Naming - Valtarus

The annual Naming ceremony is an individual's first step towards becoming recognized as a Valtaran citizen. This is a particularly important milestone, since non-citizens do not have any protections under Valtaran law. There is no legal recourse for crimes committed against children or foreigners, including murder. Rape is considered to be a crime against decency and is therefore prosecuted regardless of the victim's status as a citizen. (This lack of legal protections is why almost all the merchants that visit the Valta Mountains are citizens rather than foreigners.)
After the Naming, participants are titled apprentices and are no longer considered children. They are then sent to an assigned settlement, generally one which they have never visited and where they have no family or other connections. There, they work until their apprenticeship is finished, two years later, when they achieve citizenship. At that point, they may chose to stay with their masters to further their trade, join the military as mercenaries, or travel freely and seek work as they may find it. It is rare that a Valtaran will chose to become a mercenary after this point in time, as there is a definite expectation that the decision is made upon completion of their training
Although far from enjoying the full protections of a citizen, apprentices have the rights to room and board, healing, fair wages, and ownership of personal possessions. While technically having a right to life, they can legally be beaten or killed by their masters for a huge variety of offenses, including theft, wasting materials, tardiness to work, negatively effecting their master's business or reputation, pursuing romantic interests, leaving the premises without permission, and many others.

Execution

During the ceremony, each apprentice is branded on their shoulder with the year of their Naming. This mark serves as proof of their status as an apprentice and later as a citizen.