Ghosts

Legend

Ghosts have much history written about them, as well as their influences on global and local culture. Ghost stories are popular to tell around fires at night in every age group of Visctherians, and few mortals don't have a Ghost encounter to tell to their children to keep them from misbehaving.

Most legends descend directly from supposed words of the Visctherian Pantheon themselves. Mentions in the Enchirydion corroborate these stories and convince many mortals that Ghosts are real things, ones that can influence and harm.

While most Sapients carefully respect Ghosts, there is a small subculture growing among Visctherians on the Western Continent that enjoy interaction with Ghosts, even dressing in certain styles or wearing icons or symbols to identify themselves to others - and possibly the Ghosts.

Reality

Modern Arcanists have discovered through much study of death and the Beyond - some rumour even communing with the Gods for knowledge - that Ghosts are in fact Sparks that feel they have unfinished business in this world. While many mortals may fear them, they have little to no ability to influence the physical plane, as they exist in almost a separate reality.

Little study into these other Planes has been done, as the Interworld Arcanist Society is only just now developing the technology to study them. While no access to another Plane has yet been discovered, the IAS theorizes that the space outside the Gates is a possible third Plane, counting the physical and spiritual Planes of existence.

On Sparks

All mortal Sapients have a Spark. A gift from Athos, the Sparks of Visctheria can be, upon death, passed into the Beyond, trapped as a Ghost, or twisted into a Shade.

A Ghost Story

A short Ghost story from Meskaovania, Zabralka's Island is a classic tale of venturing into something you are not ready for.