Tolilla
Tolilla is the goddesses of the two moons. The one with black hair, representing the big silver moon, is called Morsolva (Mor-SAHL-vah). The one with lavender hair, representing the little purple moon, is Lillestrala (LI-leh-STRAW-lah). Together, they are referred to as Tolilla. They are twin goddesses. Tolilla is the goddesses of the moons, the night, twins, communication, teleportation, transformation, and magic. Tolilla created the aescels, gnomes, druids, nox, kitseeth, fiaseeth, merfolk, valkyries, satyrs, and centaurs accidentally. The lunar fae are the only race they created on purpose.
Tolilla is known for being merciful, and also compassionate and giving to those in pain or great need. They does not look kindly on those who are cruel to those suffering.
Tolilla is also the ones who carries the deceased to the land of the dead. Lillestrala carries the souls of those who die as children, those who commit suicide, and those who die the most tragic deaths. Morsolva carries most everyone else. Those who are exceptionally cruel or vicious in life are rejected by the goddesses and must make the journey themselves, often becoming lost. If the loved ones of those who have passed on are worried about whether or not Tolilla has carried or rejected them, they may appeal to Tolilla about the good deeds or struggles the deceased faced while alive, in the hope that Tolilla changes their mind.
Worship of the goddesses Tolilla, along with the celebration of Tvilling, has fallen out of favor with the general populace since the demise of the Lunar Fae. They are still worshiped by certain monastic groups of druids and humans.
Their Temples
The temples of Tolilla are known for their light to medium gray stone building materials. They are also known for their square structures, aesthetic pillars at the corners, and flat roofs. The priests and priestesses have mirrors set up on the roofs for harvesting manestens for the Tvillinger.
Temples to Tolilla also have sacred gardens (sometimes roof gardens), and what is called a "moon basin" inside the garden (or on the roof). This moon basin is typically made of smooth stone, though it can be metal as well. It is made of reflective material and can be turned to better capture the moonlight. It is made concave for the purpose of creating manesten. A temple might have several, even dozens. However, there is typically a more ornate one used for ceremonial purposes. The ceremonial moon basin will be large enough for at least two people to sit inside, or one person to sit cross-legged inside. Sitting inside the moon basin is thought to give more enhanced inspiration from the goddesses.
Temple of Tolilla
Temple of Tolilla
Temple of Tolilla
Temple of Tolilla
This is an AI Generated Image.
Worship
Worship of Tolilla is no longer prevalent in Materna. There is a still worship of Tolilla in Dagmar, and certain monastic orders in Dagmar, Ostria, and Nortram. However, even in these areas there are no large or locality-specific celebrations for the goddesses. Monasteries/temples will celebrate the Tvillinger, but the Notramian government has forbidden festivals or holidays lined up specifically with the Tvillinger in these areas. Its public celebration was outlawed about ten years after Dagmar becoming part of Nortram, as Nortram associated it with factions critical of this annexation, and because the popular opinion in most of Nortram was against it. The majority of Nortram felt that it did not contribute to the solidarity of the annexation and it invalidated Nortram's supremacy by imposing Dagmarian culture on them. They also felt that the inconsistent nature of the holiday made it more difficult to plan for and supplanted the importance of other holidays, especially when the Tvillinger fell on an established holiday. As time passed, the remembrance of the Tvillinger has become distant in the memories of the populace at large. Outside of Dagmar and certain regions of Ostria and Nortram, most of the populace views the Tvillinger simply as an astrological phenomenon on par with other astrological movements, rather than an event associated with the goddesses. Also, while Nortram does not explicitly prohibit worship of Tolilla, they do discourage it as they associate it with rebellious Dagmarian and Ostrian factions. They have removed the tax exemption status from their temples, monasteries, and priests/priestesses. In addition to the tax exemption status removal, they also charge an additional non-compliance fee for the celebration of the Tvillinger.
