Pathfinder Religion Guide: Psychopomps

[Music] hi there I'm the myth keeper welcome back to my channel the best place on the internet for Pathfinder lore in history if you like this kind of content be sure to like And subscribe if there's anything you'd like me to talk about in particular let me know in the comments below uh this week we're doing another video In My Religion series uh I've talked all about angels and demons and now we're going to look at uh some of the more neutral outer planer types uh specifically this week we're going to take a look at psychop Pals psychop pals are the Shepherds of the dead and they're one of the most unique and interesting and I would say almost defining creature types of the Pathfinder universe so I hope you enjoy this in the quaro archives of califas there lies a glass case showcasing the sapphire molers of atenia also known as the Gilded Lich this ancient Terror from sarus was said to have stolen the lives of a thousand devout Souls however her reign of terror was put to an end by a mythical figure named Neu the spider Angel along the coast of katapesh a saying circulates among the locals in every Bird's mouth an infant's Revenge it refers to an event when a mage named zavier blocked Souls from entering newborns within a 100 miles radius of tian's Reed when he appeared to collect his Ransom from the town's folk he was attacked by a swarm of strange alien birds in the decaying corridors of kaga Rogue Freeman promised deliverance from both bondage and the of life and death however some unknown Force exposed their deceitful practices and they were eventually dismissed as just another strange sect in the city of strangers throughout various instances like these the balance between life and death is often disrupted but then quickly restored some may think there is a beneficient steward overseeing Souls but in reality the Guardians of death are numerous and not all of them could be considered benevolent these beings called psychop Pals serve as Guides of souls across the plains and oversee the paths of death though they often invoke Primal fears in Mortals their motives are not driven by neither Terror nor reassurance instead they work to ensure the proper flow of souls throughout the plains the vital heartbeat of the Multiverse itself like angels and demons psychopomps are post-mortal life forms and typically they are ascended petitioners of the Boneyard petitioners whose final destination after judgment is the Boneyard itself are typically either very neutral or balanced souls or they are worshippers or Disciples of fasma herself psychop palps are elusive beings often misunderstood due to their limited interactions with the living they only reveal their vital functions to those who have a personal familiarity with death as entities that have little direct impact on the Mortal worlds they operate primarily in the great beyond serving the cause of preserving eternity at the behest of their goddess fasma essential for the continuity of creation psychopomps act as stewards of the natural order focusing on the passage of life to death and back again especially on the preservation of the river of souls a transitive plane I discuss in more detail in my planer cosmology 101 video they ensure Souls reach their proper ples preventing any who might pray upon them and correcting any other disruptions in the natural order Undead are seen as Abominations by psychopomps and they take action to destroy or hinder them when necessary to maintain the proper transitions between life and death all psychop palps ultimately answer to fasma whose Grand designs guide their actions while psychop Pals May interpret her intentions differently they are united in fulfilling her edicts and maintaining the balance of souls across the plains despite this unified purpose psychop palps are not of single mind and their interpretations of fasma intentions often lead to Divergent actions or conflicts among them in the Boneyard which is phasma's realm near the heart of the outer Plains psychop palps work tirelessly to ensure the smooth categorization and processing of the Dead psychopomps are specialized beings with various types such as Guardians guides Hunters judges and Scholars each fulfilling their roles in the river of Souls and the Boneyard they work with Clarity of intent and sense of Duty ensuring the proper flow of souls through the afterlife psychopomp guardians psychopomp Guardians stand as Defenders against predators that would seek to feed on Souls traveling in the river they are beings assigned to patrol specific Juris itions between life and death which can span continents worlds star systems or other more esoteric expanses because deaths are occurring continuously it is a rare occurrence indeed for a single soul to receive a psychopomp escort on its journey to judgment as the dead from numerous worlds gather during their exitus from the Mortal realm they become more susceptible to notice and thus require increased vigilance particularly vulnerable are the first moments after death when souls are often in solitude making them