Need Ideas for Marriage Ceremony...

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Drainial
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Post by Drainial »

It is a rather off topic point but Rome was no more sexualy depraved than modern societies. Women were still expected to be pius and proper unless they were whores or slaves. Also have you seen HBO Rome, Calligula or Spartacus Blood and Sand? Not what I would call reserved.
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Syjahel
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Post by Syjahel »

because in conservative America you can never film anything as controversial as true nature of pagan socities.


The other and main reason being that we don't know much about what these societies were actually like; most of what we have comes to us through the lens of other, usually Christian cultures, because many non-Christian societies from early times were pre-literate. Roman society is a rare exception. I find it annoying that the lack of information about the past causes some people to use it as a cultural dumping ground or fetish fantasy land, but then I suppose absence of evidence is not evidence of absence. The important thing to remember however is that when there is no evidence for something, no matter how many times someone makes a claim this will not make it any more true. Always check your sources, especially if the viewpoint expressed just happens to match a decidedly modern agenda. (19th and 20th century archaeology in what was then the USSR, for example, had to conform to Communist ideals when official site reports were made, resulting in some somewhat 'fudged' chronologies.) With a little further research, some of the wilder claims prove to have been made solely for a political agenda, like that of the 'droight de siegneur' for example - they're not true.

Useful as the parallels may be in understanding how relatively cultured people can also have a slave economy, Dark Elf society isn't Roman society (the much greater gender equality alone ensures this), and their gods are not the Roman gods with different pants on. If you look at many different mythologies, most have a creator god, a smith god, a god or goddess of war. They have similarities because, as someone pointed out elsewhere, they do the same job. We can't extrapolate and say that 'because' Asuryan 'is' Jove, he 'must' be like x, y or z, because he isn't Jove. All we have to go on is GW's own published resources, which are sadly woefully scanty.

Getting back (at long last! :D) to the original post I think that Malekith would be most likely to marry for dynastic reasons, if we are running with the idea that he would marry at all (personally I think it unlikely with the character as we know him, but leaving that aside). Therefore his wedding would be the most momentous occasion within living memory, literally the wedding of the millennium. There would be the kind of spectacle that people would tell their descendants of with breathless wonder. This is a royal wedding.

Malekith is either the sovereign or the heir apparent (depending on how far back you want to go) and his wedding is one of the single most important political decisions he is likely to make. He is making a statement and a show of power with every move he makes (or does not make). If he marries someone from the nobility, the odds are he will choose someone as close to his level as he can. Conversely, if he marries morganatically, he will be making an assured statement of his utter confidence and power to rule, because then he is showing he knows he has the power to choose a low-status bride - he does not need the strength a political alliance will bring.

Anything a King does is a political statement. Moving at this level, the world is watching. Go for spectacle, the fantastical expenditure of wealth, make the fountains flow with wine, whatever largesse and panoply you can think of. As for the bride (and I'm assuming a bride because you want him to have children with her), even if she is from a powerful family, the chances are all this display will be at least a little overwhelming and intimidating. If Malekith loves her, then the slightest private gesture (a slight touch to the hand, a brief glance) may be all he can spare (he is being a King, and his people are watching their ruler), but it should be executed in your story with moving effect, a tiny human (so to speak:) ) gesture amid the towering spectacle and drama. If he doesn't, but is marrying her for gain, then this will serve as a test of character for her and he will be swept fully into his role. Can she get him back?


If you looked at this long post and can only remember the words fetish, pants, scanty, and private, shame on you :p
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Norelle
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Post by Norelle »

Thank you Drainial and Syjahel, you are quite helpful. Well my whole story is AU, both the Malekith gets married stories are. Aira is from a wealthy noble family in Eataine, the family makes it's money in merchants and trading. That and he falls in love with her, as I describe her as having a light within her many are either drawn to, or repelled by. What this means is she is pure, is all, as she is unusual as until she marries Malekith, she does not have any sexual encounters, she is a virgin, even though her closest friends are not.
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Post by Red... »

Wow, fetish filled and/or illiterate. Those non-Christian pagans sure were dumb and savage huh?

Edit - I had a much longer post here about the above, but decided in the interests of 'I really can't be bothered with this' to take it down.

