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Tel’Marin Cultural Reports

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1Tel’Marin Cultural Reports Empty Tel’Marin Cultural Reports Sat Oct 15, 2011 6:34 am

Marjorie



Everything you did and didn't want to know about Tel'Marin...

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The Festival of Life:

This is a religious/folkloric harvest festival. It is recognized as a national holiday and is a rare day off for all government workers (aside from security/military personnel and essential posts). Most busnesses are closed on the last day of the festival and many keep short hours durning the festivities. This is ofcourse excepting such busnesses like resturaunts who profit greatly during this time.

The last day of the festival actually takes place about three days before the actual harvest begins, due to the massive amount of manpower that the harvest requires.

The festival is celebrated in all cities and towns of the nation but they tend to be extravagant in the capital cities and in Mar’Kades it is defiantly celebrated with some extra panache.

The festival generally lasts two weeks, but the actual official holiday is on the final day of the Festival. The Emperor and Empress will travel to each of the regional capitals during the festivities basically to promote PR and will always attend the last day of the festivities in Mar’Kades.

The festival of life is a fertility and harvest festival. It’s main focus is on Naoreen and the blessing of life that she bestowed on them and to give thanks for the harvest. This is a traditional time for married couples to attempt to conceive children. It is said that a child conceived during the Festival of Life will be blessed by Nanoreen with good health and prosperity.

The festivities include all the regular “fair” like activities, live stock and produce competitions as well as all kinds of family activates and games. Many activities are provided by the local church as well including such things as free lessons on various hand crafts (mostly aimed at children) and free copies of various religious texts that are distributed to the public. Large outdoor public sermons are healed at sunset each day with a focus on Naoreen and her teachings and gifts.

On the last day of the festival there is the watering, which consists of the Nar’Haren Shricen from the local church walking out among the populace and blessing them in the name of Naoreen by sprinkling a bit of wholly water on them.

2Tel’Marin Cultural Reports Empty Religon and government Tue Nov 01, 2011 7:55 am

Marjorie



*This is coppied from my app as I thought it was most apropriate here. This is a lot on religon and government and how they work togeateher.

Tel’Marin – from Telaen Marin - Literally: earth (ground) center; translation: middle earth

To go against the church is to go against the Gods.
**Excommunication has one of two results: banishment from Tel’Marin or execution in any number of creative ways.

The divine family and the passage of one emperor to the next:

The Tel’Marin believe that their Emperor and Empress are literally the God Halrin and the Goddess Naoreen in carnet. Thus the entire royal family is seen as divine in a way, however this distinction is only truly noted among the Emperor/Empress and their first born son and daughter. Once an emperor dies it I believed that the divine spirits of both Halrin leave the bodies of the deceased Emperor and deposits themselves into the body of the deceits’ eldest son. If this son is wed the spirit of Naoreen leaves the widowed empress and rejoins her husband in the new emperor’s wife. If the new emperor is unwed, then the spirit of Naoreen remains in the widowed empress (and she keeps her title) until he does wed.

If the Empress should expire before her husband the emperor is expected to remarry soon in order to find a new body for Naoreen to inhabit. In such a case it is the first born of the EMPORER who take on the roles of first son/daughter before any of the second wife’s children, unless they should die.

The Eldest daughter of the Emperor and Empress is believed to be favored to by the Goddess Lemalen, first bourn and daughter of Halrin and Nanoreen. She will be entered into the priesthood at birth and serve out her life as a religious leader of her people. If she should die it is considered the will of the gods and a worthy sacrifice for the gifts bestowed them by the gods and her place is NOT replaced with the next in line.

The eldest son of the Emperor and Empress is believed to be blessed by Tharin the younger child of Halrin and Nanoreen, and their only son. From a young age they begin to receive religious (five) and military teaching (fifteen). It is important for him to have a well rounded and deeply spiritual education because he will one day take over the mantel of his father as Emperor. Should he die he is replaced with the next eldest son in the line who will begin the proper training immediately.

