Languages of Kainos

Some written and spoken languages have existed in Kainos for as far back as anyone can remember - ancient tongues inscribed on mountains at the dawn of the material plane. Some are fairly recent advents, splitting off from mothertongues or being devised wholecloth. Though there are more tongues than anyone can name, a few are mostly widely known, spoken, and written.

**Primordial**

Really a widely varied set of sounds and symbols is the language of the elements, spoken by the Genasi folk of the four gates. Both the written and spoken forms of these languages as a linguistic cohort date back to the Primordial Age, when the Genasi's travel happened across quite vast distances and symbols were flashed on flags and shouted across whole sea currents. This language is also unique in one curious fact: it is difficult to *lie* in Primordial, when spoken correctly. Derived from the pure sound and pattern of the elements, it is most natural in form, and does not speak falsely. It is believed the written form of Primordial derived from the designs of imprints on an inkling shell.

**Giant**

A similarly old language is Giant, the origin of which is not known, though some posit that it is older than the giants themselves, and was brought with them when they climbed down from the sky onto the earth. The Giants' written language, also known as **TOG**, is comprised of large, sharp, simple but distinct shapes which could be carved into cliffsides and scratched into hillsides. It demands deep, bellowing chest resonance, and is difficult to speak for non-Giants.

**Orcish, Dwarven, and Elvish**

These advents are commonly grouped as the Astral Tongues - while not related, they quickly became the three most widely spoken languages throughout Kainos at the start of the First Astral War, which spread populations like wildfire sprawling across the continents at a rate hitherto unseen. Dwarven is characterized by its verboseness and variety of vocabulary, Orcish by its strict and intentional grammar, and Elven by its common pattern of using many words to communicate one concept. For example:

- The question *"What time is it?"* would be asked differently in each of these languages.

- **In Orcish:** *Question, tell me the current time.*

- **In Dwarven:** *What time is it now?/What hour is it?/How late is it?/How early is it?/What else is happening? etc.*

- **In Elvish:** *What moment, of any measure, now befalls this present moment? Tell me what I seek to know.*

**Goblin**

Goblin is a language usually spoken in fast, clipped sentences. A quirk of Goblin grammar demands the speaker to refer to themselves in third person by their own name - Goblins in fact find first-person quite vulgar.

**Sylvan**

Sylvan is a language spoken by Fae entities, faeries, satyrs, most animal folk and some gnomes. It is one of the core Languages of Magic. The most common form of Sylvan is spoken colloquially by some Wood Elves in Alahil.

**Gnomish**

Technically a subset of Sylvan, Gnomish has a lot more of a rhythmic, poetic, and rambling sound - giving the semblance of reciting a poem or riddle.

**Old Hygardian**

A relatively new language, first recorded only in the Silver Age. Spoken by the Humans in the old Hygardian nations (Highlanders, Garlanders, and Ridgefolk) and in Hygard, now all but replaced by Common.

**Common**

Crafted as a Hygardian-Elvish hybrid to increase solidarity and ease communication during the Dragon Wars.