High Ortegan

I can't make it out, which tells me it's older than you think it is. That also tells me it's dangerous to pry at for too long, because there are many who deny there was anything of substance before the Imperium rose. Keep this record hidden, and take it into the east... people there will know how to read it, and keep it safe. Yes, of course it's a perilous and long journey! It's up to you to decide how badly you want to know what's written there. What value do you place on knowledge?

— Michi Shatterdown, Imperial Arcanist

In the days of the Ortegan Empire, there were many languages which flourished among humans who dwelt there. Several of these languages survived to become what are now known as the regional variations of the common Imperial language. However, many of those languages did not survive the fall for various reasons - and among those was the language used by the Mystics and their aides. It was known as 'High Ortegan', based on a set of runes which were a mix of angular shapes and curved lines. As it does not have any shapes which modern languages can recognize, it was not discernible by many who survived the fall of the Ortegans.

Naturally, any documents which have been found are not reliably identified from the source, and often find their way into places which have no idea what they hold. High Ortegan often was used for matters of great importance, or things the writers would place a high degree of importance on them. The intent behind developing the language was to keep such matters from being communicated to the "lower families", which means the increasingly-paranoid Mystics would often enchant their missives with magic to keep the unwelcome from reading what they were sending. Often, this was a spell which would render the text to appear blank without access to a counter-charm which would reveal the text. But sometimes, this was a spell which would cause mental damage to the reader which could not be easily healed and render them unable to communicate what they had read.

The Mystics did not make it easy, as during the final generations of the Ortegan Empire they would sometimes enchant missives of no consequence just the same, in order to ferret out suspected spies and saboteurs. With the rampant paranoia cultivated within the higher ranks of the Mystics over their 'Great Work', this led to many surviving texts being about inane and rather normal things such as lists of supplies or discussions about interior decorating. This is why so many adopt the same phrase as many antiquities dealers in Eva Valoria: "merely because it is old, doesn't mean it is valuable".

Ah. I wish to impress on you the trouble I will face dealing with this project you think will be worth my time. This language is known to me, but it is rife with many... traps, I suppose you could say. Layers on layers of- I can already see you're not comprehending. Trying to decipher this text will take great care, and success is not guaranteed. If this text is from a truly paranoid creator there will be... measures... taken to protect it from prying eyes. I will certainly take it from you, but paying you for it-
Do you often pay people to punch you in the mouth, perhaps? I do not think so. Then be grateful you have delivered it to a place of safety, good gentleman, and have a safe journey back to the west. We shall handle this text with great care.

— Sage Trevani, Keeper of Lost Records

Strong divination magic has been able to discern the contents, especially such magic used by the Myrisic Sages. In their quest to uncover as much history from before their order was founded, Sages have access to a variety of divination spells meant to decipher text which is ordinarily unreadable. Among those Sages who have experience with High Ortegan, there is a distinct reputation for it being considerably tricky to work with. Despite the challenges, they are known to pay for acquisitions so long as they believe the contents are valuable. This has allowed the central repository of High Ortegan script samples to be held by a sect of people entirely uninterested in it other than for the historical value. It has also led by many attempts by Imperial Arcanists to infiltrate the Sages, under the suspicion these messages are not truly "ancient texts" but secret messages plotting ill deeds against the Rhyliss Empire. It does not help matters the Sages do not permit just any of their number from browsing the High Ortegan texts, due to many generations of unfortunate incidents with enchanted texts. To outsiders, or to those lower in rank, it does appear as though there is something to hide within those ancient and unreadable documents.