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Betrothal and Marriage in Oros

 To become betrothed in the world of Oros the prospective bridegroom must make a public announcement of his intent to marry the prospective bride, then she will have the opportunity to accept or reject the proposal. Once accepted the couple are bride and bridegroom in the eyes of all, to not follow through with the marriage is a great dishonor. Typically, a man would woo the woman, then come to a private agreement with her and her family, then the public announcement would be treated as a celebration.

To marry an offering must be made to the Idol of marriage, Lunette the moon. It is her power, through the One, that binds the two until death. The offering made is the blood of the woman and the seed of the man as the vow is made with joined hands, for obvious reasons this is done in private. 

The vow is: “Body, mind, and soul we are one from this moon to our last. To my mate I will be true else Azratos take me. My mate I will honor as I honor the One. My mate is my equal and my balance. Lunette, queen of Idols, accept our offering and bind us as one.”

When Lunette accepts the offering and binds the couple, a tattoo appears on their hands. Traditionally, the man holds the left hand of the woman in his right hand, these are the hands which bear the marriage mark. The mark is unique to each couple in its design, often depicting aspects of each person or things of significance in their marriage. The more ornate the marriage mark, the more favored the marriage is considered by Lunette.

After the couple are married it is common for there to be a celebration of the marriage. It is customary at these celebrations that the newly married couple only dance with each other as a sign of their commitment to one another.

Because of the marriage marks in upper class or royal etiquette it is considered crass for a man who is not courting, betrothed to, or married to a woman to kiss her left hand. But if a woman wishes to indicate interest in courting, she may offering him her left hand to kiss. It is a sign of great disrespect to kiss the marriage mark of someone who is not your spouse, and can potentially open you to being cursed.

When one person in the married couple dies the marriage mark disappears from the living spouse's hand. It is possible to take another spouse after being widowed, but Lunette will not accept a marriage offering to a person who is already married.

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