Tycho
AFK Forum Warrior
- Joined
- Jul 31, 2011
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Okay... don't know what to say...
TerraNES: The Civil Experiment
- Thread starter Terrance888
- Start date
Okay... don't know what to say...
Eltain
Deity
Tycho is so close-minded.
Eltain
Deity
In Cytrian culture, marriage, or the binding (and bonding) of one man and woman, is an affair of the heart, but never of fancy. It is taboo for couples of less than 5 years to enter into marriage, as this lessens the legitimacy in the eyes of the Ancestors. However, it is not unheard of for arranged marriages between merchant families, should the need of a union arise. Such an arrangement must be made at least 5 years in advance of the wedding, however, and the participants therein must have known eachother for that long, whether there is love or not.
Here's an example of the typical Cytrian wedding, which is performed by the local Rumen:
We are brought together today by the wonderful union of today's Bride and Groom. Marriage is not a thing to be entered lightly, nor a thing to be broken easily. It is a binding of the souls of two individuals, be they good or bad, great or small, in the eyes of the Ancestors.
Let us now respect the Marriage pact brought down the generations. Groom, take knee.
Do you bind your soul, your mind, and your body, to this Groom?
And do you bind your body, your mind, and your soul, to this Bride?
Do you agree to these vows, here, now, in the sight of the Ancestors, and forever more, so spoketh?
Then I pronounce you as one!
After the ceremony, it is customary for the new couple to spend their first night together, in a home built or bought by both of their families. If a child is conceived on the first night, it is very good luck. If it is a girl, the marriage will likely last; if it is a male, it likely will not. Or so says superstition.
Here's an example of the typical Cytrian wedding, which is performed by the local Rumen:
We are brought together today by the wonderful union of today's Bride and Groom. Marriage is not a thing to be entered lightly, nor a thing to be broken easily. It is a binding of the souls of two individuals, be they good or bad, great or small, in the eyes of the Ancestors.
Let us now respect the Marriage pact brought down the generations. Groom, take knee.
"Above you are the Stars eternal;
"Below you are the Ancestors passed;
"As time shall pass, remember:
"Like an Ancestor, your love
"Should be constantly respected,
"Ever consulted, kept in mind,
"And honred above all else.
"Like a Star, your love eternal should shine,
"By day and by night,
"In sickness and in health,
"Until death do you part,
"Only to meet again as the Ancestors did.
"Below you are the Ancestors passed;
"As time shall pass, remember:
"Like an Ancestor, your love
"Should be constantly respected,
"Ever consulted, kept in mind,
"And honred above all else.
"Like a Star, your love eternal should shine,
"By day and by night,
"In sickness and in health,
"Until death do you part,
"Only to meet again as the Ancestors did.
Do you bind your soul, your mind, and your body, to this Groom?
And do you bind your body, your mind, and your soul, to this Bride?
Do you agree to these vows, here, now, in the sight of the Ancestors, and forever more, so spoketh?
Then I pronounce you as one!
After the ceremony, it is customary for the new couple to spend their first night together, in a home built or bought by both of their families. If a child is conceived on the first night, it is very good luck. If it is a girl, the marriage will likely last; if it is a male, it likely will not. Or so says superstition.
Gem Hound
Deity
Spoiler Overkill minigame play :
Spoiler :
Edit: I'm done my part of the wiki for now.
Tycho
AFK Forum Warrior
- Joined
- Jul 31, 2011
- Messages
- 3,240
Eltain is too cunning for his own good.
Joking of course, Eltain's cunning is very good and he could take over all of Europe if he really wanted to.
Luckymoose
The World is Mine
Assuming I don't get to it first.
Gem Hound
Deity
One question: How do I successfully link to a certain post?
Eltain
Deity
step 1: click the post number. Yours would be 1407. This'll take you to a new page. Copy the link address.
Then type:
{URL=link goes here} Text goes here!! {/URL}, except replace {} with [].
Example:
Your post!
Then type:
{URL=link goes here} Text goes here!! {/URL}, except replace {} with [].
Example:
Your post!
Gem Hound
Deity
Thanks. I'm linking post 1404 on the wiki.
Luckymoose
The World is Mine
TO: High Princes of War
FROM: High King of War, Fire Lord of the Katanic Empire
I summon your armies. We march at once!
