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Introduction to Languages of the Eastern Continent
Altera is host to a number of differing cultures and races. Each of these groups bring forth their own dialect or language, and while many of these are able to be learned, some remain secret to only their kind, outsiders having to work hard to learn. Others are from long endangered and extinct races that no longer exist, rendering their language either near impossible to learn (for example, while technically extinct there are a handful of Nakam remaining who know Verba) or unable to be learned.
To show these languages being spoken, the symbols "<" and ">" are used around a sentence. Elvish, for example, would look like
T H E
R A C E
L A N G U A G E S
These languages can be learned by a teacher in roleplay or the background. New characters can only have at most 2 languages already known before trying to learn more.
Common -
Common is rather aptly named, being the most spoken language among all races, namely Humans. Beginning rather humbly as the language of the Humans, due to their nature and restless need for adventure Common has spread via trade to all races on Altera in some form or another. Common is exempt from the use of "<" and ">" and is typed normally.
Elvish -
The language of the Elves, it remains popular on Altera due to the large amount of Elves that near rival Humans in population. Elvish has been spoken among the Elven breeds for their entire history, dating back to times before the first Migration "Exodus". However, this does not mean it is spoken in the same manner by each. A Silver Elf raised with proper Elvish is likely to sound different than a Forest Elf who has more than likely received a more relaxed education, in both word choice and accent. Please use common sense on what is a legitimate reason for knowing Elvish. A human who regularly trades with Elves is more likely to know Elvish than a Earthspawn soldier who has lived among his kind.
<Elvish: ... >
Horgaahn -
A proud language of the Dwarven kind, Horgaahn has a detailed list of language rules, meanings and words on its lore page. If you are not any sort of Dwarf, your character should not start out with the knowledge of how to speak Horagaahn via any form of backstory.
Written by Bartooliinii
<Horgaahn: ... > {Read More Here}
Fae -
The language of the Caparii, supposedly gifted to them by Shalherana alongside life.
Only Caparii characters should begin knowing Fae.
<Fae: ...>
Yakai -
The language of the Makani is called Yakai. It is heavily influenced by vowel sounds and has a highly musical air to it. The makani are rooted in oral tradition and have neither developed, nor found a need, for written language. They also have capability of shrieks, screeches, and caws that are only useful for long distance communication and while flying.
<Yakai: ... > {Read More Here}
Mok'yra -
Spoken and created by the Moor Elves, Mok'yra is a sickeningly twisted version of Elvish. Created during the war of Grief, it was used as a secret coded language passed around to allies. Only Moor Elves are truly capable of mastering Mok'yra. Non-Moor Elf characters should not begin knowing Mok'yra. (See Lore rules)
Mok'yra has a decently sized list of words available on its lore page.
<Mok'yra: ... > {Read More Here}
Verba -
"Verba can ONLY be learned through extensive RP with a willing Nakat. Alongside that, I will personally investigate any Nakat teaching every other passerby willy~nilly and I do not hesitate to remove lore-breaking Nakam from game. The written equivalent of Verba is known as Ludkava, runes that are only decipherable by a well-educated Nakat. It is not available for any non-nakam to learn. " - @Michcat 's thread on Verba.
It's important to note that the Nakam are now "extinct", aside from the previously mentioned handful. This makes learning Verba extremely hard (but theoretically possible) for obvious reasons. Used on their home island of Kavdek, the language of the Nakam is exotic and completely foreign to the Northern Kingdoms. It cannot be learned by any form of text. Verba has a number of words available on its index page.
<Verba: ...> {Read More Here}
Greyling -
"Greyling, as can any language can be learned to read if you are taught by a native reader. It's reliance on a completely different grammatical structure and the seeming lack of any full stops or other punctuation means that even if you are fluent, the spoken word is preferred. The same applies for writing it. One can also understand greyling being spoken, if they are taught, although this is a skill that is restricted to those who study it from a Greyling themselves. However, speaking Greyling is a near impossibility. The full range of sounds produced from the Greyling mouth is, due to their former corruption and now changed bodily structure, completely restricted to them. Even study under a greyling for years can result in garbled messy talk that any listener will have to pick through rigorously to understand." - @jakp25
<Greyling: ...>
Eark'zian -
While the Earthspawn have had issues rallying under one banner in the past, they retain a common tongue among themselves. During the time in which the Greylings enslaved the Earthspawn, they developed a crude yet effective language as means of secretly speaking to each other to avoid the wrath of their masters. Over their time of being a free race, Eark'zian has been refined to its current state today. As the trend amongst most races is, they consider their language a treasure and fiercely preserve it.
"Only those who truly gain their trust will ever learn the meaning of the clipped guttural shouts they exchange." - @King Oguk 's thread on Eark'zian.
Any Non-Earthspawn characters should not have the knowledge of how to speak Eark'zian unless correctly taught. An amount of basic words can be found on its lore page.
