Religion

[Janet]

The Eluine Cycle

Elua was conceived by the blood of Yeshua ben Yosef, the son of the One God, when a spear from a soldier of Tiberium pierced his side, and the tears of the Magdalene, combined in the womb of Mother Earth herself.

While the One God mourned the loss of his son, Elua travelled the land but was rejected by most because he was not the One God's legitimate son and he was also seen as the enemy's offspring.

In Persis he was arrested on unknown charges, but the tales of his travels had reached Heaven and eight of God's own angels (Azza, Anael, Camael, Cassiel, Eisheth, Kushiel, Naamah and Shemhazai) came to free him. Naamah was the first, going to the King of Persis and offering one night of pleasure with her in return for Elua's freedom. The King accepted and each of the Thirteen Houses of the Court of Night Blooming Flowers have a version of this story. However, the King of Persis was afraid of the One God's wrath and broke his promise to Naamah. Fearing the Angels, instead of killing Elua, he gave them strong wine to drink and put Elua on a boat in the middle of the sea with no sails. Elua sang and dolphins brought him to shore.

Elua went to Bhodistan, and though the people of Bhodistan did not wish to turn away from their multitude of Gods, they saw the light in Elua and wished him no harm.

When Elua was hungry and Mother Earth's creatures could not sustain him, Naamah would lay with strangers in the market. As such, Namaah's Servants are near-holy figures and perform an almost sacred act.

While wandering in Skaldia, Elua made friends of ravens and wolves.

They came to Terre d'Ange, a then nameless country, as the armies of Tiberium were retreating from it during the collapse of their empire. They saw that the land was fertile and beautiful and the people here welcomed them with open arms. Here Elua and His Companions each founded their own territories except for Cassiel, remaining loyal to the One God, and Elua whose territory was all of Terre D'Ange.

For many years they dwelled there and abided by blessed Elua's precept, "Love as thou wilt." And Elua and his Companions lay with women and with men, and many children were begotten, save only unto Cassiel,who kept the One God's commandments. But the other Companions did not, and those secrets which they had brought from Heaven, they did teach to their children, and they grew wise in many arts.

After three-score years the One God turned from his grieving over the death of his son Yeshua and saw what Elua and his Companions had created. He saw that their offspring would overrun the earth, and so sent the leader of his host to summon them before him. But blessed Elua smiled upon the leader of the One God's host and gave him the kiss of peace, laying wreaths of flowers about his neck, and the One God's commander returned ashamed and empty-handed. The One God then sent his arch-herald with an offer of forgiveness and a place next to him in heaven. Elua turned to Cassiel and borrowed his dagger. He scored the palm of his own hand and where his blood fell on the earth anemones bloomed. Elua refused saying, "My grandfather's Heaven is bloodless and I am not. Let him offer a better place, where we may love and sing and grow as we are wont, where our children and our children's children may join us, and I will go." He was told there is no such place. Then Mother Earth spoke to her once-husband and said that they may create such a place together. Thus was the creation of the true Terre d'Ange That Lies Beyond, and blessed Elua and his Companions went willingly into it,passing not through the dark gate of death, but straightway through the bright gate. And alone among them, only Cassiel gazed backward in sorrow.

Worship

Elua's only commandment to his followers was to love as thou wilt. The nation of Terre d'Ange takes it as their guiding philosophy, and as such embrace all forms of love. This makes them a sexually liberated culture, accepting of homosexuality, bisexuality, and BDSM. Rape is not only a crime, because of this precept, it is the highest and most severe heresy. This includes forced intimacy as well as sexual acts with minors (generally considered under age 16) or animals as neither can make fully thought-out decisions or thereby give true consent.

Temples of Elua have no roof, only four pillars to mark the corners. The center is unpaved. Everything, from oak trees to flowers and weeds, may grow there. There is usually a statue of Elua present, standing with unbound hair and an eternal smile, one hand extended in offering, the other scored with the mark of his mortality. Visitors have to walk barefoot in the temple. Elua's priests wear blue robes, no mask, and always walk barefooted as Elua did on Earth. Anemones or lillies, traditionally associated with Blessed Elua, can be offered to him. The Temple in the City of Elua has one of the oldest works of D'Angeline art.

There is also the annual celebration of the Longest Night. This is a celebration dating back before the arrival of Elua. It is said that Elua loved the practice so much that it was adopted by Him. Followers of Cassiel celebrate this night differently with Elua's Vigil.

Marriage

Marriage is common practice in Terre d'Ange though it is often done for alliances. Forced unions are still heresy but, in matters of state or among high-ranking persons, love is not always the primary factor in a union. For this reason it is also not uncommon for partners not to marry. An alliance without marriage is not shameful, though more rare. Given that marriage is primarily for the begetting of children and passing on of inheritance, children of unmarried unions are rare—though they are treated no differently than children from marriages.

