Hammersong's Legacy: Languages of Cameria...

Good Morning, All:

The following is an excerpt from the Hammersong's Legacy Campaign Setting. Most of these are fairly mundane and common for most fantasy games, simply renamed to fit the setting. I did pack a few fun elements into the language section, though.

For example, the humans have their own native tongue ,Umani. I felt that this was in keeping with the fact that the Duar are the predominate race of the setting.

Trade replaces the common tongue of most games, and has been handed down by the goddess of knowledge and mysteries to replace the varied and disparate languages of the region. I felt that this touch did a decent job of explaining why there was a common language in the first place, and added a little to the setting itself.

Finally, I couldn't resist adding one of my favorite twists to the language of the fey. High Sylvan, the courtly language spoken by nobles of the Seelie and Unseelie Courts, must be spoken in rhyme. Otherwise, it is considered a rudeness and an offense, and the more malicious Unseelie do not take kindly to insults. My players have long groaned at meeting fey in my games, simply because they've had to speak in rhyme in order to communicate. I've even had players go so far as to look up rhyming sheets online to get ideas of how to speak. It's a challenge to me as the Referee, as well, but it definitely gives flavor to fey encounters.

And now, without further adieu, here's the section on languages in the Shattered Territories.

Languages of Cameria
As a majority of us speak the Trade language in addition to those languages spoken locally, the following is a brief overview of the languages commonly spoken by the denizens that dwell in or frequent the Shattered Territories.

Aquan: The trade language of the plane of Everysea, Aquan is spoken by most aquatic creatures with ties to the elemental plane of water.

Auran: The trade language of the Chorus of the Four Winds, Auran is spoken by the majority of flying and aerial creatures with ties to the elemental plane of air.

Celestial: The common language of the Seven Heavens and the Manors Divine, Celestial is a holy language brimming with divine power, used by servitors of the Gods of the New Order.

Draconic: The tongue of dragons and other reptilian races (including the Manasan serpentfolk), Draconic is an ancient language that contains many magical terms, making it a natural choice for discussing arcane matters in depth.

Duaran: The language of the Duar Protectorate, Duaran has become the de facto common tongue for the region, although it is slowly being replaced by Lorae's gift of the Trade tongue as it spreads across the continent of Cameria.

Hesperian: The language of the Elde people, Hesperian is now a dying tongue, given that its primary speakers are no longer capable of bearing live children.

Ignan: The trade language of the Emberrealms, Ignan is spoken by the majority of creatures with ties to the elemental plane of fire.

Infernal: The trade language of the Shadowlands and the Ten Thousand Hells, Infernal is a dark tongue laden with magical power, used by demons and other beings under the rule of Sandamos, the Grand Tyrant, including the Kelshan.

Knoff: The language of the goblinoid races, Knoff is spoken by goblins, hobgoblins, hyrknoff and other similar races.

Ordathi: The native language of the Ordath clans, this language is rarely heard outside the Isle of Patranos or the company of the reclusive Ordathi people.

Sylvan: The tongue of Arborea, Sylvan is spoken in two dialects. Low Sylvan (commonly referred to simply as Sylvan) is the dialect spoken by the non-noble faerie, while High Sylvan is the courtly tongue of the Faerie Courts. An odd eccentricity noted by scholars and sages, speakers must rhyme when speaking in High Sylvan, lest they appear rude and most inconsiderate. It is said that during certain reigns of the Unseelie Court, mortals that refused to speak High Sylvan in rhyme were imprisoned and tormented by the fey to the point of being driven insane.

Teranthan: Formerly a priestly language devoted to the worship of Terantha, Teranthan is now commonly spoken among giants, trolls and other children of Terantha.

Terran: The trade language of the realm of Deepmantle, Terran is spoken by the majority of creatures with ties to the elemental plane of earth.

Trade: Common across Cameria, Trade is a pidgin tongue mixing idioms from various languages in order to allow disparate people to communicate in basic terms. Given as a divine gift by Lorae, Mistress of Mysteries and spread extensively by traders, almost all travelers within the Shattered Territories know enough Trade to operate within civilized lands.

Umani: The native language of humans, this language is frequently heard in the human-oriented districts of Protectorate settlements.

Vaelic: The language of the Vaelan people, Vaelic is rarely heard outside the Shirelands.

Enjoy,
Flynn