Andromeda and Death

The mighty dragon herself, Andromeda is ageless, benevolent, and legendary. Dragons are extremely rare in the land of Noctus, most having been hunted by twolegs or being found predominantly in the North and other continents. Their colors vary but Andromeda is one of the rarest, being a 'star dragon.' Her powers go beyond that of any other creature in Noctus. She is well-respected but not feared - unless you know you will face her judgement when you die.

Andromeda is responsible for giving the leader and moonspeaker their six and three lives respectively. When this occurs, the leader will earn their -star title. The lives are given to these two clanmates via the Starlands; Andromeda says that their lives are those of their ancestors reborn into their body each time they die, though this does not mean the leader or moonspeaker themselves change in personality to the ancestor. When given their lives, the moonspeaker is also given infinite energy, enough that they never have to sleep - if they do, they will visit the Starlands in their dreams. Andromeda has also willed moonspeakers not to have cubs and focus on their duties as moonspeaker. This was implemented into the Noctus code.

Andromeda is the creature that gryphons will visit when they seek answers beyond their knowledge. Some examples are asking for her opinion on an outside threat, asking when harsh weather will be over, and seeking guidance for how to overcome a drought or famine. It's unclear whether Andromeda truly has this otherworldly knowledge of the future, but she has yet to be wrong when giving an answer.

Many gryphons will pray to Andromeda the same way one may pray to a god in a real-world religion, though the dedication to their faith varies. More righteous worshippers of Andromeda may make an altar made of white stones, feathers, or other bright and shiny objects that they pray to every night and believe she commands their every movement. A few might have little to no faith at all, seeing Andromeda as an outside force that happens to have 'divine' powers but no effect on the territories as a whole.

Where do gryphons go when they die? It depends.

There is the Noctus code, of course, spanning across the clans. However, this does not entirely factor into how Andromeda judges you when you pass. Because of her claim of the lands, she has choice over where creatures who pass in Noctus go after death. It is mostly common sense.

Did you do good? Where you selfless? Did you respect the land you took from? You will go to the Starlands, where any good gryphon who dies in Noctus reside as 'Stargliders'. There is only peace here. There is endless prey, kindness, and health. You can visit the Starlands in two ways: either through the Stargate, which is accessed through the star on Andromeda's head, or in the moonspeaker's dreams. When visiting the Starlands, a faint mark of a star appears on your forehead similarly to Andromeda's glowing pearl between her eyes.

Did you do bad? Did you kill others for your own gain? Did you corrupt the land you walked on? You will go to the Void. It is the mirror of the Starlands, existing beyond Andromeda's capability. Here, there is no warmth, no love, and no hope. It is the worst punishment you can receive for your crimes. However, this Void allows for an easier passage to Noctus: nightmares are the primary gateway, where members of the Void - fondly known as Voidgliders - torment the members of the clans. They can give their own prophecy, easily speak to gryphons, and plant seeds of doubt in their mind. They are lawless and evil. Cubs are warned of them from a young age.