are neither passive nor safe. Some demand payment, others wash away identity, and some may change the nature of those who enter them. The wise do not approach these waters lightly, for to step into their currents is to surrender to forces beyond mortal control.
Documented below are four of the greatest rivers of the multiverse, each weaving between realms and shaping the journey of all who travel them.
5. The River Styx
"Those who forget their past are doomed not to repeat it, but to be lost in the depths forever."
Nature & Structure
The River Styx, known as the Black Current, is the boundary and passage of the dead, flowing through the Underworld and the Lower Planes. It is both a barrier that separates the living from the dead and a road upon which spirits travel to their final judgment.
- Its waters are black and cold, stretching endlessly across the realm of the dead.
- The river is lined with wailing souls, some seeking passage, others warning the living to turn back.
- To drink from its waters is to forget everything, a curse suffered by those who are unworthy or foolish enough to try.
Traversing the Styx
- Charon, the Ferryman—A silent figure who demands payment for passage, accepting only the correct coin or an oath of servitude.
- The War Barges of Avernus—The legions of Hell use the Styx as a battlefield, their infernal warships drifting between realms of torment.
- The Whispering Currents—Those with powerful magic may bind their fate to the river, allowing them to slip between life and death, but the cost is often too great.
No soul crosses the Styx unchanged. Those who return from its depths are never quite the same, their pasts fractured or erased by the black tide.
6. The River Oceanus
"The righteous are carried upon its waves, their burdens left behind in its wake."
Nature & Structure
Where the Styx is cold, dark, and cruel, its celestial counterpart, the River Oceanus, is pure, warm, and radiant. Flowing through the Upper Planes, it serves as a path for the virtuous—a passage toward peace, enlightenment, or ascension.
- The waters are clear and golden, reflecting the light of the heavens.
- Unlike the Styx, Oceanus does not erase the past, but washes away suffering, allowing the soul to move forward unburdened.
- It is home to celestial beings, river spirits, and divine emissaries who ensure only the worthy may travel its currents.
Traversing the Oceanus
- The River Gates—Certain temples and shrines serve as portals, allowing the faithful to step directly into Oceanus’ flow.
- The Boats of the Blessed—Guided by celestial mariners, these vessels carry souls toward Elysium, Arborea, and Mount Celestia.
- The Singing Currents—Those who listen carefully may hear whispers of fate, revealing hidden paths to the divine realms.
Though the river is peaceful, it is not without dangers—those who carry evil within them find Oceanus’ waters rejecting them, pushing them toward lands of judgment or oblivion.
7. The Silver River
"It is not water, but light; not a current, but a road written in the stars."
Nature & Structure
The Silver River, known in some lands as the Celestial Ocean, is a luminous flow of energy that spans the heavens. It is both a physical river and a cosmic pathway, serving as a bridge between the divine realms, the mortal world, and the unknown void beyond the stars.
- The waters shimmer like liquid starlight, constantly shifting as new constellations are born and old ones fade.
- Celestial beings sail upon it, their great vessels gliding along the silver currents, ferrying messages, prophecies, and lost souls.
- Some say it is the reflection of the true heavens, where the past, present, and future intertwine.
Traversing the Silver River
- The Starborn Vessels—Those chosen by fate may be granted passage upon ships crewed by celestial spirits.
- The Dreaming Path—Certain mystics may travel the Silver River in their dreams, gaining glimpses of realms otherwise unreachable.
- The Wells of Reflection—Hidden pools scattered across the world may serve as gateways, allowing those who peer into their depths to step onto the river’s path.
Unlike the Styx and Oceanus, the Silver River does not merely carry souls—it shapes destiny, altering the course of those who travel it. Those who stray too far from their path may find themselves adrift between realms, lost among the constellations forever.
8. The Road of the Dead
"All must walk this road, though where it leads is never certain."
Nature & Structure
Unlike the great rivers that carry the dead, the Road of the Dead is a shadowed path woven into the very fabric of existence. It is not bound to a single realm or culture—variations of it exist in many lands, each with its own trials and guardians.
- In the Norse traditions, it is the Hel-road, where spirits must walk until they reach their final resting place.
- In Celtic lands, it is the mist-shrouded path leading to the Otherworld, walked by warriors and kings.
- In the Mayan underworld, it is the treacherous road through Xibalba, where the dead are tested before they may ascend.
Traversing the Road
- The Toll of Passage—Some spirits may move freely, but others must pay a toll, answer riddles, or offer part of their essence to continue.
- The Ghostly Guides—Certain figures, such as ancestral spirits or spectral guardians, may aid travelers who walk the road.
- The Gates of Judgment—At the road’s end stands a final gate, where souls are judged, cast into the abyss, or allowed to ascend.
The Road of the Dead is different for each traveler, shaped by their deeds in life and the fate that awaits them. Some walk its length swiftly, while others wander its twists for what seems like eternity.
