Ealdvolkir

Ealdvolkir, also called Wealdir or simply Volkir, are a people hailing from Elys, claiming Aldrich the Smith as their great ancestor. Aldrich was a mythic figure said to have apprenticed under Thyrgr himself, who brought the first bonds of civilization to Man. In spite of a long and tumultuous history, the Ealdvolkir have carved out an empire on the eastern shores of Medhyos, and still populate their ancestral homelands, if sparsely and with great toil. It is said that many Ealdvolkir carry fey blood from days of old, akin to the Öthingir.

Dress
Ealdvolkir favor traditional robes and tunics, usually of simple color, embroidered or otherwise embellished, perhaps with jewelry or various trinkets.

Dwellings
From the Elder Days onwards, Ealdvolkir have been at the forefront of civilization. Today, their great cities stand as testaments to the accomplishments of Man, where thousands may gather and live, pursuing their lives in (relative) peace.

Values
Ealdvolkir have a troubled history with Thyrgr. He is both revered as the patron of Man and source of much of the Ealdvolkir's old splendor, but also resented and distrusted, as it was the Fairy King Bélogh, Thyrgr's own son, who brought ruin to Elys and her people. The warrior culture of old has been sworn off, and physical craftsmanship has given way to philosophy and art. Those who still pursue violence are considered "Blooded", and are treated as lesser Men, only barely above beasts and fae. In turn, intellectuals, merchants, and natural philosophers are valued more highly among the Ealdvolkir than anywhere else on Úr, giving rise to an academic class of nobles.

Notable customs
Ealdvolkri society is larger than that of other Men by far, and plays host to a number of institutions entirely foreign to other folk. Perhaps most notable is that city-states are rarely run by a single ruler, but rather by a council of lords representing various groups among the citizenry. Commonly, these will be the heads of major guilds and academies, influential politicians, and powerful merchants. The exception to this is Herwos, which is ruled solely by a long line of so-called Philosopher Kings.

Naming conventions
In the Elder Days, it was common for Ealdvolkir to take surnames denoting profession or physical traits. Societies were still small enough that it was reasonable to distinguish between two men named Callum by calling one Callum Smith and the other Callum Black, for example. Today, family and house names have come to hold strong political sway, and so a surname might follow family descendants for generations.

Common male names

 * Agumund
 * Aldor
 * Amalric
 * Anselm
 * Ash
 * Auric
 * Callum
 * Eamon
 * Eorlund
 * Haegmund
 * Haegraf
 * Hergos
 * Leander
 * Lundas
 * Rowan
 * Sewol
 * Sol
 * Suwen
 * Terric
 * Wystan

Common female names

 * Alari
 * Arome
 * Béra
 * Birch
 * Cathyl
 * Elenore
 * Endellion
 * Ferelith
 * Imoen
 * Lenore
 * Luen
 * Lusand
 * Mariel
 * Morwynn
 * Muriel