Tethe'nide

Tethe'Nide- Goddess of Death and Fate

~No wealth, no ruin, no silver, no gold~
Nothing satisfies me but your soul
Oh, Death
Well I am Death, none can excel
I'll open the door to heaven or hell

~

Tethe'nide  is very much now, like she has always been.  She holds within her a deep love for the people of Kotiin, but as their life taker, fears showing herself to them.  As such, it is rare to see her outside of the context of a tragedy that has resulted in a great loss of life, such as natural disasters or battle fields.  Some, however, have sworn they've seen her from out their peripheral in hospital rooms, or even in crowds shrouded beneath a hood, notably during Kohtalo-uusi (Kolalvi 15-16th).  

Because of her presence in places associated with mass death, some actually blame the goddess for these tragedies.  If she is discovered in a crowd, it is seen as a bad omen.

Those who have experienced great loss in their life, or terminal illness seem to find small offerings bearing purple flames untethered to a source of  fuel as part of their decor; an almost certain sign they have been visited by Nide and have her sympathies.  

Though Tethe'nide is sympathetic to the fears of the denizens of Kotiin, she has a job she must do.  The pain can be seen in her face when she must take a young and/or innocent soul from the world, but she will always collect regardless of how much one begs that she pass them by.  However, under some circumstances, she will grant an individual the gift of wandering the physical world as a spirit.  She will often entrust these spirits to her Pakaasu sister, Soleil.

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Symbols of Tethe'Nide
The purple flame
Spiders (the Kotiin equivalent)
Potpourri and perfumes made of dried plants
Dancers and Oracles
A coweled or hooded woman

Associations with the Goddess
Chimes
Dusk/ Dead of night
Dried and withered plants
Glassware
Magic (in a ritual sense)
Liminalities
Whistling/Howling/Singing Stones
The island of Ballaeter

Depictions of Tethe'Nide in Kotiin's History
"Civilian" Pavesi form
A spider with a glass abdomen and purple flame
A hooded or cloaked weeping woman
A mervesi
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Worship of Tethe'Nide

Worship  of Tethe'nide is less a worship of the goddess, and more a celebration of and grieving for the people of Kotiin.  Tethe'nide does not ask for offerings or acknowledgement, she seeks the rememberance of those passed.  To forget the dead is not only painful for a spirit still wandering, but it leads to the ignorant disregard of atrocities passed.  Tethe'nide not only abhors, but almost fears war and destruction, and to forget the past is to repeat a vicious cycle of cruelty.  Therefor, the worship of Tethe'nide involves the passing of stories and heirlooms, care for places of their loved ones' resting places, and even speaking with those who have a direct line to the dead (such as oracles and mediums).

It is said  that those who have experienced significant loss, or are terminally ill  are more likely to find some kind of direct connection to the goddess.  Some say it is in the form of small trinkets with a purple ember, others claimed to have even spoken with Tethe herself, who tries to ease the fears and unrest of those readying to make their journey across the veil.

Those who wish to more directly make offerings to this goddess however are often directed to the risen isle just off the frigid coast of Hirko/Claster, the isle Ballaeter.  It is said that sunken in the center of the isle is where the goddess retired when she grew wary or fearful, and where she rested before re-awakening at long last with her sisters.  Some people will travel to this island to release the remains of loved ones, leave offerings of dried plants, food, jewelry, etc.

A  week before Kohtalo-uusi, any oracle that wishes to perform the divining rite must remain on Ballaeter to be "close to the goddess".   They bathe in the waters she was said to have rested in, and meditate to forge a covenant with Tethe, granting them the power and foresite they need for the day of the ritual

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Kohtalo-uusi

Kolalvi 15-16th

Settling restless spirits

Honoring the deceased

Celebrating the future

 THE FIRST DAY

 On the first day, the pakkeli will adorn themselves in black, accenting with the goo color(s) of the person(s) they are representing. Most pakkeli will simply share a meal together in a select group that often includes family and perhaps a couple of close friends. Traditionally, a plate is set out to represent a place for those who have passed on.  

