Midgardians

The Midgardians are the dominant human inhabitants of Midgard.

Physiology

The Midgardians are a race of humans who are typically regarded as tall, muscular, beautiful, light-skinned, and fair-haired, with eyes of blue or grey.

Culture & Customs

Midgardians pride themselves on their physical prowess in battle and hold those born weak-of-body in low esteem. They are a people of coastal warriors and skilled shipwrights, adept at handling the dangers of the sea, who sail their longships to raid holdings near and far.

Social Status

Instead of counts, dukes, and emperors the Midgardians style themselves chieftains/chieftesses, jarls, and high kings respectively, with counties being chiefdoms, duchies being jarldoms, and empires being high kingdoms.
With a rise in status among the Midgardians comes the expectation that a ruler will keep a number of concubines appropriate to his rank. Jarls are expected to have at least one concubine, while kings are expected to have two, and high kings, three.
Thralls are the lowest members of Midgardian society, considered lower than the lowborn and the property of their owners. Thralls are common among Midgardian households and often the victims brought back as slaves following much raiding. One can also be born a thrall or become one due to debt or poverty. Their masters can choose to free them, either on their own initiative, upon their owners' deaths, or upon the thrall paying an agreed price.

Traditions

Midgardians gather at the Ting-meet when disputes must be settled or decisions made; distances and wilderness prohibiting strong centralized authority. These assemblies are presided over by a lawspeaker and the local ruler. Though other forms of succession are permitted, by tradition a king's successor is chosen by Ting-meet, making it easier for kings to pass on larger realms to their primary heirs.
Midgardian rulers raise painted runestones to honor their late ancestors and to commemmorate their conquests or advancement in title rank. They honor their skalds and have a rich oral tradition. Many Midgardians seek to lead lives of glory and, by doing so, enter the tales told around the fire.
The question of honor is of great importance to the Midgardians, and what a man does or fails to do in life may gain or lose him honor and glory in the sight of his peers. A holmgang can be called to punish a criminal, settle a dispute, or defend one's honor. The craven few among them who fail to defend their honor and flee from danger are held in low regard.

Naming Practices

Male First Names: Agnar, Áki, Álfr, Baldr, Björn, Canute, Einar, Eirikr, Egil, Erik, Floki, Freyr, Frirek, Fróði, Grímr, Gunnar, Guðfriðr, Guðmundr, Haakon, Halfdán, Hallsteinn, Hrane, Hroðgar, Hvitserk, Ingvar, Ívar, Ketill, Knud, Knut, Lars, Leif, Magnús, Olaf, Ölvir, Ragnarr, Sigurd, Styrkár, Sveinn, Sverker, Svik, Þorfinn, Thorkell, Thors, Þorsteinn, Torvik, Tryggvi, Ulf, Úlfhéðinn, Úlfkell, Vagn, Vali, Yngvar

Female First Names: Alfriðr, Álvör, Arnheid, Ása, Ásta, Astrid, Ástríðr, Aslaug, Bergþóra, Björg, Bodil, Bóthildr, Brynhildr, Elvar, Freydís, Glóð, Gunnhildr, Guðrún, Gyða, Hafriðr, Halla, Helga, Helka, Hilda, Huld, Iliana, Ingiriðr, Ingribjörg, Ingrid, Jórunn, Kráka, Mær, Ragna, Ragnhildr, Revna, Rögnfriðr, Røkia, Sága, Sif, Signý, Sigrún, Skuld, Svana, Svanhilde, Þóra, Þórdís, Thrud, Þuriðr, Þyri, Ulfhild, Unnr, Vafri, Vigdís, Ylva, Yrsa

Family Names:Midgardians use a patronymic family naming system, consisting of the father's first name, plus '-sson' if the child is male or '-sdottir' if the child is female, e.g., the son of Björn would have the family name "Björnsson", while his daughter would have the family name "Björnsdottir". If a child's father is unknown or if the parents were married matrilineally, the mother's name may be used instead.

Military

The Midgardians are perhaps most famous for their longships. These long, narrow, shallow-draft, and lightweight vessels are cheaper to produce and swifter than other contemporary ships. Able to sail in the open ocean and up major rivers, the dragon-headed drekkar strike fear into the hearts of all those who see them on the horizon.
Among the drengr in their raiding and waring armies are huscarls, bondi, and vigmen.
Among their champions are fearsome berserkers, clad in the pelts of bear and wolf, and shieldmaidens, rare women of mettle who fight alongside men in the shield wall.

Fashion

Midgardians dress in garments made from wool or linen, with the nobility favoring more intricate designs and finer materials. Men commonly wear tunics belted at the waist, while women don hangerocks adorned with embroidered belts. For headwear, lowborn individuals opt for simple woolen caps, whereas nobles prefer pointed caps lined with fur or even crowns. To keep warm in their harsh climate, they layer themselves in cloaks of fur and wool fastened by ornate brooches.