The most common time non-devotees come to worship Tolilla is after the death of a loved one. If they are afraid that what their loved one did will incur the wrath of the other gods and goddesses, they may journey to a temple or monastery of the goddesses and plead on their loved-ones behalf for the goddesses to either shorten their journey to the Land of the Dead or carry them all the way there entirely. This though, is still uncommon, as it requires a pious individual (not just devoted to Tolilla) to have a particularly flagrantly blasphemous loved one. Those who come from pious families (not just devoted to Tolilla), do not typically have offspring or other close family members that are also flagrantly blasphemous. It would also require those pious individuals to not want their blasphemous family member to receive the punishment of the god(s)/goddess(es) they offended.
Those who do worship the goddesses will pray under the full moon(s) to the goddess to give thanks or ask favors. They typically put an image of the moons in a full phase for Morsolva and a quarter phase for Lillestrala in a high or prominent place in their homes so the goddesses can watch over them. They will also sometimes go on night meditation walks to feel the goddesses' influence when making a decision. They will also prioritize giving to the less fortunate, as it is believed that Tolilla smiles upon those who help those who are suffering.
In temples and monasteries, priests and priestesses harvest manestens from the moon basins or other reflective harvest fixtures. They sell these manestens to support the temple/monastery and use whatever is left to donate to those that are poor. They will also plant gardens with plants, stones, and sometimes water features. These gardens are designed to specifically highlight certain aspects during various phases of the moon. A large ceremonial moon basin is positioned in the garden or a rotating plate to turn according to the direction of the moons. Devotees will walk in silence (or very low whispers if they must talk) through the gardens in meditation and prayer to the goddess.
Sacred
Tolilla holds certain practices and attributes as sacred to her, and devotees of Tolilla, therefore, hold these things sacred as well.
1. Compassion/Charity: Tolilla values those that show compassion to others for their hardships and struggles. This is especially true if they compassion is towards those who are crying or physically suffering. They also value those that give their time and/or substance to help others. Those who give charity to those in need will receive help from the goddesses when they pray to them in time of needs.
3. Intelligence: Tolilla values those who study and pursue intellectual excellence. When individuals use creativity and ingenuity to solve problems, Tolilla is impressed with their efforts, and will be more likely to answer prayers for assistance. They also prize the study of magic, as the creation of magic falls under her domain. Those that study magic are honoring the goddesses' creation and therefore honoring the goddesses as well.
4. Magic/Adaptation: Tolilla gave mortals the ability to use magic, unintentionally. They are also the deities who created the majority of the intelligent races, which also was an accident. These changes were made through exposure to the goddess's influence. Even though magic and various specious adaptations were done by accident, Tolilla believes that people should prize and value the magic and attributes that make them unique to others.
5. Meditation: Tolilla values quiet meditation and thought. When making an important decision, or going through a challenging situation, they appreciate when their followers meditate over the situation and pray to them after giving the matter careful thought. Tolilla also values quiet meditation and prayer for the sake of it, even if there is not a significant matter to contemplate. Her temples and monasteries have places where followers and patrons can sit or walk in quiet contemplation so people can connect to their inner thoughts and to the goddesses as well.
Blasphemy
Tolilla holds certain practices as blasphemous to her, and devotees of Tolilla, therefore, hold these things as blasphemous as well.
1. Holding Grudges: Those who do not forgive those who sincerely apologize to them and regret their actions, are committing blasphemy against the goddesses, who value mercy and compassion. Those who apologize also are not required to fully relinquish their offensive behaviors to necessitate forgiveness, only that they sincerely apologize and regret their actions. While forgiveness does not require restitution to the former relationship, or the withdrawal of efforts to procure justice or monetary/substantive restitution. it does require the relinquishment of ill-will and animosity to the forgiven. Those who struggle with forgiveness for those who wronged them, can come to the priests/priestess to get assistance and counseling, even over a period of multiple months or years. The state of true forgiveness need not come immediately to the victimized, as long as they are striving to work through those feeling of ill-will towards those that have wronged them. Those who outright refuse to forgive will not receive help from the goddess's on their way to the Land of the Dead, despite their pleas.
2. Victimizing the Helpless: Those that target the helpless or destitute for scams and other such crimes will receive the goddesses' wrath. Instead of taking them to the Land of the Dead, the goddesses will transport them further back (possibly at the beginning) as they come close to the Land of the Dead. They may even do this repeatedly for frequent offenders in this regard. For those who victimize children, this punishment is also coupled with transforming their body into a child's or infant's body during this process.
