Languages of Numiastra

A primer on all the languages of Numiastra and their intricacies

Map of Numiastra

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A map of the lands of Numiastra displaying the various countries of the area and their spheres of influence.

Regional Languages and Player Characters

This first section describes the mechanics of Regional Languages and is vital to playing in the world of Numiastra. Please Read Carefully.
All races and creatures of Numiastra that grow up in any civilized area grows up and is raised speaking the language of their homeland, as opposed to growing up speaking a racial language. The only exception to this, however, are those creatures who do NOT live in a civilized part of the world - in places where creatures live in barbarity such as out in the wilds, forests, or wastelands outside the bounds of civilization, racial languages take the place of regional languages.
For example, a player playing a Human who was raised or primarily grew up or lived in The Iron Empire, whether they were born and raised there, was born elsewhere and moved there as a child, lived most of their life there, or spent most of their childhood being raised or taught by someone who spoke Ironite - they would then most likely want to pick Ironite as their regional language.
However, though the races in Numiastra will invariably say they begin play starting with the regional language that suits their origins, if a player decides they came from barbarity or from outside civilization where no regional languages would reach, they may take a racial language as appropriate(GM Discretion) - generally the racial language of the species that they grew up around or the most predominant racial language that fits the same criteria if they came from a multilingual tribe or area.
For example, a player playing an Elf who did not grow up in civilization and instead grew up as a barbarian wandering the wastes, whether with a tribe or by himself, would likely speak Elven, his racial language, instead of any specific regional language. For any race or races who have no true racial language, the Player and the GM can work together to pick one.
Below is the list to the regional languages of Numiastra and where they originate from, as well as a short blurb of information about them.

Regional Languages

• High Ironite: One of the two languages of The Iron Empire, High Ironite is better known as 'The Language of the Diesel-God', and is spoken traditionally by the highborn of Ironite society - reserved for use by Nobles, Royalty, Members of the Illuminon, The Hunter Clans, The Ruling Houses, High-Ranking Members of the Iron Church, and any others in Ironite High Society or any who have a role in Religious or Governmental Rituals of importance. Though it has changed little over the millennia since The Skyfall Calamity, it is believed to be the genuine language that Tavross, The Iron Emperor spoke before the calamity that shattered the continent. It is not used in everyday life until one reaches the very highest echelons of The Iron Empire.


• Low Ironite: The second of the two languages of The Iron Empire, Low Ironite is the language of the people - better known as the commoner's tongue, and the much more widely spoken language of the two languages of The Iron Empire. Although it has the same root tongue as High Ironite, it has fully developed into its own language in the thousands of years since The Skyfall Calamity as the few survivors who spoke its mother tongue eventually mixed with tens of thousands of other smaller regional dialects and racial languages which eventually blended together into Low Ironite. It has become so widespread in the millennia since The Skyfall Calamity that it can even be found as the racial language of some isolated tribes across Numiastra and its outlying islands, albeit in a hard-to-understand regional dialect. This Language is often used as a common trade language across much of Numiastra and beyond.


• Wrykic(VREE-CHICK): The regional language of The Vrýkus Throne, said to be derived from the racial language of the undead, Necril. Mockingly referred to as "Low Necril" by the citizens of The Iron Empire. Despite common belief about its origins, however, it has little true relation to Necril - and is instead preserved as the regional language of Kali, The Broodqueen that has, over time, become mixed with the racial language of the Undead to become what it is today. As it is much easier for all denizens of the Throne to speak regardless of their biology, it has become the regional language of the country.


• Tiwanga: The regional language of the Suzerainty of Ruatiwanga, derived from a combination of the various racial languages of the species that helped found it. Something of a Trade Language within the borders of the Suzerainty, and functions similarly to a common tongue there and across much of the Ruatiwangan Continent outside of the land's port cities near its southern border, where Low Ironite often serves a similar role. A sharp language with phonetic peaks and valleys, those who speak it inflect their voice up and down in pitch often to properly speak its various parts.


• Zur: The only surviving language derived from the ancient Dwarven tongue of antiquity, Zur is the regional language of the Protectorate of Zur and a linguistic nightmare for any attempting to learn it for its flagrant theft of various now-defunct racial languages and dead dwarven dialects, all smashed together under one wide linguistic umbrella. Rather famously touted as near-impossible to learn for any not born and raised with it, it has many pidgin dialects used by the country's various newcomers fleeing into its borders to escape the persecution of The Iron Empire.


