Ghosts and the soul

And how do we know about the ghost, the soul and the body? Observation! The mind is the higher soul or Ba. The higher soul is thinking, it is rational and is the person. On death we find the body is associated with a ghostly spirit that is mentally limited. This is not the mind and higher awareness. Whence comes this? It is like an animal spirit. We know this is the Po - the lower or animal soul of the body. It is the thing that causes the bowel and bladder to demand attention. It is breathing. It is the heart and hunger. The higher mind may suppress and limit the body which is it's servant. But on death the Higher soul (Ba) moves on to the underworld for penance, for retained bonds, for desires. Or it moves into the cycle of reincarnation weighted and judged by Kazollo. Some are granted favor in the Court of Heaven and take up existence there in service to the Divine Order and the Gods.

Enica Fodzu, Preistess of Kazollo. The Cycle of the Souls. Kuan 933

It is traditional to cremate bodies before installing the remains in a tomb. This reduces the strength of the Po's connection to the body fetter and speeds it's return to the cycle. At least amongst the nobles and higher classes. Laborers and other base classes resort to burial of whole bodies - which pose both the Po risk, as well as ghouls and other undead. Or Necromancer body thieves. Criminals have their ashes scattered so the Po is dissipated to nothing and less likely to continue to be a threat to the community. Angry, unburied, those who are murdered or have unresolved highly important issues may raise a Po ghost that haunts homes or lingers around the body taking vengeance on any it encounters. The Po is animal, mostly incapable of speech and reason, and driven by base hunger and anger. It's powers allow it to gather the scattered bones , perhaps animating the body in the night. Like all ghosts sunlight sends them to sleep in the underworld until the bones or resting place is disturbed. The Po may be restrained by a barrier of salt ( as with most ghosts), or may be dispelled or laid properly to rest. Animals have Po as do the larger plants, but they may either awaken as proper free spirits or ascend as Totems via mechanic unique to the spirits.
The Ba ghost may also linger with the will and mental function. This is the Ancestor who watches over family or has clung to living desires or passions rather than passing on. These must see the resolution of the passions that keep them from passing to the next cycle or from moving up or down by the sins, virtues and faults of the person. Dispelling only sends them back to the underworld until they might find ways back to the living world. Invoking some rituals and the powers of the Gods may force a ghost to reincarnate or ascend or descend.
Necromancy may summon and control Po. They may be bound with new fetters or other bindings to inhabit and animate dead bodies - their own or others. Many acts of necromancy involve control and command of the Po linked to body parts. If name and materials of the dead, things tied to passions can be obtained a Necromancer might summon the Ba of those who linger in the underworld. The Ba ghost is stronger, and may have powers related to it's drives and fears magnified. Sorcerers also summon the ghosts of the dead, binding and forcing their service and revealing of secrets.

Transmission & Vectors

All species have Po. Only the thinking races of humans, Centaurs , Minotaur , The Fae , Dwarves, Titans , Bahku , Beastmen, Bugbear, Ghenid   and other thinking, speaking monsters have a Ba. It is said that some creatures- such as Kobolds have only an upgraded Po and no Ba soul. Centaurs, Minotaur, Bakhu, and fae Ba do not go to the Underworld. Some are quickly returned and reincarnated in new lives. Bahku say that their dead go to live with their Gods in the sky. Ghenid (see Ghenid Culture ) are known to persist as ghosts in the Underworld and the ancestors of the Titans, the Deadlords of Damamilla, exist outside the Underworld in their undead condition. Ghenid specifically possess some magic that makes animals and others subject to sacrifice as memorial grave offerings, transporting them immediately into the Underworld as ghostly forms. This includes Centaur and fae, who would not normally pass to the Underworld.

Causes

There is some debate amongst sages and priests that the true soul passes and that the Ba of Ghosts are not true souls, but rather etheric ectoplasmic memories of the person.  Bound ghosts do seem to know all that the living knew and some Po may be commanded to show where things were hidden or thing happened. The Gods do not reveal the truth.  Neromancers and some who have spoken to ghosts report that ghostly cities, forests, farms and ocean exist in the underworld, shadows of the ones of the living world- sometimes even keeping ghost forms of places long lost in the living world.

History

Because of the risk of displeased or angry ancestors or Po, much respect is shown in the memorial and laying to rest of bodies.  Priests perform the rites and urge the ghosts to seek judgement and reincarnation. They say the spells that send the Po to deep sleep, roused only if the tomb or remains are dis-respected or disturbed.  Some Po will pass and some remain, driven by some impulse of the deceased Ba mind.
Graveyards are places to be avoided at night. Po may feed on souls and flesh of the living- as may undead that frequent tombs and burial grounds.

Cultural Reception

Ghosts remain a source of fear.  They may bear grudges and hostility toward the living. Displeased ancestors bring curse and suffering on descendants who fail to pay respect and filial loyalty. They may bear messages or warnings. The anger of a Po brings suffering and death to the careless or disrespectful.  Priests, necromancers and sorcerers may be sought out to remove haunting ghosts or produce relief for a haunting spirit. Some fear that there is no reincarnation..only an endless waiting in the halls of the dead in the underworld.

The wise masters of the Imperial School of Magic know that the The Harrowland has the affliction of The Risen - an infection of the Po soul. Possession is a spirit that rides or engulfs a Po or Ba soul.  The Risen seem to transform the Po. Then there are Kobolds, and other daemons. These are partial souls of demons and Sidereal - things that would to us be as if a hand or hair lived on it's own after the owner had died.  The Kobold have some crude magics by which they slowly forge a full soul.  Their imperfect creations leak mystic energies that blight the surroundings and radiate the unnatural aura.  This is why Kobolds cause beasts and people discomfort, and why some things awaken, soaking up enough lost soul energy to live again to terrorize areas where Kobolds pass or stay.  Their Magic is their own and of no use or interest to normal and sane human mages.

Centaur and Fae souls pass as shadows or faint vapors into the realm of the Mists and the Dreaming.  This Chaos touched realm is also touching the Underworld in the Dark, Cold and Damp.  It touches the Astral in the Bright, Warm. and Dry.  From the Dream realm these creatures find rebirth under their own Gods.  Some Fae are reborn into human lines that may have fae blood in the ancestry.

Type

Mental

The Necromancer says the Ghost has powers related to the personality. The Eidolon.  These are emotional shrieks and moans and howls of burning rage in the banshee.  Manipulation and hurling objects in the poltergeist.  Haunters which inhabit things and animate them, moving inanimate objects as if it were a fleshy body.  These are just a few types known to the unclean arts of the Necromancer.

The Centaurs in their primitive and indiscriminate greed for knowledge have even gathered lore from bestial Ghenids and their evil ways.  The Ghenid ghost is bound over and over in Soul Chains that are used to command and compel. Likewise their captives, prisoners, slaves, beasts and possessions. Each Ghenid has a familiar, called the Shadow. This is some ghostly ancestor that not only has the Eidolon but also commands all under it's chains- drawing secrets, powers and seemings from them at will. And this Shadow has a Shadow in turn, some still more ancient ancestor. It is said this goes back to the first Ghenid and their Demon Queen.

The ghostly dead of the empire and primitive districts far beyond the borders of the Empire, and kingdoms long dead and gone have the eidolon and also the Guilds, which impose magics of the dead by use of runes inscribed in Underworld metals into the ectoplasmic flesh of the ghostly dead.  We may be thankful that Necromancers have not brought this art to the living world...though it is rumored to be practiced by undead Liches and perhaps the Deadlords/ Deadkings .