#The Grim Reaper and his Psychopomp

[anoddopal]

Those morbid moments when Bun curls up in D.oc Q’s coat and traumadumps to him. ❤️‍🩹

[ninja-guy-yo]

Dragons Rising Season 3 episode 3 and 10 spoilers, new Departed Realm lore

It's finally explained how the Departed Realm works in the post-Merge world and clarifies how death works, sort of

The Departed Realm having the Cursed Realm inside of it (because of the Preeminent dying, as we see her in The Kaiju Protocol) "messed it up", and the Merge made that worse, turning it into the Spectral Lands

People can "move on" now, and almost every dead soul chose to do that, except Morro. He feels a "pull" to move on as well but chooses to stay behind to protect anyone who enters from monsters that drain spirit energy

An elixir from the Well of the Lost helps souls move on or heals the living

Morro doesn't know what happens to people who move on, and can only speculate if it's another phase of existence, or rebirth, but he'd like to think it's eternal rest

People still go to the Spectral Lands (Departed/Cursed Realm fusion) immediately after they die, but it's more like an entrance or a bridge to whatever the true, unseen afterlife is instead of the afterlife itself. It might not even be a physical place, it's a complete unknown now. This makes Morro something like a grim reaper-type figure or.. ferryman. A psychopomp

It's not clear if Morro can leave or not, but if he could, potentially anyone who dies can just decide to not move on and go back to wherever they came from. Cole would've faded into the Departed Realm if he hadn't gotten his body back or been tied to the Airjitzu Temple, so it depends on if that logic still applies. The place is empty and living people can walk in whenever they want, so there doesn't seem to be anything enforcing the natural order, aside from the internal "pull" that makes ghosts want to move on.

There must be some kind of limitation, or Ras dying wouldn't have been as much of an issue. If Arin couldn't get the elixir in time, Ras' ghost could appear and just.. walk out with him. idk this was written after I watched episode 3, maybe that'll be explained when Morro appears again next part

Extremely difficult to believe though.. Every soul? Every single one of the beings that ever died since the Sixteen Realms' creation decided they were ready to potentially cease to exist as individuals the moment the opportunity presented itself? And how many people die every moment, because you'd think there'd be a constant flow of souls

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This part I'm writing after watching episode 10. Of course not every soul would happily move on, especially newly dead villains. What could possibly be done to stop something like Thunderfang from fucking everything up and leaving if it wants to?? That's not a criticism, I'm excited to see how the hell he could be stopped at this point

[bestworstcase]

I totally forget if you've commented on this before, so my apologies if you have and I missed it, but how do you feel about theories regarding Mercury's semblance and/or eyes? what I mean by this is some people think that Mercury actually does have silver eyes or that he does still have a semblance somehow (or could form a new one) and I'm wondering what your stance is. and how the answers to these questions fit into your reading of the narrative as a whole. obviously there's something to be said for Marcus Black being abusive and seemingly killing/stealing a part of his son's soul as a part of that, etc.

ough

i have posted abt this before but it was. a while ago and i can't find the post anymore lmao so take two!!

some facts:

elemental mercury is commonly called quicksilver, and its symbol Hg derives from its older name hydrargyrum, from the greek, meaning "silver water."

mercury is the roman god of trade and eloquence, travel and theft; the divine messenger; and a psychopomp who guides souls of the newly dead to the underworld. 

some more facts:

silver-eyed warriors are symbolically linked to 1. the grim(m) reaper and 2. butterflies, which are commonly and cross-culturally regarded as symbols of death/reincarnation. 

"In Rome one can see a marble bas-relief representing a young man stretched out on a bed, and a  butterfly which, in flight, seems to be exiting the mouth of this dead man, because the ancients, as well as the common people of our day, believed that the spirit leaves through the mouth."

(quirks eyebrow.)

silver eyes have some metaphysical connection to death that goes beyond symbolism: ruby's eyes awaken when she witnesses death and she hears pyrrha's final words in her dreams for months afterward; the light arises from love and grief; salem herself seems to have begun experimenting with silver eyes and resurrection and grimm after cinder's injury. 

the glare itself at least resembles the pure white light of the threshold between life and death (personally, i think it is that light)

the silver-eyed warrior of legend is not a person; she is a hero destined to live and die alone fighting grimm because that is what she is meant for. she exists for no other purpose. (she is the mirror-image of a grimm.)

"All my life, my father trained me to be a killer, an assassin like him. And then moments after I killed him, you two showed up looking for someone with my exact skills. Just felt like it was meant to be. […] You may not like it here without Cinder, but I think I'm right where I'm supposed to be!"

(quirks eyebrow.)

ok. so, we've got

☑️ a boy with silvery-grey eyes

☑️ alluding to a mythical psychopomp

☑️ named "quicksilver"/"silver water"

☑️ or "keeper of boundaries"

☑️ raised to be a killer/warrior

☑️ violently denied his personhood

☑️ nihilistically feels destined for this life

lol. lmao, even!

some more facts:

when salem wounded ruby's self-image by insinuating that summer rose (really, ruby's imagined ideal self, ruby-rose-without-flaws) confronted salem and failed, ruby's glare struck inward—her conception of herself, her aspirational self, fractured and her light attacked her.

"He never went easy on me! Every day of training was a beating. And when I unlocked my semblance, he stole it with his! 'This is a crutch! This makes you weak!' He told me I could have it back when I was strong… so I got strong, but I never got it back! I've had to work harder than anyone to get where I am!"

semblances are an outward manifestation of the soul, an expression of one's true character, intertwined and inextricable from a person's identity and self-image. 

mercury is extremely toxic. famously. 

quirks. eyebrow.

ok. ok

think about what happened with ruby's eyes solely from hearing salem say "your mother said those words to me; she was wrong, too"—because her conception of herself is so bound up in the idea of summer rose, ideal huntress, the best of us, supermom, perfected reflection of ruby rose, all she wishes she was—confronting the real summer rose, who tried and failed and never came back, fractures ruby's self-identity and precipitates her tailspin in v8-9 and that begins with her light rebounding on her.

(this is because silver eyes require true self-knowledge and clarity of purpose which is why ruby struggles with them, in this essay i will—)

so think about that. and consider the implications for a silver-eyed boy abused and molded from birth into something antithetical to the nature of this magic—a remorseless killer—whose true self was literally stolen from him by his father. and he never got it back. 

(*i think mercury is probably not a reliable narrator in regard to what his father did to him—he was a kid and he's still taking what his horrifically abusive father said to him as objective fact—and i expect he'll find his semblance again in vacuo. but this is what mercury believes is true.)

like. we know silver-eyes can be harmed by their own light: ruby's first glare put her in a coma for several days after beacon fell, and the light turned inward and hurt her when her self-image cracked. right?

gestures: mercury. quicksilver. poison.

(but also: mercury can be used to draw elemental silver from ore.) (patio process)

my theory is that 

mercury does have silver eyes

marcus black's semblance was in a similar vein as tyrian's – painful disruption or forcible suppression of another person's semblance, maybe allowing him to mimic/copy that power

his semblance + his abuse and the things he said of mercury's semblance (it makes you weak, it's a crutch) shattered mercury's sense of identity and completely broke him to the idea that his sole purpose is to obey and kill. 

mercury's light reacted to this shattering by driving inward, like what happened to ruby but far more severe, and that is what caused his semblance to be (apparently) lost forever: his self-image broke in such a fundamental, traumatic way that his own light kept him alive by blinding him to his true self.

but the poison is the cure: if he finds his light again to protect someone he loves (emerald), he unblinds himself / rediscovers the true self he buried and his semblance is resurrected with it. figuratively speaking.

it's death-and-rebirth and psychopomps all the way down

[dare-valley]

The King of Annwn

Brythonic Paganism Essays: Part I

The Usual Disclaimer: The tales of The Mabinogion and other surviving Welsh texts were once shared orally, passed down across generations, and over vast distances. By the time these stories were finally committed to writing, the Welsh had long embraced Christianity. As a result, what remains in these medieval manuscripts offers only a faint echo of the ancient beliefs held by the Brythonic or Romano-British peoples. Yet, by examining these stories in relation to one another, and drawing parallels with other Celtic or even Indo-European traditions, we may catch glimpses of the older beliefs that inspired them. What follows is simply theory, built upon these comparisons.

