Ilikiler

Ilikiler is a fictional ethnonym used in speculative fiction and encyclopedic worldbuilding to describe the inhabitants of the Ilik Valley, a highland basin in the central plateau of the imagined realm of Veridia. They are described as agrarian communities with a distinct language and cultural traditions.

Etymology: The name Ilikiler is said to derive from the Ilik word ilik meaning "people," with the plural suffix -iler.

Geography and language: The Ilik Valley sits between forested foothills and river plains; villages cluster along the Ilik River. The Ilik language is described as agglutinative, SOV, with vowel harmony, and it has a traditional script used in local inscriptions.

Society and culture: Ilikiler live in extended clans arranged into village networks; governance is often a council of elders with rotating leadership. They practice seasonal harvest rituals, animal husbandry, weaving, wood carving, and metalwork. Music features reed and flute instruments; cuisine centers on millet, dairy, and legumes.

History and contemporary status: Historical records present a gradual emergence of centralized authority in the medieval era, followed by periods of alliance and conflict with neighboring communities. In the modern era, Ilikiler communities exist in diaspora within the fictional world and maintain oral histories through storytelling and song.