Languages of Aduria

The languages of the people of Aduria are wide and varied, even more so that in Cerilia. Much like in Cerilia the human tongues for each region serves as localised version of common. This document list all the currently spoken languages in Aduria, as well as several now dead tongues, each with a short description on who speaks it and why.

Ancient Languages:

These languages were among the first ever spoken on the continent. All are still spoken in some form, somewhere in Aduria, despite their age. The other ancient languages, if there ever where any others have been lost over time.

Dragon: The Dragons were one of the earliest races on Aebrynis, now they are a dying species, but their language remains, spoken by Dragons themselves, the Skissshar, and scholars who study the ancient beasts. Like all the ancient languages it is not widely spoken now, reserved only to the one race, and a few scholars who preserve it for history.
It is believed that there was once also a written language used by the Dragons, but if this is so then only they know of its existence. Ruins in some regions of Aduria have been found with ancient writing in an unknown language, and some have speculated that this is the writing of the Dragons. No Dragon has ever confirmed this though, a none will speak on the subject.
The Skissshar, the evil Snakemen of the north, also speak Dragon, although not widely. They see it as the tongue of their god and it is usually reserved for their priests.

Giant: As in Cerilia most Giants have now long since died out, and the time of the Giant race is quickly passing. Those who exist however use the language of the ancient Giants as a way of communicating with each other, and do not share the tongues secrets with anyone else. When they speak to Humans or the other younger races then they usually speak in the common of the region they live in.
All of the lesser Giants speak only the local human languages, as they are not seen by the True Giants as members of their race, but rather lesser creatures.

Dra'kar'zoon: Also known as ancient common, this language was used by the race known as the Dra'kar'zoon who died out before any other human civilisation arose. Their tongue however still survives among the scholars of Aduria and other nations who seek to decipher the secrets of this ancient race. The Dra'kar'zoon were famous for leaving behind vast ruins, and in some of these were found sealed pots, that when opened were found to contain the captured speeches by Dra'kar'zoon kings and high priests. Somehow the voices of these long dead men and woman had been recorded and stored in their tombs.
The scholars who are studying the ruins have learned the language so that they better learn the ways of the ancients. So far little progress has been made however, for even with an understanding of the language the speeches make little sense, as the speak of battles and events that took place before history was recorded.

Asla: The Asla are also one of the elder races, thought to have first been encountered by Humans during the time of the Dra'kar'zoon Empire, around six and half thousand years ago. It is likely that they existed long before then though, perhaps even back to the time when Dragons and Giants were common. However the Asla keep no historical records so this can not be confirmed.
The language spoken by the Asla of the great jungle varies little now from what it did millennia ago, and is still spoken widely across the southern kingdoms. All Asla will know this tongue, which is spoken in their typically growling voices, although they may also know the common Human tongue (Kormas usually), although the are not good as speaking in Human languages. Few Humans have ever grasped the language, as it is meant to be spoken with a much large mouth than the average Human. A few rare individuals have learned enough however to speak with the Asla.

Temple Neha: Ancient Neha is the youngest of the old tongues, having been spoken first around five thousand years ago. It was then the language of the dominant tribe of the Neha people, and over time as they rose to become what is now the temple caste in Neha their language became the one used when speaking to the gods, while the more common tongues became combined to become modern Neha.
In modern times the temple tongue is still the language of the gods, and all Neha priests must learn it to cast spells. All prayers to the gods are spoken in this tongue, and as such it is looked on as a holy language. For someone who is not a priest (royal family is permitted) to speak temple Neha is a great crime, equal to treason or sinning against the gods themselves and is punishable by death. This enables the priests to maintain their power in Neha.
The written version of this language is a series of complex hieroglyphics that is still used by the priest of Nehalim. Although most people in the Neha lands have long since cast aside their old way of writing and instead taken up the Adurian alphabet the priests continue to use it for their prayer books and other holy tomes. As with speaking Temple Neha, writing in the old alphabet if you are not a priest or royalty is punishable by death.

High Brecht: In the southern city of Chorbrag, the ancient home of the Brecht tribe this language is still spoken by some who long for the old days before the Empire conquered the city. Before the arrival of the Adurian Legions it was the only spoken tongue, but now it is only known by a few, mainly scholars, priests, or magicians.
The Awnshegh known as the Emerald Sorceress also speaks the tongue, and is though to actually Brecht, for before the conquest of the Brecht lands by the Adurian Empire. She is thought to inscribe her books of magic in this tongue, and will speak no other, which makes it difficult for the Nehalim appointed prince to communicate with her.

