Bardo Atman (3.5e Deity)

Summary::Unborn god of the hevier, and supposed spirit of the material plane.

A god which does not quite exist yet, and at the same time is. Bardo Atman is the ultimate realization for the hevier, who believe their necromany tainted souls not only belong on the material plane, but ultimately will combine into a unliving god of the material plane. It is a subject which gains many enemies. While it is not known if their attempts at creating a god deep in some hidden, unknown vessel within the spiritveil are actually working, it is certain their beliefs have condensed upon the astral sea into a vague psychic storm of "ghostly purple flame and shafts of golden light". Though this collection of belief, which the hevier believe to be a reflection of the still forming god on the astral sea, a mere shadow of what is there, this thing is currently the source of all manner of faithful's spells.

Some claim that the deity is not only there, but sentient and aware, and has appeared upon the earth as an weaker, mortal avatar, as a stranger with burning eyes of purple flame.

Dogma
To experience life to its fullest and obtain knowledge is the code of the faithful, for they say when the spirit dies, if not granted the power to experience life beyond death, then that spirit will collect into Bardo Atman. Eventually Bardo Atman will awaken from his dream of thousands of dead souls, and the hevier will achieve their final state, a single, immortal collective godmind, a god upon the material plane.

Clergy and Temples
It is said that Bardo Atman will not awaken until he has obtained all that there is to know and experience, and so their followers are varied, curious, and never slothful. Something must always be done. Clergy adorn themselves with purple and gold colors, white bones, and hoods. Their ceremonies seem grim due to a large amount of bones and other marks of death being used, but for the faithful death is neither to be feared nor rejected, it is as basic as growing up.