A few words about the Spirit World.

Hadrian tells about the Spirit World.

Hadrian stood in front of the small group of Valarians. He did not strike fear into anyone's heart, but there may have been a touch of loathing. The elderly Das Karr stood just over five feet tall and looked as though this was not his year to bathe. When the breeze was right you could almost smell him. His back was hunched, his shoulders rounded, and you could clearly see the bald spot on his protruding stomach, it was not a pretty sight.

At last the old fellow seemed to be ready to speak, he quietly cleared his throat and looked around at the dozen youngsters, waiting for them to pay attention. After several minutes he seemed to sigh with resignation.

He took in a deep breath and suddenly his voice boomed out across the clearing with an astonishing volume and vigor. "Shut your freaking mouths and pay attention. The lesson is half over, and what have you learned? Nothing. What have I learned? That I am wasting my time here."

His voice dropped in volume and seemed to crack with every word. "Let us begin. You are hear to learn something about the Spirit World, and I am hear to tell you something about the spirit world."

Several people in the audience were furiously trying to get their ears adjusted, and a couple who had fallen down from the shouting drew themselves up to a sitting position.

"The Spirit World does not conform to our physical worlds rules. Many of the things I will tell you are impossible, yet they are true. To save us both some time I will simply list them. We will not discuss them, they just are. No sense debating what is, at least not in my experience. It is better to just deal with the strangeness and get on about your business."

1. The Spirit World is made up of billions of individual clouds. These clouds swirl and dance around each other. They have within them the capacity to flash colors as they move. Their color flashing is the only light in the Spirit World.
2. It is very disconcerting to have strobe lights constantly operating all around you. Your "sight" is limited to 200 feet. Easy to get lost, stay near your Spirit Walker or you will be lost.
3. The Spirit World has an Up and a down. You will be walking on the "ground". The ground is shaped vaguely like the physical world that it wraps around, but is made of flashing clouds.
4. The Spirit World is 1/4 the distance of the physical World. When you walk a mile in it, you have travelled four miles across the physical worlds surface.
5. Paradoxically the Spirit World appears to be four times the size of the physical World. I told you it was impossible, but there it is.
6. Ranged weapons do not work. Arrows stop when they leave the bow. Thrown daggers stop when they leave the hand.
7. There is nothing for you to eat or drink. Take supplies.
8. There are a fracking lot of spirits, but the vast majority are too busy reliving their lives to bother you. There will usually be 20 to 30 in sight.
9. Warp Storms affect the Spirit and Astral Worlds as well sat the physical world. The storms literally cross the lines between worlds and cause devastation on all three. This has warped a lot of spirits, be careful.
10. There are an unlucky few who have the ability to "see" the paths in the spirit world and can travel semi-safely. Spirit Walkers can do this. You probably can not.
11. When a person on the physical world dies and their spirit travels to the spirit world there is, sometimes, a rip in the spirit world that you can escape through. If you get lost, look for small herds of spirits waiting to greet newcomers. They seem to sense when a newbie is arriving.
12. Shaman spells will regenerate in the Spirit World. Wizard, Necromatic, Witchcraft types, and Pylos Powers, do not regenerate, even if you drink potions, they just do not recharge. Fortunately, shifter and universal skills do regenerate. You do not find many Witches, Elementalist, Wizards or Necros on the paths, and that is a good thing.
13. Spirits have many unusual methods of attack and will use them. Do not think you know what any of them will do. The warp has not helped in this respect.
14. A number of "magic items" from the physical world have been lost in the Spirit World by one method or another. If you are lucky, you may find one. If you are unlucky, you will be sent to retrieve one.

"Ok. That is it for the lesson. Good luck to any of you that find it necessary to be in the Spirit World. May the blessings of all 181 Gods and Goddesses protect you from the dangers of the Spirit World. Hmm, what? Oh, yes, 181, at least that is how many I have heard of or run across. Now, let me get going, they are giving me a free meal!"

Mark Harmon