Excerpts from the Dictionary of Manavata
This is a brief list of terms and definitions from the Lexicon that is the Grand Dictionary (and several entries not knowingly covered in that tome). No effort has been added to categorize these lists beyond basic alphabetization. This is only a brief list of words that may be of special interest to travelers from distant lands and places, and is quite likely to be incomplete in it's endeavor.
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199 Years: The longest amount of time allowed by law & tradition to be permitted in a human contract between guilds, businesses, or individuals. Only sovereigns, immortals, and the gods are allowed more.
Academy Arcane: An organization dedicated to finding and instructing those with magical ability. Despite the name, these organizations are not directly tied to the Guild Arcaanum (even though they are established under Arcanum law, they are operated under the auspices of the local ruler), nor are they limited to seeking out and training wizards alone. These academies are established under the ruling Baron, and overseen by the Court Wizard (often with assistance from the High Priest).
Acorn: The sign of a homosexual female.
Afterblismed: Pregnant. Used for the early period of the pregnancy, before the mother-to-be has begun to show.
Ancient Tradition: The "organized" mortal elements of the Old Religion. To refer to it as an organization is improper, as no hierarchy generally exists beyond an individual circle or coven. Different circles will cooperate with one another as necessary, and an individual may "belong" to more than one circle or henge at the same time.
Arcane Champion: An advisor, advocate, and legal witness of a mystical nature, commonly in legal proceedings.
Archfall: A distance of two hundred miles, which is the common distance between marker arches along the High Roads. The nominal distance traveled by carriages and wagons (when pulled by draft horses) along the High Roads in six days (one day of the week devoted to rest, washing, and necessary repairs).
Aristocrat: A wealthy freeman or non-hereditary Lord with extensive holdings. Only used to refer persons of wealth.
Avereen: The gods. Also, the place where the gods dwell.
Baleen Balliwick: A bundle of common-scaled iineraries (originally made from baleen, but sometimes made of wooden strips or leather) that can be used to assemble a rough map.
Bailiff: An official (freeman or serf) appointed by a ruler to speak with (and for) the local populace. Generally appointed only when a city is too large to have a singular Bruhle.
Baron: The noble ruler of a county. A Baron is required to collect all rents, scutage, taxes and fees, and to disburse same to the appropriate individuals. Rents are the rightful property of the fief-holder and scutage is paid to the crown and the military.
Barren Fief: A fief that has no attached population, cities, or settlements.
Barrister: A lawyer of the arcane, often referring to a wizard who deals with the laws and strictures of the Guild Arcanum.
Barter Chart: The royal decree fixing the prices of many common goods. It sets the price and size (in weight and/or volume) of everything from various loaves of bread, to weapons, to the capacity of barrels and other casks. When referring to the document itself (Codex of Barter), the document is required by law to be possessed by every ruler, master craftsman, and sheriff; and must be carried by every sheriff or other official while assessing taxes.
Bell Fork: A two-tined fork that produces a specific note when struck. Almost always marked with a symbol denoting which note it produces.
Benediction: The closing prayer of a religious service.
Benefice: A grant made by a lord, usually of land.
Benevolence Day: Any sepcified day where a ruler provides food (commonly a bean (or other pulse) soup and a serving of bread) for the poor and needy of their realm. Often declared on holidays or spceial occasions.
Binding: An arcane, eldritch, or divine oath, given without external influence, that creates a magic bond between the individual giving the oath; and an entity, organization, or other influence. Such an oath will require certain commitments, and breaking one or more of those commitments will have unavoidable consequences.
Boon-work: Work obligation done by serfs upon their lords behalf.
The day boon-work is done.
Bridget, Breeze, & Bree: Common names given by tavern prostitutes. The names comes from an ancient ballad of three sisters. Bridget was the oldest and most beautiful, Breeze was the middle and most buxom, and Bree was the youngest and most intelligent.
Bruhle: A leader of the people nominated by common consent. They are often given the same authority (officially or unofficially) as a sheriff in dealing with petty disputes. Most bruhle are freemen, but may be a serf in a town or village. A bruhle rarely serves more than a thousand persons, and often far less.
Bulk: A trade good that is sold without consideration for the end user. Commodities that are sold in large batches that would likely need to be repackaged or reprocessed before reselling. Wagonloads of wheat or other grains, piles of metal ores, blocks of roughly processed metal, and barrels of raw (unbaled) wool or cotton are examples of bulk.
When used with a modifier, such as bulk wheat or bulk cereal, it refers to a crop or other commodity that is treated solely as a trade good with little to no consideration as to use.
Canonist: A religious lawyer.
Carnival Merchant: A type of trader's caravan whose major income source derives from entertainment and not the sale of goods. Carnival Merchants often buy local goods that aren't profitable as major trade goods, but may be found exotic or at least unusual elsewhere. They sometimes travel with other traders, and are occasionally hired by local rulers to put on festivals for special occasions. The carnivals tend to travel lesser trade routes more frequently than other merchants.
Cay County: An isolated county, one not bordered by other counties or natural terrain features that restrict or limit movement.
Centtain: A military unit consisting of five vintain, or 100 fighting men. Occasionally referred to as a company, although technically a company includes the support staff necessary to support them.
Cental: A group of ten decals, or one hundred households.
Centenar: A military leader controlling five vintain (100 men)
Centman: The chief man among ten decmen.
Ceremist: ??? ** A term mentioned in ancient texts, used as an adjective to describe certain people, strongly suspected to be capable of casting spells.
Chaldeean Elite: A company of warriors (specially chartered by the Crown) trained specifically for fighting against wizards and other spell casters. They were founded some time before the beginning of the Reformation, and used extensively during that period. The original company was officially disbanded some time in the fifth century of the Third Era, but some small groups still use the name and train using the same techniques.
Charged Scroll: A special type of magic item, having a set number of charges. These charges do not recharge, and the item either crumbles to dust or becomes nonmagical once the final charge is used. The item does not have to be a scroll, but is the most common form.
Chantryplate: A wrought circular object (often stone) placed level with the floor or ground, where a priest will stand during religious ceremonies.
A wrought circular stone where an alter is placed.
Charter: An official document, usually a deed or grant of privilege.
Chief Guardsman: The leader of the city guard. Sometimes the chief guardsman will be a constable, but is not required to be. Whether or not a chief guardsman is a constable, they are often required to provide regular reports to the sheriff.
Church: Refers to the ecclesiastical elite, the priests, and members of the House of the Avereen.
Circled Ring: A circle of wood or stones, topped with lintels; usually used in association with a henge.
