Aegir Marriage Rite
The Aegir hold familiar rites as their most sacred rituals, the Rite of Marriage is only second to those that involve their children and it is one of Runa’s most sacred rituals. As with all Aegir rituals their rite of marriage is performed by the archipelago’s only representatives of the northern deities, the Witches of Runa or as they are called in their native language: Völva. The Aegir are also the only human dominant culture in the known world that holds no qualms over homosexual and polyamorous relationships as well as relationships with the other mortal races of Mrada such as the Ilaeth (Elf) and Olgrath (Orc).
Before the Rite of Marriage can be performed, a couple must first agree to marry. Traditionally the proposal is made on a calm and sunny day, during the months of Storm, Rise, Long Sun, Summer Tide and Fading, the months of spring and summer as the Aegir associate the traits of these seasons with marriage. As with many aspects of Aegir society, the broaching of the topic is typically performed by the more renowned individual in the group, though there is no custom against someone of less fame asking for another's hand in marriage. Once the day is selected the proposal is made when the sun reaches its zenith, commonly over a special lunch. If an agreement is reached the proposer gives the individual or persons of their affection a large bracelet signifying their engagement.
Now engaged, the individuals begin to plan their wedding, consulting any methods of divination they give credence to and holding with custom, they choose a day before the end of autumn. Most weddings occur before the beginning of autumn as the Aegir believe being wed in winter forecasts hardship for their new union. The average engagement period of the Aegir is 20-30 days and despite the Aegir’s openness to polyamorous relationships, the majority remain monogamous. Under Aegir law all members of a marriage are seen as equals, having the same; influence over finances, ownership over property, and responsibility for children.
The Rite of Marriage
Once the day of the ritual comes, almost nothing can stop it from proceeding, not howling tempests, blinding sleet, nor sharp fang and feathered talon. Only the Witch of Runa can decide to end the ritual before its completion and for her to do so requires truly great circumstances. Prior to the rite, the Wedding Bracelets are given to the Witch for safekeeping and the setting of their gemstones. The Rite of Marriage is also a solitary affair, only the Witch and those who are to be joined in marriage are allowed and required to attend.
At dusk the soon to be newly weds gather around a Runestone of Thorkell of the Witch’s choosing. The Witch arrives shortly before dusk to prepare for the ritual ensuring that the Runestone is in good order, no spirits linger about the area, and to lay out her supplies. Candles, one for each participant of the rite set equidistant around the runestone at a distance of 1.5 meters (4 feet, 11 inches), and if needed lanterns to ensure they stay lit throughout the ritual. The Witch’s ceremonial knife, sharp and polished and if she lacks magical healing ability, appropriate medical potions and bandages.
The Rite of Marriage typically takes 10 minutes to complete, longer if more than two individuals are being married. To begin the Ritual each individual approaches the Runestone and stands before it and the candle placed for them by the Witch. Then the Witch recites prayers to both Runa and Thorkell, the nearly newlyweds are encouraged to recite the prayers as well. Once the prayers have been spoken, the Witch approaches the Runestone and lays out a small cloth atop it and places her knife on the cloth. The Witch then invokes each of the northern deities, Dalla, Runa, Skjold, and Thorkell to bear witness to the marriage’s addition to the world record.
Once the deities are invoked, the Witch calls one of the rite’s participants to the stone. As they stand before the Runestone of Thorkell she recites four questions, prompting them to answer each in their own way, but all in a clear and confident voice. “Under the watch of our Lady of Winter and Death you stand before this Runestone, with the knowledge of how your joy and love must end?” “Under the watch of our Lord of Hunt and Oaths, you stand before this Runestone, with the knowledge of the punishment for those who break their oath?” “Under the watch of our Lady of Fertility and Love, you stand before this Runestone, with the knowledge that your action brings her joy and to you her blessing?” “Under the watch of our Lord Father, you stand before his Runstone, with the knowledge that your union will be recorded for all time?” Once the last question is answered she calls the next participant and recites the questions again, until the last individual has been asked the last question.
