The Mysteries of Rúne - The Codex

Artist Credit: Li Moly

Words have held a cherished place within the hearts of the territories since their inception. Nations adopted the scripts of the ancients and adapted them to their own cultures over the centuries. At the onset of the war, numerous languages existed across the seven script systems of the territories. While the war may have united the great cities, what truly fostered their cohesion was a unified communication system.

- Rúnic - Common -

This language of diplomacy, warfare, and ultimately trade was developed during the early years of the Great War to facilitate communication among nations. Only a select few are truly fluent in this eclectic mixture of words and scripts. It remains in use during assemblies and within guilds to maintain organizational cohesion. The letters are simple and easy to replicate, comprising a system of lines and dots that can be easily carved into stone or inscribed with a quill on parchment.

- Vurro - Sylvan - Elvish -

The Elves found themselves on the cusp of sylvan, natural landscapes. Their realm encompasses fungal beasts, fairies, and a charismatic environment. The script was discovered carved and shaped by the growth of trees, branches, and roots extending to connect the earth and sky. The Elvish language evolved as a harmonic exchange of voices, embodying this delicate balance. The Vurro script is a dance of symbols for their people, reflecting the twin deities Nádú and Seasu engaging in a linguistic dance with each letter and syllable. It is a language characterized by elegance and subtlety.

- Fás - Deep Speech - Undercommon - Dwarvish -

The Dwarves established kinship with beings of the depths. They referred to this deep speech as Fás, a term derived from the deep growls inherent in their speech, as expressed through their claw-carved runes. The denizens of the undercroft embody the traits of dwarf society: rugged and resilient. Their words possess a rough quality, and their script features harsh, angular lettering. Dwarvish retains many of the original guttural sounds and growls but incorporates short pauses and abrupt pronunciations to emphasize their impatience.

- Kír - Abyssal - Infernal - Goblin - Halfling - Gnomish -

The diminutive races developed a rivalry with imps, goblins, and other small creatures inhabiting mountains and secluded regions. Their investigations led them to study these creatures’ speech patterns, both to provoke irritation and to assert dominance. Imps, goblins, halflings, and gnomes share significant vocabulary and frequently bicker over how others distort the ancient tongue of Kír. The larger beings connected to these domains possess abyssal roots in the language of Kír but are less inclined toward the trivial squabbles characteristic of the smaller folk.

- Bél - Giant - Orcish -

A language of primal expression, spoken with force. The voices of giants echo across mountains, and orcs admire their strength. The script is written top to bottom, symbolizing the spires and depths of giant society. Orcish speakers have simplified the language to accommodate their tusks, which restrict certain pronunciations of the original tongue.

- Horská - Primordial - Minotaur -

Rúnic landscapes have greatly influenced the primordial language. Horská is the language of the orators—those who serve as the balancing force within Rúne. The druidic culture of the Heilan people maintains a deep connection to the soil; their magic arises from being rooted to the ground. The Hailan people depict this bond through tattoos stretching across their whole bodies upon completion of their druidic apprenticeship.

- Potok - Celestial - Draconic -

The language of the stars, learned by dragons through the whistle of the skies during flight and the streaks of stars across the night. Its script features sweeping lines reminiscent of their wings' movement and celestial patterns above. The name Potok derives from the streams of stars that Anaíl wove through the night sky, channeling his light to form the crystal latices of the dragons.

- Auric - Gyík - Thieves’ Cant -

A script was discovered on the stones of Cornellian Island. Its original form has been lost to history; however, the island’s lizard folk have adopted and adapted it into a primitive writing system. Over time, various thieves modified this system into a clandestine code known as Thieves’ Cant. It remains fluid and adaptable, shifting with the winds, but the blocks of Auric script serve as essential decoding keys.