Having just coincidentally finished The Ferryman Institute (2016) and On a Pale Horse (1986) back to back, I find myself wondering at the origin of their shared theme: Death (as psychopomp, not killer) is a job that an "ordinary" person can hold for a time.
In On a Pale Horse, Death is immortal until killed by his successor, who then takes on the role of Death, collecting souls. During that time, he has to deal with bureaucracy, recalcitrant clients, a staff, and other mundanities. In The Ferryman Institute, people on the brink of death may be offered the chance to join the institute, guiding souls to the beyond. During that time, they deal with co-workers, managers, paperwork, and other aspects of an office job.
I've read several other books along these same lines, where people work for a psychopomp organization and/or take the mantle of 'Death' for a while. However, I don't know how old the trope is. What is the first work which has Death (or psychopomps in general) as just a job? I'm fine if the only way to leave the job is to die, so long as someone else assumes the duties. Likewise, if the job is only offered to dead people, that's fine as well - so long as it's open to 'ordinary'(ish) people.
