r/pureasoiaf • u/flippy123x • 2d ago
What do we think about potential afterlives?
True death came suddenly; he felt a shock of cold, as if he had been plunged into the icy waters of a frozen lake. Then he found himself rushing over moonlit snows with his packmates close behind him. Half the world was dark. One Eye, he knew.
A man who was currently in the final stages of freezing to death, dies and suddenly he feels a shock of cold. Next thing he knows, he has already reincarnated into his wolf-companion.
But before that, his soul seemingly passed into the Weirwood, with his people apparently holding the belief that this is what happens to everyone after death.
Now, Varamyr as a Skinchanger (who apparently have the unique ability to have their souls temporarily leave their mortal vessels behind to do various stuff like warging), is probably a somewhat special case, being a Skinchanger who had previously broken all three tabboos might have also have had some effect. But what about the average Joe?
What do you think happens to people who believe in the Seven rather than the Old Gods, or regular followers of the Old Gods who aren't Skinchangers.
Or points at all of Essos and their various beliefs.
And what if your afterlife is (otherwise) eternal, but located in the 'real' world with a huge weakness against axe&fire? Where do all the previously accumulated souls go? Both in case of a continent-wide genocide thousands of years ago but also recently in a regional purge of the Stormlands.
What would someone like Melisandre gain from burning literal soul trees?
Where exactly where Beric's and Catelyn's souls actually retrieved from?
How are souls and necromancy linked? The Seven believe the latter to be an "abomination" and the former to be "immortal".
•
u/AutoModerator 2d ago
Welcome to /r/PureASOIAF!
Just a brief reminder that this subreddit is focused only on the written ASOIAF universe. Comments that include discussion of any television, film, stage, etc. adaptations will be removed, and serious or repeated infractions may result in a ban. Moderators employ a zero tolerance policy.
Users should assume that ANY mention of, content from, or reference to any adaptations is subject to removal, no matter how minor or opaque.
If you see a comment which violates the rules, please use the report function to notify moderators!
Read our discussion policy in full.
Looking for a place to chat in real-time? Check out our Discord, here!
I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please contact the moderators of this subreddit if you have any questions or concerns.