First Flight Ceremony

THIS ARTICLE HAS NOT BEEN EDITED. EXPECT IT TO BE ROUGH

Frisians, bearing the same name as their planet Frisia, are a bold and adventurous people. One custom that best represents this spirit is the First Flight Ceremony, where young Frisian males will fly their first solo flight on a hang-glider of their own construction.

Training

Starting at the age of ten Frisian boys are tasked with checking and repairing the Sippe's collection of hang-gliders under the strict eyes of their elders. Once they have proven that they know how to care for the hang-gliders and demonstrated the proper respect for their risks involved they are allowed to accompany their elders on flights. The boy will be strapped underneath the pilot where they can place their hands on the control bar, learning to handle the glider from the pilot's example. The boys are often tasked with acting as couriers on flights to other settlements, unstrapping from the harness once landed to deliver messages and packages.

Hang-Glider Construction

Hang-gliders require sturdy materials that are nonetheless sturdy enough to carry passengers and cargo. The best source of this material comes from the flying animal known as the Rübezahl Adler, or Rübezahl for short. Known as the Lord of the Mountains, the Rübezahl is a dragon-like apex predator with a massive 8-9 meter wingspan. It lives most of its life in the air, coming down to ground only to mate and die. Frisians will harvest leather and bones from at this point, constructing their hang-gliders with the materials as they stand watch over the Rübezahl's clutch of eggs. It is thought that the life growing in the eggs will spill out to bless the hang-gliders with safe flights. Those boys preparing for their First Flight (typically around 15 years old) will spend this time meditating with the aid of hallucinogenic plants, seeking visions from their guardian spirits. These visions are then translated into decorations for the hang-gliders.

First Flight

On the morning the Rübezahl eggs hatch the young men gather near the nest's cliff to be blessed by the resident shaman.  As the baby Rübezahl emerge from their eggs the young men stand by with bow and arrow, ready to shoot down any predators aiming for the hatchlings.  Once all the Rübezahl have launched themselves into the air safely the young men strap themselves to their hang-gliders and follow suit.  To successfully complete their first flight the young men must reach a field marked by flags and land safely.  Once done they are given a shot of hard Frisian liquor, the flavoring of which is different for each Sippe, marking the passage into adulthood and the festivities can begin.
Celebration Frisians celebrate their First Flight with a grand feast of heavily spiced grilled meat and cream based alcohols.  During this feast the young men are presented with all the materials needed to pull their weight as an adult, from weapons to a woodcarving toolset.  With each gift the young men are encouraged to drink to express their gratitude.  Eventually, once they are completely drunk, the young men and their gifts are carried to their final surprise, a freshly constructed hut to call their own.  When they wake in the morning (often with a massive headache) they will be considered adults with the right to express their thoughts in meetings and take a bride.