IMPORTANT NOTE: This document has not been finalized yet and may change in the future
A full list and additional lore notes on languages can be found on the wiki. This list contains a selection of common languages referenced in gameplay and common adventure settings.
Majority language of the hidden Anthegal kingdoms of the Scythos, Anthian has its initial origins in a mixture of Axial Agothonian and Erihal. The other languages of the anthegals, like the hermit kingdoms they live in, are products of their self-isolation and vary widely from each other. When speaking with anthegals from other kingdoms Erihal is often used.
Erihal is the language of the Aeliokos. Legend says it was created by the god of wisdom, Erihal, and thus bears his name. It is known for its light, almost musical qualities, and is very pleasing to the ears of the upright. To evil beings, however, it is known to cause much anguish.
Spoken by most celestials including Sek-Agkelos, Omankhal is often considered the "diplomatic" language for communication between spirits. It is said to have derived indirectly from Oran, and can be seen as a successor of the ancient language.
The legends of the dragoons say their language is descended from a mixture of Erihal and Oran, though Drakontal sounds little like either. Human nations usually attribute the language to their creator goddess Eleytheria. The language is characterized by deep, commanding, guttural sounds. It is sometimes spoken in mercenary companies, even those without dragoons.
A dialect of Agothonian spoken on the Osgani steppes by a legendary people, with origins in a famed army that crossed Centras during the Great War. Eredocian lacks most of the innovations made by Koine, but has made changes of it own in the intervening centuries.
While not technically a separate language, or even a proper dialect, Filonian is spoken in Filon and eastern Agothos. It is characterized by basic Agothonian grammar and vocabulary, but with very different expressions, usage, accent, and preferred script. People speaking Koine and Filonian can communicate readily with only minimal frustration and re-explanation. Filonians most commonly write using Malian script, but the custom in eastern Agothos is to use the Filonian dialect with Agos script. Many a scholar, teacher, and tavern patron have debated which is the "first" or the "correct" dialect.
Language of Gyag. Many regional and tribal dialects exist, but the main gu'tal language is taught to novice shamans for the purposes of coordinating The Ascension and acts as a common tongue for the elite of the region.
Meaning "common", Koine Agothonian is the modern language of the Republic of Agothos, blended and influenced by the languages of its various satellites and trade networks to grow popularity well beyond its homeland. Along with Vernick it serves as a shared tongue for the western world as a diplomatic language for peoples opposing the 39 Shards, as well as generally anyone interested in trade near the Diagenean Ocean. Most people have some exposure to Koine, and almost all educated people have a working fluency, preferring to communicate through a shared knowledge of Koine instead of needing translation between a myriad of local tongues.
Language spoken by the tribes of Lahamel, with strong nasal consonants and melodic vowels. Though the Lahameli pride themselves on their uniqueness, their language borrows heavily from nearby Marettic languages, yet has enough distinctiveness to retain a separate identity. Lahameli is a weighty and grounded language, rich in physical metaphor and a poetic tradition of deep philosophy explained through simple yet stark imagery. Its unique script is thought to descend from their time as a slave caste in Orises.
The standard language of Zulithan, Lower Orisec descends directly from Old Orisec. It is commonly spoken by those in the Rahiel delta, urban areas, and in Yahnvaistic rites. Outward facing, Lower Orisec seeks accommodation with foreign tongues in hopes of regaining the prestige of Old Orisec. Given geographic realities and the popularity of Pheocian this has yet to come to pass.
A hybrid language group with a history as complex as the web of inter-related people groups of the Tannah Sea, Marettic covers a diverse collection of ethnic dialects that are only barely communicable. Its common roots with Qhashdean, along with its dynamism and blending with Pheocian means it is preferred by the urban poor of the southern and western parts of the Tannah, often to the disdain of their elites. Though simplistic, the language is lyrical and easy to convey meaning across dialects.
The language of the Osgani, horselords of the steppes of northwestern Centras. Gutteral yet sing-song, the language lacks a formal writing system.
The language of the Pheocian people is as blended yet unique as their history. Though descended from a common lineage with other Tannah Sea languages, the Pheocians' mastery of the sea for trade and colonization have provided opportunities for intentional blending with other languages. These they have readily seized, leading to a language that over centuries has become deeply intertwined with most of the languages of northern Centras. Though it is not a household language outside Pheocian territories, in costal areas of the Tannah it is ubiquitous for business and trade, and used as a common middleman language for translation. Curiously, the Pheocian alphabet derives from Axial script, but beyond this the two languages share little.
Literally meaning "Words of Fire," it is spoken (with many local modifications) by the tribes living in the Polus Fire Marsh. While most scholars dismiss it as a "primitive" tongue, it should be noted that before the adoption of Vernick as the official language of the 39 Shards a form of Pyr'Khal was used as it was easy to teach and effective to use in military situations.
