Ceaseless

For reasons unknown, the dead do not always get the rest they deserve. Sometimes after dying, one's body may become the host to a spirit or demon. One that is possessed in this manner is henceforth known as ceaseless.

Background

For as long as anyone can remember, this problem has persisted. What little people know about the ceaseless is that if someone dies, there is a possibility that this body will serve as a vessel for a spirit or demon from the Fade to leave their own world and enter into Thedas. This is a haunting thought, and leads many people to question what exactly causes it.
A lot of research, both theological and scientific, has been spent trying to come to any conclusions this occurence. Among the many questions, the most prominent are: what causes the possession to occur, how long after death is the body still prone to becoming ceaseless, and also what the spirits and demons seek to achieve through this act. No research has ever found concrete, conclusive evidence.
There are common conceptions that surround the act of turning to ceaseless. For instance, those that die in a violent manner or who die feeling intense emotions are more prone to becoming possessed (substantially so). The general time frame seems to be that if a person dies and 12 hours has passed without signs of them turning into a ceaseless, then they will not turn. This serves as a Chantry guideline though they recommend waiting 24 hours just to be safe.
Interestingly, there has never been a provable case of a dwarf becoming ceaseless.

Impact on Society

For good reason, people fear those closest to them dying. Compounded with the emotional trauma of a loved one dying, the fear of ceaseless can lead many to be paralyzed by indecision. Letting even a single powerful demon or spirit free can have dire consequences. People have been forced to learn from this and cultures have developed to deal with the problem in unique ways.
For instance, Fereldens burn their dead. Graveyards and cemeteries simply do not work since a ceaseless can crawl their way out. Following the unification of Ferelden, this practice became somewhat of a symbolical one. With a rise of faith in the Maker in this nation, many have taken reverence in the fact that the prophet Andraste was burned to death. To a Ferelden who is a member of the Andrastian Chantry, they'd see it as a joining of their soul to that of Andraste and the Maker.
In Nevarra, a private group known as the Mortalisi exist. What exactly their order is is known only to members. When a death occurs in Nevarra, a Mortalisi can usually arrive within minutes. It is unknown how they know when deaths occur, but their senses are honed towards detecting it. The Mortalisi use sigils and wards placed on the dead person's body. Somehow, these protect the individual from becoming ceaseless. In whispers, some Nevarrans may claim that members of the Mortalisi are maleficarum. It is unknown if they are, but even if they were, few would dare speak out against them since they are a powerful order and because they are some of the sole protectors between the border of death and possession.

Type

Metaphysical, Supernatural