Marriages are only to one person at a time though the concept of infidelity is nearly nonexistent. It is almost the rule to have liaisons with others while in a marriage regardless of gender. These are done openly and without shame for Elua and His Companions loved many. Marriages appear to be lifelong, without divorce, though couples can obviously be estranged and any union that becomes displeasing would not be forced to remain together.

Marriages can be performed in a Temple of Elua or anywhere where the sky meets the earth (i.e. outside). A priest/priestess of Elua presides while a priestess of Naamah assists. Marriages are simple affairs though the celebrations afterward can be either simple or extravagant.

The ceremony begins with the priest/priestess of Elua touching the earth and then embracing the sky. He takes holy oil and touches the foreheads of the couple being married. The oil anointment is repeated by the priestess of Naamah. Vows are then exchanged, with the same vow for the woman and the man. The priest/priestess of Elua then holds out his hands, as though embracing everyone, and asks the couple to seal their union with a kiss. The priest/priestess of Elua then says, "Let it be done", and the ceremony is concluded. Couples sometimes wish a reading of poetry or scripture to be done within the ceremony though it is not required.

Elua's Companions

Anael - Anael gave mankind the gift of husbandry and taught the growing of crops and care of the land. Scions of Anael (house Somerville) have the telltale scent of apples, which rises from their skin when feeling strong emotions. His province is L'Agnace, the heartland of Terre d'Ange. His priests and priestesses wear brown robes with a robe belt.

Azza - Azza gifted mankind with knowledge of navigation. The Yeshuites say that his sin was pride. He founded the realm of Azzalle, where house Trevalion holds sway. Priests and priestesses of Azza wear bronze masks of Azza and saffron tunics with crimson chlamys fastened with bronze brooches.

The temple in the city of Elua has a giant copper dome that can be seen from many areas in the city. In the temple the statue of Azza holds one hand open, palm upward, and the other hand holds a sextant. The burning of incense is common in his worship.

Camael - Camael is a martial angel, and founded the first armies of D'Angeline troops. His territory is Camlach, where house d'Aiglemort rules. His priests wear a dark green surplice and a sword.

Cassiel - Cassiel, alone among the eight, took no province of Terre d'Ange as his own, choosing instead to remain at Elua's side as he traversed the world, a choice for which he believed himself eternally damned. Cassiel has no temples, but the Cassiline Brotherhood was founded for him. The Cassiline Brotherhood has their own version of the Longest Night called Elua's Vigil.

Eisheth - Eisheth was noted for her gentleness and for giving humanity the healing arts, which is why so many of the best healers come from her province. She is also credited with gifting the D'Angelines with music and story, which is why Eisande gave rise to the Mendacants, or traveling bards. Her province is Eisande, ruled by the Lady of Marsilikos. Her priests and priestess wear sea-blue robes. In order to conceive, a woman of Terre d'Ange must pray and light a candle to Eisheth to open the gates of her womb.Once such a prayer is made, it can never be taken back.

Kushiel - Kushiel was the punisher for the One God who delivered torments onto mortal sinners in order that they might repent. Alone among the punishing angels, he understood that chastisement was an act of love; and the sinners in his charge also came to understand and loved him for it. "He gave them pain like balm, and they begged him for it, finding not redemption, but a love that transcended the divine." This displeased the One God, who desired worship above all things. In Kusheth it is said that when Kushiel's sinners were offered the chance for repentance they refused out of love of their lord. Kushiel saw in Elua a soul that understood what he did, and thus left the service of the One God to follow Elua in his wanderings. The province of Kusheth was named after Kushiel. It is the home of the Shahrizai, one of the Great Houses, who are from his line. The priests of Kushiel wear black robes and full bronze masks, so that their identities are kept completely secret, including their gender. Atonement for sins in Kushiel's temple involves a thorough flogging, to purge the guilt from one's soul. Kushiel's Dart is the name given to a red mote appearing in the eye of one of his chosen mortals, marking the bearer as an anguissette. A great heroine of the past, Phèdre nó Delaunay, bears this mark.

Naamah - She is one of two female angels, and the eldest sister. Her domain is that of sexuality. Naamah's province in Terre d'Ange is Namarre, ruled by House L'Envers. Priests and Priestesses of Naamah wear scarlet robes. To enter her order, after training that is very similar to those of the Court of Night Blooming Flowers, an acolyte must complete a year of Service. During this time they wander Terre d'Ange and are forbidden to refuse anyone who seeks them out of true longing.This is to help them to better understand the sacrifice of the goddess sleeping with mortals. In return Naamah blesses them with desire for each patron.

Shemhazai - Shemhazai is noted for treasuring knowledge, and is credited with teaching the D'Angelines their written language. His territory is Siovale, ruled by House Montreve, and his priests and priestesses wear grey robes. One of his temples in southern Siovale has a mechanical statue of Shemhazai, which moves to turn a placard toward his worshippers. The placard says, "All knowledge is worth having."