"Those rare and determined spirits who search out the living before they pass, unbidden, by clinging to scraps of their former lives." [1]
A Revenant is a soul isolated from its host organism in the event of a sudden and violent death, or, in some cases, summoned from a corpse by a necromancer. Creatures of passion, revenants most frequently maintain their grip on the natural world in order to settle unfinished business. When a planet is killed suddenly and violently, its revenant manifests as a Resurrection Beast.
Creation[]
In Death[]
The thalergetic decay, or decay of life energy, inherent to death releases a burst of thanergy. In the case of a natural or slow death, this release is harmless and the soul is pulled in the River. In the case of apopneumatic shock, or the sudden release of a soul, however, the thanergetic burst can be strong enough to isolate the soul and create a revenant. Such is the case with the murders of Sister Glaurica and Ortus Nigenad, as well as the necromancers and cavaliers killed in Canaan House.
In Summoning[]
A summoning, or failed partial summoning, such as one performed by the Fifth and Eighth Houses can posthumously provide enough thanergy to manifest a revenant. A skilled summoner will retain control over the ghost throughout the summoning, and avoid unleashing a potentially vengeful revenant. This was not the case for Donald Sex, whose summoner was unaware of his own success.
Decay[]
Upon completing their final works, or sometimes upon running out of energy, revenants fade and pass on to the River and what lies beyond.
Revenants may also be forcibly destroyed.
Known Revenants[]
References[]
- ↑ "Gideon the Ninth," Act IV, Ch. 28