Soul

Souls are immortal spirits which inhabit the bodies of all kith. Mortals are unable to perceive souls, and as such their exact nature is shrouded in mystery. However, it is known that their existence is intrinsically linked to the Deities.

Purpose

The soul acts as conduit to the divine. It is the tether through which the gods act and extend their influence on Mundus. Kith who align themselves with a deity effectively grant them the power of their soul, and may in turn be granted a sliver of their master's divine power when they need it. It is for this reason, since time immemorial, that the gods have jealously coveted the hearts and souls of kith.

Reincarnation

Souls are immortal, unlike the mortal hosts which they inhabit. When a kith dies, their bonded soul returns to The Beyond, the metaphysical realm of the gods. Most of them end up in the realm of Argadain, the god of death, where they await their turn to be reborn into newborn kith, thus continuing their eternal cycle on The Path.

When a soul reaches The Beyond, it carries an echo its former host. If the person was a particularly pious servant in their life, they may be granted the opportunity to serve their god once more. Such servants are transformed into otherwordly beings, imbued with the experiences they lived through on Mundus. Thus the soul sheds the echoes of its previous host, and is free to reincarnate on Mundus. These reformed echoes remain in the domain of their god, where they will protect and serve their master in their eternal struggle against the other deities.

Godmarked

Sometimes these children are born bearing the mark of a particular deity. These often manifest as animalistic properties, unnatural growths or other abnormal bodily conditions. Known commonly as Godmarked, these kith are believed to result from souls which were pious servants of a particular god in their previous life, and for whatever reason did not shed all of their past in The Beyond. Many believe these children to be blessed, others view them as bad omens. They are known to experience visions of their past life, and many of them wish they didn't.

Kith and the Others

It is unknown why only kith are able to act as hosts for souls. The six kith species and the Godmarked are far from being the only sapient creatures of Mundus. Many creatures of the world match or even surpass them in intellect, and quite a few are able to harness their own kind of magic, independent of the nine deities. These mortals who do not harbor souls are known as the Others. Aside from carrying souls, there appears to be no common link between kith which would make them stand out from the other sapient races.

Maladies of the soul

Though souls are immortal, they are not immutable. There are several known aberrations which change the properties of a soul.

Weak souls
The influence of the god Bleddyn is widely believed to erode at the soul, weakening it. Kith bearing such souls are thought to be less in tune with the gods. In extreme cases, they might be unable to connect with the gods altogether. It is said that such individuals are prohibited from wielding magic, but are also granted a degree of protection from the divine. The degradation is reversible, but very rarely is the soul healed during its time on Mundus.

Split souls
In rare cases, a soul enters Mundus and is unable to decisively enter a single host. The soul instead splits into two, with each half landing inside a different individual. A faint tether connects these two mortals, and subtly leads the two together in life. It is often said that fated lovers share the same soul. Twins are also believed to share the soul of their sibling in many cultures.

Two-souls
Some kith enter the world bearing two separate souls. Many believe that such a condition causes volatile, unpredictable individuals, and can even lead into a split personality. It is said that in childhood, one of the souls may become dominant or even completely extinguish the other. However, if the souls both survive into the host's adulthood, the condition is believed to be permanent. Some say that people with two souls carry unrivaled power within them, though if the souls conflict, it is unlikely the host will be able to bring their potential to bear fruit.

The Undead

Undead are brought about by shackling a soul to Mundus, preventing it from returning to The Beyond after its host perishes. It is considered an obscene violation of the natural order, as it prevents the soul from moving on The Path. Bleddyn, The Lord of Decay is the god that brought about the curse of undeath. It is said that such shackled souls are bound to the god's influence, empowering it as the souls of mortal worshippers do. Those with dreams of immortality are known to regale Bleddyn with such gifts, hoping to learn the profane rituals which would allow their ascension to lichdom.

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