Chapter 6: Realms of the Dead
When mortal beings die, their souls travel to the land of the dead of the continent on which they died- unless a specific deity personally harvests the character's soul and takes them to a different realm (such as a divine realm or a different realm of the dead). Living characters can enter realms of the dead through arcane or religious methods and occasionally, spirits in realms of the dead can enter the mortal realm again- such as on certain holidays (like Mid-Autumn).
Ukanda wa Mbuga , Land of the Innocent Dead
When a mortal being dies on the continent of Aliaanza'nchi, they meet the Wavunaji (Deities of the Afterlife) in the Astral Plane who weight the character's heart against a feather. Any character with a Good Alignment enters the realm of Ukanda wa Mbuga- a land under a purple, night sky defined by a vast grassland with lush animal and plant life in the darkness.
ARCANA
- Only Human Spells work in Ukanda wa Mbuga
DIPLOMACY
- Yin and Nesir (Half-Elf deities of Death and the Afterlife) are the monarchs of this realm
NATURE
Flora:
- lily, orchid, aloe vera, custard-apple, hanza, mahogany, tropic grass, tamarisk, shittah tree, baobab tree
Fauna:
- Land: mountain giant, water buffalo, civet, golden cat, wolf, leopard, python, rat, weasel, mongoose, mamba, duiker, hyrax, cheetah, chimpanzee, eland, peacock, crocodile, elephant, viper, giraffe, beetle, zebra, kudu, pangolin, hippopotamus, lion, rhinoceros, unicorn, okapi, river hog, antelope, jackal, hyena, hornbill, warthog, wildebeest
- Sky: dove, heron, egret, ibis, stork, goose, duck, hawk, vulture, eagle, falcon, francolin, guineafowl, flufftail, crake, courser, lapwing, sandpiper, tern, gull, parrot, turaco, cuckoo, owl, nightjar, swift, kingfisher, bee-eater, roller, woodhoopo, hornbill, barbet, honeyguide, woodpecker, lark, swallow, wagtail, pipit, bulbul, thrush, cisticola, warbler, flycatcher, wattle-eye, babbler, chickadee, sunbird, oriole, shrike, starling, weaver, waxbill, indigobird, canary
Jangwa, Land of the Guilty Dead
The Realm of the Guilty is a dark jungle occupied by wooden masks hung from the jungle trees peering towards outsiders with eyes made from foggy lights of green, purple, and red. Characters with an Evil Alignment who die in Aliaanza'nchi enter this realm after the weighting of their heart.
ARCANA
- Only Human Spells work in Jangwa
DIPLOMACY
- Ugoniwa (Human deity of Magic) is the monarch of this realm
NATURE
Flora:
- raffia palm, saptree, bulletwood
Fauna:
- Land: water buffalo, civet, golden cat, wolf, warg, hellhound, leopard, python, rat, giant rat, weasel, mongoose, mamba, duiker, bonobo, hyrax, cheetah, chimpanzee, eland, peacock, phoenix, crocodile, elephant, olifant, gorilla, viper, giraffe, beetle, zebra, kudu, pangolin, hippopotamus, lion, griffon, rhinoceros, unicorn, okapi, river hog, antelope, jackal, chupacabre, hyena, hornbill, warthog, lichen
- Sky: lovebird, dove, bat, killer bat, heron, egret, ibis, stork, goose, duck, hawk, giant hawk, fury, vulture, wyvern, eagle, roc, falcon, giant falcon, hippogryph, francolin, guineafowl, flufftail, crake, courser, lapwing, sandpiper, tern, gull, parrot, turaco, cuckoo, owl, giant owl, nightjar, swift, kingfisher, bee-eater, roller, woodhoopo, hornbill, barbet, honeyguide, woodpecker, lark, swallow, wagtail, pipit, bulbul, thrush, cisticola, warbler, flycatcher, wattle-eye, babbler, chickadee, sunbird, oriole, shrike, starling, weaver, waxbill, indigobird, canary
Ohorezko, Land of the Honorable Dead
When a character dies committing an act of honor (self-sacrifice), their spirit enters Ohorezko- the Land of the Honorable Dead. This realm exists within a massive banquet hall where the souls of enemies who once fought in the mortal realm sit as friends enjoying a never ending feast to fellowship. There are often feats of athletics, such as wrestling and boxing between courses of the meal and there is an endless supply of food and drink.