3. Being a Public Nuisance: Those that frequently are loud and obnoxious, play pranks on random people, commit public lewdness, pick fights without sufficient cause, or otherwise terrorize the public are committing an afront to the goddesses. Those that do such things frequently and without remorse will have their appendages sporadically changed to different forms, sizes, and/or weights as they journey to the Land of the Dead.
4. Failing to Teach Children: As Tolilla is concerned with intellectual growth, study, meditation, and decency, those that choose not to educate their children or teach them basic manners and self-control are committing blasphemy against the goddess. Those that choose to not teach their children, will not be given moonlight to see at night the way in front of them on their way to the Land of the Dead, and may be transformed into sloths, snakes, snails, worms or other slow creates depending on the severity.
Rituals
Tolilla has five major sacred rituals: The Initiation, The Moonlight Walk, Marriage, The Last Light, and the Plea for Mercy.
1. The Initiation: On the first Tvillinger after a baby is born (or sometimes the second, if there are medical/weather issues; they may also present the infant if Morsolva is full, and Lillestrala is at least a half-moon), the baby is brought by their parent(s)/guardian(s) before the priest/priestess. The priest/priestess asks them to bring the child forth into the goddesses' light. The parent(s)/guardian(s) then remove the baby's clothing (except for a diaper) and hold the baby up in the moonlight. The priest/priestess takes the infant and places the infant in a special seat. The priest/priestess paints a spell on the infant's body, chanting the words of the spell after each line. Another priest/priestess/adept holding a lantern chants, in Lunar Fae, after each line, with the parent(s)/guardian(s) 'May the goddesses bless him/her'. If there are twins, triplets, etc. the other children are then held and marked in the same way, from first to last.
The second priest/priestess/adept beckons with their hand to the parent(s)/guardian(s), who follow them through the temple's/monastery's garden. The first priest/priestess holds the infant up in the air, while the parent(s)/guardian(s) walk away, chanting "May Tolilla return my child to me in the Land of the Dead." If they are parents, they will alternate between my/me and our/us (including if one of the parents is not present. If it is a guardian(s), they will alternate between my/me and their/them. Exceptions to the parent/guardian(s) alternating can be made on a case-by-case basis. The parent(s)/guardian(s) will continue to walk away, following the priest/priestess/adept holding the lantern. They will continue to do this until the infant(s) teleport into their arms. Once they receive the infant(s), they will thank the goddesses. The priest/priestess/adept will lead them to the exit of the garden, and then wish that they will reunite by the goddesses' mercy in the Land of the Dead. The parent(s)/guardian(s) will then exit, ending the ceremony.
2. The Moonlight Walk: When a child is becoming an adult, or whenever there is a big change or decision to make, an individual can take part in this ritual. No sounds can be made during the course of this ritual except the sound of quiet walking or the gate shutting, or it is null, and the participant must come on a different night to redo the ritual. The ritual must take place at night when at least one of the moons are full. The priest or priestess will stand at the gate/door of the sacred garden, while the person wears a hood. The priest or priestess will sign for the participant to kneel. The participant will kneel before the priest/priestess, who will make a symbol for the two goddesses and another for blessing. Then the cleric will lift the participant's hood and place it on his/her shoulders/back. Then the cleric will sign for the participant to rise. If the participant is doing the ritual as a coming-of-age ritual, one of his or her parent(s)/guardian(s) will take his or her arm at this time. The cleric will then open the gate, and the participant will walk through the gate (with his/her parent/guardian if it is for a coming-of-age ritual). The participant will walk through the gardens in silence, being as quiet as possible in movement. They will walk to the moon basin and still take a seat inside the basin. If it is a coming-of-age ritual, his/her parent/guardian will release his/her hand at this point. The participant will sit cross-legged inside the basin, their palms outstretched to receive the moonlight. If it is a coming-of-age ceremony, the parent/guardian will then return to the beginning. The participant will stay seated in the moon basin in total silence, and minimal movement. When the bell rings, the participant finishes whatever thoughts he/she might have and stands up from the basin. He/she kneels on the ground and makes a symbol of the goddesses and a symbol of thanks. Then he/she rises and returns to the cleric. The cleric has the participant kneel before them again. The cleric makes the symbol of the goddesses, blessing, and understanding. Then the cleric dismisses the participant.