easier targets for for malevolent forces Among The prominent psychopomp Guardians are the Vans known as way Watchers who manifest as raptorial skeletons they dutifully watch over heavily traveled routes between life and death on the other hand the more specialized mtim psychopomps gravitate towards places of Mass Slaughter overseeing the transitions of numerous Spirits at once the Alis instead protect and sometimes retrieve Souls at risk of being claimed by other entities particularly spellcasters who dabble with other worldly forces but never officially pledged their souls it's essential to note that psychopomp watchfulness does not solely begin at the moment of death these beings take into account mortal life experiences the development of philosophies and how lives shape and alter Fate's Grand tapestry the olos psychopomps are particularly mindful of those who might disrupt fate during their mortal existence causing undesirable consequences for countless others those who cross paths with these potent Guardians risk Swift destruction either at the hands of the psychopomp or due to the intervention of a more powerful agent of death called to address the transgressor psychopomp hunters in the unpredictable Journey towards judgment Spirits can find themselves entangled in various forms of chaos whether by chance or malicious intent to rectify such Wayward paths there exist rare and specialized psychopomp Hunters dedicated to freeing astray souls and ensuring others do not face the same perils when the undead become a particular Menace or when called upon by fasma servants esok and shocky psychopomps take action to exercise the unliving and liberate Wayward Spirits however when the Boneyard Fury reaches its Pinnacle it unleashes its wrath in the form of the Morna psychopomps these inquisitors of death possess broad authority to identify threats to the river of Souls and set things right psychopomp judges impersonal and unwavering psychopomp judges stand as Sentinels over the Myriad portals and pler P passages that intricately weave through the Boneyard determining who is permitted to pass and for what reason with meticulous scrutiny they assess Spirits evaluate lifetimes and listen to the pleas of those who seek special entitlement to a soul these tireless guardians of balance bear the weight of their roles with unyielding resolve placing utmost importance on efficiency and impartiality in judgment some judges serve as teachers or advisers to the recently dead in fact not all spirits who enter the Boneyard realize they have died Katrina psychopomps meet these Souls helping to convince them of the finality of their fate to ease a spirit's passing among the ranks of the psychopomp judges the dragon-like yamaraj hold a prominent position second only to the deities of the Boneyard especially the ushers and fasma herself using their formidable power they deafly expedite Souls through their courts and if necessary also Safeguard the intricate Pathways of the Boneyard itself psychopomp scholar within the Boneyard no soul passes without profound contemplation it's life meticulously assessed as it stands at the threshold of its ultimate judgment the memories of the judged are safeguarded and preserved by hordes of psychop palps who serve as the living memories of this sacred realm they diligently record the EB and flow of time chronicling the answers to the Timeless questions that shape Destinies among these custodians the noso stand out as masked avien psychopomps who Forge connections with the living as the boneyards most abundant clerks their fluttering Wings fill the gothic Halls of the plain's edifices while they tirelessly compile and organize information from fasma Court other psychopomp Scholars Specialists known as the esss or more commonly Soul stitchers are dispassionate surgeons with specialized knowledge to repair damaged Souls not all the lore of the psychopomps is fit to share with the Dead the scholarly domain of the vdu psychopomps holds secrets that must be kept kept Untold and unshared although powerful beings May gain access to these enigmatic Scholars lore with a modum of bureaucratic hassle the vast majority of beings have little hope of prying loose the mysteries of death held within psychopomp ushers just as with other post-mortal life forms like Angels and Demons the most powerful of psychopomps acquire a spark of divinity in the course of their postmortal existence powerful and ancient psychopomp demigods are commonly called the ushers unique beings who may even work independently of fasma although they all remain respectful and deferential to the lady of graves psychop po ushers have developed their own purpose and point of view on life and death each have their own unique philosophies and may have followers in their own right despite being of a similar power level to the Imperial Lords or the fish demigods the psychop poop ushers have far fewer mortal worshippers since psychopomps are less proactive than Angels demons and similarly aligned Outsiders Mortals know much less of them spellcasters who stumble across them in Dusty tombs