Izikalek (culture)
The Izikalek make their living tending to vast herds of cattle among the lush meadows and rich rivers west of the Great Steppe. Heirs to a long history of raiding and subjugation by their Sarminian and Öltenic neighbours, they have nevertheless endured in their ways, at times choosing to abandon their homes and settlements entirely and roam alongside their herds until the threat passes.
Many an Izikalek village is centered around a monumental megalith they call the Herdstone. Seasons may come and go, buildings may burn down and be rebuilt, but with each passing generation, yet more of the stone is covered in ritual carvings telling the stories of the Leki people. In times when the pastures are green and livestock is plentiful, the roaming herders would return to their villages to celebrate the summer solstice, holding great feasts to honour the Red Maiden and seek her blessings for the years to come.