3. Marriage: Marriages are held at night. They cannot be held on nights where there is no moon in the sky, as the goddesses must bear witness to the union. The couple come to the gate of the temple, where the priest or priestess meets them. Any of their friends of family who has come to watch will be lined up after the couple at the gate. The priest/priestess/apprentice will ask the couple their purpose in coming, and the couple will respond that they are there to become united in marriage under the goddesses' blessing. The priest/priestess/apprentice will invite the couple and their entourage to follow him/her into the temple. They are led into a room with a moon basin, with a large window that is opened towards the moon(s). There is another priest/priestess who stands beside the moon basin. The usher guides the couple to their plain in front of the moon basin beside the priest/priestess. Those observing stand or sit around a marked outer circle. The officiator then asks what the couple's purpose is for coming there that day. The usher states that they are there to be united in holy matrimony under the goddesses' blessing. The officiator responds that in order to be united in holy matrimony under the blessing of the goddesses, that they must meet five qualifications and make five promises. The officiator askes the couple each of the qualifications, waiting for an answer from the couple after each question.
The first question is if the couple understands the meaning of matrimony. The couple each responds, the man first, and then the woman, that it is a covenant before the gods and goddesses, and all beings both living and dead to live in common, to produce offspring and abundance together, and to remain faithful to each other in all things as long as they both shall live. The second question is to ask if either of them are currently married. The couple each responds that they are not currently married. The third question is if they have not had physical relations with anyone else since they became betrothed. The couple responds that they have not. If one of them did, they cannot get married. They must wait until after the following Tvillinger to restart their betrothal in front of a priest/priestess and then they can get married oafter at least one of Morsolva's cycles following that Tvillinger. This practice will continue again and again, until the couple can both answer they have not had any physical relations with anyone else since their betrothal. The fourth question is if either of them have children with another. If either has children with another, they must respond honestly. This includes children both living and dead, including those who died in utero. If any children are mentioned, the other must promise to treat those children as their own, or the memory of those children as the memory of their own if they have passed. If they do not have any children, they respond that to their knowledge, they do not have any children with another. The fifth question is they have a home where the can dwell as a couple. The person who has secured the dwelling responds that they have secured a place where they can dwell together (including mobile or rented dwellings). If they have not secured a dwelling together of some kind, the ceremony may proceed at the officiator's discretion, but the couple must provide ample evidence of why that is the case, as well as sufficient understanding of what that will mean. If the officiator deems their reason or understanding to be insufficient, he or she may end the ceremony, and require them to return when they have met that qualification.
Once the qualifications are answered sufficiently, the officiator then says that they must also make five covenants of matrimony for their union to be blessed by the goddesses. The first promise is that they must be live in common. The officiator explains that it means that they live together, in like status, with common ownership of their property and assets. The next requirement is that they seek to support each other and each other's children. The officiator explains that this means that they both have the obligation to ensure they have a clean and functional roof over their heads, that they have enough food to sustain life, that they have clothing adequate to protection against the elements and for modesty, that they have sufficient cleanliness and maintenance to protect from disease and bodily deterioration, that they teach their children the basic skills of life so they are able to take care of themselves and function in society, and to ensure that they have whatever money they might need to meet these five basic necessities for each other and their children. The next requirement is that they protect each other from harm. The next is that they advise each other against unwise decisions. The fifth requirement is that they remain faithful to each other. The officiator explains that this means they do not share sexual intimacy with others outside their marriage for any reason, and that they do not place tother people, causes, professions or hobbies above the physical and spiritual needs owed to their spouse and children.
For each of these individual requirements, each spouse must reply that they understand this obligation and that they swear, under the sight of the goddesses, that they will fulfill these requirements. The officiator explains that just as the goddesses are one in purpose, and one in name, they too must become one in purpose and one in name. He/she asks what name they will be called by. The couple replies with whatever last name they are choosing. The officiator calls them both by name and proclaims what each of them now are with the chosen last name (i.e. Under the eyes of the Holy Goddesses, John William Smith and Mary Edith Clark shall now henceforth be called by one name as John William and Mary Edith Smith). The officiator then pronounces them as man and wife.
