That ending gave me chills! Really nicely done. I've been fascinated by the priority placed by pagan societies on enforcing oaths and honesty (and the divine beings and measures dedicated almost exclusively to them), as these are the glue that binds a society. I find it curious that no such rule is prioritized among, for example, the Ten Commandments, but numerous prominent pagan gods had punishing oath breakers as their main function. I imagine many of us are still haunted and hunted by them on some level . . .
That’s an aspect of ancient history that I too have been fascinated with it. I think there’s a bit of a carry over in the biblical proscriptions about not telling a lie or bearing false witness. And it’s my suspicion that the binding power of an oath to an ancient would have caused a psychological dread and feeling of guilt similar to the way some Catholics feel upon entering a confessional.
Thank you so much for the compliment! It’s very flattering coming from the community’s premier expert on gaslight horror! 😀 Next year I may look into compiling some of these into an anthology. By that time I’ll be better positioned to do that.
Really enjoyed that, Daniel. A great contrast of the youthful students with this ancient balancer of the scales that punishes them for their oath breaking which they naively see as unimportant but it sees as sacrosanct. Brilliantly done 👍🏼
That ending gave me chills! Really nicely done. I've been fascinated by the priority placed by pagan societies on enforcing oaths and honesty (and the divine beings and measures dedicated almost exclusively to them), as these are the glue that binds a society. I find it curious that no such rule is prioritized among, for example, the Ten Commandments, but numerous prominent pagan gods had punishing oath breakers as their main function. I imagine many of us are still haunted and hunted by them on some level . . .
That’s an aspect of ancient history that I too have been fascinated with it. I think there’s a bit of a carry over in the biblical proscriptions about not telling a lie or bearing false witness. And it’s my suspicion that the binding power of an oath to an ancient would have caused a psychological dread and feeling of guilt similar to the way some Catholics feel upon entering a confessional.
Great work to round this one off man! Are you collecting all your stories into a book when you have enough?
Thank you so much for the compliment! It’s very flattering coming from the community’s premier expert on gaslight horror! 😀 Next year I may look into compiling some of these into an anthology. By that time I’ll be better positioned to do that.
Wow! You write very cinematically. I could see this all so easily in my mind, really well done!
I just woke up to go into work and this comment of yours has already brightened my day!!! And thank you so much for the restack!!!
Great work Daniel! I loved your characters and you had me gripped through both parts. I also love a two-parter, its the perfect length!
Thank you so much for the comment! I just got up to go to work and this was such a delightful surprise to wake up to! 🙏
Really enjoyed that, Daniel. A great contrast of the youthful students with this ancient balancer of the scales that punishes them for their oath breaking which they naively see as unimportant but it sees as sacrosanct. Brilliantly done 👍🏼
Thank you so much for the comment, Daniel! 😀
Poor Bailey, in the end he either saw no way out of his fate or sought to recover his honor by joining those his ambition had led to their doom...