Languages

These are some of the more common languages spoken and written across Elsemorn. Many of them are dialects or include features that hint at genetic relationships with other languages. A few are apparent isolates, with no known relation to other languages.

As on other worlds, the dominant human languages have developed into a "common tongue" that allows basic communication between speakers of different languages.

Languages

Dragons and Dragonkin

There are three distinct languages of dragons and dragonkin on Elsemorn.

Draconic is a language of dragons and dragonkin. It is a planned language that was created solely for communicating with other sapient cultures, and as such is unrelated to Drake or Yrmiga. Draconic is usually known as Low Draconic by dragons and dragonkin.

Drake is an innate language of all dragons and wyrms. It includes few spoken words and is largely based on nonverbal communication—expressions, gestures, and other body language—alongside dragon telepathy. As such, other species cannot speak the language. Drake is also known as Wyrm and True Draconic.

Yrmiga is a language of dragons and dragonkin. It includes some nonverbal communication, but is mostly verbal—though based on a dragonkin's mouth structure. Other cultures can learn to understand the language but rarely speak it. Yrmiga is also known as High Draconic.

All three languages are spoken in Yrmig, though the dragonborn who travel outside Yrmig speak draconic.

Dwarves, Gnomes, and Halflings

The dwarven, gnomish, and halfling language is known as Chiseltongue. It is remarkable for changing little in hundreds or even thousands of years, save for new words which are added and standardized very quickly. The Forefast script was developed for Chiseltongue, and dwarves use it to this day—though it is much less angular than it was originally.

Chiseltongue is primarily used in Burhi and Westbare, and around Clovenhorn in Cullodh, Gellem and Naef in Senthe, and Thannescombe in Loril.

Elves

The elven language is split into two primary dialects and eight secondary dialects, usually called floral dialects. These dialects are mutually intelligible and serve mostly as markers of identity within elven society.

The two primary dialects are:

Cenaaral tends to favor soft consonants (particularly C) and monophthong vowels.

Kenaraul tends to favor hard consonants (particularly K) and diphthong vowels.

The floral dialects are:

Autling, a Kenaraul dialect of the Kverlige.

Grotling, a Kenaraul dialect of the Musklig.

Kavling, a Kenaraul dialect of the Likle.

Marling, a Cenaaral dialect of the Algoli.

Primling, a Cenaaral dialect of the Acerli.

Rivling, a Cenaaral dialect of the Tiflig.

Somling, a Cenaaral dialect of the Tremlig.

Vintling, a Kenaraul dialect of the Argele.

All elven dialects are written in Alvras.

Giants and Giantkin

The giant language is named Gigarren but is sometimes called Giantish. A dialect exists for each of the group of giants, all of which are mutually intelligible.

At giant-moots, giants use a court language named Titianyrr. It is not related to Gigarren or any other known language.

Ogres and other giantkin speak a simplified dialect of Gigarren called Ogrish. However, they are much more likely to learn common instead.

All giant and giantkin languages are written in a variant of the Forefast script.

Goblins, Hobgoblins, and Orcs

Stonelings of Elsemorn typically speak one of two languages:

Kalemnak is mostly used by eastern Stonelings or orc-majority cultures. It is descended from a proto-orc language, and so is often called Orcish. Kalemnak is the most common language in the autonomous region of Therborous and around the Callam Cemana between Medoruul and Hestellend.

Ulgrim is mostly used by western Stonelings or goblin-majority cultures. It is descended from a proto-goblin language, and so is often called Goblen. Ulgrim is the most common language in Cosworn and the autonomous regions of Artieth and Kozlodus.

Both Kalemnak and Ulgrim are written in the Hulthasrun script.

Human (Common)

There are 8 dialects of the human language on Elsemorn. They all descend to some extent from Cordias, the extinct language of humans in Cordiana, along with influences from Chiseltongue (dwarven) and elven dialects. For the most part, these human dialects are mutually intelligible. In addition, any of them can be considered to be Common, the trade language which has found broad—but not universal—acceptance across Elsemorn.