There are many contenders for the title of King or Lord of Annwn, the Otherworld in Welsh mythology. So many, in fact, that most Brythonic polytheists I’ve spoken to tend to agree that Annwn, like the mortal world, has multiple rulers. However, I believe these deities share too many similarities to be entirely distinct. Rather, I see them as different aspects or variations of a much older, singular god. Before delving into the gods themselves, let’s examine the key motifs:

The God-King is often depicted as a hunter, accompanied by the Cŵn Annwn—the hounds of Annwn—described as pure white with red ears.

He is locked in an eternal, seasonal conflict, where he can be seen as representing winter, battling against an opponent who embodies summer.

This struggle often revolves around a goddess who symbolizes spring, the earth, or fertility. This mythic framework is incredibly ancient, with perhaps the most well-known version being the story of Persephone in Greek mythology.

The conflict often involves a journey to the Underworld and escalates to such intensity that a mortal king must intervene.

The god is also often depicted as a psychopomp—an entity that guides the souls of the dead to their final destination, much like the Grim Reaper. However, it’s important to note that Annwn wasn’t necessarily viewed as an “afterlife” by its original believers. Instead, it was more of a mystical realm, later misunderstood and conflated with Hell or Hades through the lens of Christian propaganda.

Arawn

Pwyll, King of Dyfed, embarks on a hunt and encounters a pack of white, red-eared dogs bringing down a deer. He claims the kill for himself, only to be confronted by Arawn, the true owner of the hounds, who is also hunting. To make amends for his transgression, Pwyll agrees to a request from Arawn: they will swap appearances and live as each other for one year. Arawn explains that he goes to war every year with Hafgan—a name meaning something like "summer song" or "summer white"—for rulership of Annwn. Despite defeating Hafgan in combat each time, Arawn always loses in the end. As Hafgan lays dying, he taunts Arawn to strike again, and Arawn, unable to resist, delivers the fatal blow—only for Hafgan to be magically revived.

Pwyll agrees to the plan and spends a year living in Annwn disguised as Arawn. Though he shares a bed with Arawn’s Wife every night, Pwyll honors the situation and never takes advantage of it. When the time comes to face Hafgan in battle, Pwyll defeats him but refuses to strike the final blow. With Hafgan dead, his followers recognize Arawn as the true King of Annwn.

Here, we see the recurring motifs of the hunt, the yearly conflict with summer, and the intervention of a mortal king. In this version of the myth, it is the King who travels to the Otherworld, not the goddess who is absent. While the myth lacks a love triangle with a goddess, Arawn’s unnamed Wife does play a role, with her honor preserved, this was included in the story for a reason. The psychopomp element isn’t explicitly referenced in this story, but other familiar themes remain.

Gwyn ap Nudd

Culhwch desires to marry Olwen, the daughter of the giant Ysbaddaden. However, Ysbaddaden knows that he is doomed to die once his daughter marries, so he sets Culhwch forty impossible tasks. One of these is to slay the monstrous boar Twrch Trwyth, a cursed Irish king who now roams Britain as a destructive beast. Culhwch seeks help from his famous cousin, King Arthur, who agrees but warns that to hunt this particular monster, they will need the aid of Gwyn ap Nudd.

Gwyn ap Nudd - whose name means "White Son of Mist" - is somewhat preoccupied at the time, having just abducted the lady Creiddylad from her betrothed, Gwythyr ap Greidawl, whose name means "Victory Son of Scorcher." The ensuing conflict between Gwyn and Gwythyr grows vicious. In one particularly brutal act, Gwyn kills a captured knight, cuts out his heart, and forces the knight's son to eat it, driving him mad. King Arthur intervenes and orders the two rivals to cease their war. From that moment on, they are condemned to battle each other once a year, on May Day, until the end of the world.

Gwyn also appears in the poem The Dialogue of Gwyn ap Nudd and Gwyddno Garanhir in the Black Book of Carmarthen. It can be interpreted from this poem that Gwyddno, unaware that he has been slain in battle, meets a warrior (Gwyn) and asks for his protection. During the course of their conversation Gwyddno learns that the warrior has witnessed many battles and the deaths of many of Britain's heroes, and Gwyddno realises he is now one of those dead heroes as he is speaking to Gwyn ap Nudd.

Later traditions place Gwyn at the head of the Wild Hunt as the King of the Tylwyth Teg, the fair folk, the inhabitants of Annwn, where he rides his host on the night between October 31st/November 1st looking for the souls of the dead. He hunts with the Cwn Annwn, the same pack of dogs Arawn had.

Let's go through all this. We have two examples of a Hunt motif, the Hunting of Twrch Trwyth, and The Wild Hunt. Both can be seen as metaphors for Gwyn's role as a psychopomp, The Wild Hunt is explicitly about the souls of the dead being taken to the Otherworld, and Twrch Trwyth is no ordinary boar, he is a human soul transformed into a monster, and Arthur believes that only with Gwyn with them could they succeed.

We also have a war with summer over a girl. Creiddylad is of uncertain meaning, it could mean "heart-flood", "blood-flood" which is unclear to me, but Gwythyr being "son of Scorcher" seems to be a clear reference to summer, their battle is to commence on May Day, the start of summer, every year, forever. It's also worth noting that the Wild Hunt the night before November 1st is the start of winter. This was of course decided by the (not so mortal) legendary King Arthur.

A note on Gwyn's family: Nudd (pronounced Neathe like breathe) is a god who's name means mist. Getting lost in mist is a sure fire way of getting to Annwn, like a portal, and the Tylwyth Teg, or fair folk of whom Gwyn is king, are said to waylay travelers with mist and fog. Nudd comes from the older Celtic word Nodens, a god associated with healing, specifically but not limited to eyes, as well as dream interpretation. So here we see a god who is responsible for clearing or obscuring vision, both physically and mentally, like mist. Nodens is also closely linked to dogs, hunting and fishing. Lludd is another version of this name, and Lludd is given to be Creiddydlad's father, making her Gwyn's sisters as well as lover, but we don't know for sure if the medieval writers saw Lludd and Nudd as literally the same person, so it's really a matter of opinion.

Gronw Pebr

Gwydion, a magician, trickster, bard and potentially tree deity (more on this in a future essay), has gone to great trouble to bring about the birth of Lleu Llaw Gyffes, Lleu of Many Skills. This includes him stealing divine pigs from Annwn, given to Pryderi ap Pwyll by Arawn and magically impregnating his own sister. As a result Lleu's mother, Arianrhod, has laid three tynghedau on him, which is like a curse or a fate.

One tynged is that Lleu could not marry any woman of any race in this world. So Gwydion, along with his magically talented uncle King Math, created a wife for Lleu out of flowers and named her Blodeuwedd, meaning flower-face. Blodeuwedd and Lleu are happily married until one day, when Lleu is away from home, a hunter arrives.

His name is Gronw Pebr, Gronw the Radiant, and he requests shelter. Blodeuwedd, having never seen another man in her life other than her husband and her creators, falls in love with him. Gronw explains that in order for them to be together, Lleu must die. So Blodeuwedd discovers from her trusting husband the very specific and convoluted means that Lleu could be killed, which involves a spear that takes a year of Sundays to create. She tells Gronw about this, who goes about creating the spear.

When the time comes, Blodeuwedd tricks Lleu into the exact situation in which he can be killed, and Gronw strikes him with the spear. Lleu is "killed" but his body transforms into an eagle that continually rots, and flies away. Using pigs to sniff him out, Gwydion finds the decaying eagle perched in an oak tree, and with his gift of awen (divine talent and knowledge) sings Lleu back to life.

Lleu, Gwydion and Math return for vengeance, and this time it is Lleu who slays Gronw with a spear thrust that pierces the solid stone Gronw used as a shield. Blodeuwedd and her maidens flee, but as they keep looking behind them the maidens fall into a lake and drown and Blodeuwedd is transformed by Gwydion into an owl as punishment, a goddess of flowers cursed to never see the sun again.

