Test of Grouse

History

The origins of this tradition predate Year Zero, and is considered an extremely formal exercise.

Execution

The initiator gives a Scarlet Grouse to the other party. The other party chooses what to do next based on the relationship to the initiator that they are willing to acknowledge.
-To signify that the receiver is a servant of the initiator, they will cook the grouse and give it back. This is done by vassals as well.

-To signify that they are equals, the receiver will cook the grouse and they will share it, or the receiver will send back portions of the meat, preserved. This is also done to signify and acknowledge an alliance.

-To signify that the receiver believes that they are better, they will cook the grouse and eat it in front of the initiator, or simply send the bones back if the initiator is distant. This is to assert an intention to dominate.

-To signify a state of war, the receiver will not cook the grouse but instead will either fletch or tie the feathers to three arrows and send it back. This is sometimes delivered via bowshot, to really drive the point home.

Components and tools

Scarlet Grouse

Participants

This ceremony is usually performed between leaders.
Common folk tend to scoff at it, though it is the source of several common colloquialisms