Age Categories

Social Age Categories

There are approximately four to six socially defined age categories in Stenza culture.

Pups

Pup defines any individual from birth to approximately age two, when they begin a biological and psychological shifting process. Pups are not named, and frequently intermingle to the point where it is very difficult to determine their origins, let alone keep them confined there.

Children

Children are individuals who are two years of age to approximately the earliest onset of puberty. This is the age group most engaged in structured social behavior as defined by others: education, children's mystery cults, and so forth. They may be set on a path toward becoming religious expert. Most express opinions on a wide variety of subjects, which were likely held since they were pups.

Young Adolescents

Young adolescents have entered puberty, and will begin engaging in minor tasks to help care for those younger than themselves. They may become apprenticed into the mystery cult's "leadership", or begin training as a hunter, weaver, or other such thing. (It is fairly common but not widespread for such training to start younger; skills such as hunting or storytelling are especially known for this, due to their centrality to Stenza culture at large.) Often individuals at this stage process ideas of what they want to be when they grow up, and begin planning for the future.

Older Adolescents

Older adolescents are preparing for the Citizenship Trial, or weighing if they want to partake at all (for a variety of practical and emotional reasons, including fears about dying). They become more involved in the "adult" life of the clan, training in certain areas becomes more advanced, and they may engage in their first romantic or sexual relationships (of course, strictly within this category). Although pregnancy in this category is rare, abortion is an option and additionally, all pups are considered to be in the legal care of the adults in their vicinity, reducing the burden of childrearing considerably.

Adults

Adults have made the decision about the Citizenship Trial and have either undergone it or elected not to as befits their circumstances. They can be further split into the legal categories of "citizen" and "civilian" as a result of this, although the distinction is considered "without a difference", except in certain fields such as the military. They are free to engage in relationships with one another but take on full responsibility of pups, children, and adolescents (see below).
Adults are free to change careers if their values or circumstances also change, although civilian or citizen status remains unchanged except in egregious breaches of law.

Elders

Elders, the clan droghi, are often considered a separate social category from adults, due to their longevity. They can provide wisdom in all sorts of forms (from interesting advice to tough love and all forms in between), and due to their age are generally exempt from more arduous tasks and lines of work. Many are storytellers, religious experts, and so on.

Legal Age Categories

Despite the social nuances, only two categories are codified into law as having any significance.

Children

Legally, Stenza define "child" as any individual who has not made a decision on the Citizenship Trial (although putting this off forever is considered extremely unusual). Children are afforded special legal protections designed to keep them safe from bad actors and foster an environment in which they can learn and figure out their place in the wider society. They are also completely exempt from any civilian/citizen distinction applied to adults, being considered collective wards.

Adults

Legal adults are responsible for the protection and care of children (not simply their own by birth; all children, or more practically, all children around them). Because pups especially are known to be troublesome, Stenza have systems put into place designed to ensure that keeping them alive is easier. As children age, adults become the providers of their education, both formally and informally (besides the multifaceted religion/history/dance education provided by religious experts, Stenza children also learn informally by listening to storytellers or observing adults and asking questions). Some of this responsibility is socially but not legally shared with older adolescents (who one could think of as being "apprenticed" into adulthood in this manner).