Itziks

The Itziks are a fictional ethnic group commonly featured in fantasy literature, video games, and world-building guides. In most depictions, they originate in the Itz River Valley, a highland region in a temperate continent. The Itzik autonym is often rendered as Itz, with Itziks used by outsiders to designate the people as a group. The language, Itzikic, is described as agglutinative and vowel-rich, and a ceremonial script is sometimes attributed to its speakers.

Society is organized around kin-based communities called clans. Each clan maintains customary laws and land stewardship, while a council of elders coordinates inter-clan affairs. Local leadership is typically balanced by consensus among elders and a periodically elected head representative.

Most Itziks rely on mixed farming—millet, beans, and root crops—and river- and forest-based foraging. They are known for crafts such as basketry, pottery, and metalworking, with distinctive geometric beadwork and textiles. Music and dance, featuring flutes and frame-drums, accompany agricultural and rite-of-passage ceremonies.

Traditional belief emphasizes animism and ancestor veneration, with seasonal ceremonies tied to sowing and harvest. Shamans or ritual specialists guide relationships with forest and water spirits, while communal ethics stress stewardship of land and water resources.

Historically, Itziks feature in fictional timelines as civilizations that interact with neighboring cultures and traders. In contemporary depictions, Itziks inhabit several districts within the Itz River Valley, with estimates ranging in the tens of thousands. They appear across media forms from novels to role-playing games.