FROM: High King of War, Fire Lord of the Katanic Empire
I summon your armies. We march at once!
Lord of Elves
Suede-Denim Secret Police
- Joined
- Oct 31, 2009
- Messages
- 6,976
Apologies, however, my orders are likely not to come until tomorrow evening. I do intend to get them in before the end of the day tomorrow.
Marriage Amongst the Hyakkids
Marriage in Hyak is by no means a standardized ritual. The precipitous expansion of the Baraganid Dynasty led to the incorporation of numerous cultural practices into the mainstream of Hyakkid society.
Many marriages, particularly amongst the powerful, are instruments of political unions. High-King Naran-sar wedded a Moserean Princess in his efforts to forge ties with the northerners, in front of a grand procession containing guests from around Levea. It is those who are further down the social ladder who have the freedom to marry for love, although they face a variety of challenges, most notably the dearth of marriageable women. Kings, mighty Generals and wealthy merchants may have several wives, land-owning farmers tend to have a single bride, while the military tends to be overwhelming composed of unmarried men, many of whom seek to use their experience and plunder from warfare to display their worthiness and quality as potential husbands for the young ladies back home.
Conducting marriage is typically one the powers held by clerical elements of Hyakkid society, with the rituals typically carried out by Priests and Priestesses of Tannu, Goddess of Fertility. In these ceremonies, it is traditional that the wedding is attended by the bride's immediate family and the groom alone. The groom comes to the bride, and their future is blessed by the bride's family. The pair then proceed to have their union sanctified by the fertility Priest and Priestess, and depart to the home of the groom, where their marriage will be consummated.
However, largely in part to foreign influences, many marriages have become more social events, with much celebration and alcohol. However, the core events of the ceremony remain the same, even if the audience is rather significantly enlarged.
Traditionally, there have been two forms of marriage accepted by the Hyakkids. The former, as previously elucidated, is known as the Marriage of Tannu. The latter is, troublingly, known as the Marriage of Takarzi.
While they operate outside of the clergy, figures of military leadership in Hyak hold a religious authority all of their own, as minor embodiments of the War-God's will. As such, they have vested in themselves the ability to consecrate marriages between their soldiers and women in the lands in which they campaign, should they be unwed or widowed and the soldier capable of supporting a wife. Needless to say, this type of marriage is typically carried out in a less solemn or mutually joyous manner.
Notes: While the people of Hyak are most famous for their devotion to Takarzi, their name for Tarias, the War and Wilderness God of the Kitabilist Pantheon, they certainly recognize the roles of the other 11 major Gods.
Stockholme, I am vaguely aware of Sune/Zunei, Danu/Tannu, Kitab/Kabitz and Tarias/Takarzi, but could you generally outline the 12 Kitabilist Gods? I can't find any resource covering most of them, and I feel that knowledge of them is quite important for properly fleshing out Hyak's religious beliefs.
Marriage in Hyak is by no means a standardized ritual. The precipitous expansion of the Baraganid Dynasty led to the incorporation of numerous cultural practices into the mainstream of Hyakkid society.
Many marriages, particularly amongst the powerful, are instruments of political unions. High-King Naran-sar wedded a Moserean Princess in his efforts to forge ties with the northerners, in front of a grand procession containing guests from around Levea. It is those who are further down the social ladder who have the freedom to marry for love, although they face a variety of challenges, most notably the dearth of marriageable women. Kings, mighty Generals and wealthy merchants may have several wives, land-owning farmers tend to have a single bride, while the military tends to be overwhelming composed of unmarried men, many of whom seek to use their experience and plunder from warfare to display their worthiness and quality as potential husbands for the young ladies back home.
Conducting marriage is typically one the powers held by clerical elements of Hyakkid society, with the rituals typically carried out by Priests and Priestesses of Tannu, Goddess of Fertility. In these ceremonies, it is traditional that the wedding is attended by the bride's immediate family and the groom alone. The groom comes to the bride, and their future is blessed by the bride's family. The pair then proceed to have their union sanctified by the fertility Priest and Priestess, and depart to the home of the groom, where their marriage will be consummated.
However, largely in part to foreign influences, many marriages have become more social events, with much celebration and alcohol. However, the core events of the ceremony remain the same, even if the audience is rather significantly enlarged.
