Re-Birthdays With One
Every re-birth is a victory. Our first lives were stolen from us in the Disintegration and, through the divine grace of Anam, we have the chance to live them again. We are lucky, not every wasted life gets this chance. We soulforged do not waste it.
We orcs don't do birthdays. Our lives were short and meaningless in the old days. Now our lives are still short, but we matter. Every day is a birthday for us!
Rebirth From Catastrophe
Kirinal, the greatest city in the world was destroyed in the first of the Kirinal Catastrophes, an eruption of wild magic that marked the end of the Lich War. Five hundred thousand mortals of all races and classes died that day. Their souls were bound to the energies of The Kirinal Pit, unable to move on.
Over time, the Pit was tamed, but the Dead of Kirinal were still trapped. Anam, the main god of Kirinal and the god of justice, commissioned the Soul Forge to make construct bodies for the Dead to correct this injustice.
Joyous Re-Birthday!
On the day of our rebirth, we go back to the Soul Forge. One (they/them) is there to welcome us back. The doors open and they are standing there. We file in, one by one. They greet each of us by our name. They tell us about our first moments and what they hope for us. We tell them what we have done that year.
Why the Dead of Kirinal?
"They never received what the dead deserve. They were trapped and tortured in death. Their souls were fodder, fuel for warlocks. Their corpses were clay for necromancers."
"Before he left us, the God of Justice, left them a gift. The chance for a life, a death, and judgment."
The First of Their Kind
"There is nothing special about me. I was just the first of us. You are my siblings. I just want what is best for each of you."
The first soulforged One is not a leader, they are not the parent of their people. They eschew any attempt to raise them up, considering themselves the first of equals. The other soulforged consider One their eldest sibling and their first friend.
To be reborn is a terrifying thing. To wake up with an adult mind full of terror, but no memories. But One is there to greet you. The first words you hear are, "Welcome back."
The first thing you see is the smiling marble face of One. The first thing that you learn is: "To be soulforged is to be chosen. To be soulforged is to be loved. Your rebirth is not a mistake. Your life has a meaning and you will live it."
The Soul Forge
The mighty Soul Forge was the last gift of Anam before he withdrew from the world. The Soul Smiths, a team of artificers, wizards and clerics, work full time so that the Forge can rebirth one new soulforged per day. It has been working non-stop for more than 150 years now.
History
"#3918, My Lord of Stormfields! My old friend! It's our 150th rebirthday together! There were so few of us when your eyes glowed! Now look at us, we are a people!"
On the first anniversary of his rebirth, Two, The Surveyor of Worlds went back to the Soul Forge to meet with One. The other surviving soulforged also came back on their re-birthdays. One, gracious and kind as always, never failed to meet with them. Even now, more than a hundred years later, the tradition continues.
Execution
Every afternoon, without fail, at midday when other mortals eat their lunch, the soulforged celebrants wait at the doors of the Soul Forge. The doors open and One is there to greet them one by one.
"Greetings, #44219, who calls himself the Sky Fisher. I remember how curious you were when your eyes first glowed. You were so happy. Everything was a miracle to you."
They are also there to meet with their re-birth siblings. To reconnect, to help those who need it, to make sure that their people prosper.
As the sun sets, the celebrants gather in the Church of the Soulforged to attend the Mass of Rebirth. In the Chamber of the Soul Forge, One is present as the Soul Smiths complete their work and that day's soulforged is reborn.
The celebrants hope to meet their new sibling. If the rebirth is good, One ushers them into the Chamber. If it is not, the celebrants hope to meet their sibling the next year.
Participants
Every living soulforged capable of making the trip comes to see One on their re-birthday. Even Tazi Asadi, the Unbeliever, comes to celebrate his mutual re-birthday with One.
The Soulforged
Mechanical men with reborn souls chosen for a second chance at life.
I really love the idea and concept behind this! This is a very original take, and it was a very interesting read.
Thanks so much!
For your consideration, my submissions for the WorldAnvil Worldbuilding Awards 2024. (I've also included some of my favorites other worldbuilders.)