Izlnirs

Izlnirs are an ethnolinguistic group native to the Izlian Archipelago, a chain of coastal and offshore islands located in the western sea of the fictional world. The term Izlnir also refers to the people themselves and their cultural identity, which centers on language, kinship, and maritime livelihood. Most Izlnirs inhabit small coastal towns and hillside settlements connected by a network of ferries and raft routes.

Izlniran, the language of the Izlnirs, is characterized by verb-heavy morphology and extensive affixation. It has two major dialects, northern and southern, and uses a syllabary adapted from earlier pictographic scripts. Literacy in Izlniran has spread through coastal schools and public administration since the late medieval period.

Archaeological remains indicate Izlnir settlements date to the early second millennium, with a social order based on clans and maritime trade alliances. In the medieval era, coastal polities formed a loose confederation that aligned with neighboring states for defense and commerce. The modern political structure emerged as a self-governing territorial confederation in the 18th century and has since maintained autonomous regional councils.

Izlnir society emphasizes communal labor, kinship networks, and customary law known as the Code of the Seas. Cultural life centers on the harvest festival, seamanship rites, and oral storytelling. Music features stringed instruments and drum patterns; beadwork and shell inlay are common in clothing and utensils.

Economy combines subsistence farming in terraced hillsides with fishing and trade. Izlnirs historically exported pottery, textiles, and carved tools through inter-island routes; today small-scale manufacturing and tourism-related crafts supplement income. The archipelago is known for its protected reefs and mangroves, which support fisheries and biodiversity.