Wintermark people

Latest revision as of 07:29, 4 May 2023

The Winterfolk were once three separate peoples: the Kallavesi, the Steinr and the Suaq. Although they unified years before they joined the Empire, they preserve the heritage that made each tradition strong. Which tradition you follow is not an accident of birth but a choice made by each Winterfolk child as they reach maturity. Just as one might be born a peasant and rise to become a Thane, so someone can be born to Steinr family and leave to follow the path of a Kallavesi mystic or journey with the Suaq as a scout. Children gravitate towards whichever tradition calls most strongly to them as they come of age.

All three traditions are equally respected; they are all crucial to the survival of the nation. Although a single tradition predominates in each territory of Wintermark – this is a consequence of landscape and history – most communities include members of all three. They refer to themselves as Winterfolk, especially when talking to outsiders. They no longer consider themselves three peoples; they are one people, but with three traditions.

Many Winterfolk maintain the old belief in the Skein which says that when one decides to do something, one should be absolutely committed. Vacillation is anathema as is trying to go back on one's skein by trying to undo a decision one has made. When they hunt monsters across the icy wastes, they seek to kill all of them. When they design a fortress or a suit of armour, they strive to make it impregnable. When they go to war, they are prepared to die for their cause.

They judge people not by the company they keep or by their words, but by the things they do. They live their lives to the full, throwing themselves into whatever they are doing with gusto. They are generous in triumph but selfish in defeat. The mark of a Wintermark hero is that they take personal responsibility for their failings but they share their victories with everyone. The more people involved in a heroic deed, the more heroic it is seen to be. Whenever the Scops tell a tale of a battle, everyone who fought at that battle stands a little taller, even if their specific deeds are not recounted.

All Winterfolk admire personal heroism. They relish challenges as an opportunity to prove themselves. Battle is an obvious opportunity to show one's worth, but they also recognise the challenges that are overcome with cunning or wisdom. Whether triumph is won by force of arms, imagination and cunning or wise and profound insight does not matter to the Winterfolk. What counts is how significant and notable the triumph was and how many benefit as a result of the deed. Winterfolk heroes are those whose prowess and noble qualities serve or inspire others.

Many Winterfolk maintain the belief in the Skein

While the stereotypical Winterfolk crafter is often thought of as a weapon or armour smith, they are also known for their expertise in civil and military engineering, their construction of great fortresses and other defensive structures and their delicately engraved jewellery. The Winterfolk prize individuality, not just as people, but in the things they do and the things they make. Winterfolk crafters take immense pride in incorporating complex runes into the things they create. The Winterfolk delight in this act of creation; they enjoy making beautiful and unique things, whether it be a torc, a weapon, or a poem.

Names

Winterfolk names are primarily Saxon and Finnish in flavour.

Sample names

Aarne, Agatha, Alric, Anja, Burmoth, Cynestan, Dunstan, Eadric, Eawyn, Edith, Elina, Eomer, Emma, Esa, Gytha, Inga, Kaisa, Kye, Lyydia, Maethild, Marko, Needa, Oswald, Reet, Ricola, Siward, Suvi, Theodric, Topi, Urho, Ville, Wulfric, Wynflaed, Ymma.

N.B. Whilst some names are inspired by real world names which may be given to specific genders, Empire is a gender blind setting and people of any gender choose any name they like that is appropriate to their nation.

When they are born Winterfolk take their second names from the thane's hall to which they belong, (which in turn will have been named after its founder) or less commonly they may take the name of one of their parents. In either case, the name is adjusted to make the name flow.

The Winterfolk strive to commit deeds worthy of a name, to earn a name. This name is bestowed by the scops and is a word or phrase that reflects the character's achievements. You can create a character who has already achieved their name or one that is still looking to earn their name.

{given name} {thane's hall}ing e.g. Alric Marking (Alric of Marko's Hall), Reet Ceorling (Reet of Ceorl's Hall).
{given name} {parent's name}sson, {given name} {parent's name}sdottir or {given name} {parent's name}sbarn e.g. Hrothgar Arnesson, Adla Runasdottir, Inga Siwardsbarn
{nickname and given name} e.g. Wulfric the Bear, Wise Lyydia, Black Dow.

