Day Before Swords
The Day Before Swords is a coming of age ritual that young city elves partake in. It originates from the time of the Second Exalted March, when young elven children had to join the elven militia in fighting against Orlesian forces. Despite not being at war currently, this tradition has been carried down into the culture of modern city elves.
The point of the ritual is to celebrate one's growing into maturity. Before this celebration, the child's parents take responsibility for the child's actions. After this point, the child is meant to be an adult. It is meant to be a "grand hurrah" before growing into maturity. The child is gifted finely-made, colorful clothes by their parents and these are meant to be worn both on the ritual day as well as special occasions in the future. This outfit is an item to be cherished for the rest of the child's life.
Different alienages celebrate this ritual at different ages, but always on the day before the child's birthday. Some alienages celebrate this on the day before a child turns thirteen, while others celebrate it later around sixteen years old. To create even more variation, some alienages like to perform this ritual only once a year or once a month with all the children who came to age since the last Day.
History
This ritual harkens back to the days of the Second Exalted March, when young elven children from the Dales were drafted into military service once their people started losing the war against Orlais. Stories suggest that the Day Before Swords had a different name back then and that it was somewhat of a sorrowful celebration before an elf turned thirteen. Once the child turned thirteen, they were meant to leave their home and begin their military training. Unfortunately, many of those young children never came home and met the end of their life at the end of a chevalier's blade.
With all this considered, the Day Before Swords is no longer meant to represent that sorrow. Instead, it helps serve as a reminder to the younger generations that at one point in history a child as young as them had to live the terrible reality of a war. This celebration helps remind them of their youth, freedom, expressiveness, and overall better lives.
Execution
For a child who has their Day Before Swords, they start their morning by meeting with the alienage's hahren and confessing those sins that they've committed as a child. The hahren absolves them of their previous sins and burdens in a somewhat symbolic gesture, allowing the child to grow into adulthood without the weight of childish mistakes. After doing so, the child is then given their new, fine garments to wear for the rest of the day. What comes next depends on the family as well as the alienage. Poorer families may have a small Day where they celebrate together based on the wishes of the child, while larger families or families that live comfortably may have huge celebrations and feasts. Some alienages have the child recite portions of literature regarding the Emerald Knights or the Chant of Light. Alienages that celebrate multiple childrens' Days on the same calendar date have been described by humans as "riot-like", but most city elves contentedly acknowledge that such celebrations are something that outsiders will never understand. In truth, city elves adore this day because it is something they can hold onto that reminds them of who they are despite all the cultural influences surrounding them at every given moment.
At the end of the Day, the mother of the child whose Day it is is supposed to throw away something that serves as a material connection to that child's youth. If the mother is not present, then the father would do so. If the father is not present, the child's guardian or the alienage's hahren will do this. This is done to symbolize the end of of childhood, and the beginning of a new time for the new adult.
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