Languages - The Tempest Coast

Shearingvale and the Silver Hills

There are a number of languages spoken by the human peoples of the Tempest Coast. These languages fall into three main groupings, each based on one of the older tongues spoken in centuries past. Or so say the sages.

Old Onorian was the language of the Elder nations of Onoria and Ithilkar. Salric, or Northern Common, the most widely used language in the Tempest Coast lands, is descended from Old Onorian. It is the primary language of the lands from Saradel to Alsberg and up the Greve River valley to the Shearingvale and Turil. It is a secondary language throughout the rest of the North.

Old Onorian is also the ancestor of Kalemite, the language of the Kalembar Federation, Rulia, the Longwood Vale and the High Plateau.  Kalemite is also a widely spoken second language in Saradel and Burgaresh.

Old Tirian is the ancestor of Oranthian, the primary language of the Oranthian Isles, and a secondary language in Romney and Tiencin.

The other lost Elder tongue is Old Gorlavan, the language of Gorlavar. Westreth, the language of Mirraddi and nations even further to the west, is derived from Old Gorlavan. Darlishite is also dervied from Old Gorlavan, and the sages say that there are influences of Infernal (the language of demon-kin) to be found in Darlishite. Westreth and Darlishite are close enough to allow very basic communication.

Florian, one of the ancient Inland Sea languages still in use, is the primary language of the Florian Empire (and primary and secondary in other lands), and is the ancestor of Varlan. Varlan, spoken only in the small nation of Varlune, is a dialect of Florian with Old Gorlavan influences, and is readily understandable to Florian speakers.

Sages and learned men speculate that the older tongues were already dissolving into different dialects at the time of the Elder Wars, and that the fragmentation and isolation of the survivors of the Elder nations hastened this process.

[edited 2/9/18]