Summary
In
Nerzin, the nature of immortality is itself tied to the philosophy of transcendence, two esoteric concepts that many in the lands have some awareness of. The source of myths, legends, fantastic journeys, and incredible efforts, to speak of one is to speak of the other, even if they are not always intertwined. While parallels can be found in other cultures and locations in the world, as one delves into the specifics, this article pertains to the typical perspective on the matters.
Immortality upon Veltrona
It is important to define the exact meaning of 'immortality' upon
Veltrona, especially in the context of divinity, divine beings, and otherwise.
Mortality and immortality are, generally speaking, those who are affected by time, and those who are not. Time is the important measure here, as mortals will generally age, then die, over a given length of time. Immortals are ageless, insofar as they will not die because of time. They can still be killed, starve to death, or otherwise as any mortal might. Some species are naturally immortal existences, such as
dragonkind,
ilansu, and
jiuweihu. Some gained immortality through
magic,
divinity, or something else, such as the
baarham.
This 'ageless immortality' is the first version most everyone has some passing familiarity with. Even as it may be regarded as the most common form of immortality, is it not something easily achieved. To become immortal is to possess the ability to endure all of eternity and its constant erosion. The physiology of these species and people are unusually robust for that purpose.
The context of this robustness is important to establish: an immortal's body has the strength to endure eternity's constant erosion. Many other species can and do exhibit even better physiological potential, but they are subject to time, and so eventually wither and die. Being an ageless immortal does not make one more durable against a sword by virtue of being immortal. If they are more durable, it's a quirk of their species rather than the immortality itself.
As an example, consider the likely problems an immortal body would encounter: physical damage, and mental trauma. Where as a mortal's body eventually peaks, then declines, an immortal's peaks and maintains that peak from thereon out. It's also even better at correcting damage, such as joint problems, so as to prevent total collapse. Their brains possess remarkable elasticity, allowing them to endure all kinds of experiences without suffering permanent trauma as a result.
However, they do have their limits. Notably, their physical bodies are far more likely to fail than their mental health. Immortal beings possess incredibly durable minds, and even calamitious downfalls will, in time, heal.
Finally, it is important to view immortal beings as not necessarily being 'out of time' from their mortal berthern. It is a common misconception that an immortal may regard any measure of time as nothing more than the 'blink of an eye'. However, they still need to live their lives and uphold their purposes, which makes time extremely relevant to them. A good explaination of this would be the situation of going onto a journey.
An immortal will not think much of say, a two-year travel time on its own. They will care more about the travel time if they're pressed
for time; such as a critical sale, or someone's life is in danger. To be able to disregard time is a luxury, even for them, because there are always time sensitive matters they have to pay attention to. They do not, however, regard the cost of time as a piece of their total existence.
In other words, a mortal is concerned that two years of their life may be burned up in such a journey. An immortal doesn't think of that at all.
Divine Immortality
What is immortality?
Is it to be free of death, and thus no longer among the living?
Is death required for life, or can life stand alone?
If in leaving death behind, one ceases to be mortal—are they then divine?
Or something else?
Immortality is not a requirement of divinity, but often in achieving divine power one achieves one or more forms of immortality. So it is in Nerzin that the pursuit of immortality is the pursuit of divinity, and the two are intertwined. It is much more than a journey to escape death, it is an elevation of status above all others. Thus, throughout Nerzin's history those who sought immortality often did so through perfection of their life's works.
A warrior may seek her immortality in perfection of the spear and blade, peerless in their arts, surpassing even goddesses. An alchemist may brew the perfect concoction, ridding the body of all impurities and transforming the soul into a greater being. A solemn monk may look inward, obtaining absolute understanding of the world and its esoteric truths. The breakthrough in becoming a true immortal, however, is often an out-of-reach dream. It is not, at its heart, to escape death but to obtain such a degree of completion as to ascend into the realms of divinity.
It is not well known what happens afterward, as many immortals end up leaving Veltrona behind. Whether it is a final peace that awaits them, or an ever grander journey to worlds unknowable, no one in
Veltrona can say easily. Rarer still are those who fail once becoming immortal, losing their lofty status in a terrible punishment or misstep that undoes all their work. Woe to them.
