HERALDS CAMPAIGN
Languages
All across Noth are the varied forms of communication between beings, typically presented as either Verbal, Somatic or Written. Written language in Enaeth is far less common than its neighbouring continents, due to the oppressive reaction to the Atheist Movement and the implementation of 'Script Obsoli' during the Second Gift Cycle. While there are hundreds, if not thousands of distinct languages spread across Noth, here are the most commonly used:
Enaethern (Verbal, rarely written)
Astelleian (Verbal and Written)
North Arathern (Verbal)
Intratone (Verbal)
Hand-talk (Somatic)
Kinesic-Cypher (Somatic)
Canonical (Written)
Daeogram (Written)
Glyphics (Written)
Agarthern (Historic; rarely Verbal, Written)
Empyrean (Historic; rarely Verbal, Written)
Despite the significant cultural and relational differences between the city-states, language between them has remained relatively unchanged since the end of the Second Gift Cycle. Most differences in language between city-states, tribes and some frontier settlements typically appear as dialects and slang. Unlike their Astelleian and Arathern cousins, Enaethern has no modern written language, evidence of it existence physically scraped off of buildings and monuments during the Obsolist Movement. While it has since been recovered and translated, the act of writing in ancient Enaethern is currently banned under the continued mandate of 'Script Obsoli', initiated under the Tributionary Body and continued in a more relaxed form under TAERA.
Enaethern language has 10 vowel and 28 consonant sounds, and is described as 'Nasal, highly plosive, and rapid in syllables'.
From a meta standpoint, spoken Enaethern bares similarities to modern Hindi, but spoken with an Oceanic accent.
Written Enaethern is written left to right horizontally, and bares some similarities to Devanagari; Indian script.
Anyone born in Enaeth and South Arath most likely speaks one variant of Enaethern in one way or another.
Those that translate written Enaethern texts would likely be limited to government regulated Antiquitist groups or researchers.
Little is known of the languages of Astele by their continental cousins. The first language introduced came from ancient Enaeth, when Ttsoghal and his son Ttianmar arrived to create new societies on the Isles. Far later, the Isles were conquered and occupied by the Ven, and presumably erased or assimilated the existing language of the Isles. As writing materials became exclusive only to the Ven, their written language was never appropriately communicated to the Astelleians. When the Ven mysteriously and rapidly fled Noth, their verbal language persisted, but ancient Astelleian written language was re-adopted into its own unique script, baring some vague similarity to ancient Empyrean forms.
In Enaeth, translations of Astelleian texts are nearly impossible due to the lack of cross continental dialog, and only partial translations have ever been made. Most notable among recovered texts are the '10 Celestial Proclamations and the 4 Sensibilities', a religious manual found in the aftermath of the Astelleian invasion in 2553 3G.c, and the 6 volumes of the heretical author 'Leviathan', recovered from a shipwreck in 2389 4G.c and sold in a private auction in Rhyne.
Astelleian language has 8 vowel and 20 consonant sounds, but uses 6 different tone contours to differentiate words and meaning. As an alien language, it bares little resemblance to Enaethern or Arathern, and has been described as 'Musical, complex and definite'.
From a meta standpoint, spoken Astelleian bares similarities to Cantonese. Its script is written right to left vertically, and bares similarities to Cuneiform and Japanese Hiragana.
Astelleian is divided into 5 distinct languages across its 5 Isles, with the largest Isle, Dongur, having a number of unique dialects.
Written language is commonly learnt by government officials, from the Emperor's Regents all the way down to a lowly district official.
Once the most common language across Enaeth and Arath, now only spoken in the central and northernmost parts of the Arathern continent.
Due to the disparity and displacement of the Arathern people, North Arathern is a 'creole'; a blended language elaborated from the array of different cultures and countries that existed in Arath during the Atheist Period, and developed by neccessity for traders and travelers to barter life preserving supplies since the Declension, and dearth of widespread organised society in Central Arath.
While it bares some base similarity with Enaethern, it is not mutually intelligible. As a creole, written North Arathern does not exist, but instead Arathern people use forms of Agarthern as script and reference.
North Arathern language has 5 short vowels, 5 long vowels and 26 consonant sounds. It is described as 'Regal, slow and sharp'.
From a meta standpoint, spoken North Arathern sounds like a mixture of Latin and Iranian spoken in a Germanic accent.
North Arathern would only be known by natives to the region, and a variant of it by members of the Pennant Archae.
Intratone is one of the only 'artificial languages' present in Noth, developed for the sole purpose of communicating as much raw information into as little time as possible. Created by the Tariat Classifications after the destruction of the Thinking Machines of old, Intratone is the most complex language in Noth. Spoken in gutteral throat tones, each vowel and syllable lasts less than a millisecond. This language is generally performed by Tariat Archive banks, each individual Archive performing their fraction of the data into an enormous discordant 'choir' of information, which is translated and disseminated to other Tariat Branches.
In Tariat circles, a similar 'Informatone' is used to communicate quickly between Tariats, but indistinguishable to those unfamiliar with the languages.
Intratone has 30 vowels sounds, 79 consonants sounds and over 3600 roots that can be modified by complex grammatical rules of affixes, prefixes, suffixes, infixes and interfixes, numbering in the thousands. It is best described as 'Creaking, discordant and gutteral'.
Intratone is only taught by the Tariats Codexes to Augurs, and is completely unintelligible to anyone not proficient with the language.
Below is a recording from a Tariat Bank during data transfer. This 12 second 'Chorus', comprised of 256 Archives, is the record of daily weather events for one year.
