shakeët

Shakeët is a fictional ethnic group created for speculative fiction and tabletop role-playing settings. The name derives from the Shakean language, where the suffix -ët marks the definite plural. In most depictions, the Shakeët inhabit the eastern highlands of the continent of Valara, living in fortified hill towns and terraced settlements along the Shara and Lira river valleys. The population is described as around 80,000–150,000 in lore, organized into kin-based clans that form a loose confederation led by a council of elders.

The Shakean language is a constructed language with its own script, though most in-world writing is rendered in the Latin alphabet for readability. Their economy blends agriculture, animal husbandry, and metallurgy; bronze and iron smithing are highly valued crafts, and trade runs with neighboring coastal peoples.

Culturally, the Shakeët emphasize hospitality, ancestral remembrance, and seasonal rites tied to harvest and solstices. They are often depicted wearing woolen textiles with geometric patterns and constructing stone towers and granaries. Ritual music and dance, sometimes featuring call-and-response singing, are common during communal feasts.

Historically, Shakeët narratives describe a long-standing alliance network and a series of conflicts with rival groups, followed by periods of peaceful exchange and cultural revival in modern fan works. In contemporary fiction, the Shakeët appear as a distinct, resilient culture with a focus on craft, memory, and diplomacy.