--- RulingNations@aol.com wrote: > I got inspired today and the following song is the result. I tune > isn't my > own invention, but I can't find now what it is. (Figures that when I > use a > tune not of my invention I can't reference it. It's similar to > "Angels from the > realms of glory" and is almost certainly a traditional Anglican hymn > if anyone > cares to help me find it.) Further deities may be added. > > (And yes, I did create Demerhaze out of nothing. She just seemed to > fit.) If no one objects, here's a potential background for Demerhaze. > Lady of the Dark and Children, > All is known beneath your gaze. > No ill shall escape your notice, > Vengeance goddess, Demerhaze. The Kasovian mountains form the western border of present-day Cedonia. While the Cedonians control the foothills and much of the northeastern portion of the range, the majority population of Kasovia is of a separate ethnicity, distinguished from the Cedonians by language and religion. Demerhaze, The Dark Lady, is one of the more important Kasovian deities, with only The Great Shepherd occupying a higher place. Demerhaze has many aspects in Kasovia: as Goddess of Night, she must be placated to keep her children from attacking the herds at night; but at the same time, young Kasovian men pray for her favor and concealment when they go sheep-stealing from their rival clans. Demerhaze is also the Goddess of Vengeance. In this aspect, she comes into conflict with Lucia, the Goddess of Justice in Cedonian religion. When one who has been wronged prays to Lucia for relief, and the prayer is granted, the result will always be just and fair to all parties, for Lucia is just and merciful, and is also able to see the truths on both sides of a dispute. When one who has been wronged prays to Demerhaze for relief, and the prayer is granted, the result is always violent and bloody retribution upon the accused person, untempered by mercy, and without regard to whether or not the accused truly committed the wrong against the first person. The blood feud is a central part of Kasovian culture, and oaths of revenge are always sworn to Demerhaze. The Kasovians have a very complex system of custom and law surrounding the blood feud, and Demerhaze is the ultimate enforcer of the rules of the feud, punishing both those who go too far, and those who do not go far enough. Demerhaze's final aspect in Kasovia is The Protector of Children. By law and custom, boys and girls under 14 are protected from the obligations of the blood feud, and are not valid targets. Demerhaze enforces this rule, and protects children from other dangers; she is also said to watch over pregnant women(also exempt from feud obligations) and the process of birth. Demerhaze is worshipped in other areas with similar cultural patterns, often under somewhat different names. The goddess only accepts women as her clerics; Priestesses of Demerhaze usually also serve their villages as midwives and as witches, with a stong focus on herbalism. Andrew __________________________________ Do you Yahoo!? Get better spam protection with Yahoo! Mail. http://antispam.yahoo.com/tools ---------------------------------------------------------------- To unsubscribe, send mail to celandra-off@phoenyx.net.
