Children of Wol

The Children of Wol are a large race of Men said to descend from Wółach himself. They primarily inhabit the Wolish Isles, content to live their lives away from other folk. They get along better with beasts and spirits than most, and are such a rare sight in most of the world that they might as well be fae themselves.

Appearance
Children of Wol are notably larger than other Men, and grow more and thicker hair, making them naturally resistant to cold and harsh weather. Their size makes them formidable foes in battle, yet it is more comparable to the strength of an animal than that of a trained warrior - Children of Wol are often clumsy, and very forward. They live long lives compared to other Men, but spend much of it sleeping.

Dress
Children of Wol tend to dress lightly, favoring simple tunics, skirts, or kilts. Decoration is usually kept to a minimum, as maintaining appearances is not a priority for the Wolish. That said, they might wear little sentimental trinkets, invoking trees, knotwork, or animal imagery, often carved from wood or carefully forged from simple iron - their heavy-handed nature does not lend itself to high craftsmanship.

Dwellings
Children of Wol live in small, isolated farmsteads, far from prying eyes. They rarely congregate in villages as such, opting instead to build common halls where they may gather for trade and company, with most folk living a few hours' travel away, isolated with their livestock and immediate family. More socially inclined Children of Wol may settle together in small hamlets, and less social Children of Wol might eschew agricultural life altogether, opting instead to hunt and gather in the wilderness on their own terms through a semi-nomadic lifestyle. Children of Wol tend to find themselves at home in the wilds, and rarely face the same challenges there that other Men do.

Values
Strength is the cornerstone of Wolish culture. They are highly individualistic, and hold that all Men ought be able to stand on their own two feet. Strength is taken to mean not only physical ability, but also strength of mind and good judgement. Children of Wol are often seen as simple by the outside world, due to their insular nature and disdain for civilization. This is true, to an extent - while no less intelligent than other Men, they are more content to quietly observe and reflect on the world around them than to actively engage. Great wars, mass migrations, spreading plagues and famine, the rise and fall of civilizations - while the rest of the world continues at frantic pace, the Children of Wol are still in their forests, carrying on the old ways until the end of all time.

Notable customs
Every full moon, tradition beckons the Wolish to gather in the evening, drinking, dancing, and feasting until dawn takes them. When morning comes, they enter a deep sleep that lasts through the whole day and the night thereafter. During this long rest, it is said that their spirits wander through the halls of the Otherworld, oft meeting with ancestors or long-dead friends from the gates of Wolshall. The day after comes the Trials, a day when the Sons and Daughters of Wol hold a series of games and challenges, involving wrestling, boulder tossing, daring, boasting, and hare hunting. The Men of Wol will rush unarmed into the woods, with the goal of catching a hare with their bare hands, and returning it unharmed to the village. At the end of the day, all the hares are set free, invoking the blessings of Lyhr, granting fertility and vigor to those who succeeded in the hunt.

Names
Children of Wol tend towards highly descriptive names, invoking wild animals or natural features through the combination of a noun and either a verb or an adjective. Male names place the noun first, and female names place the noun last. Children of Wol do not use surnames as such, but family members might incorporate similar imagery. For example, a mother called Long Winter might name her daughter Mild Spring.

Examples of male names

 * Mountain Strides
 * Wolf Hunts
 * Bear Slumbers
 * Forest Dreams
 * Oak Sways
 * Rain Wanders
 * Lake Rests

Examples of female names

 * Laughing Willow
 * Rolling Meadow
 * Singing Breeze
 * Mild Winter
 * Hushed Brook
 * Dancing Fox
 * Journeys Home
 * Howling Storm
 * Deep Woods