sometimes seek to summon psychopomps in hopes of bargaining for a bit more time before death or for a loved one's return to life but such tasks are beyond all but the most powerful of psychopomps those groups that do worship the ushers are known as the fettle sects and they are considered branches that sprouted from fasma church initially sharing the same objectives of providing Solace to the dying and assisting The Grieving survivors in coping with their l As Time passed however these sects delved more deeply into the lore of the psychopomp ushers as they sought to understand the true purpose of death the psychopomp ushers themselves held differing perspectives on these matters and this led to philosophical conflicts among the earliest of the Fatal sects resulting in divisions and even violence among them eventually the Waring sects reached a compromise agreeing to disagree on the intricacies of the soul and instead they redirected their focus towards aiding individuals in a achieving a smooth transition from life to death consequently the Fal sex emphasized Health wellness and preparing as many people as possible for a wholesome existence and a satisfying passage to the care of the psychopomps today the fal sect warmly Embrace Farmers Hunters Physicians and anyone else capable of helping others lead lives with access to good food clean water and comfort their members continue to guide The Departed and offer Solace to the bereaved and they gladly welcome graved diggers and morticians into their ranks it is these last professionals who keep the ongoing doctrinal disputes alive within the fal sects engaging in debates about the distinct views and Realms of their respective psychopomp ushers atropos the last sister also known as the judge of Judges atropos presides over the courts of the Boneyard serving as the ultimate Arbiter of mortal Fates second only to fasma herself as phasma's youngest daughter she is also referred to as the last sister although little is known about her other sisters assuming they exist at all among the psychopomps rumors circulate that atropos is being groomed by fasma to take her place when the universe eventually meets its end and is reborn however for the present atropos Dominion lies more in the realm of sleep than true death she also takes on another more challenging task overseeing The Souls of deceased children atropos takes the form of a magnificent and sizable noso resembling a wolf adorned with a silver mask and an infinitely long peacock tail the tail carries one living eye for each Soul she will ever pass judgment on though she occasionally adopts the guise of a young human girl when appearing in her mother's Court her realm is shared with phasma's Palace but her Divine influence also extends over the boneyards court and planer Gates Barac the passage appearing as an immense migratory bird often taking the form of a corvid but occasionally resembling a robin or other Songbird Barac Don robes and carries a staff and Keyhole known as the passage Barac grapples with comprehending the finite World beyond the dead roads and rarely Ventures outside this peculiar transitive realm his primary responsibility involves overseeing the movements of psychopomps and consequently caring for The Souls of Travelers and those who meet their end far away from home this particular experience poses significant challenges to many petitioners and can cause souls to linger in the afterlife for an extended period Barac is Afflicted with an insatiable Wanderlust often roaming aimlessly and neglecting his designated duties the psychop palps under barac's Authority enjoy an extraordinary degree of autonomy even by the standards of the Boneyard this autonomy can lead many of their powerful servants to feel a sense of kinship with the true ushers a notion that genuine ushers are keen on dispelling cayanan the shepherd cenan's existence originated from the swirling currents and foam within the river of souls a result of Mortals resistance to death a the fragment of the shepherd is said to reside in the heart of every Mortal enabling this watchful demigod to detect those who attempt to escape the grasp of death with an unwavering determination to reclaim those lost fragments cayanan gathers wward Souls the lost the stolen and the stubborn and ensures their return to the Boneyard the realm of the afterlife it is rumored that when the last mortal passes away and the shepherd becomes whole cayanan will finally Embrace death itself until that eventuality kayanan pers consistently hunts for Missing Souls harboring a particular emnity towards those who seek to obliterate souls or pervert them into undeath as the patron of lost souls kayanan has also assumed the responsibility of containing any soul that poses a threat to the very fabric of existence itself kayn's appearance features Ash white flesh strangely juxtaposed with an impossibly beautiful Visage their humanoid frame is adorned with a pair of wings covered in the oily black feathers of a caran bird often seen wielding the apostasy a simple Shepherd's crook capable of unraveling any