The Rite of Passage

When a Dragonborn reaches the proper age, they are sent out on their Rite of Passage. Each clan observes a similar rite, the outcome being ultimately the same, but the way in which the Dragonborn completes their Rite varies from clan to clan, some require their young to slay a beast, other require them to journey to a far off place and bring back an item considered sacred to the clan. Regardless of the means, the Rite of Passage is crucial for the young Dragonborn to become a man.

History

Since the first Dragonborn came together and called themselves a clan, they sought to observe this Rite of Passage to accept their young into adulthood. In this way, they would break away from their Dragon Kin, who they considered to be more crude and savage in their tyranny. The Rite began as a means for the Dragonborn to prove their worth to their Dragon overlords, but in time, they came to acknowledge each other more pretentiously for having endured such hardships and chose to take the pleasure from the Dragons. As the clans began to drive themselves farther and farther away from each other, their views of what would constitute a Rite of Passage changed. The clans on the western coast does not bear the same criteria for their rite as the clans of the Heartland. As the ages went on, the Rite of Passage became more and more important as it became apart of the backbone that defined the diversity between the clans. As the clans began to disperse farther and farther from Draconia, the Rite of Passage became the easiest way to draw heritage as well as identify kin from countries apart.

Execution

Each clan obsrves a different task for their Rite of Passage. These rites range from a journey to a hunt, but all observe the same outcome, a means for the young to graduate into adulthood. The young Dragonborn has a length of time in which to complete their rite before they can return and be acknowledged as an adult. Some examples include: The Orous clan of the Heartlands task their young to journey into the Crag Canyon tunnels and retrieve the heart of a beast that "slithers and skitters" there. This is a cryptic task that is a closely guarded secret of the clan. For at it's most base understanding, they are tasking their young to slay a monster, but more importantly is their wording. The young Dragonborn must slay something that "slithers and skitters," meaning, they must hunt something insectoid-like or serpent-like. Though when the riddle is solved, it is fairly straightforward, but where the difficulty comes is that the creatures in question are often times incredibly poisonous. The Marshali clan tasks their young with venturing into the Bling Bog and bringing back to them "What lies beneath the waters, within the fires, and behind the smokes". The young must travel into the swamp and seek out holy sights. This journey will take them a number of days to weeks if needed. The idea is that in the three distinct locations, the young will discover ancient secrets held by the clan and then charged to carry on the traditions of secrecy and adherence to these truths. Along the way, they will be challenged by the Bog's creatures, horrid climate, and unseen or forgotten terrors that dwell just out of sight.

Components and tools

Often, the young Dragonborn do not get anything save the clothes on their backs and perhaps a weapon withwhich to defend themselves, but again, this differs from clan to clan.

Observance

It has become tradition for young Dragonborn to attend a ceremony before they set off on their Rite of Passage where they are showered in well wishes and encouragement. Their bodies are adorned with intricate ink paintings, often by their own family, depicting the pride and iconography of their kin and clan. A feast is given, a bonfire is often lit, complimented by tribal dances and storytelling through song and prose. Upon the sunrise of the following day, the clan elder would send the young Dragonborn off on their way.
At the age in which the young take on their Rite, for the age varies, they have yet to fully mature, but have physically matured enough to choose a potential mate upon their return. Should the potential mate accept the terms, they are then guarded until the Dragonborn returns or is announced to be dead by the most able of the clan.