Michael Morris
First Post
"We all live - never truly alone, and never truly together save with one - or without one." - Alisan, Priestess of Cuane.
Marriage is the most important pact a Telzoan will ever make. It forms a bond of trust and love that is never truly severed without great consequence. A spouse is seen as such a part of one that cutting them off is as serious as needing to amputate a hand or foot. Divorce can occur and be justified, but divorcee's are ostracized in Telzoan society all the same.
The marriage ceremony itself is all that is covered here. Proposals of marriage and betrothals (in the case of arranged marriages) vary to wildly for an introduction to handle, but the marriage vows are one of the most consistent parts of the Telzoan religion. Priests of Cuane and Poen are preferred when handling a ceremony, but any married couple will do. That is the one caveat of the Telzoan wedding ceremony - it is not a priest, but another wed couple that marries one. Further it cannot be your parents. Since priests of Cuane and Poen invariably intermarry they are often chosen - further they have access to spells to further sanctify the marriage.
The ceremony begins at dusk of the preceding day. From sunset to the ceremony itself it is considered bad luck for anyone of the opposite sex to see either member of the ceremony, and this is often enforced with the occasional exception given to overly doting parents. At morning the two are led to opposite sides of the ceremonial grounds in the nude, and then one at a time they walk to the center of the grounds alone. In the center of the grounds, also nude, are the priests or presiding couple. To the right of the priests are the bride's parents, and to their left the grooms - the three couples form a triangle. Parents may or may not be clothed for the occasion as determined by age and area. The bride and groom enter the triangle from the side of their parents. The words of the ceremony are as follows:
Marriage is the most important pact a Telzoan will ever make. It forms a bond of trust and love that is never truly severed without great consequence. A spouse is seen as such a part of one that cutting them off is as serious as needing to amputate a hand or foot. Divorce can occur and be justified, but divorcee's are ostracized in Telzoan society all the same.
The marriage ceremony itself is all that is covered here. Proposals of marriage and betrothals (in the case of arranged marriages) vary to wildly for an introduction to handle, but the marriage vows are one of the most consistent parts of the Telzoan religion. Priests of Cuane and Poen are preferred when handling a ceremony, but any married couple will do. That is the one caveat of the Telzoan wedding ceremony - it is not a priest, but another wed couple that marries one. Further it cannot be your parents. Since priests of Cuane and Poen invariably intermarry they are often chosen - further they have access to spells to further sanctify the marriage.
The ceremony begins at dusk of the preceding day. From sunset to the ceremony itself it is considered bad luck for anyone of the opposite sex to see either member of the ceremony, and this is often enforced with the occasional exception given to overly doting parents. At morning the two are led to opposite sides of the ceremonial grounds in the nude, and then one at a time they walk to the center of the grounds alone. In the center of the grounds, also nude, are the priests or presiding couple. To the right of the priests are the bride's parents, and to their left the grooms - the three couples form a triangle. Parents may or may not be clothed for the occasion as determined by age and area. The bride and groom enter the triangle from the side of their parents. The words of the ceremony are as follows:
PRIESTESS
"Her enchanting lady,"
PRIEST
"And her eternal consort."
PRIEST AND PRIESTESS
"Invest their power in us."
PRIESTESS
"Oralea [fate] has chosen that you to meet."
PRIEST
"And you have chosen to love."
PRIESTESS
"This love has grown."
PRIEST
"Hence you have brought it before us"
PRIESTESS
"For eternal blessed confirmation."
PRIEST AND PRIESTESS
"Shall we proceed?"
COUPLE
"Yes"
PRIEST
"Very well, Do you give your heart to this woman, that she shall never be alone; Do you give your faith, so that she shall never be in want of trust; Do you give your life, that she shall never fear harm; Do you give her your love, through which each of you shall be eternally strong."
GROOM
"I give my heart, none else can tame it; I give my faith, none else can claim it as she; I give my life, for none shall shame her while I live; and I give my love, with no restraint now or ever."
PRIESTESS
"And do you accept what he will give?"
BRIDE
"Yes, I, now and forever, claim his heart, faith, life and love!"
PRIESTESS
"Very well, Do you give your compassion, that he may never again know sorrow; Do you give your hearth, that his journeys may always find an end; Do you him give your mercy, so his wounds might find comfort; Do you give him your love, through which each of you shall be eternally strong."
BRIDE
"I give my compassion, his tears are mine alone to weep; I give my hearth, his home is mine alone to keep; I give my mercy, his joy is mine alone to need; and I give my love, with no restraint, now or ever."
PRIEST
"And do you accept what she will give?"
GROOM
"Yes, I, now and forever, claim her compassion, hearth, mercy and love!"
PRIESTESS
"Two came unto us,"
PRIEST
"Two as one depart,"
PRIESTESS
"Two shall love forever."
PRIEST
"Two shall ne'er depart."
(The priests give a rose to the couple, and they place it tightly between their palms and face one another.)
PRIESTESS
"Cuane of the Roses"
PRIEST
"And Poen of Song"
PRIEST AND PRIESTESS
"Bless you, Unite you, and Free you, Two made One."
"Her enchanting lady,"
PRIEST
"And her eternal consort."
PRIEST AND PRIESTESS
"Invest their power in us."
PRIESTESS
"Oralea [fate] has chosen that you to meet."
PRIEST
"And you have chosen to love."
PRIESTESS
"This love has grown."
PRIEST
"Hence you have brought it before us"
PRIESTESS
"For eternal blessed confirmation."
PRIEST AND PRIESTESS
"Shall we proceed?"
COUPLE
"Yes"
PRIEST
"Very well, Do you give your heart to this woman, that she shall never be alone; Do you give your faith, so that she shall never be in want of trust; Do you give your life, that she shall never fear harm; Do you give her your love, through which each of you shall be eternally strong."
GROOM
"I give my heart, none else can tame it; I give my faith, none else can claim it as she; I give my life, for none shall shame her while I live; and I give my love, with no restraint now or ever."
PRIESTESS
"And do you accept what he will give?"
BRIDE
"Yes, I, now and forever, claim his heart, faith, life and love!"
PRIESTESS
"Very well, Do you give your compassion, that he may never again know sorrow; Do you give your hearth, that his journeys may always find an end; Do you him give your mercy, so his wounds might find comfort; Do you give him your love, through which each of you shall be eternally strong."
BRIDE
"I give my compassion, his tears are mine alone to weep; I give my hearth, his home is mine alone to keep; I give my mercy, his joy is mine alone to need; and I give my love, with no restraint, now or ever."
PRIEST
"And do you accept what she will give?"
GROOM
"Yes, I, now and forever, claim her compassion, hearth, mercy and love!"
PRIESTESS
"Two came unto us,"
PRIEST
"Two as one depart,"
PRIESTESS
"Two shall love forever."
PRIEST
"Two shall ne'er depart."
(The priests give a rose to the couple, and they place it tightly between their palms and face one another.)
PRIESTESS
"Cuane of the Roses"
PRIEST
"And Poen of Song"
PRIEST AND PRIESTESS
"Bless you, Unite you, and Free you, Two made One."