4. The Last Light: When someone dies, their body or ashes are taken to the graveyard. A priest/priestess says a prayer over the body/ashes, asking Tolilla to guide them on their journey to the Land of the Dead, and watch over them. The officiator then dedicates that ground as the final resting place of their body. The coffin is then lowered into the ground, or the ashes are spread over the dedicated plot. The officiator and each of the attendants light a paper lantern, and release them, starting with the priest/priestess, then the immediate family, then extended family and then friends and other acquaintances. Each participants states, "May Tolilla guide you with their light." The participants watch the lanterns float away and whisper any last words they desire for the dead to hear, followed by the phrase, "By the gods' and goddesses' grace, we shall meet again."
5. Plea for Mercy: If someone is concerned that their loved one may face extensive wrath from the gods and goddesses on their journey to the Land of the Dead, or if their loved one's body is not found/returned, they may ask the priest/priestess to perform the Plea for Mercy ceremony. It is not traditionally done for people who die unless requested, and a priest/priestess may reject the request at his/her discretion.
The ceremony begins in the early morning, before the participant arrives. The priest/priestess may require the participant to bring the log to them or the funds to purchase that log and the clay vessel for the ashes in advance as a prerequisite to performing the ceremony. The priest/priestess consecrates a large log of sweet-smelling wood while at least one of the moons is still present in the sky, before the sun has fully risen. Then he/she sets the log on fire and puts it into a furnace to smolder into dust. As the sun is setting, the priest/priestess sends an attendant/guard/apprentice/another priest/priestess to summon the participant. The summoner will be holding a lantern on a pole in one hand and must not speak any words. They may only gesture with his/her hands. Once the participant has exited their house/dwelling/temporary residence, he/she also must not speak until he/she is bidden to do so by the priest/priestess. If either speak, the ceremony is null and void and must be restart. If there are other attendants besides the participant who initiated the request for Plea for Mercy, they may follow and talk but must do so quietly. If the priest/priestess/summoner thinks that they are being too noisy or otherwise disruptive, or that there are too many extra attendants, they may request that they leave, and the ceremony will be put on halt until the attendant leaves. If the attendant fails to leave upon request, the priest/priestess/summoner may have them forcibly removed or may transform them or teleport them elsewhere.
The summoner will lead the participant to the temple or the temple garden, wherever the priest/priestess decides to conduct the ceremony. The summoner knocks on the door/gate where the priest/priestess answers them. They are let in and follow the priest/priestess in a single file line to the place where the ceremony is to take place. The ceremony is centered around a moon basin. The summoner stands at alert to the left back corner of the basin at attention with the pole touching the ground. The participant stands to the right of the basin, several feet away. The priest/priestess holds a clay vessel with the ashes of the log. He/she the ashes in a circle around the basin, encircling his/herself, the summoner, and the participant. Anyone else observing must stand outside the circle. After finishing sprinkling the ashes, the officiator stands at the head of the circle and asks for Tolilla to hear them. He/she then pours out some more ashes in front of the moon basin and asks that the participant approaches the light of Tolilla. The participant walks to the ashes and kneels on their hands and knees on top of the ashes, facing the same direction the moon basin is pointed towards. If the officiator is in the way, he/she steps to the side so the participant is under the moonlight.
The officiator then commands the participant to speak, saying that Tolilla can hear them. The participant then asks for mercy on his/her loved one's behalf, stating the reason why the goddesses should take mercy, whether it be for extenuating circumstances or because of the participant's own virtue or attempts to undo whatever harm the deceased did during life. The participant must keep the reason short and concise, using no more than three sentences after the declaring who he/she is asking for mercy for. The officiator then throws some ash on him/her and says, "Let him/her be heard." The participant then repeats verbatim the declaration and statement, and the officiator once again states, "Let him/her be heard," while throwing ashes on the participant. The participant will then repeat the process six times. On the fifth time, the officiator will dump the remainder of the ashes on the participant*. On the sixth time, the ashes strewn around in a circle will teleport and reappear above the participant, falling on top of him/her. The participant repeats the declaration the seventh time, and the officiator throws the clay vessel on the ground, breaking it. He/she declares. "Tolilla has heard. May they grant mercy according to thy plea."
