Reapers

The Reapers of Marg are faceless entities tasked with collecting the souls of the dead and ferrying them to Marg’s realm for judgment. While they vary in description across different cultures, their core function remains the same: they are impartial servants of death, relentless and unstoppable in their duty. Reapers do not speak, feel, or show emotion; they merely fulfill their eternal purpose.

Where they are seen at all, they are seen at the moment of death, or in places steeped in loss: old battlefields, haunted ruins, cursed ground. They are said to be strongest while traveling the River Styx. They are not held to be hostile by nature, though they may stand against anyone who disturbs the order of life and death, whether by resurrection or by necromancy.

Cultural Distinctions

The Reapers of Marg, enigmatic entities embodying the truth of death, are interpreted through various cultural lenses. The Terrane revere them as the Mrakovi, seen as manifestations of the earth, while humans perceive the Grim Reaper as a harbinger of inevitable demise. Among the Hafuwë, the Maranashaya are gentle guardians that embrace death as a natural transition. These distinct interpretations reflect each culture’s beliefs and values regarding mortality.

Gnomes - Bàsachdra

To the gnomes, the Reapers are affectionately known as Bàsachdra. In gnomish folklore, these Reapers are seen not as frightening or menacing, but as grumpy, determined little creatures that scurry about the world making sure everything is in its proper place. Just like a badger is known to burrow through the earth, the Bàsachdra burrow through time and space, gently nudging the souls of the departed along their way. Parents tell their children that when someone passes, it’s the Bàsachdra that comes to lead them to the next big adventure. No need to be afraid, just like you wouldn’t fear a badger in the woods!

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Hafuwë - The Maranashaya

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Among the Hafuwë, Marg’s reapers are known as the Maranashaya. In their dense rainforest home, death comes quietly, like the rustling of leaves in the wind. The Maranashaya are said to take the form of shifting shadows in the underbrush, blending into the forest until it’s time to claim a soul. Unlike other cultures, the Hafuwë do not fear the reapers, believing they are part of the natural cycle of the rainforest, much like the falling of leaves. When a Hafuwë dies, their body is left in the forest, allowing the Maranashaya to gently guide their spirit back to the ever-living jungle.

Humans - Grim Reaper

To humans, Marg’s reapers are often seen as fierce but necessary entities, known as the Grim Reaper. They are believed to be faceless figures draped in tattered black cloaks, with bony, pallid hands that stretch out to claim the souls of the deceased. Many human cultures view them with a mixture of fear and reverence, associating their appearance with the cold of winter or the fading of daylight. These reapers are seen as patient, inevitable figures, waiting for the right moment to gather each soul. It’s common for human families to light candles at night, hoping to ward off the Grim Reaper a little longer.

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Karruk - Shi’Gon

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In the barren, savage lands of the Karruk, the Reapers are known as the Shi’Gon. To these fierce, nomadic tribes, the Reapers are not merely servants of death, but relentless hunters sent by Marg to claim those who cannot defend their souls. The Karruk believe that only the strongest warriors can fend off the Shi’Gon and continue their existence beyond death, while the weak and dishonorable are swiftly carried away to Marg’s realm. To encounter a Shi’Gon is seen as a challenge: a fight for the very essence of your soul. Legends tell of ancient Karruk chiefs who battled these Reapers, not to escape death, but to prove their worth before Marg’s final judgment.

Peren - Maut’rasa

The Peren, a people who value freedom and balance, view the Reapers as Maut’rasa. For them, the Reapers are more than just harbingers of death: they are spiritual guides who ensure that every soul, regardless of its journey in life, returns to the balance from which it was born. The Peren believe that the Reapers walk silently among them in times of great change, ensuring that death only comes when it must. They see the Reapers as neither friend nor foe, but as a necessary force that maintains the flow of life and death, guiding lost souls to their final destination.

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Terrane - The Mrakovi

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The Terrane, living deep within the stone, believe that Marg’s reapers are the shadows cast by the earth itself. These reapers, known as the Mrakovi, appear as figures woven from black stone and dust, moving silently through the caves to collect the dead. Terrane artisans depict them as silent masons chiseling away at the mortal body to release the soul, returning it to the earth’s embrace. The Terrane revere the Mrakovi as natural forces, just as essential as the mountains, and they prepare their dead by carving elaborate tombs that welcome the reapers as honored guests.