• Sirpoq(SEER-POCK): The mysterious regional language of the distant Kingdom of Obratu, Sirpoq is an utterly strange language and the only currently known language of its kind, constructed entirely of verbal clicks. Truly and utterly alien, it is easy to mistake for general background noise when heard in the depths of the forests that it arose out of. Despite its strange and alien sounds, the language is purportedly easy enough to learn and pick up provided one has good enough hearing.


• Fivetown Hustle: A recent and utterly strange regional language largely spoken in The Black Desert that stretches across much of central Numiastra and even more specifically the five cities that lay on the desert's eastern edge(Yngsmouth, Auchen, Namin, Taernsby, and Scalper's Run), this language contains all the same words as Low Ironite, but is constructed entirely differently - supposedly said to originate and draw its origins from the various slang used by the Blackpowder Miners that originally founded the Five Cities during their time working for The Iron Empire that over time mutated into its own language, Fivetown Hustle has become the unofficial language of those on the run from The Iron Empire, and can be found to some small degree all across Numiastra and its outlying islands. Hearing it, it is said, is the closest to an auditory flashbang natives of Low Ironite can get in their lifetimes - hearing all the words they are familiar with being used in entirely alien sentence structures and with entirely new meanings make this a notoriously difficult language to learn, especially if one already speaks Low Ironite.

Racial Languages

Though regional languages are by and large the languages of the modern day, thus pushing racial languages to the historical wayside, they are yet important as both the language of an ancient people and the languages spoken by less 'civilized' ones. They are listed below, and can be taken unless otherwise listed.

• Dwarven: The now-dead language of the Dwarves, widely considered to have been lost with the collapse of their ancestral citadels across Numiastra by The Iron Empire. It is now survived by the regional language Zur, and is not known to be spoken by any remaining cultures or peoples, though it remains known and spoken by scholars of Dwarven history and culture.


• Elven: The racial language of the Elves, and widely considered to be the 'language of the resistance' against The Iron Empire - as of yet, it remains a secretive language to those untrusted by the Elves themselves as they have gone to extraordinary lengths to keep it out of the hands of their sworn enemies in The Iron Empire.


• Giant: Few across Numiastra know this language even exists - the only being known to truly speak this language is the mighty Undead Cyclops Emperor Mikuláš, one of the famed leaders of The Vrýkus Throne. Beyond this, it is said to have been heard by the explorer Sir Arthur Wimbley during his expedition into The Bluenail Forest - used by the reclusive giantfolk who dwell at the edge of the known world said to tower above even the tallest buildings. Not available to be taken.


• Draconic: In much the same capacity as Giant, Draconic is widely considered to be a dead language preserved only in posterity by the few remaining Mage-Tyrants who dot the lands of Numiastra - as the language of magic, the mere act of speaking or writing it can bring about the prying eyes of the Ironite Inquisition. It is thus only preserved by a handful of scholars permitted to learn it within the borders of The Iron Empire, and in the halls of the Mage-Tyrants across the land. Almost no creatures in the modern day truly take the notion of "Dragons" seriously any more, and believe the name "Draconic" to have been inspired by those mythical creatures rather than their racial language - as a live "Dragon" has not been spotted in Numiastra for thousands of years at least. It is preserved by and large in the mouths of aspiring mages who teach it to others of their ilk at great personal cost.


• Necril: The racial language of the undead, and one of the most hated languages across Numiastra - the mere act of speaking it within the borders of The Iron Empire is one of the surest and quickest paths to imprisonment on Espionage or Terrorism Charges, and oftentimes can lead to execution. A whispered, foul language that is difficult for living throats to speak.


• Orc: Though the Orcs themselves were driven to extinction across Numiastra and the Ruatiwangan Continent long ago at the hands of the Chotara, who were said to have undertaken the crusade willingly to free the Orcs from their cruel, tortured lives, their racial language has survived thanks solely to the small, furry Chotara - who treat it as a second racial tongue to be preserved at all costs. Full of harsh, biting syllables designed to be spoken with the massive underbites and enlarged jaws common to Orcs, it is difficult for others to speak - especially the tiny Chotara - but can be learned with difficulty.


