Purgatory?

[I'm A Banana]

There's no real waiting place of souls, though individual pantheons may have it (for instance, worshipers of the Egyptian pantheons go to their god's realm, but first they pass through the realm where their soul is weighed on a scale).

There's plenty of neutral grounds between the gods, but the transition from person to soul without memory on the planes is pretty much instant at that -10 mark.

 

[Brennin Magalus]

Is there a purgatory in the D&D cosmos?

No, unless there is a place in D&D cosmology for repentant souls to experience catharsis.

 

[Lord Pendragon]

I am not a Biblical scholar, but as far as I know, purgatory is not "a neutral ground in the cosmos where souls go before moving on..." It's a place where souls that are tainted but not lost receive their punishment and cleansing before moving on to Heaven. A soul in Purgatory will, eventually, rise to Heaven. Purgatory is more of a "Hell-lite" than a neutral ground of any sort.

At least, that's my understanding of it.

As far as D&D is concerned, there's no really good description of what happens in the afterlife, probably to avoid controversy. The only bit I can think of is in the Manual of the Planes, which describes petitioners. Though, to be honest, I've always hated the idea of petitioners ever since I first read about them. Ascend to the realm of your god...and lose everything you are to wander around listlessly, devoid of thought or purpose... Talk about Hell...

 

[Dr. Strangemonkey]

The above is more or less correct in my understanding, but Purgatory is one of several 'theories' on what happens to souls who are awaiting final judgement. So calling it the other thing isn't far wrong.

DnD lacks a real sense of temporality and ending, however, so I don't know that it would apply.

I mean, why would gods wait in DnD?