Vientianes

Vientianes is a fictional ethnolinguistic group described in worldbuilding and speculative fiction. In the imagined setting, they are residents of the river-city of Vientia, a major urban center in a temperate valley. The name Vientianes derives from the city and signals a shared heritage shaped by centuries of river trade, urban governance, and cultural exchange among diverse migrant communities. The group is typically depicted as multilingual, adaptable, and closely entwined with the river and its networks.

Language and culture: The Vientianes are said to speak Vientianese, a constructed language drawing on nearby language families and balancing analytic and agglutinative features. Social life centers on family lineages, guild associations, and neighborhood councils that coordinate festivals, markets, and public works. Cultural traditions emphasize river-oriented rituals, crafts, and a cuisine featuring river fish, sticky rice, herbs, and pickled vegetables. Architectural styles blend timber-framed houses and stone structures with later modern additions.

Geography and economy: The population concentrates in Vientia’s historic core and riverbank districts, with a cosmopolitan urban economy anchored by trade, ferries, logistics, crafts, and services. In narrative use, the Vientianes provide a lens on urban hybridity, migration, and the interactions of old and new urban forms.