Languages

Languages in Etharis divided the world as much as political borders do. The common citizenry of Etharis speak the tongue of their nations, and rarely anything else. Only those who travel extensively have the need or the means to speak a language other than that of their village and their neighbors.

The races have their own language as well, but even then they’re only learned and spoken if they’re the predominant language in an area. Established dwarven families in one of the nations like Ostoya, for example, may never speak Dwarven, favoring Ostoy instead. Racial hubs within a nation, however, would definitely speak both the racial tongue and the national language. Since there is no Common tongue that unites the civilized world, translators are highly valued and respected. Adventurers, as well as those who make a living by moving from place to place, often take the time to learn as many languages as they can.

The language of Common typical in most fantasy settings is not present in Etharis. Instead of one common tongue, there are various dialects of standard language in addition to racial languages.

• Charnault: The national language for the chivalrous Charnault Kingdom.
• Castinellan: The dominant language of the Castinellan Provinces. This language is also used for most of Etharis’s religious texts. It was until recently considered a crime to translate the teachings of the Seraphs into a language other than Castinellan. Castinellan is also predominantly spoken in Morencia, making it the most common language used in trade.
• Ostoy: The dominant language of Ostoya.
• Valiki: The primary language of the Valikan Clans. Each of the clans speaks a slightly different dialect of Valiki, but each dialect is similar enough to make themselves understood.
• Lower Bürach: The commoner’s dialect in the Bürach Empire. It is more heavily accented than Higher Bürach, making the general population of the nation harder for foreigners to understand.
• Higher Bürach: The highborn dialect in the Bürach Empire. Most formal writings are in this dialect as well, such as religious texts, laws, royal decrees, plays and poems, etc. If a foreigner learns Bürach, this is the dialect they learn.