I am interested.

	I wanted to say also, that both things can be true.

	Oaths can be sworn to the object because they believe it has such powers, and they believe certain feats they pull of are because of it, and they wouldn't go back on their words anyway, but maybe if they did, something bad happens ( because that was just life.) Maybe the belief exists because there is a precedent for it. Someone who left died horribly after walking away from it all.

	What you want to do is totally within the realm of reality without any mysticism. Although, I'm down with either of the two routes you laid out. And I'm always a sucker for frustrated or forbidden love.