This story is a lot more from the point of view of our summer representative Lleu, who's fleshed out far more as a god in his own right in the full telling of it. Lleu specifically is the god of light, as well as being "many skilled" and sharing many characteristics of the "divine son" god that will be explored in the next essay.

Gronw, by contrast, has nothing that indicates winter other than he opposes Lleu and his opposition takes a year of work. He also enters our story as a hunter. The circularity of this conflict is reinforced in the resurrection of Lleu, as winter defeats summer just for summer to return and defeat winter and so on. I am reminded by this resurrection by Gwydion of Hafgan's final strike, which revives him.

Blodeuwedd also gets far more attention in this story than the women in the other tales. A being who is a literal embodiment of spring, fertility and the earth, being made from flowers. It is likely that the owl transformation is a medieval invention. There are other animal transformations in this branch of the Mabinogion that I didn't mention here as they weren't relevant, which also seems to be an addition based on a trendyness of people who shapeshift in medieval literature. However, we also have the maidens falling into the lake, which I imagine is a remnant of the original, in which Blodeuwedd falls in, as the maidens are not really mentioned before so this is an odd detail. Lakes were seen as gateways to Annwn, so here we see Blodeuwedd fleeing to her Otherworldly lover. I personally take the owl to represent Blodeuwedd during the dark half of the year, when she is with her winter lover, awaiting to emerge from the earth in spring.

We have no psychopomping either, but we do have two references to swine herding which seems reminiscent of Culhwch and Olwen. King Math is certainly no mortal, but he seems to be a god involved with magic, judgement and punishment.

A note on Lleu's family: just as Gwyn and Creiddydlad are potentially siblings, so too are Lleu's parents Gwydion and Arianrhod. The story doesn't come straight out and say it, creating the characters of Gilfeathwy and Goewin as stand-ins, probably for the sake of Christian sensibilities. These two are never mentioned again or anywhere else as far as I know, and it is Arianrhod who is pregnant as a result of the whole thing, not Goewin. Some versions even have Arianrhod in Goewin's place as foot holder to Math. Lleu appears as Llefelys in another story, who is brother of Lludd (Nudd). This would make Creiddydlad, the Blodeuwedd-like lady of Gwyn's story, his niece, as well as Gwyn maybe his nephew.

This really nails home how these tales became so mixed up in their countless retellings over space and time before being written down. They spread out and became something unique then smashed back together time and again, but somewhere in there is the important truth. It can be confusing and frustrating, but bare in mind always:

The Gods are not their myths,

Embrace the mystery!

[back-in-2037]

What I think each of the Robinsons would dress up as for Halloween 🎃

Bud: Headless horseman. He goes with the interpretation that has a pumpkin for a head and, of course, he puts in on backwards.

Fritz and Petunia: Fritz wears a more old-timey get up with a dark color palette and has Petunia look like a creepy, ghostly doll.

Joe: He doesn't wear a costume at first glance, and when asked the family's response is "He is wearing a costume, he's dressed up as a *chuckle* 'regular Joe'. Get it?" Either that, or I can also see him wearing a classic vampire costume.

Tallulah and Laszlo: Duo costume. Since Laszlo flies around all the time he dresses up as an angel, while Tallulah dresses up as a devil. Which would be a role reversal of sorts for them since he's usually the troublemaker of the two while she tends to be the voice of reason.

Billie: Since there's this connection often made between psychopomps and different modes of transportation (boats, buses, and of course, trains) I can see her dressing up as the Grim Reaper.

Lefty: A Kraken, pretty self explanatory.

Spike and Dimitri: Since their whole thing is how they are literally just heads poking out of the dirt, zombies.

Lucille: I headcanon her to be a chemist, so I figure she would dress up as a witch, formulas translating into potions in this case.

Cornelius: Frankenstein.

Carl: Frankenstein's monster. Again, these two are pretty self-explanatory.

Franny: Either some kind of bog/swamp creature or the Phantom of the Opera. Radically different costumes, but I think either one would be fitting for her given her love of frogs and music.

Gaston: His whole thing is cannons, so I can see him dressing up as a pirate, specifically an undead pirate captain who went down with his ship, because of course he would also come up with an elaborate backstory for his costume.

Art: Kind of a reach, but I can see him dressing up as a werewolf, because he works in space, and the moon, and well...you guys get it.

Tiny: The family gets him a pair of wings, comically small of course, and he's a dragon now. He loves it.

Buster: The family gets him one of those little pumpkin dog costumes.

Wilbur: A ghost. Either he goes with the classic white sheet with eyeholes, or he gets Tallulah to help him get some old timey clothes, face paint that makes him look dead, and chains ala Marley's ghost. Either way, he uses a pair of hover-boots his dad invented to fly around.

[hostess-of-horror]

I'm currently in the process of drawing my Grim Reaper OC with King Candy, and while I take a break from that, I figured I'd just put down all of the things I came up with while researching and drawing:

My Grim Reaper OC will be simply named "Death" (full name is The Angel of Death). I tried to come up with some candy-themed name since they're mostly in Sugar Rush according to some lore, but in the end, I realized there was no need for them to disguise themselves.

Death is nonbinary and genderfluid, and they go by any pronoun (He/She/They/It). This is because their appearance drastically changes whenever they enter a specific arcade game. For example, Death in Sugar Rush is a feminine saint-like figure dressed in various sweets that were made as offerings to the dead or eaten during funerals.

They are very much a psychopomp, guiding dead characters or players back to their respective games after losing a life. With unplugged games and the gameless, Death simply takes them to The Endgame, the Arcade's equivalent to the Underworld.

The Endgame is basically a more simplified take on Helheim from Norse Mythology. Unlike the Christian Heaven or Hell or any similar afterlife, it is not a place of reward or punishment but instead a place for the dead to congregate. Death, just like the Norse Goddess Hel, watches over the Endgame, keeping track of both the dead and the living.

Death's moral alignment is Chaotic Neutral. It does not matter if the deceased in question is a hero or a villain, it's all the same to them. With this mindset, they tend to be accepting toward anyone and everyone they meet. Personality-wise, they are, in TV Tropes terms, "Creepy Cute" and "Scary Good." Think Emily from Tim Burton's Corpse Bride and Trevor Henderson's Long Horse.

Death as a Reaper has the power of sensing one's aura. This aura is not visible to the eye but rather a physical feeling. The stronger the aura is, the more intense Death feels. When a character or player's aura is strong, the chance of them dying goes higher. In Turbo/King Candy's case, his aura is 100%. This ability makes Death extremely passionate (and obsessed) for King Candy.

Discovering someone whose aura is 100% is a rare sight. Usually, auras fluctuate between different players/characters between 20% to 80% (give or take). 100% is essentially a drug to Death. King Candy's aura emits so much energy that they are always needing a fix. Guess you can call it a... "Sugar Rush".

Now, here's where things get complicated: once Death feels one's aura, that feeling will not go away until they have reaped their soul. King Candy - Turbo - had been 100% since the RoadBlasters Incident. He should have died in his petty stunt to achieve popularity. He should have been another unplugged soul, for if he was, the insatiable, dreadful, wonderful hunger would finally cease. It's like smelling the aroma of a searing steak and never getting a taste. But alas, Death did not reap his soul.

Why did Death spare King Candy? The shorter, simpler answer is loneliness. The longer answer is that Turbo/King Candy is the closest thing to Death's equal. He did something so terribly taboo, so fatal, and he succeeded. Turbo had become a reaper of souls the very moment he invaded RoadBlasters.

I don't know if this counts as spoilers (Wreck-It-Ralph came out in 2012), but after his demise, King Candy finds himself in the Endgame and meets the Turbo Twins and RoadBlasters for the first time in over a decade. Vengeance ensues until Death, in their True Form, takes him down into their domain. His fate? Being Death's Favorite BoyToy for all eternity./j/silly

EDIT: Death does not come from an existing arcade game within the WIR Universe nor a fanmade one! They are a separate thing entirely, which gives them the ability to game hop without "Going Turbo." Does that make Death OP? Yes, because it's The Grim Reaper!