When the last question is answered the Witch returns to the first individual, and takes the knife and cloth from the Runestone. She repeats the next part of the ritual for each individual. Taking the person's non-dominant arm she cuts it with her ceremonial knife, deeply enough for it to bleed significantly but not dangerously so. The person then covers the palm of their dominant hand in their blood and places it firmly on the Runestone of Thorkell.
When each of the imminent newlyweds is touching the Runestone, the Witch asks them a final question. The following quote is the generalized question asked by the Völva, as all the present individual’s names are contained within the question. “Do you Agnar Alvsson swear before the divines to love and cherish Elsa Elindóttir, from now until your end. For your oath to be bound in the World Record of the All Father.” Each individual answers the same way, again the following quote is generalized. “I, Agnar Alvsson, give my oath to Elsa Elindóttir to love and cherish her until my last breath.”
Once each individual has answered the final question they all remove their hand from the Runestone, leaving their bloody palm print and are now married. The removal of their hands also marks the end of the ritual. Next the Witch tends to the wound she inflicted as part of the ritual, with the prepared medical supplies or with her own magical ability or both if necessary. Her final act before withdrawing from the ritual site is returning the group’s, now finished, Wedding Bracelets so that they can adorn each other with them. Now alone the newlyweds are left at the ritual site to spend a moment with each other and decide how to proceed, weather permitting, most choose to have a longer more intimate moment together before joining the feast already under way. Superstition leads some to believe the lingering magic at the ritual site can increase their chance of conception.
After the ritual
When the soon to be newlyweds leave for the ritual, their friends and family gather for a feast to celebrate their happiness and love. The feast is held by the local Jarl in their longhouse and in smaller settlements the whole population is typically invited to celebrate. The wedding feast is a cause for the Aegir to bring forth all of the foods they consider delicacies; sweet meads pouring freely from large kegs, various vegetables and cacassess seasoned and roasted on fires, and soft cakes lying in pools of honey and frosty icing. The feast stretches from the time the lovers leave for the Rite of Marriage to the late hours of the night when most have found blissful sleep.
Some time after the ritual’s conclusion and often well after the Witch’s appearance the newlyweds join the feast, to the chorus of joyful cheers. Upon their arrival, the Jarl proposes a toast in the newlyweds' honour, traditionally calling for their health, prosperity and joy. The newlyweds are given seats at the raised table of the longhouse, a position normally reserved for the Jarl and his family. Over the course of the feast the newlyweds receive gifts, these gifts are typically a reflection of the new families status in the community, most receive small mementos and trinkets. Only weddings involving a Jarl or truely great warrior are marked with gifts of grandeur, beauty and expense.
The Aegir Wedding Bracelet
The Aegir Wedding Bracelet is an item as unique as each group who dons them. While it is called a bracelet, the actual item is more akin to the piece of armor called a bracer and when given to a warrior it typically is a suitable piece of armour. Most commonly the bracelet is forged from a precious metal such as silver, gold or platinum, while older customs carve the item from a single piece of bone, such as whale and usable armour is forged from a properly sturdy element. The bindings are typically stitched from leather or with fancier bracelets, fine cloth such as silk. Etched into the surface of the band is a design of varying intricacy, some preferring a simple pattern while others desire a more gaudy motif.
The etching is a representation of the individuals engaged to marry, using something significant to them or about them to create a coherent engraving, symbolizing their love and commitment to each other. The armband has a number of settings that are left void until just before the wedding equal to the amount of individuals wishing to join their names together in the World Record of The All Father. Each gemstone represents one of the individuals joining in marriage and the type of gemstone is selected by their subject, most choose their favorite colour or the colour of their love’s eyes. A few days before the wedding ritual the bracelets are given to the witch of Runa who will preside over the ceremony. While in her care the witch places the gemstones in their settings, then places protective wards and the blessings of Runa on the completed Wedding Bracelets.
-Writers: Kaeso Caprenius Tranquillus, Scholar of the Imperial Researcher's Guild, Alfeid Runadóttir, Witch of Runa.
-Written: Twelfth Age: Ruin 1104th year of the Modern Era, 7th day of Flower.
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