ARCANA
- Only Dwarf and Gnome Spells work in Ohorezko
DIPLOMACY
- Poesia (Dwarven deity of Wisdom) and Sutondo (Dwarven deity of the Home) are the monarchs of this realm.
NATURE [outside the hall]
Flora:
- willow, birch, juniper, crowberry, bilberry, bearberry, cowberry, poppy, wintergreen, cottongrass, dandelion, moss
Fauna:
- Land: caribou, muskox, polar bear, wolf, fox, hare, lemming
- Sea: narwhal, humpback whale, orca, seal, cod, salmon, char, halibut, rose fish, seawolf
- Sky: ptarmigan, raven, eagle, falcon, owl, wheateater, eider, auk, bunting, cormorant, gull, fulmar, phalarope, merganser, diver, duck, puffin
Desohoragarria, Land of the Dishonorable Dead
When a character dies a dishonorable death (selfish), their spirit goes to Desohoragarria- the Land of the Dishonorable Dead. This realm exists within a frozen wasteland covered in fog and ice.
ARCANA
- Only Dwarven and Gnome Spells work in Desohoragarria
DIPLOMACY
- Heriotza (Dwarven deity of Death) is the monarch of this realm.
NATURE
Flora: moss, liverwort, hair grass, pearlwort
Fauna
- Land: penguin
- Sea: seal, sea lion, blue whale, sperm whale, snailfish, cod, eelpout, hagfish, lamprey, skate, pearlfish, horsefish, sculpin, triplefin, flounder, toothfish, silverfish, krill, squid, kraken, urchin, salp, sponge
- Sky: albatros, petrel, skua, gull, tern
Si
Mortals who die in the continent of Si regenerate into a new life form somewhere on the continent.
Pararaiha, Land of the Terrestrial Dead
The souls of characters who die on land in the Ocean of Peace (such as on an island) travel to Pararaiha- the Land of the Terrestrial Dead. The Terrestrial land of the dead consists of a red rock wilderness that spans an infinite distance in all directions under a kaleidoscope sky.
ARCANA
- Only Halfling Spells work in Pararaiha
DIPLOMACY
- Marama (Halfling goddess of the Sun) is the monarch of this realm
NATURE
Flora:
- oak, mulga, grevillea, spinifex
Fauna:
- Land: possum, squirrel, platypus, echidna, mole, bandicoot, bilbie, wombat, koala, kangaroo, wallaby, dingo, fox, hare, emu, cassowary, malleefowl, brush-turkey, toad, frog, giant frog, tree frog, crocodile, fierce snake, brown snake, tiger snake, python, blind snake, thorny devil, gecko, bearded dragon, frill-necked lizard, monitor lizard, fire drake, goanna, blue-tongued lizard, arowana, lungfish, salamanderfish, lamprey, herring, catfish, rainbowfish, gudgeon, cod, barramundi, perch, beetle, weevilant, fire ant, grasshopper, funnel-web spider, earthworm, wyrm, crayfish
- Sky: cockatoo, galah, kingfisher, passerine, magpie, thornbill, pardalote, honeyeater, treecreeper, lyrebird, bowerbird, bee, wasp, moth, fly, mosquito
Motu, Land of the Nautical Dead
The souls of those who die at sea in the Ocean of Peace (such as on ships or from drowning) travel to Motu- Land of the Nautical Dead. Motu consists of several tiny desert atolls surrounded by an endless and inescapable ocean under a hot, yellow sun.
