Kiaril: Kiari Marriage

Summary

Kiarill, drawing its name from the Kiari people, is a Kiari tradition that is conceptually similar to the Human concept of Marriage, in which two individuals pledge themselves to one another for the remainder of their life. As Humans legitimize their marriages in the eyes of their god or gods, Kiari tradition dictates that Kiaril must be performed under the watch of the goddess Sericil. The tradition can further be compared to marriage by it’s other shared elements such as a strict adherence to monogamy and an implication (without a requirement) that the parents intend to sire and raise children with one another.
As with all similar traditions Kiaril is cemented with a ceremony in which the two individuals are bonded. This process takes the form of a ritual that is superficially similar to marriage called a Tining. The process of Tining, and by extension Kiaril is an expected part of Kiari life and to not undergo the process is taboo, even more so than with other comparable traditions. This is primarily due to the family centric structure of Kiari society, a natural extension of their goddesses domain focusing on care. To be bonded through Kiaril is considered the Kiari’s natural state and the final sign of adulthood.

Tinig

A Tining is the process a pair of individuals must undergo to become bonded through Kiaril. This ritual has numerous cultural norms that vary greatly between Kiari cultures but only a handful are considered crucial to legitimising Kiaril, allowing these elements to be implemented into almost any other culture marriage as a means of legitimising any individuals bond in the eyes of Sericil, regardless of whether one, both or neither of the bonded individuals are Kiari.
The traditions that are crucial to a Tining being recognised are referred to as the assertions of Sericil. There are four of these Assertions, and if all of them are met any wedding tradition can be made to serve as a Tining. These assertions are the exchange of Care, The submission to Sericil’s watch, The oath to Sericil and The Vow of Exclusivity.
Often considered the most difficult assertion to meet, the Exchange of care requires each individual to exchange living necklaces grown from a flowering plant known as Tinelock. This tradition is considered the most difficult to meet as it is asserted that each individual is responsible for the growth of the necklace, its shaping and keeping the plant in a healthy condition until it is exchanged. There are few specifications as to what form the necklace must take, although it is traditional to shape them after some form of symbol dedicated to Sericil, often some form of botanic design. The only mandatory conditions are that the chain or string that suspends the necklace is itself a part of the plant, and that if other materials are implemented they do not harm the plant and are not required to hold the object together. The last condition is often attributed to the belief that your treatment of the necklace reflects your intent of Kiaril, and that a stable relationship can not be built on harm or rely only on an outside force to remain intact.
The second Assertion of Sericil, the Submission to watch, only states that a priest acknowledged by Sericil (or one of her children) take part in the rites. Easier still are the Oath to Sericil, in which both parties simply submit to Sericils watch and ask that she bless and watch over the bond, and the vow of exclusivity, in which they vow to stay faithful to one another. To better allow for cohesion with other wedding traditions there is no enforced form that these vows must take.