grief walker
Grief walker are specialized therapists tasked with counseling the dying and recently deceased, as well as their loved ones. They rely on Necromancy, particularly the Soul Call spell, to bring closure to their clients.
The dying or deceased are a grief walker's primary client, although the needs of their loved ones are also valued - particularly when those needs could prevent the deceased from moving on into their new phase of existence in the higher planes of the Afterlife. Grief walkers therefore focus on providing closure, as the well adjusted dead are much more likely to move to the next phase of life beyond The Veil, while the unhappy dead are prone to causing hauntings or worse.
Any further needs of the living beyond those addressed while assisting the dead are held for counciling after the deceased have moved on, often through a referral to a more traditional therapist.
Grief walkers are most commonly found within the Space Defense Legion, having been replaced by Afterlife Planners by the majority of other factions. Both professions are illegal within Hydell Order territory, carrying steep consequences for those found to engage in the practice.
Career
Qualifications
The best grief walkers are skilled in Necromancy, allowing them to continue therapy for the deceased and their grief-stricken relatives and friends after the death of their clients.
Some Grief Walkers also utilize Divination in their therapies, allowing them to better identify methods for reaching closure. Dream walking has also proven highly effective, in cases where the living become so distraught that normal therapy methods prove impossible. In these circumstances holding the sessions during alchemically-induced sleep has shown measurable success with assisting the extremely bereaved.
Perception
History
The Legionnaires claim they have traced the history of grief walking back to the era of Fillimet, courtesy of scraps of records salvaged from the Golding Library and other ancient sources.
Not much remains to the stories beyond theory and legend.
Operations
Provided Services
Officially, Grief Walkers provide therapeutic bereavement services for the newly deceased and their loved ones, helping everyone come to terms with death and to recognize that this is simply the next phase in the deceased's life. They can also assist the dying in accepting and preparing for their death, handling both the legal paperwork to smooth the way for the client's heirs, and providing scientific reading materials on the known facts of existence in the Afterlife. If a client's loved one has recently passed beyond The Veil, a grief walker can also choose to Call them at their client's request, although they cannot force the souls of the deceased to respond.
Dangers & Hazards
If a Grief Walker fails to properly council the deceased – or, even worse, if they prioritize the needs of the living over the needs of the dead – they risk angering the newly departed. In these cases the dead are more likely to remain near people or places of importance in their old life, rather than moving on into the next phase of their life beyond the Veil.
If the Grief Walker remains unable to resolve the situation, more drastic solutions may be required.
Type
Healthcare
Legality
While uncommon outside of the Space Defense Legion, grief walkers are illegal in the Hydell Order, instead labeled one of the many ways one may blaspheme against the Natural Order.
Other Associated professions
Used By
Related Technologies
World Ember 2023
World Ember 2023
In an effort to work the core worldbuilding articles of Vazdimet, December 2023 is focused on the Magic of Vazdimet, as I work to flesh out my magic stubs.
I'll be working on them in related chunks, starting with Nature Magic, although I'll likely be writing additional stubs as well, as the muse desires. Take a look:
You know, I've never really thought about hauntings in Vazdimet, but this is really interesting as a consequence of a grief walker failing to bring closure. I wonder if Hydell has more problems with hauntings than most, given their banning of the profession.
Explore Etrea
I guarantee it. Likely only helps fuel their whole religion, tbh. "Do you want to end up like *them*?"
Necromancy is a Wholesome Science.