The Rite of Life

Now here are the rules, THERE ARE NO RULES. Make it from the starting point to the finish. The only thing you have to use are your wits and skills. Each of you have been assigned a colour, follow your coloured markings. This is timed, like that matters. Now go prepare.

— Dwarven nursery master to new group of younglings

The course takes them through mountain passes, deep gorges, and across raging rivers. Participants have only what they can make for themselves. They are permitted only the clothes on their backs when they depart. Though the trial isn't normally fatal, a number of young dwarves fail to return every year.
Some of the dwarves who do not return have chosen to leave the community altogether instead of living under their strict laws. Though most dwarves do not consider the laws strict, almost all disagree with one law or another.

History

After the War of the Mountain, the dwarven nation declared that in order to prove oneself to the community young dwarves must undertake a rite of passage. This was imposed to ensure that those who remained in the Citadel would continue the embargo on the elven island. This is because the dwarves had forced the elves off the continent and onto the island during the war.

Execution

The Rite of Life is an extended survival obstacle course. The participants are all about the age of 55. Leaving the Citadel at dawn they have to be out for at least two weeks. Surviving by their wits and with whatever tools they can craft out of natural materials. This means they can craft metal tools if they can find the ore and smelt it down.

Observance

When a group of young dwarves reach the age of 55 they need to prove their worth by completing an obstacle course. This is not normally to the death, however, many young dwarves have been known to perish while on the course.