City: A walled community of at least a thousand individuals. Classification as an official City of the Crown (sometimes City of the Realm) requires the community to maintain a substantial city wall (typically of stone), a regular guard or watch, have at least three properly chartered guildhalls, maintain an Academy Arcane, and have a registered teleportation circle.
City of the Realm: A city of Ardrigh with an official charter personally signed by the King. These cities have an "official standing" in the Royal Court and tend to interact directly with the King & Court rather than their regional and provincial rulers. It is possible (although infrequent) that a City of the Realm can lose it's standing as an official city.
City Guard: A member of the royal military charged with the protection of a particular place (often a settlement, town, or city). City guards are often from the local area, and are exempt from paying scutage.
Codex of Barter: A collection of books that describe the prices and accepted qualities of all goods that are produced and sold.
The first book of the collection, which lists the brief description and price of commodity goods.
Codex Gigis: A fabled book believed to hold the total collected knowledge of humankind. Many accounts vary as to what precisely it contains, but many accounts believe it to contain: the full contents of the Grand Dictionary; the complete texts of the Lem Charta, Code of the Moot, The Declaration of the Sovereign, and Decree of the Shogun, as well as the original Declaration Charters of the Mages of Power, the Guild Arcanum and the Council of Jesuits; the texts of The Holy House of Arvereen and The Pantheon of The Arvereen and Others; a complete unabridged history of Manavata; and a spellbook containing all known spells.
Codex Vaccua: A museum in Candlehar devoted to items of contemplation. It houses various abstract sculptures, paintings, and items of antiquity of unknown purpose. There is also a small theatre area with sloped elevation seating surrounding two-thirds of the round stage area. It is rumored to be owned by the League of Shadows.
Coin Duster: A thief, particularly a burglar.
Cole: A short verse (often a limerick or extended limerick) set to music and played in the street as a means to make money.
Colophon: A section at the very end of a book that lists the transcriber, transcription history, and notes of any errata made. The colophon may also include the name of the illustrator, or special notes about the tome itself.
Colver: A bard or other minstrel with a limited (but often popular) number of songs or bits.
Common Lodge: Also, common lodging. An open room with beds and/or bunks at in inn, ordinary, or tavern. Some common lodges at taverns are locked from the outside, and require payment for lodging in order to be let out (often called a reveler's roost).
Company: A group of five vintain plus their various support staff (personal retainers, cooks, smiths, marshals & grooms, teamsters, etc).
Constable: A member of the city guard or town watch who is specifically appointed and charged with maintaining civil order, and not protection from external threats. Constables may be drawn from the city guard or town watch, or appointed directly by the ruling lord. Constables are commonly deputies, and report to the sheriff rather than the Chief Guardsman or Watchmaster.
Council of Jesuits: Also referred to as the "Sage Society"; a fraternity of sages, experimenters, and professional researchers based in the Free City of Candlehar. Officially, membership is open to nearly anyone whose aim is the pursuit of knowledge, but in practice is only open to spell-casters.
County: The domain under control of a Baron, approximately 400 - 500 square miles. This includes the Baron's county seat, and the domain controlled by their Lords. The distance from the furthest point of the county to the main entry of the Baron's manor or keep is rarely greater than 20 miles.
Court Wizard: A wizard (or other mage) appointed by a King, Archduke, or Baron to advise that ruler. Court Wizards must by law be a member of the Guild Arcanum. Lords of well-established hamlets may also appoint a spellcaster as an advisor, but these court wizards have no legal standing, unless given appointment by the presiding Baron.
Coy: A tiny settlement or individual farmstead located outside of any county or fief, often unlisted by any Baron or the Crown.
Crazy Years: The 20 or so years following the disappearance of the Mages of Power (404 3E). The common belief is that it was caused by the forced forgetting of history, events, and spells related to the mages of Power.
Curate: The senior appointed cleric (by The House) in a county. Curates are almost always made the High Priest of the county in which they preside.
Cygan Seal: A special magical seal made by members of the Guild Arcanum or Council of Jesuits (requires the prestidigitation cantrip). It becomes in effect a permanent magical signature.
The special sealing stamp used to make such a seal.
Daisy: The sign of a homosexual male.
Decal: A group of ten households, used mostly for tax and tithing purposes.
Decman: The chief man amongst ten households.
Decree Absolute: (plural: Decrees Absolute) A formal declaration by a King, ratified by a majority of Archdukes, limiting or refining the power of that and all Kings (and nobles) thereafter. If the Decree rescinds a former Decree Absolute or a section of the Lem Charta, then it must also be ratified by a majority of Dukes and a simple majority of Marquesses as well.
Dedication: Similar in general appearance, style, and function to a shrine, but made to honor beings other than gods; such as demigods or martyrs. Dedications by definition are of a temporary nature.
Deputy: A sub-sheriff appointed for a specific purpose, such as verifying the accurate weight of merchant's scales or farming taxes. A deputy who maintains the public peace is called a constable. Deputies are accountable to the sheriff.
Divine: A powerful cleric of the House, often a member of the ecclesiastical elite of the House. Not all members (and even the highest members) are considered Divines.
Divine Miracle: A miraculous event of divine origin, and acknowledged as such by at least one Divine or others of the ecclesiastical elite.
Doomsman: A judge. Especially used for a person who exclusively presides over the judgement of others, is learned in the law, and commands a broad general knowledge of occupations, commerce, and interactions between people.
Duchy: The fiefdom owned by a Duke. Often, a duchy will span multiple counties, and may contain other fiefdoms.
Dusty Coins: Refers to someone with a small amount of wealth. Said of someone who has managed to keep money long enough that it has become dusty.
Duty: Collectively, all rents, scutage, taxes and fees collected by a Baron or other lord.
Earth Folk: A term used in (human) law & contract referring to dwarves, gnomes, and halflings. Literally, those peoples who make their homes in the earth, and who have lifespans measured in centuries.
Ecclesiastical Elite: Priests of the House who direct the church as a whole.
Elite Guard: Another name sometimes used to refer to the Chaldeean Elite.
Ender Fight (or Battle): A legally-sanctioned fight to the death, which concludes with the death of every member of one side. Healers are on-hand to restore life to anyone killed, although it is possible that one or more contestants may not be able to be restored to full life (ie: use of the Disintegrate spell or other effects that make normal healing impossible). All contestants generally agree to not use certain powers or spells (disallowed powers/spells will be specified explicitly in the Ender Contract) that would exceed the abilities of the available healer's abilities (such as the Disintegrate spell). Means of restoration can range from simple healing, use of the Spare the Dying, Revivify, or Death Ward spells, to even providing Clones to all contestants.
