Occupation: PROFESSIONAL MOURNER

PROFESSIONAL MOURNER

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HELPFUL TIP:

There’s probably a good reason why your character chose their career. Think about how certain talents and skills, a dominant positive or negative trait, or even an emotional wound might have influenced this decision. And once they're on the job, don't forget about the many work-related conflict scenarios you can throw at them to create tension and add complications.

When a family member or loved one dies, professional mourners, also called moirologists, are sometimes paid to attend the funeral and pretend to grieve. This could be the case if the deceased had very few relations or the family wants it look like they were more popular than they actually were.

The professional mourner will play a role at the funeral-usually that of a distant relative, long-lost friend, previous co-worker, or acquaintance. They must stay in character without revealing their true identity, even while interacting with other guests.

Religion and culture help to define funeral traditions, meaning the particulars will vary from job to job. The mourner will need to be familiar with the cultural norms and religious customs that are in play for each funeral in order to blend in and not blow their cover.

PROFESSIONAL MOURNER

HELPFUL TIP:

OVERVIEW:

NECESSARY TRAINING:

USEFUL SKILLS, TALENTS, OR ABILITIES:

HELPFUL POSITIVE TRAITS:

HELPFUL NEGATIVE TRAITS:

EMOTIONAL WOUNDS THAT MAY HAVE FACTORED INTO THIS OCCUPATION CHOICE:

SOURCES OF FRICTION:

PEOPLE THEY MIGHT INTERACT WITH:

HOW THIS OCCUPATION MIGHT IMPACT ONE'S BASIC NEEDS:

COMMON WORK-RELATED SETTINGS:

TWISTING THE STEREOTYPE:

REASONS THE CHARACTER MAY HAVE BEEN DRAWN TO THIS PROFESSION: