Editing Valkor (section)

=Common People=

The common people of the valley are the most numerous. They are the foundation upon which the society of Children of Light is built: serfs, artisans, hunters, fishermen, fighters and merchants. The common people are diverse in size and in appearance, but also in their habits, wealth and appearance. The lineage and customs of the common people of the north combined with those of the new settlers from the east of the kingdom; and mingled again with the lifestyle of the settlers who migrated from the south-east. Nowadays, most common people have a touch of Templar blood and tradition, even though the gap between these particular groups is huge.
 
The worst off of the common people are the serfs in the south and the poor in the cities. The life of a serf, from birth to death, is to work in the Khan’s fields; to try to choose to do otherwise is to invite the threat of the death penalty. 
 
Urban poverty offers more in terms of freedom - you can die of hunger and cold in your own peace. In Vaerlon and elsewhere, members of the common people who have been able to demonstrate to the Templars that they possess rare and useful skills have been more successful.
 
Representatives of the common people are generally more closely monitored and more severely stomped on by the Templar iron boot in the southern provinces than in the northern frontier. In the border areas, life is dangerous due to Wilder and Eskaran raids, but people may have greater liberties because their effective around-the-clock monitoring is not possible.
 
As a result, some members of the common people have fled to the northern forests and asked to join the Eskarite rebels. This is not easy, as Eskarans, on the basis of their experience, presume that any person arriving is probably a Templar spy. But some ‘southerners’ do manage to win Eskaran trust and create some sort of position among the rebels.

==Government==

Khans tend to distribute cruel and collective punishments, so common people have developed their own systems for dealing with disagreements and disputes. Usually, the parties will agree to ask a respected resident of the village to serve as an impartial third party in disputes between the others. If a settlement is not reached, the elder of the village, often known as the Seeress, will be consulted. This particular village elder then decides what to do. Only if this fails will the parties approach the province courts where the Khans of important houses make the decision.
 
Some rich tradesmen and craftsmen are able to live outside of this system. They have been fortunate enough to raise enough money and influence, and the support of a sympathetic Templar which allows them to have more control of their dailing living and working situation. These people are often able to hire assistants, and even fighters , but they are free to go about their lives as they choose. However, their success and spirit is also hanging by a thread of hair, or more precisely, the favor of the khan that rules the area. Just one blatant mistake and their heads fall like any other member of the common people who stepped on the toes of the Templars.
 
A third group of common people is made up of urban thieves who have developed around cities. They earn their livelihood by extortion, theft and trafficking of illegal goods. It is not clear how much their thief activity is formally networked, but it is certain that any merchant who wants to succeed also needs the recommendation of some thief high-up.

==Right and Wrong==

The life of the common people is simple, uncomplicated, and usually filled with hard manual labor; they live where they are told, work as they are told, and feed and clothe themselves as best they can. Their perception of what is good and what is bad is guided by whether it benefits or harms the village. Laziness or avoiding work is seen as wrong, as is stealing from another villager or destroying his property.  But it is wrong to complain about a wrongdoer to the Khans because the only possible result is that the entire village will be punished.  The village is all important, and there is no feeling for outsiders.  
 
The common people have no use for courage, bravery or even intelligence. You can do better as a slave by keeping your eyes to the earth and by working tirelessly. But the fireside tales tell of heroes who cheat the noble families, who trick the knights... but these are heroes to be wondered at, not role models for the children.  
 
The common people appreciate humility, thrift, and helpfulness. They take care of the poor and the needy because the valley winter is cold and merciless. However, no one will be given more than what they need, and everyone’s first priority is to ensure the feeding of their own family. Moderate hospitality is an absolute must among the common people. No matter how poor the house is, one night on the floor and, if possible, something small to eat, must be offered to strangers. No one is driven into a cold night.

==Appearance and Customs==

The common people usually wear very simple and practical clothing, usually made of undyed sheep’s wool. Jewelry is scarce, if it exists it is made of wood, bone or, more rarely, copper. There are many kinds of people among the commoners, but in the west and south people are generally lighter in both skin and hair color than in the east and north. However, all members of the people are usually weather-beaten and sunburned in the summer. 
 
Wealthy merchants differ somewhat from the rest of the nation, as they can usually afford finer fabrics and jewelry and to stay indoors when the weather is unpleasant.
 
The common people tend to shake hands when meeting each other and then look each other in the eye. It is an honor to keep your clothes and body as clean as possible (which is often not all that clean) and so people bathe or sauna at least once a week. Bathing is important especially in the winter, as the sauna is often the only place where a commoner will actually feel warm. 
 
