Joerie van Dam

This story unfolds in an alternate timeline where the old pagan faiths never faded. Instead, they remained the cornerstone of modern society. Christianity, never having spread widely, is confined to the Middle East. The setting is Friesland, part of the Federation of Odin, a theocratic alliance of Germanic and Nordic countries. Within the Federation, Friesland holds a distinct identity as Wodanist rather than Odinist, though the core values are the same: tradition, hierarchy, and religious

In a neopagan theocratic society where gay boys are classified as Dominant or submissive at eighteen, Ivar and Lars are sent to a midsummer initiation on the island of Mandø after being caught together. But as the days unfold, it is Ivar, rebellious, proud, and secretly aching to surrender, who takes center stage. Amid leather, rituals, and strict mentors, he discovers that submission may not mean weakness, and love may come in unexpected forms.

It’s the end of Grass Month, and with the Summer Month fast approaching, the Midsimmer festivals are only a few weeks away. In the village, every eighteen-year-old is about to receive their official classification after a consultation with Fokko Dijkstra, the Friiö, the village’s spiritual guide. Lars and Ivar sit nervously in the waiting room, both hunched over their smartphones, tapping and scrolling without really seeing what’s on their screens. Classification is a significant moment in