Estate: When used with a modifier, it detontes an individual's general social class and standing.
First Estate: Members of the aristocracy: virtually all nobles and others of wealth and high social standing.
Second Estate: People of the wealthy working class: master guildsmen, traders, mid-level adventurers, etc.
Third Estate: Those at a subsistance level: peasants, low-level adventurers, et.al.
Fourth Estate (rarely used): Criminals, vagabonds, and the truly destitute.
Ex Libris: (Literally "From the Books (or Library) of") A stamp on the front endpaper of a book denoting the books owner. This is often a magical mark when in a book owned by a mage.
Fee: A payment made to settle a tort, or for special events (such as permission to marry).
Fief: A contiguous area of land under the control and ownership of a noble. It is often of county size or larger, may be a settlement, town, city, or shire. A fief can include parts of several counties, and is sometimes bounded by terrain features rather than political boundaries. The fief-holder is entitled to all rents within the fief, as well as certain specified taxes. Fiefs are heritable , and can only be lost through conviction of crimes against the Crown.
Fief Lord: A noble Lord who holds a fief.
Freeman: The middle tier of hierarchy of people within a kingdom. An individual who is not tied to the Lord's land. They may travel freely, and are allowed to enter into a guild-controlled apprenticeship.
Founder Cities: The twelve major cities that existed at the dawn of the Third Era. These cities are: Croshother, Ballymahon, Besseral, Carvadin, Cuenar, Felwin, Karkossa, Psyn, Sirfo, Talem Thier, Templar, and Voss Gondo.
the Games: Always capitalized, the Games are a set of sporting events held every five years against the best competitors from around Ardrigh and even beyond. The main events are the dash (a race of 150 yards), the cross (a run of five and two-thirds miles), the league (a foot race from noon to sunset), the plunge (a swim of one and a quarter miles), archery, javelin, the caber toss, and other contests of strength, endurance, and agility.
the games: Locally held competitions held every two or three years consisting of events similar to the Games.
small games Lesser events (such as short bow and dagger throwing) held alongside the games, and more for the benefit and participation of the common folk.
Gilder: A two gold piece coin which was once an official coin of Ardrigh. More generally, any piece of coinage or monetary item worn on a cord or chain around the neck, which advertises the "price" of a tavern prostitute.
Gradus Meos Pares: A form of project sometimes used in the colleges of the Council of Jesuits and the Guild Arcanum where each student of a class submits a question, and the fellow students submit a short essay that is first graded by the student who submitted the question, and then graded by the professor leading the class.
Guard Coin: A small coin or other trinket kept in a person's wallet (or pocket) that has been magicked in some form to guard against pilferage.
Guidebook: A document that details many different instances of a common general subject.
Guild Arcanum: The official (by law and tradition) training organization for wizards and practioners of the arcane. The Guild writes and establishes laws (through the authority of the Crown) regulating the teaching and practice of arcane magic, and are largely responsible for enforcing those laws (through the application of the Proctors).
Gullver: A dealer in (sea)gulls or other seabirds.
By extension, anyone who deals in goods of no real value.
A foolish person.
Hamlet: Settlements that surround a larger town. Originally, referred to a settlement without its own church, it has come to mean any settlement, village, or small town surrounding a walled city. Hamlets typically have between 50 to 200 residents.
Henge: A roughly circular or oval-shaped bank with an internal ditch surrounding a central flat area of at least 60 feet in diameter, constructed for religious and/or ceremonial use. A henge may or may not include a standing circle of wooden or stone markers.
A smaller structure of at least 20 feet in diameter used for similar purposes. Often referred to as a personal henge.
A subterranean space, often with a circular hole to the sky in the ceiling, used for similar purposes. These often include an altar table or a dais directly below the hole in the ceiling.
Herald Table: The official records kept and maintained by the Court of all hereditary nobles within a land. The official records are by law and tradition only available to those people who are recorded within.
Hellgramite: An exceptionally hard grey-blue stone, largely impervious to most non-magical damage (adamantite tools must be used to shape this stone). When found in nature, it is commonly smooth without cracks or seams. If stone shape is cast on this stone, the volume of stone affected is reduced by half in all directions. If transmute rock is cast (transmute rock to mud), the volume of stone affected is reduced by half in all directions, the duration is only one hour, and the mud is instead a stiff clay, which can be worked as regular, non-magical clay for the duration. Attempting to fire this clay will end the spell early.
High Herald: A freeman who is charged with keeping, maintaining, and updating the Herald Table. A listing of High Heralds is kept within the records. High heralds are often appointed from scribes who have a long association with either the King of one of the Dukes.
High Priest: An official (often the most senior member of The House in a region) who is the religious "head" in a county. The title is, strictly speaking, a governmental title and not a religious one, but is virtually always the curate. Occasionally, a paladin (and very rarely a druid) can be appointed as High Priest.
High Road: Any of several magically created roadways, paved of worked stone, throughout Manavata. The roadways are commonly named for the type of stone that makes up its surface.
The House: The church of the House of the Avereen. Basically, the mortal clerics & priests; the shrines, temples, and edifices; and all of related organizational machinery attendant to the Gods.
House of Avereen: (as opposed to House of the Avereen) A fabled place that is said to be the residing place of the Gods. While no scriptures explicitly state that such a place exists, it is alluded to in various sources.
Immortal: A term used in formal (human) decrees, orders, and laws to refer to elves, dragons, nightmoor, and other creatures that live for centuries. Although dwarves and gnomes can live longer than a few centuries, they are not typically classed as immortals, and in such decrees, they will be referred to as earth folk.
Infora: An informal class, often held at a college or university. The term is uncommon outside the Guild Arcanum.
Inn: Any public house that provides food and lodgings for travelers. Most (but not all) inns within a walled city or town are only allowed to serve small beer.
Innate Magic: The ability of some inhabitants of Manavata to manifest some sort of limited magical power. This manifestation commonly involves the ability to cast a single spell (most commonly a cantrip but occasionally an aspirant-level spell), or the ability to manipulate a single type of material (iron, silver, and several types of stone most commonly; with copper and gold being less common; and other materials being exceptionally rare).
Invocation: The opening prayer of a religious service.
Itinerary: A list of places written down or carved on a stick or rod, and used as a form of travel map.
Jesuitical Union: A subset of the Council of Jesuits who especially promote and work towards the organization and dissemination of knowledge. In Candlehar, membership to this group is required in order to work as a professional researcher-for-hire.
