Languages

As with any civilized world, languages are important. Below are the languages one can expect to find while traveling the lands and realms of LoT.

The 'Innate' section lists all groups that will know that language through their upbringing.  A character raised by parents of a different race may know different languages depending on their background and upbringing. 

For a standard character, they know all languages that show their race, faith, or group they are part of in the ‘innate’ section. This can vary between subraces. 

The 'Can be known by' section lists all groups that might learn that language through experience or upbringing. All characters start with one language of their choice that lists a race, faith, or group they are part of in this section. 

Hybrids know the innate languages of both parent races and can choose ‘known by’ language that either parent race could know.

Learning a language:  New languages can be gained through perks or by using certain artifacts such as an earring of language (common artifact)

Old Amethian

Innate: Sapient Mugen, followers of the Ironmaster

Can be known by: Humans, Alinids, Dwarves, Karrians 

A precursor to the Common language, this one is mostly unrecognizable, yet can be learned by fluent speakers of Common. Humans and dwarves can learn this language with uncanny ease compared to all other races.  Mugen built in the forges of the Ironmaster are taught Old Amethian as their first language as this is the language he speaks and that of his followers. Humans and dwarves of the Amethian Kingdom authored this language and many still speak it out of tradition or necessity when dealing with ancient texts. 

Common

Innate: Humans, Elves, Muro, Dwarves, Mountain Minotaurs, Karrians 

Known by: Any Race

The core races of Cember and the Muro lands have built extensive trade networks, creating the necessity for a single trade language. As time passed, trade speak was created. This allows members of many races to easily trade and exchange ideas, making these continents among the richest on Tarrem in terms of wealth, culture, and technology. 

Deep Speak

Innate: Dwarves, Cavefolk, Subsurface Minotaurs, Dark Elves, followers of the whisperer

Can be known by: Changelings, Aracnoids

Sometimes referred to as “Whisper Tongue,” Deep Speak is the main language spoken by those dwelling in the Subsurface or otherwise underground. It is thought to have been passed on by the Whisperer, Ancient of the Subsurface. The language is built around brief combinations of gestures and words to relay information quickly and as quietly as possible. 

Changeling Code

Innate: Changelings, the deaf, the mute, followers of the whisperer

Can be known by: Any race with at least two hands.

Sometimes not thought of as a language, Changeling Code is made up of intricate and sometimes complex hand gestures. Changeling Code was adapted from deep speak and originally used by thieves, assassins, and the deaf or mute.  Following the Great Cember Changeling Purge (or The Great Changeling Massacre to some) changeling code became the best means for changelings to protect themselves and communicate in secret. It was developed as a way for changelings to identify one another and discreetly communicate out in the open. However, many non-changelings became interested in the language, and over time, Changeling Code became more widespread, and is once again used by many unsavory characters for discreet messages across taverns, or by those that have lost the ability to hear or speak. Thanks to this spreading, the signs for phrases such as “Are you a changeling” and “I am a changeling” are closely guarded secrets. 

Girresti

Innate: Giants

Can be known by: Half-giants

A deep, billowing language, slow and long winded. A short sentence can sometimes take as long as a minute to complete. The language is designed to carry far distances and pierce through wind, rain, ocean storms, and battle. 

Ar'croca

Innate: Ar'croca, followers of Zis

Can be known by: Cavefolk, Zirian Eyek, followers of Zis

This flowing language of birdsong is often described as the most beautiful music. It consists of equal parts bird calls and actual words. The tone, pitch, speed, and range of the bird calls are very important to context, making this language very difficult to imitate for most races. 

Aracnoid

Innate: Aracnoids, followers of Praelium

Can be known by: Ar'croca

The aracnoid tongue consists of many strange sounds: clicks, chitters, taps of their legs, and even web on occasion. Due to the way an Aracnoid’s mouthparts are shaped, it is very difficult to learn or mimic this language. The beak of Ar'croca allows them to effectively duplicate many of the sounds, though it does give them a distinct accent some aracnoids dislike.

