The Broken Hourglass Weekly Update
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Immediately after the body dies, the soul awakens in the Gray Realm, a distorted, fog-shrouded mirror of the real world where the dead can still bear witness to the affairs of the living. The soul remains in the Gray Realm until The Words are spoken over the body. This alerts Oron to the death, and he sends his Takers to gather the soul and deliver it to the afterlife. This is why it is not uncommon to see soldiers recite a short-form version of the Words over their fallen enemies the fear that the unmourned dead may have power and influence over the world of the living so long as they remain in the Gray Realm.
The exact nature of the afterlife beyond the Gray Realm is subject to greater debate, but it is generally believed that it is a static, unchanging place, which cares little for accomplishments in life. Those in the afterlife are said to await the return of the Sun God at the end of time, where all final judgments will be passed down.