Marriage in Dawn

Between yeomen, marriage is generally a matter of two individuals going before a noble and asking them to bless their union. All nobles have the right to bless a marriage, and in Dawn it is considered to have the same weight as a binding contract elsewhere. Both spouses must consent to the union verbally three times before two witnesses, but nothing else is required. A third witness, in the form of a troubadour, is often included as a matter of course but is not required, and while the troubadour may perform a religious ceremony after the wedding they are not involved in the actual union.

Things are not so simple when nobles marry.

Marriage brings yet another challenge for the Dawn nobility. The suitor must put their troth, to the house of their intended. The Earl of the house must set the suitor a test of their choosing, called a Test of Ardour. A request for marriage, like a request for a Test of Mettle may not be refused. If the suitor succeeds then they marry their intended, who will join the suitor's house. If the suitor fails then the house may deny the marriage or else allow it to continue but the suitor must then join the spouse's house.

In theory such a troth can be put to a house without the understanding of the man or woman that the suitor seeks to wed. In practice such behaviour is more the stuff of legend than reality. A marriage test that appears fatally difficult is a sure sign of an unwanted affection. More commonly noble lovers conspire to decide whose Earl can be persuaded to set the easier test.

Because of the unusual nature of a Dawn house, it is possible and legal for a woman to marry a brother or other close relation. Such unions are legal, but the lovers are expected to remain chaste, to avoid scandal. Those who do are usually rewarded with children from other houses to adopt, while those who don't are shunned and their children are often set impossible tests.

Perversely it is not legal for members of the same house to marry, regardless of whether they are born into the house or adopted. This seems strange to outsiders but the Dawnish believe that the house is the family, that the relationship with an adopted brother or sister is as important as that with a biological sibling. For a house to openly treat their biological children differently to their adopted children brings shame to all.

Because of the legal prohibition preventing marriage between members of a house, those who fall in love have few options. They can elope and leave Dawn or else adopt a chaste relationship. Courting and public displays of affection, appropriate for any inhabitant Dawn are allowed, but nothing more. Illegitimate children bring shame on both parents equally, they are never permitted to join their mother's house and are usually adopted by a loyal yeoman.

In theory a noble may marry a yeoman, but the yeoman is not ennobled by the marriage and such unions are rare and difficult as a result. Dalliances between the nobility and yeomanry are frowned upon, it is beneath the status of a noble to love one who has not proved themselves. Tales of yeomen inspired by love to pass the Test of Mettle are a common legend however.

Divorce is not officially recognized in Dawn. Two individuals may separate, but they remain members of the same noble house and no other noble house will accept a request for marriage from a Dawn noble while their spouse still lives. The nobility of Dawn demand adherence to the highest ideals of nobility, those who want a simple life of pleasantries should remain yeomen.