The Roses of Caius

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Well.
There aren't very many of us left, are there?
Far as I am aware, those who follow I, are the last of Caius's following, have been for a while now...
... might as well put pen to paper and at least codify what I preach.
Let people know.

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The Roses of Caius, a sect name given to the Radiant Champion Grey Aundeoth by his wife, Junnodem, after having proselytized, baptized, and Championed him as Radiant herself, are a small sect of Caians largely centered around the castle-city of Martyr's Vigil. The god himself had even come into their distant home at Juno's invitation, for a drink. Beliefs shaped entirely through experience and conversation with others, Grey had little formal education in the history of his deity, aside from knowledge of the past relations with necromancy. The practice of Caian faith had, by the time of 2150, largely died out across Meranthe- save for this small group.

Still, decades and conversation with deity and long-lived alike have brought him to crystalize his views, inducting several others into the faith in quiet succession. A perhaps odd worldview, yet Caius's champion remains in possession of his powers, and is well regarded as a follower of his deity. Clearly he's doing something right, and in his eyes, if Caius disagreed or cared enough to correct, then he would.

Though certain parts are treated more casually than others, and the faith itself is oft practiced quietly by the few in following, some outstanding principles or evident beliefs can be clarified thoroughly. Of note, the following is at odds with the Witnesses to the End, finding the practice of never lingering and taking the extremes of abandonment to be cruel to those you love and yourself, and the veneration of the god to be a missing of the point.

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The Aspects of Caius
'His was the aspect of Amier that wished to be a man and live a life.'
Caius did not abandon that which he cared for. Only that which he did not.

Love
Love is the first aspect of Caius, and the one held most closely by the Champion and his following. In light of the idea that Caius had fled his seat of power to chase his love for Mortyl, the aspect's place as the First is held high. It is the most important, the one that he placed even before his duty as a member of the pantheon. So too, do followers place the desire of their heart above all else: Those you love matters more than any duty or station. Cherish the time that you spend with them. Your family, those allowed within your heart, and your spouse should you have one, are your highest concern in this life and the next.

Weddings are part of the purview of the faith, the following oft invoked to conduct such.

The Dead
Perhaps a mistake, yet owing to how he was raised and how he preaches unto others, Caius is viewed not so much as a god of death itself- but rather, as one who's domain encompassed those who had already gone. Mortyl is held as the reaper that claims life, whilst Caius was the shepherd who guided those spirits and souls onto their resting places and new lives. Those of the faith are encouraged to keep memory of those that have fallen - especially ones close to them - and to honor that memory to the best of their ability. Abuse of those fallen is anathema, while they have no compunction about a willing spirit's return, to desecrate or defile the dead in their afterlives is a grand injustice.

Abandonment
Whilst many take abandonment to extremes, it is viewed in part as a cautionary tale and in part as a targeted thing. It is, in their eyes, antithetical to love to let go of those you cherish at a moment's notice. The opposite of love is, after all, indifference, not hatred. Instead, abandonment is invoked to help others shed their burdens and ails, to break free of that which they do not want and what only brings them pain. One is cautioned not to become detached or let go of things that truly matter, lest one hurt those they love and bring them torment.

The Grave
Graves are seen as a memorial site towards the dead, for loved ones to visit and mourn. It is common for followers to erect statues or consecrate gravesites, to attend funerals and say last rites. Grief is naught but love enduring, and those who have lost must grieve to be at rest. Grave sites are defended and consecrated by the following, and grand memorials can be seen as some sort of 'holy ground,' due to their importance to so many people.

Easy Rest
The final aspect, easy rest, lays atop the others in a way that guides and shapes them. One is, of course, most at rest in the arms of their love. Abandonment, likewise, is intended to bring one towards such rest. Inflicting unnecessary misery and torment on the world is anathema to this principle, when rather, a follower should seek to help lift the burdens of others and guide them towards such rest. Likewise, magic or accursed effects that compel an individual's afterlife into one of torment are held as vastly profane.

As a result of this principle, many followers become healers, though not all do so. Others become warriors or craftsmen, or even counselors, each in their own way working towards easing the burdens of those they cherish.

