The Center Cannot Hold: Faiths: Geministic Apostles

Tired.  This is shorter than I want it to be.  But it's a start on me thinking through how some of the different faiths work in #Crux.  The Church of the Twins is a diverse and popular faith.  This means it has plenty of different sects within it.

Apostles of the Twins

Sects of the Church of the Twins (Geminism) differ based on their founding messenger.  The Apostle who founds their sect serves as the source of their name.  Othebes, for instance, founded the Othebean branch of Geminism.  Apostles are sometimes recognized by other branches of the faith.  Some are seen as prophets of equal veneration.  Other sects treat different apostles as villains or antagonists.

Othebes

The Angel Othebes introduced Geminism to the lands that would later become the Divine Kingdom of Othebea.  The kingdom so venerated the angel that they named their nation after it.  Othebes created the monarchy, directly interfering with politics to drastically change Othebea.

The Othebean sect of the Faith uses the iconography of roses.  Orders like the Summer Flame and the Blood are Othebean.  They focus on the facets of childbirth and protection for the Summer Rose, death and mourning for the Black Rose.

Malkith

The Hound-Headed Devil Malkith introduced Geminism to the peoples of Maliph around the same time as Othebes.  Unlike Othebes, his veneration isn't the source of Maliph's name.  The name Maliph is a Rosac misinterpretation of the name Malkith, which Othebeans assumed was the same figure as Othebes.

Maliphi members of the Faith believe any sort of imagery distorts it.  They prefer the use of actual scripture rather than iconography.  Maliphi religious orders include the Assassins and the Child-Emirs.  The Assassins slay and kill, believing themselves to be the embodiment of the Black Rose's intent on the world.  The Child-Emirs call themselves the chosen of the Summer Rose, eternally young as child, yet old enough to obtain the wisdom of the aged.

Gaisa, Lady of the Towers

The Fey lady Gaisa appeared to the Sabizi of Rani five hundred years ago.  Unlike Othebes or Malkith, her version of Geminism never became the dominant faith of Rani.  Like many other faiths, Gaisa's teachings became part of the tapestry of Rani's diverse faiths.  The city of Gai in Rani takes its name from her.

Gaisan's believe the Twins to be lovers as well as sisters.  To live with them is to maintain the balance between death and birth, youth and age.  It is a faith about strong passions.  One must find their reflection.  Their soulmate.  The Gaisan monastic order of the Heartdancers reflects this.  They use charm magic and enchantments to bind people to one another, sometimes deleting memories they feel interfere in creating better relationships.  Such is the way of their dance.