The Paths of Hell

"This is a work of fiction, don't forget that."

- Skoordzak, Sky Gnome and lord of the Stark Isles.





Dear reader,

These are the tales of Jason Agar, a man unfairly condemned to escape the many hells that humankind creates for itself. His journal was conveyed to me by Skoordzak, a minor lord of one of the fringe realms of hell.


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I am writing this journal at the request of the Investigative Council for the Trial of Maritrex, Supreme Lord of Torture. With the use of the council's recall device, my recollections here are nearly perfect. I would have preferred to forget many of these memories. I hope the council appreciates the sacrifice I have made in creating this journal.

My name is Jason Agar. I think of myself as a generally likable guy. However, I grew up with a deep sense of self loathing. I was a weird kid, with little innate sense of how to interact with others. Like many children, I had imaginary friends. Unlike most such children, my imaginary friends stuck with me into adulthood.

As for real friends, I made a few as I grew up, but did not really maintain friendships the way I should have. I dated many women, but had a hard time forming a lasting bond with them. I was very good with details and minutiae, but I sucked at seeing the big picture. This problem pervaded all aspects of my life, including my troubles with women and friends.

I was in great physical pain for most of my life. I had the worst sort of chronic prostatitis a person could have, beginning at age 13. It felt as if a scalpel were being stabbed into my groin and twisted. The pain was 24/7, and it wore me down. Painkillers and various other interventions helped, but not fully. Besides, who wants to walk around feeling like a junkie all the time?

My few friends, the women I have dated and dumped, they all told me there was something wrong with me - as if there were a few missing cogs in my emotional machinery. I guess they were right, but I had no basis for comparison. The constant pain, and painkillers, did not help me stay emotionally balanced.

I was fortunate in being born fairly handsome, 6'4", naturally muscular, eyes that could look either sexy or demonic, depending on my mood, straight black hair, olive skin, and a seductive smile.

My career has been quite successful. Computer programming came naturally to me. Even before acquiring my degree in computer engineering, I was a proficient programmer in multiple computer languages. My natural tendency to fixate on details fed into my programming career quite nicely.