@sneklover @starleska @snailstrailz @tiramegtoons/ @sliceoflifesalami @shadowyone

[arikihalloween]

Pantheon AU

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Aka, Welcome to me making up deity designs because why the hell not

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It started with this drawing I made of a Julie that I call Moon Deity

And people on twitter have been eating that up so I've felt some motivation to continue working on it

Today I'm sharing the 4 first deities I've finished

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Julie Joyful

Deity of the moon and oceans. Do not be fooled by her elegant and beautiful appearance, for she's an energic goddess that will bend bodies of water to her emotional will.

The moon is often associated to calmness, feminity, such things, but I decided to go with an other approach. The moon is small and fast. She turns around the earth every day of the year, and is responsible for the tides. The closer she is, the bigger the tide ! That doesn't sound that much calm to me. In this AU Julie appears calm only because Sally insist that she has to dress "regal" for their very important deity jobs. Isn't that silly ?

Julie will have alternate outfits depending on the activity she wants to do at any given moment, switching from pants to dress !

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Sally Starlet

Deity of the Sun, stars and fire, she is the calm one, most of the time. Warm, but also a little stuck up sometimes, Sally likes when things are in order and go her way. She sees their deity roles as important ! The fiery goddess also gives her blessings in the arts, especially theater art which she favors

The sun doesn't move as much as the moon, but it is big and powerful and at the center of our solar system. I like the idea of reversing roles a little, having the sun being the calm one for once

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Home

The deity of death is a kind and compassionate fellow. He doesn't talk much, but listens very well, and will help souls pass to their afterlife with all the compassion in the world. He is also the patron of living spaces, as he wants to make sure beings live well, safe, sound and happy, before he comes to take them away.

I like it when death deities aren't cruel but instead very kind and comforting. Home will have a lot of little helpers ! Although, note that Home is the deity of death as in he's the reaper. There is other deities ruling over the concept of death ! Home is more of a psychopomp in this AU ( psychopomps are the "reaper" deities. It includes Valkyries, Ankous, Shinigamis, Grim Reaper, etc)

❇️✳️❇️✳️❇️✳️❇️✳️❇️✳️❇️✳️❇️✳️❇️✳️

Wally Darling

The deity of life ! He creates and gives in abondance, whenever he can. He may not be particularly smart, or doesn't pay that much attention to his creations past their conception and first breath, but he means well and is still learning. He's a fairly new deity, replacing the previous one. Home is there to kindly help guide him to his new duties, along with Barnaby.

He's just a silly trying his best with great powers. Life is pretty mysterious, and not easy. The path is long and full of hardships, after all... but I don't think what gives the first breath of life is cruel for it. Life is still beautiful and should be cherished

❇️✳️❇️✳️❇️✳️❇️✳️❇️✳️❇️✳️❇️✳️❇️✳️

Bonus Appleblossom sketch because this is my self indulgent au so I will put in my ocs, headcanons and fav ships !

[bitterflames]

lowkey obsessed with kuro and shiro mujou. they're literally the 黑白无常 heibai wuchang of chinese folk religion, but re-imagined in a heian period japan setting so now they're shinigami, who were possibly themselves influenced by western concepts of the grim reaper (and kuro mujou's design reflects this, with his scythe). they're on like triple layers of folk religion psychopomp/death personification and i love it.

[leonawriter]

One of my favourite ideas with regards to Ryoji is this sort of... thing where he can just exist outside of time somehow, because of how short a time he's allowed to exist in reality.

(massive spoilers for P3 onward past this point, obviously, if you haven't already gone through the game.)

[EDIT: I've cleaned it up a bit and edited and put it on AO3. So, if you want like... an entire extra scene plus some, go here.]

Which is great in theory, but a bit more complicated if you wanna put it into practice, other than going "well, he's here because... oh, a wizard did it." There are possibilities and plausibles, but they're frankly limited if you have (like me) a logical mind and a need for something to suspend your disbelief.

Except then I had a thought - Ryoji is also known as Death, or Thanatos. He takes on that role at the climax, even. So, I started thinking along those lines, and wound up with-

Ryoji the psychopomp. Ryoji, the grim reaper.

Not "the Reaper" as in the one that roams dungeons (he exists during P3 and is implied by design to be connected somehow to Tatsuya Sudou, anyway).

More like, that it's a case of "Life gave her creations to Death, no matter what they both knew would happen the moment he touched them."

Minato (or Kotone) dies on the school rooftop, and there he is, able to talk to them, and they're able to tell him that everything worked out, that everything will work out. Their spirit lingers at the Door, and they talk like it's passing notes in class.

A young girl finds herself on the receiving end of unwanted advances, and then she's somewhere strange, confronted with uncomfortable and unwanted truths, and then- then, there's a boy in a yellow scarf wanting to know all of the things that she loved about her life. At first it's strange, and more than a bit hard to think of things for this weird guy who she's never met before, but the more she talks the more she realises that she really did have things she treasured.

He thanks her for telling him, and as she makes her peace with the fact that this is it, he tells her that he'll keep them in his heart now, too.

Wakaba Isshikki knows about the cognitive realm - a little too much, perhaps, but not enough to stop. Enough, perhaps, to see the shadow of a boy following her for a day or two. Enough to feel as though she's already living on borrowed time, when she feels that surely she knows what's happening, and she simply... doesn't care.

She's a little wispy, still, when he leads what's left of her toward the Sea of Souls where she now belongs. He's concerned, and rightly so, about what that means. Wakaba's more worried about the kids.

(A few people don't get Ryoji. Those unhappy few get the floating mask of Death and a series of coffins to tell them that their time has come. For some it's because even in death they have no humility, and for others still it's simply easier, that way. Easier to not be Ryoji wile dealing with it, even if it would have been easier still to simply walk away and let them find their own way to the Sea.

But Kunikazu Okumura had sent so many his way, that it was only right that Death came to meet him personally.

"I didn't even get to finish my speech," the man said, blubbering after the towering figure that Death made.

You had a daughter, Death reminded him, and he was silent the rest of the way.)

Goro Akechi comes to, and the first thing he sees is a bright yellow scarf.

The first thing he does is swear, because boys with slicked-back hair wearing yellow scarves aren't supposed to exist when you're dead. The second thing he does is look around, and realise that you aren't really supposed to exist in a sea of stars and sit on nothing when you're alive, either.

"Please tell me this isn't the afterlife," he says, mostly because although he figured it could be worse - he could have found himself in hell, or surrounded by all of the people he'd killed over the years, all of the ones who had every reason to make his afterlife hell if it wasn't already - it could definitely be better.

"It is and it isn't," comes the cryptic answer. "Usually it is, more or less. Each of those lights represents a soul, after all." And there were so many of them. "But you're a special case! You're both dead and not dead right now, which, usually that doesn't happen? People can almost die but not actually die, but they aren't usually both at the same time, I mean."

"Maruki," Akechi practically spits out. "In that case, I'm surprised you're not inundated right now."

Blue eyes - far too blue to be human, they almost remind him of Morgana, and he was neither human nor a cat, apparently - duck down, glancing away.

"I felt what happened. Everyone caught up in a lie, completely oblivious... if the one controlling that power had wanted to bring ruin, then..." But he shakes his head, bringing himself out of his own thoughts. "It's a good thing that didn't happen, really! And- you're wrong, by the way."

"What?"

"Like I said, you're a special case. I've been able to talk to a lot of people, but I've never been able to ask anyone to send a message back before!"

"Back?" For a moment, Akechi is reduced to parroting back words. Surely they mean something, but the obvious meaning is impossible, and he can't think of anything else. "Who would someone like you even want to send a message to, anyway?"

"Would you believe me if I said they were old enemies, who were also old friends? But, I guess you've had a few of those yourself, right?"

"What would you even know about me?"

Akechi got a lopsided, bittersweet smile in return.

"I've been following you for a lot longer than I think we'd both have liked," come the words that send a shiver down his spine as instincts and senses that were rusty from disuse told him what that meant even as his more conscious mind shied away from the idea of it. "But I hope that after this, we won't be able to talk again for a long, long time."

Something tells Akechi that he's both in no danger whatsoever, and also that he really shouldn't refuse. He expects to be on a strict deadline (ha, dead) but time moves differently here, and apparently they have exactly as much time as they need. No more, and not a second less.

