On Augusten Observances: Volume I

[Lalosia 988]

BY OUR BLOOD, WE SHALL RISE

ISSUED BY THE

PENNED BY THE LADIES ARALINDE LEON & KONSTANZE VALENTINA

ON THE 11TH OF OWYN’S LIGHT,

IN THE AGE OF ASCENSION, 633. 

༻──────────────────────────────────༺☨༻──────────────────────────────────༺
 

Sir Konstantin Leon and Lady Marietta Varoche during the days of their courtship, 560 A.A.

༻──────────────────────────────────────༺

 

 

TRADITIONS MUST NEVER BE FORGOTTEN, FOR WITHOUT THEM, WOULD MAN BE INDISCERNIBLE FROM BEAST. Below are important guidelines to follow if a suitor is interested in courting a lady of SCHWYZ. So too are there tasks set forth for ladies in desire of courting our young lords to one day become members of our House.

 

༻──────────────────────────────────༺☨༻──────────────────────────────────༺

 

COURTSHIPS

 

GUARDIAN’S BENEDICTION 

Any suitor who wishes to enter into a courtship with a young Lord or Lady of SCHWYZ must first seek the approval of his or her Lord Father and Lady Mother. Should the Lord or Lady not be children of the presiding Head of House, the suitor thus tasked with also earning the esteemed approval from the presiding MARGRAVE or MARGRAVINE. A courtship that does not receive express approval to commence is not considered legitimate.

 

MAIDEN AVOWAL 

As winter blossoms into spring, often so do the young people of Azuras find themselves in want of a wedded partner. As wildlife runs bountiful, a suitor making his first declaration of interest must acquire an animal and adorn the creature with frills, flowers, and bells. Attached to these decorations may be a note, the contents of which are words of intent, or a poem of the heart. The most common of critters chosen for the task are hens, due to their symbolizing of fertility & affection, so too their abundance comes with the turn of the season. However, lords who are up to the task may also bestow upon the lady of their affections a white-feathered eagle, much like the House crest, which symbolizes divine protection given by GOTT. 

 

SUITOR’S HANSELS

Both men and women may partake in the exchange of small tokens to one another; offerings of their affection that need not involve the frivolous nature that presents often take on. Long have the sons and daughters of SCHWYZ been a sensible people, with simplicity and inherent value taking precedence over much else in the bestowment of gifts. In nearly all cases, the hansels will be ribbons in AUGUSTEN BLUE or embroidered handkerchiefs.

 

༻──────────────────────────────────༺☨༻──────────────────────────────────༺

 

ENGAGEMENTS

 

A SUITOR’S TRIAL

Upon successfully entering and maintaining a courtship for some time, oftentimes considered two to five saints’ weeks, a suitor will be tasked with proving their manhood or womanhood to the House. A young lord shall do so by means of participating in a joust, duel, or a quest by directive of the Head of House. Their opponent, or companion in questing, a Lord of SCHWYZ, will most commonly be a brother or the father of the lady sought after in marriage. Should the suitor deem himself worthy, he will be given express approval to enter into an engagement with his betrothed. Conversely, if a young lady desires to join the family, she must weave by means of needlepoint. Within the linen, a hidden pattern or meaning that holds weight to the House’s history should reside. The embroidery may only be approved of by the matriarch, or the eldest lady of the House, should there be none. If the work proves meritorious, the lady will be accepted by the family. 

 

BETROTHMENT REPAST

Once officially engaged, the families of both the groom and bride unite together on one eve. Beneath garlands of linden and birch, signifying fidelity and fertility respectively, will all coalesce as one in FRITZBROOK, for a feast of merriment! Spanferkel will be served at this gathering: a fire-roasted pig that signifies celebratory good fortune for the couple, along with other Waldenian delicacies. 

 

BANNS

To ensure that no such marriage is made in haste or wantonly, a notice must be published and dispersed to all citizens of ALBA and the IMPERIAL REALM at least one saint’s week before the marriage ceremony occurs. Should the missive not be placarded promptly, the will couple be advised by the Head of House to postpone the matrimonial ceremony until a further date, when banns may be circulated. If this does not come to pass, it is viewed as an unsavory union to those of SCHWYZ and forever tarnishes the bridal coupling’s standing.

 

COUPLET’S BLESSING

As the wedding day approaches, the betrothed are compelled to seek out a member of the priesthood to request a private audience. Under the purview of GOTT, and by the hand of his dutiful servant, will the bride and groom-to-be ask for blessings to be bestowed upon them. It is believed that doing so will assure that the marriage is honored by HOLY decree, and thus wholly indisputable by the family.

 

༻──────────────────────────────────༺☨༻──────────────────────────────────༺

 

WEDDINGS

 

THE BRIDAL VEIL

It is imperative that ladies and those joining HOUSE VON AUGUSTEN festoon themselves with veils of white on the day of the nuptials. Each thread woven together represents the bride's full integration into the House upon marriage. For native-born brides, it marks the culmination of their journey to maturity. The veil is to be crafted by a woman from the family; many prefer a soon-to-be sister or cousin. Though an heirloom veil may be used in place of a newly sewn one if no ladies of the House are capable of effectuating such.