mortal Soul's faith in a God cayanan does not claim any particular realm instead they roam the material Plaine in the river of souls tirelessly searching for their lost portions Damar the denied while the majority of ushers are preoccupied with matters of death Demar in stark contrast is wholly fixated on matters of Life as a physical representation of the first resurrection magic the denied assumes the role of a Vigilant monitor for those who seek to jour back from the Boneyard to the Mortal realm ensuring that such passages are neither too frequent nor too effortless apart from their concern with returning from Death Damar also serves as the Usher of doctors medicine and interestingly alcohol given its long history of use in medical preparations according to Legends Damar even created the concept of The Hangover to Grant Mortals a glimpse Beyond the Veil of Life dear takes on the appearance of a portly androgynous figure enshrouded in layers of of silk robes concealing their face behind a veil beneath these robes some may detect six insectile legs and Damar possesses the ability to manifest dozens of arms at once to manage various tasks this uncanny ability coupled with their alleged fondness for cockroaches has earned the denied and unofficial reputation as the Usher of insects and all things creeping imot the symbol of Doom imot though commonly associated with mass deaths owes their existence to Mortal guilt and the longing for foresight in the aftermath of tragedies rather than directly causing loss of life ot's influence lies in the events leading up to significant disasters as the penultimate Usher of order they have also orchestrated calamities when mortal culture persisted in their decline deep within immot lies an irresistible compulsion to conceal Clues to impending disasters within the natural world these cryptic hints and bewildering equations wrapped in perplexing symbolism evoke anxiety in the minds of most Mortals for those unaware of the true nature of these premonitions they experience subconscious unease however those who understand the Usher's Omens can use these Clues to avert disaster although many have deciphered these Clues only when it's too late visually imot takes the form of a golden four-sided pyramid with a wing sprouting from each facet they struggle to communicate verbally and instead rely on Conjuring images and symbols to convey their messages those who serve imot for extended periods eventually learn this unique language but it can prove frustrating for Mortal worshippers and young psychopomps even fellow ushers find imot challenging to comprehend which explains why imot rarely departs from their domain in the tetva a realm of Crossroads and towers located between the eight courts from this vantage point the symbol of Doom observes the mortal world in the outer Plains constantly searching for new patterns and Hidden Truths mother vulture though her usual appearance is that of a blind young woman the flesh eaters true form is that of an enormous bloated creature with four wings and two long necks each crowned with a masked head and a gaping ma known as mother vulture she embodies the dualistic process of Decay on one hand she is a vicious Predator whose carnivorous feasts stain the ground symbolizing the death that accompanies Decay on the other hand she assumes the role of a nurturing mother representing the potential for new life that can take root in the fertile soil left behind by destruction mortal worshippers of of mother vulture often reside in deserts and swamps and venerate her as the patron of consumption renewal and transformation in this latter aspect she has served as the judge of souls who sought Redemption during their lives mother vulture assesses whether their efforts at atonement were sufficient to avoid an undesirable afterlife mytiu death's consort mytiu holds a unique distinction as the first mortal to die with love on his lips which intrigued fasma fascinated by this concept she pursued The Soldier's Soul using him as a conduit to comprehend the emotions of the living as death's consort mytiu embodies powerful passions a rare commodity within the Boneyard and he Embraces the souls of those who perished in the grip of intense emotions he serves as the Usher for soldiers murder victims suicide cases and those who died in the throws of extreme emotions for merti every Rising ghost white or other Restless Undead carries the weight of personal failure a warrior and a lover this Usher also takes charge of phasma's defenses collaborating with a Pale Horse to pursue those few who would dare to antagonize the gray lady retaining the appearance of his mortal origin merti presents himself as a striking young man with deep dark sunken eyes and adorned with rock Rose blossoms the observant will notice a Perpetual wound in his stomach where he was struck down in life in one hand he carries a basket of fresh fruit or flowers while the other wields a rusted great sword named arer he he tends to his realm the garden Ana nestled among fasma courts providing a tranquil Sanctuary for Souls who need time to reflect