When he opens his eyes again, he can remember everything-

Someone really wanted you to live, Ryoji had said, with a teasing smile, and bright eyes.

It makes him feel small. It makes him feel indebted - to Akira, to Ryoji, in ways that he can't even begin to examine or think of how to repay. It makes him want to give it all back, so that he doesn't have to deal with it, but that would be purely theoretical and besides, he has promises to keep.

First, a debt to Akira, something that to Akechi feels like barely a drop in the ocean and that hopefully Akira and his friends will feel the correct amount of gratitude for.

Secondly-

"Hello- yes, this is Goro Akechi speaking. Is this Mitsuru Kirijo-san? I have a message to pass on to you. Are the names Ryoji Mochizuki and Minato Arisato familiar to you, at all?"

[mabeljonesrock]

Azrael

True name: Abel Nicknames: Death, the grim reaper, the angel of death, the shepherd of souls, the prince of purgatory, the son of Adam and Eve Home/Location: Purgatory Age: young adult(biological). He was in his 20s when he died. Personality: Before his murder and transformation into the angel of death, he used to have a personality similar to Charlie Morningstar. Optimistic, compassionate and empathetic to a fault, he always believed the goodness in everyone(including his father and twin brother) no matter how bad they were. That is until Cain betrayed and killed him and it shattered his belief. Not everyone is a good person. Back to the present, Azrael(What he renamed himself now) is now a cynical, jaded and cantankerous yet efficient grim reaper whose job is to claim the souls of those who died and sees it as a necessary public service. He is something of a busy workaholic and always takes his job very seriously. He loves the job not because he enjoys reaping souls but because he enjoys helping and guiding souls to the afterlife. He is very bitter about how his life is cut too short and he never gets the chance to experience a full life(like falling in love, starting a family or dying peacefully of an old age). He admits he envied those who managed to experience a full life and felt sorry for those whose lives were cut too short. Azrael holds life sacred and is disgusted by those who don't treat their own lives with true appreciation or care. He can get very intimidating and dangerous when you get on his bad side. Overall, he still retains his kind-heartedness from his old life and was supportive and loyal to his friends, and an affectionate son and brother to his family. He's intuitive, observant and perceptive, with a sharp eye and a quick mind. Likes: his family, collecting and helping souls move on to the afterlife, playing his piano/keyboard, animals, sheep, herding sheep, his horse, all kinds of curries, cake, coffee, peppers, gardening, baking, Halloween, dios los Muertos, gothic fashion, travelling, Charlie’s songs, Charlie’s hotel, music, ghosts, skulls, children and babies, reading romance novels, rainy days, playing puzzles, art, drawing/sketching/painting, doing commissions, trying new things, movies, Emily Dislikes: his dad being a dick, bullies, animal abuse/cruelty, Emily being hurt, his past, those who wasted their lives or didn’t value life, trolls, death cheaters, exterminations, humiliation, ecocide, being all alone Sexuality:biromantic demisexual Species: psychopomp, human(formerly) Gender: male Pronouns: mainly goes by He/Him but wouldn’t mind any pronouns Abilities: Multilingualism, shadow manipulation, gravity manipulation, invisibility, levitation, flight, pyrokinesis, electrokinesis, cryokinesis, super strength, super speed, clairvoyance, mediumship, possession, illusions, nigh invulnerability, immortality, skilled weapon mastery, scythe proficiency, enhanced endurance, musical talent, piano-playing skills, weapon transmutation, high intelligence, strategic mind, shapeshifting, size manipulation, duplication, soul collecting, skilled combatant, parkour, soul reading, omnipresence, portal creation, teleportation, necromancy, horse-riding, temperature immunity, intangibility, Zoolingualism, soul manipulation, conjuration, and life absorption Weapon: the magic Scythe, the scroll of souls Status: Active Occupation: Grim reaper, shepherd(formerly) Family: Lucifer(spiritual father), Adam(biological father), Eve(mother), Cain(Fraternal twin brother), Seth(younger brother), 25 other siblings Romantic interests:Emily(future girlfriend) Backstory: Long ago in a time before death existed, Azrael was once Abel the son of Adam and Eve and the twin brother of Cain. Abel grew up appreciating life around him and had many dreams and goals awaiting for him in the future like trying new things, falling in love and starting a family. He even dreams of making a hotel for animals.

Cain became a farmer due to his strength and knowledge of agriculture while Abel became a shepherd due to his love for animals and caring nature. Adam often favors Abel over Cain because he has his looks while Cain doesn’t. This makes Cain envious of his younger brother and begins resenting him.

Cain and Abel would constantly ask their parents where they came from, but Adam and Eve would try and dodge the question. One day however, they realized they couldn't dodge the question any longer so they told their children the truth. They were told that they were created by the angels from Heaven and that they were kicked out of the Garden of Eden after breaking the one rule they had.

Cain became furious from this revelation, and stormed out of the house with Abel not too far behind. They ended up finding their way out into a field, where Abel came up with an idea. Abel stated that they could possibly call upon the angels from heaven by trying to offer them their gifts in the hopes to apologize and be let back into Eden, and with nothing better to do Cain took him up on this.

The next morning, they went to the tallest mountain and prayed to the heavens.

First, Cain tried to offer some of his crops, grass and wheat. They waited for the angels to arrive but they didn't. Then, Abel tried offering up one of his sheep, and to their surprise, it got the attention of the angels. The angels arrived and thanked Abel for the offering. The two brothers watched in awe and bewilderment as the angels took the sheep and flew to the heavens. Cain became frustrated that the angels didn’t accept his offering but Abel suggested they try again tomorrow.

Every day, they would repeat the same thing. Wake up early, go to the highest mountain and pray, offer them with their gifts etc. But the angels always took Abel’s offering instead of Cain’s. Cain’s hatred for Abel grew stronger every day when the angels repeatedly neglected his gift. Abel, on the other hand, got more curious every day and began to wonder why the angels only accepted his offer. He took a look at Cain’s offering and began to realize why. The crops, grass and wheat were not ripe enough. Abel decided to help Cain by farming in secret.

At night when everyone is asleep, he puts on his cloak, takes Cain’s scythe and he sneaks off to the crops to do some farming. But he didn’t know that Cain awoke and went outside to find him farming in his crops. Out of blind fury, Cain picks up a rock and throws it hard at Abel’s head, killing him.

The last thing he knew was a sudden sharp blow in his head and saw nothing but red….

Abel slowly opens his eyes to find himself in a strange realm that is neither Heaven or Hell. It was nothing but darkness and the only light was his new glowing eyes for him to guide the way. Confused, He wanders aimlessly in the darkness, trying to figure himself out why he died and end up in this new realm instead of heaven and hell. Along the way, he encountered ghostly spirits of animals quietly wandering around in this strange new place, confused and scared. Abel felt a wave of sadness when he saw them with no home to go to.

Wanting to help these poor animals, he began to try to think up a plan to find a new home for them. As Abel thought up new ideas to find an afterlife for them, he imagined Eden. Suddenly, a new garden(that looks weirdly similar to the Eden he imagined of) appeared right in front of him and the animals quickly accepted the garden as their new home. He was startled and shocked by his new power to summon the place he imagined when suddenly a scroll appeared in his hand. He opens it and a list of names magically appears in the scroll.

Reading the list from the scroll, Abel finds himself teleporting to the real world. He saw an old fox dying near the tree. As he gently caressed the dying fox, a warm, ethereal light enveloped the soul as it left the fox's body. The fox’s soul, now freed from her mortal body, hovered happily in the air before cozying up in his shoulders.

Abel smiled as he glanced at the ghostly fox resting on his shoulders and a portal to the realm opened up in front of him. With a soft whisper, he guided the soul of the fox towards the realm he had discovered earlier, where the garden awaited. The soul of a fox hesitated for a moment, looking back at Abel with gratitude before stepping through the portal, disappearing into the serene landscape beyond.

