Ghosts and Spirits in Ipsum
This articile intends to provide the contexts of ghosts and spiritualism across the various cultures within the land of Ipsum.
The presence of ghosts and spirits within the world is a polarizing topic among the scholars of Ipsum, the root of the issue being the difference of spirits between the Eastern and Western cities on the main continent. While the initial entires into this article are generalizations there will be further expansion on the different roles within each of the different cultures and countries within the regions.
In the East, ghosts and spirits are often created via violent and unwarranted deaths, tied to locations and objects related to the act of violence, the Eastern spirits are often antagonistic and often demand prompt cleansing before too much damage is done. Spirits, as a whole, are considered terrifying and nightmarish in the East and have been the source of many folklore tales designed to instill fear in all ages. Generally these spirit's resting places are desicrated in an attempt to excise the spirit from the material world.
In stark contrast in the West, spirits are respected and well regarded as ancestral protectors of family or sacred sites often holding a standing as personal minor dieties. These spirits often take on a more friendly demeanor and appearance with some folklore stating that they will go so far as speaking with the living to impart their wisdom. Culturally, spirits resting places are well tended to often by individual family members or dedicated keepers.
While there is a distinct difference between the Eastern and Western spirits of the world, the fact that these entitities have developed across the continent independently in each culture is a fact that many scholars have dedicated their entire lives to study the origins of.
(This is a Halloween/October themed article with the intention of being changed or added to at any time.)
Spread
Majority of the global population believe in them and often take steps to interact or prevent interaction with them. While in more educated circles in the West, they often do not belive in their existence until they are unlucky enough to become involved with one and it is too late.
Variations & Mutation
Western spirits are often horrifying in nature and embody nightmarish forms of their former bodies.
Eastern spirits are often calming and embody a familial form or even the form of their former bodies.
In the Drovan culture, where lycans are prevalent spirits can and often appear in their lupine or half lupine forms.
In the Ipsite culture, their ancestral spirits appear as they did in life, dressed in ancient regal attire often armor or royal robes.
In the Belish culture, where magic seeps into much of their culture, spirits appear as faceless shadows, hunters on the prowl for vengance. Notably Bellish spirits seem to be the only variant that is not bound to a location or object.
In the Karkis Culture, seemingly the furthest west an eastern ghost can appear, ghosts appear as their material form but with the gharish wounds that resulted in their death. A unique feature of Karkis spirits, they can be tied to multiple objects and locations appearing simultaniously in some reports.
Related Ethnicities
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