Revenants

Revenants are atmans who suffer so much psychic decoherence they become unrecognizable, often exhibiting homicidal levels of aggression.

As it is currently understood, there is no way to medically reverse the effects of psychic decoherence, despite the conjectures of discredited amnesians and psychotherapists. On Kartika, several professions have developed strictly for the detection and destruction of violent revenants. Under Persian Law, becoming a revenant in and of itself is not illegal, but many are detained and put under watch for sometimes extended periods of time to determine whether or not they are a threat to modern society. Many religions consider reincarnation itself anathema, and revenants always epitomize the corruptive transformation they describe. Nations and entire worlds have developed kill-on-sight policies for assumed revenants, especially rakshasa. Almost all lands within the Badland Territories of Anatolia and Kartika are examples.

Rakshasa
The kartikan term "rakshasa" denotes any revenant who escapes their phylactery in order to steal host bodies and avenge wrongs made against their past lives, whether from actual or fabricated memories. Rakshasa are violent by definition. They willingly endure damage to their host body until it stops functioning. While rakshasa can reincarnate into sheaths, they rarely do, and instead possess the first human they find, blinded by fits of incomprehensible rage tinged by occasional regret.

Headsmen
Warden Headsmen are technically revenants uploaded into biomechanical sheaths. The phylacteries of Warden prison ships often do not cause extreme manipulative or homicidal tendencies. However, many Headsmen report encountering ghosts which may or may not be hallucinations, as well as the typical confusion and dismay which results from the loss of their memories. After many reincarnations, dissociation and symptoms of trauma may be common. Most Headsmen register on the Aspergers scale. All Headsmen come equipped with The Shackles, and more violent Headsmen are implanted with Demand spirits, which Barristers and Wardens may communicate with to issue override commands and force obedience.