Feeling a sense of fulfillment in guiding the fox's soul, Abel understood the gravity of his newfound responsibility. He glanced at the scroll in his hand, realizing that it held the names of souls whose time on Earth had come to an end. Each name on the scroll represented a life that had ended, and it was now his duty to ensure their transition to the next realm.

Suddenly, he saw Cain walking towards the tallest mountain. Abel was delighted to see his brother again. He ran up to him and was about to hug him…only for his fingers to pass right through Cain, as if he was a ghost. Abel was shaken by this revelation but what was more shocking is when Cain quietly muttered something about killing his brother. That is when Abel finally finds out who killed him. It was none other than his beloved brother, Cain!

Heartbroken by the betrayal, Abel wanted to cut ties with his old mortal life and decided to shed his old name and become something more. From that on, he was no longer Abel, the kind but naive human shepherd who always looked up to his brother. Instead he renamed himself as Azrael, the grim reaper and the ruler of the new realm called Purgatory.

Embracing his new identity as Azrael, he accepted the responsibility bestowed upon him and set forth on his journey, traversing the mortal world to claim the souls of the departed.

Despite the bitterness and sorrow that lingered within him for the life he had lost, Azrael found solace in his ability to offer comfort and guidance to those who passed on. Though he could never experience the joys and sorrows of mortal life himself, Azrael found fulfillment in his duty to guide souls towards their final destination.

During the first years, It was just the souls of the animals. That is until many, many years later, he collected his first soul of a human…his dad. It was a ball-like object containing his dad’s soul. After reading the instructions from the scroll, He threw his father’s soul up into the sky and watched as his dad’s soul floated up into the sky, going to heaven.

Over the centuries, Azrael continued his work and learned to embrace his role as Death. With each passing soul, Azrael learns about the souls of humans. If the soul of a human is coloured gold and was destined for Heaven, he threw the soul up into the sky. If the soul of a human is coloured red and destined for Hell, he threw it down into the ground.

Though his path was fraught with challenges and hardships, Azrael remained steadfast in his commitment to serve as a beacon of light in the darkness, guiding souls towards their eternal rest.

Trivia: 1. Cain and Abel are twins in my version(With Cain being a few minutes older than Abel). They were conceived when Lucifer possessed Adam and he had an affair with Eve. In other words, that makes Adam and Lucifer both their fathers. Cain takes more of Lucifer’s looks while Abel takes more of Adam’s looks. 2. His presence is completely invisible to mortals except the animals, children, babies and those who are close to death. 3. He rules over a realm called Purgatory where ghosts with unfinished businesses and souls of deceased animals live. 4. He can grow wings that are similar to angels but they are pure black. 5. The reason he shed his old name and renamed himself Azrael is because he wanted to forget his old, worthless human life and remind himself that he was no longer Abel the human son of Adam and Eve but Azrael the angel of death. 6. A true animal lover. Not only is he a very devoted shepherd in life, but he kept the souls of deceased animals in his realm where they live happily in his garden. 7. He owns a horse named Ghost and an enormous herd of sheep to keep him company. They weren’t just ordinary sheep, they were the spirits of the deceased sheep and the caretakers of his castle. They take over his duties whenever he gets too stressed out and needs to relax. 8. His castle includes a library, a cinema-sized home theatre, an art studio, a music room, a pool, an aquarium, and the most ginormous garden you have ever seen(this is where the souls of the deceased animals live). 9. His garden is an almost replica of Eden. 10. He loves children and babies as much as he loves animals. That is mainly because he never gets a chance to be a dad. He died before he could start a family and have children of his own. 11. He is nonbinary and biromantic demisexual. 12. Underneath his mask and hood, he looks like Adam but with longer hair, a much skinnier figure, darker skin, a scar on his head and glowing blue eyes. His strong resemblance to his father is the main reason why Adam favours Abel over Cain. 13. His favourite colour is blue. 14. When not working, he spends his time gardening, reading, drawing/painting/sketching, playing his piano, singing, baking/cooking, playing puzzles, listening to music, watching movies/TV shows and taking care of the animals in his realm. He sometimes visits Emily when he gets the chance. 15. Like his brothers, he is a mama’s boy. 16. Despite not needing to eat or drink, he enjoys food and is a fan of spicy and sweet. His favourite foods were curry, ghost and Carolina peppers, coffee and Death by Chocolate cake. 17. Unlike his father, he doesn’t swear but when he gets angry, stressed out or frustrated, he swears as much as his father. 18. He is a big movie buff and a total bookworm. His favourite genres are horror, romance, adventure, mystery, thriller and musical. 19. In life, he used to look up to Cain because he thought he was cool and yearned to be more like him until Cain killed him and he lost his appreciation for his older brother. Now, he wants nothing to do with him anymore(although a part of him felt he should forgive him). 20. He knew several languages due to collecting souls all over the world. 21. His favorite holidays are Halloween and dios los muertos. 22. Inspiration for his character are Sans(undertale), Lewis Pepper(Mystery Skulls), Grim(the grim adventures of Billy and Mandy), Death(Discworld), and Death(the loving reaper). 23. Because he was murdered by his brother he used to admire, he was having a bit of trust issues. 24. He is one of four horsemen of the apocalypse.

(I planning to draw an art of him)

[goobie-goo]

oh and would you like to make a Star-Weaver oc? because i have a perfect job for them.

i need to create a branch of The Family for the psychopomps — therefore, i need a head of the psychopomp department… whatever itll be named

all Guides can be psychopomps but there are those who do it as their job and those who volunteer.

if you decide to create an oc, ill need name, pronouns, gender identity/identities, romantic+ sexuality, any neurological stuff, any health things, and moral alignment. oh and personality.

the optional stuff includes: nicknames, any possible titles, fun facts, background (extensive or not), age, any research on psychopomps and cultures that include them (examples would be charon - greek, grim reaper, uhh there’s an egyptian one but i forgot their name, and many others), triggers/trauma (the WHY included preferably), description of their looks in words (besides a picrew or drawing.. i forgot you can draw), their “cryptid” form, etc etc.

it’s all said to be optional bc i can do it if you don’t wanna or cant think of anything. if you really do wanna make an oc and need help for backstory ideas or something… *leans on doorway clumsily and almost misses and stumbles but pretends nothing happens* hi…. :]

OFC YOU DONT HAVE TO MAKE AN OC IT’S TOTALLY OPTIONAL!!! i’ve just been thinking of asking you this for a while and didn’t know when to bring it up :P

you might need the extended notes on the Family if you decide but i also have it condensed bc i had to send them to bitch destroyer 3000 (nesquik) so that’ll be easier. you’ve read most of it anyway but a refresher wouldn’t hurt. i would send it on discord if you wanted it.

take this while i’m here ehe

WAIT THAT SOUNDS LIKE SO MUCH FUN OK GIVE ME LIKE A GOOD WHILE!!!!

[fawnforevergone]

Quick List of References to Dante's Inferno in "Unreal Unearth" (Part Two)

HELLO !!! there is now an updated list since we have now heard the old album so please go check that out instead: [ the ultimate "unreal unearth" reference list" ]

[ PART ONE ]

I'm back!! A bit later than intended but here are the rest of the references we currently know :]

THIS WAS WRITTEN BEFORE THE ALBUM RELEASE !!!! please take it with a pinch of salt.

"ALL THINGS END" This song, similarly to "Eat Your Young", doesn't have many specific references, but, as Hozier himself has said, the song is about the sixth circle of Inferno, 'Heresy'. The act of Heresy is the act of holding a belief contradictory to (especially Christian) religion, and this idea is very prevalent throughout the song. "Just knowing that everything will end should not change our plans when we begin again." 'Ending' is used in two ways throughout the song. One: A breakup. Two: Death. The latter is important for Heresy, where Hozier clearly defies the idea that death will be the end for him. 'Beginning again' is often a term used to relate to the afterlife, and, here, Hozier shows himself going against God's plan to give him a restart, saying that he won't allow death and finality to dictate how he lives his life. No specific references to Inferno, but Dante was a religious man, and that theme especially sticks out in this song.