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
-{{CaptionedImage|file=WinterSteinr3.jpg|align=right|width=250}}
+{{CaptionedImage|file=Wintermark Clothing.jpg|align=right|width=300}}
-The [[Wintermark|Winterfolk]] were once three entirely separate peoples: the Kallavesi, the Steinr and the Suaq. Over time their blood has mingled, but they preserve the traditions that made each individual culture strong. Which tradition you follow is not an accident of birth but a choice made by every child. Just as one might be born a peasant and rise to become a Thane, so someone can be born to Steinr family and leave to follow the path of a Kallavesi mystic or journey with the Suaq as a scout. All three are respected, as all are crucial to the survival of the nation. Although each territory of Wintermark might lean towards a particular culture – a consequence of landscape and history – many communities now contain members of all three peoples. Children gravitate towards whichever culture calls most strongly to them as they come of age.
+The Winterfolk were once three separate peoples: the [[Kallavesi]], the [[Steinr]] and the [[Suaq]]. Although they unified years before they joined the Empire, they preserve the heritage that made each tradition strong. Which tradition you follow is not an accident of birth but a choice made by each Winterfolk child as they reach maturity. Just as one might be born a peasant and rise to become a Thane, so someone can be born to Steinr family and leave to follow the path of a Kallavesi mystic or journey with the Suaq as a scout. Children gravitate towards whichever tradition calls most strongly to them as they come of age.
-The Steinr came from the south originally, forced northward into an increasingly hostile land. A warlike people by necessity, they nonetheless love to create unique things of beauty and purpose. Many Steinr are warriors or smiths, but whatever their calling they are bold, uncomplicated, and outspoken; and as the loudest voices in the Nation are often seen as its political core by outsiders.
+All three traditions are equally respected; they are all crucial to the survival of the nation. Although a single tradition predominates in each territory of Wintermark – this is a consequence of landscape and history – most communities include members of all three. They refer to themselves as Winterfolk, especially when talking to outsiders. They no longer consider themselves three peoples; they are one people, but with three traditions.
-The Suaq ancestral homeland is in the extreme north on shifting floes and walls of unmelting ice. They are consummate survivors who waste nothing and take nothing for granted. Most are hunters, scouts or guides, but shrewd pragmatism is the trait they bring to whatever path they choose. The traditional Suaq garb is a tight fur coat emblazoned with drawings and symbols of powerful creatures they have slain or enemies they have overcome. In warmer climes, the coat is exchanged for tightly wrapped robes.
+Many Winterfolk maintain the old belief in the [[Wintermark Culture and Customs#Skein|Skein]] which says that when one decides to do something, one should be absolutely committed. Vacillation is anathema as is trying to go back on one's skein by trying to undo a decision one has made. When they hunt monsters across the icy wastes, they seek to kill all of them. When they design a fortress or a suit of armour, they strive to make it impregnable. When they go to war, they are prepared to die for their cause.
-{{CaptionedImage|file=WinterKallavesi2.jpg|align=left|width=210}}
-The Kallavesi are mystics whose homeland lies in and around a great cold marsh. They are the spiritual backbone of the nation, acting as seers and guardians of the dead. Many Kallavesi are shamans, magicians or priests, but the Kallavesi honour wisdom in all forms. Kallavesi hunters and warriors use their understanding of their Skein and the interpretation of omens to guide them in ways that often seem peculiar to less spiritual people. This mysticism is the essential trait of the Kallavesi, and they understand that there is more to the world than the obvious structures that are visible to everyone.
-The term Winterfolk is mostly used by outsiders, when making a point about unity, and when dealing with outsiders. When the three peoples unified as the nation of Wintermark, the term was coined as a way to refer to them as a whole. The peoples of the north are individualistic and hold on fiercely to their old traditions – consequently most people continue to refer to themselves as Suaq, Kallavesi or Steinr.
+They judge people not by the company they keep or by their words, but by the things they do. They live their lives to the full, throwing themselves into whatever they are doing with gusto. They are generous in triumph but selfish in defeat. The mark of a Wintermark hero is that they take personal responsibility for their failings but they share their victories with everyone. The more people involved in a heroic deed, the more heroic it is seen to be. Whenever the Scops tell a tale of a battle, everyone who fought at that battle stands a little taller, even if their specific deeds are not recounted.
