Temple of Union

Before the age of the first Manali, the Fire King came to a small island in the north Timera sea. He came to the small shivering Aiho, the people of fire and air, and gave them warmth, raising a ring of volcanos around the island. “Give me a bride of water and earth,” he said sinking beneath the waters of the cove. “And I will keep you warm.” One young woman wandered into the salted sea and months later came the first Manali. – From the Book of Union, Beginnings

The Union is the religion of the Aiho of the Fire Circle. The Temple sits above the Village of the Aiho facing the plume walls. The Aiho believe that they are born of Fire and exist only at the will of the Fire King.

Every few hundred years a Manali is born. This is a girl child with blond hair and, brown skin and blue eyes. The Aiho have dark hair and eyes with brown skin. She is the offering the Aiho give the Fire King so that they may continue to live in the Circle of Fire. If they do not give the Manali to the Fire King or fail in raising her to adulthood, the Fire King will consume the Island and the Aiho in her stead.

The Priestess of Union raises the Manali until her sixteenth birthday, when they give her to the Fire King. She teaches the Manali of previous Manalis and feeds her only banana leaves, coconut and seaweed broth. Fish, vegetables, grains are forbidden. Manalis are not taught the ways of the Union Temple, the Aiho, or their culture and history unless it pertains to the Manali. This keeps her at a distance. While still alive, the Manali is used to bless the outgoing and incoming tide but otherwise is not included in Aiho rituals. She is not educated, and often neglected. "No attachment" is considered the best policy for the Aiho as an ignorant object is an easier sacrifice. On the day of the sacrifice, the Manali is attended by all of the temple who clean and dress her. After the sacrifice, the Maidens of the temple fish the body of the Manali out of the sea and burn it.

Priestess of Union is a hereditary title as are all positions in the temple. The oldest female of the temple who has born children is usually the Priestess. Besides raising the Manali, the priestess performs the bleeding of the mother of the Manali to break the mold(kills the mother) and takes the prayers of the faithful Aiho. She also sweeps the stoop of the temple to show Manalis that the way is always open.

Matron of Union - The oldest woman of the temple who has born a child, she instructs younger family members in the way of the Temple and the Union.

Taruna of Union - Mothers of children, who are younger than the matron. They help with instruction and aid villagers with complaints.

Mahila Of Union - women of the temple married but childless. They council families and care for young children of the temple.

Maiden of Union - unmarried women of the temple. They clean up after all ceremonies of the priestess and other Temple goers. After the Ceremony of Union, they burn the body of the Manali.

Creed of the Maiden - Little Maiden, Temple Mouse, keeps the cleanest house. She sweeps and scrubs and shines until the sun goes down or until she dies.

The Silent - Men of the Temple study and record the history of the village.

The mother of the Manali is killed during birth. The Priestess makes sure she bleeds to death, cutting the Manali from the mother’s belly with a shell knife in three intersecting lines. This is known as the Earth Sacrifice.

The Fire King is mostly unknown. He only appears to the village at the time of sacrifice. While the Temple teaches that the Manali is fathered by the Fire King and is the same person with each birth, no one is sure. No one knows what the King gets from the sacrifice. The Manali is supposed to be of water and earth, which quenches fire. However, why would the Fire King want to be quenched? This is unknown.

Books

There are two books that are considered the main text of the Temple of Union. The Book of Union which tells the mythology and which villiagers have copies of, usually given at weddings. And the Tomb of Mysteries, which chronicles the Mysteries which the Priest keeps and the creeds the temple workers must follow. This book is only kept by the husband by of the High Priestess who loses his tongue as head of the silent.

Excerpts from the Tomb of Mysteries

The Fire King will ascend from the red sea, and the Manali, made ready, will be drawn to him. They will descend below the waves to consummate the marriage. - The Sacred Marriage

Excerpts from the Book of Union

The first Water Child alighted across the water, tasted the coconut and bana leaf of the Aiho and prounced them holy. - The First Child