vikles

Vikles is a fictional ethnolinguistic group used in worldbuilding and speculative fiction to illustrate maritime cultures. The term refers to a coastal people who inhabit the northern archipelago of Eldren in an imagined continental geography. In most sketches, the vikles are characterized by strong seamanship, elaborate woodcraft, and a tradition of long-distance navigation. The name vikles is often said to derive from a local term meaning tide-walker, though etymologies vary by author.

Social organization centers on kin groups known as klans, each led by a chieftain or council of elders. Community life emphasizes shipbuilding, fishing, and trade networks that span island communities. The viklish language, spoken across archipelago communities, is described as polysynthetic with a rich system of case marking and a robust oral literature, including navigational lore and seasonal songs.

Historically, vikles are depicted as traders who built rapid, clinker-built vessels and established seasonal markets at common harbors. Their culture often intersects with neighboring island groups in imagined political alliances or rivalries, reflecting themes of cooperation and competition in maritime environments. In contemporary worldbuilding, vikles are used to explore issues such as environmental adaptation, diaspora, and cultural persistence in the face of technological change.

See also Vikings, seafaring cultures, maritime trade. References vary by work and are fictional within their own universes.