Relationships & Family

Family
Outside the temple, life usually revolves around one's family and clan. Multiple wives and large families are common from the nomadic tribes up to the noble families. Many young women have little contact outside their family group. Most often, marriages are arranged.

When an individual joins the the temple, they leave behind the family of their birth or marriage. No contact is permitted until one has adapted to temple life, and then most have little interest in reestablishing contact. The Ahibanu, Madhi, and Nasir al Din become their family, and similiar loyalty and duty is expected and encouraged. Often, over time, individuals develop fierce loyalty to this new family.

Sexuality
There are no specific prohibitions on sexuality, however long-term relationships are more frequent between women within the temple than between women and men. Involvement with men beyond breeding is less common, but not unheard of, and sisters sometimes develop an affection for them.

Marriage
Because of their commitment to Anahita and Seht, none of the temple inhabitants are permitted to marry. They may develop intimate relationships with other members of the temple, but monogamy and possessiveness is discouraged, and long-term relationships outside the temple are not permitted.

Children
The elders of the Ahibanu encourage sisters and initiates to conceive, and at times, demand that they make the effort. Because those Blessed are more likely to have Blessed children, they are encouraged the most. However, the Ahibanu are not permitted to raise their own children. They are considered Seht's children and are raised communally at a temple other than the one where they were born. Most often these children grow up to become part of a temple with the women that bore them knowing nothing about them.