Traditionally, there have been two forms of marriage accepted by the Hyakkids. The former, as previously elucidated, is known as the Marriage of Tannu. The latter is, troublingly, known as the Marriage of Takarzi.
While they operate outside of the clergy, figures of military leadership in Hyak hold a religious authority all of their own, as minor embodiments of the War-God's will. As such, they have vested in themselves the ability to consecrate marriages between their soldiers and women in the lands in which they campaign, should they be unwed or widowed and the soldier capable of supporting a wife. Needless to say, this type of marriage is typically carried out in a less solemn or mutually joyous manner.
Notes: While the people of Hyak are most famous for their devotion to Takarzi, their name for Tarias, the War and Wilderness God of the Kitabilist Pantheon, they certainly recognize the roles of the other 11 major Gods.
Stockholme, I am vaguely aware of Sune/Zunei, Danu/Tannu, Kitab/Kabitz and Tarias/Takarzi, but could you generally outline the 12 Kitabilist Gods? I can't find any resource covering most of them, and I feel that knowledge of them is quite important for properly fleshing out Hyak's religious beliefs.
Spoiler :
J.K. Stockholme
Right Opposition
Stockholme, I am vaguely aware of Sune/Zunei, Danu/Tannu, Kitab/Kabitz and Tarias/Takarzi, but could you generally outline the 12 Kitabilist Gods? I can't find any resource covering most of them, and I feel that knowledge of them is quite important for properly fleshing out Hyak's religious beliefs.
Spoiler :
I fleshed out the gods a bit more in my orders, so here are some records of mine:
Sometime between 3000-2950 BCE
"The second king institutionalized the first state gods of Aramya from pagan traditions, the river god Kitab, the fertility goddess Danu, and created the myth of the first two humans alive, Euphrates and Tigris, man and woman, joined together, to make Danae."
2945 BCE
"'The Irudites, after building themselves an army of archers do not posses enough wood to setup barricades. They additionally do not receive nearly enough food to last under siege. We have a constant supply from Aramya, and our industry, thank the gods, is strong. Ybal will shine down upon us, that last sentence came out of Launar impulsively, he had never mentioned the Aramyan god of war formally, he had always been around, but he supposed this was Ybals time to rise to true god status..."
Sometime between 2900-2850 BCE
"There were too many people! Though the population growth had developed Aramyas industry, because the industry was seeing a potential plateau, there were too many people for the amount of space. The new king of Aramya realized this because of the diseases his people suffered, from the congested streets of Danae. He exploited the bid in Parush, where the people were moving to diversify and develop their economies, as an opportunity to quietly populate the region with Aramyan specialists. This would have the triple effect of helping Parush assimilate into Aramyas sphere, move Aramyan people out of Aramya, and create a cultural mentality within Aramya for expansionism. The next issue involved the military, immigrants, although ripe for the assimilating, were no longer necessary, and combined with the new Aramyan mentality of expansion, were perfect targets for racially based attacks by the military. With the Parushites no longer the racial enemy of Leveans, foreigners from beyond the desert and going south down the coast of the gulf were the new target. This was Aramyas segue into positive relations with the Parushites and, although limited in its effect, was an opportunity for the military to regain its strength on easy enemies.
The people of Aramya, in the years before the Ortundian war, were in the same fear and fury as the upper class. Their religion had been stamped on, and the priestly class was taken aback at it to the same extreme. The people, who respected the government and administration, did not blame the priests, but nonetheless demanded religious explanations. This demand for religious understanding grew the size and content of written documents, new records were made, and the final death knell was rung for the animistic beliefs of the lower classes. The priests, in collaboration with the new king did what Launar failed to do: eliminated all animism, Aramya became completely polytheistic. They created a pantheon of the gods, whom resided on the highest peak far away atop the mountains where the Euphrates and Tigris rivers begin:
First Generation
Kitab - River God
Danu - Fertility Goddess
Second GenerationDanu - Fertility Goddess
Ybal - War God
Sune - Goddess of Thought and Wisdom
Mundo - God of the Ocean
Felis - Sky Goddess
Third GenerationSune - Goddess of Thought and Wisdom
Mundo - God of the Ocean
Felis - Sky Goddess
Sykole - Chthonic God
Resurus - God of Strength
Thice - Goddess of Art and Beauty
Morae - God of Industry
Ius - Goddess of Truth
Tarias - Goddess of the Seasons and Wilderness"
Resurus - God of Strength
Thice - Goddess of Art and Beauty
Morae - God of Industry
Ius - Goddess of Truth
Tarias - Goddess of the Seasons and Wilderness"
Sometime between 2800-2750 BCE
"The Fifth Descendant also allowed an intellectual freedom of the priestly class to develop the Kitabalist Pantheon by interpreting the knowledge of the past. Gods and goddesses were everywhere, intermingling, with stories of lust, love, revenge and even basic ideas of comedy being employed to strengthen the religious convictions of the people."
