Write What You Know: Death

Death is a part of life[1]. It is an ending, and with it a new beginning[2]. Oaths, of course, only hold until death. They are considered fulfilled with the death of the oathmaker. My narrator says:

Oaths that bind us. Oaths to serve. Oaths to protect. We swear and swear and at the end we find ourselves bound in a web of promises with no way out. But in their mercy the gods give us death, that there may be an end to oaths, an end to dishonour and failure. Death, the final answer to every promise.

Later though his opinion is threatened. There is a suggestion that death is not the end. But let's not go down that route. Instead, let's consider; if we live long enough we can't keep all our promises. Eventually circumstances will force us to break one or more. In a feudal society, this is a threat. To a feudal society with immortals this is a major problem. Oaths will be broken. Then you must live forever with the consequences.


[1] Wittgenstein disagreed in Tractatus Logico-Philosophicus, but he's dead, and also changed his mind.
[2] "Transformation" Tarot readers interpret the card as. To which I misquote Ragged Robin, and ask exactly what kind of transformation is symbolised by a scary skeleton with a scythe on it.