What Happens After The End

The Story

Once there was a storyteller who died. Their time had come and they died. Their community laid their body to rest in the ground, as was tradition, and they rejoined the planet.
The planet asked them about their life, and what they had experienced. So the storyteller shared their stories. They told the planet all the stories they knew and all the stories they had crafted and shared. The planet accepted their gift, and they were accepted back into the planet.
Once there was a wrangler who died. Their time had come and they died. Their community laid their body to rest in the ground, as was tradition, and they rejoined the planet.
The planet asked them about their life, and what they had experienced. So the wrangler talked about their life, but their stories were not as rich as the storyteller, so the planet asked them to show them a skill. The wrangler showed the planet how they tracked animals, and how they looked after livestock and trapped critters. The planet accepted their gift, and they were accepted back into the planet.
Once there was a provider who died. Their time had come and they died. Their community laid their body to rest in the ground, as was tradition, and they rejoined the planet.
The planet asked them about their life, and what they had experienced. So the provider talked about their life, but their stories were not as rich as the storyteller, and they were not skilled at handling animals like the wrangler. The planet asked them to show them a different kind of skill and the provider talked about the different needs of the community, and how to understand and anticipate required materials. The planet accepted their gift, and they were accepted back into the planet.
Once there was a grifter who died. Their time had come and they died. Their community laid their body to rest in the ground, as was tradition, and they rejoined the planet.
The planet asked them about their life, and what they had experienced. So the grifter talked about their life, but their stories were not as rich as the storyteller, and they were not skilled at handling animals like the wrangler, nor understanding anticipating demand like the provider. The planet asked them to show them a different kind of skill, and the grifter showed them how to build fences and make dinner and craft jewellery. The planet accepted their gift, and they were accepted back into the planet.
Once there was a bearer who died. Their time had come and they died. Their community laid their body to rest in the ground, as was tradition, and they rejoined the planet.
The planet asked them about their life, and what they had experienced. So the bearer talked about their life, but their stories were not as rich as the storyteller, and they were not skilled at handling animals like the wrangler, nor understanding anticipating demand like the provider, nor crafting jewellery like the grifter. The planet asked them to show them a different kind of skill, and the bearer talked about the love they had for the children they had born and raised and watched grow. The planet accepted their gift, and they were accepted back into the planet.
Once there was a ruler who died. Their time had come and they died. Their community laid their body to rest in the ground, as was tradition, and they rejoined the planet.
The planet asked them about their life, and what they had experienced. So the ruler talked about their life, but their stories were not as rich as the storyteller, and they were not skilled at handling animals like the wrangler, nor understanding anticipating demand like the provider, nor crafting jewellery like the grifter, nor carrying children like the bearer. The planet asked them to show them a different kind of skill, and the ruler talked about the love and care they had for their community. They talked about the weight of helping their community, and how proud they were every day of the trust that people put in them.
The planet accepted their gift, and they were accepted back into the planet.

Summary

This story serves two purposes. The first is an explanation of the afterlife and the second is to reinforce the roles of the different paths within the society.

Afterlife

For the Vellich, the afterlife is a big unknown. It is thought that the person is accepted back into the planet, after offering the planet the gift of what they have got from their life.

Pathways

The professional pathways are a fundemental part of Vellich life, and so understanding how they are all equal in the eyes of the planet and that they each have something to offer is important.

Variations & Mutation

Different versions of this story put the profession paths in different orders. For example, if the storyteller is telling this story to a wrangler, they put the wrangler last to make it more poignant for them. Its also possible that they will vary the details of what the planet is told, but the overall message and meaning is always the same, as is the repetition of the same words each time.

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Related Articles

Culture	Vellich Profession Paths, Vellich World View, Place of Spirits
Professions	Storytellers, Rulers, Wranglers, Grifters, Providers, @Bear
Traditions	Path Choosing, Spirit Speaking
Locations	Vellikka
Stories	Where The Spirits Come From, The Great Flood, Return of the Great Spirit

Date of First Recording

Unknown

Related Ethnicities

• Vellich

Related Species

• Vellikkian

Related Locations

• Vellikka

Related Organizations

• Vellich Profession Paths