Froyalanish sexual rites
The Froyalanish sexual rites, known to the Froyalanish as "Love's Great Adventure", were a collection of sexual rites that had become institutionalized by the Elwynnese government during Elwynn's Vanic era (1623–1651). To the Froyalanish, sexual rites were part of a system of maintaining societal control, the people's loyalty, and affording the Froyalanish elite hedonistic pleasure from its subjects.
All the rites and practices were derived from the very similar ones in Stormark, and then "ret-conned" to have an "ancient" standing in the Elwynnese culture.
Primae Noctis
The subordinate Kingdom of Amokolia, for example, granted King Noah and his sister the right of sexual intercourse with any newly wed couple before the consummation of the union. Although legally voluntarily, societal pressure made it very difficult for Froyalanish couples not to petition for this "ritual". Other ethnic groups tended to outright refuse such "petition", unless they were intimately connected with the governments of Amokolia or Elwynn. Local feudal lords and ladies enjoyed the same rights over their subjects. Although not institutionalized officially in the rest of Elwynn, it was nonetheless widely practised by the Froyalanish population and wherever a Froyalanish lord or lady held feudal title.
A number of lynchings after the Auspicious Occasion were directly traced back to the abuse of this so-called voluntary prerogative by those in positions of authority.
The practice of primae noctis was also adopted in the Natopian region of Uppland, also under the control of King Noah. Public outcry in 1657 from both government and Bovic officials went unheeded by King Noah and directly resulted in the Uppheaval in 1663.
Konungstekja
The Konungstekja ("royal investiture") was the live-televised (with much detail) investiture ceremony of King Noah upon his coming of age in 1634. The ceremony was an acted out Froyalanish play where Noah was "married" to the "goddess Elwynn" (actually a priestess-actress by the name of Thóra Njálsdóttir). Noah and "Elwynn" then engaged in a ritual bath where Noah suckled her breasts and drank her milk. Thereafter, to the tunes of a choir singing the Ballad of the Bed of Orchids (from where "Plow my vulva!" is a memorable line in the public consciousness), Noah and his bride consummated the "union" before the cameras. During the sexual act, Noah kept sucking the milk out of his "wife". Thóra was afterwards died either during or immediately after the completion of the Konungstekja from strangulation.
Gleðiganga
The Gleðiganga ("walk of joy") was a ritual whereby women, who had been called by the King or one of the Froyalanish sisterhoods, walked naked throughout their locality with honey and milk poured over their bodies. The practice was notorious for attracting an immense number of flies and other insects, which would swarm the body of the poor initiate, rendering her a disgusting and loathsome sight to behold.
Godgifusríða
In Amokolia, if a woman rode naked on a horseback in throughout bailiwick for one whole day, then for that month of the year, everyone in the bailiwick would for that year receive a 39% tax discount for that month. As such, there was much public incentive to pressure women into performing the rite of Godgifusríða.
Heiðrdans
The Heiðrdans was a ritual dance performed by women in the naked whereby in order to be admitted to certain sister hoods or jobs in the national service, the prospectives would have to dance naked with movements simulating sexual thrusting and orgasm.
Loftklæddir
Loftklæddir, being "sky-clad" (i.e. naked), was a tradition practised by the Froyalanish. By making a solemn vow to the gods, they promised to spend as much of their lives as weather and customs would allow naked, in honour of Froyalanish sexuality.
Criticisms
There are many moral and ethical objections that could be raised against the cultural practices described in the text. Some of the most obvious objections include:
- The institution of primae noctis, which granted King Noah and his sister the right to have sexual intercourse with any newlywed couple, is a violation of the newlyweds' right to sexual autonomy and consent.
- The Konungstekja ceremony, which involved live-televised sexual acts between King Noah and the "goddess Elwynn", could be seen as a form of sexual exploitation and objectification of women.
- The Gleðiganga ritual, which involved women walking naked with honey and milk poured over their bodies, could be seen as a form of public humiliation and degradation.
- The Godgifusríða rite, which involved women riding naked on horseback for a day in order to receive a tax discount for their community, could be seen as a form of coercion and exploitation.
- The Heiðrdans ritual, which required women to dance naked with movements simulating sexual thrusting and orgasm in order to be admitted to certain sisterhoods or jobs, could be seen as a form of discrimination and degradation.
- The practice of being "sky-clad" (naked) as a vow to the gods could be seen as a form of religious coercion and sexual exploitation.
Taken together, these cultural practices can be seen as a violation of individuals' rights to autonomy, consent, dignity, and equality. They are also likely to create a culture of exploitation and objectification of women, as well as promote discrimination and degradation based on gender and social status.
