Severed Realm: Difference between revisions

Latest revision as of 19:52, 6 June 2023

While there is a plethora of mythologies that bifurcate the world into distinct dominions of heaven and hell, such as Christianity, this dichotomy isn't entirely accurate. The Severed Realm closely resembles the traditional concept of hell. It's the resting place for wayward souls after death, particularly those unable to liberate themselves from the negative emotions that tether them to the material plane. Consequently, souls retaining their anger, hate, envy, and similar sentiments are cut off from the other realms, ensnared within the Severed Realm. Over time, these negative energies corrupt the soul, transforming it into a demon. These demons populate the Severed Realm, gorging on the energies of souls yet to relinquish their ties to this realm, or release their burdens and earn freedom.

Attraction of Negative Energy

This plane could also be conceptualized as a "negative energy plane," acting as a magnet for similar energies from the cosmos. Although the material planes are composed of diverse energies, the contents of this plane are primarily pure negative energy. However, this doesn't denote negativity in an electromagnetic context, but negativity detrimental to life - an anti-life energy. In some respects, it's the inverse of Aether, and in others, a corrupted version of Aether. It's the result of primal elemental forces that constitute life becoming tainted and destructive rather than life-giving.

Objects infused with such energy gravitate toward this plane. Its power can be harnessed to pervert life, as in necromancy, which taps into this plane to reanimate the deceased. Since death is a natural component of life, its reversal via magic signifies a corruption of life.

Shedding Negativity

Escaping this realm requires a soul to shed its negative energy, an act inherently fraught with the risk of instigating corruption. A more apt description would be the necessity for one within the Severed Realm to purge their own corruption to facilitate escape. A deceased soul can perform this easily, being pure energy, and the absence of physical form simplifies the separation of corruption from life. However, for a living entity, such as a human, this process is complex and carries repercussions. Releasing one's negative energy within the Severed Realm can offer a route to escape, but a new seed of corruption will be drawn in. The return journey to the material plane from the Severed Realm is costly and could result in severe consequences if the seed of corruption is left unchecked once the person re-enters the realm of the living.

Physical Properties

The Severed Realm manifests as a barren wasteland, stiflingly hot and humid in an intensely uncomfortable way. There are virtually no traces of life or positive energy there. Though plants do grow, they're twisted versions of their material plane counterparts. Consequently, these plants are typically toxic, and the non-poisonous ones tend to feast on the flesh or souls of visitors. Any plants that can be eaten usually possess venomous qualities or some other sinister means of making death seem merciful. Running water exists, but it's brackish and dirty, teeming with harmful poisons and parasites that can be fatal swiftly. Expertise in elemental manipulation or specific magical energy usages can purify items found in this realm. Scientific methods can also be employed to evaluate the extent to which found items can be safely consumed, given sufficient knowledge of poisons, parasites, and other lethal factors.

Magic, Psionics, and Aether

Given that this realm is a bastion of corruption, it's an inevitable consequence that the use of magical or psionic energy exposes one to the negativity and corruption of this place. The effects accumulate, and individuals with weaker mental fortitude risk succumbing to the negative energy and corruptive influence of the Severed Realm.

Death is No Respite

Here, death offers no sweet solace; instead, the plane actively seeks to corrupt and/or kill anyone who dares to enter. If one perishes here, their soul risks permanent corruption, and even if it resists, they will face a fierce struggle to shed their negative energy before the corruption becomes so pervasive that escape becomes impossible.

