Eternal Fields

Eternal Fields is the name given to the afterlife of the Amaranthians. Mortals know little to nothing about it, as even when the Gods do commune with the mortals, they are very tight-lipped about this realm beyond the living world. As such, mortal knowledge of the Eternal Fields is largely based on near-death experiences, old legends and the very occasional godly hint.

## Known Aspects of the Fields

* Eternal Fields are real, and all will make it there eventually
* Maris is the one who guides mortals from one plane of existence to another.
* Ricmod passes judgment on the dead for their deeds in life.
* The journey to the Eternal Fields can be very difficult, and take many years.
* Eternal Fields is the home of mortal souls. Gods do not permanently reside there, but may move between planes freely.

## Mortal Beliefs

It is believed that the Eternal Fields are a great, vast plane of existence not that different from the mortal world. Like the world of the living, it was made by the gods as a home for mortals, and has been built on by generations of mortals who have come since their creation. However, those living in the Eternal Fields are undying, forever in the prime of their youth, and can not be permanently harmed.

Eternal Fields are split into ten sections. Nine of these are smaller pockets of the plane, dedicated to those who were especially devout to one of the gods - with each pocket corresponding to a god. These small realms reflect the ideals and creations of the god, although all are pleasant places for mortals to be in - as an example, Tesni’s realm would be hot and filled with beautiful metalwork, while Kosmas’ is essentially an endless library, filled with all the knowledge of the world.

The tenth is the largest section, and most like the living world, with villages and hamlets, countryside and vast oceans. Travel between different parts of the world is possible and easy, as one can always easily find what or who they were looking for, and travel goes by quickly if one wants it to.

The Eternal Fields are not eternally peaceful, however. Every now and then the gods will call upon the mortals to go out and fight The Remnants - powerful energies left behind by the creation of the known world, and the dark spirits who help them. In each of these battles, believed to occur every thousand years or so, countless dark souls are saved, but many residents of the Eternal Fields are lost - for a time.

### Reincarnation

Reincarnation is a controversial topic in ascoulian religion - whether it occurs, under what circumstances, and so on. It is not a part of the main church canon, but something of a niche belief.

Souls of the Eternal Fields who are killed in the battle between the Remnants and the gods are believed to reincarnate into new, mortal bodies some time later. They may retain memories of their previous life and the time they spent in the Eternal Fields, but these memories are hazy and often fade after early childhood - and the information gained from supposed reincarnations who have been interviewed has hardly been consistent. It is believed that these souls are guaranteed to receive a quick passage back to their true homes in the Eternal Fields after they die a second time.

Those who do not believe in reincarnation think that the souls killed in the battle are simply reborn in the Eternal Fields some time later.

## Journey to the Afterlife

Mortals believe that when they die, they are greeted by Maris’ song, which will guide them through dark corridors and blinding lights to abandon their attachments to the mortal world, and rise above it. Once they are able to do so, they come face to face with Maris, who will pierce the veil for them, allowing them to slip through into the realms of the dead.

### Ricmod’s Justice

On the other side of the veil awaits Ricmod, the arbiter of souls. He, and only he, will judge each mortal soul - a judgment everyone faces alone. Ricmod sees the nature of each soul, and he knows not only their deeds, but also their motivations. He weighs their guilt against their merit, their doubt against their devotion, and then passes final judgment.

Souls whose merits and devotion outweigh their guilt and doubt are taken to the Eternal Fields at once, and join other followers of their god of choice.

Souls who are devoted but feel guilty or meritorious but doubtful must find their own way to the Fields - a journey which for some is short and easy, and for others long and arduous. The challenges they face on this journey are based on their shortcomings, and the things they must learn - or get over. In the end, however, they always make it to the Eternal Fields, and are welcomed as equals.

Souls who are filled with guilt and doubt must also find their own way to the Eternal Fields, but their journeys are always long and difficult, with challenges that test them to their core. Some, it is said, spend a hundred years finding their way home - and others never do, becoming dark spirits.

### Wandering Souls

Wandering souls are spirits who, for one reason or another, failed to pierce the veil, or perhaps never even followed Maris’ song, leaving them trapped on the mortal coil. Although they are called “wandering spirits”, not all of them wander - many haunt the places of their life and death, unmoved by the passage of time. The theory is that spirits who never followed Maris at all become trapped in this way, while those who followed him but did not pierce the veil become true wanderers, free of their mortal attachments but unwilling to move on.

Wandering spirits - also known as ghosts - are sapient and retain their original personality, but often appear confused and are unable to fill the living in on how they ended up like this.  Some appear as just sounds and moving objects, while others are visible and even distinctly recognizable. Most ghosts are completely harmless and bear no ill will towards the living, but a rare few are malicious and should be avoided.

Spirits will, eventually, move on, often with the help of a specially trained priest.

### Dark Spirits

Dark spirits are souls who have failed both Ricmod’s judgment, and the challenges given to them thereafter. They are often the souls of those who have given their life to evil - rapists and murderers, honorless curs unable or unwilling to change their ways. But, as the priests remind, they may also be simply misguided, spirits wrecked with self-loathing so deep that they don’t feel they deserve the forgiveness of the gods.

These spirits fall through the cracks of the cosmos, and end up in a place without a name. There, they await in silence for the day the Remnants wage war against the gods, and they may face their second deaths in the battle they are fated to lose.

It is this death that frees them of their cycle, and allows them to come to the Eternal Fields.