Claimed to be the oldest language in the world, the mother of all tongues, Qhashdean is indeed ancient but its modern form has seen significant changes since the Great War. Particularly influenced by Marettic due to its use in urban centers, Qhashdean has become an important, but ultimately ethnically isolated, language of the Tannah Sea. The prestige of Qhashdean is still recognized, however, with Marretic poets and Pheocian scribes preferring Qhashdean for storytelling to lend ancient gravitas to their epics and legends.
While Sildar sounds much like Omankhal, even a novice listener will realize they are quite different. Sildar was developed by the various Druid Matriarchs to converse with the forest spirits. It was further changed (or as some Sildars claim, "corrupted") during the long Romalian occupation in the 2nd Age. Thus any similarities it shared with Omankhal (and therefore Oran) are long since covered up. It is still pleasing to the ears of both gods and men, and is sometimes spoken by natural spirits as second language.
Spoken by the neutral nations of the Touyouian region, it reflects the Toyouian's isolated nature as it shares no resemblance to the other human nations' languages. Some linguists theorize it has a slight influence of Oran, though if it does it is very hard to find.
A language with an Agothonian common ancestor with Koine and Vernick dating from the second and third ages. Tounic is a thought to be a major reason for spread of Agos script in Centras, which has influences in Pheocian and other Tannah Sea cultures.
An indirect dialect of Halser, it is spoken by the merchant-fleets of Umerail. It is commonly used by sailors in and around the seas of Polus.
An inheritor of Old Orisec, developed by the Zulithan of the upper Rahiel river valley most zealously following their prophet, Zulit. The dialect curiously has no formal words to describe magic, and instead re-uses words for vices or impurities when necessary. Commonly used by Zulit practitioners and the "umbral" tribes that brave the interior of the Midnight Desert.
The language of the nation of Vernick, the leading nation of the 39 Shards. By far the most common language in Polemos due to the Shard's influence, it shares its roots with Axial, a fact most in Vernick and Agothos will deny vehemently.
Vulgar meaning "common", the modern descendant of Malian spoken by the survivors of the fall of the Romalian Empire. Though their empire is lost, and their worldwide linguistic relevancy limited to old Malian, Vulgar Romalian still has influence in the former core territories of the empire around the Tannah Sea. Vulgar Romalian finds popular use in most armies of the region, with the Malian reputation for warfare and shared history of taking orders in an imperial tongue still fresh in people's memory.
Dead Language
Also called "classical" Agothonian, the Axial dialect claims direct descent from the tongue spoken in Agolos City in the second age. While it is also the closest parent to the modern Koine dialect, and shares many close similarities to it, Koine's popularity means it is almost always preferred when speaking, even in formal settings like the Senate. Rather, Axial finds continued use in literature, ancient courtly or religious rituals, and other scholarly pursuits.
Dead Language
Also known as "Ancient Romalian," Malian was the language of the long-dead Romalian Empire, the greatest of the god-king empires of the 2nd Age that dominated much of Centria, Polus, and even Undas. The nation was completely annihilated during the Great War, and the language fell out of everyday use along with it. So prolific was the language in official documents and bureaucracy, however, that in many parts of the world it is still the primary language for legal proceedings and government paperwork.
Dead Language
Language of High Kingdom period of ancient Orises, land of starlight. It uses a unique writing system of iconic glyphs that incorporated glowing outlines and other magical effects to provide both grammar and connotation. Now buried under the Midnight Desert, the beauty of the glyphs of Orises mostly entertain tomb robbers.
Dead Language
Oran is a dead language of unknown origin. Some place it as the language of the gods before the development of Erihal, some believe it is a world language of the magi from the first age, while still others attribute it to pre-creation gods unknown to current pantheons. Whatever the case, its writings can be found in ancient ruins all over Polemos. It is never spoken, save for between scholars from time to time when they require privacy.
Grum is a very simple, animalistic language developed and taught to the Syphkolk by the magi that created them. While it has its origins in Krivkhal, it is rarely spoken by anyone other than the Syphkolk themselves.
Also called "Alser", a language developed by the traveling trade caravans of the nomadic Halser people. The language is unique in that it combines both vocal sounds and sign language simultaneously. High Halser is the term for the more advanced hand signals and the entirety of the spoken Halser language. It is used primarily by ethnic Halser that travel the world's trade routes in search of adventure and profit. Those who only know Low Halser may readily communicate with those who know High Halser, and in general those who speak High Halser are more than happy to "drop" into Low Halser for the sake of good conversation.
Also called "Alser", a language developed by the traveling trade caravans of the nomadic Halser people. The language is unique in that it combines both vocal sounds and sign language simultaneously. Low Halser is a simple sign language subset of High Halser that is used for basic trade phrases and numbers. This makes the language easy to learn, so many travelers learn Low Halser in a matter of weeks without even realizing it. The signs are designed off written Halser, which also means Low Halser users have the literacy needed to keep basic accounting records. The language contains enough of a vocabulary to be useful in everyday communication, but lacks poetic synonyms or other linguistic fluff that could hamper clear meaning and ease of learning.