Ghosts
Across all the continents and cultures of the world of Varda, sightings of Ghosts have been reported for thousands of years. While their existence cannot truly be disputed due to the shear amount of evidence, what Ghosts actually are has been a debate for centuries.
An encounter with Ghosts will revolve around the sighting of some partially-visible humanoid entity, which appears translucent to some degree. Although most of the time Ghosts take the form of a deceased humanoid, animals have also been noted from time to time as well. Many have noted that grievous wounds or altered appearance relating to the Ghosts demise is often seen, with the potential of this being exaggerated. Open wounds, water continuously pouring from the mouth, and even heads that are completely removed from the Ghosts body - all of these and many more have birthed a plethora of folk-tales and ghost stories across the continents.
Appearance and Behaviour
The behaviour of a Ghost can vary as much as their appearance. However, one key factor remains the same - they only appear around a set location or object. Houses, graveyards and anywhere a person may die are prime locations to become "haunted". Likewise, personal effects and items, such as jewellery or a painting, can have a degree of ghostly activity sprout up around them.
A number of techniques have been used to repel ghosts over the centuries. They appear to have an aversion to salt and iron, with both substances being used to temporarily dissipate a ghost or even keep them at bay. There are also a plethora of spells designed to combat ghosts, both being used as wards to keep spirits away or as direct attacks if a ghost manifests.
For permanently defeating a ghost, simply dispersing it when it appears is not enough, despite how much damage appears to be done. The most traditional way is to locate the bones or corpse of the ghost, salt them and then set them alight. Oil is typically used to do this. The same can be applied to a haunted object, which usually coincides to hauntings where no bones o body exists any more.
A harder and less traditional approach involves aiding the ghost. Resolving whatever issues the ghost has perceived as incomplete seems to work, and on completing their “unfinished business” the ghost will finally find peace. Many dispute that this method really works, and even more argue that it would be impossible to comprehend what the needs of a ghost are.
More often than not, at the height of ghostly activity, the Ghost itself will be sighted. This is followed by aggressive behaviour and even attacks on the living. Many have reported horrifying visages of the past, as the Ghosts form warps and disfigures. Those that run report being chased, with physical objects and walls meaning little to the pursuing Ghost, who simply moves through them like they aren't there. Even the lack of solid ground doesn't appear to have an impact on a Ghost, as many have reported them simply hovering or walking over broken flooring or water.
At it's worst, the haunting can result in further death. Many tales of a Ghosts touch being fatal appear to be true, and those that survive describe a feeling of coldness, pain and emptiness overbearing them as they are attacked.
In especially violent cases of hauntings, tales speak of how an individual may become possessed by a Ghost. Losing all will of their own, the Ghost enters the person's body and has full control. The victim is still aware as the Ghost uses its temporary physical form for its own purposes.
The first of these is used by scholars, scientists and arcane-practitioners. They theorise that in particularly traumatic deaths, the memories of the creature that died are imprinted on to the world magically. These will then be played out over and over again, leading to haunted locations and objects having a sense of paranormal activity around them. How the magic energies of The Weave actually achieve this is unknown, and studying what exactly occurs has proven difficult. The Grand Mage Mortelaten dipped in to the subject briefly in his research, and tied the existence of Ghosts to The Ethereal Plane.
Believed by many religious people and the general populace of most cultures is the second theory, which is draped in folklore rather than academia. They claim that a Ghost is the spirit of someone who has died, but has not moved on to the next life. This often occurs due to what is referred to as "Unfinished Business". The Ghost seeks to complete what was left, which often revolves around the cause of their death. It is thought that the violence Ghosts exhibit is a result of their attempts at communication as to what needs to be completed for them to move on. The more the Ghost tries and fails, the more their mind slowly warps in to madness from their continued existence on the The Material Plane.
All living beings contain a soul, which is made from the very essence of The Weave. When a creature dies, this soul is returned to The Weave to once again join the flow of magic. However, sometimes souls can get trapped. For some reason or another, the soul is unable to pass on. This could be a particularly traumatic death, unresolved issues the person had in life, or even if the resting place of the souls body is disturbed.
In such cases, the soul will instead go to the Ethereal Plane. Here, they will wander lost, glimpses of the Material Plane constantly appearing to them. Disorientated and driven by the cause of their entrapment, eventually the ghost will learn to pass between the Ethereal Plane and the Material Plane. This takes a great deal of energy, and at first it may be only for a few seconds, or they may only be able to exert their will on a small object.
As time moves on, the spirit will only have loose ties to who they were, being consumed by the reason they cannot move on. This usually results in repeated behaviour, materialising in the world as ghostly sightings in the same place, things moving in a particular room, and other typical haunted occurrences.
An encounter with Ghosts will revolve around the sighting of some partially-visible humanoid entity, which appears translucent to some degree. Although most of the time Ghosts take the form of a deceased humanoid, animals have also been noted from time to time as well. Many have noted that grievous wounds or altered appearance relating to the Ghosts demise is often seen, with the potential of this being exaggerated. Open wounds, water continuously pouring from the mouth, and even heads that are completely removed from the Ghosts body - all of these and many more have birthed a plethora of folk-tales and ghost stories across the continents.