The summoner then comes to the front of the participant and helps him/her to his/her feet. Neither are allowed to speak a word at this point or the ceremony is null and void. The participant follows the summoner in a single file line, with any observers to the door/gate. The summoner let the out and closes the door or gate behind them. It is at this point the ceremony has ended and the people can speak.
*Because of the act of pouring ashes on the participant, some people in eastern Nortram, Dagmar, and Ostria will cover themselves in ashes when asking for clemency on behalf of another individual in court or to nobility when they are accused/convicted of a crime or being forced to pay a debt.
Clergy
Temples for Tolilla are typically smaller and sparser in number due to the property taxes imposed on them by the government of Nortram. There are some illegal temples operating on hunting lands, but these temples are either portable in nature to avoid discovery or have the express permission of the owner if the hunting lands are privately owned.
Priests and priestesses can either be married or unmarried, but they cannot be married to each other. If a priest/priestess decides they wish to marry another priestess/priest, one must either move to a different clerical position (either move to a different temple, becoming a nomadic priest/priestess/monk, or ascend to higher position in the clergy, such as becoming high priest/priestess or arch priest/priestess), or one may abdicate their priesthood entirely, by becoming a normal citizen or diverting to a different position in the temple, whether its attendant, gardener/laborer, matron, or guardian. Many of the different temples are family-run, with various family members serving as other clergy members or alternative positions.
There are five levels of priests/priestesses: pledge, apprentice, priest/priestess, high priest/priestess, archpriest/priestess. Each temple will have a high priest/priestess in charge of it. They may have between four to fifteen additional priests or priestesses depending on the size of the temple. Pledges are typically children (typically of priests/priestesses/guardians) between the ages of 8 to 18. Once they complete a minimum of five years training, they are eligible to become apprentices, provided they are at least fifteen, and it is identified that there is sufficient availability of positions for them to eventually become a priest/priestess should they complete their apprenticeship. If there are not sufficient spaces available, they can become either attendants, laborer/gardener, or guardian. However, if there is not sufficient space for them in any position, once they turn 21, they are dismissed from the temple into ordinary life, but retain their pledgehood, unless they decide to renounce their devotion to Tolilla or have there pledgehood revoked for bad behavior.
Apprentices remain such until the training is complete. This training last for a minimum of three years but can be up to ten years depending on the skill level of the apprentice. If an apprentice fails to complete his/her training during this time, they can revert to another role in the temple or are dismissed to become normal citizens. The high priest/priestess of the temple can decide whether or not they retain the magic granted to them.
For grounds laborers and attendants, there are seven levels: volunteer, hireling, sworn laborer/gardener, sacred laborer/gardener, apprentice attendant, attendant, and high attendant. Laborers/gardeners tend the grounds and/or sacred garden at the temple. Those who are not sworn in as gardeners or attendants cannot perform touch, clean, or remove foliage from the moon basins. Attendants work inside the temple performing duties like cleaning, laundry, carrying sacred vessels, etc. Hirelings can be both ground laborers and attendants, but cannot perform consecrated duties, such as carrying sacred vessels or touching the moon basins.
Guardians have three levels: novitiate, guardian, and sentinel. Only men can serve in these positions. A man must be a novitiate for at least three years and demonstrate sufficient fighting capabilities to become a guardian. If he fails to demonstrate sufficient fighting capabilities after ten years, he may go to another position at the temple or will revert back to a normal citizen. A man can bypass the novitiate phase if he has already served as an apprentice or priest and can demonstrate sufficient fighting capabilities. It is not uncommon for priests/priestesses (especially priests) to train in the same combat lessons that a novitiate/guardian goes through.
Nomadic priests/priestesses (often referred to as monks) do not have a particular temple they are assigned to, though are subject to the archpriest. They instead travel to remote or smaller communities and perform necessary rituals for the residents of those communities. They would have a portable moon basin to bring with them and may have an attendant or matron as a helper.
A matron is a priestess who has abdicated her position as a priestess due to marriage, lifestyle, or health issues. She retains the capabilities of a priestess but serves the function of a sacred attendant. She can perform certain ritual functions, and administer rituals like a priestess, but only if no other priest/priestess is available. Former priests turned into guardians can also act in similar clerical capacities.
