The Divine Marik & The Divine Marise - The Twin Gods - gods of war, patrons of the military

Marik and Marise were born after the creation of Aurellis. Born as twins, they have been lifelong companions, and were married in the days before the laws were made. Three times they conceived a child, and each time the child was born so deformed of either body or mind that they had to kill their child, either to prevent its suffering, or to prevent the horrors it would do in the world.

As each child was born and then killed, the twins hatred for peace and gentleness was eroded, until by the third they willingly took up together the mantle of war. Their final speech before they broke their wedding rings and forged them into weapons, was to intone the holy law against incest, such that no other would ever have to kill their own child as they had.

Marik and Marise go hand in hand to battle, lovers still, yet also killers. Their temples are closed to all but declared soldiers, and their priests are taken from amongst those ranks. Only through them in all the pantheon can killing be justified, and in the Empire, only the military have the authority in law to kill.

The twins have never raised hand in hatred against each other, and look with great scorn and anger on fighting or discontent within the ranks who fight together. Similarly, mutiny is a capital crime within their followers at all levels. Also cowardice is a capital crime.

The twins are both bisexual, and since taking the mantle of war, are well known to act with a high degree of promiscuity. They have Spoken the words 'Those who die tomorrow must live tonight' as a moral guide for the life of a soldier, and both now teach that the pleasures of physical union are separate from those of spiritual union. They also teach that the having and nurturing of children is not conducive to the life of a soldier, and any unions of the heart or dependants, must take second place to duty.

© Tim Hart 2003
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