Psychopomp
Psychopomps are celestials that act as guardians and guides for the wayward souls of recently deceased creatures. They are also often called reapers.
While many gods collect souls to transform them into divine servants, fiends, or simply as a reward for their followers, psychopomps rigidly follow the belief that all creatures must be guided to the afterlife upon their death. Intelligent undead are an abomination to them, and resurrection and immortality is an act of defiance against the natural order.
Not even gods are immune from their quest, and more than one interplanar war has been waged to collect the soul of a god who refused to die.
Relations
Psychopomps relationship with both mortals and gods is complex. Without the protection of the psychopomps, billions of souls would find themselves claimed by the demons of the Abyss. But the afterlife is unknown, and even gods fear what lies in store for them. To attack a psychopomp is seen as incredibly dangerous - not for your physical safety, but for the fate of one's soul. Many gods abide by their rules simply to avoid provoking their ire, and psychopomps continue their work unaccosted by most.Types
Some of the most common variety of psychopomps can be found below. Nosoi - Acting as scouts, messengers, and counselors to spirits unwilling to pass on, these pyschopomps appear as ravens with four wings. As all psychopomps do, they wear a decorative mask. Phonoi - These psychopomps act as soldiers, aiding mortals in destroying undead, and freeing their souls to move on. Wearing robes reminiscent of vultures, these skeletal humanoids have decorative masks conceal the majority of their heads. Lethos - These psychopomps act as collectors and defenders of wayward souls that are in danger of being claimed by fiends or other forces. They visit those who dabble in forbidden arts. Neikea - The second highest ranked psychopomps appear as large, almost ethereal dragons. They are tasked with bringing to justice the most dangerous individuals that defy the natural order. Meymit - The Meymit have no set form - they are the many leaders of the psychopomps, and appear in a variety of forms.Basic Information
Genetics and Reproduction
Psychopomps are recruited, rather than crafted or born. Mortals that share their beliefs are recruited in to their order, and transformed into a psychopomp to serve for a time. Captured immortals are bound to a contract, and tasked with preventing the same thing that they sought to achieve.
Should they be killed, or their contract expire, they are guided to the afterlife by their peers.
Due to the fact that they are recruited, they retain a large amount of personality and appearance of their mortal form. It is tradition that a psychopomp wear a mask to prevent themselves from being recognized. It also grants them a measure of invisibility to the living.
Genetic Ancestor(s)