Justiciar: The temporary ruler and administrator appointed when a noble is absent from their county. Generally a minor noble, although they may be an appointed freeman.
King's Mage List: A rumored document said to be of royal origin, listing the King's preference, in order, of which types of spell casters that would be tolerable as ruling nobility. The list is as follows: Eldritch Knight, Paladin, Cleric, Ranger, Druid, Bard, Artificer, Witch, Wizard, Sorcerer, Arcane Trickster, and Warlock.
Landless Baron: A Baron who rules a county or other region, but does not actually hold fief over that area.
Lands: Refers to land used for agricultural purposes (such as farm lands and pastures) or production of resources (such as timber forests and quarries).
Language Scroll: Also Language Tome. A magical item than when read, grants the user to ability to speak, understand, and sometimes write in a different language. Most language scrolls require the user to understand (and be able to read) the language the scroll is written in.
Law & Tradition: The collection of official laws and customs held by high nobility that make up the sum of all legal president with a kingdom.
Lawyer: A person licensed by the Crown or a local ruler who is allowed to represent another person in legal matters.
Leavarite: A hard green-gray stone used in construction.
Lem Charta: A document dating from late in the Second Era detailing the powers and limitations of the King of Ardrigh. This document is the basis of all law in that kingdom.
Liege: A term of respect and honor to a superior, often but not always, to someone of a higher station or status.
Livery: A gift of land from a noble. The gift may or may not require some sort of payment or remuneration to the noble.
Mad Years/Mad Generation: Another name for the Crazy Years.
Mage: A spell caster whose power derives principally from arcane study and/or tradition, and not from a holy or infernal sources. This includes artificers, bards, sorcerers, warlocks, witches, and wizards.
Mages of Power: A semi-mythic order of spell casters (~50 3E thru 404 3E) responsible for many powerful creations; many of which exist to this day. Commonly believed to have created the High Roads, the Thallen Watchtowers (now disputed), and responsible for the Crazy Years.
Magemetal: A lightweight, silvery-gray metal created through magical means. Items made from this metal are quite often heavily etched and embossed, and of exceptional craftsmanship. When minted into coins, those coins are (by law and tradition) used only for transfer of wealth amongst the nobility.
Manor: A house and associated lands, owned by a Lord, Baron, of greater noble. A manor estate will generally have vassels to work the fields and maintain the lands.
Manumission: The process by which a serf buys their freedom from their Lord. Typically, a serf will petition a freeman to post their manumission marker, as some rulers have been known to accept a mark from a serf and then not grant manumission on the premise that a serf cannot legally "own" gold.
Marker Arch: Large stone arches found across the High Roads. The arches commonly have carvings that denote the direction and distance to cities, major landmarks, and other arches within 150 - 200 miles.
[Minor Arch: A signpost or (rarely) a wooden arch on or along a High Road giving directions to settlements or other landmarks.
Masquerade: A type of ball or festival where participants wear a mask and often a costume.
Mayor: The chief official of a settlement or hamlet. They may or may not be a Lord.
The common ruling title for the ruler of a halfling town, regardless of size, heredity, or title.
Meatstock: Refers to animals sold to be used as meat. It can refer to live animals or fresh meat that has not yet been preserved. Once an animal has been labeled as meatstock, it is illegal to breed it or allow it to be sold as livestock. Meatstock must be permanently marked or branded if still alive.
Merchant's Exchange: The practice of traveling merchants to accept wealth and other properties for the safekeeping of an individual. The wealth can be sold to the individual's bank, or can be held in trust until retrieved with the receipt at the merchant's home lodge. The methods of crafting these receipts vary from merchant to merchant, and are closely held secrets.
Milliman: The chief man of ten centmen. Rarely used, as most millimen take up the position of bruhle.
Millinar: A military leader controlling ten centenar (fifty vintain, or a thousand men).
Molder: Commonly used with a modifier, a molder is a person with an innate magic ability to magically shape and mold a material (commonly metal or stone) as easily as clay. Synonymous with sculptor.
Noble: The highest tier of hierarchy of people within a kingdom. Nobles are allowed to own land, levy taxes, and raise an army. Only the King may raise a standing army (except as a city watch), or use it to declare war on other kingdoms or peoples.
Old Religion: The practice of animism, elementalism, and mysticism that governs the beliefs of many druids, rangers, and witches.
Ordinary: Any public house that serves a complete meal at a fixed price. The price must by law be posted above the main entry. Generally, no other signage exists to mark an ordinary. Ordinaries are generally prohibited from serving anything beyond small beer.
Parish: The region over which a curate presides. A parish and a county almost always cover the same physical area, although a parish may extend beyond the county boundaries when said county is not bounded by other counties. A parish may extend across a fief boundary, but is generally not allowed to cross into another fiefdom.
Pay scoop (or spoon): A small scoop used by a miller to take their payment from each bag of grain or flour. If the scoop is used to take the Lord's portion, it is called a tax scoop; and if it is used to portion out an offering for the church, it is called a tithe scoop.
Peasant: A laborer, particularly an agricultural laborer, whether slave, serf, or freeman. Often used in referring to the poorest farm workers, regardless of class.
People: In (human) legal terms, a term that refers to humans, elves, dwarves, gnomes, and halflings; as well as half-elves and half-orcs. In practice, it refers to any humanoid who lives within a human country, and therefore subject to its laws. The law (at least in most kingdoms) lists the five races (and two half races) explicitly, and generally legally includes any sort of humanoid who pay taxes to the sovereign, and live within a humanoid society.
People of the Open Hand: A monastery located in Candlehar, devoted to the spiritual enlightenment of martial training.
Petty Baron: (occasionally Petty Noble) A hereditary noble who rules over a settlement, hamlet, or community that is not a count seat.
Petty Court: A legally binding, informal court officiated by a Bruhle, Bailiff, or Sheriff. Each side is required to pay a fee: normally 1 sp for serfs, 5 sp for freemen, and 1 gp for a noble or anyone represented by a lawyer. When persons of differing tiers are in dispute, the person of a higher status must pay a leveler, which is an amount sufficient to make the fees of all disputants equal. The fees go to the presiding official. In the case of someone unable to pay their fee, the presiding official may require the other side(s) to post the fee, or may (rarely) waive the fee for all parties.
Pocket: A person's personal wealth and possessions.
Points: A braided/woven leather cord, with metal tips on each end, used to tie pieces of armor or weapons to the supporting garment.
Any woven cord used to secure clothing.
Post: Letters meant to be carried through the postal system.
