Orki language
Ayalis Orki - An alternate Earth reality
The orcs are a group of humanoids that developed in parallel with the homo sapiens kind; in their ancestral language, they call themselves Ayalis Orki, meaning “Human Orki”, orki being the name of their tribe;
Orki live usually in small communities, in remote places. The orcs are land workers, close to animals, in communion with the natural world;
Culture and religion
Matriarchy
Mothers are sacred. Initially, orcs had matriarchy as a form of organization. Old women were considered mothers of orc people – their wisdom was held dear.
Music
Mothers are believed to call the infant into life by singing songs. Music is a very important part of an orc's life.
Ti – Nine (sacred number)
Number nine is sacred for orcs. Initially, the numbers they recognized were from 1 to 9. They did not use numerology for business (no market, no trade), but for religious/ceremonial purposes, as sacred entities.
Reincarnation
Reincarnation is the main belief in orcs' religion. They do not have a religion per se (although in recent times certain groups push for a sort of organized religion as a unity basis for the orcs)
The Orki Homeland
The orki homeland is traditionally called Istari, which literary translates as One-Foot. This is where the Goddess A’Su gave birth to her nine children. After the children came of age, the Goddess presented each of them with one part of the Istari, to own and to rule and call home. Thus, all the Istari was properly divided between her children and all her children received gifts so that everyone should be happy with their place in the world. A’Su forbade quarrels and war between her children and made them promise forever to lend a helping hand to their siblings, in time of need.
In time, every child had children of his own and his children had children and so on until all the land was populated. Nine tribes lived in Istari, as direct descendants of the children of The Goddess. And the tribes of the Orki (literary: the tribes of the swan) were separated in its own land, but once every nine years they traveled to a meeting place and performed the ritual of A’Su. The meeting place was in the center of Istari, near the Danube River, the place of birth of the orki people.
The Orki Language
The oldest spoken language, still in use mostly by traditional orki people. It resembles Sumerian, and it was only spoken, not written.
Important words and phrases:
A'Su - Goddess, Ruler of the WorldAbnu'A (Abnu La) - Original Spirit, Original Father
Abnu'A'Su - Constelation of the Swan -> where A'su and the Nine Gods-Stones reside in the skies
Istari - Original land where the orki people lived before the humans came (literary One-Foot)
Ayalis-Orki - People of the Swan
Counsel of tribes – TI UR’M SAG
Ti Ur'M - Unity of tribes – TI UR’M (the nine tribes)
Ayalis-Uma - Mother of humans (the Matriarch of a union of tribes, the one who gives peace)
Palahai - Humans
Tal Gudoi! - (pejorative) -> Enemy filt!
Incantations:
La’asu-Du Z’Kia Emu’A! - Reincarnation force may be with the traveler spirit!Na Sepa Ayalis Emu'A! - Here is the power of the People!
Na Sepa Ayalis Sagi! - Here are the leaders of the People!
Ayalis Sa A'Su! - We belong to you, Goddess!
Ayalis Amu A'Su! - We are your children, Goddess!
P'su Ti A'Utu! - Help out the nine beginnings!
Nananu Uruki Amu! - Feed your children!
Uruki I'Ru! - Feed them with light!
Numerals: 1 - Isti 2 - Da 3 - Kel 4 - Ewe 5 - Ese 6 - Ka 7 - Yra 8 - Usha 9 - Ti Terms
| Singular | Plural | English translation |
|---|---|---|
| Abnu | Father, Stone, Rock | |
| Ahi | Ahi | Sister |
| Ahu | Ahai | Brother |
| Amu | Ami | Child, Children |
| Ayala | Ayali | Woman |
| Ayol | Ayoli | Man |
| Cat | Cati | Hand, hands |
| Du | To walk, to travel | |
| Eri'U | Fighter, Soldier, Sacrifice, (literary: Those who are sacrificed) | |
| Ghi'Gha | Watchers, Witnesses, Those Who See and Observe | |
| Gud | Gudoi | Attacker, Enemy |
| Keret | Punishment | |
| Li | Li | He, She, It, They |
| Nir | Great, Big, Huge | |
| Nu | Nui | I, We (first person) |
| Sag | Sagi | Head, leader |
| Salmu | Night, Black | |
| Samru | Samri | Day, Days, White |
| S'Ay'Ru | Music (literary: to hear the light) | |
| Tah'Az | Battle, War | |
| Tal'U | Ashes | |
| Tiamut | Innocence, Childhood, Youth | |
| Ti'It | Life | |
| Tisalmu | Death, Old age | |
| Uruki | Food, To eat |
The old woman opened her arms and raised them towards the sky, trembling, imploring. She murmured some muffled words, then cried out loud, dropping her gaze on the crowd:
“A’Su Ami!” [Children of A’Su!]
“Ayalis Uma!” [Mother of the People!] voices in the crowd echoed. Slow at first, the echo became a loud frantic call when tens and hundreds and then thousands of voices joined in. “Ayalis Uma! Ayalis Uma!”
The old woman raised a hand and the tumult died away.
“Na Sepa Ayalis Sagi,” [Here are the leaders of the People] she said and gestured towards a small group of men standing not far away. “Shara, Danan, Keles, Ewes, Leset, Uka, Yrha, Rusha, Tiek,” called the matriarch in a booming voice.
One by one, the nine men climbed a few steps until they were standing in a semicircle in front of the matriarch, heads down in an attitude of total submission. They wore no armor and no embellishments, just plain common garments, and bare feet. They have left behind all symbols of rank and all their pride.
[...]
The men surrounding the altar each took one of the pieces of rock into their hands and came in front of the crown, holding the rocks above their heads, an eerie stillness. The matriarch stood in front of them and cried:
“Na Sepa Keret A’Su!” [See the punishment of the Goddess!]
The first of the nine men got down to his knees. He kissed the feet of the old woman then stood up. The matriarch touched her chest above her heart and then touched his chest. Tears flowed down her wrinkled cheeks as she said the words that will condemn the tribes to exile for three thousand years.
“Wazu Shara!” [Go away, Shara!]
The man faced the crowd. He took away his vest and wrapped his rock piece in it. He left the sacred enclosure and walked among the people, opening a path into the crowd. He reached the edge of the gathering and did not stop, nor look back. Behind him, the crowd separated and a large part of the people followed his leader in exile, accompanied by the wailing and crying of those who stayed.
The scene repeated itself eight more times and each time the crowd got smaller and smaller until just a handful of people remained – the initiated, and the matriarch. The nine tribes had been separated. The great exile had begun. That was the will of the Goddess!
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I like the prose in the end, it's a nice illustration of the language in use. I'd like to hear a bit more of the grammar of how the words are formed into sentences. I can see the Sumerian vibes in the words, but is the grammar also similar to Sumerian? Base 9 number system is cool, have you thought of how numbers bigger than 9 are formed? Also, what sound do you represent with ’ ?