Human Tongues:

These are the currently used human languages. They have all developed within the the past five thousand years or so.

Adurian: Also know as Northern Common, the Adurian tongue once dominated the continent, as the Empire sought to remove all other languages. Over time however the other languages have returned as those realms where they were spoken broke free of Adurian rule. In the north and east of the continent the Adurian language remains however, and on the heavily populated Subriyan Peninsula it still remains as the common tongue.
It remains as the most popular language in Aduria mainly through the influence the Empire still has across the continent. Almost everywhere you travel in Aduria there will be someone who speaks Adurian, so even in the far south knowing this language can allow you to be understood, if regarded with some suspicion.
Adurian is also the basis of most written languages on the continent. Some of the other tongues, especially Juh, & Ghan have no written language, or a very poor one. So in those regions the Adurian alphabet is used to for the written forms of the language.
Adurian is based on the Masetian language, as the Adurian were originally Masetian, but it also includes a lot of Andu words, as well as many new additions. Anyone speaking Masetian will understand about 35% of the Adurian language, and for Andu speakers around 10%.

Anuirean: The languages of the Anuirean Empire is spoken by some in the far north of the continent, especially in the realms of Mieres and Suakien. It is not a major language however so few south of Suakien speak it widely.

Skissshar: The Snakemen of the north have over time developed their own language, which sounds like a collection of hisses, and clicks. Few outside this race understand the tongue, but the Skissshar also know the Adurian and Dragon languages as well, so communication is possible, if not always friendly.
The Skissshar will not willingly teach another this language and will try to kill any Human that has learned it. They use this language to communicate secretly with each other, and do not wish to give up such an advantage.

Juh: The language of the nomads is mainly an oral tongue, and has no written component. Is is spoken across central Aduria, mainly by the nomad tribes of the Juh grasslands, and a few other regions.

Neha: This is the modern language of the Neha people, and is very similar to Adurian. Before Neha was conquered by the Empire around fifteen hundred years ago the main language was what is now called Temple Neha. During the Adurian occupation though this language was almost wiped out and Adurian took its place. After they had regained their freedom the Neha also tried to reclaim their tongue, but deciding that it was no longer suitable as few spoke it choose instead a fusion of Temple Neha and Adurian.
The new language, now spoken throughout Neha can be partially understood by speakers of Temple Neha and Adurian, usually with about a third accuracy. If a person who speaks one of the other two tongues will find Neha a lot easier to pick up and should have grasped the basics after a few weeks of study.

Ghan: In the Great Desert live the Ghan people, who are now little more than slaves to the evil sorcerer who rules the region. The language that they speak is also the most common tongue of the Humanoids of the desert. Few outside the region however speak this language, although the number of speaks are growing as Ghanim continues to expand its empire into Southern Neha.
In Nehalim speaking this language openly will likely land you in a lot of trouble, as the military there is continually looking for Ghanim spies, and any speaking the Ghan language are considered suspicious.

Huachi: In the isolated south-east mountains of the continent live the Huachi people, who are said to have arrived on the continent from Djapar or lands even further away. They speak a language unknown in the other regions of Aduria, but due to the lack of contact between the Huachi and other lands their tongue remains isolated to this region. They also speak few other languages, which makes communication difficult for travellers.

Kormas: Also known as Southern Common, the Kormas tongue is used across the entire southern region of Adurian, south of the Huachi & Asla lands. It is a language that was derived from the ancient Dra'kar'zoon tongue, and has spread wherever the descendants of the Dra'kar'zoon have travelled. It is also similar to the Ghan tongue, although the millennia have altered the two until they are no longer the same.

Dead Tongues:

These are languages that are no longer spoken in Aduria, although they may still be in Cerilia or other lands.

Andu: Andu was spoken across much of central Aduria before the coming of the Adurian Empire. The Adurians ordered that those they conquered speak Adurian instead of their native tongues and over time the Andu language disappeared, with almost no trace remaining.

Vos: The Vos language vanished in much the same way as the Andu tongue. There are a few Vos who survived in Aduria after Azrai's hordes had conquered much of the continent, but they have over time chosen to give up their native tongue and speak Adurian instead.

Rjuven: The language of the Rjurik people was never widely spoken in Aduria, only along the thin strip of land that is now home to the Nehalim Principalities. When the Adurian armies crossed the Azure peaks into their lands the Rjurik people fled before them and little trace remains of them in their original home.

Basarji: The language of the Basarji people was never well known in Aduria, but the Huachi did speak it when they first came to the continent. Over time however their language changed and the two tongues are no longer the same.

Back to the Empires of Blood homepage