"The Tour" or "Tour" is a journey undertaken by youths for the purpose of education. It's meant to teach a variety of skills, such as survival, combat, teamwork, culture and occupational experience.
Tour is usually begun between the ages of 12 and 19, in groups of 2-8. Youths choose when they are ready to start tour and it's normal to complete 2-6 tours each ranging between 2-3 years at a time.
The journey starts from a person's home town, whereupon they travel from city to city across the world, eventually coming back to their home where they either pick up an occupation or take a few weeks of preparation before undertaking the next Tour.
There are several regular paths people can choose to travel and along these paths there are cities, towns and throughfares that are available for traveler's to rest at.
All people are required to learn as much as possible during Tour so once they are satisfied with their travels they can choose what they'd like to continue doing during their life.
Since most towns operate on barter systems people learn where their interests lie and what types of skills they excel at. This enables them to choose a profession that best suits them and even allows for apprenticing where there is openings.
Examples:
A youth who is skilled in elemental energism needs a place to sleep and provisions for the next section of The Tour. A local produce vendor may need assistance with failing crops. The youth can offer to assist with correcting the issue with the crops in exchange for a bed and rations from the vendor. Or, if the vendor does not need assistance but has a comrade in need of an energist, they can work out a 3-way barter.
A youth who is skilled in combat may offer their services to the local peacekeepers in exchange for a monetary reward, items of necessity or spending a few weeks training from local seasoned warriors.
Youths who do not particularly excel in any one skill may work for all manner of local masters and by doing so may find an occupation they do excel at, or work they particularly enjoy.
It's not uncommon for a person to find a place other than their original home where they feel comfortable and may decide to stay where they are or train for several years before returning home.
There are many places where people may train their skills located all around the world. Elemental energists will typically choose their Tour path based around the 4 Kildonan Houses of Learning (North, South, East and West) and fighters may choose paths that take them through large cities that employ peacekeepers or martial arts houses.