and Converse following particularly traumatic deaths as the Usher known as death's consort he has a unique bond with fasma and can often be found at her side narakas the cleansing sentence narakas is a unique entity a composite born from countless fragments of souls that were cleaved off as Mortals grew and discarded parts of themselves naras embodies personal choices self-sacrifices and the numerous small deaths that occur before Soul finally reaches the Boneyard naras possesses a profound understanding that a broken thing especially one that has been repaired is not diminished in value but rather transformed sometimes even becoming more precious for the history it now carries in Mortals such personal changes are often accompanied by physical and emotional pain and many Souls find themselves straddling to extremes or failing to to complete their transformation before their death naras represents the acceptance of pain and the growth it Fosters they do not however take pleasure in pain and beings that Revel in pain such as kitens are abhorrent to the cleansing sentence surprisingly optimistic given their domain narakas firmly believes in the power of redemption and they have even managed to sway some kitens to align with the cause of the Boneyard the manifestation of the cleansing sentence appears as an androgynous humanoid form with stag likee legs composed of thousands of smaller pieces held together by radiant Golden Light their otherwise featureless face is adorned only with simple expressionless eyes and tear streak marks their Divine realm the manarel resembles a patchwork landscape assembled from a thousand painful memories of home the Pale Horse once the Pale Horse roamed the astral plane callously poaching Souls from the river indulging and their suffering with no remorse conflicting accounts exist regarding whether this abominable entity was a demonic Harbinger or one of the dreaded Horsemen however as The Pale Horse feasted on Mortal suffering discontent noded him the weight of Freedom the burden of leadership and the gravity of every choice Shackled his heart and soured his once satisfying meals in a moment of weakness he veered from his demonic nature and sought a purpose in service fasma offered the Pale Horse respit on the condition that he redeemed half again as many Souls as he had condemned transformed by his Newfound Mission The Pale Horse became came for asma's avenging Angel hunting those who like him in the past stole from the river of souls reveling in his duties and adhering to the tenants set forth by fasma He commands his soldiers who follow his orders unquestioningly he embodies both the pain and the reward of servitude guiding those who die in service and those who perish alone due to their woeful choices his wrath is legendary especially towards demons and abadon has erased the Lash and the plows true name from its monuments and libraries as a consequence despite his his apparent loyalty some among the psychopomps harbor concerns of the Pale Horse May remain a demon at his core and they fear that upon completing his sentence he may unleash a similarly terrible vengeance upon the Boneyard fleas the consoler of atheists in life fleas was a gifted yet arrogant artist her Pride led to her expulsion from shayan's church but the clergy's attempt to erase her Legacy failed as admirers sought out her work long after her death fasma recognized this powerful Legacy as a fun m al aspect of the Mortal experience an elevated fleas to the position of a patron for both art that outlasts its creators and for those who reject their gods and forg their own path with the passage of time and with her own transformation to a demigoddess in her own right fleases resentment towards the Divine has cooled but she and her servants do still provide Solace to atheists who find themselves in the Boneyard for Godless Souls who display potential she reserves the opportunity to train them as psychopomps among the ushers FIA stands out as the most human appearing as a tall broad shouldered woman wearing a simple plaster Domino mask and carrying an ore that she uses to Ferry those who reject the call of their gods her realm the anonymous loia serves as a museum Housing Works by long forgotten creators that still hold a significant place in Mortal cultures seoc the minder of Immortals seoc the ultimate Arbiter of mortal agency finds Delight in the malleability of the soul and the boundless potential within the living as the minder of Immortals seoc takes on the role of a legal Defender for Souls during their trials passionately arguing that a Soul's intentions and personal experiences should hold as much weight as the consequences of their actions a bit of a sore loser seoc has even been known to resurrect Mortals whose sole judgments the Usher deemed profoundly unfair giving these individuals a chance to Showcase their truest selves this disregard for traditional etiquette has made seoc an unpopular figure among among psychopomps and in particular he is despised by Vil who sees the minder of Immortals tactics as ironically juvenile as an Usher