 

MARRYING OUT

Should a Lord or Lady of SCHWYZ be marrying out and into another family, there will be a private dinner or festive gathering to celebrate the new beginnings and to provide more prayer for the departing party. The departing party shall be adorned with wreaths of wildflowers from our current homeland and a bead necklace, with each family member providing a bead of their own making to represent them. This signifies that the bride or groom shall carry their family with them forevermore.

 

REFASHIONMENT

On the eve of the ceremony, either the bride or the groom marrying into the family will be assisted by members of the house in their renewal as one of our own. Hair will be trimmed and styled distinctly in accordance with Waldenic standards, often including braids for women and rounded cuts for men. Dressings of gratuity will be offered unto them, colors in accordance with the House sigil. 

 

༻──────────────────────────────────༺☨༻──────────────────────────────────༺

 

O’ ALMIGHTY AND ETERNAL GOTT, WE PRAY,

༻─────────────────────────༺

 

III. CANTICLE OF TEMPERANCE

 

1 Lo and attend, for I am the Lord GOTT, and I am in the foremost part of heaven. 2 Though the spring flower withers and the fruit of the tree falls to the ground, My Word lasts into the eve of the world, and the fruit of virtue cannot rot.

 

3 I am the Lord GOTT without peer. 4 I grew the first grapes of the vineyard, and gave unto Horen the first wife.

 

5 And as I made for you the worldly pleasures, so too have I made the pleasures of the spirit, and the love of the husband and wife. 6 And I have given unto you the wine of sacrament, and the wine of merriment, and I have promised you the world and the Skies.

 

7 For I have given to you the pleasures of the world, and they shall comfort you in the theater of virtue. 8 And you shall take them carefully, and shall not become a creature of worldly indulgence as the beasts of the earth.

 

9 So I am the Most High, and in pursuit of My Virtue, I bid My faithful this: You shall not lie with your kin, nor those of other tribes, and none shall lie together but in holy union.

 

AMEN.

 

✠ GOTT SEGNE ✠

 

༻──────────────────────────────────༺☨༻──────────────────────────────────༺

 

 

His Excellency, Sir

Margrave of Schwyz, Earl of Konstanz, Count of Hohengarten, Lord of Fritzbrook, Patriarch of the House von Augusten, Elector of Hohengarten, Ritter of the Reformed Vandorian Order and the Order of the Black Eagle, Lord Receiver-General of Man.

 

Her Ladyship,

Grand-Heir Apparent to the House von Augusten.

 

Her Ladyship,

 

 

Spoiler

CREDITS

Writing: Lalosia & RingAroundRosey

Formatting: Cheese1sgrater

COA: Mojanghunter

 

[Cheese 8880]

The late wife of Konstantin looks on from the Seven Skies. Though Marietta may have never met her great-granddaughters, her heart nonetheless swelled with pride for the family she and her husband had built. “Oh, Konstantin,” She mused from her resting place above, “How I do hope to be reunited soon.”

[TaraJess 2848]

Upon seeing her dear friend's name listed as an author, this missive was swiped and neatly folded into Aurelian's book for safe-keeping.

[FireAGN 1207]

Konstantin Leon, the aged Margrave of Schwyz, smiled warmly upon seeing the declaration of traditions his young great-granddaughters had presented to him, and prayed later that night for his late wife in the Seven Skies. 

[Frawlic 1602]

The little Josefine stared at the informative parchment, practically losing her mind at the three bolded headers. Had she not loved her sisters, she surely would have torn the piece to shreds. So instead, the edges in her hands crumpled, and she feigned sickness and woe at the topics of the writ. 

[Lortime 1153]

Parzival blinked several times. "Ich.. probably should have observed these traditions. Mich bad." he chuckled, as he sat next to his cherished love, keeping warm in the winter by the Hearth of Fritzbrook. He smiled with pride. 

[MunaZaldrizoti 8037]

Coming from an audience with the Archduke, the lady Susanna returned to Montfort Manor in some mild frustration as her handmaid brought that publication from House Augusten to her attention. Of all that was written, it was the signature that she seemed to fixate upon - the notion of a young girl standing as 'grand heir'.

 

A lady half her age held more respect among the men of her family than the Lady Mayor did with her own blood and kin. Such a notion frustrated her, angered her. But also made her sad. She could only pray that the young Aralinde, so bold in her inheritance, would not suffer the same as that weary Baroness of Owynsburg.

[TheosVult 392]

1 hour ago, Cheese said:

“Oh, Konstantin,” She mused from her resting place above, “How I do hope to be reunited soon.”

Konstantin I von Augusten, the current Margrave's long deceased grandfather, stood beside Marietta in the Seven Skies and, upon hearing her sentiment, pointed to himself, eyes wide "Err... mich?"

Just like the following:

Spoiler

OOC: I LOVE CULTURE POSTS. Kudos to you @Lalosia& @RingAroundRosey