I fell

[sneaks]

The Underworld Meme



Perhaps you fought bravely and fell in battle defending innocents. Maybe you were a tyrant who's just been given your comeuppance. Maybe you have another reason for seeking out the place beyond death.

Whatever happened, you're here now. What next?


What kind of afterlife have you reached?

I. Greek: The Greek underworld comes in two flavors: the misty Hades and bloody Tartarus. All dead mortals are sent to Hades, but the most wicked are delivered to Tartarus for eternal suffering. Hades can be visited by the living, but do take care around the cuisine. Those who eat the delicious food are bound to Hades forever.

II. Buddhist: One is not reborn into Naraka without having lived a very low life. If your karma has not been considered during life, if you have not done to others as you would have them do to you, then you shall suffer in the next life. The lifetimes in Narakas can range from firey penetration to cold so extreme that it cracks the body open. This is a lifetime that lasts for hundreds of years, until you are reborn over and over again waiting to restore your karma to a clean state once again.

III.Christian: Hell is a residence for the unsaved. Like the fallen angels before you, you will be expelled from paradise and left to burn and suffer forever. Will you repent? And will you be allowed to ascend if you do?

IV. Egyptian: The realm of Duat is an interesting place to visit, but one should hope never to be forced to live there. It is the realm of Osiris, and the home of gods and fierce creatures alike. To pass through Duat, one must find a way through a series of gates guarded by fearsome creatures. What will you do to pass by the "Blood-drinker who comes from the Slaughterhouse"? Will you spend eternity in pieces decorating the gates to warn the next traveller?

V. Judaism: Sheol is a place of darkness. It isn't concerned over whether you were kind to others in your life. It has no interest in making you suffer. You lived, and then you died. And now you are here, in the blackest of voids, where God has no interest in you. How will you keep hold of yourself here? Will you whither away into a mere shade of a spirit, rendered weak and emotionless?

VI. Aztec: The journey though Mictlan is a long and arduous one. The journey from the first to ninth levels requires four years of unending travel over mountains and through bloody rivers. Will you be chased by wild beasts? Will your undead guide bring you to the next world safely? Or will you be sent to join one of the elemental gods to bear the sun or rain instead?

VII. Norse: It's cold in Nifleheim, the land of mists. You are here if you have dishonored yourself. And here you will stay under the rule of the goddess Hel. Beware of the dragon Nithhogg, who sucks on the blood of the deceased.
Unless of course your warrior spirit has died in glorious battle. In that case, please enjoy your paradise in Valhalla.

VIII. Islamic: Sinners are banished to one of the seven gates of Jahannam. Jahannam is a place of pain and fire, where the condemned move about with flame-charred skin under a smoky sky that provides no shade from the heat. Angels, strict and severe, oversee that the tortures are befitting of a person's misdeeds in life. They dress the deceased in clothes made from fire and feed them boiling liquid that scalds them from the inside out.

IX. Pop Culture: The vision of Hell commonly depicted in media takes hints from different religions and mashes them together as it sees fit. Consider this the "mix and match" option.

X. Something else: There are several other visions of the underworld, as well as religions with afterlives far more complex than I felt comfortable simplifying for meme's sake. Where will you go when your life ends?



What brings you here together? Are you fellow damned? Did you find a way to visit the underworld in an attempt to rescue a loved one who died too soon? Are you one of the guardians or challenges? Who were you before, and what will become of you next?

As per the "everything goes" nature of many depictions of the underworld, threads in this meme may include triggering content. Please remember to note any limits in your thread openers if particular content causes you problems.

Comments

Lucifer | The Prophecy

[lovedfirstabove]

[He owns the place.]

persephone ( original / mythology )

[foveros]

[ .. well.. ]

STEVE HARRINGTON ⟳ STRANGER THINGS.

[videostore]

[thefreak]

( ooc: leaving it up to you if Steve is also dead or if he found a way to drag Eddie back from the underworld! )

( Eddie can't say he's surprised he ended up here. The religious of Hawkins always proclaimed his soul was doomed, and Eddie never did or said anything to try and correct them. Maybe a tiny part of him had hoped that Eddie might have made up for all his so-called sins in that one last act of heroism.

But while Eddie isn't surprised to be here, he is surprised to see a familiar face. Who knows how much time has passed, but Steve looks almost the same as the last time Eddie laid eyes on him. )

Steve? ( Eddie asks, eyes wide with shock. At least no one else from their little monster-hunting gang seems to be with him. Maybe that means everyone else won, even if Steve and Eddie both gave up their lives to ensure victory. ) Not that I am not extremely happy to see you here, but also, what the fuck?

Zevlor | Baldur's Gate | ota

[hellrider]

[Avernus welcomes all.

