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Languages of Ethelra

Eldareth is home to many languages shaped by region, culture, migration, trade, and education. Ethelran Common serves as Ethelra's principal lingua franca, but it exists alongside older regional languages and the traditional languages of peoples whose histories extend well beyond the modern nations.

For character creation, a character knows one form of Common and two other Standard Languages that the player and DM agree are appropriate to the character's upbringing, community, education, travels, or background.

Language and Culture

Languages in Eldareth are cultural rather than biological. A person's ancestry does not automatically determine what languages they know.

Traditional languages remain strongly associated with particular peoples and regions, but migration, mixed communities, education, trade, and family history often produce multilingual speakers. A Dwarf raised outside a Dwarven community might never learn Dorrim, while someone of another ancestry raised in a Dwarven hold might speak it from childhood.

Ethelran Common allows people from many communities to communicate across regional and cultural boundaries without replacing the languages spoken within them.

Standard Languages

Standard Languages are living languages that can reasonably be learned through upbringing, community, travel, trade, or education. A language does not need to be widespread across Ethelra to be considered Standard.

Language D&D Equivalent Description
Ethelran Common Common The principal shared language of Ethelra, widely used in trade, travel, administration, and communication between regions.
Ethelran Sign Common Sign Language A widely used signed language found throughout Ethelra.
Thessaric Additional Standard Language The old prestige language of the Thessaric Empire. It remains important in law, religion, scholarship, diplomacy, historical records, and arcane study.
Calvessan Additional Standard Language The traditional regional language of Calvessa.
Célian Additional Standard Language The traditional regional language of Célaine.
Nathari Additional Standard Language The traditional regional language of Vel'Nathar.
Ostherian Additional Standard Language The traditional regional language of Ostheria.
Skorrish Additional Standard Language The traditional regional language of Skorrheim.
Tessarian Additional Standard Language The traditional regional language of Tessarion.
Vashkovan Additional Standard Language The traditional regional language of Vashkova.
Shenyu Additional Standard Language The principal shared language of Shen-Su, widely spoken across the Jade Kingdoms.
Zahri Additional Standard Language A widely spoken regional language of Nurathar, used between communities that also preserve their own languages.
Alvenhir Elvish The traditional Elven language, spoken in several major dialects.
Dorrim Dwarvish The traditional language of Dwarven communities, with regional and lineage dialects.
Nimric Gnomish The traditional language of Gnomish communities, with considerable regional variation.
Brannic Halfling The traditional language of Halfling communities.
Drathis Draconic The ancient language of dragons and draconic traditions.
Haldren Giant The traditional language associated with Giant peoples and traditions.
Orzhan Additional Standard Language The traditional language of the Orzhun.
Rokhan Orcish The traditional language associated with Varokh Orc communities.
Ravaan Orcish The traditional language of Vaash'toran and Vashkari communities.
Nokara Orcish The traditional language associated with Mok'tan communities.
Zhayu Orcish The traditional language associated with Zhanyin communities.
Giznan Goblin The traditional language of the Giznat.
Mursen Goblin The traditional language of the Murrkin.
Thalnaren Additional Standard Language The traditional spoken and written language of the Thal'Ruun commonly known as Rootsong.
Tavari Additional Standard Language The traditional language of the Tavaska, with regional variation across Shahoya.
Rakkani Additional Standard Language The traditional language of the Rakkari.
Zirethi Additional Standard Language The traditional language of the Ssith'katha, with regional forms found across Zalthyx.
Asheran Additional Standard Language The traditional language of the Ashera, historically carried through communities and trade networks across Nurathar.
Drelan Undercommon The principal trade language of the Murmuring Depths. Unlike standard D&D Undercommon, Drelan is a Standard Language in Eldareth.
Vorren Additional Standard Language The traditional language of the Vroth'Kari.
Theskar Additional Standard Language The traditional language of the Threzkathar.

Notes on Standard Languages

Several languages in Eldareth differ from the broad equivalents used in standard D&D. The following sections explain how those languages are treated for character creation.

Alvenhir and the Elven Dialects

Alvenhir is the traditional Elven language and is treated as one Standard Language for game purposes.

The long separation of the Elven peoples produced four major modern dialects. The Ela'drin retained the name Alvenhir, while the Sera'drin, Vaela'drin, and Falha'drin developed Seranhir, Vaelanhir, and Falhanhir respectively.

Dialect Association Description
Alvenhir Ela'drin The Feywild form of Elven and the form that retained the ancestral language's traditional name.
Seranhir Sera'drin The Sera'drin dialect of Alvenhir.
Vaelanhir Vaela'drin The Vaela'drin dialect of Alvenhir.
Falhanhir Falha'drin The Falha'drin dialect of Alvenhir.

The four dialects remain mutually intelligible. Their differences are most apparent in pronunciation, vocabulary, idiom, and literary tradition.

Goblin and Orc Languages

Some peoples preserve several distinct linguistic traditions rather than sharing a single modern language.

Goblinkind no longer share a single modern Goblin language. Giznat speak Giznan, Murrkin speak Mursen, and Brownies speak Lethain.

Orc communities likewise preserve several traditions, including Rokhan among the Varokh, Ravaan among the Vashkari, Nokara among the Mok'tan, and Zhayu among the Zhanyin.

For game purposes, these languages occupy the roles normally represented by Goblin and Orcish without implying that the different languages are interchangeable.

Drelan and the Murmuring Depths

Eldareth does not use Undercommon as a separate Rare Language.

Drelan fills the practical role of a shared subterranean language within the Murmuring Depths. It developed as a living trade language used between peoples with their own native languages, including communities that speak Thalnaren, Vorren, Theskar, and other local tongues.

Because Drelan is learned through ordinary contact, trade, and upbringing within the Depths, it is considered a Standard Language.

Rare Languages

Rare Languages are generally associated with other planes, supernatural traditions, specialized knowledge, or circumstances that place them outside ordinary regional life. A Rare Language may still be widely spoken within the culture or plane where it originates; the classification reflects how readily it is encountered and learned by ordinary characters.

Primordial is the universal language of elementals. Auran, Aquan, Ignan, and Terran are its four major forms, associated with air, water, fire, and earth respectively. Each is listed separately for character creation.

Language D&D Equivalent Description
Abyssal Abyssal A planar language associated with demons and other Abyssal beings and traditions.
Celestial Celestial A planar language associated with celestial beings and divine traditions.
Ulveth Deep Speech An ancient language associated with the Far Realm and aberrant civilizations.
Infernal Infernal A planar language associated with infernal beings and traditions.
Primordial Primordial The universal language of elementals.
Auran Auran The air-associated form of Primordial.
Aquan Aquan The water-associated form of Primordial.
Ignan Ignan The fire-associated form of Primordial.
Terran Terran The earth-associated form of Primordial.
Lethain Sylvan A widely used language of the Feywild and many Fey traditions.
Druidic Druidic A specialized language preserved and taught through druidic tradition.
Thieves' Cant Thieves' Cant A specialized system of coded speech, signs, and criminal jargon.



Coinage in Ethelra