Every universe has its own way of death, dying and rebirth. Some believe in Heaven and Hell, others believe in simple judgement and renewal of the soul.
In Aurwoen, every living being will eventually pass through to the Spirit Realm known as Etherya. When a living body perishes, the spirit is guided to this realm where they will be judged for the weight of their soul. Similar to Ancient Egypt in our universe, an individual's actions determine their worth and decide whether they will continue on their path to a new life or suffer for their actions.
Unlike some religions, a soul corrupted by terrible deeds and intentions does not simply suffer for all eternity. Like the justice system, they are given a sentence based on the weight of their sins. It's never eternity, though it may seem like it- some punishments span for several millennia.
Soul Judgement
Souls that end up in Etherya must come before the King of the Spirit Realm (or the Prince, Castille, who is currently the ruler).
Before their Judgement, the Prince asks them if they have any regrets to pass on:
If the individual has any, they are given a book and quill to write them down. In the process of writing, the weight of their regret is passed into the book and cleansed from their soul.
If the individual has no regrets to share, they are judged without the initial cleansing. This can be both good and bad, as this means they have done nothing regrettable or they feel they didn't have anything to regret.
The Judgement begins on a floating platform. The Judge (Prince Castille) explains the weight of each of their actions: Good deeds and intentions lift the spirit while lingering regrets, evil deeds and ill intentions weigh them down. Their reactions and feelings about their life's achievements are what really give weight to an individual. If one had hurt another and regretted it the weight would not be as heavy as if they didn't regret causing harm. Intention adds another layer- if they hurt for the sake of hurting as opposed to for a goal.
These complex situations and layers of morality are what make the Prince a true Judge of character. After all is given and put on Trial, they are given a sentence.
Rebirth and Renewal
The nature of their weight determined, many individuals are passed on to be Reborn. The Prince reaches out and pulls a thread from their being, 'undoing' the previous life and allowing it to pass through the spirit realm, guided to the Pool of Renewal. This pool cleanses the spirit of any lingering regret. There, the soul will rejoin the world and pass into another being to create a new life.
The Pool of Renewal must be purified constantly so the souls within can be cleansed.
If the soul is sentenced to suffering and atonement, the platform is dropped down to the appropriate floor. There are several layers of punishment which an individual soul must endure to atone for their wrongdoings.
~WIP~