Introduction:
	While the varying tribes of Uskal differ on exact definitions and names pertaining to spirituality, there are some beliefs and traditions that have retained their integrity as the populations spread outward from the center of the continent.  For this academically sanctioned document, I will delve into these general beliefs.

General Beliefs:
	In the central culture and spirituality of Uskal, there is the belief in, and respect for, five sacred planes of being.  The three main realms that encompass existence are as follows: Sahkul, Magba, and Lykaeia.  Respectively, these are the planes of the Divine, the Core, and the Deep.  The planes of being that exist outside of this trio, are the realms of Sinrik and Amra’set, respectively, the plane of lost spirits, and the plane of chaos.  Informationally, they shall be listed as follows:

Magba: Between the other two main realms, Magba, the Core, is the center for which life starts.  Our very own material plane seems to be synonymous with the Magba, as it is believed that this realm sits perfectly between Sahkul and Lykaeia, acting as a bridge, or midway point, between planes.  Seen as the body, where the veins of the universe connect, the Magba is a place through which many spirits and other vague and surreptitious beings move, mixed and disguised as they please amongst mortals.  This can be used to the advantage of skilled magicians, though it proves dangerous and potentially lethal should they find themselves overwhelmed with what they experience.

Sahkul: Known as the realm above all else, Sahkul is the home of many ascended and celestial beings.  This realm is a more a state of being than a place, acting as a bulwark between the mind and the other realms.  Many “ascended masters,” as they are called, are either magicians or sages that have transcended the material plane in order to achieve a higher purpose or calling.  It is believed that these masters, or those that haven’t disappeared, anyway, possess enhanced senses, agility, longevity, and even powers beyond the comprehension of the mortal mind.  While these masters do exist in the state of being known as Sahkul, it is also believed that beings or spirits naturally on a higher plane of thought than mortals exist in this realm as well.

Lykaeia: Often referred to as “The Deep,” Lykaeia is the realm under the rest of the dimensions mentioned.  As such, it is the home of darkness and sludge.  It is believed that this is where all things in the universe drip their decaying waste to fester and putrefy.  Home to all manners of dark and repulsive creatures and spirits, The Deep is believed to be the birth places of demons, violent spirits, cannibalistic creatures, and other abhorrent abominations.  Though it is generally accepted as an unpleasant and undesirable realm, spirits or creatures from this plane are sometimes called on to curse or harm other mortals, though it is a practice as dangerous as playing with fire.

Sinrik: As a realm known as the gathering place for spirits who are lost, it is believed that Sinrik is an equivalent to a realm of death in other cultures.  The tribes of Uskal believe that all things possess spirits, including objects and places, and, if those spirits should be forcefully removed, be it through the destruction of an object, demolition of a house, or the killing of a living thing, the spirit in question would find its way to Sinrik.  Though this process is not achieved alone by the spirits, but rather they are helped and ushered by a being known as Veūfen, the spirit, or god, depending on who you ask, of death.  Unlike Vahriin, the city of the dead in Nümirian culture, or the Caves of Khith in Gaithan culture, the realm of Sinrik is believed to be made up of great flat plains and hills, filled with a powerful wind that destroys anything in its path.

Amra’set: Finally, known as the realm of chaos or void, Amra’set is the formless shadow over the cosmos.  Not much is known about the void, other than its churning nature, constantly moving and twisting beyond the edges of the universe.  Ancient stories of the Uskal say that as reality came into being, it tore a hole in the blackness of what once was nothing, creating a wound in the void, and, as the hole tried to heal itself, it created a scab of sorts, surrounding the universe in coagulated darkness known as Amra’set today.  Those who have tried to make contact with this realm have either gone mad, been killed by mysteries forces, or have completely disappeared.  It is believed by myself, and current as well as prior colleagues of mine, that there is something more going on within this realm of shadow, but many experiments and tests are required to confirm that.

*Organized and written by Arthur Cryptomark
*Sanctioned and approved by Ravnaheim College of the Higher Arcane