Kol'tal

The correct name for the root language of the elves. Often simply called elven by non-elves.

## Origin

Kol'tal was one of the oldest languages on Tal. It is the form of communication the Light's first children used, based off vae'tal and Celestial. The Varikol spoke it in its purest form, but after millennium it has changed a lot.

## Variants and Traits

Kol-tal was the closet a fully spoken language ever came to representing vae'tal the language of life itself.

Kol-tal was a fluid language, with a musical lilt but though its subtleties were often beyond humans, dwarves and halflings its practical speach was quite accessible to non-native speakers. Still even amonhst the elves there were many variants.

The Varikol spoke an ancient form of kol'tal probably the purest version of the languarge. The varikol disappeared as a race though after the elven golden age and in their place were left varied races of elves.

The Karritkol, and their near cousins the Quinkol, forest elves had the language nearest to the Vae'tal root. The language built off a full sensory interaction and leaned most on the elven sense of magical connection.

The Aquatikol changed the language in a different way moving more towards the Celestial roots and their language was very verbal and their accents tended to a melodic almost singing tone. Their language was also adapted for underwater use using tones that carry well in the water and hand signals as well.

The Ca'venkol altered the language, but only in that they discarded some words, created others and changed the meanings of others. It was a slightly harsher dialect and tends to much shorter conversations and phrasing than the elven spoken on the surface.

## Speakers

*Elves*

* Aquatikol
* Ca'venkol
* Karritkol
* Quinkol
* Varikol

*Non-Elves*

The following groups were likely to know elven as a second language. They would have called it elven not kol'tal.

* Dwarves – Elves were their greatest allies for centuries and they had long known each other's languages.
* Ents
* Faye
* Half-Elves
* Mages – many spells can only be done in elven and a lot of Arcania writings use elven.

## Cultural Impact

Some words in kol'tal were culturally significant the most important being the names of the Avatars. Though the Avatars were represented in the culture of the elves (as everywhere else in Tal) as Light, Darkness, Knowledge, Nature etc. In kol'tal they each had a true name another way of saying light for example. In most cases these names are not secrets but are considered irreverant to use. Yet some have inevitably come into usage for that reason.

The kol'tal word for Justice's true name also meant justice but it was specifically to be the name of that manifestation of Justice. Using it became something certain elves did to shock when they were striving to show a particular vehemence of feeling or determination (especially one that went beyond normal reason). The name would be invoked to show that elf had passed beyond what was decent in their cause. Often used now in oaths or in swearing.

The name of Light was considered truely sacred and of all the names it was considered the most awful to use outside of its sacred meanings and rites. There were some elves who would directly strike any who used the word incorrectly and in some cases people were killed for deliberate disrespect of the holiest word.

The name of Nature became the most used as a regular swear word amongst the nations of the elves. So much so that for many it lost its sacred meaning and even its connotation.

The true name of Knowledge also meant knowledge and seemed to concern the followers of the manifestation of learning very little compared to the others. Potentially due to this relaxed attitude the name never really came into use in kol'tal blasphemy or attracted the kind of protection of the names of Light or Death. Interestingly the word was almost never used and so in some ways was kept cleaner than even those more zealously guarded ones.

The name of Death was a curse. It was almost only ever used in religous matters or if by an elf in a deliberate cursing. Such a word was not taught verbally to children and if they came across it they were taught not to use it.

The name of Darkness was never known and there were those who believed if it was ever used it would be a sign of the end or Inevitus. There were scholars who posited that the name had been discovered at some points but that it defied recording or remembering. So even when found, seen or heard it will be lost and forgotten son after.