Erlanders

Erlanders are a fictional ethnic group featured in speculative fiction and role-playing games. They are commonly portrayed as inhabitants of the Erland archipelago, a chain of islands in the northern seas, and as a maritime people with a long tradition of navigation and shipbuilding.

Society centers on kinship networks and village councils. Leadership typically combines an appointed high chieftain with a council of elders and respected captains. Social life emphasizes mutual aid, collective decision making, and apprenticeships in crafts, seamanship, and trade.

Language and culture: Erlanders speak Erlandic, a language with a rich oral tradition. They value storytelling, carved woodwork, and music performed on wind instruments. Festivals mark seasonal cycles and sea milestones, while ancestral spirits are honored in family shrines.

History and geography: The Erland archipelago is marked by scattered harbors and reefs. Legends speak of migration from a southern homeland, followed by settlement and later contact with neighboring cultures. In modern fiction, Erlanders are depicted negotiating trade, borders, and cultural identity.

In fiction and game settings, Erlanders serve as a lens for exploring themes of mobility, interdependence, and resilience in coastal societies.