Thinking Medieval with a Twist: Taboos and Norms on Sex in Scarterra

I realize the potential to accidental create offense or controversy on this subject is high. It is not my intention to make social commentary or push a cultural agenda. My main goal is to try to figure out what Scarterran sexual norms would be realistically based on their environment.   Norms and values in Scarterra very a lot from culture to culture and even person to person. The material below is a very broad surface level covering of the subject.   One thing that greatly impacts Scarterran sexual norms reduced child mortality putting substantially less pressure on Scarterrans to have procreative sex, but I realize that is not the only thing to impact sexual norms, I believe anthropologically it is the biggest factor driving Earth sexual norms and taboos.  

-Priest Benek of Cult of the Compact

 

The Nine can communicate with mortals directly or almost directly, via messenger spirits or oracles. They don't do this too often, but when they do its often written down for posterity. On some subjects the Nine have a lot to say. On other subjects, their silence can be deafening.   If you ask an oracle, who is the real father, the oracle will usually answer, but only if explicitly asked. Oracles do not answer questions like 'Should I marry this person or that person?' No messenger spirit or oracle has laid broad guidelines for what is or is not appropriate for courtship or intercourse.   The Nine either do not care about these things, or they want us to work it for ourselves.   None of the Nine have demanded clerical celibacy but many priesthoods have opted to implement a policy of it. The idea is that a priest or priestess can not or should not be able to properly serve the Nine and their spouse and children.   The counter argument is that a priest or priestess should marry and raise children in their faith to serve a living example for the common worshipers they serve.   I practice clerical celibacy myself but I'm not going to disparage those who do not.

     

Marriage Norms

  Compared to medieval humans, Scarterran humans usually get married a little bit later. For Scarterran humans, sixteen is usually considered legal marrying age, nineteen or twenty is considered normal marrying age, and twenty-four is when family really turn up the pressure on "when are you getting married?". Child brides are taboo in most of Scarterra, at least post Red Era.   Compared to medieval humans, Scarterrans are a little bit less prone to rely on forcing their offspring into political or economically motivated arranged marriages. In this case, this one aspect where Scarterran peasants enjoy more freedom and privilege than the children of their highborn lords.   Scarterrans are a little bit more open-minded about choosing to remain child-free though a lot of young men and women who want to remain child-free ending up joining a priesthood of some sort because most temples encourage but do not require clerical celibacy. Child-less adults get a lot of legitimacy in the eyes of their family and neighbors if they become clerics.  

Pre-marital Sex

  Compared to medieval humans, Scarterrans are a little bit more open-minded about recreational sex. Scarterrans have reasonably good access to herbal remedies that are almost as effective as modern contraceptive medicine.   Peasant or prince, being born a bastard is a social black mark in most Scarterran societies. As long as bastard children don't pop up, many Scarterrans will "look the other way" at non-marital sex that does not result in bastard children. A lot of bastard children end up joining a temple or holy order to gain a degree of legitimacy in the eyes of their family and neighbors.   Note, highborn society usually has stricter sexual norms and taboos than peasant society. Whether peasant or prince, a first born sons and daughters normally face a lot more scrutiny over their romantic endeavors than a third or fourth son or daughter because that's where most of the inheritance is going. Many parents are upset if their eldest children take up a clerical calling but are delighted if their younger children take up a clerical calling. Many bastard children of nobles are "voluntold" to take up clerical callings.   Adultery is still considered a serious taboo in most Scarterran society even if doesn't result in bastard children though that certainly makes things much more scandalous.  

Beyond Heterosexual Sex

  Compared to medieval humans, Scarterrans are a little bit more open-minded about non-heterosexual sex, but it's still not always considered socially acceptable. A lot of Scarterrans who lean this way end up joining Rovers or Stewards who are generally the most accepting groups in this regards, and doing so will give them a bit of legitimacy in the eyes of their family and neighbors. The Stewards are so closely associated with it that "leafers" is a common slang term for gays and lesbians.  

Norms on Modesty and Fashion

  This varies a lot from culture to culture in Scarterra. In general, Scarterrans are more modesty focused than modern humans, but less conservative on this than the medieval humans. Admittedly, that's a huge spectrum.   I'll flesh out the specific later, but one thing that is noticeably different from medieval Europe is that a Scarterran peasant woman or noblewoman will not create a scandal for wearing pants. It's a little non-standard but its not offensive at least if the women in question live active lifestyles. Scarterran women seldom ride side-saddle.