A treatise on spectral entities: sparks, souls and ghosts.
(Published in the Imperial Academy of Sciences Circular by Kadavrin E. M., Associate Professor, Department of Necrology, University of the RI MANATAZEM)
The study of death underwent a paradigm shift with the Gift of Tenses. Before the Miracle, death was an absolute. Now, death is liminal. To understand the current state of death metaphysics, we must distinguish between the Spark, the soul, and the various phantasmagoria that haunt Sarnout.
A majority of modern scientists identify the Spark as the seat of consciousness. Simple insects and flora lack a detectable Spark. This absence indicates a lack of true consciousness. A minority faction of academics argues that all biological life carries a Spark. They suggest the Sparks of smaller organisms are simply too miniscule for existing sensors to record during the moment of death.
The Great Hermit of the Holy Land posits that the Spark has no inherent connection to magical ghosts. He argues that ghosts are purely magical constructs, subject to arcane laws rather than the jurisdiction of the Church. This suggests that while a Spark provides life, a "ghost" is often an artificial or accidental casing.
The taxonomy of spectral entities
We categorise spectral entities into five distinct classifications based on their origin and composition:
Spark -- the fundamental unit of consciousness and the primary catalyst for life.
Etheric body -- an incorporeal or semi-incorporeal shell made of ectoplasm.
Soul -- the synthesis of a Spark and an etheric body.
Lingering sparks -- Sparks that did not yet reach Purgatory or remain tethered to the material plane for some reason (for example, having no body to return to or being cursed.)
Ghosts -- etheric bodies that possess no Spark, but mimic the patterns of a personality and behaviour. They appear as a result of powerful curses or magical discordance.
Mythopoetic/Metaphysical souls - these entities manifest as the spirit of a specific location or a concentrated abstract quality, such as the Soul of Kania or Spirits of Greed.
Corruption and the shadow state
The phenomenon of "shadows" might represent a degradation of the Spark. Evidence suggests shadows are corrupted Sparks wrapped in an envelope of shadow magic.