Another Time - 1. The Religion

The Great Mother: the mother goddess. She created the world and everything that lives on it. She formed women in her image and later gifted them with men, 'the spark that kindles the divine fire of woman'. Her daughters and sons, demigods, used to play a major role in everyday religion, especially in the past.

the 12 most important divine daughters:

1. Gianna (January): symbol of new beginnings, depicted with walking stick and is considered the protector of travelers
2. Hannah (February): wears deer antlers on her head, usually holds a broom
3. Letizia (March): depicted with flowers, considered the protector of young girls/women
4. Ophelia (April): guardian of doors and gates, depicted with at least one key
5. Eden (May): the paradise, depicted usually wrapped in a golden glow or with a wreath of rays and often together with Hella
6. Persia the Pretty (June): symbol of beauty and sensuality, depicted with a peacock and sometimes with a dress showing one breast
7. Antonia (July): depicted with a sheaf and/or a lamb, patroness of agriculture
8. Augusta (August): protector of trade and crafts, depicted with various tools/bag of coins/scales
9. Inara (September): symbol of wisdom, protector of Educational Institutions, depicted with fox and/or owl
10. Viryll (October): depicted either with a wreath of vine leaves and golden sickle or a golden headband and a whip made of vines- in the past she was considered a symbol of punishment for slaves and emasculated them with her sickle, today she is a symbol of the harvest and the first wine
11. Hella (November): the hell, depicted with torn clothes and skull and often together with Eden
12. Diana the Huntress (December): depicted with bow and quiver, she always keeps a watchful eye on her brothers, but rarely interferes. She gives the first sound of the bugle to the Wild Hunt and joins it for the last of the twelve nights, at the end of which she leads her brothers back home.

the 12 most important divine sons - the members of the Wild Hunt

• Ares: cast out of heaven, stole lightning bolts with which he is depicted
• Raphael the Healer: he left heaven to help people, only birth assistance is forbidden to him, depicted with a bouquet of herbs
• Skyler the Priest: he teaches people the holy word and scriptures, depending on the tale he wears a cage or is completely emasculated, depicted with green robes
• Deimos, the Warrior of Shadow: he left the heaven full of hatred and anger, with which he poisons people, full-brother to Dante, depicted as dark warrior
• Dante, the Warrior of Light: depicted with silver armor, sword and shield with a big gem, which can banish the divine might of his brothers- he protects humans and his siblings
• Andros the Seducer: depicted mostly with loincloth, more rarely completely naked and with oversized genitals
• Marmion the Gambler: depicted with playing cards or a necklace of dice, pray to him when you desperately need a little luck, but be ready to pay him back with interest
• Arkelos: cast out for he killed his twelve daughters when his wife gave birth to a son, depicted with a bloody dagger
• Parnan: keeper of the domestic animals, depicted with a coat made of different types of fur
• Sidhan: storyteller and singer, but also liar and cheat, depicted with a colorful butterfly
• Farlough: a master of erotic works of art, especially sculpture. It is said that he created a marble statue of himself in order to have a coitus with his own reflection. Depicted with a bust of a woman under his arm or a brush in his hand.
• Leander: he left heaven to make a name for himself. He founded a slave school, which was especially known for its exquisite pleasure slaves. As punishment for his intrusion into a woman's domain, the Great Mother gave him a golden collar, with which he is always depicted.

