Dying in Eberron - Downloaded from the Wizards Community, all coding removed by Solauren

Dying in Eberron

Post/Author/DateTime Post
#1
rekko
Jul 06, 2008 17:12:01 Hey!

I thought of this because one of my favorite NPCs just died.

When someone dies, their soul is said to go to Dolurrh. I always imagined that the soul would travel on Eberron to the nearest Dolurrh manifest zone and then planeshift to Dolurrh via the manifest zone.

However, what if a soul would not need to reach a manifest zone because it could instead create one. This "dying manifest zone" would be very tiny, about the size of the dead creature, and wouldn't last very long, maybe a minute or two.

This interpretation of dying in Eberron allows us to explain the existence of Dolurrh manifest zones. They could be areas of where a massive amount of creature died at once in a short period of time. (you can start thinking of the Mournland, but I personally wouldn't make it a manifest zone to Dolurrh, see below for explanations)

This could also allow some gameplay elements. Maybe there's a ritual that makes a "dying manifest zone" last a bit longer, making an easy way to enter Dolurrh... for those crazy enough to go there. Maybe when someone dies in the Mournland it opens a manifest zone to Dolurrh for a few weeks, instead of a few minutes.

Maybe entering Dolurrh with a dying manifest zone makes you end up next to or near the dying spirit, making it easier to search for the soul of someone you want to bring back to life the hard way. The hard way would just be a bit easier since you wouldn't need to find the dying soul, but still find the exit (You could enter Dolurrh with the dying manifest zone, but not exit in this way.)

So, what do you think?
What is your interpretation of Dying in Eberron?

Keep in mind the probable changes/tweaking on Eberron's cosmology to better fit the new planar system of 4E. It is said that one could reach Dolurrh through the plane of shadows/Shadowfell and Mabar.

Thanks
Rekko
#2
dread_lord
Jul 07, 2008 16:06:44 I like the idea. And it works on a practical level for those dark rituals that call for sacrifice. The ritual leader kills some poor sob and that opens an invisible connection to another plane that the gathering tries to pull something through.

Oh! And with the right magic the process of dieing can be corrupted and the "dieing zone" can be redirected to another plane! Evil cults sacrificing people can sometimes not only commit the sin of murder in the name of power but occationaly sentence the poor soul to eternal existence in a place that should were not meant to dwell.
#3
quale_
Jul 08, 2008 11:26:46 I use a variation of Planescape for the outer planes, Eberron planes are just close demiplanes
#4
joni-san
Jul 08, 2008 14:33:39
I use a variation of Planescape for the outer planes, Eberron planes are just close demiplanes

ಠ_ಠ
#5
rekko
Jul 08, 2008 19:54:41
I use a variation of Planescape for the outer planes, Eberron planes are just close demiplanes

And how does it influence your interpretation of dying in Eberron?

Dread_Lord, I'll answer to your reply soon, I'm in a hury now.

Rekko
#6
rekko
Jul 12, 2008 20:23:54 If you kill someone, there won't be any gates that will open to Dolurrh. Instead, the planes come closer to Eberron, in a way similar to manifest zone, which I called "dying manifest zone" which is a tiny Dolurrh manifest zone (not a gate) that comes to reality for a bried time period. This dying manifest zone could allow the dead to go to Dolurrh, but nothing could come out of it.

Thus, I never intended this 'mechanic' interpretation of dying in Eberron to serve in evil dark summoning rituals. However, it's true that it's practical. Kill the sacrifice, make a ritual to extend the time period of the dying manifest zone, make another ritual to choose a plane, and a last ritual to pull something out of it. Instead of three rituals, make it only one that does all the stuff, and voilà!

So, thanks Dread_Lord for making me see more in my idea.

Rekko
#7
quale_
Jul 15, 2008 6:47:36
And how does it influence your interpretation of dying in Eberron?