(uncommon) A letter that is delivered by the writer or private messenger.
An official copper coin of Ardrigh, weighing one quarter scale, worth 1/400 gp, normally used for paying for postage.
Post-Carrier: An individual hired by a postmaster or the Court to carry or deliver the post, and to accept postal fees. A post-carrier generally is not allowed to place postmarks.
Postmark: An official stamp used for marking letters denoting the amount of postage due. Most letters cost a quarter-post per mark.
The stamp used to produce a postmark. These can be the stamp of a licenced postmaster or merchant, a noble, of court official.
Postmaster: A person licenced by the King, a Baron, or (rarely) a landed Lord authorized to carry the post, and allowed to collect post fees.
Practurn: An apprenticeship taken by a mage under a properly certified and licensed wizard taken for the purpose of admittance to the Guild Arcanum.
Prayerbook: A specially constructed book (similar to a wizard spellbook, but not compatible with one) in which a priest (or druid) may write down ritual spells. Each religion has its own particular requirements and strictures on prayerbooks, and a prayerbook from one religious order is generally only usable by another member of that order. Most of these books (if produced by the church) will contain holy scriptures or texts in addition to the rituals considered most necessary for the priest's congregation.
Prefantile: Pregnant. Used for the later stages when the pregnancy is obvious, and movement of the mother becomes more difficult.
Priest: A spell caster whose power derives principally from a holy or divine providence. This includes clerics, druids, paladins, and certain rangers. This term is typically only used for those who regularly manifest displays of divine right and/or holy power.
Proctor: A mystic investigator. A significant percentage of proctors have royal blood, and some are even authorized to use their royal title (Count Proctor for example). Some proctors have great latitude in what they choose to investigate. Proctors have legal authority just above that of a county sheriff, and some have even more.
Proctor Council: A military-style unit tasked with investigating crimes against the Crown and bringing those responsible to justice. This group generally consists of a Chief Proctor (often a war mage), an abjurer, either a diviner or enchanter, possibly an Inquisitive(Rouge), and three to five experienced fighters. The council may also be accompanied by a personal representative of the Crown, although this depends upon the situation.
Projection: A stored memory that can be viewed by others. A projection is a memory of a specific time & place, and is exactly as it was perceived by the person who's memory it was.
Projector: A magical orb that holds a projection.
Providence: The care and caretaking bestowed by The House. This includes healing of injuries and disease; care of orphans, elderly & the infirm; and the granting of legal sanctuary. The regular payment of a proper tithe is required to be covered by Providence.
Public House: A meeting house, often a place where food and lodgings may be purchased.
Quaruman: A person with the ability to raise magical power, but unable to actually cast spells.
Quick March: The number of military troops a Baron can equip and ready for march within one week of notice from the King.
Quiet History: A history privately kept by a person, group, or organization detailing events as they actually happened, rather than whatever official histories are recorded. Quiet histories are often radically different than official histories, and sometimes include rational explaining those differences. A quiet history is not simply a secret or a mystery; it is the events which occurred, and for whatever reason, the official record is radically different.
Ready March: The number of military units a Baron must be able to raise, equip, and have ready to march within a specified time frame (commonly a month).
The Reformation: The eighty or so years following the Crazy Years, noted for battles that deposed many spellcasters of their ruling titles.
Rent: A small fixed yearly payment on a property. Rents are commonly specified as a quantity of goods to be paid rather than currency.
Rents & Surveys: Monies and goods assessed (as a tax (the rent)) on a property based on inventories taken (called surveys). Surveys are commonly assessed quarterly, although physical inventories may be done less frequently.
Reveler's Roost: See common lodge.
Rovers: Small bands of people (often composed of no more than two or three families, but a single family is possible) that continually travel the land, never stopping for longer than a few months, and often for at most weeks, in any one place. Rovers occasionally travel as merchants or with carnivals, but are more commonly itinerant workers; often taking any work that is available. They often have at least some skill as entertainers (more often than not being self-taught).
Royal Charter: An official decree (often from the King) allowing an organization (such as a guild) to make legally binding rules concerning those who practice a trade or profession.
The legal decree that allows the formation of a settlement, village, town, or city. Sometimes a separate Charter establishes a noble as the appointed ruler of said settlement, village, town, or city.
Royal Court: Generally refers to the group of advisors chosen (or appointed) by a ruler to keep them informed of things of import happening in their region and in the kingdom. The size and makeup of any particular Court varies, but typically include the chief sheriff (assuming a city has more than one), representatives of the artisans and merchants guilds, a Bailiff or Bruhle, the High Priest, and a Court Wizard.
More generally, the mortal machinery that maintains the government and its workings.
Russin: Meal between dinner and supper.
Sacred Heart: A beloved spouse. One for whom it is physically painful to keep any secret.
Saint: A person acknowledged by the House as specially ordained by the Avereen. Saints have often been particularly touched by divine power, although some have simply been recipients of a divine miracle. A saint must be officially acknowledged by at least one Divine after consultation with the ecclesiastical elite.
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Child Saint: A person who was touched by a divine miracle before reaching puberty. Not all children who are blessed by a divine miracle are acknowledged as saints. Many child saints are urged to join the priesthood by the House.
Sand Candle: Any item that has a specially-cast continual flame upon it used to denote the passage of time. The flame will change colors in the following shades: red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, violet, and white over a two-hour period (displaying each color for a quarter hour each). So named because some of them are shaped to resemble hourglass. Often used in the colleges of the Guild Arcanum (and occasionally elsewhere) to show the passage of time. Most are made to show the same color at the same time as the Master Candle in the G. A. Sanctum entry hall.
Scale: The accepted weight of most coins, being equal to exactly one fiftieth (1/50) of a pound. The weight of a scale is strictly enforced by law, and all legal merchant's scales are required to have certified and stamped weights of (at a minimum) one half, one, two, and five scales.
Scaled Itinerary: An itinerary where the distances between listed places are representative of the actual distance between those places. A scaled itinerary often includes additional symbols to indicate major turns, landmarks, and/or directions.
Scoleria: An apprenticeship or other training given without monetary compensation, particularly magical training.
Scribe of the Court: The King's personal scribe. The Scribe of the Court keeps the Chronicles of the Crown & the Court (the official history of the kingdom), transcribes official decrees, and oversees all personal and royal correspondence with the King. Also referred to as the High Scribe, they are charged with overseeing the Cadre (which also makes them chief among the Couriers).
Scutage: Shield-tax, a tax paid in lieu of military service. Commonly assessed on the first of Ain, and required to be paid by the fifteenth of Ceither, or be subject to being charged with desertion.