Primarily here for events related to Baldur's Gate 3 and Descent Into Avernus canon (iykyk). Castmates and crosscanon are welcome.]

hades | greek myth | ota

[agetes]

hades | greek myth | ota

[nekipas]

hel/geiravor lokisdottir | the prophecies of ragnarok | ota

[sinne]

[ she's literally vii 🤪 fuck valhalla though, niflheim's where the peace is at. (also, "dishonor" means anything other than dying in combat, so have fun with that.) ]

Nanami Kento | Jujutsu Kaisen

[tokakujuho]

[ most interested in II and VI for introspection/penance type of things. ]

Lacie Baskerville / Pandora Hearts

[malchanceuse]

[ castmates for anything shippy, ota otherwise! ]

Nico |Dionysus | Greek Myth

[dionysianrevelry]

[Dionysus did travel to the underworld to bring his wife, Adriadne, back to life.]

Lucifer Morningstar | Hazbin Hotel | OTA

[takethatdepression]

[the big boss of hell himself]

Maedhros | the Silmarillion | OTA

[holdshisown]

Angel Dust | Hazbin Hotel | OTA

[loser_baby]

[hell - he lives there]

daybit sem void. fate/grand order

[5min]

[ He's chilling in VI. But he may have wandered accidentally into another. ]

Ereshkigal || Fate/Grand Order || OTA

[queenofkur]

[ Oh wow, someone made a meme just for her! And...

... W-Where's her Underworld? And why are all those places of darkness and pain? The picture is so scary. T-That's not at all what the Underworld is supposed to be like! Things like that are why death gods get a bad reputation. She needs to fight the tears and fix that.

... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ...

After a while, she tries to tape a piece of paper at the bottom of the meme to add the elusive eleventh prompt! ]

XI. Sumerian: Kûr (also known as Irkalla)
Peaceful and quiet underworld for all souls. No pain, no torture, no suffering! No matter who you were in life and what you did, death is equal for all here! Houses are nice spear cages and while we can't afford anything other than dust and clay for meals, there is no better place to find eternal peace. The local goddess of death really tries her hardest and hopes you will enjoy your stay.

[ T-There...! She hopes it won't be too obvious she added that on top of the default meme. ]

[5min]

[ You know what? Mictlampa got too noisy and overcrowded all of a sudden, so Daybit slips away, no farewell message, to go to a less noisy location until his cooldown ends. It's a matter of time before he returns. He may or may not be familiar with this beforehand. From the hijacked simulation he rushed to clear. Either way, he's fine with the clay and dust. And the, mm— minimalist decor? That's also okay too. ]

It's quiet, hmm? Not bad.

lady amalthea | the last unicorn

[silverhorn]

tezcatlipoca ; fate/grand order

[fursuit]

[ Naturally, you can find Tezcatlipoca in option VI, as he’s one of the lords of Mictlan. If you’re the sort of person who was unlucky enough to die having lost your struggle (whatever your struggle may be), you may find yourself in a misty land and drawn to a simple campfire. A handsome young man waits for you to hear your regrets before you begin your journey.

Of course, maybe you’re lucky enough to head further into the paradise of rest that he’s created, and ever the modernist, it’s more like an all-inclusive resort? He likes to pamper the souls that end up under his care, okay? Struggling in life and dying anyways is hard enough, so he’ll at least make sure your rest is relaxing before you have to continue onto the harder part of the journey. You’ll need all the strength you can get.

Or if you’re a denizen of other underworlds, don’t worry. He’s nosy enough to pop in to visit! ]

( ota with crosscanon and assumed cr welcome! you can find info about tezcatlipoca here )

[angaraja]

( life is certainly a struggle. in life, and in death, least of all for one born to be so horrifically wretched... and so horrifically blessed.

he isn't the sort to fall too easily, a warrior ordained to prove his worth. but those who wield power are certain to be challenged for it, and so... )

I see.

( he's holding a pamphlet... pensively. poring over the contents next to the soft kindle of a campfire that casts light against a face so deathly pale. )

I see...

( repeating himself, because what... is a "swedish massage"? )

[semicharmed]

[ Some people might say this is too young. Others may smugly declare, I called 25, pay up. Some might sit back and caution drawing any hasty conclusions. For people like Matt, death isn't always so final as it appears.

Either way, there's another young man approaching the campfire. Nest of brown hair, hands in the pockets of his jeans. The t-shirt he's wearing declares SCANDAL AT THE CONVENT. When he spots Tezcatlipoca, he smiles--not exactly surprised. Definitely pleased.

He lifts his hand in a wave. ]

I wondered if I'd see you here.

lilith ( mythology )

[lilit]

elia martell | asoiaf | ota

[veryfond]

Spawn (Al Simmons) | Spawn

[madeafuckingdeal]

[I mean...]

"Semper" | OC

[shuruppak_kid]

[Undying man somehow finds the way to journey to the most ironic place. Probably an odyssey-type "the living visit the land of the dead" journey, maybe to try and help someone else since he's a big ol' softie at heart. Could be Greek underworld but I'm open to discussing whatever!]