High Naeyean

Innate: Arcane Elves, Alinids, Entkin, followers of Kreed

Can be known by: Followers of the Undying Scribe

One of the oldest languages in the realms. Crafted in the city of Everwell before it's collapse the language was used by archmages, kings, and demi-gods. Now it survives as the preferred language of long lived races that remember the days of the archmages and seek to one day rebuild.  Many scholars learn this language to read and understand the scrolls and artifacts left behind in the many ruins or the once vast Naeyean empire. 

Low Naeyean

Innate: Elves, Forest Minotaurs, Tieflings 

Can be known by: Any race

A derived language with roots in High Naeyean. It was originally used by commoners of Everwell and the surrounding empires, but survives now as the preferred language of elves and tieflings, whom both share direct ties to the people of Everwell. 

Dewnzleian

Innate: Orcs, Goblins, followers of Zelyriss

Can be known by: Muro, Elves, Humans, Alinids 

The modern form is an aggressive sounding language that is blunt and pointed. However, to those who study its original form know it was both complex and poetic. The connotations and subtitles needed to achieve this have been lost by the orc people generations after their empire collapsed. 

Drocbold 

Innate: Kobold, followers of Terran

Can be known by: Lesser dragons

A bastardized derivative of both Drocayian and Low Drocayian, spoken and spread by kobold tribes that took to worshipping and serving dragons - both True and Lesser. Many insults in Dracayian have found their way into the Drocbold language as words of praise and honor.

Aquatic Naeyean

Innate: Sepians, Water Lesser Dragons, Squalus, followers of the Leviathan

Can be known by: Water Tieflings 

A tongue that becomes easier to understand when spoken underwater. Composed of growls, bubble blowing, and a heavily altered mishmash of High and Low Naeyean. When spoken on the surface, native speakers struggle to form the words or properly express themselves without the air of water. Sentences take longer to complete, accents become much more pronounced, and many of the words sound noticeably different. 

Spore

Innate: Psicoids

Can be known by: None

A language of spores, incomprehensible to any who cannot produce said spores. 

Drocayian

Innate: True dragons, Half Dragons

Can be known by: Lesser Dragons, Kobolds, Alinids, followers of Zis

The language of true dragons, and considered one of their treasures. Finding a dragon willing to teach it is no easy feat. Alinids see dragons as some of the few surface beings worth their time and take great lengths to preserve their knowledge of the language. 

Low Drocayian

Innate:  Lesser Dragons, Cloud Tenders 

Can be known by: Kobolds, Tieflings 

A more “modern” version of Drocayian spoken mostly by lesser dragons or cloud tenders. Many true dragons believe it to be a lesser tongue, and an insult to use it. The exception being the dragons found in cloud tender enclaves where it is used heavily.

Felanae

Innate: Felaina 

Can be known by:  Zirians, Minotaurs 

A strange tongue spoken mostly by residents of the Felaina islands, it consists of many feline-like sounds such as hisses, mewls, and growls. 

Old World

Innate: Ancients, lesser ancients, Æsir, Ancient kin 

Can be known by: Followers of the Undying Scribe

An incomprehensible tongue to most, this language’s very existence is not well known, as it is near exclusively spoken by the Ancients and Æsir. Given that most Ancients that appear to mortals speak the most commonly spoken language of their present company (or sometimes multiple tongues at once), it is a rare thing to witness these beings speaking their own language. 

Muriis

Innate: Muro, Plains Minotaurs, followers of Zix'muro

Can be known by: Humans, Orcs

Muriis is an old language thought to have been handed down by Belladonna, Ancient of Time and Order. All Muro tribes speak nearly identical versions of Muriis, save for small differences in inflection, dialect, and the occasional differing or missing word for a given object or concept. The Delinia word for “ignorance” may be different from that of the Hy’till, for example. 

Zis Holy Tongue

Innate: Zirians

Can be known by: Followers of Zis

Sometimes compared to Felanae, the Zis Holy Tongue is a mixture of the spoken word and animalistic noises, such as barks, squeaks, and croaks. All Zirians seem to be fully fluent in this language. 

Weayd

Innate: Venandi

Can be known by: Zirian Amphi

A mix of Old World, Neayean, and Low Drocayian, Weayd is almost exclusively spoken by the Venandi, or other swamp dwelling peoples. Venandi speakers sometimes incorporate snake-like sounds into their speech, while non-Venandi omit these noises.