| Bredalbane |
12-07-2003 10:02 AM |
..'cause 20 YOA is unrealistic in a medieval environment. Here is a usual timeline for a medieval human(and perhaps half-elf) male. This is assuming your family is above the rank of dirt peasant(who were actually serfs tied to the land, in most cases).
1.WARRIOR TYPE:At approximately 7-8 years you are "squired" out, usually to another family, and start as a page. You learn the low grunt work of knighthood, maintaining armor and weapons and grooming horses, etc. You start to practice with weapons that are within your strength. At 13-14 years you actually become a squire to one warrior. Your weapon abilities are polished and you actually become a competent fighter. At 16 years, while you may never become a knight, you are now of age to work as a warrior in the hire of some lord or lady. You probably can't read and will never learn. You will be able to write just enough to make your "sign".
2.CLERIC/MAGE TYPE: These are usually second or later sons, and they will probably start out as page. When/if they show aptitude for learning they will be offered the opportunity to advance in the church/coven(or whatever). This is tempting to later sons because they will probably NOT inherit(male primogeniture was the rage in this period). You WILL become at LEAST bilingual, your vernacular and at least Latin, but probably Greek too. The process of higher education will usually add 2-3 years to your development, but you will be "in the world" by 18-19 YOA.
3.BARD/THIEF TYPE: These type people are the "edge" of society, and develop via apprenticeships to an adult of the type. Putting bards in with thieves is appropriate because(if you don't know by now, you should!) musicians and the music industry in general, is very shady.
OK, that's my rant and I'm stikin' to it! How the other intelligent races develop into adulthood I don't know, but human(and perhaps half-elf) would most CERTAINLY have been in the world before 20 YOA.
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