Ur-Tongue

Within the strange and ancient ruins scattered throughout The Bright Lands can be found relics of a lost and archaic language. These remnants can be found in hidden and dangerous sites, often engraved on massive walls or upon frequently damaged stone tablets.
The Loremasters who have studied this language have taken to calling it the Ur-Tongue.
Very few texts have successfully been brought back from the ruins where they were discovered. Subsequently, only some of those have been translated with any degree of accuracy. Of course there are factions of loremaster scholars who claim that some of the texts that have been considered properly translated, were in fact mistranslated. Discussions on this topic have been known to lead to fisticuffs amongst loremasters of varying opinions on the subject. This debate has been further complicated by the loss of the scholarly library at Rook Manor during the fire of 272 A.L. that regrettably destroyed all original source material collected on the Ur-Tongue, as well as many other priceless and irreplaceable knowledge that was contained therein.
A belief held by many loremasters is that the long lived Elves of the Elfwood hold knowledge on the Ur-Tongue, and the lost peoples who once spoke it.  But, as of yet, no elves have ever responded to any inquiry about the topic.  At least not in any way that did not involve the threat of violence.
One theory, held by a few radical loremasters, is that the Orcine languages are descendant from the Ur-Tongue.  Regrettably neither the Orcs, Goblins, nor Hobgoblins have a functional written language.  So, this theory is ultimately unproveable.

There is little practical use in studying the Ur-Tongue. But if one's life is dedicated to purely scholarly pursuits, then this is as good a pursuit as any other. Unless you happen to fall into the trap of thinking that Orcs could have come up with, and then forgotten, such an intricate written language.

— Loremaster Rovert Ornald

Ancient by MARIUSZ MATUSZEWSKI