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Every flower, no matter how beautiful or sweet, in time will wither.

Yet- if one focuses only on the end, they miss the beauty of those blossoms...

... and the new ones that come to bloom in their wake.

Yes, everything good comes to an end.
That does not make it any less beautiful while it is here.

Petals must fall.
Enjoy them while they last.

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Practices and Principles
Don't treat him like a god. If he wanted that, he would've stayed in his seat.
Don't ask him for favors or to solve things for you, he has no interest in that kind of affair.

A focus on Mortality
Caius is held as a god who left his station to pursue life as a mortal, to experience life as a man. Graves, too, are nothing for gods to attend- only mortals build such out of care. The gaze of the followers rests firmly upon the world of men, without care for the disputes between deities until such affects the mortal world and spirits. They build no churches in his name, nor beg him for aid in their prayers unless truly desperate. Instead, the words of such prayers are urgings unto the recipient towards the aspects, and the followers work to bring those aspects further into the world. It can be said that rather than worshipping the god directly, the roses view him as an example to follow.

This focus also tends towards a primacy of the spirit over the soul, as while souls are immortal and divine, the spirit is an inherently mortal thing. A soul may live many lives, yet it is never the same person that you once knew and loved. That is not to say the soul does not matter, but in matters which the two conflict, the spirit is held higher. This is common in affairs relating to the undead, in which the soul's out of place nature is seen as less important than attempting to help the spirit that has formed around it and usher it towards a proper life - or in some cases, a peaceful end, free of the annihilation that usually awaits them.

A key tenet or idea, that You are not Caius, is held. One does not need to ape his every move to further the aspects and the principles thereof. Be yourself. Be mortal. Struggle, fail, fall, and stand back up to push forwards again. Embrace that you are a flawed and fragile being, a struggler, and carry onwards with that towards a better world. Towards one filled with love, rest, and peaceful endings. That is what it means to be mortal, as the god so desired.

Thus, one is less focused upon trying to discern and see his will done, and more in the realm of attempting to grow the presence of those aspects in the world. To live your life as long as best you can. You only have the one, after all...

Peaceful Endings
As opposed to Mortyl's daughters, the known three representing violent, sorrowful, and uncaring ends, Caius is held in opposition. The aspect of rest denies such ends, and so it is believed that the "Father in Death" represents peaceful ones. Dying in one's sleep, surrounded by family, or simply resting your eyes to never open them again. Though a sorrowful thing, death is part of life, and yet the followers are in no rush to meet it... only to try to ensure that when it comes, one is at peace. That one is ready.

Violence and War
Though some may assume that the god of love's following would be pacifistic or peaceful, the world itself is far too dark and harsh for any such ambition. Nothing inspires utter rancor like pain unto a loved one, no man fights with so much fury as when he is fighting to defend- or avenge- heart and home. Many a fervent warrior has been seen under the banner of Caius. Often reactionary in their reproach, the followers seldom lay the first blow - but are determined to lay the last, that rest can return.

If you want peace, prepare for war.

Though some may espouse no hatred unto others in such times, and try to ensure a peaceful end... ultimately, mortals are flawed by nature, and it is not uncommon to hate the foe in excess of the idea of a peaceful ending when matters of the heart get involved..

Wine & Blood Roses in Rites
There is a noticeably tendency towards consuming an awful lot of wine- or just alcohol in general- by the living followers. It is questionable if this is a facet of the religion, or the half-dozen known magi are just raging alcoholics. However, Caius himself seems to enjoy the drink, and it would be in line with the desire to live well to party it up from time to time.

Sinka are often invoked in funerals or memorials, as well as present in any iconography displayed. The flower that is said to bloom where two fought to the death, or that blooms from shed blood, is held as a symbol of death. It is not uncommon for a blessed sinka to be lain upon a fresh grave or memorial, or left in passing. Roses, like life, are beautiful - but not without their thorns. Likewise, Sinka may also be given as an expression of love, the blood rose can be taken as an indicator one wishes to stay by another until the end.