Good luck to you in your continuing efforts Norelle :)
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Norelle
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Post by Norelle »

I saw your original post Red... , it was awesome. :)
And thank you again.
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Sezax
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Post by Sezax »

I have seen HBO Rome, Calligula or Spartacus Blood and Sand and yes I call them reserved. The fact that they show few villains as depraved does not show how an average citizen in that age had completely different ideas about sex, slavery, racism, MARRIAGE, homosexuality or deities. These pagans were not depraved, they were founders of our current civiliasation. When somebody is willing to show at least fragement of truth, after two thousand years of lies many see it as liberal propaganda and refuse to believe it. The fact remains that Rome and Sparta were realms, where homosexuality was no issue (as long as you were not bottom and highborne at the same time). Gaius Julius Caear, Alexander the Great, Emperor Hadrian as well as many other warriors, emperors, gods and demigods were at least bisexual. Thats a FACT. Our modern civilisations are still more bigot than Rome in many ways, we started to resemble ancient Rome a little again lately because we are slowly shaking off chains of christian bigotry.

As for Norelle I like the style of his(her?) writing, but Malekith falling in love with non-Naggarothi virtuous virgin commoner just does not seem right to me. It may be far less strange than my idea of bisexual Malekith, but I still dare to claim it will be hard to make that image of Malekith seem believable. I said my advice. Make him quiet. That way you can imagine him acting according to your idea of romantic motives, while more cynical readers can still imagine some pragmatic secret reasons for his action.
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Sezax
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Post by Sezax »

Then again...I hated the draft...but...as I read it for third time...I am actually starting to like that romantic scenario...the idea of preventing the terrible Sundering from happening through pure love...very touching and attractive in its own way...the topic ,,What if Malekith was a force of good" seems ridiculous at first...but it is very tempting...it could actually make a sense...Malekith exchanging his obsession with his father´s legacy for devotion for his true love...the prophecy of Dragontamer about the Fall of the Elvenkind never fulfilled...the chains of fate broken by omnipotent love...we know what is about to happen in next four thousand years of pain and despair...just as knew Everqueen Astarielle when she tried to use her husbands love for her in order to stop him from claiming the Widowmaker...where mighty demigoddess failed with Aenarion, mortal Aira succeeds with his son millenium later...the age of darkness stopped by one girl...

There are three things, which I would always advise to change in the draft:

1. Ceremony is too humble and christian (but according to the reactions of others most people like it that way so its probably wise to ignore this advice)

2. Morathi is missing. Thats way too obvious to ignore. What is better for classic romance than evil mother-in-law?

3. Aira is too common. It just does not make any sense. Femme fatale of Malekith is bound to be special.

Then again I have to admitt many people buy these ,,Bella Swan" characters. Even if the popular idea of completely common girl being loved by ,,the most awesome dude ever" (Malekith, Harry Potter, Edward or whatever) was justified this was, it is still way too suspicious that Morathi would ever tolerate her.

I can hardly imagine any female character, which Morathi would find acceptable as a mother for grandchildren of Aenarion.

I suggest marking Aira as being touched by Lileath. Thus she would keep all her characteristics (which seem to be important to Norelle). It would easily explain, why Malekith has fallen in love with her and why Morathi is able to accept her and is not constantly trying to poison her. It might seem like cheap deus ex machina, but I am lead to believe that when it comes Elves there are constantly running some ,,little Sigmars" among them.

Besides all these changes would take only adding three or four sentences to your draft...
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Post by Norelle »

Hey Sezax, I love your ideas and I'm going to explain something to you in PM, ok.
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Post by Norelle »

Note : Some of these bits are not mine, but from Drainial's attempt, I liked them a lot.

*Aira could feel the butterflies in her stomach flutter about nervously as she peered out the window of the grand carriage to the streets of Anlec. The streets were lined with silver clad guards, keeping the ecstatic citizens from the roads. Flower petals covered the streets and floated throughout the air, thrown from the hands of the Elves in the streets and atop the houses. Ribbons and banners covered everything it seemed. It was slightly overwhelming to Aira, who expected a grand wedding due to the Son of Aenarion's marriage, but nothing quite like this.


She felt her father, Harrond's hand touch her bare shoulder, she turned to look at him to see him smiling comfortingly at her. Finally they arrived at the temple of Nagarythe. The door was opened and her father got out, before holding out his hand to help his daughter out. She could hear soft cries of admiration from the crowd.


