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We, the Psychopomps, hope this publish finds you effectively and lifeless and in search of the place to go. That’s what we’re right here for, in spite of everything. Oh, you don’t suppose you’re lifeless? No worries there; we will refer you to our superiors when you get to the place you’re going. That data — the whys, the hows, the whethers — is sort of above our pay grade. Yes, our job is solely to convey you from right here to there, there being the place you’re going to be at some stage in your loss of life, give or take an eternity.
Here is a pamphlet to learn when you’re on the journey with us. For centuries, we’ve been consistently requested questions, which not solely distracts us from our duties but additionally delays how lengthy it takes to get the place you’re going. Believe us, you wanna get there. Expediently. Dawdling between right here and there solely results in chaos, i.e. hauntings, thinning of the veils, what have you ever. You can think about how delighted we have been with the invention of studying suggestions and thought we’d make our personal. Pardon? Yes, that may be answered within the pamphlet.
Yes, that, too. No, I can not absolve you; that’s not a factor we do. No. Yes. No. Absolutely not.
If you please, my pricey, the pamphlet.
Let Us Be Your Guide
Ahem. We are the Psychopomps: guides throughout mythologies and religions that show you how to get from right here to there. We have quite a lot of choices on your death-quest pleasure, and studying suggestions (the wifi right here is sort of horrible, darling, studying is best), that will show you how to select the very best information and journey expertise. At any level, it’s possible you’ll change guides, although that will delay your estimated time of arrival, and could require further prices, relying on the information. For instance, Charon, who doesn’t discuss a lot, requires cost for every journey throughout the River Styx…
…What? Well, after all, we assist the coverage: Any working entity ought to receives a commission what they’re price. What, you suppose AI goes to ferry souls to the afterlife, too? You, mortals, crack us up. Back to the pamphlet, if you happen to please…
Psychopomp comes from the Greek phrase ψυχοπομπός, which comes from the which means “guide of souls,” although your Google translate may also say one thing like “psychic transmitter,” which makes us sound just like the embodiment of a Ouija board.
Depending in your tradition and beliefs in life, your Psychopomp could take the type of an ancestral spirit, an angel, god of loss of life, or one other creature fully. You would possibly get a demon. You would possibly get a grim reaper. You would possibly get a raven babbling “Nevermore!”. But concern not; whomever you select will get you the place it’s worthwhile to go. Even Virgil, that boring drone, will get you thru hell.
Sometimes we Psychopomps are referred to as to your mortal realm, both by chance or on function, and generally we go there throughout our PTO days (although that’s changing into much less frequent with local weather change). In any case, there are a lot of examples in literature that describe our line of labor, and hopefully, these suggestions will assist reply any questions that pop up as you journey to your everlasting residence. Some of the examples we’ve included could present situations the place we aren’t fairly at our greatest — everybody has dangerous days, you recognize — so don’t choose us too harshly.
Human Psychopomps
Indeed, there are human Psychopomps in our ranks! They have existed so long as there have been underworlds to shepherd them, and a uncommon few of you mortals in every era have a knack for guiding those that have died however refuse to move on.
Galaxy “Alex” Stern from Ninth House by Leigh Bardugo
We received’t say Alex’s formal title, as that may take away among the enjoyable out of your studying expertise. Alex is a kind of who can discuss to ghosts, and in Ninth House, is known as to Yale to tackle the duties of Lethe House, and oversee the magical rituals of the key societies at Yale. Alex turns into embroiled in a homicide thriller when a couple of ghosts search her assist.
Ropa from The Library of the Dead by T.L. Huchu
Some mortals determine that the Psychopomp life is best than college. Ropa dropped out of college to change into a ghost talker. She speaks to Edinburgh’s lifeless to pay the payments, however mysteries will be exhausting to resolve. Ropa will use Zimbabwean magic and Scottish pragmatism to complete the job.
Psychopomps as Death/The Grim Reaper and Gods of Death
Some of us need to be each. Guide and god. Guide and grasp of loss of life. It’s a tough job, doing each, however we handle, and generally now we have help within the type of a associate, human psychopomp, or different spirits. Bear with us, my darlings. Even we’d like a nap now and then.
