"I walked the twisted path through the desert. Sand turned to glass, glittering in the yellow sun and crumbling beneath my boots. Whispers drifted out from the everpresent fog, blanketing my head but still to quiet to understand. I had walked this path a thousand times, maybe. Failed. Torn my own body apart. Failed. Lay in the sand, the heat baking my skin until they took pity upon me. Failed. I can feel their gaze through the fog even now, their judgement unending. Every step I could feel a little part of me breaking away, sinking into the sand. I don't know how many more times I will fail. I don't know how many times I have failed. Soon there will be nothing left of me, and yet I will keep going." - The Heretical Yellow Book of Gods, Unknown
The Place Beyond the Sky, or just the Beyond, is where the souls of the departed are sent. There are countless theories of what this place actually looks like, though no living being has ever seen it. There are nearly as many varied descriptions as there are believers of the Imperial Pantheon. The single constant is what takes place once the soul has reached this mysterious location.
The Beyond
It is said by some that this realm that reflects the soul’s deepest fears and regrets, twisting familiar landscapes into desolate parodies. For the warrior who reveled in bloodshed, it might be a battlefield littered with the corpses of those they've slain, their cries echoing endlessly. For the scholar who pursued forbidden knowledge, it might be a crumbling library, its shelves lined with books filled with blank pages, the knowledge they sought forever out of reach.
Tests of the Divine
It is said that acts and beliefs contrary to the teachings of the Pantheon stain the eternal soul. In the Beyond, all pretensions, lies, and mortal trickery is scoured away, leaving behind the true essence of the soul. The gods test this naked soul and determine its worth. Those that pass this test are granted entry to what lies past the Beyond.
The exact nature of these tests is said to vary, Some see a grand hall, where the gods of the Imperial Pantheon sit in judgment. Others imagine a solitary journey through a treacherous landscape, where the soul must face its own inner demons and overcome personal trials.
Failing the Test
Those who fail the divine tests are condemned to wander the Beyond, trapped in a cycle of torment and regret, until they find their way back to the place of judgment. They become wraiths, their forms translucent and ethereal, their voices mere whispers carried on the wind. They are haunted by their failures, reliving their worst memories and longing for a chance at redemption. Despite the horrors of this existence, a flicker of hope remains. It is believed that even the most tainted soul can eventually find redemption, if they truly confront their failings and strive to repent. Though it may take countless attempts, they may eventually earn their escape.
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