Appearance and Behaviour
The behaviour of a Ghost can vary as much as their appearance. However, one key factor remains the same - they only appear around a set location or object. Houses, graveyards and anywhere a person may die are prime locations to become "haunted". Likewise, personal effects and items, such as jewellery or a painting, can have a degree of ghostly activity sprout up around them.
A number of techniques have been used to repel ghosts over the centuries. They appear to have an aversion to salt and iron, with both substances being used to temporarily dissipate a ghost or even keep them at bay. There are also a plethora of spells designed to combat ghosts, both being used as wards to keep spirits away or as direct attacks if a ghost manifests.
For permanently defeating a ghost, simply dispersing it when it appears is not enough, despite how much damage appears to be done. The most traditional way is to locate the bones or corpse of the ghost, salt them and then set them alight. Oil is typically used to do this. The same can be applied to a haunted object, which usually coincides to hauntings where no bones o body exists any more.
A harder and less traditional approach involves aiding the ghost. Resolving whatever issues the ghost has perceived as incomplete seems to work, and on completing their “unfinished business” the ghost will finally find peace. Many dispute that this method really works, and even more argue that it would be impossible to comprehend what the needs of a ghost are.
Signs of Presence
Hauntings will result in a number of differing cases of paranormal activity - objects moving, unlikely sounds and bangs being heard, and strange fluctuations in temperature. These events tend to start with only a few minor occurrences, but as time progresses, they become more common and aggressive. It is unclear what could start the ghostly activities plaguing a haunted location or object, and it has been noted that at times hundreds of years could pass between occurrences.More often than not, at the height of ghostly activity, the Ghost itself will be sighted. This is followed by aggressive behaviour and even attacks on the living. Many have reported horrifying visages of the past, as the Ghosts form warps and disfigures. Those that run report being chased, with physical objects and walls meaning little to the pursuing Ghost, who simply moves through them like they aren't there. Even the lack of solid ground doesn't appear to have an impact on a Ghost, as many have reported them simply hovering or walking over broken flooring or water.
At it's worst, the haunting can result in further death. Many tales of a Ghosts touch being fatal appear to be true, and those that survive describe a feeling of coldness, pain and emptiness overbearing them as they are attacked.
In especially violent cases of hauntings, tales speak of how an individual may become possessed by a Ghost. Losing all will of their own, the Ghost enters the person's body and has full control. The victim is still aware as the Ghost uses its temporary physical form for its own purposes.
Known Lore (In-World)
What a Ghost is and how it comes to be is still greatly disputed, although there are two main theories.The first of these is used by scholars, scientists and arcane-practitioners. They theorise that in particularly traumatic deaths, the memories of the creature that died are imprinted on to the world magically. These will then be played out over and over again, leading to haunted locations and objects having a sense of paranormal activity around them. How the magic energies of The Weave actually achieve this is unknown, and studying what exactly occurs has proven difficult. The Grand Mage Mortelaten dipped in to the subject briefly in his research, and tied the existence of Ghosts to The Ethereal Plane.
Believed by many religious people and the general populace of most cultures is the second theory, which is draped in folklore rather than academia. They claim that a Ghost is the spirit of someone who has died, but has not moved on to the next life. This often occurs due to what is referred to as "Unfinished Business". The Ghost seeks to complete what was left, which often revolves around the cause of their death. It is thought that the violence Ghosts exhibit is a result of their attempts at communication as to what needs to be completed for them to move on. The more the Ghost tries and fails, the more their mind slowly warps in to madness from their continued existence on the The Material Plane.
True Origins
The following is for world-building purposes only – no Character or mortal found within Varda will be privy to such information (although Divine or Otherworldly Beings may be).All living beings contain a soul, which is made from the very essence of The Weave. When a creature dies, this soul is returned to The Weave to once again join the flow of magic. However, sometimes souls can get trapped. For some reason or another, the soul is unable to pass on. This could be a particularly traumatic death, unresolved issues the person had in life, or even if the resting place of the souls body is disturbed.
In such cases, the soul will instead go to the Ethereal Plane. Here, they will wander lost, glimpses of the Material Plane constantly appearing to them. Disorientated and driven by the cause of their entrapment, eventually the ghost will learn to pass between the Ethereal Plane and the Material Plane. This takes a great deal of energy, and at first it may be only for a few seconds, or they may only be able to exert their will on a small object.
As time moves on, the spirit will only have loose ties to who they were, being consumed by the reason they cannot move on. This usually results in repeated behaviour, materialising in the world as ghostly sightings in the same place, things moving in a particular room, and other typical haunted occurrences.
Ghosts were encountered by the party of the Tales of Arden D&D 5E Campaign. While exploring the possibilities of an old smuggling route within Southdale, the adventurers were attacked in an abandoned house. Instead of dealing with the haunting, the group elected to run past the Ghosts.
Comments