The Afterlife

[LADRILLON]

Hiyas


Been reading them books - most of them "core E3" ones, but found precious little about beliefs in the Afterlife in Barsaive/Thera, except that Death's supposed to be buried, there are "other worlds" in Astral Space & you can summon Namegivers. I was wondering if someone can puh-leeze point me to the right direction or at least gimme a general "gist" of what the inhabitants believe, if anything!


I mean, what you believe does tend to colour your life/deathview...

Thanks!
L

[Mataxes]

I don't know that there is anything in particular in the books, but I think the typical Namegiver-on-the-street probably thinks that your spirit goes to Death's domain, and the particular flavor of what that experience would be.

Now, adepts (depending on their Discipline) may have more varied ideas about the afterlife -- especially Nethermancers.

[Nahor]

Every discipline has the same view on the afterlife and that is 42. That or the afterlife is like a box of chocolates that you got during life but they've gotten all melty.

[Nahor]

For a serious answer though, check out the original Earthdawn Novels if you can find them, in particular the Earthdawn Trilogy: The Longing Ring, Mother Speaks, and Poisoned Memories. I believe it's the second book, but the main character enters Death's realm so you get a good feel for what the afterlife is like. It doesn't seem the most fun place to go, very reminiscent of a hot Hades, as opposed to a dank dark place where you just kind of stand in place. The main character experiencing Death's realm, J'Role, is a thief adept.

[Mataxes]

The third book is the one where J'role visits Death.

And that is one version of the afterlife... there is nothing to assume that other Namegivers experience it the same way.

[Nahor]

[ukhata]

theology implies a religion. there is no religion as such in Barsaive. the passions are not gods, but emotions/concepts given a body.
a such death is, as the nethermancers say, simply a change of state. ice, turn to water turns to steam. no real end is involved. just a change.
remnantsof , or even entire, namegivers patterns get trapped in astral space allowing them to be summoned. once in deaths domain though... your pretty much there to stay

my 2 cents
Ukhata

[LADRILLON]

His:

Existence becomes very certain once one seems to know all it's major mysteries.

L

[Nahor]

Uk, you're getting pedantic. And the nethermantic view you posited is Buddhism in a nutshell (almost), which to again be pedantic, isn't so much a religion as just a way of thinking or methodology to achieve nirvana since Buddhism accepts/acknowledges other religions as long as you, on your journey, realize that those beliefs you hold are just that, holding you back to enlightenment.

Also if the Passions deem it necessary at times to pro-actively interfere in Namegivers' lives, even if ultimately altruistic (or selfish if mad), then they are closer to the pantheons of old than merely emotion embodied. Also same shit different method of explanation: Greek/Roman/Egyptian/(All Ancient) gods were more or less allegories to explain behaviors/emotions, empirical observations, natural phenomena, acts incarnate, etc. The Passions are no different in this regard except they are supposedly more tied to the emotional aspect of things. So when we say Passion of hearth and home we mean the feeling of being at home or the feeling of longing for home rather than the physical home itself. Whoopdee-doo. You're still anthropomorphizing these things into beings that people pray to and to which those same beings grant powers for action of DEVOTION. Key word there and not mine but the game's.

All this still doesn't mean that FASA (and by extension RB now) could, would, or should (take your pick) have more information on these concepts for GM's to use in their game. D&D has many many books on all the friggin' deities of their settings and had great story lines for them. ED has hinted at just as legendary of stories, the Death legend in particular. I just want one that better explains the concept of the Passions, more information on the Passions themselves, their origins (really more like numerous legends from the POV of the many races as that would inform the reader of the various views), expanded questor information, and more information on the organizations -- call it cult or religion or whatever -- for each Passion. There's just enough out there in the various books to make it feel like there was more to be said and it just was never used or implemented . . . yet.

And back to the point: I want more official passion flare.

[LADRILLON]

Hi:

Also, there's a curiosly named critter, a hell hound. If barsaivians don't really recognise "hell" (at least, like we do) why the name?


L