Pledges, sworn laborers/gardeners, and sworn attendants receive a quarter portion of lunar nature magic (a full portion being the normal amount of magic a fae would have). Apprentices, sacred laborers/gardeners, and novitiates receive a half portion of magic. Priests/priestesses and guardians receive a full portion of magic. High priests/priestesses and sentinels receive a double portion of magic, and archpriests/priestesses receive a triple portion of magic. This is in addition to whatever amount of magic they would have otherwise.
In addition to the portion of magic, priests/priestesses, matrons, high priests/priestesses, and archpriests/priestesses gain the ability to curse people by turning them into an animal. This curse can stay for a period of up to three days for a priest/priestess, a week for a high priest/priestess, and a month for an archpriest/priestess. This curse remains in effect whether or not the cleric is in the vicinity or killed. The curse may only be removed by the cleric that gave the curse or one of a higher station. High priests/priestesses and archpriests/priestesses can also curse someone so a substance they touch turns into another for a period of up to a week (i.e. anytime they touch wood, it becomes paper, or anytime they touch wool it becomes steel wool, etc.). Once the week has ended, any object they touched which turned will also revert back to its former state.
Priests/priestesses, matrons, high priests/priestesses, archpriests/priestesses, guardians, and sentinels to shift (the term for short-term teleportation, with a range of about 25-50 feet) themselves or those they are touching. High priests/priestesses, archpriests/priestess, and sentinels have the ability to shift those that are within a ten-foot range of them without touching them.
Tvillinger
The Tvillinger refers to the natural phenomenon of both moons being full in the sky at the same time. The larger moon, which is silver is color, is referred to as Morsolva. Morsolva has a thirty-two-day lunar cycle upon which the month is based. The festivals of the other deities of the pantheon start during the height of the three-day full moon period of Morsolva. The smaller moon, which is mostly silver in color with a purplish tinge, is called Lillestralla. Lillestralla has a fifty-six-day lunar cycle, with a three-day full moon period as well. These three-day full moon period overlap by two days every seven months. Those two days of full moons overlapping is referred to as the Tvillinger.
The Tvillinger is sacred to the goddesses, and worshippers of Tolilla hold it sacred as well. Devotees of the goddess will stay up late writing letters to loved ones who have passed away, which the goddesses convey to the Land of the Dead (or to the dead on their journey to the land of the dead if they have yet to reach it). Before the dawn rises, devotees will release lanterns to illuminate the way back to the Land of the Dead for the deceased who are still traveling. It is believed that if a lantern helps a deceased person find the path to the Land of the Dead, that deceased person will hold it up as a beacon for the person who released the lantern, so that person in turn can find their way back as well. Devotees will often release the lanterns for certain individuals but may release them for the deceased in general. They may also mark their lanterns with exceptions if they do not wish to assist certain deceased malefactors, though this practice is generally considered in bad taste. If people wish to avoid helping those malefactors, they will instead make their lanterns for their specific loved ones or certain general categories of people that exclude those malefactors.
The Tvillinger is generally considered the only time period which manestens can be created*. Priests and interested individuals will lay out mirrors or moon basins to focus the lunar light, in order to create manestens. Better focusing of light will create larger manestens.
*Improvements in light measurements have nullified this assumption. Well-measured light focusing mirror/devices can obtain manestens without both moons being full in the sky, if at least both moons are present in a total of 120 light capacity (with Morsolva being measured at full with a 100 light capacity, and Lillestralla being measured at full with a 36 light capacity). The Librarians have even more advanced lunar light focusing systems, that can create manesten under an even smaller light capacity. These methods are patented, and therefore are not subject to general knowledge, but have allowed for the mass production of sacculi and wide network of porta lunae. The Librarian's patented system for creating manesten have reduced the cost of manesten at the time to one eight to one tenth of the price, but with current refined methods of manesten creation, as well as with existing manesten reservoirs, it is now only estimated to be one third to one fifth of what the price would be otherwise. While there are other manesten producing factories and temples, the Librarians produce the overwhelming majority of the manesten used in Materna.