Sky to Sky Dust to Dust

The Reaper of souls wondered the earth for eons. They were the balancing force, the end to all that must begin. The Reaper had within them the power to undo the death of the unjust and to remedy plagues of any manner, The Reaper was kind and fair.

The end of life is what too begins it, for to reap is to harvest that which has been sown. The Reaper was the farmer who never harmed his flock. The Reaper takes us at the end to the place beyond all knowing, and that is good.

There is however, a cost.

The Reaper wonders the earth, exposed to sky, and cannot see beneath Terra, for Terra is his mother too. So we must leave the dead where they can find them, and leave them alone for their meeting with The Reaper.

The Reaper has enemies too, the callus hand of necromancy can snatch a soul from them, and condemn it to limbo. This is to is why we protect the body while it meets with The Reaper.

Sky to Dēaþ. Dust to Dust. Dēaþ to Dust. Sky to Sky.

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In almost every culture in the cosmos the dead are buried, one way or another. And this is a reasonable practice, it prevents disease for the living and the distress that comes with the rotting of the body. However, throughout Terra, many leave their dead exposed to sky for a day before any process begins for funerals. The process originates in the above myth, and is said to protect the body from necromancy and the soul from being trapped in its form. This does not actually work, but provides a great deal of comfort to many, so most Necromancers have chosen to ignore that.

Spread

The myth is well known in various version across Terra, and is considered the formula for the vast majority of burial traditions.

Art

Literature

The myth appears time and time again across literature, both referenced in fiction due to its prominence, and in academic texts that aim to understand tradition or Necromancy. Most of these texts use a version of the above myth, which was made prominent by its standardization by the Southern Bishoprics for use at funerals.

Art

An artistic representation of death

As a byproduct of exploration of death and grief, many pieces use this myth and its symbolism to show grief or repersent the reaper. It is most famously used in an art piece known as "Dust on the wind" in which the artists depicted their grief with dust literally in the sky.

Spread: Widely used across Terra, uncommon in the rest of the cosmos

Acceptance: Almost exclusively opposed by Necromancer factions

First usage: 376 ME

Referenced in: Summercamp 2026