does the Duat "still" exist?

[efreund]

From an Arisen's theological perspective, where do mortals go when they die? (Ignoring those that leave behind ghosts.) From what I gather, the religion of the Duat was introduced to the tribes of the Nile Delta by the Shaniatu. It's not clear what their tribal theology was before that, but presumedly the Arisen now would consider it incorrect (presuming they could remember it).

After proselytizing to the tribes of the Nile Delta, and establishing Irem, etc., from what I gather, it became common belief that all souls enter (or at least attempt to head westward via the Twilight towards) Duat upon death. Point is, all mortals, even the pitiful slave who got a rock dropped on him, went to/towards Duat when he died.

So, does that still happen? Meaning, now - in the context of the modern day and fourth Sothic turn - when some random mortal gets shot on the south side of Chicago (and doesn't produce a ghost), does he head to/towards Duat? Are new souls reaching the Judges?

I'm less looking for the "real" metaphysical answer (though that might be interesting too), and more the in-universe "this is what most mummies believe" answer.

[reseru]

My answer would be 'yes'

[atamajakki]

The dead presumably march into Anpu's realm just the same as they always have. Why wouldn't they?

[Vent0]

The dead presumably march into Anpu's realm just the same as they always have. Why wouldn't they?

Travel Bans?

In seriousness, they still would, as you say. Unless a Plot Event^TM happened that prevented it.

[Octavo]

In my imagination, I think ghosts go to the underworld, but souls go to Duat. Before the Shan'iatu performed their dreadful deeds, a few souls went to Starry A'aru after judgement.

[reseru]

Is Starry A'aru a place where souls go? It never came across that way to me

[YeOfLittleFaith]

It is certainly where souls are supposed to go, in a sense.

[Azahul]

Is Starry A'aru a place where souls go? It never came across that way to me

My memory is that Book of the Deceived states that the Judges of Life would descend to Duat to judge the souls of the dead, and if the souls proved themselves worthy then they would be sent on to A'aru.

[Octavo]

Is Starry A'aru a place where souls go? It never came across that way to me

Not that you can trust the temakh, but:
"He told them that he was the god of lands beyond life, where Sekhem leaves flesh to re-enter the world as new life. And the Judges had given Remet five powers, to guide them to a place called Duat, to appear before the 42 for a final destiny in accord with their obedience to the Law. The worthy would dwell in A’aru, in the eternal presence of the Judges."
Book of the Deceived page 20

[Dave Brookshaw]

Spoiler for Dark Era Companion:

Just as mages call Duat a Lower Depth, that being a descriptive term used for it based on its characteristics but basically also an admission of ignorance, Arisen contextualize the Awakened into their worldsview as imposing ma'at (in the predynastic sense of "cosmic-imposed order or direction" without the later connotations of justice it picked up after item) from Aa'ru.

In other words, according to the Arisen, starry Aa'ru is the Supernal Realm.

Which raises all sorts of questions about the never-answered open question of what happens to souls when they die.

[reseru]

That's very interesting.

While Duat is firmly a Lower Depth in my mind, I'm hesitant to imagine A'aru as Supernal. Now, I've often tried to create some sort of Mummy antagonist that was inspired by me wondering, "What would a Supernal being look like to the deprived Lower Depth beings?" If the Supernal seems so glorious compared to the Fallen, how much must it contrast even more when compared to mummies of the Lower Depths?

There's still definitely something to chew on.


Also, I believe that A'aru was mentioned in the 2e Mage core as the empty plane where the stars are different, in the section on Irises and ones which fall outside of mages' cosmological paradigm

[atamajakki]

That's very interesting.

While Duat is firmly a Lower Depth in my mind, I'm hesitant to imagine A'aru as Supernal. Now, I've often tried to create some sort of Mummy antagonist that was inspired by me wondering, "What would a Supernal being look like to the deprived Lower Depth beings?" If the Supernal seems so glorious compared to the Fallen, how much must it contrast even more when compared to mummies of the Lower Depths?

There's still definitely something to chew on.


Also, I believe that A'aru was mentioned in the 2e Mage core as the empty plane where the stars are different, in the section on Irises and ones which fall outside of mages' cosmological paradigm

I have two things in my mind and a gap between them that you might be able to solve: how do you think the symbols of the Supernal relate to cosmic Seba?

[Michael]

Also, I believe that A'aru was mentioned in the 2e Mage core as the empty plane where the stars are different, in the section on Irises and ones which fall outside of mages' cosmological paradigm

There's a reference to 'an airless landscape where the stars are wrong', that's it.
Although it's interesting to bring it up in the context of Mummy, Starry A'aru is actually already referred to in To The Strongest as the Egyptian name for the Supernal.

[logos]

that being a descriptive term used for it based on its characteristics but basically also an admission of ignorance

Given the extent of the Arcana system, this just straight up seems unlikely. Does it belong to an Arcanum outside of the 10 Arcana? Can it only be understood using 'unveiling' practices of a sixth Arcanum or higher? Because if not, there is no reason to assume mages wouldn't know all about it. Mage is all about learning. The only reason they wouldn't know something is if they couldn't.

[Azahul]

Given the extent of the Arcana system, this just straight up seems unlikely. Does it belong to an Arcanum outside of the 10 Arcana? Can it only be understood using 'unveiling' practices of a sixth Arcanum or higher? Because if not, there is no reason to assume mages wouldn't know all about it. Mage is all about learning. The only reason they wouldn't know something is if they couldn't.

Haha, do you want to argue with Mage's developer about whether or not there are things Mages don't understand?