<Eark'zian: ...> {Read More Here}
C U L T U R A L
L A N G U A G E S
Marjash - "Soolerans were once a desert people, and to this day their language is as dry and coarse as the sands they were born in and go to die in. To the uninitiated, the language of the Soolera, Marjash, is a language filled with hard consonants and tricky vowels. Marjash is not overly difficult to learn, with only three tenses and many words belonging to a group having common roots. For example, the verb “to eat” is expressed as “vamarh”, while the noun “food” is said as “valosh”, both words sharing the root “va”, indicating the words belong to the foods group.
Other group roots include ja, mar, and ik, meaning Legend, Knowledge, and Motion respectively. The name of ja-Rawis Ehar means Legend Rawis Ehar, in essence. Marjash, the name of the language, literally translates as The Knowledge of The Legendary, due to the root combination of mar- and ja-, with the sh suffix added to define it as a noun." - @Baron , founder of the Soolera culture, alongside @Michcat
<Marjash: ... > {Read More Here}
Rede-
When the Hallon dynasty came to power, with it they brought the language of their western territories to take the place of the forgotten Lavoy. Official documents and church texts are often written twice, once in Rede and once in old Arcturian, a language considered outdated even during the time of Lavoyard. This custom is purely due to old traditions refusing to die, as the only old Arcturian the common man knows is a prayer or two taught by his priest, and has little use for ancient tongues. (Cannot speak unless taught by a character of the culture, or are of the culture)
<Rede: ...> {Read More Here}
Aori -
Due to its origins in Fae, it is not the easiest language to learn, as it does require practice and exposure. The use of rolling R’s and importance on syllable emphasis means that those that speak exclusively common would struggle to follow its pronunciations. With time anyone is able to learn, as long as they have someone willing to teach them. Only those born of the { Aorian culture } know of the terms since childhood.
<Aori: ...> {Read More Here}
Astremian-
The development of the Astremian language originated from the end of the First Age of Astrum and the Astrum Isles, a series of gutteral clicking sounds created in isolation.
<Astremian: ...> {Read More Here}
R E S T R I C T E D
L A N G U A G E S
Source -
Constructs are able to speak a strange language known only to them, a series of musical metallic clicks to form sentences and communicate. The name of the language is Source. This language is a verbal language and has no written form. It cannot be taught to others and can only be sung between Constructs.
<Source: ...> [Link]
Infernal -
Infernal possessed and Abyssals can speak a Fiend's tongue to communicate with Fiendish-kind and other Infernal. It sounds like a guttural demonic sound, when heard by others. Often times, a possessed is compulsed to speak this way by the soul inside them. The language cannot be taught, written or understood by non-Infernals.
<Infernal: ...>
Sign Language-
Players are able to use a sort of sign language reminiscent of the modern day variant if it seems suitable for them to know such a thing (ie being deaf, having been taught it, so on). Characters who would reasonably know and understand sign this way can emote using {Sign: text} though it should be understood that communication this way would reasonably take a while to relay and understand compared to speech as well as needing line of sight. Consider this a form of the common tongue and learning it is akin to learning another language if from another player, taking several lessons ICly over the span of a month.
For the sake of simplicity, this sign language can be considered universal. That is to say that all races can learn and understand it as it is taught and it does not have variations depending on different languages.
<SL: ...>
<SignLanguage: ...>
D E A D
O R
D Y I N G
L A N G U A G E S
These languages must have a teacher to be taught. No new characters can know it on their own.
Engem -
The Engem language is probably one of the most foreign languages. It was developed in isolation, and as such, bares utterly no resemblance to the normal languages of the ancient Northern Kingdoms. The language has been influenced over time by cultural divisions, however due to Druid Bitzbank [Deft leaf] Engem, who was the seventh druid ever and created the written script, during Ko Chalkan's [The Empire Bringer] Highland Conquest the sub cultures of the Engem still retained the same basic language; with only dialects differing. The Engem language features a lot of synonyms.
Engem is not common knowledge, as all Engem are secretive about it, and even if it was public; it'd hard to learn." - Goldengem25 , the founder of the subculture.
Aurion -
Created within the Arget Isles, Aurion was the sophisticated language of the Silver Elves. Long since the tsunami that wiped the land and migrated the people within, the language of Aurion slowly dwindles and is spoken between mostly high nobles and those that still sing the songs of the Silver Elves of Arget.
<Aurion: ...>
Old Arcturian -
An ancient language of the Arcturian Empire, now fallen. As it fades from existence, a scarce few have learned it. No new characters can begin knowing it. But it can be taught by existing characters.
<OA: ...>
Lavo-
Language of the Empire of Lavoyard, now fading and rebuilding in a smaller culture. No new characters can begin knowing it. But it can be taught by existing characters.
<Lavoye: ...>
Norvägen -
From the abandoned land of Avanor within the flooded Northern Kingdoms came the language of the Norvägen. It was always a dying tongue and even more so as few of its people survived to pass on the culture and history of the Northborn.
<Norvagen: ...> {Read Here}
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