ARCANA
- Only Halfling Spells work in Motu
DIPLOMACY
- Wheke (Halfling god of the Sea) is the monarch of of this realm
NATURE
Flora: palm, poisontree, ka tree
Fauna
- Land: skink
- Sea: anchovy, angelfish, barracuda, bonefish, butterflyfish, cardinalfish, eel, screaming eel, damselfish, frogfish, goatfish, goby, grouper, lizardfish, marlin, needlefish, parrotfish, pufferfish, ray, sardine, scorpionfish, reef shark, tiger shark, whale shark, snapper, squirrelfish, surgeonfish, triggerfish, tuna, wrasses, seal, sperm whale, sea monster, beaked whale, dolphin, orca, sea turtle, continent turtle, sea snake
- Sky: duck, goose, pheasant, phoenix, grebe, pigoen, rail, plover, sandpiper, skua, auk, gull, tern, albatross, petrel, booby, egret, eagle, roc, flycatcher, thrush, honeyeater, waxbill, pipit, finch, tanager, bat, killer bat
Anudaduhi, Land of the Remembered Dead
The souls of those who die in Ulinawi first go to Anudaduhi- the Land of the Remembered Dead. The Land of the Remembered consists of hundreds of brightly colored step pyramids inside a massive cave with painted skull balloons floating throughout and several rivers and canals separating the sectors of the realm. Yellow, orange, and gold lights illuminate the dimension filled with the animated skeletons of the remembered.
ARCANA
- Only Drow Spells work in Anudaduhi
DIPLOMACY
- Anudadisdi (Drow spirit of the Remembered Dead) is the monarch of this realm
NATURE
Flora: agave, amaranth, artillery plant, basil, beardtongue, begonia, nightshade, lily, ballmoss, burhead, mint, butterwort, cattail, lettuce, daisy, sunflower, thistle, duckweed, goatweed, hornwort, indigo, hurricane-grass, bamboo, dropseed, goose grass, paintbrush, mallow, milkweed, morning glory, orchid, periwinkle, poinsettia, clover, poppy, sage, sedge, snakewort, spiderflower, spurge, waterlily, hibiscus
Fauna:
- Land: possum, armadillo, porcupine, squirrel, tapir, vole, shrew, ocelot, wall lizard, skink, iguana, crocodile, rattlesnake, boa
- Sky: bat, snake-bird, flamingo, macaw, parakeet, owl, hummingbird, flycatcher
Uwagewisuhi, Land of the Forgotten Dead
When characters in the mortal realm no longer remember the names of the souls of those in Anudaduhi, those souls travel to Uwagewisuhi- the Land of the Forgotten Dead. The LAnd of the Forgotten exists inside of a dark and damp cave where there is little light and no bright colors on the several thousand stone pyramids.
ARCANA
- Only Drow Spells work in Uwagewisuhi
DIPLOMACY
- Gugewisdi (Drow spirit of the Forgotten Dead) is the monarch of this realm
NATURE
Flora:
- tulip tree, lipsticktree, breadfruit, acacia, cannonball tree, dandelion, maize, coconut, mango, blackjack, passionfruit, passionflower, bracken, selfheal, yarrow, sowthistle, periwinkle, foxglove, orchid, clover, daisy, hyacinth, lily, cattail, plantain, nightshade, fig, mangrove, mint, balsa, papaya, hibiscus, littlebell, cacao, impatien, rain tree, screwpine, milkweed, parsley, cotton, morning glory, knotweed, pokeweed, water lettuce, bramble, pineapple, cashew, firebush, hawksbeard, tasstleflower, walking palm, jungle flame, paintbrush, spleenwort, ginger, starfruit, provision tree, shrimp plant, fern, joyweed, spleenwort, blueheart, spiderwort, poinsettia, polka dot plant, banana, guava, scarlet-star, tamarillo, pagoda flower, sunset bells, flamingo flower, kapok tree, jacaranda, lancewood, milk tree, rose apple, royal palm, rubber tree, tamarind, soursop, senna
Fauna
- Land: capuchin, howler monkey, sloth, coatli, tayra, tapir, jaguar, deer, anteater, ocelot, cougar, tree frog, glassfrog, giant frog, toad, anole, iguana, fire drake, boa, coral snake, viper, salamander, caiman, crocodile
- Sky: bat, killer bat, hummingbird, macaw, quetzal, butterfly, moth
Wallawalla, Land of the Royal Dead
The souls of those who die in Hattun that have royal lineage travel to Wallawalla- the Land of the Royal Dead. This realm rests on the mountaintops of cloud forests high in the sky, surrounded by rainforest. Stone temples and thatched huts occupy the landscape above the clouds.