..and
"Different priests played to the different factors of different people, Kitab promised good harvests along the rivers, Danu promised the growth of people far north in the less populated areas, Ybal promised success against local tribes even as far as Israel. The elites were promised safety in the afterlife if they were benevolent masters to their people."
2700-2650 BCE
"Wars of Kitab and Tarias
Later writers would retell the wars with the Hyak as a great battle, which the gods participated in, siding with different countries, fighting along heroes. It was something heroic from the outlook, men were to regain the pride of Aramya by going and conquering land for their wives, as well as enslaving Hyaks to the north for their farms and households. The plan was to break the agreed upon treaty, and take all of the former Ortundian lands before the Hyaks could see what was happening. Many were happy to see other Leveans protect them, while some were distrustful that they could defend them against the Hyaks. For each town the army entered, a band of priests came along too to greet the governors, and cooperate with them in devising a new governance. Their temples were filled, and the Aramyan symbol was propped up on every gate and every temple for all to see."
Side note for that war, it was a major theistic diverge between Hyaks and Leveans; at least on the Levean side, it was seen as a war between gods and races, an honourable fight to determine superior and inferior.
General Outline:
In the beginning there were Kitab and Danu, who created the world etc etc but, most importantly, created the two great rivers, Euphrates and Tigris. From those waters spawned the first man and woman, Euphrates and Tigris, who began humanity (and metaphorically created Danae, where the rivers converge).
A diverge from reality's mythologies occurs here, humans, full of vice, created hatred, jealousy, etc etc and the gods mimicked them. The two beginning gods had children, and they copied or even joined the wars of the humans, allowing them to begin mayhem, while the gods simply determined the outcome. Gods would enact human wars on a titanic scale in Persia, while the other gods watched from Armenia (Hurria, as I have renamed it). This, in addition to joining and fighting along human alliances.
The religion has always been incredibly flexible. The Levean Wars of Supremacy were also an important time, when the gods participating on the sides they felt were more just. This created the hatreds and love between the gods, it was a springboard for writers to make different gods clash and ally. After that, its remarkably unrigid, I stated somewhere in my orders that demi-gods, sons of gods, and such and so forth started popping out of no where. The post-titan times I guess, were after the Wars of Kitab and Tarias.
SouthernKing
crickety cricket
For the bonds of marriage to be forged in Daksina, the man must first impress the woman he wishes to marry. The exact method this is done is much varied, but the result is in most cases the same. If the woman is impressed, she will ask him to be her partner for the rest of their lives. If the man accepts, the couple is now engaged.
Within half a year, the main marriage is set to occur. It must occur on a full moon night. The ceremony begins at sunset, and is traditionally held on a boat along the riverside (or the seaside, in the case of the colonies or coast), which is either owned by either family or can be rented. The bride and close family members or friends, await on the boat, and the groom and his side traditionally gather on the shore. When the marriage begins, the groom will walk across first, onto the boat, followed by his family. A priest of Vishnu, or one of his various incarnations depending on region, will bless the couple on an altar near the bow of the boat.
After the couple is blessed, they will exchange sweets and jewelry. The next step is a grand feast, held on the boat. After the feast, usually held about the time the moon is highest, the couple and everyone else will dance, and socialize, and meet the couple and new in-laws. The festival ends when the sun rises - the new couple will sail the boat off into the sunrise.
Within half a year, the main marriage is set to occur. It must occur on a full moon night. The ceremony begins at sunset, and is traditionally held on a boat along the riverside (or the seaside, in the case of the colonies or coast), which is either owned by either family or can be rented. The bride and close family members or friends, await on the boat, and the groom and his side traditionally gather on the shore. When the marriage begins, the groom will walk across first, onto the boat, followed by his family. A priest of Vishnu, or one of his various incarnations depending on region, will bless the couple on an altar near the bow of the boat.