Hun-Kame from Gods of Jade and Shadow by Silvia Moreno-Garcia
It’s tough if you’re kicked out of your Psychopomp job (or on this case, overthrown). Hun-Kame, the Maya god of loss of life, former king of the underworld, was overthrown by his twin brother and imprisoned. In Twenties Mexico, Cassiopeia unwittingly breaks open a chest in her grandfather’s bed room and releases him. Hun-Kame is neither man nor god when free from the chest, however he desires to reclaim his kingdom nonetheless, and enlists Cassiopeia to do it.
Charlie Dawson from The Ferryman Institute by Colin Gigl
The Psychopomp duties should not with out controversy, or boredom for that matter. For 2 hundred years, Charlie Dawson has been a Ferryman at The Ferryman Institute, saving lifeless individuals, and being damned good at it, as we Psychopomps usually are. Yet despite the fact that Charlie has by no means missed an project, his existence has been removed from satisfying — till he’s been given the selection to save lots of considered one of his assignments from really dying. This is an opportunity we hardly ever get, and as with this story, the selection has penalties.
Ichigo Kurosaki from Bleach Vol. 1: Strawberry And The Soul Reapers by Tite Kubo
Much like a few of our human Psychopomps, Ichigo Kurosaki is a human who by no means wished to speak to spirits, however he was born with a present. Ichigo even goes one step additional to change into a full Soul Reaper, one who protects the harmless and helps malevolent spirits discover peace. Did we are saying it’s a troublesome job being a information for souls? We have? Well, it’s.
Death from The Book Thief by Markus Zusak
When we Psychopomps have tales to inform, we extremely encourage you to pay attention. Death has many tales, and that is considered one of them. In 1939 Nazi Germany, Death’s position as grim reaper and information was busy. Very busy. It’s a lonely existence throughout such occasions, and with the horrors you mortals inflict on one another, it’s simple to lose religion in humanity. But Death finds an curiosity in Liesel Meminger, a foster woman dwelling outdoors of Munich, who has a love for books, and a curiosity for the Jewish man hiding in her household’s basement.
Psychopomps as Warriors, Creatures, and More
We Psychopomps are available all shapes and sizes. We can take the type of animals (foxes, ravens, canines, dolphins, to call a couple of), fearsome warriors (like valkyries, who guided souls fallen on the battlefield to Valhalla), or Shinigami, (a kami, in Japanese folklore and mythology, whose function is to ask mortals to loss of life and/or be certain mortals die at their appointed time). Psychopomps can take the type of ancestral spirits, or one other spirit fully. What will actually cook dinner your noodle: we aren’t even restricted to your mortal realm.
Valkyries from The Valkyrie’s Daughter by Tiana Warner
As we’ve talked about above, valkyries are portrayed in Norse mythology as Psychopomps who shepherd fallen souls on the battlefield to Valhalla. From that mythology have arisen an amazing many tales in literature, like The Valkyrie’s Daughter. This story follows Sigrid, an unusual woman with an unusual horse (additionally a recognized animal Psychopomp in lots of tales), who finally ends up paired with a treacherous valkyrie, with every attempting to get to separate targets.
The rogue Shinigami from Death Note, Vol. 1: Boredom by Tsugumi Ohba, illustrated by Takeshi Obata, and translated by Pookie Rolf
Listen, some Psychopomps don’t behave. Death Note is an instance of a Shinigami gone rogue. Light Yagami is bored out of his thoughts till he finds the Death Note, a pocket book dropped by a rogue Shinigami. Anyone whose identify is written within the e book dies, and so Light is given immense energy. At first, Light believes he’ll rid the world of evil, placing solely criminals on the record. But as we Psychopomps know intimately, having energy over life and loss of life can change us in some ways.
On Behalf of All Psychopomps: We Hope You Enjoy Your Stay
Now that you’ve some choices to contemplate, we hope you get pleasure from your time right here within the afterlife. It has been a pleasure guiding you, and we sit up for aiding you additional. Once you could have chosen your Psychopomp for the subsequent leg of the journey, sit again and benefit from the expertise. While we by no means say by no means (we’ve seen every little thing there may be to see, my dears), you’re normally solely lifeless as soon as, so that you would possibly as effectively get pleasure from it.
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