Her knee length golden waves had been arranged in intricate curls and twists on top of her head, pearls woven in. Her dress was a soft blue, signifying her Eataine ancestry. It was shoulderless, with long trumpet sleeves with delicate lace at the end. the bodice and underskirt was intricately patterned with silver thread and pearls and gems, depicting images of flowers and leaves. She turned to the crowd and with a soft smile she raised one hand to wave to them, causing greater cries of excitement. Her father took her hand and guided her to where the ladies in waiting, dressed in flowing gowns of silver were awaiting. They had been borrowed from Morathi for the grand affair, and while she would have preferred her own choice, she realized the wedding was not just about the joining of two hearts, but a state occasion.


Her heart fluttered as the trumpets sounded a great peel and her beloved came into view at the far end of the street. Riding a magnificent white charger Malekith was escorted by a score of his companion cavalry, brothers in arms drawn from the nobility of the realm and forged together in bonds of blood. Today though there would be no blood and their swords were safely in their sheathes’. Behind the riders young men walked all tall and proud bearing alms for the needy lining the route for on this day their prince was in a most generous mood. To Aira it was a time of almost painful anticipation as Malekith made his slow way up toward the temple steps, she was acutely aware of the presence of the prince’s mother standing on the opposite side of the steps surrounded by her own attendants, she had many reasons for disliking the elder elf but chief among them at that moment was that despite Aira’s beauty Morathi outstripped her as she did all others. Still it was a trifling mar and one she would not allow to ruin her day.


Reaching the steps Malekith dismounted and began his stately procession, the riders dividing into two files, they would accompany him into the temple but no further. At the top of the steps Aira moved forwards smiling as she placed her arm on his, with a warm gaze her prince returned the favour and together they entered the great temple. To either side attendants took their places and as the couple made their way down the long nave friends, family, councillors and nobles all found their correct and proper place. At long last all were ready and Aira and Malekith stopped before the altar of the gods in pantheon. Within there was a small, bright white flame pillar, symbolizing the god Asuryan. The high priest of Asuryan stood there, surrounded by priests of the other faiths.


Once Aira and Malekith reached the priest he raised his hands

"Lords and ladies of Ulthuan, today we witness the binding of two noble houses and the binding of two souls and lives as one. In all of life no achievement of governance, conquest or war may match the joy and fulfilment that comes from finding a partner with which to share all other triumphs. Beneath the sight of all gods above and below and in the memory of our ancestors we today shall see new hope for our beloved royal family and the line of Aenarion."


Malekith took Aira's hand in his own, stroking it softly to ease the tension he felt within her. Together they moved to stand in front of the flame, as two priests came bearing silken sashes, tying their hands and arms together.

As they stared into each others eyes, they spoke the words they had rehearsed what felt like ages ago.

"Now let us make a vow together. We shall share love, share the same food, share our strengths, share the same tastes. We shall be of one mind, we shall observe the vows together. You have become mine forever. Yes, we have become partners. I have become yours. Hereafter, I cannot live without you. Do not live without me. Let us share the joys. We are word and meaning, united. You are thought and I am sound. As the heavens are stable, as the earth is stable, as the mountains are stable, as the whole universe is stable, so may our union be permanently settled."


The priest raised his hands

"Now come and accept the blessings of the gods."



“Asuryan, lord of all and god of kings may the rule of our prince Malekith and his bride princess Aria be long and prosperous,” the high priest of Asuryan intoned, with that he moved to one side and the priestess of Isha took his place
“Isha, goddess of life may the life of these two be long and filled with love, may they bare many children together and reign well.” She too moved aside to be replaced by the frightening priestess of Khaine
“Khaine, Thousand faced god, may all those who would destroy these two fall by the sword and may Nagrythe rise ever higher in your favour.” She moved aside to be replaced by another and another until all of the higher gods and several of the lower have given them their blessing. When at long last the parade of religious worthies was at an end Aira and Malekith arms were unbound and they stood together as man and wife. Smiling comfortingly at his bride, he guided her outside amidst the cheers of those in the temple, to the even louder cheers of the citizens in the streets. The flower petals seemed more numerous than ever as they were guided to the carriage, where the great feast would be at the palace. And afterwards would come the true piece of their marriage, they would consumate their vows. Once inside Aira lay her head on her beloved's shoulder eyes closed in bliss, anticipating the wonder of the marriage bed.*



It was based off of a Hindu ceremony partly this time, what do you think?
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