Marriage Ceremonies
From FiranMUX
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Polytheistic Marriage
Within the polytheistic clans, Marriages are performed by a type of trial. The couple is tied to one another at the wrist and ankle and then placed at the entrance to the temple's garden maze. Together they must find their way out of the maze. While they are navigating the maze, their guests leave blessings, gifts and tokens at the maze's exit. When the couple exits the maze they do not know who left each individual present. After exiting, the priest(ess) performing the ceremony weaves the leather straps from the couple and together with fur, feathers or gold to make a pair of matching necklaces. The priest(ess) then says a blessing over the necklaces, typically wishing them health, fertility and happiness. At the end of the wedding ceremony the priest(ess) ties the necklaces around the necks of the couple and pronounces them to be married.
In more recent times, particularly for noble or royal weddings, marriages have become more stately affairs. Typically the couple will come before the priest performing the ceremony, and a few words upon the nature of marriage itself might be said. The couple might have some oaths or promises to make to eachother, Queen Sabine had to promise to keep knives out of her bedchamber with Elianos, before entering the maze. Like the ceremony itself, wedding necklaces have become more ornate than in earlier times for the Firan people and are frequently bejewelled and prepared weeks or months in advance. In such cases the priest will often wind a small piece of the leather from the ties that bound the couple together around the necklace, with many jewellers who prepare such leaving hidden catches or eyelets for this so as not to distract from the effect of the piece itself.
Monotheistic Marriage Ceremony
Much as worship within the true temple is often said to be far more ritualised and formulaic than that found in the polytheistic faith, marriage at the true true temple is likewise more involved.
A wedding within the true temple is a ceremony of seven parts, beginning after those who wish to witness the wedding have gathered:
- Welcoming the worshippers and blessing of Zutiv upon all his worshippers
- Prayer for those to be wed
- Vows are exchanged
- The couple's hands are bound together.
- The Maze is traveled, in the same way it is with a polytheistic marriage. During this time the priest performing the ceremony often lights a candle to symbolize the new unition being formed. He then asks for those gathered to step forward and share their thoughts and wishes for the couple. As their words are shared and offered, a candle is lit. Often this is the time worshippers celebrate the union with food and drink, though it is frowned upon to do so to excess during the ceremony itself.
- The unity of the couple, the priest blesses the necklaces and ties them on the couple.
- Thanks are given to Zutiv
Ticanee Wedding Ceremonies
Althought Ticanee wedding ceremonies are similar in form to those throughout the rest of the Firan lands, there are several important differences.
Firstly, Ticanee marriages do not require a formal wedding ceremony. The Ticanee recognise marriage by assertion and if two people consider themselves married then as far as the clan is concerned, they are. See Help ritual/assertion. However, this tradition is often unpopular, particularly with well-known Ticanee clan members because it deprives their fellow Ticanee of the excusee to throw a party.
The second difference is the near-infamous wedding tent. Once the formal, religious part of the wedding ceremony is over, the bride and groom are summarily dragged to a tent and pushed inside where they are expected to consumate their marriage. The rest of the wedding guests will be gathered around the tent eating, drinking and shouting obscenities or encouragement to the couple until they have finally finished and emerge to rejoin their guests and the celebrations.
So ingrained in Ticanee society is the wedding tent that a tent is frequently found among the gifts at non-Ticanee weddings.
Thirdly, traditional Ticanee couples often wear only blue body paint (or very minimal attire and blue body paint) to their own weddings.
Ulushanai Wedding Tradition
In the early 30s AU some Firan couples began to observe an old bonduin wedding tradition, integrating it into their own marriage ceremonies. As the story goes, in order for newly married couples to keep Ulashanai (the Bonduin name for Drik) from stealing and destroying the happiness of the new marriage, the bride and groom must offer fice items from their past to the flames as sacrifice to the dark god at their wedding as an appeasement.
With Drik's words being found among those of the other gods in the God Laws, many young Firan couples are taking it upon themselves to be better safe than sorry.
See also Marriage