"TO SOMEONE FROM A WARM CLIMATE (UISCEFHUARITHE)" Now, this placement of this song confuses me heavily, I'll be honest. The word "Uiscefhuarithe" is an Irish word meaning "water cooled", which wouldn't align with where we are in Inferno. We are either in circle six or seven, so 'Heresy' or 'Violence', both of which deal with the idea of heat, fire, or boiling sands/rivers. Since the song is name "To Someone...", I believe the song could be written towards the idea of someone in this circle of Hell, rather than Hozier, or whoever he is writing as, residing there themselves. No references with the lyrics we have so far, but the 'warm climate' is interesting for where we are at this point in Hell.

"BUTCHERED TONGUE" So, at this point, I'm highly unsure of where we are in terms of circles, but I'm trying my best. This song will either be 'Violence' or 'Fraud', yet, as far as I can tell, and please correct me if you spot something I don't, I don't see any specific references to anything in particularly. "And ears were chopped from young men, if the pitch cap didn't kill them. They are buried without scalp in the shattered bedrock of our home." However, this lyric does seem to display unjust and violent imagery, so perhaps the song is leaning towards Hozier's distaste of those deserving of the punishment that the circle of 'Violence' holds.

"ANYTHING BUT" Now, I believe we are at 'Fraud', the eighth circle. The issue with these last three circles, especially the eighth, is that they are split into subcategories, 'Fraud' of which has ten. However, the first few circles of 'Fraud' contain people such as panderers, seducers, and flatterers, and the song appears to be very flattering. "I'd lower the world in a flood, or, better yet, I'd cause a drought. If I was a riptide, I wouldn't take you out." This song could be in a similar context to most of the album where Hozier admits to the sin, yet argues against the idea of the sin being a bad thing when it's not practiced in extremity. For example, the 'Lust' in 'Francesca' is portrayed as harmless yet consuming love. Aspects of 'Eat Your Young' convey hunger, 'Gluttony', in a, again, harmless lustful way and then contrasts it with a political hunger. 'Anything But' seems to fall into that category of turning a sin into a love song, as Hozier often does.

"ABSTRACT (PSYCHOPOMP)" I'm going to make a leap and say that this song could possibly not be about a circle at all, but, instead, the transition from one circle to the next. A 'Psychopomp' is a chauffeur of death, someone like the Grim Reaper or, as aforementioned, Charon, who plays a heavy role in the story of Inferno, and, obviously, Virgil, the second main character of Inferno. "The poor thing in the road, its eye still glistening. The cold wet of your nose, the earth from a distance: See how it shines, see how it shines." The lyrics seem to reflect on the idea of something dead, yet also still recognising the beauty in its now-faded life. Since the album seems to be a metaphor for one or more relationships, and the song after this is 'Unknown/Nth', I'm going to make the assumption that this song is Hozier reflecting on the goodness of a previous relationship from the persona of a Psychopomp, delivering this love from life to death. Inferno is about the idea of death, and Dante spends most of his journey being lead, delivered, and guided through sin by various people, but particularly Virgil, who, after the final circle, he parts with.

"UNKNOWN/NTH" This song is stacked with references to the Nth and final circle of Inferno, 'Treachery'. "I'd have walked across the floor of any sea, ignored the vastness between all that can be seen and all that we believe." 'Treachery' is a frozen over lake, where winds grow stronger the closer you grow towards the middle. It's a vast, frozen expanse and, although not a sea floor, crossing the lake of 'Treachery' evokes a similar image in my mind to what Hozier is saying. "Where you were held frozen like an angel to me." There are many 'angel' lines but, with the mention of 'frozen' and the ice of 'Treachery', I'll pick this one. The reason why the winds grow stronger in 'Treachery' the closer you get to the centre is because, stuck in the middle, too big to escape, is Lucifer, the fallen angel. The winds are caused by the violent movement of his wings as he tries to move, only trapping himself further. "You called me angel for the first time, my heart leapt from me. You smile, now, I can see its pieces still stuck in your teeth. And, what's left of it, I listen to it tick, every tedious beat, going unknown as any angel to me." The imagery of Hozier having his heart stuck in someone's teeth is a metaphor to the fact that, when Dante and Virgil arrive at the sight of Lucifer, they see that he is chewing on Judas, another betrayer of God/Jesus. "Going unknown as any angel to me" is gorgeous. Hozier realises, as God did with Lucifer, that the one he loves is no angel, but a traitor. 'Treachery' is a betrayal of trust, and the song clearly references neglect or mistreatment of Hozier's love and trust, and the metaphor of God and Lucifer is a beautiful way to put that. "That I'd walk so far just to take the injury of finally knowing you?" The walk through Hell is a long and tiresome journey, to which Hozier references here. He relates his experience of this relationship to the walk through Inferno, arriving at 'Treachery' and feeling like, despite the outcome not being a positive one, he finally knows his lover in their painful entirety.

"FIRST LIGHT" Though we have no lyrics, I have a theory... as always, but, at the end of this day, this title means SO much being the closing track. At the end of Inferno, Dante and Virgil leave Lucifer stuck, and make their way out of Hell through the same tunnel that Lucifer's body left behind after he was thrown through the earth, down to Hell. They emerge on the other side of the earth and Dante says they can "see, once more, the stars", ending on a cadence of hope, similar to a 'first light'. I mention in part one of this post the utter darkness of Inferno that Hozier references in the earlier songs on this album, and this title seems like a perfect conclusion to emerging from Inferno, and recovering from the damage he suffered throughout his journey.

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OKAY !!!! If I missed anything, let me know, I'm so excited to know what everyone else thinks of the album, and WE ARE GETTING DE SELBY PART TWO IN LIKE FOUR DAYS ?!?!?!?!?! SOOOO

I'm thinking of doing a long winded break down for each song on the album, and previous albums too, so perhaps I will share more of my theories later since, surprisingly, some of you are actually interested in listening to me word vomit over a text post. ANYWAYS!!! I hope this was helpful to some people or at least interesting :] I had fun writing it, so <3

[preservationofnormalcy]

Hi. My name’s Tim. I used to be a mortician, and then I died. Went through the whole rigamarole in Purgatory, but I ended up getting a job offer. The powers that be have a lot of Grim Reapers, apparently, and they’re trying to sell me on it. Wanted to know if there’s anything I should know about the job from a human perspective before I take it? Thanks.

- Tim Reaper

Wuff, this is a tricky one.

The Office's official position on psychopomps is that while they perform a valuable service for some of those who have recently passed, eg, guiding to whatever awaits them, they are capable of making mistakes and are not actually empowered by any authority we recognize. All Office staff are advised to be extremely capable in at least one “game” in which to challenge potential Reapers, carry less than $50 on their person in order to not be able to pay the Ferryman, etc.

I would personally advise you not to take that position, but I can’t stop you. The discrepancy between the amount of death you’ll see there and that you saw even as a mortician is immense. The pressure is inconceivable.

[fairylandblog]

Ankou, Faerie Grim Reaper

Often referred to as the faerie Grim Reaper, Ankou is a haunting creature with profound roots in Breton tradition. Ankou, a symbol of death and its harbinger, comes from Brittany, a region of France with a strong Celtic tradition. Ankou is frequently shown as a tall, shadowy person with long, flowing hair and a serious expression, in contrast to the more widely accepted picture of the grim reaper as a skeletal figure dressed in black. His role of leading souls to the afterlife is inevitable, not malicious. By fusing aspects of Christian influence, Celtic mysticism, and fairy tradition, the stories and iconography surrounding Ankou represent the Breton people's distinct relationship with death. Legend has it that the first person to pass away in a parish each year is given the title of Ankou, rather than being a unique entity. This person is thought to assume the job of Ankou for the upcoming year, acting as a psychopomp who gathers the deceased's spirits and leads them to their ultimate resting place. The idea that death is an inevitable component of existence is emphasized by this cyclical element of the legend, which also serves to underscore themes of mortality and continuity. According to legend, Ankou rides phantom horses in a dark, creaking cart called the Karrigell an Ankou. It is believed that the sound of the cart wheels portends the death of someone in the vicinity.

