Celenic and the Common Tongue (detailed report)
"The languages of god and man."
Note: In this article, the language of Celenese is referred to in its more archaic form as Celenic. All references are meant to imply the same language.
The tribes of man and vesska (the two native species of Gothenya) were weaned on various tongues, native to the territories each group controlled. There was little commonality between the languages of the various tribes, as trade was still a relatively rare thing. However, by the coming of Mount Celene, there had been some attempts at a "common tongue" between the human tribes. The vess'ka, conversely, never faced the need to develop a common language, as their people communicate telepathically, in pure "thought." The vess'ka even made initial attempts to communicate with the human tribes in this manner, but these overtures were largely rebuked. The ramifications of prolonged contact between the tribes of the two species is a subject for another time.
Everything changed with the arrival of the gods. Of course, here we speak of the gods of Celene, and not the primative "spirits of nature" worshipped by many human tribes prior to the arrival of the "true lords." The first sentries of the gods, the titans, spread throughout the lands of Gothenya, bringing with them the language of their masters. Soon, a form of the "low Celenic" tongue circulated amongst the humans (the vess'ka had long since retreated to their subterranean lairs), and quickly became the first true "common" tongue.
The titans used Low Celenic in giving orders to their human thralls. Communication of this sort ed to the development and construction of the first civilizations across Hariel Majour, Hariel Minuta, and Golthien. The titans, though capable of speaking High Celenic, kept this secret to themselves. And wisely so. For High Celenic is closely linked to the language of the Eret Si'Nu, and in fact is based upon that arcane tongue of magic.
Humans would be first introduced to High Celenic when the Vala'Suun were dispatched from Celene to "indoctrinate" the human slaves. The titans had overstepped their bounds, and were unwilling to return to their subordinate stations within the celestial hierarchy. The Vala'Suun were sent to unseat them.
In their wisdom, the Sidhe Vala'Suun decided to weaponize the human slaves by teaching them the high tongue of Celenic; a language replete with words and phrases touting freedom and power. The first any humans had heard of such concepts. Further, the Vala'Suun elves taught man how to harness the Eret Si'Nu. This, they never could have accomplished without first instructing them in the ways of High Celenic.
In fact the road to the Eret Si'Nu begins with Low Celenic, then High Celenic, then the unnamed language of the arcane spirits itself. What the Eret Si'Nu speak is something not attempted by most mortals, only those of a certain aptitude for language that goes far beyond any common tongue.
The Vala'Suun shortly had an army of informed, "actuated" mortals behind them. These humans, many capable of harnessing magic, soon toppled their titanic oppressors, sending the survivors running to the far northern wastes beyond the Spectral Sea.
The Age of Destiny began with the exile of the titans. It could never have been possible without a common tongue steeped in liturgic power.
As human civilizations began to sweep across the known world, along went their language. What eventually unfolded was a mix of High and Low Celenic, morphed together out of basic need. For not all humans had enough "Potential" to fully grasp High Celenic, and Low Celenic had too many negative connotations surrounding it (being the language of the slavers). Thus "Modern Celenic" was born.
We often simply refer to Modern Celenic by the shorthand term, "Common," which indicates the common tongue shared by all civilizations that choose to engage in trade with outsiders. Further, any societies that worship the Zenithal (or any of the gods of Celene) find it far easier to practice their faith by utilizing Modern Celenic.
The national language of Wyeth is Modern Celenic (or "Common"), and even the Southron peoples of Varuum speak the same language.
In the east, across Golthien, several languages vie for control of the region, but "Common" still takes a degree of propriety, as it is the language of the Lentokki God Kings and their nation of Lentokk.
The largest holdout is likely the Houlon Empire, which speaks a severely differentiated version of High Celenic known as Houlonese.
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