From the Journal of Keniroh

So, I finally arrived at the celestial planes, and specifically: the realm of Halmyr, God of Strategy and Warfare!

It looked like a fairly standard realm, as afterlives go. Clouds, a nice cool breeze, peaceful and such. I was quickly met by a guide who explained to me that I was likely to be raised soon, so I should stay in a section of the first layer which is effectively a waiting room. It was like a giant library combined with a training room. Shelves of books, chairs and tables with sectioned off areas where you could practice weapon techniques or spar with other entities waiting in the room with you. Many of these entities were having philosophical discussions, most often with some relevance to some historic war strategy or another.

And the inhabitants of this area didn't need to rely on just discussion to debate their points, there were all sorts of strategy games that mimicked warfare in some way or another that could be used to test theories and arguments. Would a Dracip Maneuver work against the Rotciv Gambit? Games from Chess to Go and far more complex games could be used to try out various tactics, or just to pass the time.

I developed some interest in a particularly strange game that one fellow introduced me to. It involved using small figurines on a hexagonal map to reenact the battles of another plane of existence, where magic did not exist, but instead the humans used giant war-golems (not unlike huge versions of Crunch) to battle over great swaths of territory. It was a relatively complex game, involving many rules and lots of dice rolling, although not the most complex game I've tried. And because time moves differently in the celestial realms than it does on the material plane, I had weeks to learn the game and develop some proficiency with it before being brought back to life.

While the type of combat and weapons used were not exactly applicable to the types of combat I usually find myself in, it was a nice way to rest up and prepare for the coming battles. And it did give me an idea on some possible transmutation spells I might try working on if and when I get some time. For that matter, if I were to work with the right golem-smith, we might be able to create a fearsome creation, indeed!

Anyway, death wasn't too bad, but I have too much to accomplish on the material plane to stay there longer than necessary. I'll meet final death soon enough, I'm sure (but not too soon, I hope).