Cordianavol is used in Casseval. It began as an attempted reconstruction of Cordias without the dwarven or elven influence, making Cordianavol the most divergent human dialect.

Fyndallen is used in Feore and Surrna. Feore has made efforts to reduce elven influence and restore words from Cordias, which has caused Fyndallen to diverge much like Cordianavol—though typically with different results.

Haffulken is used in Kaldenhave and parts of northern Reddes.

Hallasthed is used in Loril, Falxmed, the Southern Wolds, and the Grass Sea.

Hamirian is used in Kisra and Miraalys.

Pelletan is used in Fennleas, most of Reddes, and Terinnia. It has been influenced by other languages in Medoruul, which has caused Pelletan to be stigmatized to some degree.

Stuhrish is used in Stroud.

Tareskian is used in Theresk.

All of the human languages are written in the Forefast script.

Reptilians

Reptilians have an innate language of vocalizations and nonverbal language. They do not have any specific name for this language, so it tends to get called Reptilian, Reptilish, or even Lizardish.

Trolls

Trolls use a language named Tethii. There are many regional dialects, but trolls appear not to have named them. In any case, they are all mutually intelligible. Tethii is sometimes called Trollish.

Tethii is written in an angular version of the Forefast script.

Urtik

The Urtik appear to have a language but it remains undeciphered by other sapient cultures.

Other Living Languages

Apiath is spoken by elementals and other beings from the Inner Planes. It is also called Primordial.

Dala is spoken by beholders, mind flayers, and other beings from the Far Realms. It is also called Deep Speech.

Imilith is spoken by celestials and other beings from the Upper Planes. It is also called Celestial.

Kellithe is spoken by devils and other beings from the Nine Hells. It is also called Infernal.

Mera is spoken by merfolk and other sapient aquatic peoples. It is also called Aquan.

Niallithe is spoken by demons and other beings from the Abyss. It is also called Abyssal.

Theweren is spoken by underworld cultures. It is also called Undercommon.

Tivaskale is spoken by the Sanaj or tieflings. It is a blend of common, Kellithe, and Nialliethe.

Wosen is spoken by druids and woodwose. It is also called Druidic.

Yondera is spoken by fey and many sapient forest and plant species. It is similar to both Tethii and elven dialects. Yondera is also called Sylvan.

Zaqarlis is spoken by the Zaqaruin or aasimar. It is descended from Imilith, with loan words from multiple languages native to Elsemorn.

Dead Languages

Two written languages known as Axhas and Yptoan have been found on Kisra. Axhas has been partially deciphered and is somewhat related to Hamirian. Yptos is seemingly unrelated to any other languages.

Cordias was once spoken in Cordiana.

A script known as Orden has been discovered at many locations across Elsemorn.

Writing Systems

Forefast

Forefast is the most common script on Elsemorn. It was developed by dwarven cultures as the written form of Chiseltongue. As the name suggests, the letters were chiseled into stone and, as such, were originally angular. When humans arrived in Allesley, they abandoned the script for their native Cordias and adopted Forefast. As these humans were more comfortable with brush and quill, their letters became rounded. It was this rounded version that has since been adopted by many cultures for their own writings. Some variants of Forefast are relatively faithful to the rounded version and others are quite different. It is said that the dwarves saw the rounded forms as a challenge, and they now prefer it, even chiseled in their stonework.

Hulthasrun

Hulthasrun is a Stoneling script used for both Kalemnak and Ulgrim. It was developed as a symbol-based pidgin incorporating elements of goblin, hobgoblin, orc, and other scripts, but it has thrived while those other scripts are now functionally extinct. Hulthasrun is a mixture of alphabet, syllabary, and logography. It includes a robust pictogram system, including many symbols borrowed from more ancient scripts. Hulthasrun also incorporates characters from Forefast and minor writing systems.