Tjerë

Tjerë is a fictional ethnic group created for worldbuilding and speculative fiction. In its primary setting, the Tjerë are described as inhabitants of the Tjeran Highlands, a highland belt in the eastern archipelago of Narasia.

The name Tjerë is said to derive from the Tjeric language, meaning "the gathered" or "keepers of the hills."

Most Tjerë communities are clustered in mountain valleys and plateaus; estimated population around 65,000; a dispersed diaspora in urban centers across Narasia.

The Tjeric language belongs to the Central Naric branch; it is agglutinative and primarily SOV; writing system uses a syllabary introduced in the 14th century.

Origins trace to two waves of upland migration during climatic shifts in the medieval period; established independent hill towns; engaged in trade with coastal polities; experienced conflicts and alliances; in the late modern era, formed a regional council within the Narasian Confederacy.

Social life organized around clans and lineages; crafts include weaving, woodcarving, metalwork; distinctive music featuring panpipes and drums; storytelling and mountain rites important in annual harvest festival.

Beliefs center on ancestor veneration, animistic understandings of nature, and later incorporation of a syncretic monotheistic tradition in urban centers.

In contemporary fiction, the Tjerë maintain cultural institutions such as a Cultural Council and bilingual education in Tjeric and the regional lingua franca; diaspora communities are present in Narasia's cities, contributing to trade, arts, and scholarship.