The other sons and daughters of the Emperor and Empress and not left idle. Most daughters will move into the priesthood of their own accord, it is the place from which they can gain the most power, after all. Sons will often attend the military academy and go on to be officers in the Emperor’s Army, Navy, or Air Force, are offered a ruling positron as a governor.

All sons and daughters of the divine family receive a top notch education (this includes both “regular” education [reading, writing, history, math…] and religious education.

Religion and Government:

Travin Tel’Marin – from: Travin Telaen Marin – literally: walk earth (ground) center; translation: The Tel’Marin Way; meaning: their religious organization or name of the religion

The Nar’Haren Shricen (priesthood of the Tel’Marin Way) beyond just being “the church” functions as the moral and social arm of the people. They host calibrations and festivals and provide social services like shelters and feeding the poor.

The Emperor and Empress are seen as equals but different, like Yin and Yang. The Emperor is expected to have the safety of the people and the glory of the empire at the fore front of his mind, while the Empress is expected to be more concerned with the well fair of the people and she serves as the Ora’fin Macen (supreme divine voice) or highest head of the church.

When it comes right down to it the Emperor is the ruling body of the nation, but he is not without limitations by the church. It wouldn’t be easy (but not also unheard of), but the church (with the backing of the Empress) has the ability to excommunicate the Emperor.

All priests are female without exception – women are the
religious voice of Tel’Marin. There is no masculine version of the word “priest” in the Tel’Maren language. Women however are forbidden from serving in the military or possessing or wielding weapons. Such an offence is seen as heresy and excommunication can result. There are some chambers in the temples witch men are forbidden to enter under pain of death.

*Cultural point of view – Men are seen as protectors of the might and will of the Gods, women are seen as the heart of the people and the voice of the Gods.

The Gods –

Harfin or Harfen - literally/translation: God or Goddess

Halrin: also referred to as “Father” or “The Father”; The Father is literally that the one who gave birth to the world. The world however, beautiful, was lifeless until he found his perfect match, Naoreen. He is the fire aspect, passionate and dangerous, a mighty force – the taker of life (in battle).

Naoreen: also referred to as “Mother” or “The Mother”; The Mother is the one who breathed life into the world. She poured her love for Halrin into the world he had created shaping from it the pants and animals of the world, most importantly man. The Tel’Marin believe that life originated in Tel’Marin. Seen as the a water aspect, she is Halrin’s opposite, calm and cool – the giver of life.

Lemalen: also known as “The Teacher” and “The Giver”; Lamalen taught the people how to live well, she taught them peace and warship, she thought them to forge metal, and the secrets of farming. The air aspect, wisdom, patience.

Tharin: also known as “the defender” of “the shield”; Tharin has always been the protector of the people. In times of famine or war or in the wake of natural disaster or plague it to Tharin that the people turn. He is the stone wall witch destruction cannot pass. He is the shield that enemies will fall against. The stone aspect, Tharin is strong, solid, and steady.

The Religion of all-

Travin Tel’Marin is a structured and organized religion with specific tenets that encourage the people of Tel’Marin to be good and pure people.

Going against the church is heresy, breaking the laws of the nation (witch are in fact the laws of the church) is heretical. Heresy is a high crime and is punishable by excommunication. There is no freedom of religion here, citizens will abide the church and they will pay homage to their Gods.

Sin is a hot topic – infidelity is a sin and illegal, premarital sex is a sin, fetishes are sinful and many are illegal, lying is a sin, abortion is a sin and illegal, and so the list goes on… new sins are coming out of the church every day. Despite all this the people by and far love the church. The church provides vital services and gives absolution.

Besides the major taboo of sin, there is another major aspect of the religion. Balance and the four elements. Earth, Air, Fire, Water. Earth and air, fire and water are seen as opposites and balance each other out. The gods are also seen as aspects of these elements.

