Literens

Literens are a fictional ethnolinguistic group described in worldbuilding and speculative lore, originating from the northern archipelago of Valoria. The term also refers to their language family, which is culturally tied to a long tradition of literacy and manuscript culture.

The name derives from the root liter-, Latin littera, via their historic scribal traditions; the ending -ens marks a collective demonym. The Literens are said to have developed a strong scribal identity that shaped their social and political structures.

They inhabit the archipelago’s main islands and coastal islets, where settlements cluster around scriptoriums and harbor towns. The climate is temperate maritime, with economies historically oriented toward manuscript production, trade in inks and parchment, and, later, printing. The Literen language forms a small language family with two principal branches, Litio and Leren. It uses a distinct script sometimes referred to as the Litrean alphabet and features conservative phonology and symbolic marginalia in manuscripts.

Earliest records date to the 6th century in inscriptions and codices. The Literens rose to prominence in the medieval period, establishing a dense network of scriptoriums and scholarly houses, while maintaining selective diplomatic contacts with neighboring powers. Their social structure centers on guilds of scribes, illustrators, and librarians. Education was highly valued and broadly practiced, with public readings and manuscript trades forming key aspects of daily life. Festivals of the Book marked equinoxes and harvest periods.

Economy traditionally relied on manuscript production and craft trades for inks and parchments, with later adoption of printing and library-oriented services. They emphasized preservation, cataloging, and exchange, influencing neighboring cultures through the movement of codices and scholarly networks.

In modern imaginary literature, Literens influence literacy initiatives and archival practices within Valoria’s narrative world. Notable artifacts include the Lumen Codex and the Scriptorium of Mareth.