ARCANA
- Only Goblin Spells work in Wallawalla
DIPLOMACY
- Inti (Goblin deity of the Sun) is the monarch of Wallawalla
NATURE
Flora:
- palm tree, pineapple, spurge, peacock flower, heliconia, cannonball tree, ayahuasca, mallow, mahogany, myrtle, orchid, bedstraw
Fauna
- Land: beetle, jaguar, black bear, woolly monkey, rat, armadillo, anteater, sloth, marmoset, tamarin, capuchin, squirrel monkey, night monkey, titi, saki, howler monkey, spider monkey, porcupine, chinchilla, guinea pig, capybara, mouse, shrew, ocelot, cougar, fox, wolf, raccoon, coati, weasel, river otter, skunk, tapir, peccary, llama, deer, possum, caiman, anaconda, frog, tree frog, salamander
- Sky: bat, rhea, tinamous, screamer, duck, goose, teal, guan, curassow, quail, flamingo, grebe, pigeon, dove, cuckoo, oilbird, potoo, nightjar, swift, hummingbird, rail, coot, plover, lapwing, sandpiper, jaeger, gull, tern, albatross, petrel, shearwater, booby, heron, egret, bittern, ibis, vulture, hawk, kite, owl, trogon, motmot, kingfisher, jacamar, puffbird, barbet, toucan, woodpecker, falcon, parakeet, parrot, antbird, antpitta, tapaculo, woodcreeper, flycatcher, cotinga, manakin, tityra, vireo, jay, swallow, wren, gnatcatcher, thrush, pipit, tanager, sparrow, cardinal, warbler, troupial, finch, euphonia
Wanay, Land of the Peasant Dead
The souls of those who die in Hattun without royal lineage travel to Wanay- Land of the Peasant Dead. The afterlife of the peasant dead consists of a river-side village of stilt-supported thatched huts within a jungle enclosure. The sky is eternally dark and the jungle is thick and overgrown.
ARCANA
- Only Goblin Spells work in Wanay
DIPLOMACY
- Killa (Goblin goddess of the Moon) is the monarch of this realm
NATURE
Flora:
- palm tree, pineapple, spurge, peacock flower, heliconia, cannonball tree, ayahuasca, mallow, mahogany, myrtle, orchid, bedstraw
Fauna
- Land: wolf, hellhound, warg, fox, jaguar, cougar, ocelot, anteater, sloth, armadillo, coati, river otter, tapir, peccary, deer, capybara, howler monkey, capuchin, squirrel monkey, marmoset, tamarin, anaconda, caiman, crocodile, marsh turtle, box turtle, tortoise, worm lizard, iguana, fire drake, ground lizard, gekko, whiptail, spectacled lizard, skink, blind snake, ground snake, coral snake, viper, birdeater spider, thrip, rhea, tetra, catfish, piranha, pirarucu, frog, giant frog, tree frog
- Sky: bat, killer bat, parrot, toucan, trogon, flamingo, duck, vulture, wyvern, hawk, giant hawk, fury, eagle, roc, owl, giant owl, swan, hummingbird