Kortezy

Kortezy is a fictional cultural and political designation from a speculative world used in world-building, games, and fiction. In this setting, Kortezy refers both to the Kortezyan people and to the archipelago homeland they inhabit in the eastern sea. The term encompasses language, social practices, and material culture associated with the group.

The Kortezyan language is described as a maritime tongue with a rich oral tradition; its writing system uses sigil-like marks tied to navigation. Historically, Kortezy emerged as a network of coastal city-states that formed a loose confederation during the early Iron Age, oriented around trade and seamanship. Governance is depicted as a hybrid system combining a Council of Mariners, elected from the major ports, with a rotating Tide Speaker serving as ceremonial head of state. The economy centers on fishing, shipbuilding, varnished timber crafts, and trade in goods across sea routes.

In fiction and game design, Kortezy is often used as a setting element reflecting seafaring culture, communal rites, and a tradition of oral storytelling. The term can refer to the people, the language, the homeland, or the cultural practices themselves, making it a flexible construct for world-building.