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-In the beginning of mortal life, [[The Old Gods]] did not know of death as the world knows it today.  It was not permanent, and a mortal could return to the living world as a ghost.  This was a gift, a way to say goodbye to those one left behind.  Many stories are told of brave souls that returned to help the living in times of great need.  Not all souls were there to help, however.  Some souls were still burdened with the pain of life, pain of death, anger at the living, and hatred of what they had become.
+[[File:{{#setmainimage:severed-realm.jpg}}|thumb]]
+While there is a plethora of mythologies that bifurcate the world into distinct dominions of heaven and hell, such as Christianity, this dichotomy isn't entirely accurate. The Severed Realm closely resembles the traditional concept of hell. It's the resting place for wayward souls after death, particularly those unable to liberate themselves from the negative emotions that tether them to the material plane. Consequently, souls retaining their anger, hate, envy, and similar sentiments are cut off from the other realms, ensnared within the Severed Realm. Over time, these negative energies corrupt the soul, transforming it into a [[demon]]. These demons populate the Severed Realm, gorging on the energies of souls yet to relinquish their ties to this realm, or release their burdens and earn freedom.
-The climate changes, but most often it is incredibly hot and humid.  There is no wind, though clouds move quickly far overhead and one cannot see any sun or moon, it does become night but night lasts twice as long as any day and without a sun or a moon it is hard to tell what time of any given day it is.  Navigation by stars does not work, there are no stars.  Navigation by compass also does not work, as there is no magnetic North and a compass needle does not move to point in any particular direction.
+== Attraction of Negative Energy ==
+This plane could also be conceptualized as a "negative energy plane," acting as a magnet for similar energies from the cosmos. Although the material planes are composed of diverse energies, the contents of this plane are primarily pure negative energy. However, this doesn't denote negativity in an electromagnetic context, but negativity detrimental to life - an anti-life energy. In some respects, it's the inverse of Aether, and in others, a corrupted version of Aether. It's the result of primal [[elemental]] forces that constitute life becoming tainted and destructive rather than life-giving.
-== Entrance ==
+Objects infused with such energy gravitate toward this plane. Its power can be harnessed to pervert life, as in necromancy, which taps into this plane to reanimate the deceased. Since death is a natural component of life, its reversal via magic signifies a corruption of life.
-Entry into this realm should be one way, and usually occurs because Osyn (protector of the dead and dying) carries the soul there, holding the souls she is traveling with across the realms through the [[Well of Forever]] which leads to all places and all times.  The well, here, is guarded by a great volcano which has no direct name, as it is the only volcano in the endless realm.  Souls pour forth into the realm in the heated smoke from the mouth of the volcano, when an incredibly large number of people die, the volcano will erupt and spew forth ash and lava containing the souls filled with anger and hate.
-== Exit ==
+=== Shedding Negativity ===
-Legends say the only way to leave this realm is to change ones nature, leave off the anger and hate, and fight the lava flows inside the volcano to reach the well itself.  Once there, Osyn can take you to the [[Ocean of Dreams]] if she judges that you truly have cast away that which cast you here.  She is unforgiving, however, should a soul try to escape and will rend any soul which tries to cross without her permission.
+Escaping this realm requires a soul to shed its negative energy, an act inherently fraught with the risk of instigating corruption. A more apt description would be the necessity for one within the Severed Realm to purge their own corruption to facilitate escape. A deceased soul can perform this easily, being pure energy, and the absence of physical form simplifies the separation of corruption from life. However, for a living entity, such as a human, this process is complex and carries repercussions. Releasing one's negative energy within the Severed Realm can offer a route to escape, but a new seed of corruption will be drawn in. The return journey to the material plane from the Severed Realm is costly and could result in severe consequences if the seed of corruption is left unchecked once the person re-enters the realm of the living.
+== Physical Properties ==
+The Severed Realm manifests as a barren wasteland, stiflingly hot and humid in an intensely uncomfortable way. There are virtually no traces of life or positive energy there. Though plants do grow, they're twisted versions of their material plane counterparts. Consequently, these plants are typically toxic, and the non-poisonous ones tend to feast on the flesh or souls of visitors. Any plants that can be eaten usually possess venomous qualities or some other sinister means of making death seem merciful. Running water exists, but it's brackish and dirty, teeming with harmful poisons and parasites that can be fatal swiftly. Expertise in elemental manipulation or specific magical energy usages can purify items found in this realm. Scientific methods can also be employed to evaluate the extent to which found items can be safely consumed, given sufficient knowledge of poisons, parasites, and other lethal factors.
+== Magic, Psionics, and Aether ==
+Given that this realm is a bastion of corruption, it's an inevitable consequence that the use of magical or psionic energy exposes one to the negativity and corruption of this place. The effects accumulate, and individuals with weaker mental fortitude risk succumbing to the negative energy and corruptive influence of the Severed Realm.
+== Death is No Respite ==
+Here, death offers no sweet solace; instead, the plane actively seeks to corrupt and/or kill anyone who dares to enter. If one perishes here, their soul risks permanent corruption, and even if it resists, they will face a fierce struggle to shed their negative energy before the corruption becomes so pervasive that escape becomes impossible.
 [[Category:Planes of Existence]]