Sculptor: A person with the innate ability to magically work a certain material. Almost always used with a modifier (such as an iron sculptor or marble sculptor). Powerful sculptors can cause a material to flow and change shape on it's own, but most require tools in order to shape their material. Mostly synonymous with molder.
Seminary: A school for the religious and divine (magical) education and training of clerics and occasionally paladins. Many larger seminaries also teach martial studies as well.
Serf: The lowest tier of hierarchy of people within a kingdom. An individual who by law and custom are tied to the land. Serfs may not travel beyond the borders of the local ruler's domain without express permission of the ruler, they may not be apprenticed into a guild-controlled trade (except under certain conditions), and are required to work their lord's lands and holdings (on average) three days per week. If allowed to take an apprenticeship, they are generally required to pay for their manumission before they are allowed to take the journeyman's pledge. Serfs are generally exempt from military service or town protection, but are still required to pay scutage (in this case, it is a protection tax).
Settlement: A small community of up to approximately 50 residents.
Shelfmark: A collection of numbers and symbols used to denote the exact location of a book or other item in a library or museum. In the Libraries of Candlehar, the shelfmark is written as: Building / floor / row / cupboard - shelf - book.
Shrine: At item or collection of items arranged and specially consecrated to honor, venerate, and pay homage to one of the gods. A shrine may be a permanent edifice, or a temporary display, but should be constructed of the finest quality materials and craftsmanship possible.
Sheriff: A freeman appointed by the local ruler to preside over petty disputes, maintain the general peace, and farm taxes. A sheriff must pay for a scribe from their own pocket if they are not literate. Only one sheriff may be appointed over a given area at a time. Assistant sheriffs may be appointed (generally to be assigned specific duties), in which case they are commonly referred to as deputies.
High Sheriff Personally appointed by the King, and rules over all sheriffs (and Royal Sheriffs) in the land.
Royal Sheriff: A sheriff personally appointed by the King, who collects taxes (and troops) from Barons and other rulers. A royal sheriff typically travels with at least a company of Royal troops and auxiliaries.
Shire: A common division of a county. A county is typically divided into six to twelve shires (although fewer is certainly possible). By tradition, a shire won't contain more than a single settlement of town size or larger.
Slave: The lowest form of serf, not even having the normal rights of regular serfs, and by law may not have or own possessions greater than they can carry upon their back. This is the class of convicted criminals, those without documents or vouchsafes, and those captured as spoils of war. Slaves are not tied to the land, but to an individual. Slaves may be tied to a Baron (or other noble), a Lord, or (occasionally) a wealthy freeman. A slave's station is not hereditable.
Small Beer: (also known as small ale, table beer, or sweet cider) A lager, ale, or cider that contains a lower amount of alcohol by volume than most others. Sometimes unfiltered and porridge-like, it is a flavored drink compared with more expensive beer containing higher levels of alcohol. Small beer is also produced in households for consumption by children and servants.
Small Coin: A coin or other trinket (often made of pewter, brass, or bronze), valued no more than one half gold piece, that is minted or made by a local lord, banker, local merchant, or wealthy individual and used as currency. Small coinage is considered legal tender, and is subject to most of the same laws as royal coinage.
Any trinket commonly used as currency.
An item commonly carried along with currency.
Solemn Decree of the Reigning King: An official decree made by the King that constrains or clarifies that King's authority. It differs from a Decree Absolute in that it holds no power over successive Kings except by that Kings acceptance. If a King submits a Decree Absolute, it is considered a Solemn Decree until ratified.
Spade: The flat end of a tiefling's tail. Common shapes are: spade (♠), diamond, leaf, and arrowhead; but other shapes are possible. Spades are often horizontal, with a small percentage of tiefling having a vertical spade (referred to as a fin spade).
Sprite: A tiny, visible manifestation of magical energy. Generally, a sprite will give off a dim light, and commonly appears as either a spark of light or a wisp of smoke. Common sprites include the orbs of a dancing lights cantrip, a stored memory, or the contents of a tesseran.
Stalton: Smoked & salted salmon (and occasionally other types of fish). It is a preserved foodstuff which still retains a small amount of fish oil and fat.
Suzerain: A sovereign that has some control or influence over another nominally independant state. The King of Ardrigh is considered a suzerain due to him having the power to apoint the rulers of Candlehar.
An official position of a diplomat for a suzerain and the independant state they control or influence.
Tabernacle: A structure (cairn or building) whose main (or at least major) purpose is the housing of a dedication.
Tallies: A bundle of split tally sticks (generally held by a sheriff or ruling lord) which is kept as evidence of tax payment or receipt of goods and/or monies accepted. The bundle will include a special stick (the totals stick) listing when the tally sticks were collected, who collected them, the neighborhood of collection, and the total amount of taxes collected in that bundle. The totals stick will generally include the measures (palm width, thumb & little finger widths, etc.) of the collecting official.
Tally Knife: A small sharp single-edged knife, often ornate, carried by a sheriff or other official who collects taxes and makes tally sticks.
Tally Stick: A wooden stick (commonly two to three feet in length) with notches cut to denote an amount of money and/or commodities paid for the purpose of taxes, tithes, bank deposits, or similar. The notches on a tally stick are often (but not always) painted before the stick is split. Once split, one piece is kept by the collector, and the other by the one paying the taxes as proof of payment. The name of the payer is commonly carved or painted on one side, and (most commonly) a brand is placed on the other. The date of collection is often (but not always) notched along the lower edge.
Tanze: Anything used or consumed for the purpose of preventing and/or ending a pregnancy. Many things used as tanze are minor poisons, and can cause abdominal cramps, nausea, and vomiting.
Tavern: Any establishment allowed by law to serve alcohol, particularly wine or spirits. In general terms, it refers to any place that serves alcohol as it's primary business. By law, disturbances of the peace by patrons can be levied against the tavern owner. Most taverns have at least one common lodge.
Taxes: Monies or goods (normally) paid to the local ruler for permission to perform some activity; such as: taking game on the Lord's lands, harvesting fish or eels from the Lords waters, or practice a gilded trade.
Taxes & Tallies
The group of tithing, scutage, & tax tallies and receipts used as proof of such payments, commonly kept in a secure location.
The day on which such are paid.
The act of checking such a group to verify that an individual has paid all required taxes and tithes.
Tenant Baron: Another term for a landless Baron. Occasionally used by a Baron who holds fief over an area other than the one they rule.
