Goshumese Mythology

### Planes of Existence

In Goshumá, spirits of all kind are believed to exist, after all it is they who created the world to begin with. From the mountains, to the oceans, spiritual activity is the catalyst that birthed the world which they refer to as Najirātā, literally meaning "material realm" in the Hagaetén Goshumese dialect. Though the world remains in a rather mature state of being, the ebb and flow of the **Vǎsruàm** (primordial roots) will never cease, keeping the tides in motion and the currents alive. These roots are tied to the very earth itself, from the trees and the flora, to the souls of the people, everything is connected. What rises to the surface must return to its roots, thus is the cycle of life and death for all known forms of being. The **Nāenasān** (heavenly gate) acts as the axis mundi of this world, and the very point from which the cosmic realm shone it's light upon the void, creating the lands and the seas as the roots spread outwards to support them. Leylines are said to exist over every other mountainous peak, as the roots created secondary gates across the material realm as they expanded outwards from the Nāenasān.

Beyond the heavens exist the cosmic space known as the Sanirātā (ethereal realm,) a plane of existence inhabited by Nakram, the benevolent creator deity whose age and knowledge precedes all else, while the earth deities and spirits live below in Najirātā. In the skies above exists the **Nakhrǎt** (sky veil), a thin impenetrable barrier which separates the ethereal realm from the material realm. While immortals can willingly travel through the veil, no human individual can pass through from the other side, unless they have reached the point of death.

### Spirituality and the Afterlife

Life after death can vary depending on the individual. A karmic system dictates the place of a mortal's spirit, where their past decisions and actions lead to a final judgement. Those who have sinned are cursed to walk the earth while plagued with an insatiable hunger that follows them for all of eternity, their cries for help remain thoroughly unheard. Spirits of the condemned are said to lose their humanity, if lucky enough to survive they will eventually enter a monstrous form, devoid of any memories which they may have once had in their past life. Those who have held lifelong grudges are said to be the most dangerous of spirits, as the gravity of their malice pulls them back into a physical form, able to terrorize unsuspecting mortals or even possess their bodies. These spirits, known as **Unǎrim**, have a natural weakness to sources of light, and thus cannot enter populated areas as the illumination around the buildings will cause their form to dissipate.

Individuals who have painstakingly redeemed their sins and actively committed their lives to self purification are granted passage through the veil, and live in the Sanirātā are known as **Kàrim**. However, even in this heavenly world, they are not free from the perils of service. Some kàrim individuals gain the responsibility of working as scribes, observing the world below and maintaining a well written record of all it's activities. Others may act as cultivators, ones who are trusted with the task of keeping the world alive through the natural vegetative process, planting forests and conjuring rain.