The Soul Plane

The Soul Plane, also known as the Astral Sea, is a the plane where Souls dwell.

Soul Anatomy

The Soul is the "brain" of the Ethereal Body. They are capable of high thought, but are generally in a dream-like state unless Awakened. Their base parts are found in the Spirit, specifically, near the Gate or Inner Source. The basal parts of the Soul are responsible for keeping the flow of Mana active and regulating many Spiritual functions. The higher parts of the Soul are found in the Undefined Plane, specifically the Soul Plane. Souls are encased in a bubble-like Mana-construct that protects it from other Spirit-Constructs floating in the Undefined Plane. The Mana Shell that protects a Soul is functionally indestructible from outside pressures and cannot be comprised without the will from the Soul's bearer or from the Soul itself. This phenomenon is called the Sanctity of the Soul. No Gods or Astral Beings can tamper with a Soul as long as it wills it. The Soul can be moved, assailed, and crushed. Nothing comes from it. It's Soul Shell is nigh impenetrable, made from adamant itself. The Cradle is the name of the part of the Ethereal Body that is located in the Undefined Plane, Soul, Mana Shell and all. It is also known as the Ethereal Vessel.

Spirit Resonance

Traumatic deaths leave the Spirit and Soul in a state similar to biological flight or fight. The Spirit is a highly adaptable life-form that is very susceptible to its environment. As such, they are left yearning for the power to fight what destroyed their host bodies. The closest thing to power they know is what ended their Corporeal forms, and as such they mimic it. Even though some strains of Vampirism or Undeath are not actually contagious, they still spread through a twisted resonance. Innocents killed by a monster gaze into the abyss in search of power. The abyss takes notice and gives them what they want. They in turn become that monster and the cycle starts anew.

Sometimes Spirit Resonance causes a Mage to Awaken with the Magic of the thing that is hunting them. Individuals attacked by powerful Awakened Beasts can Awaken themselves with their attacker's powers or a semblance of them. The same can happen to Mages or Unawakened individuals that are killed by an Awakened being. Spirit Resonance isn't limited to Spirits with a tether to Defined Plane (Alive Corporeal forms).

Reincarnation Cycle

Souls, or more specifically, their Vessels (Cradles) are reincarnated, scouring them clean of their former selves or remaining intact. Though, the choice to do either is theirs to choose. After the Corporeal body dies, the Spirit both decays and is absorbed by the Ethereal Sea. The Soul, without a tether to the Defined Plane, loses its power to resist the pull of the Maelstrom. The Tear between the major Planes of existence helps adhere the Cradle in place. When the body dies, the Soul is left without anything to keep its breach stable. The Tear closes and the Soul is cast adrift into the Vortex. The Vortex or Maelstrom is an Entity that pulls untethered Souls toward it. At the Core of the Maelstrom, Souls are viciously bombarded. Their Mana Shells can withstand these attacks as long as the Soul can keep up mentally. Souls that have lost their Corporeal forms are usually left broken and shattered, and give in. Those that give in are entirely ripped apart from their memories and personalities, scoured clean until there is nothing left but a clean slate. These are recycled and given another host to start the cycle anew. Souls that do not give in are reincarnated. These Souls enter a slumber like state after fighting for so long that only certain parts of the Soul are left awake to fight back. The slumbering parts may be used as fuel to continue struggling, thus leaving only the most important and sacred things that Soul has tucked away and hidden. Souls are Mana rich and highly energy dense, the vortex uses their memories to power itself and thus an eternal struggle is undesirable. The Vortex simply reincarnates Souls that have struggled enough into new hosts.

Rarely is a Soul entirely clean of its former self or fully intact. Most of them have vestiges left behind from numerous cycles. Some hold Legacy Arcanums, others have precious memories. Travelers with sacred baggage. Souls are reincarnated into their closest next of kin. New Souls may be spontaneously created from other Souls if needed. The process creates a new Soul-shell or Cradle.