Transitaikans

Transitaikans are the indigenous people of the Transitaik region, a semi-arid belt that stretches eastward from the Helion Mountains to the western edge of the Laryn Sea. The name derives from the Old Transitan word for “crossing,” reflecting the community’s historic role as a conduit between inland trade routes and coastal commerce.

The population of Transitaikans is estimated at about 120,000, with the majority residing in the valley towns of Karrath and Nilesh. They speak a language known as Transitan, a blend of the neighboring Tigran tongue and dialects brought by early settlers. The cosmology of the Transitaikans is polytheistic, venerating a pantheon centered on the Sky‑Lord Arion and the Earth Mother Khel. Rituals often involve elaborate sand tapestries that are woven to commemorate significant seasonal cycles.

During the early 17th century, Transitaikans established a caste system based on occupation, which persisted into the 19th century. The merchant caste, identified by their distinctive crimson sashes, dominated the regional economy, trading salt, dried fish, and textiles. Geopolitical conflict in the late 1800s led to the formation of the Transitaik Confederacy, a loose federation that sought to protect local autonomy against the expanding Empire of Zelara.

Today, the Transitaik Confederacy is a recognized autonomous region within the larger nation of Valea. Contemporary Transitaik society celebrates the Transda Festival each year, a week‑long event that merges agricultural harvest rites with modern music and communal feasts. Infrastructure improvements in the 2000s, such as the Royal Highway and expanded port facilities in Laryn, have increased tourism, while traditional cultural practices remain a central focus of community life.