The Sixteenth Year
In Silverwick, a person comes of age at sixteen—the year when Glimmers finish manifesting, when childhood ends, when you become a full member of the community with adult responsibilities and privileges.
Sixteen marks transformation. Before, you're a child—protected, taught, given lighter duties. After, you're an adult—expected to contribute fully, make decisions, perhaps apprentice or join the Watch.
Most importantly, by sixteen, your Glimmers are set. What magic you'll carry for life has revealed itself.
The coming-of-age process involves two ceremonies: one intimate and personal, held at home with family; one communal and celebratory, held monthly with all youth turning sixteen that month.
The Family Ceremony
The family ceremony happens on or near the young person's actual sixteenth birthday. This is private, sacred, focused on lineage and personal transition.
Preparation: Families prepare for weeks. Home cleaned thoroughly. Special foods gathered. The young person receives new clothes—their first truly adult garments, made specifically for this occasion.
Most significantly, the family prepares the Record.
The Family Record: Every family maintains a record—a book, scroll, or carved wooden tablets—documenting significant events across generations. Births, deaths, marriages, achievements. The coming-of-age ceremony adds the newest adult to this chronicle.
For wealthy families, the Record might be a beautiful bound book. For poorer families, a simple ledger or notches carved into a family heirloom. The form doesn't matter. What matters is continuity—you are being written into your family's story.
The Evening: The ceremony happens at sunset. Family gathers—parents, siblings, grandparents, aunts, uncles, close cousins. Perhaps family friends or the young person's master if apprenticed.
The Feast: First, the meal. Often the best food the family will serve all year outside Yuletide. Everyone eats together, toasting the young person, sharing childhood stories. The young person sits at the head of the table—first time receiving this honor.
Father Solace's Reading: After the meal, Father Solace arrives (or another elder if he cannot attend). He performs the Reading of Transition in three parts:
The Acknowledgment: "You were born [name]. You were child of [parents' names]. You have lived sixteen winters. You have reached the age of knowing. What was potential is now revealed."
The Ancient Words: He speaks a passage in that old language—same incomprehensible tongue used in the Tithe and Founding Day ceremonies. No one knows what it means, but tradition demands it.
The Charge: Solace speaks in common tongue about adult responsibilities—contribution to community, protection of the vulnerable, honest work, honor to family and town. Practical, realistic advice about what adulthood requires.
Recording in the Family Record: After the Reading, formal recording happens. The young person's parent (or eldest family member) opens the Family Record and writes:
Name: [Full name] Born: [Date] Came of Age: [Date—this date] Glimmers: [List of manifested Glimmers, or "None"] Parents: [Names] Witnesses: [Those present] Notes: [Optional personal details]
This entry is permanent. Decades from now, the young person's children and grandchildren will read this, know when their ancestor came of age, what Glimmers they carried.
If the young person manifested Glimmers, this documents magical lineage. If none manifested, that's recorded too without shame. Most people have none.
The Gifts: Family members present gifts—typically practical items the young person will need as an adult. Tools for their trade, weapons if joining the Watch, quality clothing, a carved token symbolizing the family.
The Closing: Father Solace offers final blessing: "May you survive many winters. May you strengthen your community. May you honor your family's name."
The young person is officially adult. Tomorrow, adult responsibilities begin.
The Community Ceremony
Once per month, Silverwick holds a community coming-of-age celebration for all youth who turned sixteen that month. This is public, festive—the counterbalance to the intimate family ceremony.
Timing: Held on the last evening of each month in the market plaza on The Hearthstone. Weather doesn't matter—it happens regardless of cold or snow.
Who Participates: All sixteen-year-olds whose birthday fell during that month. Some months have many, others few. Occasionally a month has none and the ceremony is skipped.
The young people dress in their new adult clothes, often adding ribbons, flowers (during thaw), or decorations.