other childen of the Great Mother

• Dorian the Guardian: he was originally a messenger between the Great Mother and her children on earth and part of the Wild Hunt, until he was tricked by Hella- whereupon he became the guardian of the afterlife and shows the deceased their way. He is depicted with a lantern and a crow (whose form he could take as a messenger) on his shoulder.
• Carrick: was supposedly washed down from heaven into the sea by a storm. He is considered the patron of sailors and is depicted with a necklace and/or crown made of shells. On Wild Hunt nights, he rides on a Kelpie along the beaches and riverbanks.
• Avra/Aphra: Guardian of tombs and cemeteries, depicted with helmet, shield and spear. The only daughter outcast by the Great Mother: originally she handed over the deceased to the afterlife, but refused to do so with her beloved. After she stayed at his grave for years, the Great Mother ordered her to watch over all the graves from now on.
• Zorya: the Lady of the Stars, depicted with white blind eyes, long black hair and silver robes. The Great Mother sent her to the night sky so that her shining eyes may show people the right path.
• Shannon: the Keeper of Secrets, depicted either as beautiful woman with a snake wound around one arm or as woman with a snake-tail instead of legs; it's said she knows every kept secret of every person. She was very popular in ancient times, especially in Cyristhall, but is nowadays unknown to most.
• Salas: associated with coasts, shores and beaches. Especially regional popular and in some areas with malicious character. Depicted with wet clothes or at least wet skirt hem and mud/sand smeared feet.

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It is said that the Great Mother has many daughters. One of them, Hella, was known above all for her quick-tempered character and for getting her sisters into trouble. So one day she persuaded Eden, whose only weakness was her curiosity, to travel with her to the afterlife- the Great Mother had forbidden it, and that made it all the more appealing.
But when the sisters arrived there, they found the afterlife to be a dreary gray place, lifeless, dusty, filled with souls of all kinds who were not lucky enough to sit beside the Great Mother. The much greater problem, however, was that they couldn't return. After they had loudly lamented their suffering, the Great Mother turned to them and shook her head.
"My blood has brought you here, the blood of your human fathers lets you stay. It is your own fault for defying my ban."
The good-hearted Eden saw her mistake and sacrificed herself and her divine blood to change a spot of the afterlife into a paradise for the souls of good people.
Hella, however, ranted and raved, seized another spot of the afterlife and called all sinners to herself to punish them there forever, for her own frustration lasted eternally.

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"Now you are one race, one community. Women and men." spoke the Great Mother as she presented the women with the first group of freshly created men. "You carry the divine fire within you, but they are the spark igniting it. But do not forget, my daughters: men are weak and need your guidance. Lead them! Teach them faith, obedience and loyalty! And punish them when necessary."

The women received the men and thanked the Great Mother before declaring their claims. With colorful ribbons they made the men's allegiance clear- and symbolically put them in chains.
They led them, taught them, punished them. But they also loved them - and what they loved, they protected.

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It is said when the Great Mother first mated with a human man, she prophesied that all of her children would have at least one flaw. Dante, the Warrior of Light, is in fact the only one of whom some say has no blemish at all, is truly a figure of light - for how else would he have received his title?
However, in most of the stories focusing on him, and in which he protects people or his siblings, flaws are apparent, though perhaps not at first glance. A recurring theme in these same stories is that he refuses to share the bed with mortals. Some say his heart and loins were so cold that only Andros, the Seducer- or optionally not even him- managed to warm him. Others say that he had a passionate affair with Diana, the Huntress. And others claim that he found fulfillment only in his love-hate relationship with his brother Deimos.

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Since the beginning of time, one question has been heatedly debated: whether men should be allowed to have sex with each other. While some point to creation, according to which men were made to serve women, others point to the sons of the Great Mother, who 'fuck like rabbits' without punishment. The answer has shifted in favor of male lust over time, mostly due to prolonged wars in which increased prayers were made to Ares, Dante, and Deimos. Especially during such times, it was popular to believe that an orgasm exchanged among men would contain a reflection of the divine lightning stolen by Ares and would provide strength for the next battle. Equally popular was the belief that Deimos would protect a warrior if he gave himself to him the night before.

Dante and Deimos were always given a special role in this discussion. Although all the children of the Great Mother are half-siblings, this point was mostly neglected and attention was focused more on the only true brothers. Since this would mean for the Great Mother to have lain twice with the same mortal, many theologians interpret the two as twins, which gives even more weight to the titles of Warrior of Light and Warrior of Shadows. Since- depending on the legend- the two are said to have a (hateful) love affair, his has always sparked discussions regarding sex between brothers. Although sex between blood relatives, no matter what constellation, has actually always been rejected, there were and are definitely supporters of relationships between brothers, who came together in a- the brother pair worshipping and now forbidden- cult.