Languages

While the sheer number of intelligent species throughout the planes make it impossible record all known langauges, here are presented those most commonly spoken on Madrian.

**Common**

Common is, as its name suggest the most common language on Madrian. It is the language of humans and is an odd combination of things borrowed from other languages. It spread along with humans due to their tendency to interact regularly with other races and many humans refusing to learn the languages of others. It has a number of related languages common among various human cultural groups. While many of these related languages vary wildly from the base, they still share origins and structure with other human languages and common.

*-Norn*: spoken throughout the Grey Peaks and often known to dwarves. Influenced by dwarven, it is common for norns to know both languages.

-*Jonguran*: perhaps the closest to a truly human language, Jonguran is the oldest and was probably spoken by the earliest members of the species. It is the native tongue of the Jongura. Tribal variations have grown over the years, but these subtleties are often missed by nonnative speakers.

-*Tieraltan*: The language has influences from Rafiah and Elvish. It is spoken primarily in Tieralto but is not unusual in the southern parts of the Continent, especially among travelers and merchants. Because of trade along the Merchant Sea it one of the few languages of the Inner Continent to make it to Cao Wu and Amato.

-*Wutan*: The language of Cao Wu is one the furthest human language from base common. This is due to ages of geographic isolation. As such the language is very different in a number of ways including written form. It is the most common human language in the eastern regions.

-*Amato*: The primary language of Amato. It combines influences from Wutan with the Ryujin language. Some scholars argue that it is more of an offshoot of the elven language than the human. However, it is still categorized as a distant relative of common.

-*Raf*: Native language of Rafiah and spoken along the Merchant Sea. The language developed with influences from the elemental languages due to contact with jinni. The Ancient variation had more Jonguran influences with a writing system that consists of hieroglyphics.

-*Mezralli*: This is the trade language of the tribes living in the Mezorale. Each tribe has their own language, but this is the language used to communicate between one another. As such the language cannot communicate deeper concepts such as philosophy or metaphor. Also, as with all languages of the Mezorale, there is no written form.

-*Ushanii*: The language of the nomadic ushanii people, which has developed as a mixture of the numerous forms of common spoken with its own distinct accent.

**Sylvan**

The primary language of the fey and the most common language of the Fey Realm. Sylvan is a musical and poetic language. As a language of inconstant yet immortal beings, it includes certain elements that are hard for mortals to grasp. The language also lacks past/present/future tenses and concepts as fey do not relate to time like other beings. The written form is highly decorative and has numerous alphabets that fall in and out of fashion among native speakers.

**Elvish**

Though it is based on sylvan, elvish has developed structurally in such a way as to be considered by linguists to be a core language. (This is sometimes argued, but gains little support among those language scholars that do not want the headache of learning sylvan.) Each house of elves has its own distinct form of elven which to other races seems vastly different from one to the other. Elves and linguists insist that there are numerous structural consistencies, however.

-*Sidhe*; the primary form of elven spoken by high elves. It is the most similar to sylvan and sidhe nobles often mix the two languages. This habit has been accused of being "arrogance".

-*Drow*: language of the dark elves. It is considered the harshest of the elven languages and has over the ages been influenced by interactions with demonic and elder forces. Ancient nobles of the house often speak the original version of the tongue which can confuse nonnative speakers.

-*Huldre*: spoken by wood elves. Huldre is interesting for its influences from dwarven that molded the language during the Age of Myth.

-*Ryujin*: language of the Amatorini elves. Ryujin is not only spoken by elves but by yokai as well. It is heavily influenced the development of the Amato language which is sometimes considered its offshoot.

-*Ezen*: the tongue of snow elves. It has influences from the elemental language of kami and is has become spoken by those beings. It is also popular among the spirits of the steppes where the snow elves dwell.

**Dwarven**

Created by Grell himself, the language of dwarves is like all other aspects of their culture. Deeply structured and well crafted. The well-organized rules of the language make it relatively easy to learn despite its complexity. It has over a dozen runic alphabets that can take decades to learn, so other races tend to only learn the primary one. Other dwarves insist that the duergar language is entirely different from dwarven. However non-dwarves cannot seem to find much of a difference beyond a slightly harsh accent. Because of trade dwarven is one of the most common non-human languages spoken by other races. It is especially common among norns due to their strong ties to their dwarven neighbors. Often norn children learn the language while apprenticing for dwarven craftsman.

**Draconic**

Not only is draconic more complex than dwarven, but it is needlessly so. Something that dragons are said to find amusing. The language is spoken primarily by dragons, lizardfolk and draconic subspecies of sufficient intelligence. It is also the language of wizardry and arcane spells use the language to channel mana. It was taught in the first wizards learned spells from dragons. Most arcanists learn the language fully, but there are those who are satisfied with just the alphabet and parts needed for spells.

**Orcish**

A harsh guttural language which has nearly unrecognizable origins in Jonguran. The orcish language is heavily influenced by the troll variation of the goblin tongue. This added with the crude hill giant and ogre variations of giantfolk has made it a very distinct language. Most of this cultural influence comes from orcs sharing war camps with these other races. This has given orcish a very rich collection of curses, crude jokes, limericks, chants and ways to describe violence. The written form has an alphabet of only 11 letters making it the smallest in the world. The largest number of nonnative speakers dwell in the Wild March where interactions with orcs are more common.

**Giantfolk**

The language of true giants, related subspecies and trolls. Interactions during the Age of Tribes made it a major influence in the development of common. Non-giant speakers are most common in mountain regions, in goblinoid tribes and among orcs. The language includes a whole catalogue of "meaningless words". They have no inherent interpretation but are instead meant to express or illicit a feeling. The most famous of these words form the line "fee-fi-fo-fum". These "meanigless words" are deeply important to giantish musical and poetic traditions and are popular in certain areas as curse words.

