The Vinlanders (as the new people in Vinland are called) are very similar to the early Icelanders. Racially they are Norse with a small admixture of Irish and Algonquian heritage. They are farmers, herders, and fisherman.
Many people's image of vikings seems to be taken mostly from "Hagar the Horrible" comics. They are seen as beer-drinking, macho chauvanists always eager to show off their chest hair and fight. To dispel these quickly: the Vinlanders are a violent people, and often get into internal feuds and skirmishes with neighboring tribes. However, they are also very practical-minded. They have a strong code of law which codifies their democratic rule. They are industrious farmers, herders, and craftsman. Women usually have a marriage arranged for them, but they have the right to divorce their husband and can own and run their own land. Also, their beer is really weak, and a man showing his chest hair is grounds for divorce. (Low-necked shirts are only for women.)
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