Virtuous deeds are often believed necessary for immortality, but that is not entirely true. Immortals are profound beings, standing at the pinnacle of their form, for better or worse. 'Good' and 'evil' immortals exist alike, but the morality of their actions has little bearing on their status.
This is drawn in sharp contrast to
forsaken beings, who can achieve truly great, if vile, feats. It is not clear why, but they lack a component necessary to achieve immortality. This has ever frustrated
liches, necromancers, and others who seek immortality in death. Although they are ageless enough, it is not the enlightened state of a true immortal.
In this light, many stories in Nerzin about defeating would-be immortals comes into focus. Virtuous heroines go forth to slay maniacal evil on the verge of immortality, thus sparing the world of terrible fortunes. Often by doing so they themselves become immortals, but this is not always the case.
There is a great difference between immortals and
exalted beings, one that is often imperceptible to any but them. If the exalted manifest through divinely granted power, immortals are those who manifest divine power from themselves. While not always a clear-cut situation, this fundamental distinction dramatically affects their respective beings. It could be said immortals are far less constrained in what they choose to do, but they do not receive the benefits of exaltation.
Transcendence
Water becomes the form of what contains it.
Which came first: the desire for immortality, or the desire to transcend? Time has erased the truth, but the question ever maddens the practitioners of the two philosophies. If one seeks perfection of form, then the pinnacle is surely the end of the journey. If it is not, then they have not achieved perfection—such is the thoughts of immortality seekers.
But what of those who wish to go beyond, and disregard the lofty ideal of perfection? Divinity, after all, comes in as many forms as there are stars in the night sky.
Transcendence became the answer to this ponderous question. If one wished to go beyond their existence, to become something new and greater, then there must be a road upon which to travel. Life, as it came to be seen, was just one stepping stone among many more that awaited. One did not need to know the end of the path, if there ever even was one. The journey itself became the purpose.
For most in Nerzin and aboard, transcendence is a path often considered along the likes of the goddesses—a higher state of being with few accurate descriptions. Immortals perfect their beings as they are given by the world; transcendental mistresses redefine their very existences. Such an unknown and indescribable pursuit is often personal and esoteric, the path ever ill-defined and wrought with danger. If one forgot who they were before reaching the next step, where do they go? Does death comfort them in their failure, or does an even worse fate await?
Such is one fear among many who pursue the ultimate path life can take.
Unwilling or unable to brave such dangers, transcendence is often watered down into simpler, veltron-bound ideas. This is why most scholarly minds believe immortality came afterward, for it has an 'end goal'. These veltron-minded practitioners refine what they have, seeking a purity of form. Those who choose to make the leap into the unknown become transcendent mistresses. Those who shy away from the ultimate path often flow into the path of immortality. To overcome this fear is, indeed, one of the greatest challenges one can face.
There is only you and the unknown—if one is to go beyond, they must risk it all.
Closing
While the heights of these philosophies are chased by practitioners, the vast majority of people regard them from afar. As one begets the other, they have shaped Nerzin's cultures as much as those cultures have shaped them. By studying this, one can see much more easily how the two have grown and shaped over time.
Much of these philosophical considerations are often lost-in-translation outside of Nerzin.
Aerthen, in part to its once shared lineage with Nerzin, has some philosophies that inherit much of the thinking of immortals.
Atenkhet has recently (in the last few centuries) imported both groups of thinking. For them, their pursuit of group divinity through their goddess-queen pharaoh begets the hallmarks of both. One might even say the
dragons of
Votyoger are beings who naturally seek the perfection of immortality, although they will often be tight-lipped about the matter. The
wokma care not for either, but some yet remain obsessed with transcendence, seeking something only known to their deepest of secretive lores.
In contemporary Veltrona, there are few schools still solely concerned with immortality or transcendence. Religions and other philosophical sects have co-opted many of their root ideas. As a result, this is often the first and last contact most people have with these concepts. It becomes that more troublesome for practitioners dedicating themselves, for it is not unlike
magic training in a sense. The perspective and knowledge offered by another shapes one's own self, and so too does that change the path they will take.
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