**Undercommon**

The utility of a trade language like common became apparent to duergar during the Age of Kingdoms. They developed a language which has since spread among the intelligent races living beneath the surface of the world. Oddly, orcish was the languages base, incorporating elements of dwarven, drow and surface common. Few languages are as distinct. It is a joke among linguists that the duergar did indeed succeed in making a language as messy as common.

**Goblin**

As old as sylvan, goblin was one of the first languages spoken on Madrian. A hissing, whispery language that Slith gifted to the first goblins. The modern form spoken by goblinoids, trolls, kobolds and other such creatures is often very primitive. Modern goblins are famously illiterate outside of graffiti usually written in common. But the ancient form of the goblin language is as rich and developed as elvish or dwarven. It has its own alphabet and artistic traditions that are nearly forgotten outside ancient ruins of the once grand goblin empire.

**Merfolk**

Under the waves merfolk is the most common language spread by the mercantile tendencies of the culture. The third oldest language on Madrian is uncommon among surface dwellers. Yet in the depths it is used across the globe, covers the walls of primeval ruins and is used in musical traditions by countless species. The merfolk language is meant to be spoken in the water and so can sound strange in the open air. It includes blowing through the lips, popping noises and musical tones with an accent which surface dwellers can rarely get right and often mock. For their part almost all merfolk speak common or undercommon as well.

**Elemental tongues**

Though primarily thought as four languages, the elemental tongues actually include 17 distinct languages. Some scholars even believe that there is an 18th language spoken on the negative energy plane. These languages are the primary communication of elementals and beings from the inner planes. All of the languages are difficult for non-elementals to understand fully and even harder if not impossible to speak properly. For example, the subtle sounds of crackling fire are essentially impossible for your average human to duplicate. Carefully used candles or torches can only do so much. Some spellcaster use magic to facilitate more nuanced communication. Most however opt to learn jinni instead.

**Celestial**

The common language of beings from the upper planes. On the Prime, it is most popular among bards and the clergy of appropriate deities. Intelligent undead and fiends have been known to find the language uncomfortable to listen to. For this reason it is often incorporated into spells of cleansing and exorcism. Most other races find it pleasing and lyrical.

**Infernal**

The official language of Hell. It has been described by many as a twisted version of celestial. For nonnatives it is an oddly easy language to learn despite its complexity. Almost intuitive. It is also the language used for certain dark magicks and so is popular among arcanists of certain moral flexibility.

**Jinni**

The language of jinni kind has similarities with basic elemental but with the intent to be spoken with a more humanoid physiology. It is often spoken by mystics in Rafiah and among elementalists as an alternative to elemental tongues.

**Abyssal**

A brutal and twisted language rarely learned except by those that deal with demons. Superstition holds that the language itself poisons the soul and draws the attention of demonic forces. The written form is said to be even more corrupting but manuscripts written in the language are thankfully rare.

**Aklo**

The forbidden language of the elder gods. Found in primeval runes and dangerous texts. It is used most commonly by certain drow courts, strange beings in the dark corners of the world and cultists of the elder gods. The very language itself seems to drive most mortals slowly toward madness. When identified many scholars advise quarantining any texts found.

**Necro-tongue**

The secret language of the dead is rarely used by the living with the exception of necromancers. It is believed to aid in communications with the dead or the undead. Rumors say that it is the official language of the Nighted Lands.

**Druidic**

A language spoken almost exclusively by druids. The language owes much to the sylvan tongue and seems to be understood by most animals and fey. It has a modest written alphabet but another extremely deep form of communication comparable to trail signs. This includes the use of natural phenomona gently molded to leave marks distinctive only to other druids. This can range from worm lines on wood, specific growth patterns of mushrooms, asking birds to circle in a particular way and countless others. Why this seems incredibly occult to outsiders it is said by druids to have the depth to communicate even jokes and sarcasm.

**Thieves' Cant**

Originally developed in Rafiah among the slaves during the rule of the Pharaohs. The language was a means of communication that when overheard seems innocent. It includes the use of hand and facial gestures and code words to communicate. To outsiders it often appears as haggling, drunken revelry or friendly ribbing. Essentially innocent social interactions common to most humanoids and rarely forbidden to even the lowest in a society. While it has become spoken across the globe among those working in illicit areas, it has a large number of "accents". This irregularity is a consequence of the code words and need for conversation to appear natural. It hardly makes sense to argue about the price of a camel when in market at a norn settlement in the Grey Peaks.

**Dead Languages**

Over time civilizations rise and fall. A side effect of these events is that populations who speak a language may disappear, or the languages becomes extinct from disuse. Such languages often are only be preserved by scholars and adventurers. This preservation is mostly in written form due to examples being found throughout ruins of the native speakers. Here are some of the most common dead languages on Madrian.

-*Noble Raf*: as mentioned above this language developed alongside Jonguran and consists of hieroglyphs in its written form. The language was used by the noble class in Rafiah before the overthrow of the Pharaohs. It was replaced by the language of the commonfolk.

-*Sluagh*: a form of elven used by the sluagh before their apparent extinction.

-*Priest Kings Glyphs*: hieroglyphs found among the ruins of the Priest Kings in Mezorale. There has been much difficulty in reconstructing the language. Examples are found only in remote and extremely dangerous parts of the jungle. In addition, the Mezralli tribes refuse to look at or even acknowledge such glyphs, considering them cursed.

-*Serpentfolk*: the language of the near mythic serpentfolk, the written form of which is in cuneiform.

-*High Goblin*: a written language found only among the ruins of the once great goblin civilization.