Bergtish

Bergtish refers to a fictional maritime culture and language situated along the northern coast and archipelago around the Berg Sea in the world of Keldora. The name combines Old Berg, referring to the high, rocky coast, with the demonym suffix -tish, used for coastal peoples.

Bergtish is part of the wider Keldorin language family. It has two main dialects, North Bergtish and River-Bergtish, with notable vocabulary for sailing and fishing. The traditional script, Bergrune, was historically used on wooden tablets and ship figureheads; today, most Bergtish writing uses a Latin alphabet with diacritics for vowels. Core phonemes include a contrast between aspirated and unaspirated stops and a rolled 'r'.

Historically, Bergtish communities formed loose federations of island towns; centralized power gave way to local councils after a coastal treaty known as the Pact of Breakwater in the late medieval era. In the modern setting, governance is a parliamentary council known as the Council of Docks, with representatives from major settlements and fishing cooperatives.

Economy centers on small-scale fisheries, seaweed farming, boatbuilding, and cross-island trade. Social life emphasizes coastal solidarity, mutual aid, and seasonal rituals. Common cultural expressions include sea shanties, carved figureheads, and craftwork such as net-weaving and rope-spinning. Cuisine highlights salted fish, kelp, and root vegetables preserved for long voyages.

Scholars treat Bergtish as a coherent cultural-linguistic package with distinct dialectology and maritime traditions. Though fictional, Bergtish world-building has been used in various speculative fiction and role-playing contexts to illustrate island-wide governance, coastal economies, and cultural exchange in insular settings.