 A special candle with a purple flame is lit during the sending hour, and left before the entrance of the home (in a sconce, on the porch, wherever it may be secured) to burn overnight.

 The Ceremony of Guidance

 For those who have lost someone close within' the year, it is often tradition to retain just a little bit of goo from the departed, if possible, specifically for this day. The family of the departed, and anyone of significance in their life, will get together to forage fragrant plants to form a doll representing the late individual. They are always foraged and never bought; it is seen as a way of showing love and care for the departed. The remnant of goo is often incorporated in the center of this doll, or in very intricate glass pieces attached to the doll.

 At the darkest hour of the day (The Sending Hour), pakkeli gather at various shores in larger groups. The dolls are placed gently in the water and floated away into the night.  This ceremony is always overseen and lead by dancers, as their movements  are said to universally be understood; by all the races, spirits ancient and modern, individuals living and dead. The dance is seen as a means of guiding the lost spirits safely to their rest alongside the goddess Tethe'nide herself.  

 Yearly, effigies of ancient heroes, queens, and important figures from times passed are made in Yow to float into the waters as well. These ones are made yearly as they are said to help guide the new, vulnerable spirits as they travel to their final rest. These effigies are often a group effort, and usually decorated with light trinkets. They are made to be about life size to pakkeli, as opposed to the normal dolls which are about palm sized.

Upon returning to one's place of reprieve for the night, a hand carved ritual candle that burns with a purple flame is placed outside the door or, in the case of places like hotels, in a window.  The only other time purple flame candles are burned are at the death bed of a loved one, blown out once their last breath is drawn and either buried or attached to a doll at the sending ceremony.

 THE SECOND DAY

 Where the first day is a day of remembrance and honoring the dead, the second day is about fate and celebrating the future, of the individual and of Kotiin.  

 First, the ritual candle is checked: if it burned down completely, it's said to be a sign of good things to come for the future. If the candle is still burning, it's a sign of hardships to come (and a reminder not to lose hope). Should the candle have gone out before burning down completely, it is a sign that someone close to the family is expected to pass on. More superstitious pakkeli take this very seriously.

 Large scale celebrations are held on this day all over the mainland. Fortune tellers are highly sought after, small bundles for divining rituals and spells supposed to bring good fortune or relief from a negative prediction are widely sold or made.  

 The biggest draw of this day is the Oracle's fortune. Each year, an oracle travels to Yow to perform a special divining ritual entrusted only to them. It is said to involve drawing a line of communication directly to the goddess, Tethe'nide herself. A vibrant silk is drawn across an alter that the oracle stands before. Beneath the fabric, a candle is lit, and the oracle calls to the goddess, in a language long forgotten. If the silks burn during the ritual, it's said that much hardship will befall the world. Should the ritual be carried out without the silks burning, it's good fortune.

 It's said that should the oracle catch on fire during the ritual, it is a sign of the end times.

 In times past, there has not always been an oracle in Kotiin. During these times, often a member of royalty was expected to carry out this ritual instead.

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History

Once  upon a time, there was Tila, and only Tila, the divine of life.  Tila  created Tethe, and with this goddess' birth, came an inevitable  reality.  Tethe'nide saw herself as a monster, brought into the world to  fell her creator's creations, but Tila did not resent her for this.   Tila showed Tethe that she was a crucial part of the cycle of life.  A balance, and a deeply loving force that allowed others the ability to appreciate Tila's gift of life.  Together, they created Pavesi, her sisters, the Pakaasu, and the  Pakkeli.

Tethe used  to walk the surface of Kotiin often, marveling over the very existence  of life there, but her appearance frightened many at best... as their  creations came at odds and killed one another, she was even accused of  bringing about the bloodshed.  Because of this, she began to disguise  herself as a normal Pavesi, dawning a cowl to hide her telling features.

Few  would see past her guise, though there was one who she could not fool:  the oracle.  The oracle sought to comfort the goddess and ease her  fears, she in turn sought to ease theirs, and the two even began to  share a deep affection for one another, one that she swore she would  harbor even beyond their end.