ANUBIS SOUL-GUIDE
Desert ScholarsPsychopomp and Spirit Medium
"The dead have no voice but mine. I will not betray their trust by remaining silent.""
Identity
- Residence
- City of the Sleeping Dead
- Civilization
- Desert Scholars
Appearance
• Physical: Tall and gaunt with an otherworldly presence, his eyes are completely black and seem to look through the living. His skin has a grayish pallor. • Clothing: Robes of funeral black adorned with symbols of passage, a heavy ankh pendant, and a staff carved from petrified wood. • Distinguishing Marks: His breath is always cold; animals avoid him; his shadow sometimes moves independently.
Relationships
- Family - Estranged from living family; considers the spirits he helps his true family
- Allies - Priests of death cults, other mediums who share his burden
- Rivals - False mediums who exploit the grieving, necromancers who bind spirits against their will
Personality
- Traits: Somber and serious, genuinely compassionate for the dead and grieving, uncomfortable with the living, surprisingly gentle with children
- Mannerisms: Speaks to empty air; pauses as if listening to unheard voices; touches his ankh when troubled
- Voice: Hollow and echoing, with a quality that makes listeners think of graves
Backstory
Anubis nearly died of fever as a child and returned with the ability to see and communicate with spirits. He trained as a psychopomp, helping lost souls find their way to the afterlife. His work is essential but makes him an outcast among the living.
Daily Life
Spends days helping families communicate with deceased loved ones, nights guiding lost spirits to their rest. He rarely sleeps, as spirits are most active in darkness. He takes no payment beyond basic necessities.
Secret
═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════
Story Hooks
- 1 The force preventing spirits from moving on is growing stronger, and he needs help investigating its source.
- 2 A powerful spirit has refused to move on and is becoming dangerous; Anubis needs help either convincing it or forcing it.