After the couple is blessed, they will exchange sweets and jewelry. The next step is a grand feast, held on the boat. After the feast, usually held about the time the moon is highest, the couple and everyone else will dance, and socialize, and meet the couple and new in-laws. The festival ends when the sun rises - the new couple will sail the boat off into the sunrise.
Optical
The Fall of the Eleventh
Xiyian Rites of Marriage
The young couple stand on the bridge, watching each other. Once or twice they glance elsewhere, at the Yellow River flowing through the city or at the crowd standing solemnly, watching them without even a word - but for the most part they just stand there, staring into one another's eyes.
It had been the custom in many of the lands now under Xiyi control to have marriages arranged by the parents, without regard to the feelings of the man and woman involved. That always changed, nearly instantly, when the armies of Xilatang marched through the city gates of the Zhou, the Wei, the Zhangat... in fact, it had been during the Zhangat wars that the status quo had been instigated, learnt from the Xiong 'barbarians'. Marry for love, the Xiong khan had said to the Silent Emperor - and the Emperor listened to his protégé; a union between the two peoples had as a result become stronger through the marriage of the Silent Emperor to the Xiong khan's sister. Many family feuds and assaults had also been avoided as a result of the abolishment of forced marriages.
So now, after the customary period of three years' courtship, tradition demanded that a marriage had to be proposed by the person who started the relationship. Refusal, and the romance would end. Acceptance, and the couple had six months to prepare for the marriage.
It's a common misconception that the Silent sect of Confucian philosophy leaves Xiyi a cold empire. In fact, the people of Xiyian cities are contenders for the title of the most friendly people you could ever have the good luck to meet. The Silent Emperor himself attends every wedding that occurs in Xilatang; the governors and nobles of other cities do the same. It is considered an occasion for festivities city-wide when a couple is formally joined.
The silence of the ceremony is achieved, of course, through the wedding vows. Whole cities are silenced as the senior official present - the Silent Emperor for many weddings - taks to the couple of honour, of love, of security, defense and protection, of raising a family, survival and of giving one's life for another person.
And in the Xiyi capital city of Xilatang, there's one more thing to do before the couple first kiss in public. The bridge is pretty damn big, apparently, and once the couple have jumped off, hand in hand, they know if their choice is right.
The river stinks something awful in summer, too.
The young couple stand on the bridge, watching each other. Once or twice they glance elsewhere, at the Yellow River flowing through the city or at the crowd standing solemnly, watching them without even a word - but for the most part they just stand there, staring into one another's eyes.
It had been the custom in many of the lands now under Xiyi control to have marriages arranged by the parents, without regard to the feelings of the man and woman involved. That always changed, nearly instantly, when the armies of Xilatang marched through the city gates of the Zhou, the Wei, the Zhangat... in fact, it had been during the Zhangat wars that the status quo had been instigated, learnt from the Xiong 'barbarians'. Marry for love, the Xiong khan had said to the Silent Emperor - and the Emperor listened to his protégé; a union between the two peoples had as a result become stronger through the marriage of the Silent Emperor to the Xiong khan's sister. Many family feuds and assaults had also been avoided as a result of the abolishment of forced marriages.
So now, after the customary period of three years' courtship, tradition demanded that a marriage had to be proposed by the person who started the relationship. Refusal, and the romance would end. Acceptance, and the couple had six months to prepare for the marriage.
It's a common misconception that the Silent sect of Confucian philosophy leaves Xiyi a cold empire. In fact, the people of Xiyian cities are contenders for the title of the most friendly people you could ever have the good luck to meet. The Silent Emperor himself attends every wedding that occurs in Xilatang; the governors and nobles of other cities do the same. It is considered an occasion for festivities city-wide when a couple is formally joined.
The silence of the ceremony is achieved, of course, through the wedding vows. Whole cities are silenced as the senior official present - the Silent Emperor for many weddings - taks to the couple of honour, of love, of security, defense and protection, of raising a family, survival and of giving one's life for another person.
And in the Xiyi capital city of Xilatang, there's one more thing to do before the couple first kiss in public. The bridge is pretty damn big, apparently, and once the couple have jumped off, hand in hand, they know if their choice is right.
The river stinks something awful in summer, too.
