Undm
Undm is the Immortal who admits the souls of the dead into the Afterlife. She is often called the Gatekeeper or Keeper of the Dead, and mostly enjoys a neutral reputation from cultures despite her association with that which all mortals fear.
To the Viali Undm is of the Serafim, the highest order of Serafina's Aengels. Her charge is to pass final judgment over souls and choose whether to admit them into the afterlife - those who are found unworthy to pass on are doomed to stay in the realm of mortals as pale ghosts and shadows, and many believe they are then highly susceptible to nether-taint and may become nethrim. In addition to admitting souls into the afterlife, Undm is also charged with guarding it with her host of Cerubim. She is most often depicted with olive skin, long black hair, and feathered wings, her upper face concealed by the hood of her concealing gray robe. She holds a set of scales in one hand and a sword in the other. She is frequently shown standing in front of an ancient and weathered stone archway. In manner she is aloof and quiet.
In the Faewyr culture Undm tests the souls of mortals before they are allowed entry into the afterlife through her Gate in the sky. The tests can vary widely, tailored to test specific aspects of that particular individual and determine which afterlife they will be assigned to. She has a close relationship with Aphraen, who frequently finds souls lost in the sky and helps guide them to the Gate. Her appearance varies depending on the one being tested, and she is said to often disguise herself, sometimes even taking the forms of animals, in order to observe and occasionally interact with mortals and learn more about their character. Thus it is often said that being quietly observed by an animal is an omen of impending death, as it may be Undm observing the individual in preparation of testing and judging their soul. In artistic depictions she is most commonly shown as a large red-haired Faewyr woman standing before a closed wooden gate and/or holding a large key in one hand.
To the Nuum Undm is the guide of souls into the Afterlife after their stay and proving in the World Between Worlds. She is said to have become embittered by her station, caught between the World Between Worlds and the Afterlife, never able to find her place in one or the other. Mortals who are being prepared for death by spiritual advisors are often trained thoroughly on how to approach, interact with, and show respect to Undm, lest they offend or anger her and find themselves denied access to the Afterlife by the spiteful god. In manner she is normally quiet and brooding, but with a fearsome temper. In artistic depictions she is most often shown in a narrow rowboat which she uses to ferry souls into the Afterlife.
To the Huec people Undm is a splinter of their god Toteoh in the form of a large six-legged jaguar, a fearsome representation of justice and judgment, and is often invoked at trials. Liars, thieves, murderers and the like are in danger of being devoured by the Immortal beast, though they will usually die of mysterious mundane circumstances to release their soul first to then be devoured. Undm may also judge the souls of the dead, particularly during sacrifices, and can determine whether the souls are allowed to be empowered and bring about the acts they were sacrificed to perform, or be turned into evil spirits, be devoured, or even be added to one of the splinters of Toteoh to empower it.
