Grantiri Marriage Customs

OOC: This text is not common knowledge. Please reach out to the Event DM group if you are conducting related research IC.

From the personal library of Alaria C. Fryar:

This record has been found in the estate of Lorewarden Shisvii 'Tlorii of Grantir, about 50 years after her death. It does not name or otherwise identify the persons involved, nor is an author listed. Some librarians assume that it is a first-hand account, but not all details listed match up with what is known of Lorewarden Shisvii 's life.

This is a first-hand account of how one couple arranged, prepared and executed their wedding ceremony. I have chosen to not record her names, as the account, derived during an interview, is of a highly personal nature.

Him: Our agreement to enter a life-long bond was not reached lightly. I valued her comfort and presence in my life for quite a while already, and realized that I would not want to miss either.

Her: While I felt the same, I could, of course, not reveal that fact to him. It is important that both sides not only come to the same conclusion, but are also able to divine the mindset of the desired partner.

Him: This is the First Aestar 'Olin, the first secret of marriage. It is the smallest secret, as it is hard to conceal from those you interact with regularly.

Her, chuckling: My brothers knew what was up when <name omitted> turned up at our house with the flimsiest excuses.

Him: Once I was sure that we were sharing the Aestar 'Olin, I approached the Suoril of our neighborhood to arrange a blessing. The Suoril then made all the preparations, arranging a sacrifice for us, cleaning the temple as well as letting her know the intended date for the blessing.

Her: Has anyone ever asked for a blessing and misjudged the Aestar 'Olin? Not that I know. It would be very very embarrassing to get wrong, and costly too.

Him: Suorils do not take kindly to finding out they arranged a blessing that is not wanted.

Her: This blessing is not the actual marriage ceremony yet. It is, at its heart, a simple affair. Its purpose is to reveal the first Aestar 'Olin formally to the community. It ends with the encouragement of the Suoril that the couple now embarks on its quest to find the second Aestar 'Olin.

Him: This second secret of marriage is the reason that will keep the bond from dissolving or breaking. No Suoril will perform the rites unless the couple can hand them the chest that stores the second Aestar 'Olin.

Her: It took us over a year to learn what the second Secret would be for us. In the end, we chose to stick to tradition and created a secret that would doom us both if revealed to the world.

Him: Fabricating the evidence - and I assure you, it really is all just fabrication - took another three months. But it is now complete: A short sword, stained with the blood of a murdered Suoril, my handprint embedded into the stains.

Her: And a mind crystal containing the memory of the victim of how I was killing her. I am very proud of this crystal, and deem it impossible to expose it as a fake.

Him: If anyone would bring either of these pieces of evidence to Stephanus to judge us on, our lives would be forfeit. Each of us now holds the life and soul of the other in their power.

Her: I do know that a lot of other Drangonari think this too old-fashioned and drastic. Not a few of them instead opt to have a less drastic second Aestar 'Olin, some even only a declaration of their devotion to the other. But it also depends on the Suoril who will perform the rites - they do need to accept the offered Aestar 'Olin as sufficient.

Him: Anyway, the Suoril was very impressed and agreed to perform the rites of marriage for us.

Her: It is this ritual that, with Angadar's blessings, makes us a married couple. In it we vow to search for the third Aestar 'Olin, to find the third Secret of how we want to separate.

Him: Each day, we stay on this quest, to learn more about the other, to find out whether they have destroyed the Second Secret, or if it will be revealed at their death. For some couples not even death will separate them, as the deceased one pulls the other with them.

Her: For us, we are still searching, still learning. This is the most exciting part for me, to never become complacent in my devotion to this union, or to him.

Him: This search for the Third Secret of Marriage has become a lifelong devotion. I will never tire of it.