• Modulo: The robotic, static-filled language of the mysterious Tickermen and more predominantly in any place still bearing the ruins of the advanced civilization whose floating city caused The Skyfall Calamity. Also used by the Dwarves of the Protectorate of Zur as well as The Technis Brotherhood who serve The Iron Empire. A language of binharic cant and construct sounds only machines, golems, and constructs can easily and properly reproduce, usually. Nonintelligent constructs do not speak it, but understand it. Living creatures can take it, usually by aquiring some sort of surgery or specialized training.


• Chotaran: The chirping, pleasant language of the Chotara. It is seldom taught to outsiders.


• Bhaduran: The singsong, jittery language of the fast-moving, big-eared Bhadu. Much like the race in question, it is an exceptionally fast language few can keep up with.


• Haakturan: The slow, pondering language of the massive, elephantine Haaktura. As it relies in part on the species' trunks to fully articulate, it is nearly impossible for non-Haaktura to learn without years of training, and learning it is considered a sign of utmost respect by many Haaktura.


• Ujalaami: The hooting language of the Ujalaam species, considered by many to be an elegant and refined tongue. Seldom taught to outsiders, it is used largely by the Hightalon Regency that governs most racial enclaves of the Ujalaam.


• Zuqali: The high-pitched, near subsonic language of the Zuqalb - a language considered by many of Ruatiwanga to be a heretic tongue associated with beasts, criminals, and outcasts. Though the racial language of the Zuqalb, it has somehow spread to many underworld gangs and criminals across Ruatiwanga who use it as a sort of "Thieves' Cant".


• Goblin: The language once spoken by the short, green goblins who now serve The Iron Empire, it has largely been abandoned in favor of Low Ironite, but remains spoken by the handful of goblins who remain outside of The Iron Empire.


• Hobgoblin: The harsh, buzzing language of the hobgoblins who dwell at the fringes of Numiastra.


• Aklo: The language of inhuman or otherworldly monsters, evil fey, and ancient Eldritch Beings. Recently, it has taken off as a hobby language learned by Occultists in The Iron Empire, and has been known to "open doors" for those who wish to run in the Occult Circles of The Iron Empire.


• Gnoll: The language spoken by the dog-like, cannibalistic Gnoll race


• Sylvan: The racial language of the fey, plant creatures, unicorns, and all manner of natural or nature-related creatures.

Other Languages

Additionally, there are other languages spoken in Numiastra that, while they are not regional languages, still exist in the world. They are listed below and given a description.

• Aquan: The elemental language of water.


• Auran: The elemental language of air.


• Ignan: The elemental language of fire.


• Terran: The elemental language of earth.


• Luxan: The elemental language of light.


• Tenebran: The elemental language of void.


• Mage's Glyphscript: A language invented by ancient magicians to allow them to speak regardless of nationality. Is not spoken, and is solely a written language and a series of hand-signs. Can be taken by anyone so long as they have at least one level in an arcane casting class. Those without such a level cannot comprehend or preform the subtle arcane signs to use it. It carries an extraordinarly negative reputation, as it used mainly as the language used by the Mage-Tyrants and outcast mages of Numiastra to communicate in secret amongst themselves and avoid persecution for their craft.


• Celestial: The singsong, angelic language of the good-aligned outer planes such as heaven, nirvana, etc., as well as the outsiders that dwell there.


• Abyssal: The hoarse, ear-turning language spoken by residents of the plane of The Abyssal Wastes, and the language of Demons.


• Infernal: The chanting, insidiously alluring language of the plane of The Nine Hells of Malefacta, and the language of Devils.


• Old Druidic: The first language ever to exist, gifted unto the natural world by the Old Gods at the dawn of time. Has faded over time, and now only elder trees, bushes, ferns, and bits of nature still speak this language, alongside animals, naturally occuring materials, plant matter(Wood, sand, stone, etc), very old druids, and the most primordial, ancient beings in reality that yet wake and exist. Almost none remain alive who can speak it. It is a rumbling, bassy tongue like the heartbeat of the world, and allows one to resonate and communicate with the natural world, and recieved empathetic and telepathic communication from it. Cannot be taken unless the race notes otherwise, or unless someone who speaks it teaches it to you - though doing so wantonly will invoke the wrath of nature.