Visual languages have existed in some form or another since the creation of civilization by the First Heralds. It has undergone the same level of evolution as verbal Enaeth languages, and while there is no state mandated shared language, it is largely similar across the continent, save for local slang and shorthand symbols.
Language is performed entirely with the hands, sometimes even one hand, and each sign expresses a complete word or concept. Despite the assumed simplicity of language, conversations between those with hand-talk can be as complex as a discussion in any verbal language. Great lengths have been made to teach hand-talk to soldiers and spies, enabling the quick and quiet communication over short distances for tactical purposes.
From a meta standpoint, players that are proficient with Hand - Talk can communicate fully with both hands, but only communicate fleetingly with one.
Hand - Talk is present all across Enaeth as an uncommon form of communication.
Another of the 'artificial languages', the Kinesic - Cypher was created by black market representatives of the Pendish Cartels. It is a language of suggestion, communicated through subtle movements, twitches and implied choice of words. The constant evolution of their language, and the difficulty finding intent in otherwise harmless discussions between traders makes it difficult for outsiders to even know something is being communicated.
Those with knowledge of this language can ask for almost anything of members from the Cartels; weapons, drugs and even assassins.
From a meta standpoint, Kinesic Cypher replaces the Thieves Cant. Those with high insight can potentially understand someone communicating in the Cypher.
Merchants frequently use this language to barter for illicit goods. Those with familiarity with shady individuals may know the Cypher.
In the aftermath of the Tributionary Body, written language was timidly adopted by some city-states. Unrealistic fears of similar action undertaken during the Atheist era, mass pamphlets of anti-theist assumptions thrown to crowds of avid readers, gave rise to severe regulation in the owning and use of writing materials. In Torrens, the Theovocates used a recovered wartime manual from pre-atheist Arath as a 'Rosetta Stone' for the implementation of Canonical; a dead language with no direct translation to written Enaethern.
With any complex written language in Enaeth comes strict regulations. Individuals must get accredited to learn and write, and writing materials are restricted to the work environment, as writers are checked daily ensuring complete compliance. Books are printed from one manufacturer in Rhyne, each composed of materials hard to replicate and easy to identity when compared with illicit books.
Over time, these restrictions have lessened, but the unregulated sale and possession of unregistered writing materials is still punishable in every city-state and most frontier settlements.
From a meta standpoint, ownership of works written in canonical, or the presence of writing materials without license, is a punishable offense.
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Used by registered individuals all across Enaeth.
Created during the First Cycle, Daeogram has survived the change to all other languages and the implementation of Script Obsoli, in part to the preservation of Reliquaries and Thesehts; religious technology created before the Fall.
Similar in form to ancient Empyrean and Glyphics, Daeogram are complex symbols, each with their own meaning and intent. It is believed the Daeogram inscribed on a Theseht maybe responsible for powering such devices through religious fevor.
Daeogram is seen on religious buildings, but most commonly on favors, trinkets and weapons, believed to give blessings to the holder. Indeed many of these items seem to bestow blessings, but it is uncertain if it is the item inscribed performing these miraculous feats, or the belief in their function itself.
From a meta standpoint, Daeogram are simple symbology used by religious craftsmen. Those proficient with artisan tools and proficient in the Religion skill can create Daeogram.
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Used all across Enaeth, mostly present on relics and buildings.
Due to Script Obsoli, the adoption of Glyphics became common under the Tributionary Body, primarily used as signs for buildings, warning signs or other visual language. A form of Glyphics are used in the creation of the TAERA'n unit and wage chits, denoting its creator, the alloy used, and the date of mint.
It is typically carved into wood or stone, and is done by artisans and augurs alike. Uses a mixture of symbols, cuneiform, and visual images. ,
From a meta standpoint, Glyphics are simple symbology used by craftsmen. Those proficient with artisan tools can create Glyphics.
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Used all across Enaeth.
In parallel to Enaeth, who abolished written language after the Declension, written language is one of the most sought after commodities in Arath, known as Canon. Canon are the texts, manuals and journals left behind by the Agarthern Empire, and are relied upon heavily in Arath to keep cycle-old Voltaics operational in their repair or replacement.
Despite the commonality of the Empire, several distinct written languages exist and are all considered Agarthern. Translators for these languages are often as valuable as the texts themselves, and many scavenger groups will often bring a translator along with them.
Agarthern exists mostly on paper, and was either typed with voltaic machines, or written with a form of extinct marker. It bares some small resemblance to Canonical, but is more curved and flowing.
From a meta standpoint, characters may need to find translators for recovered Agarthern canon; incredibly rare in Enaeth.
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Rarely encountered in Enaeth outside of private collections. Common in Arath.
The first language, now mostly lost to time. Believed to have been introduced by the Trinium itself, surviving examples of Empyrean are consider works of art in and of themselves.
For most of history, Empyrean was considered an extinct language; with a lack of complete documents, and with no surviving native speakers, many feared the once sacred tongue would be lost forever.
That changed when the No-Box below Torrens was discovered, and First Herald Ttsoghal along with it. He willingly taught the language to many individuals once he learnt modern Enaethern tongue.
While incredibly uncommon, Empyrean is still taught and learnt, highly prized in antiquitist groups in the translation of reliquaries throughout Enaeth,
It is an agglutinative language, meaning that words are formed by combining smaller morphemes.
Empyrean as taught by Ttsoghal, has 12 vowel and 30 consonant sounds, and is described as 'Familiar, stuttering and blunt'.
Used by researchers and antiquitists in the documentation of reliquaries.
Written Empyrean is circular in form, and written right to left horizontally..
Below is a recording of a seminar led by First Herald Ttsoghal, recorded on an auricle Theseht: