Styx
Ephithet: The River of the Dead[edit]
Introduction[edit]
The River Styx is a body of Naim that crosses the entirety of the Void Plane. Those who die will end up within this river, souls naturally being attracted to it. When a soul is separated from the body, it will naturally begin it’s departure to the river, either floating to the edge of the world of Rhyst, to find it, or in the case of being in the Void, floating to the river as soon as possible. Due to this, the river is a rather ghastly sight, filled with souls swimming through it and the groans of the dead filling the area around it. The River Styx falls under the watch of the Eidolon Nevanerro, however it is occasionally accosted by both Witches of Paschia Fel, and Demons of Vul’kairk.
History[edit]
Back before the Sundering of the planes, when the Eternal Void still existed, there was an endless ocean of Naim known as Stygia. However, with the separation of the planes, the Naim of this ocean spilled endlessly and everywhere. A large amount of this Naim collected in two areas, one in the Astral Sea, considered lost to many extents. The other collection of Naim would come to form the River Styx across the Void.
Originally, this untamed Styx was different from the current iteration. Instead of guiding souls to the cycle of reincarnation, the original Styx led to oblivion, the absolute end. The untamed Styx was formed by the pull of Limbo, and prior to it being guided by the Limbo Eidolon, the plane of Limbo was Maelstrom, and only Maelstrom, spelling destruction for any soul that might have gotten caught within its pull.
It is to this untamed Styx that Nevanerro brought his influence. Nevanerro made it so that Styx would guide souls not to the Maelstrom but into Limbo and beyond.
Nowadays, the River Styx provides passage to the souls caught in it, from death to new life, a cycle of reincarnation seemingly created between the Dragons, Nevanerro, and Titania. Following the current will eventually lead one to Sheol, the domain of Nevanerro, where their soul will be judged.
Trivia[edit]
It is often that this formation is stolen from by the forces of Paschia Fel and Vul’karik, although these thefts are often the souls of those who pact with them, escaping, to an extent, from the cycle of reincarnation.
The dead do not rest easily within Styx. Often attempting to touch the Naim will result in those within it attempting to grab them, trying to drag themselves out, however this will end up pulling the one who tried to reach in into it.
The River Styx does not appear to be guarded by a general of Nevanerro, but instead looked over directly by Nevanerro himself.
Soul Flayers are an invasive species to the River Styx, and are not common Fauna.
Traveling River Styx is often done with Soul Lanterns, an invention of Necromancers. The souls within the rivers will see the light, be attracted to it, and swim towards it, causing seafaring vessels to go downstream at a faster rate.
Floating an object down the River Styx may cause it to eventually reach the realm of the living.
Credit[edit]
Notyel https://forum.verdict.dev/showthread.php?tid=1467
Various Events
Extraplanar Elements - https://wiki.verdict.dev/wiki/Elements
Cycle of Souls - https://wiki.verdict.dev/wiki/Cycle_of_Souls