selleni

Selleni refers to an ethnolinguistic community and their language in the fictional Orinthian Highlands on the continent of Lethara. The term designates both the people and the language, though in some contexts the distinction is made by capitalization.

The name Selleni is believed to derive from the river Sel and the suffix -eni, a common demonym marker in the region, though some scholars trace it to an ancient clan name.

Concentrated in river valleys and highland plateaus, the Selleni number approximately 12,000 to 20,000. They live in clans and small villages; the economy centers on pastoralism, horticulture, and cross-border trade.

The Selleni language is described as agglutinative with robust case markings and a verb-final tendency in subordinate clauses. It has a moderate consonant inventory and a tone system; literacy exists in Selleni and a regional lingua franca. Dialects include Northern and Southern Selleni.

Oral history links the Selleni to early migrations across foothills. In contemporary times, there are preservation efforts, bilingual education programs, and cultural festivals celebrating weaving, music, and river-related rituals. The status of the language remains vulnerable in some communities.