Dolurrh is not forever, more like the Fugue, only the souls are there longer, for some unknown purpose
#8
dread_lord
Jul 15, 2008 18:06:25
Dolurrh is not forever, more like the Fugue, only the souls are there longer, for some unknown purpose

That's debated in the game. The most widely held belief, as I understand it, is that souls go there and stay forever slowly fading until they're hardly shadows of the people they were. But followers of the Host don't believe that souls ever move on to any reward or punishment, unless the Keeper takes them.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 rekko Jul 06, 2008 17:12:01	Hey! I thought of this because one of my favorite NPCs just died. When someone dies, their soul is said to go to Dolurrh. I always imagined that the soul would travel on Eberron to the nearest Dolurrh manifest zone and then planeshift to Dolurrh via the manifest zone. However, what if a soul would not need to reach a manifest zone because it could instead create one. This "dying manifest zone" would be very tiny, about the size of the dead creature, and wouldn't last very long, maybe a minute or two. This interpretation of dying in Eberron allows us to explain the existence of Dolurrh manifest zones. They could be areas of where a massive amount of creature died at once in a short period of time. (you can start thinking of the Mournland, but I personally wouldn't make it a manifest zone to Dolurrh, see below for explanations) This could also allow some gameplay elements. Maybe there's a ritual that makes a "dying manifest zone" last a bit longer, making an easy way to enter Dolurrh... for those crazy enough to go there. Maybe when someone dies in the Mournland it opens a manifest zone to Dolurrh for a few weeks, instead of a few minutes. Maybe entering Dolurrh with a dying manifest zone makes you end up next to or near the dying spirit, making it easier to search for the soul of someone you want to bring back to life the hard way. The hard way would just be a bit easier since you wouldn't need to find the dying soul, but still find the exit (You could enter Dolurrh with the dying manifest zone, but not exit in this way.) So, what do you think? What is your interpretation of Dying in Eberron? Keep in mind the probable changes/tweaking on Eberron's cosmology to better fit the new planar system of 4E. It is said that one could reach Dolurrh through the plane of shadows/Shadowfell and Mabar. Thanks Rekko
#2 dread_lord Jul 07, 2008 16:06:44	I like the idea. And it works on a practical level for those dark rituals that call for sacrifice. The ritual leader kills some poor sob and that opens an invisible connection to another plane that the gathering tries to pull something through. Oh! And with the right magic the process of dieing can be corrupted and the "dieing zone" can be redirected to another plane! Evil cults sacrificing people can sometimes not only commit the sin of murder in the name of power but occationaly sentence the poor soul to eternal existence in a place that should were not meant to dwell.
#3 quale_ Jul 08, 2008 11:26:46	I use a variation of Planescape for the outer planes, Eberron planes are just close demiplanes
#4 joni-san Jul 08, 2008 14:33:39	I use a variation of Planescape for the outer planes, Eberron planes are just close demiplanes ಠ_ಠ
#5 rekko Jul 08, 2008 19:54:41	I use a variation of Planescape for the outer planes, Eberron planes are just close demiplanes And how does it influence your interpretation of dying in Eberron? Dread_Lord, I'll answer to your reply soon, I'm in a hury now. Rekko
#6 rekko Jul 12, 2008 20:23:54	If you kill someone, there won't be any gates that will open to Dolurrh. Instead, the planes come closer to Eberron, in a way similar to manifest zone, which I called "dying manifest zone" which is a tiny Dolurrh manifest zone (not a gate) that comes to reality for a bried time period. This dying manifest zone could allow the dead to go to Dolurrh, but nothing could come out of it. Thus, I never intended this 'mechanic' interpretation of dying in Eberron to serve in evil dark summoning rituals. However, it's true that it's practical. Kill the sacrifice, make a ritual to extend the time period of the dying manifest zone, make another ritual to choose a plane, and a last ritual to pull something out of it. Instead of three rituals, make it only one that does all the stuff, and voilà! So, thanks Dread_Lord for making me see more in my idea. Rekko
#7 quale_ Jul 15, 2008 6:47:36	And how does it influence your interpretation of dying in Eberron? Dolurrh is not forever, more like the Fugue, only the souls are there longer, for some unknown purpose
#8 dread_lord Jul 15, 2008 18:06:25	Dolurrh is not forever, more like the Fugue, only the souls are there longer, for some unknown purpose That's debated in the game. The most widely held belief, as I understand it, is that souls go there and stay forever slowly fading until they're hardly shadows of the people they were. But followers of the Host don't believe that souls ever move on to any reward or punishment, unless the Keeper takes them.