Topic Research: Underworld Stories

(Image Source: Wikimedia Commons)

Plot point 1: A man named Atticus (This name deriving from the Latin meaning "one from Attica", a region in Asia Minor and a common crossroads of history/cultures. This name is meant to play into the struggle of this character in his story.) has recently died and has entered into the sorting station of the Underworld (details not yet solidified for this location). Here he meets Death, the Greek personification, who has taken a special interest in Atticus's case, as he does not sort well into any of the Underworlds. His cultural and experiential background is so diverse that he is eligible to enter into many of the Underworlds and Death is determined to make sure he is placed in one. They enter into a tour of the options for Atticus in the Underworld.

• Likely will make note of other "Culling Gods", as I tentatively refer to them. These gods are those responsible for capturing or directing deceased souls in their respective mythologies. The list of gods I may reference so far includes, but is not limited to, Yama (Hindu god who captures souls with a noose and beats them with a stick while taking them to the Hindu version of Hell known as Naraka) and/or Anubis (Egyptian jackal-headed god who was both the protector of deceased souls and guide in the afterlife). I like these two because they show two very different interpretations of death, one as harsh and another as comforting.
• Additionally, at each Underworld destination I will explain Atticus's relationship to that particular Underworld and why he is eligible for judgement in that afterlife. I think I will leave the question of whether he goes to the "good place" or the "bad place" in each Underworld undecided, allowing for the judges of whatever Underworld goes to to decide his fate after he has made his choice.

Plot Point 2: Death and Atticus begin visiting Underworlds and Death leads them first into his home turf Hades. Here they have a nice tour of the endless fields of Asphodel (where the average Joe goes after death), Elysium (where heroes go), and the Fields of Punishment (for the bad dudes). 

Plot Point 3: Not satisfied with Hades, they move on the the next set of Underworlds: Hel, Valhalla, and  Folkvangr. These realms are all aspects of the Norse afterlife, with different souls going to each depending on how they died and which gods favored them. Though, at this point Death is frustrated with Atticus and thinks he is too picky about his afterlife.

Plot Point 4: Not desiring fighting in the afterlife or rotting away in Hel, Atticus and Death go to the next Underworld: Tlalocan and Mictlan. Mictlantecuhtli was the god of the Aztec hell and was the final destination for all souls who died uncourageous deaths (not necessarily cowardly deaths, but simply not in a heroic way). He gives his pitch for his Underworld and, dissatisfied with his salesmanship, they move on to Tlaloc who represents the good side of the Aztec afterlife. His pitch is much better than Mictlantecuhlti's, but still not good enough for Atticus.

Plot Point 5: Weary, Death takes Atticus to one final Underworld: Lua-o-Milu. In Hawaiian myth, this is the entrance to the Underworld, with little known about what lies beyond, not even Death knows for sure (here I will explain how traditional Hawaiian religion has largely been lost in history).