Tessaran: A transparent glass bottle, of a size normally used to hold wine. The bottle is nearly always closed with a glass stopper, and sealed with either a yellowish or red wax. Inside the bottle is a tiny translucent sprite of nearly any color, and gives off a dim light to a distance of five feet. When properly prepared, they allow teleportation between permanent teleportation circles.
It can also refer to any obviously magic trinket meant for ornamental, decorative, or artistic purposes.
Thesis: A collection of articles that cover a central theme. Later chapters generally build upon earlier ones, but generally less so than in a treatise.
Tithe: A tenth of all incomes, increases, and harvests of an individual/household; paid to The Church. Any household who has paid a proper tithe is under the Providence of the church.
Titled Baron: A Baron who holds title to a fief.
Tokken (TOK-in): A non-religious, non-wizard spellcaster. Commonly used to refer to artificers, bards, sorcerers, warlocks, and witches. Occasionally, rangers of considerable arcane power are included as well. The term is commonly used to describe non-wizards whose primary source of power or ability is magical, and not physical.
Tort: A civil wrong that causes a person to suffer loss or harm, resulting in legal liability for the person who commits the tortious act.
Town: A walled community of at least 500 residents. Many small counties have a town as the county seat.
Town Watch: Guards hired by the local Lord or Baron to act as city guardsmen. The lord generally pays the individual's scutage (and perhaps other taxes) as part of their compensation. Often, town watch members are freemen, in which case, they are expressly excluded from military sub duties.
Trade Caravan: A type of merchant caravan that transports bulk goods to be sold directly to merchants or artisans, as opposed to traders who sell to the end consumer. Trade caravans often trade in raw materials (ie: grain, bolts of cloth, wrought iron, raw ores, etc) and not finished goods.
Trade Jewelry: Rings, bangles, pendants and the like whose value is wholly tied to it's material value, often crafted expressly to be used as currency.
Travel Week: A distance of 200 miles along the High Roads. Traders and caravans often travel six days in a week's time, leaving one day per week for rest, repair, worship, and other tasks that cannot be easily accomplished while traveling.
Treatise: A large document covering a single topic, with later chapters building heavily upon earlier chapters.
Twelve Bells: Literally refers to the seven bells commonly used to make the passage of time from dawn to set (inclusive, which are rung), and the five "bell" Divisions throughout the night (which are not generally rung). A complete 24-hour period.
Figuratively, a phrase roughly synonymous with "Hells Bells!" or "Holy Shit!".
Twist: Raw, dried tobacco (or other smoking products), tightly twisted into a rope of just over one foot in length. The standard way it is stored and shipped, and must be prepared before use. If tobacco is encountered, it is almost always as a twist.
Umgripe: An embrace, used particularly for a hug between friends.
Vias: An improved path or roadway.
Village: A community of two to five hundred residents. Villages often have a defined perimeter (such as a wooden palisade).
Vintain: A military unit of twenty fighting men.
Vintanar: The leader of a vintain.
Wad: Tobacco, generally minced and ready for use in a pipe.
Wallet: Any sack or pouch commonly used to hold a person's coinage. Sometimes also used to as an adjective to refer to any container reserved to hold coins, gems, and other currencies. A stone wallet is a hole (or even a room) used to store a large amount of currency and/or treasure.
Warded Brand: A magical branding mark given to an individual for certain serious crimes. The mark is permanent and cannot be removed by any but the most powerful spells. Rendering aid or assistance to a person so marked is oftentimes a crime itself. Rarely, a slave will be marked with such a brand.
Watch Coin: See guard coin.
Watchmaster: The leader of the town watch. A watchmaster may be a constable, but is not required to be.
Week-Saga: A lengthy saga or ballad, written in parts, meant to be recited over a number of days (typically five to seven hour-long sections, although they can be as short as three days). The longest week-saga is composed of twelve sections of one and a half to three hours duration (The Keburns Chronicle).
Week-Work: The work done by a serf upon their own behalf (ie: working their own fields to support themselves).
The day week-work is done.
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Further Words Used Elsewhere
North Kingdom
These are terms & phrases commonly used in the North Kingdom.
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Cradlekin: An infant born to parents of a high social status, or at least wealth.
Cobbleroad: Any major road, commonly used for trade (cobbled or not), that is not a High Road. Determination of what constitutes a cobbleroad depends upon region.
Code of the Moot: The laws detailing the succession of a Yarl to becoming a High King; describing the powers, duties, and responsibilities of Yarls and the High King, and the duties & responsibilities of those within the North Country. The basis of all law in the North Country.
Full Kilt Kit: A kilt kit with the inclusion of of kilt hose, sgian dubh or small dagger, and kilt broach with family crest. The broadcloth is almost always longer (as much as 8 yards, depending on the size of the wearer), and will always be in tartan, except in special circumstances.
Hearthborn: An infant born to parents of low social standing, quite often impoverished.
High King: Title used by the ruler of the entire North Kingdom. Chosen from among the accepted and standing Yarls.
Kilt: A garment resembling a knee-length skirt of pleated cloth, usually in a tartan pattern.
Kilt Kit: A length of 3-5 yards of broadcloth, belt, and sporran. A kilt broach is often included, but not strictly required.
Laird: The holder of a large and long-established estate.
Moot: The time between the death of the High King and installment of a new High King. Also, the meeting of all Yarls where a new High King is elected and sworn.
Sporran: A small pouch worn at the front of a kilt, used to hold small items. The sporran is commonly held by a chain going around the waist.
Stromper/Strompist A person certified and licensed by a Yarl or the High King to stamp coinage. Often, Yarls will certify an individual to mint coinage of only one or two types, so the term copper stromper or silver strompist is used.
Tartan: A pattern (commononly in cloth) consisting of criss-crossed, horizontal, and vertical bands in multiple colours, forming simple or complex rectangular patterns. Common in the North Contry, and various patterns denote membership or affiliation with a particular Laird, Yarl, guild, or other organization.
Wallet: Used to refer to any container reserved to hold coins, gems, and other currencies. More generally, the overall wealth of an individual.
Yarl: The title used by the ruler of a region. A region includes at least one city and the surrounding areas. A Yarl in theory can be selected from anyone of proper social & political standing living in the region, but the title often falls to a son of the previous Yarl. A Yarl is selected from those deemed worthy in the region (often from the local Lairds).
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Sandalwrin
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The Declaration of the Sovereign: The basis of all law in the country of Sandalwrin.
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The Orent
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Coin Cord: A special point with tips affixed in the center, used to hold coinage. The coin cord may be permanently tied/affixed to a belt, or (if it has coin tips on both ends) simply drapped over the belt.