-{{CaptionedImage|file=WinterSuaq2.jpg|align=right|width=175}}The Winterfolk, and especially the Steinr, are expert craftsmen who take immense pride in the act of creation. They treat complex runic sigil-work as a necessary part of everything they make. They are perfectionists, who value quality over mass production, and their pieces are greatly prized and copied all over the Empire. While the stereotypical Winterfolk crafter is often thought of as a weapon or armour smith, they are also known for the expertise in civil and military engineering; their construction of great fortresses and other defensive structures; their delicately engraved jewellery and their practical alchemy.
-Many Winterfolk have adopted the old Kallavesi belief in the Skein. Each person has a skein, a path down which that individual travels. Your passage along your path, your skein, is a single continuous journey even as you are born and reborn. It is wrong to say that things are predestined, like any path there are turnings that you can take. But some paths are much more auspicious than others. Divination through magic and studying omens allows the skilled shaman to discern the most favourable turns to make.
+All Winterfolk admire personal [[heroism]]. They relish challenges as an opportunity to prove themselves. Battle is an obvious opportunity to show one's worth, but they also recognise the challenges that are overcome with cunning or wisdom. Whether triumph is won by force of arms, imagination and cunning or wise and profound insight does not matter to the Winterfolk. What counts is how significant and notable the triumph was and how many benefit as a result of the deed. Winterfolk heroes are those whose prowess and noble qualities serve or inspire others.
+{{CaptionedImage|file=KiviuqSnowEagle.jpg|align=right|caption=Many Winterfolk maintain the belief in the [[Wintermark Culture and Customs#Skein|Skein]]|title=Survival. Loyalty to friends. Defence of Wintermark. A good death.|width=300}}
+While the stereotypical Winterfolk crafter is often thought of as a weapon or armour smith, they are also known for their expertise in civil and military engineering, their construction of great fortresses and other defensive structures and their delicately engraved jewellery. The Winterfolk prize individuality, not just as people, but in the things they do and the things they make. Winterfolk crafters take immense pride in incorporating complex [[runes]] into the things they create. The Winterfolk delight in this act of creation; they enjoy making beautiful and unique things, whether it be a torc, a weapon, or a poem.
+==Names==
+Winterfolk names are primarily Saxon and Finnish in flavour.
+===Sample names===
+Aarne, Agatha, Alric, Anja, Burmoth, Cynestan, Dunstan, Eadric, Eawyn, Edith, Elina, Eomer, Emma, Esa, Gytha, Inga, Kaisa, Kye, Lyydia, Maethild, Marko, Needa, Oswald, Reet, Ricola, Siward,  Suvi, Theodric, Topi, Urho, Ville, Wulfric, Wynflaed, Ymma.
+N.B. Whilst some names are inspired by real world names which may be given to specific genders, Empire is a gender blind setting and people of any gender choose any name they like that is appropriate to their nation.
-What binds the three cultures together into a strong nation is the idea of commitment to one’s choices. If you hunt the monsters of the icy wastes, let none escape you. If you design a fortress or a suit of armour, make it impregnable. If you go to war, be prepared to die for your cause. Everything you do is your choice and yours alone, and that is why you must stand by it, whatever the outcome may be.
+When they are born Winterfolk take their second names from the thane's hall to which they belong, (which in turn will have been named after its founder) or less commonly they may take the name of one of their parents. In either case, the name is adjusted to make the name flow.
-==Names==
+The Winterfolk strive to commit deeds worthy of a name, to earn a name. This name is bestowed by the scops and is a word or phrase that reflects the character's achievements. You can create a character who has already achieved their name or one that is still looking to earn their name.
-Traditional Steinr and Kallavesi names tend to fall into two patterns:
-* ''{given name} {parent's name}sson'' or ''{given name} {parent's name}sdottir'' e.g. Hrothgar Arnesson, Adla Runasdottir
-* ''{given name} ja {place}'' e.g. Aiko ja Sudenar, Eirik ja Kalpaheim (pronounced 'ya')
-Traditional Suaq names are different – the Suaq are given single names of places or creatures around them, but if it is felt that they resemble one of the elders or the dead, or the mother dreams of a dead person, the child takes that person’s name. A Suaq child’s name can change a number of times before it settles.
+* ''{given name} {thane's hall}ing'' e.g. Alric Marking (Alric of Marko's Hall), Reet Ceorling (Reet of Ceorl's Hall).
+* ''{given name} {parent's name}sson'', ''{given name} {parent's name}sdottir'' or ''{given name} {parent's name}sbarn'' e.g. Hrothgar Arnesson, Adla Runasdottir, Inga Siwardsbarn
-===Sample Names===
+* ''{nickname and given name}'' e.g. Wulfric the Bear, Wise Lyydia, Black Dow.
-* Rika Vanarsdottir
-* Mimek ja Tanika
-* Amaruq
-''Names are primarily Saxon in flavour for Steinr, Finnish for Kallavesi and Inuit for Suaq – although these have melded over the generations.''
+===Naming resources===
+* [http://www.regia.org/members/names.htm Saxon names]
+* [http://www.behindthename.com/names/usage/finnish Finnish names]
-[[Category:Wintermark]]
+{{Wintermark Links}}
-[[Category:Nations]]

Wintermark people

Latest revision as of 07:29, 4 May 2023

Contents

Names

Sample names

Naming resources

Further Reading

Profound Decisions[edit | | ]

Community[edit | | ]

Wiki Editors[edit | | ]