Old Scandinavian, Norse, Swedish, Finnish, Norwegian, Danish
Examples: Sigurd, Embla, Angrboda, Taki, Sunnifa, Asbjørn, Ingvar, Lykke, Mikkel, Njord, Ragnhilde
Reasoning: There are some Norse elements of the Look & Feel, and the simple and hand-wrought living of the people in The Wonder is more inspired by the magical influences that shaped their nation from nothing than the outside nations that neighbours it. Norse and Scandinavian names highlight this difference and separation from the rest of the Crownlands, where they have forged their own path.
Surname Options: The Wonder’s surnames usually involve the words “the” or “of the” as a preposition, either referencing the biome the character is from or some task that the character does there.
Whole groups often share the same surname if they have the same place of origin, as many biomes require similar tasks to be undertaken regularly as a community to continue upkeep of the symbiotic relationship with the forests.
For example – “Sigurd of the Redwood” “Taki the Green-Willow”, “Njord the Rosetender”, “Ragnhilde of the Gleaming Boughs”
Children and young people are often called by a generational name, to make it easier to determine what child belongs to what parent. These most often take the form of the parent or guardian’s name, followed by “-dottir”, “-sson” or “-scion”. Some choose to keep these names into adulthood.
Group Structure
The Wonderfolk are people that are closely knitted together like nature that surrounds them. As the spanning networks of roots below the ground, they reach out seeking for nutrients. But this isn’t just for the body, but also the mind. They seek and discover, when sated in their quest they put roots into the ground, and soon Groves begin to form.
Groves are groups of Wonderfolk who have found a place to root down and make a haven amongst the magic and mystic nature of the Wonder. Groves are headed by an “Elder”, the heart of the grove, one that has the ear of the Wonderfolk and has the fire to drive for balance and harmony. In many Groves this leadership can change on the rules of the Grove, many host little yearly games to choose the Elder, others may have votes and others just let nature decide who would lead for the year.
Elders are people of all ages, the word coming from the tree that grows throughout the Wonder’s Biomes and provides all a body could need – berries to eat, flowers to make drinks from, green wood for firewood and seasoned wood for fires, and bark that can make half a dozen dyes to make the world around them beautiful.
However, like the seeds of the dandelion, the sycamore or the swan plant, some Wonderfolk get an urge to leave on the winds, leaving the safety and community of their Groves. Usually one or two get this calling and are open about their reasons to uproot, and they ask the community for help and guidance. Others of the Wonderfolk will join and travel with those that are making a Fellowship, even though the call is not theirs.
A Fellowship usually is led by the one with the calling to set out, however they never led with a unanimous mind set. They listen to all in the Fellowship, as those who join are there to support and help complete the tasks ahead. Many decisions are balanced by the vote but if the scales are even the one with the calling has to choose. What binds them together is a shared goal, whether that is a lifelong quest or a simple task. Priests called Alderbraids will often mark the creation of a new fellowship by weaving a cord with a strand that represents each member, and dividing it up into sections for each member to remind them of the goals they share.
Some Fellowships last for years, others for weeks, but a bond is bound so tightly amongst those that walk together. Some Fellowships, when the task is done, will listen to nature and see if another quest sits amongst the trees and a new leader is picked for their adventure. Others find a place where they settle their roots and become a Grove and welcome other Wonderfolk and Fellowships for rest and community.
Example Groups
A group of attendees with a martial focus are interested in being involved with fighting the threat of the Corruption, as well as getting involved with the Adventurer’s Guild. They decide to make a Fellowship called the Scorched Wake, who are refugees from Thornsthorpe determined to rebuild their home in the future.
A group of attendees are keen to set up an in-game tea shop, selling potions and consumables alongside hot drinks. They decide to be travellers from a Grove they call the Ivygrip Grove in Gloomgard. One is a Leafwright, while others who are interested in magic are a Groveheart and Greenguide, and as a group they collaborate on weavings.
A solo player is interested in fighting and healing, so decides to play a Bloomtender whose Sylvan is fighting with the rest of the Wonder’s army. They take physician skills to support other fighters, and are keen to get involved with the military movements side of the game. At Haven they are the lone representative of their Grove back home, the Larkwatch Grove.
A solo player is keen to be involved with the Treasure Hunter’s guild, but is not particularly interested in fighting. They decide to play a Greenguide, who tracks the locations of magical sites and lost artifacts, alongside leading pilgrims on the roads. In game, they get involved with quests by the Treasure Hunters.