Most of the food is bread and porridge, and root vegetables (rutabaga, potatoes, carrots). A well-off household will, with some luck, have some fish or meat several times in a month.

==Religion==

Common people have adopted the faith of the Church of Elements, but the old pagan practices linger on and have recently gained new vitality. Within most villages, there are both true worshipers of the Church of Elements (who condemn all forms of witchcraft as evil) and full-blooded pagans (who oppose the spread of Church doctrines). However, most of the people are in the midst of these two extremes. The faith of the Church of Elements is strongest in the southern provinces around Vaerlon, the heathen are the most vibrant in the northern frontiers.
 
A typical commoner worships the Church of Elements sincerely, but will use hex words when needed. They will also practice the old worship rites, and not see that they conflict with the Church. Being practical, they know there are a lot of powerful supernatural beings in the world and it is common sense that you try to have a good relationship with everyone. Commoners approve of the wisdom of the priests and priestesses of the Church of Elements, but they believe that in the ordinary world, there are other, more practical ideas which must be taken into consideration, and the Church does not seem to be aware of those forces.   
 
==Warfare==

The common people can defend themselves with sticks, sickles, staffs and whatever against whoever.  But they have no right to bear arms without a special permit. The people who receive this permit from the khan are called "fighters," and they have the task of preserving peace in the provinces.  They also have the task of dying in the Templar armies in any major battle.

==Well-known Commoners==

===Fauldron the Bandit===

Fauldron is Vaerlon's most wanted, feared and admired bandit, and his reputation has already reached such a level that he is rumoured to carry out the thefts of any ten men combined. Fauldron leads his own band of robbers, called Fauldron's claws.  However, he loves adventures and often works alone. 
 
Most of Fauldron's crimes have been committed on the land of Khatun Maelyrra Maerlith-Madris; she has promised a great reward for Fauldron dead, and twice the reward for Fauldron alive. The Khatun would be happy to chat with Fauldron for a few days (or weeks) in the torture chamber of her castle.
 
Fauldron is about thirty, tall and unnaturally skinny. He is inordinately fond of feathers - wearing them as decorations in his clothes and hair, and even the butt end of his fighting spear. However, Fauldron's strongest weapon is his scream which is seen as a kind of witchcraft.  He is said to have screamed so loud on a battlefield that survivors swear they saw a tree fall as if it were cut by his voice. People have been knocked out, deafened or even killed by his screaming.

===Aeryn the Cunning===

The title "cunning", in the opinion of many, does not do justice to Aeryn. But nor do the other words used to describe her: Aeryn the clever, the gimmicky and (less flattering) the insidious.  Aeryn is the richest and most influential representative of Atherton, as her numerous shops, workshops and taverns tell. Aeryn is also said to control the local bandit forces and is suspected by some to be even more powerful than an average Khan. It is certain that Aeryn's rival's merchant booths tend to burn mysteriously and appear otherwise surprisingly susceptible to robbery and damage, and their owners appear equally susceptible to murder. 
 
Aeryn is said to have recently sought to expand her sphere of influence also within the Templars and the Church of Elements. The famous Preacher Cecily the Chaste has sworn to cleanse Atherton of criminals, sinners, and corrupt officials, which many take to include Aeryn. So far, Aeryn has reacted to these covert threats by donning a red road and acting out the possibilities of Cecily in the streets of Atherton, to the loud laughter of her friends and bystanders. In the streets, however, it is reported that her bandits are preparing for a clash ahead.
 
Aeryn is a fat, middle-aged woman who always wears expensive clothes and a large amount of jewelry. She is rarely seen without several guards and never without her pet a skinny greyhound named for a marking on one ear.  Commoners talk of ‘the White Spot’, whispering that the pet is a useful partner to her mistress in _too_ many ways. Aeryn's intelligence is sharp and her ‘street smarts’ are unmatched throughout the valley. She is also known to control some lesser animal spirits and even some wilders.

===Drudus the Strong===

Drudus is rumored to be the strongest man in the entire valley, and to date he is undefeated in arm wrestling and wrestling. There have been enough challengers, and the Khatun of the province of Harvest has promised to organize a big party in honor of the winner of Drudus, when one will finally be found.
 
Drudus is a giant-sized and big bellied b'rogh man in his thirties. He speaks slowly and uses simple words, and this has earned him a reputation of being stupid. Drudus is good-natured and always believes in good people. Although everyone in his village admires him for his power, he is also laughed at behind his back for his simplicity. This is despite the fact that Drudus does the work of four men in the village. Drudus became a widower a year ago and has been looking for a wife ever since. Many women have made themselves available, but Drudus has so far rejected their advances.