harklingar

Harklingar are a fictional coastal ethnolinguistic group described in fantasy literature and role-playing settings. They are depicted as seafaring artisans and traders who inhabit a cluster of islands known as the Harthorn Archipelago, with the principal city of Brinewatch at the archipelago’s southern entrance. The name harklingar is said to derive from Old Harkish hark 'to listen' and the plural suffix -lingar, reflecting their tradition of oral storytelling and navigational lore.

Their language, Harklish, is described as a creole blending Norse-adjacent forms with local coastal speech, and many communities also use a regional dialect of the common tongue for trade. Social organization tends to be clan-based with a local council of elders and elected captains who oversee harbor security, trade agreements, and public works. Craft specialization emphasizes shipbuilding, net-making, and weaving. Gender roles are presented as flexible, with women participating in leadership, trade, and seamanship in many narratives.

Economy centers on fishing, long-distance trade, and ship construction. Religious practice commonly venerates the sea and storm deities, with seasonal rituals linked to tides, harvests, and navigational lore. Because harklingar are part of a fictional universe, their history varies by author. Core motifs include migration from the mainland, maritime resilience, and a culture of oral transmission. They appear in several fantasy works and tabletop games, where their boats, harbors, and codified sea laws are recurring elements.