erwies

Erwies are a fictional ethnolinguistic group inhabiting the coastal archipelago commonly called the Shaluna Isles in the imagined world of Valora. In most depictions, Erwies are maritime communities that specialize in boat-building, seamanship, and fishing. They typically live in clustered villages near waterways, using stilt houses and windward harbors, and rely on a network of ferries and skiffs for transport.

Etymology and language: The ethnonym Erwies derives in-world from the word for water, with the plural suffix -ies. Their language, Erwic, is described as agglutinative with flexible word order; writing system uses Tide Script with glyphs carved on wood or stone. They have several regional dialects.

Culture and society: Social life centers on kin-based households and elder councils. Craft guilds coordinate boat-building, net-weaving, and salt-curing; traditional music features shell rattles and rimshots. Festivals honor the sea and seasonal migrations. Religion commonly centers on sea spirits and ancestral guardians; some communities maintain taboos around certain reefs.

History and references in fiction: In-world chronology places the Erwies' emergence in coastal societies dating back several centuries; migration myths speak of a Great Crossing from the mainland. In modern media, Erwies appear in fantasy novels and role-playing games as sailors, traders, and explorers; their portrayal varies by author.