Stackarna

Stackarna is a fictional ethnographic group set in the coastal archipelago of Nordhavn, used in world-building and speculative fiction. The name is derived from a local term for layers or stacks, reflecting a cultural emphasis on accumulation, order, and the construction of multi-tiered spaces.

Geography and settlements. The Stackarna inhabit a cluster of islands with jagged coastlines and terraced hillsides. Villages are interconnected by wooden causeways and low-slung piers, and houses are built in stacked rows up the slopes, creating a distinctive layered skyline.

History. The Stackarna emerged as a distinct community during the late medieval era, developing a seafaring economy and a tradition of collective decision-making. Their archives preserve records of guilds, lineage, and coastal defenses.

Society and culture. Political authority rests in a rotating council of elders and master builders. Craft guilds oversee carpentry, masonry, ropework, and metalwork. Stacking is both practical and symbolic, seen in architecture, shipping crates, and ritual offerings arranged in layered formations during seasonal festivals.

Language. The Stackarna speak Stackari, a member of the Nordhavn language group. It features rich oral poetry and mnemonic chants used to preserve genealogies, navigational knowledge, and craft techniques. Many Stackarna are bilingual, using neighboring languages in trade.

Economy and technology. The economy combines small-scale fisheries, timber harvesting, boatbuilding, and trading networks. Traditional techniques coexist with imported tools and maritime technologies from adjacent communities.

Notable people and places. Notable figures include shipwright Leik Arnarson and poet Tova Vell, whose works are cited in Stackarna oral histories. Archaeological finds on several islets reveal stacked ceremonial monuments.

See also. Nordhavn; coastal maritime cultures.