Cabed Maitulie
Return to the World
After the disaster of The First Armada the elves have been sending their children to Faerie so that the 100 years it takes to reach adulthood can happen in less than a decade here in the world. The returning elves, called Entulesse, take a year to prepare for their adult responsibilities.
I'm no elf-hugger, but them Entulesse know how to party! You gotta respect an elf who can drink an orc under the table! There's a rave in Menelost Telperion tonight! You know where Uncle Kill Flayer's gonna be!
When Entulesse Elves return as adults from the Feywild they are given a year in the mortal world to adjust to life in the Prime. This rite of passage is referred to as "Cabed Maitulie" which translates from elven to "Leaping Happy Arrival".
It is expected that a significant portion of that time will be taken up with exploring the world, debauchery, and sowing wild oats. The elders want the new adults to get all of that out of their systems before they take on the responsibilities of waging war on the Shattered Moon and re-establishing the elven race.
Ancient Customs For a Modern World
The custom of Cabed Maitulie originates from ancient coming-of-age rituals among the elves. Originally, all of the elves born the same year would be celebrated by an elven community on the Summer Solstice of their Hundreth Year. A great feast would be held with music and dancing. The young elves would formally begin the process of finding their Youthful Beloved, the first spouse of their long lives who they might or might not spend the rest of their lives with.
This first marriage is considered the most important, so families encourage their offspring to make a good match. Any children from this initial union would be the first heirs to any familial legacy and probably future leaders. Marrying for love is saved for later centuries in an elf's life.
When the year of Cabed Maitulie ends, the young elf will have chosen, or been given, the adult name that they will take with along with the responsibilities of adulthood. They enter into the duties of their new life with a new name that defines their destiny.
I really love their view on marriage here :D Seems like a great balance between being practical and being happy! And that whole year going nuts and partying sound fun :p
Thanks for the comment! Always fun how these prompts wriggle around when you grab them and try to turn into something else. I had to make a stub while doing this for "Elven Wedding Rituals" and set it aside for either another prompt or after Summer Camp!
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