Cord-free: Someone so poor they cannot even afford a cord to carry their coins.
Decree of the Shogun: The basis of law within the territories of the Orent. Absolute adherence to the Decree can vary wildly by region.
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Carpidim
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Coinage & Trade
Coinage
The names of coins (and other currency) commonly seen throughout Ardrigh, their origins, weights, and accepted values. The North Kingdom does not have an official mint, but does have certified coin stampers, hence the term nominal in place to official for North Country coinage. All coins from the Orent have a round hole through the center (coins are often carried by stringing them on a cord), unless otherwise specified.
In general, Royal decree prevents anyone not specifically appointed from minting or producing any sort of coinage from copper, silver, electrum, gold, platinum, or magemetal. Coins made from pewter, brass, and bronze are sometimes made by local lords or other wealthy groups or individuals, and can be used within a limited area. Such coinage still subject to that local lord's authority, and can only be minted by permission.
The Orent does not prohibit the minting of coinage, so long as the coins conform to an even fraction of a a scale, and regional variations of "official" coins is commonplace. Square holes are more common in the north, and hexagonal (and even square) coins are minted in certain regions.
Marbar A bar of magemetal, weighing 25 pounds, worth 25,000 gp. Marbars are often inscribed with magical sigils, and sometimes the official stamp of an individual mage.
Sol Quel: A semi-official coin of Ardrigh, made of magemetal (nominally limited to nobility), weighing five scale, worth 100 gp.
Brale: A semi-official coin of Ardrigh (nominally limited to nobility or those with a royal title), made of magemetal, weighing one scale, worth 20 gp.
Sovereign: The official platinum coin of Sandalwrin, weighing two scale, worth 20 gp.
Billard: The official platinum coin of Ardrigh, weighing one scale, worth 10 gp.
Silver Bangle: A silver armband weighing one pound, worth 5 gp.
Gu: An electrum coin with a square hole, from the Orent, weighing 5 scale, worth 2.5 gp.
Gilder: A no-longer official coin of Ardrigh, being made of gold, weighing two scale, worth 2 gp.
Gong: A gold coin of the Orent, weighing two scale, worth 2 gp.
Li A platinum coin of the Orent, weighing one fifth scale, worth 2 gp.
Crown: The official gold coin of Ardrigh, weighing one scale, worth 1 gp.
Guinea: The official gold coin of Sandalwrin, weighing one scale, worth 1 gp.
Quid: The nominal gold coin of the North Country, weighing one scale, worth 1 gp. It is sometimes also used to denote an amount of currency equal to 1 gp.
Tun: (pronounced tune) A gold coin of the Orent, weighing one scale, worth 1 gp.
Ep: The official electrum coin of Ardrigh, weighing one scale, worth 1/2 gp.
Double Florin: An official silver coin of Ardigh, weighing five scale, worth 1/2 gp.
Bangle: A copper armband weighing one pound, worth 1/2 gp.
Florin: An official silver coin of Ardigh, weighing two and a half scale, worth 1/4 gp.
Lin: A silver coin of the Orent, weighing two scale, worth 1/5 gp.
Shilling: The official silver coin of Ardrigh, weighing one scale, worth 1/10 gp.
Bob: The official silver coin of Sandalwrin, weighing one scale, worth 1/10 gp.
Bright: The nominal silver coin of the North Country, weighing one scale, worth 1/10 gp.
Pishi: A silver coin of the Orent, weighing one half scale, worth 1/20 gp.
Hua: A copper coin of the Orent, weighing two scale, worth 1/50 gp.
Pence (or penny): The official copper coin of Ardrigh, weighing one scale, worth 1/100 gp.
Pesso: The nominal copper coin of the North Country, weighing one scale, worth 1/100 gp.
Pick: The official copper coin of Sandalwrin, weighing one half scale, worth 1/200 gp.
Post: An official copper coin of Ardrigh, weighing one quarter scale, worth 1/400 gp.
Huo Quan: A copper coin of the Orent, weighing one quarter scale, worth 1/400 gp.
Half-Post: cut coin
Quarter-Post: cut coin
Values of Various Metals per pound
magemetal: 1,000 gp
platinum: 500 gp
adamantine: 100 gp
gold: 50 gp
mitheral: 50 gp
electrum: 25 gp
silver: 5 gp
tin: 1 gp
copper: 0.5 gp
dwarven steel: 0.5 gp
steel0.25 gp
iron: 0.1 gp
mercury: 0.1 gp
arsenic: 0.125 gp
lead: 0.125 gp
zinc: 0.125 gp
Languages and Where They are Spoken
While Rocen is generally acknowledged as the common tongue throughout much of Ardrigh and Sandalwrin, other languages exist, and they can vary considerably across a region. While Rocen is the native tongue spoken in both Talem Thier and Cuenar (and both sit on the Rose Road!), what is spoken on the west coast would be considered largely foreign on the east, and neither would pass as the local language in Croshother.
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Calibre: An extinct language that once existed in parts of Manavata. The language died out sometime in the third century of the current era.
Druidic: An ancient language decended in part from Primordial; and which Garðr, Calibre, and (to a lesser extent) Rocen were derived, druidic is still spoken by the druids of Manavata (as well as some other planes) as well as a few ancient splinters of humanity that live in the Feywild and the Inner Planes.
Garðr: A Nordic language spoken throughout much of the North Kingdom. It includes a smattering of Dwarven and Gnomish.
Latin: A ancient language once used by wizards (and other mages) and priests for spell casting, and discussion of spells and arcana. Many ancient texts of an arcane nature are written exclusively in Latin. The language is still taught in Candalhar and some of the larger wizard colleges, but is not often used outside of academic circles.
Orcerri: An Oriental tongue spoken throughout the Orent. It utilizes a pictographic written language, although hybrid alphabetic/pictographic forms can be found along the outer borders of that confederation.
Rocen: A Romance language spoken throughout much of Ardrigh and Sandalwrin, and is common enough in much of the North Country along the High Roads. The amount of Elvish it includes varies by region, with the largest portion being in the central midwest region of Ardrigh.
Thieves’ Cant: Less of a language in it's own right, the cant is a secret mix of dialect, jargon, and code that allows you to hide messages in seemingly normal conversations. It includes symbols and signs that allow crude messages to be concealed in the writings and illustrations of other languages. These are limited to very simple messages, and sometimes are used to denote that a text contains a cypher or coded message.
Zullan: The language spoken throughout southern Sandalwrin and Carpidim.
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