Sibling Apotheosis

A Sibling Apotheosis myth is a myth in which a man murders his brother, resulting with the both of them rising to godhood as gods of murder and vengence, respectively. Most theolgians and clergymen identify the murdering brother as Cain and the avenging one as Abel, both of whom being described as "The Sons of Man"; this description is almost always with the definite article (in cultures and languages where it is applicable), contributing to the already prevalent theory that both gods arrived with humanity and were not native to Theras.

The Sibling-Apotheosis motif occurs in many cultures as seen in: War of the Brothers saga in Menedynn culture, Kahin and Aabil (Cain and Abel) in Arqmati religions, Cahmusvu and Nahesvun in Bayjan, Romuus and Renolous in Kadian folklore, Subaatar and Barulatai in Yojeku myths, and the Sea-Lost Brothers in Grausur.

Summary

While the details vary from version to version, there are a few constants:

In ancient times, there lived two brothers. The younger of the two, Abel, admired his elder. When Cain began building a magnificent palace, Abel tried to help him, building a great tower for the castle walls.
Cain, who feared his brother would attempt to take his place as the family's eldest, climbed up the great tower. As he climbed up the stairs, clouds of rage began blinding his sight. When he emerged at the tower's pinnacle, screaming with deafening fury, he wouldn't, and couldn't, hear his brother greeting him. With one sudden push, Abel plummeted to the ground; thus, Cain, the first murderer, came to be.

An ancient mural uncovered in Menedynn ruins, presumably depicting Abel falling from the tower.

In his last moments, Abel, embittered by this unexpected and unwarrented act, uttered a curse:
"You shall know no rest. You shall forever travel the plains, and the mountains, and the valleys, and you carry my burden with you. Cain, brother, murderer, I put a curse on you, and neither gods nor infinite existences could ever remove it."

Related People

• Abel
• Cain