Aras

[loocas]

I'm looking for a little clarification about this word. It's easy enough to know the meaning from its usage, but what's our definition here? Is it the god's ara over their subjects or the subjects' ara? Does the ara extend to all of a god's precept or just the archangel? Is the ara power, authority, protection, and/or a mark of territory?

What's the etymology? Merriam-Webster Unabridged and the OED just point me to a parrot, and Sirona's ara is the only one that applies to a parrot. Maybe Danalin's. The googles tell me that A) it's Latin for altar of the sacrificial sort, and B) its usage in the Bible means "seeing; cursing" (1 Chronicles 7:38 apparently). Number B makes sense. I guess Kael will have to tell me where it's from, or maybe somebody knows it.

Lucas

 

[Kael]

As you said it means altar in latin. It refers to the fact that people can seek sanctuary at an altar. That they can receive blessing there and protection from immaterial and material forces (such as sanctuary from the state). Because of that in latin ara also means refuge, protection and shelter.

Thats the intent in FfH. Much as a criminal seeking the protection of the church an Ara is the divine protection of those it is under. There is such a power difference between the gods and everything else (the greatest of archangels have had only the most minor successes against the gods) that it takes Ara's to keep the lesser beings safe.