The Setting Off

"You see, my dear boy, your dog has joined the rest, setting off to brighter places with more trees and open fields than they could possibly imagine..."

— A father to his son

Packing Up

Many a home across the Eight Lands have pets, whether they be cats, fish, dogs, birds, or other animals are up to the individual household, but each one follows the tradition of the Setting Off. Once a family pet passes on, they have started their journey, setting off to the afterlife.

Guided by the Underbeing, each pet is treated with respect and dignity along their journey. Though no one knows what the journey entails, some pets receive the very best care, their body being taken physically by the Underbeing into its domain. These appearances are rare and very few mortals ever witness it, but when the pet is beloved by many and has brought joy to even more, the Underbeing is honoured to take them personally.

Passing Through

Some people describe the door that their pets leave the material realm through as beautiful and elegant, others describe it as a plain door, one not out of place within their homes. Though no physical door ever appears from the death of a pet, the metaphor stands as a way to describe the process of grief for them.

Many families choose to bury the body of their pets, those who aren't taken by the Underbeing, while others choose to put the body into flame. However it is achieved, this simple rite aids the grieving of the families and friends of the beloved and gives them a final farewell to their life long companions.

Setting Off

No one knows what is beyond the doors to the realm of death, but not a single person in the world, no matter how evil or despicable, ever believes that pets go anywhere other than a place made just for them, a paradise for them to belong in once more. While they will ache the loss of their mortal companions, they live eternally and await the arrival of their masters once more, to greet them with a happy bark, a gentle purr, or a loving cry.