Underworld

Dominant Species: Demon

Status: The underworld is where souls descend to when their bodies die. This realm is located beneath the surface of the Earth & Fae realm, and is directly connected to them. All creatures that die end up here in one of three segments except for in very special cases, which will be covered momentarily. These souls are prepared for rebirth, where their memories are repressed (never destroyed, as the memories tied to a soul are as impossible to destroy as the soul itself) and new ones can be made. 

The rebirthing process depends upon what the soul did in its life. Sometimes it can take an extremely long time, whereas in other cases it is instant. Every living creature has a soul and eventually ends up in the underworld at some point for a new cycle. Souls can be created, but they cannot be destroyed. 

A fully ‘consumed’ soul will go to an extremely obscure place within the underworld that even those living within that realm know very little about to ‘heal’. This process usually takes eons and occurs when a deity is slain as well. 

Beyond the segments are many territories of the underworld creatures, as the underworld is more than just where the dead go; it is a realm full of life in it of itself. In most cases, these territories are being fought over by demons that don’t subscribe to the notion of protecting or punishing souls.

Underworld Segments: 

The Fields: Souls that were morally just in life can go to this place, though the name is misleading. In reality, there is a wide expanse of territory lit up by ethereal light of many different colors. There’s forests, mountains, rivers, grasslands, and anything you can think of as patches in this territory. Much merriment is to be had here, and it typically takes a while for a soul to be rebirthed in this place. Souls that did what they could in life to protect their family and friends often end up here, for they are considered heroes. Simply put, those with relatively sound morals will end up in the fields, and ‘sin’ does not exist. 

Purgatory: This is a rather transitional segment in which souls that didn’t do much on their realm typically go to. Those that have the shortest rebirthing time will often end up here. Those to be judged by the underworld deities and sent to the other segments will also end up here. The terrain is smooth like obsidian and obscured with quite a bit of white fog. There’s not much variation here. 

Tartarus: The truly wicked go here to atone for their crimes. Those evils that aren’t to be reborn anytime soon will end up here, and are tortured by demons. This place is what humans know as ‘hell’ depending on the religion. The terrain is a mixture of extremes. There are patches of extreme cold and extreme heat within this segment. This segment is a jail for the damned, and only the most evil of souls end up here. 

Underworld Deities: There are thousands of gods & goddesses that rule over the underworld to keep it running smoothly. The primary council, however, is what rules it over for the most part. The throne is rotated frequently to give the deities a break, as the constant flow of souls is exhausting. 

Here is a list of just a few (this list is going to be expanded considerably!)

1. Hades

2. Helena (Hel)

3. Osiris

4. Yama

5. Izanami no kami

6. Eshu

7. Anubis 

River Styx: This is the river of ichor that flows all throughout the underworld, which is analogous to the ley lines on Earth. There are many keepers of the ichor, however ‘Charon’ was selected to do so extensively. He has since gone missing, but somehow the river’s flow and balance has not been afflicted. 

It is impossible for this river to run dry, however it will fluctuate and diminish at various locations. 

Demonic Politics: There are many different attitude of demons, and a large portion of them obey the underworld deities to keep the flow of souls running smoothly. Their ‘jobs’, per say, are to either guard the souls in The Fields, ensure proper rebirth, and punish this souls in Tartarus. Just like any creature, however, some are rebellious and cause issues in the underworld and other realms as well. If caught, these demons can be punished severely. 

This does not deter some, of whom will constantly ignite territory battles in the underworld. Some very daring ones will challenge very small parts of the segments, but are quickly defeated by the rulers of the underworld. 

In the distant bowels of the underworld are a location where the most evil, irredeemable souls go. Many of the old gods that demanded sacrifices from the living are trapped here and guarded well, as otherwise they would bring great terror upon the realms. Only the most elite of demonic guards are assigned to the role of torture and guarding. 

It is heavily frowned upon for demons to meddle in the affairs of other realms without much permission, however there’s plenty who do so anyway. 

The unknown reaches: Souls that have been entirely consumed, and deities that have been slain end up here. Something happens which suppresses their memories, and while they are eventually put through the rebirthing process, they never are the same. None that leave this area remember what happened, but all will say they have a feeling that they’d rather wish their soul could be destroyed than endure what they went through there.

Author’s note: Not yet edited, will remove this when I do so! PLEASE SUGGEST GOD/GODDESS ADDITIONS if you’d like to see them 🙂 ALL religions welcome. Feel free to message me on Twitter @TheRealDesastr.