Meditation and long moments of silent prayer and self reflection are common and encouraged. Art and hard work is seen as a form of self purification. Henna and needle work are common and encouraged among women, other hand crafts (leather and wood work among the most popular) are encouraged and common among men. Calligraphy is an art form widely practiced among the educated populace, and poetry is common place.

People are expected to attend church sermons. Services are held in the local city’s church four times a day, once in the morning, twice in the afternoon, and once in the evening. Attendance is optional but if someone does not attend at least once a month without reason they are looked down upon by the general community and are suspect to their peers and possibly the law.

Besides giving services and teaching the lessons and words of the Gods, the priesthood also takes confessions, bless newborns, offer blessing or warning to those seeking matrimony, and give last rights.

Nar’Haren Shricen – from: Nare Haren Schricen – Literally: near heaven order; meaning: the priesthood of the Voice of the Gods; translation: priesthood
Nar’Haren – from: Nare Haren – Literally: Near Heaven; meaning: one who is close to the gods; translation: priest (plain, it is the lowest rank of a initiated priest)
+Added titles before the word and their meanings:
-Yunren – literally/translation: student; meaning: non initiated student of the priesthood
-Retren – literally/translation: learned; 2nd rank of the initiated priest
-Tunren – literally/translation: Teacher; 3rd rank of the priesthood – usually in charge of running a church
-Ora’Fen – from: oraven fen – literally: voice divine; meaning the voice of the Gods; translation: divine voice – this person is usually the overseer of a region or “group” of churches or serves in the supreme church at Mar’Nanoreen.
***ONLY the first born daughters of the emperor/empress can attain this rank (it is not required for their parent to remain the emperor/empress for them to keep this rank only that their parent was at one point in that role.
-Ora’Fen Macen – from: oraven fen macen – literally: voice divine major; meaning the supreme voice of the Gods; translation: supreme divine voice
***ONLY the current Empress holds this position

Military/Local law enforcement-

Only men are allowed to serve in the military, police force, and carry/posses weapons. The exception to this is the priests that travel with and give services for and bless the troops. They do not serve in the military or carry weapons, but they travel with the military providing moral support for the soldiers, taking confessions, and giving sermons. They may also act as missionaries and evangelists.

Prod’Haren – from: Proden Haren – literally: protector/shield heaven; translation: heavenly shield
*The term Prod’Haren can be used to name the Tel’Marin military force as a whole or an officer in the Army of the nation as an individual.

3Tel’Marin Cultural Reports Empty Men and the Church Tue Nov 01, 2011 7:56 am

Marjorie



Har’durin – from: Harfin durin– Literally: God touched; Translation: God touched

Har’durin are male servants of the church, but they do not hold the role of priests who are the voice of the gods and their interpreters. These men are fairly rare among the church (numbering around a handful per church), though those who have been accepted are deeply respected. These men are essentially monks. They begin with rigorous religious training, and upon heir confirmation take a vow of faith. Each person’s vow is different, one meant to be a self sacrificial act carried out as thanks to the Gods. Some take vows of celibacy, others vows of silence, and so the list goes on… to each a vow is set upon him by the Supreme Har’durin and if they should break that vow they will be expelled from the church and possibly excommunicated depending on the circumstance.

Once a novice goes through the confirmation ritual his religious training continues and martial training begins. The Har’durin are supremely devoted to the church and it’s protection. They are the physical guard of the church. They are never the aggressor however, the will only act in defense and are not educated in the use of weapons. Martial arts are taught to them as something which it intertwined with prayer and meditation, making the actual form part of rituals.

Har’durin often serve their communities as educators and master craftsmen as well. Most of their time is spent in prayer and meditation, study, or working at their craft. (Remember here that the Tel’Marin see work and art as a form of self purification, especially hand crafted goods.)

Ranking:
Yunrin Har’durin: novice/ student
Har’durin: 1st rank/confirmed
Retrin Har’durin (learned): 2nd rank
Turin Har ‘durin (teacher): 3rd rank
Har’durin Macin (supreme): highest rank among the Har’durin, this would be the member of the Har’durin who has been in service to the church the longest.

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