Despite his solemn role, people do not perceive Ankou as malevolent or spiteful. Instead, people view him as an essential character, carrying out a responsibility that upholds the orderly progression of life and death. People frequently depict his manner as solemn and objective, mirroring the impartiality and inevitability of death itself. Several stories further bind him to the magical realm through the presence of spectral faeries or shadowy aids. Ankou's relationship to the otherworld—a world that runs parallel to the mortal plane in Breton and Celtic mythology—is emphasized by these fairy characteristics. Many of the stories about Ankou emphasize his relationship with liminality—the boundaries between the mortal and otherworlds, between life and death. For example, encounters with Ankou frequently take place around crossroads, cemeteries, and woodlands since these locations are typically seen as transitional areas where the line separating realms becomes blurred. He frequently cautions travelers not to tamper with his work, fearing it could bring bad luck or even death. The Breton belief in respect for death and the supernatural is reflected in the possibility of protection for humble and respectful people in his presence. In Breton oral tradition, Ankou also plays a significant role, and his tales are frequently cautionary ones. According to folklore, locals mock his presence or ignore the menacing creak of his wagon, only to die tragically. These stories remind listeners of the transience of life and the importance of valuing the unknown. Occasionally, Ankou demonstrates his role as a moral arbiter in folklore by punishing pride, avarice, or cruelty.

Despite having Celtic roots, Ankou's tale has changed over time, including Christian elements that highlight the soul's journey to the afterlife. In this context, Ankou transcends ethnic barriers and becomes a more universal emblem of mortality. His function as the faerie equivalent of the grim reaper unites the ethereal and the earthly realms, fusing the gloomy certainty of death with the mystique of the faerie world. In the end, Ankou represents humanity's nuanced relationship with death and is a significant and timeless figure in Breton folklore. He provides an eerie and profoundly contemplative viewpoint, serving as a reminder of the fleeting nature of existence and the mysteries of the hereafter. Ankou is a faerie psychopomp that not only foretells death but also acts as a guide, making sure that the deceased's souls make it to the afterlife. Because it provides a timeless examination of mortality, reverence for the unknown, and the eternal bond between the living and the dead, his mythology is still relevant today.

[fantasticalbiology]

Godtale

So does anyone remember anything about the undertale au Reapertale other then the fact that Sans is a grim reaper. If you answer yes to this your probably lying. So here is Godtale plus Godtale yellow

Asgore- All father and god of Mount Ebott, he who started a war with Mortal due to the death and disrespect of his son by Chara the Blamed. Said to have slain the six mortal champions that came to the mountain to quell his fury

Toriel- The goddess of Hearth, family, and symbol of the mother bears and Formally married to the All father Asgore. After the declaration of war on mortals, Toriel left Asgore ands retreated for a cave until the time was right to strike against the foolish all father

Sans- The god of good times, relaxing, bad humors, tormentor of the god of good mental jests, judgement and psychopomps who found himself in good company with the goddess of the hearth Toriel. She asked of him a promise to judge the mortal fairly when they cross hin and he agreed

Papyrus- The god of wheat, tomatoes, mental jests, platonic friendships, brother to the god of good times and allies to the warrior god who serves the all father. When Papyrus encounter Frisk the Determined he himself was determined to capture them so that he could join the illustrious ranks of the warrior god

Undyne- The one eyed Warrior god of wrestling, the spear of the All father and fire ironically as she’s often depicted as a humanoid fish. She is good friends (and nothing else) with the goddess of occult knowledge, considered a good friend with the god of wheat to which they get into cooking matches. Now supposedly when she was still a young wild god she encountered the mortal warrior known as either Gab or Cody the kind, sources vary. There is an even more  conflicting information that she has an aspect known as the Undying remains to be seen, but what is held as fact is that this due to her encountering Chara the blamed who was trying to kill a young spirit, she took the attack and from her body sprang the Undying.

Mad Dummy- A spirit that represents anger, one of their epithets is Mad Dummy Za Worldo, but that neither hear nor there. What is important is that Mad Dummy has a major aspect known as Mad Mew Mew, who represent a form of death and rebirth ironic if you ask me.

Naptstablook- A spirit that represent malaise. They often credited as being a great musician with toon capable of sending you to a different realm

Alphys- The goddess of the occult, forbidden knowledge, accidental corruption of life and golem making. Ancient scripts says that she usurped a god known as Gaster, but that is only hear say and rumors of the crazy.

Mettaon- A spirit who inhabits the body of a golem the goddess of the occult created.

Mettaon the cubed- An aspect of Mettaon that represent constraint, but solid defence

Mettaon Ex- Represent coming out of your shell, and performance

Mettaon Neo- Another aspect similar to the Undying after an encounter with Chara the Blamed. Some say that they represent a solid defense, but that is a lie spread by mad men

Frisk- Frisk the determined is one of the mortal warriors who came to Mount Ebott for unknown reason. It is said that their journey ended with them getting other mortals to respect the old gods as they are said to be the only to reach Mount Ebott’s top.

Chara- It is said that Chara is an aspect of Frisk or the other way around as they share the epithet of the determined. They also go by Chara the blamed as they represent those whose curiosity got the best of them and now need a scapegoat to blame. Ironic as it is said that they were adopted by the All father and goddess of the hearth.

Flowey- A trickster deity and the husk of Asriel the god of hopes and dreams. He tricked the god of Wheat into bringing the other god together so that he could steal their power, turning into or back into Asriel the absolute. It is said that Frisk the determined defeated Asriel the absolute and with his defeat able to ascend to the top of the mountain

Godtale yellow

Dalv- god of lighting and lord of the deep dark within the cave Toriel dwells in. He accept offering of corns and has association with the goddess of sweet dreams.

Martlet- The goddess of craftsmanship and duty. Apparently traveled with the Mortal Clover the just, according to some stories. Was imprisoned by those who surround the god of corn. Some say she an  aspect of Papyrus, but this is false.

Zenith Martlet- An aspect of Martlet and a psychopomps from the story of Clover the unjust. Represent the fury against those who believe themselves to be just and will punish those with claws and feathers a flying. Some say the Zenith is an aspect of Sans, but this is false because they were kicking about at the same time

Starlo- A god of corn, heroism, justice (debatably), honor, the sands of the west and friend to the goddess of motherhood and legacy. He is accompanied by four minor gods. 

Morray-A minor god of the sword, who was incorrectly labeled as an aspect of Undyne until it was discovered Morray uses a sword. 

Ed- A minor god of strength and is alway willing to lend a hand.

Ace- A mystery minor god of luck and card play

Mooch- A minor god of thievery and sneakiness. To me it kind of odd that Starlo is associated with this one.

Mo- A god of commerce and persistent merchants. Apparently if you believe the tales of Clover the unjust, Mo himself is also the god of illegally squandering money.

Ceroba- Originally thought of as an aspect Toriel, but later denied. Ceroba is an oddity in that the yellow pantheon she and her “family” seem to have come from somewhere else, but that’s neither hear nor there. She is the goddess of motherhood, legacy and the willingness to keep it alive.

Chujin- A god thought of by yours truly as a god of the occult, technically not untrue he is more known for the creation of golems. Apparently one of his golems dispatched one of the champion Flo the integral, after they almost harmed his child, the goddess of sweet dreams.

Guardener- One of Chujins golems, they are known as the protector of flowers

Axis 014- The soulless champion slayer, apparently in the tale of Clover the unjust he was integral in unlocking the bounds of which Clover lived up to their epithet as the unjust.

Kanako- The goddess of sweet dreams and sacrifice and the child of Ceroba and Chujin. Its not written any where, but apparently one tale describes after Chujin death Ceroba did something to Kanako and that’s why she’s not widely worship and she was later given to Alphys to aid her. Now this is speculation on a lot of people parts, but apparently Frisk the determined did meet them in the realm Alphys wished not accessed, to tuck them in.

Clover- Clover the just or unjust depending on who you asks, is the mortal champion before Frisk the determined. They entered the mountain to find and rescue those who came before them, but ended up among the ranks of the dead by their own choice. There also are two retellings of Clover, one in which it ended with Clover defeating the trickster Flowey, and a more grim retelling of their epithet as the unjust, in which they slaughter everyone including the all father.

Flo- The champion before Clover the just. Honestly not much is known about Flo the integral, but what is known is that they were at the very least somewhat violent and that they were ended by Axis