The Gathering: As sunset approaches, townspeople gather. Frost-Moss lanterns are lit. Musicians tune instruments. Matron Bess sets up her cider stall. The atmosphere is light, anticipatory.
The Presentation: As darkness falls, someone of authority—Father Solace, Guildmaster Thorne, or Watch Captain Frost—formally presents the new adults to the community.
Each young person steps forward as their name is called: "[Name], child of [parents], sixteen years survived, now adult in this community."
The crowd applauds. This continues until all are presented. Then: "Silverwick welcomes its newest adults. May they strengthen our walls, warm our hearths, and survive many winters."
The Dance: Music starts—lively folk tunes on fiddles, drums, flutes. The new adults are expected to dance first. Circle dances, line dances, partner dances where you switch frequently. The point is movement, joy, connection.
After the new adults dance, everyone joins. For several hours, the plaza becomes celebration—people dancing, talking, laughing despite the cold.
The new adults are center of attention. Others congratulate them, welcome them, offer advice, tell embarrassing childhood stories, introduce them to potential romantic interests.
Food and Drink: Vendors provide special treats. Matron Bess serves hot cider. Garrick brings ale for those old enough (which now includes the new adults). Fresh bread, roasted nuts, whatever can be prepared.
The new adults often receive free food as gifts from vendors.
The Bonfire: At the plaza's edge, a large bonfire burns. People gather for warmth, conversation, storytelling. The new adults are invited to throw tokens into the fire—carved symbols representing childhood things they're leaving behind. This is optional and personal.
The Duration: The celebration lasts three to four hours. Eventually, music slows, people drift homeward. The new adults help clean the plaza—first adult community duty, performed the night of their public coming of age.
What Changes After
Coming of age brings real, practical changes:
Work: You contribute fully now. Apprenticeships become serious. If you join the Watch, you're a full guard.
Voice: You can speak at community gatherings. Your opinion matters.
Marriage: You're now eligible, though many wait years.
Responsibility: You're fully responsible for your actions. Break a law, face adult consequences.
Rationing: You receive an adult's share of food during winter—larger than a child's, but you work harder to earn it.
Glimmer Registration: If you manifested Glimmers, you're on the Guild of Frost's registry—available for wall maintenance and civic duties.
Military Service: Eligible for Watch duty. During emergencies, you can be conscripted to defend walls.
The transition is real. Yesterday, you were protected. Today, you're a protector.
The Importance of Glimmers
The ceremonies have particular significance around Glimmers because sixteen is when manifestation completes.
Multiple Glimmers: Young people with three or more are noted specifically. These individuals are valuable, watched carefully, often recruited for specific roles. Their family ceremony is often attended by Guild representatives or craft masters.
No Glimmers: Most people manifest none. This is normal, expected, not shameful. The ceremony records "None" matter-of-factly.
Late Bloomers: Occasionally, a Glimmer manifests at seventeen or eighteen—rare but possible. The family quietly updates their Record.
The Fear: Families with children showing very early Glimmers (suggesting high potential) approach the ceremony with mixed feelings. Pride in abilities, but also worry—because too many Glimmers can be dangerous.
By sixteen, you know what you are. And the community knows what to expect from you.
Cultural Significance
The two-ceremony structure serves important purposes:
Family Ceremony: Emphasizes lineage, heritage, private identity. You're being added to your family's ongoing story. Intimate, about who you are to those who know you best.
Community Ceremony: Emphasizes belonging, public identity, social integration. You're being welcomed into Silverwick's adult community. About who you are to the town.
Both are necessary. You're simultaneously individual with unique family history AND member of a larger community that depends on you.
The duality reflects Silverwick's survival strategy: strong families create strong individuals, but only strong community ensures survival.
The ceremonies make this explicit: We acknowledge you as unique person with specific abilities and heritage. We also acknowledge you as part of something larger than yourself.
In endless winter, you survive through personal strength and community support. The coming-of-age ceremonies honor both truths.