I don't want to get into a philosophical debate or even start a "religion war" so please don't consider this a flame. I was looking for resources on the afterlife. It can range from Dantes Divine Comedy to Beetlejuice. From The Tibetan Book of the Dead to Bill And Ted's Bogus Journey. I don't care. Just share your views and resources. THIS IS FOR GAMING PURPOSES ONLY!!
afterlife
- Thread starter redwing
- Start date
Tonguez
A suffusion of yellow
I think this is a really good topic which DnD doesn't really touch on - I not sure about Planescape - but anyway
IMC I tend to go for either the 'Underworld' type treatment where the Dead carry on 'much as they did in life' or else the 'Dead don't go anywhere their spirits are all around us'.
I don't allow ressurection or raise dead spells imc but there are legends of heroes travelling down to the underworld and returning the spirit of a recently deceased (3 days) person to life -(ie it can be done as a 'quest' complete with various monsters, and NPCs- and use of Bardic Lore to know how to get the spirit back)
One thing that does intrigue me with regards the afterlife is - what is the status of Undead?
IMC I have lots of ghosts (from that whole the dead don't go anywhere angle) but few undead (although I do have ghosts with physical bodies).
When undead do exists I take the stance that they are abominations - unintelligent undead are have their spirits enslaved by evil necromancer types whereas willful undead are spirits inhabiting a corpse-shell but with no soul - as they have given this up to the foul powers of undeath.
IMC I tend to go for either the 'Underworld' type treatment where the Dead carry on 'much as they did in life' or else the 'Dead don't go anywhere their spirits are all around us'.
I don't allow ressurection or raise dead spells imc but there are legends of heroes travelling down to the underworld and returning the spirit of a recently deceased (3 days) person to life -(ie it can be done as a 'quest' complete with various monsters, and NPCs- and use of Bardic Lore to know how to get the spirit back)
One thing that does intrigue me with regards the afterlife is - what is the status of Undead?
IMC I have lots of ghosts (from that whole the dead don't go anywhere angle) but few undead (although I do have ghosts with physical bodies).
When undead do exists I take the stance that they are abominations - unintelligent undead are have their spirits enslaved by evil necromancer types whereas willful undead are spirits inhabiting a corpse-shell but with no soul - as they have given this up to the foul powers of undeath.
Jeremy Ackerman-Yost
Explorer
The book of Revelation has all kinds of weird stuff about the Judeo-Christian afterlife (and there's lots more scattered throughout the early Old Testament). Most of it wouldn't be vaguely recognizable to modern Christians.
Any real world mythology book will give you some interesting material. "Heroes of the Dawn: Celtic Mythology" is a recent favorite of mine. The same series has a Tibetan book that's supposed to be good, too, but I haven't read it yet. And I love anything Norse. You will, of course, get a lot of general myth that way that doesn't necessarily have anything to do with the afterlife, but them's the breaks.
Any real world mythology book will give you some interesting material. "Heroes of the Dawn: Celtic Mythology" is a recent favorite of mine. The same series has a Tibetan book that's supposed to be good, too, but I haven't read it yet. And I love anything Norse. You will, of course, get a lot of general myth that way that doesn't necessarily have anything to do with the afterlife, but them's the breaks.
thanks for all your ideas. I have been researching the references you all listed and have found a lot of info.
Just thought i'd give this thread a shameless bump, becuase this (at least IMHO) could be very usefull to a lot of ppl (most games have undead, ghosts, vampires, etc.)
Anyone have any unique twists on the afterlife? Or does anyone use the steryotypical hell (place of torture) and heaven (paradise)? How do they work in your campaign? Any one else know of any books or movies that reference to the afterlife?
Just thought i'd give this thread a shameless bump, becuase this (at least IMHO) could be very usefull to a lot of ppl (most games have undead, ghosts, vampires, etc.)
Anyone have any unique twists on the afterlife? Or does anyone use the steryotypical hell (place of torture) and heaven (paradise)? How do they work in your campaign? Any one else know of any books or movies that reference to the afterlife?
In my games I have a plane that everyone goes to at death, here their souls/spirits merge and then are reborn later. Now, in this place I have 'guides' that lead you destination, if you gave your soul to an evil god they take you to a portal to that gods realm. If ressurection or raise dead spells are used it has to be done before the spirit merges (3 to 5 days), the guides just return you to your body.
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