born from Mortal aspirations to defend their actions and decisions seoc predates most other ushers and even some other gods they manifest as a rough humanoid figure characterized by a featureless face adorned with stag horns and orbited by two ey lined golden rings the minder of Immortals rules over a vast domain the twisting planer Metropolis known as The spire's Edge within this city the least developed Souls of the Boneyard reside either striving to find their purpose or slowly fading away into Cosmic dust to shallice the primordial poison upon realizing that Mortals clung too tightly to life reluctant to part with it when their time had come fasma took action she reached down lifted up an asp and transformed it into the Usher known as Talis the Venom of this primordial poison is age itself and it would flow through the veins of all Mortals gradually robbing them of memory passion and vitality until they eventually welcome the Embrace of death while many curse the Usher's name viewing them as an example of phasma's indifference and cruelty others see the wisdom that lies in the Poison's dose they understand that the very fluids that can bring death also hold the power to bring Life tala's Touch allows Mortals to grow and mature granting them the opportunity to experience and acquire wisdom that eluded them in their earlier years while Damar serves as the of doctors and healers talas serves the patron for herbalists and those who refine Nature's poisons into potent medicines talas also has a close association with scaly folk overseeing The Souls of Cobalts lizard folk serpent folk and other coldblooded beings with intelligence manifesting as a serpent Talus is supported by four feathered wings that are not physically connected to their looping body they frequently wander the Ethereal plain but have established their dwelling in the bower antimony a greenhouse teeming with poisonous plants and extreme temperatures devotees of Talis often maintain small gardens of poisonous plants as an homage and utilize their crops to distill a variety of medicinal concoctions Vil the court of ancestors the court of ancestors arrived at the Boneyard carried upon the first wave in the river of souls as the chief prosecutor Veil serves the Boneyard advocating for the Judgment of souls solely based on external criteria and their impact disregarding individual intentions in addition to their role as a gatherer of knowledge Vil also stands as an advocate for agnostics making them the authority within the Boneyard concerning matters of Faith unrelated to Gods such as philosophies and superstitions veil's manifestation comprises several naked androgenous figures merged into a singular being crowned with a floating circle of white crystal their domain known as the mall of jurist prudence encompasses a winding network of libraries and offices vaval the steeple skull vaval the brooding master of spires and Steeples stands as the architect of the Boneyard born from the Mortal yearning to leave a lasting Legacy for The Departed as the patron and protector of sacred sights his cold earthy breath flows through the world's mosum with Eerie reverence he possesses little tolerance for those who disturb these hallowed grounds and both fasman and the superstitious alike carve his holy symbol into tombs or craft headstones in its likeness to safeguard the sights from malevolent spirits and Grave robbers even the Gargoyles that find residence on Cathedrals temples and tombs pay at least token homage to this Usher vaval has established his Abode within the Wailing tour a tall steeple Tower situated at the heart of the eight courts his manifestations takes the form of a skeletal gray figure adorned in a breastplate robe and wings Made of Stone sporting three eyes upon his right hand whether his countenance Bears additional eyes remains a mystery as the steeple skull veils the upper half of his head with the delicate silk covering vonos the morning storm vos's Essence is born from the overwhelming grief that Mortals experience in the aftermath of loss embodying both positive and negative Transformations that can arise from mourning this Usher personifies depression isolation and Desperation but also finds inspiration in glorious last stands and renewed Vigor playing the role of amuse among the ushers vos's care extends to The Souls of those who have succumbed to suicide martyrdom and calamities like natural disasters and plagues the presence of the morning storm is often felt as a churning flood of emotions overwhelming individuals until their emotional walls crumble before its tied their dwelling resides near a glass Willow overlooking the storm of shards a Cascade of broken floating stones that drift at the edge of the Spire vos's manifestations are diverse at times appearing as a wheel of water with wailing sounds and a single coppery brown eye and at other times taking on the form of a cross between a crow and a [Music] knight

Channel: MythKeeper

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Id: 6esRHQTcaM8

Length: 30min 19sec (1819 seconds)

Published: Wed Nov 01 2023