Tycho
AFK Forum Warrior
- Joined
- Jul 31, 2011
- Messages
- 3,240
A thousand legions couldn't keep me out,
A thousand voices cried out in a shout,
A thousand lances couldn't hold me back,
A thousand swords couldn't stop my track.
Cause,
Bloody Omar's coming back,
Faceless legions from the black,
From the light that he once fled,
From the darkness within he bled,
Bloody Omar is coming back,
Smiling legions in the black,
Omar's back to stay and laugh.
Red forces that fled from the light,
Hiding from the southerner's might,
Valyria now thinks that she is safe,
Protected by the kingdoms's grace,
Lackwit fools, don't you know?
You reap right now what you did sow.
Cause,
Bloody Omar's coming back,
Faceless legions from the black,
From the light that he once fled,
From the darkness within he bled,
Bloody Omar is coming back,
Smiling legions in the black,
Omar's back to stay and laugh.
A thousand legions couldn't keep me out,
A thousand voices cried out in a shout,
A thousand lances couldn't hold me back,
A thousand swords couldn't stop my track.
Bloody Omar's coming back,
Red eyed legions from the black,
Bloody Omar's coming back,
Hideous monsters from the black,
Wading through the crimson flood,
Omar's come to drink your blood.
A thousand voices cried out in a shout,
A thousand lances couldn't hold me back,
A thousand swords couldn't stop my track.
Cause,
Bloody Omar's coming back,
Faceless legions from the black,
From the light that he once fled,
From the darkness within he bled,
Bloody Omar is coming back,
Smiling legions in the black,
Omar's back to stay and laugh.
Red forces that fled from the light,
Hiding from the southerner's might,
Valyria now thinks that she is safe,
Protected by the kingdoms's grace,
Lackwit fools, don't you know?
You reap right now what you did sow.
Cause,
Bloody Omar's coming back,
Faceless legions from the black,
From the light that he once fled,
From the darkness within he bled,
Bloody Omar is coming back,
Smiling legions in the black,
Omar's back to stay and laugh.
A thousand legions couldn't keep me out,
A thousand voices cried out in a shout,
A thousand lances couldn't hold me back,
A thousand swords couldn't stop my track.
Bloody Omar's coming back,
Red eyed legions from the black,
Bloody Omar's coming back,
Hideous monsters from the black,
Wading through the crimson flood,
Omar's come to drink your blood.
SKILORD
Insurgent
The State Marriage and the Binding of the League
The Wedding of Tur of Ugarit to Mary of Tyre had been all the talk of Tyre for months now, and it was said that the Administrator and the Full Council would be in attendance.
Marriages are not an uncommon event, but few garnish such attention. Some claimed to see the administrator's hand through and through, an officer of his army and the daughter of a wealthy, high ranking member of the Tyre Council. A Marriage to bind Ugarit to Tyre, with musicians of Damascus gathered to set the scene.
And so the Administrator woke with the dawn and made his daily offering at an altar of Ybel, whispering his prayer, "Stay the hand of the Kings in your name, and grant me the strength to protect these lands."
But his usual offering was made at the small barracks altar by Galilee, today the Administrator found himself in Tyre, perhaps the wealthiest city in the league. Purple sashes adorn the priestesses of Ybel, which look ornamental, until one learns the initiation rites of Ybel order and the number of unjust men his priestesses must kill with that cloth before they are allowed to "retire" to the temple in Tyre.
It was a Damascan rite, not one commonly practiced throughout the Kitabalist or Takarzi world, but in Damascus this rite once had a variety of extremely practical applications.
And so, rather than serving as ornaments the large number of priestesses who attend to the Temple of Ybel in Tyre are simply waiting for an excuse to serve, and guards are not needed.
Outside of Ybel's altar the other God's monuments populate this whole section of Tyre, Morae had the most popular and busiest claim, but today most of the festivities were planned at the Temple of Danu. Banners had been hung, flames were lit, the supplies were arranged for a feast. But the Administrator had other stops to make before he could go and observe the final preparations and wait for the guests of both cities to arrive.
Today he made a stop at the Temple of Kitab, to make an offering and a prayer there as well. Although the largest temple in Tyre Kitab's sanctuary was also the least popular. The Priesthood of Kitab, for various reasons, was exempted from the simple rule that governed all other priesthoods. In the League a Temple is required to spend all the money it takes in towards "The Glory of the Patron" and the priests are not allowed to take a salary or use Temple funds to buy food or shelter.
