Spirits

Description

Spirits are abundant in Aellorah, as after a person dies, Estrea gives them the option to pass on to the afterlife, or to observe the world if they have unresolved issues or business and need closure. However, these spirits that choose to remain on Aellorah to observe can become corrupted by the energy of the Wellsprings, and can transform into powerful undead creatures. As a result, organizations such as the Patrons of the Soul exist to banish these creatures so that the dead can finally rest if they become corrupted.

Hauntings are fairly common in Aellorah, especially in Myr, and most hauntings are truly terrifying. Corrupted spirits can feed on fear and negative energy, and will use their supernatural abilities to terrorize those who dwell nearby. Most spirits in Aellorah are not bound to any one location and may roam, but many tend to stay in the place they died or where they were when they became corrupted. Some spirits may haunt entire cities. They can be particularly difficult to excise depending on how long they have been corrupted. Clerics can bless an area to ward spirits away, but this is not permanent.

Many denizens of Aellorah routinely pay for blessings or even full consecrations to keep themselves safe. Corrupted spirits who have not yet ascended to become Banshees, Wraiths, or Revenants, can usually not harm the living, though they can kill by fear alone. The corrupted spirit's ability to cause fear is determined by the intelligence of the person as they were in life, as well as the method by which they died. Spirits who died in violent, tragic, or inhumane circumstances are prone to be more effective haunts.

Apparitions and Phantoms are able to communicate with the living, but it requires aid from a Cleric or Paladin. They can be cleansed and helped to move on, but Specters and Wraiths / Banshees / Revenants are beyond such help.

Blessings and consecrations offered by the Patrons of the Soul and other such organizations can only keep weaker spirits at bay, including Wisps, Apparitions, and Phantoms. The light of Aellorah's sun will temporarily banish all spirits except Wisps, and they will remain banished until nightfall when they will return where they were when the sun arose. To ward away Specters or Wraiths / Banshees, you must find a wizard capable of creating a Sun Glyph, a special kind of magic that creates light with the same effect as the sun, and will banish all spirits in its light. However, Revenants cannot be banished by the sun's light, though they are only active at night. Sun Glyhs will only anger a Revenant and cause them to lash out at the one who cast the spell.

Types of Spirit

There are five levels of corruption that spirits go through depending on how much wellspring energy they have been exposed to. The level of corruption determines how powerful the spirit is, and they are classified as such:

1. Wisp - Spirits that have not been corrupted by the wellsprings. This is the state spirits first appear in when someone dies and chooses to remain as an observer on Aellorah instead of passing to the afterlife. They are merely observers and cannot interact with the physical world in any way. They can go anywhere and are undetectable by mortals except by certain spells. A Wisp can be elevated to any level of corruption instantly if exposed to enough wellspring energy.
2. Apparition - Spirits that have a minor amount of corruption due to wellspring energy. They can be seen by mortals, but not heard, and they cannot interact with the physical world. Though they can roam, they tend to linger in the area of their death. Apparitions do not have the ability to feed on negative energy, and as such, the only way for them to become more powerful is to be exposed to more wellspring energy.
3. Phantom - Spirits with a medium amount of corruption due to wellspring energy. They can be seen AND heard by mortals, but cannot interact with the physical world. They can feed off of negative energy around them to advance their corruption and become more powerful. These spirits tend to linger in populated areas, especially cities and towns where criminals lurk.
4. Specter - Spirits with a high amount of corruption due to wellspring energy. They can be seen and heard by mortals, and can interact with the physical world. They are more effective at feeding on the negative energy around them than Phantoms. These spirits tend to linger in populated areas and will sometimes attack mortals.
5. Wraiths / Banshees - Spirits that have been totally corrupted by wellspring energy. They can be seen and heard by mortals, and can interact with the physical world. They can not only feed on negative energy, but they can also drain the life force of mortals. These spirits tend to linger in less populated areas and are very dangerous to encounter. Male spirits become Wraiths, while female spirits become Banshees.
6. Revenants - These spirits are at the same level as Wraiths or Banshees, but are a special case. Spirits will only become Revenants if they were murdered in life. They regain their corporeal form, and will look as they did in life, with the exception of gray, decaying flesh and supernatural strength and agility. They also gain the ability to know the location of their killer at all times and their singular goal is to hunt down their killer and take revenge. When they encounter their killer, their eyes will glow a bright yellow, paralyzing those not strong enough to resist. Revenants die again if they kill their murderer, but if they are unable to do so within one year, they will crumble to dust. A Revenant killed again by their killer returns again in 7 days as long as their killer remains alive.