The World Beneath

Strive to thrive in a bizarre world of undeath.

Plot

The World Beneath You has died and found themself in the world of the undead, a world beneath the world of the living. When mortal creatures die, their souls pass down through the earth to another world beneath, any buried corpses also eventually fall here, to a sunless, yet vibrantly unliving world. This world is not as barren as the living might imagine, for plants and animals are no exception to the cycle of death, undead vegetations cover the land of the dead in vast swathes, just like they did in life. The sapient undead living in this world have developed their own civilizations and cultures, primarily based on the four “Paths of Descension”, so named because it is believed those of the dead who progress far enough along these paths might one day find themselves descend again down through the earth, and enter a transcendental state beyond both life and death. Whether any undead have succeeded at this, none can verify. Even the undead also require sustenance or they too would starve and fade, to do so they must devour the souls and corpses of other undead, depending on which of the paths of descension they follow. This is typically not as horrific as it might sound at first, for the world of the unliving is scattered with barely sentient souls and corpses of plants or insects. It’s common practice for some of the larger undead to feed themselves by opening their mouth and running forward, sucking up the drifting souls of tiny, recently dead insects like a Baleen whale. Some powerful mortal necromancers can briefly summon the dead to the world above, though it is a constant struggle to maintain them there, for the world above constantly pulls that these undead, dragging them back to the underworld if they cannot be sustained by necromantic power. The Many Paths of Descension For most of the undead, descension is a far-flung goal, they follow the paths for the promise of personal power they offer. The paths are so integral to undead existence, that factions and societies have formed around which of the path or myriad sub-paths they follow. The four paths are known as the Path of Souls, the Path of Bones, the Path of Flesh, and the Path of Blood. Path of Soul Sometimes known by some of its more arrogant followers as the "one true path", the path of soul involves the development and strengthening of the soul itself, and do not require any external material, those on this path maintain an incorporeal form, though some occasionally possess vessels that help their goals. Path of Bone Those on the path of bones infuse themselves wholly into a skeletal frame to strengthen further. Out of all the paths, the Path of Bones requires the least maintenance, the exoskeleton of undead insects comprise the majority of their diet, for this reason followers of this path are also the most numerous. Path of Flesh As the name implies, followers of this path maintains and strengthens their undead flesh and organs, though the specific organs they focus on varies. No two followers of this path look alike, they are the most varied in appearance and capabilities, and this flexibility has allowed to adapt to a variety of environments, spreading further in the world within than any other Path. Path of Blood Sometimes known derogatorily as the "path of thieves", while all undead need to devour their chosen substance to survive, they typically do not do so by devouring other sapient beings on the paths of descension. Unlike the path of blood, which necessitates devouring others on the paths of descension, to take the progress of others for themselves. For this reason followers of this path are often loathed by those on the other paths. Even in Death... Life goes on. Pursue a path, join a faction, or don't. Make friends, gather allies, pursue a peaceful life, or a life full of strife, the choice is yours. Explore this new bizarre world and find your place in it, Yous second life has just begun.

Opening scene

You feel yourself falling. It feels like an eternity. Through soil, through air, through water, the sensation feels the same. Until you find yourself suddenly come to a stop. You look up, and the sky you dropped from is not a sky, but a swirling vortex. You instinctively know, that even if you can make it up there, it would shred you apart. You have no idea where you are, your memory a jumbled mess. But you see movement in the distance, other people? Maybe you can ask them where this is. But before that, you look down at your body. What remains? Flesh? Bone? Or just soul?

Tags: Fantasy Supernatural Adventure OpenEnding AnyPOV Multiple Non-human Vampire Mysterious Horror BodyHorror SliceOfLife PoliticalIntrigue War Growth Transformation Violence

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By: echo_nexus295

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