Ruhjeiden

Ruhjeiden is a term used in Finnish-language fantasy and folklore writings to refer to a legendary people or cultural group. In many depictions, the Ruhjeiden are described as forest- and coastal-dwellers famed for wood and bone craftsmanship, ancestral rituals, and a strong oral tradition. The name is usually treated as a plural-genitive form of a root ruhje, adopted by authors to denote the people as a whole.

Etymology and usage: The etymology of ruhje is uncertain; some authors connect it to an old Finnic root meaning fragment or remnant, while others treat Ruhjeiden as a proper name with a fixed form. In translations, the term is sometimes left in its original Finnish form.

Geography and society: In narrative settings, Ruhjeiden occupy northern forests and island archipelagos. They are typically organized around clan networks and elder councils, with a craft-based economy that emphasizes wood carving, boat-building, and bone-work. Their religion centers on nature spirits and ancestral memory, transmitted through songs and rites of passage.

History and portrayal: Legends describe their origins during periods of upheaval, with migrations that shaped their territory and social rules. In conflicts with neighboring groups, Ruhjeiden are portrayed as wary of outsiders but capable traders and diplomats when interests align.

In media and scholarship: The Ruhjeiden appear in novels, tabletop games, and folklore anthologies, functioning as a narrative canvas for themes of memory, exile, and humanity's relationship with the natural world. They are generally treated as a fictional construct rather than a historical population. See also Finnish folklore, Kalevala, Pohjola, and lists of fictional peoples.