Set wrote:
1: Erastil, as described, tends to be all about marriage to promote stability in the community. How marrying a dove promotes stability, I have no idea, but I didn't write that poem. Since the GM had some visible signs that Erastil (or *someone,* anyway...) approved that 'marriage,' even if it was quite deliberately a sham to open a door, then it seems the GM is fine with it, at least.
What is really funny is that my character doesn't know that two of the characters (The tiefling sorceress and half-orc paladin) are starting to build a relationship with each other. Even those characters are still not 100% sure about their feelings yet but there is something there.
Set wrote:
1a: Note that any god (or archdevil...) could have bonded the character to the dove and made some grass grow. It's not like Erastil appeared directly (or, even if he appeared to, it's not like the party would have anyway of knowing it wasn't something pretending to be Erastil). It's entirely possible that some other entity is having fun at your expense.
I do have a feeling that this could be accepted by Erastil, however this can be true that either another god... or archdevil (like Asmodeus) may be doing this too. My cleric understands it as Erastil doing this from her point of view but this is based on that Erastil's holy symbol glowed with a bright light while grass grew on the spot that they took their vows from. To her, that is something Erastil has the power to do. Though she could be just as naive to other potential deities having influence especially since she knows mainly on how Sarenrae handles things.
Set wrote:
2: A cleric of one faith should be able to marry (or bury) someone of a non-rival faith without incident. Overseeing an Urgathoan marriage ceremony involving ritual bloodletting and undead bridesmaids might be a bit more questionable. :)
I did have a feeling that would be the case since there are many towns with only one temple or shrine and only a priest of one religion that respects and allows worship of multiple religions, I know that the Sandpoint Cathedral was an example of observing multiple religions with Father Zantus who worships Desna.
Set wrote:
3: Erastil isn't supposed to be a big fan of divorce, but then again, he's not supposed to be a fan of people marrying animals (or each other just to get past a locked door). So who knows. On the other hand, Erastil shouldn't be opposed to infertile couples breaking up and finding new...
The thing that I find the most hilarious is that the only one that is infertile with any of them in this case is the dove since it cannot breed with humanoids obviously (save for weird polymorph situations). The tiefling that is in this group is intersexed. This is due to the random rolled trait for tieflings in Council of Thieves. We all thought it was so funny that the player is enjoying playing along with it due to the comedy that would ensue. So 'technically' she could have a successful fertility situation with either PC. In turn making it so the other PCs can do the same with either PC depending on what the tiefling would use (though I hope the players save those details from the group). While the human PC is in a relationship with an NPC in the story, it is yet another rather comical dilemma here, especially if and when the NPC would find out that he is married to two party members AND a dove. However while the gods have accepted the marriage, the government will probably say something else about it. Also since two of the characters are secretly in love, it isn't as bad... though the dove is rather awkward and the human PC is just going "whatever". Well since the sorceress wanted a familiar, this is probably what she'll get at this rate.
I just hope my character isn't shunned for this by Sarenrae since it was to both the deities' and cleric's point of view: a mock wedding. I'll keep up on this each session since the comedy just gets better by the minute. My group has done some crazy things but going with my suggestion to do this was just too funny NOT to do. Especially since my cleric is going to try to force them to grow up and act like a married couple when they start to bicker (which is common). :P