And so they are required also to serve their patron. The Temple of Morae was filled with smiths and merchants ordained as "Servants" with only the highest ranking and most experienced claiming priesthood. The Temple of Danu was populated by midwives and professional matchmakers who sold their services to wealthy, but poorly connected families. Sykole's priests could only profit selling burial plots and the priests of Tarias found routes through the desert and offered their services as guides.
And so the priesthoods of the League were, for the most part, public and accessible, allowing the people to seek the fortune of their God or Goddess by expanding and serving their domain. But Kitab's priests in the League left the Shipbuilding to Mundo's servants and served exclusively as priests who would pray for supernatural assistance.
"Bless this marriage," was heard in the halls of Kitab countless times that day, but the Administrator offered up his own, with a sacrifice of two small doves and a wordless glance at the priest.
Outside of the Temple a man laughs at the Administrator in his full uniform, "Even you're sweating this one out, eh?"
Glancing around to find the offender so that he can dress them down for their impropriety he finds instead, "Issac, Father of Mary, Of course I am. This will be a big step forward for the League."
"I imagine you see it that way," said Issac as the two men began to walk towards Danu, "Seeing as how you've been going through so much trouble to set it up."
The Administrator laughs, "You know, I much prefer the training fields out in Galilee. Whenever I come to a city I hear nothing but these rumors. I come to Tyre and hear that I've arranged a marriage, I go to Ugarit and they tell me I've increased the price of grain, and when I go to Damascus men come up to me on the street and say 'Administrator! The strings of my lute have gone out of tune! Why have you done this to me?!' But I spend my days out in the field, I do not have the time to orchestrate everything that happens in the League."
"There's a midwife or two at the Temple who begs to differ."
"And so you believe that your conspiracy is more valid than the fellow in Damascus with the out of tune lute because you can support it with the gossip of midwives," The Administrator laughs again, "Let us just enjoy the day, my friend, you know, you ought to be paying for all of this. You are quite lucky that the Council covered it."
"Yes," Issac returns a sly smirk, "A great many fortuitous coincidences."
"The feast will be grand, just find a good seat near the front. You're gaining a son."
You're gaining a son is something that Issac has heard many times these last weeks, this was supposed to be an endorsement of Tur's character, that he would revere Issac as a true patriarch.
The men found their seats and waited as the others arrived, all the pomp and ritual, people sharing pleasant conversations and congratulating the bride's father, the Administrator stepped back and smiled, watching the Tyrians and Ugaritans mix and mingle.
One of the priestesses of Danu approached the Administrator, as he sulked away from the crowd around Issac, "Administrator," she said, "May I ask what made this particular marriage so important?"
"Shouldn't you be off advising the bride for her marital night?"
"There are others to do that, I am simply curious."
The Administrator shook his head, "A marriage is a public spectacle, and public spectacles send a message."
The seats are taken at last, and the bride approached the altar of Danu from the right, the groom from the left. The play of the strings slowed and quieted as the ceremony began. The priestess sat next to the Administrator and asked, "What sort of message were you hoping to send?"
The Administrator held a finger across his lips and gestured towards the altar, where the priestess now began to speak.
"We are here today to join together these souls."
-
OOC: It should go without saying, but thanks a lot for that overview J.K.
The Wedding of Tur of Ugarit to Mary of Tyre had been all the talk of Tyre for months now, and it was said that the Administrator and the Full Council would be in attendance.
Marriages are not an uncommon event, but few garnish such attention. Some claimed to see the administrator's hand through and through, an officer of his army and the daughter of a wealthy, high ranking member of the Tyre Council. A Marriage to bind Ugarit to Tyre, with musicians of Damascus gathered to set the scene.
And so the Administrator woke with the dawn and made his daily offering at an altar of Ybel, whispering his prayer, "Stay the hand of the Kings in your name, and grant me the strength to protect these lands."
But his usual offering was made at the small barracks altar by Galilee, today the Administrator found himself in Tyre, perhaps the wealthiest city in the league. Purple sashes adorn the priestesses of Ybel, which look ornamental, until one learns the initiation rites of Ybel order and the number of unjust men his priestesses must kill with that cloth before they are allowed to "retire" to the temple in Tyre.
