Arkéers

Arkéers is a fictional ancient seafaring people created for worldbuilding and speculative fiction. In their in-world history, Arkéers inhabited the Arkic Archipelago, a chain of limestone islands in an eastern temperate sea. The name is said to derive from Arkos, the central isle, combined with the Arkéan suffix -eer, meaning "people."

History: Settlement dates from the late Bronze Age, with city-states that formed a maritime federation known as the Arkéan League. At their height, Arkéers controlled regional trade networks, built durable arched harbours, and produced sea-worthy craft that facilitated long voyages. Their political structure blended councils with hereditary lineages; religion mixed ancestor veneration and marine rites.

Culture and society: Seafaring trades—shipwrights, navigators, and hull-masters—formed the core of urban life. Architecture favors long curving arches, stone piers, and covered gatherings at harbours; public spaces incorporate tidal alignments.

Language and writing: The Arkéan language is known from inscriptions and carvings; their writing system is a syllabary, partially deciphered in fiction.

Economy and technology: The economy centered on maritime trade, fishing, and quarrying; technological advances include sturdier hulls and mortar recipes for salt-resistant mortars used in harbours.

Archaeology and modern reception: In contemporary fiction, Arkéers are studied by in-world archaeologists and appear in maps, artifacts, and legends, often used to explore themes of seaborne migration and urban resilience.