Clann'aosche (clehn-ow-shuh)

The Clann'aosche is the elven ceremony that marks the transition to adulthood at around age 50. Elves spend their first half-century learning from their village or those around them all they can - not limited to teachings by other elves. In larger cities, elves will take on apprenticeships for a few years learning a trade like smithing from a non-elf. The main premise is to sharpen one's mind by gathering a wide array of knowledge and experience. Then, at the Clann'aosche ceremony a young elf recounts their experiences and reflects on the knowledge they have gained. They are asked a series of questions by their elders and with any decent responses are allowed their token of adulthood, known simply as an Aosche.
The timing of the Clann'aosche is up to the individual elf. Some choose to have theirs as soon as they turn 50, while others "sign up" for the rite earlier or later, whenever they feel they are ready to take on adulthood. There is no requirement for elves to perform the Clann'aosche at any age, but elven society strongly browbeats their youth into doing it as close to 50 as possible.

History

The first Clann'aosche rites were performed millennia ago in the forest city of Fianna'bhaile, the ancestral home of the elves. To mark the end of a young life of learning, the elves devised a special ceremony to shepherd their youth into adulthood. The specifics of the ritual have changed over the years, and each clan of elves does things slightly differently. Yet, the elves of the early First Age would certainly recognize the modern Clann'aosche. The rite can also be edited or adjusted for adverse circumstances, like a group of exiles or refugees celebrating their youths' coming of age without having had access to a wealth of knowledge and experience.

Execution

The specifics of the Clann'aosche are left up to each elven clan or group, but the main formula is the same as it always has been. The young elves will, one by one, stand in front of their community - their immediate families and the clan elders are present, but anyone from the wider elven community is welcome to join - and tell the tales of what they have seen and learned in their first half-century of life. Then, the elders will ask them philosophical questions to determine if they are able to think as mature adults; almost no one is turned down at this phase, as the elders are looking for critical thinking skills and for the individuals to use evidence or experience from their young lives to back up their views. Once the young elf is deemed mature in thought, they are presented with a token to mark their completion of the ritual.
Some elven clans - namely larger clans in large cities - limit the young elves to one or two major experiences, to speed up the ritual and avoid having each young elf speak for hours at a time. Others - typically the small, isolated villages or diaspora - are a bit more harsh with their judgments of maturity and require elves who do not meet their expectations to come back each year until they are satisfactory. Some accuse these clans of fomenting dogma and forcing certain ideologies on their young instead of simply measuring if they can think and operate as adults. Some clans - with no discernible similarities or common characteristics - hold the rituals over several nights, devoting one night to each of the Clann'aosche youth, while others prefer to have one long feast lasting several days to take care of everyone in one go.

Components and tools

The ritual of Clann'aosche itself does not have any materials or specific items used. However, at the end of the rite each elf who successfully completes their requirements is given a token of some sort, known as an Aosche. In some clans, this is a coin-sized token of bronze or copper with the clan name and motto; for others, it is a gem-encrusted brooch or trinket meant to be worn and displayed proudly. In yet other clans, there is no predetermined formula for an Aosche, and the individual youth has to create something that resonates with them for their own token.

There is no specific requirement in elven culture for what form this token must take or any details about it, so each clan is free to express their individual values and creativity. For some elves and some clans, these tokens are worn and displayed every day like an ID badge - at least for a few years after the Clann'aosche - to show that the elf in question is not a child any more. For others, it is a sentimental token that is displayed prominently in the home on a shelf or table centerpiece. And for others it is simply a token to show the transition to adulthood, which is shoved in some drawer or chest and not seen again for decades. Wealthier elven families typically augment the clan's Aosche with a token or gift of their own, given to commemorate their family member's adulthood.

Observance

The rite of Clann'aosche is typically celebrated - or at least begun - mid-spring during the Rain Maiden's Feast. This time celebrates the elven ties to nature and blesses the newly planted crops for a hopefully bountiful harvest. This reflects very strongly what th elves hope to accomplish with their Clann'aosche ceremonies: to bless the new adults that they may turn into prosperous and long-lived members of society. For some clans, only one day of the three-day festival is devoted to the Clann'aosche, while others take all three nights or even go past the springtime holiday.