It was a Damascan rite, not one commonly practiced throughout the Kitabalist or Takarzi world, but in Damascus this rite once had a variety of extremely practical applications.
And so, rather than serving as ornaments the large number of priestesses who attend to the Temple of Ybel in Tyre are simply waiting for an excuse to serve, and guards are not needed.
Outside of Ybel's altar the other God's monuments populate this whole section of Tyre, Morae had the most popular and busiest claim, but today most of the festivities were planned at the Temple of Danu. Banners had been hung, flames were lit, the supplies were arranged for a feast. But the Administrator had other stops to make before he could go and observe the final preparations and wait for the guests of both cities to arrive.
Today he made a stop at the Temple of Kitab, to make an offering and a prayer there as well. Although the largest temple in Tyre Kitab's sanctuary was also the least popular. The Priesthood of Kitab, for various reasons, was exempted from the simple rule that governed all other priesthoods. In the League a Temple is required to spend all the money it takes in towards "The Glory of the Patron" and the priests are not allowed to take a salary or use Temple funds to buy food or shelter.
And so they are required also to serve their patron. The Temple of Morae was filled with smiths and merchants ordained as "Servants" with only the highest ranking and most experienced claiming priesthood. The Temple of Danu was populated by midwives and professional matchmakers who sold their services to wealthy, but poorly connected families. Sykole's priests could only profit selling burial plots and the priests of Tarias found routes through the desert and offered their services as guides.
And so the priesthoods of the League were, for the most part, public and accessible, allowing the people to seek the fortune of their God or Goddess by expanding and serving their domain. But Kitab's priests in the League left the Shipbuilding to Mundo's servants and served exclusively as priests who would pray for supernatural assistance.
"Bless this marriage," was heard in the halls of Kitab countless times that day, but the Administrator offered up his own, with a sacrifice of two small doves and a wordless glance at the priest.
Outside of the Temple a man laughs at the Administrator in his full uniform, "Even you're sweating this one out, eh?"
Glancing around to find the offender so that he can dress them down for their impropriety he finds instead, "Issac, Father of Mary, Of course I am. This will be a big step forward for the League."
"I imagine you see it that way," said Issac as the two men began to walk towards Danu, "Seeing as how you've been going through so much trouble to set it up."
The Administrator laughs, "You know, I much prefer the training fields out in Galilee. Whenever I come to a city I hear nothing but these rumors. I come to Tyre and hear that I've arranged a marriage, I go to Ugarit and they tell me I've increased the price of grain, and when I go to Damascus men come up to me on the street and say 'Administrator! The strings of my lute have gone out of tune! Why have you done this to me?!' But I spend my days out in the field, I do not have the time to orchestrate everything that happens in the League."
"There's a midwife or two at the Temple who begs to differ."
"And so you believe that your conspiracy is more valid than the fellow in Damascus with the out of tune lute because you can support it with the gossip of midwives," The Administrator laughs again, "Let us just enjoy the day, my friend, you know, you ought to be paying for all of this. You are quite lucky that the Council covered it."
"Yes," Issac returns a sly smirk, "A great many fortuitous coincidences."
"The feast will be grand, just find a good seat near the front. You're gaining a son."
You're gaining a son is something that Issac has heard many times these last weeks, this was supposed to be an endorsement of Tur's character, that he would revere Issac as a true patriarch.
The men found their seats and waited as the others arrived, all the pomp and ritual, people sharing pleasant conversations and congratulating the bride's father, the Administrator stepped back and smiled, watching the Tyrians and Ugaritans mix and mingle.
One of the priestesses of Danu approached the Administrator, as he sulked away from the crowd around Issac, "Administrator," she said, "May I ask what made this particular marriage so important?"
"Shouldn't you be off advising the bride for her marital night?"
"There are others to do that, I am simply curious."
The Administrator shook his head, "A marriage is a public spectacle, and public spectacles send a message."
The seats are taken at last, and the bride approached the altar of Danu from the right, the groom from the left. The play of the strings slowed and quieted as the ceremony began. The priestess sat next to the Administrator and asked, "What sort of message were you hoping to send?"
The Administrator held a finger across his lips and gestured towards the altar, where the priestess now began to speak.
"We are here today to join together these souls."
-
OOC: It should go without saying, but thanks a lot for that overview J.K.
Gem Hound
Deity
Just wrote a ton on Keltia nations on the wiki.
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