Elder Fae is a strange Tongue. A language born from the first moment she breathed existence into this universe. She was the First, then there were more. Three Siblings to join her in her song, a song of creation, wonder, experience. Oh Dear Vilorlith, how your song echoes out far past the world you left behind. We can but mimic the sound we heard, attempt to understand the true breadth of what you spoke and the power you gave them all. Our Songstress to echo out infinitum, we her children to learn from our dear Mother. But babes babbling away thinking ourselves clever.
-Imperial Scholar when asked if he thought the magic the Brownies spoke was the same as what The Quartet spoke to each other.
Now, it should be noted that while the language is being rediscovered by Humanity and Mhuzelti kind, this language is quite literally magic. Over the years those whom dared knock on the doors by things gone from this world have come back with a gift unobtainable by normal means. Those who practice magic are aware of many things, it's less of a power that can be tampered with, less of a tangible force ripe for control. It's a request, a prayer, a song to echo out in an ethereal nature.
Magic is not something you control, it is you. It is not something that can truly be learned in modern times, yet it is ubiquitous. Something learned by those seeking to peel away the fabric of the world around them, something felt in the minds of those who feel the sun on their skin. This world was made by forces that we cannot imagine to their full degree.
Yet. There are whispers, from a time before the world came to be as it is. To become truly part of the song that is the magic in this place, is to open your ears and listen for it. It's not a song that is heard, it's not a song that can be sung. It is not our song to sing. It is her song. Their song as they wove being to the id of consciousness, the subconscious to understand but cannot express.
The Quartet smiles on their
Children as they began to learn. Babes we are to them, in loving arms of our Mothers and Father they sang to us. Etched into our bones, our minds, our souls.
Writing System
The writings of these people in modern times are extremely rare, their communication is almost entirely verbal to each other. When these peoples do write it is almost entirely in the service of Humanity or Mhuzelti kind, thus is is written in common. However, a variant that is very closely related to the language and is a simplified version of the language is practiced by Artificers. And found in the crumbling ruins dotted across The Cradle, in the ancient remains of the Namixian Empire.
The runes that are written is this language, the various powers and abilities infused into these words are intrinsic to the language itself. However, many of the core pieces of the written language is the base root for nearly ever language spoken in modern times. Leading many to suspect that the broken pieces of this speech was the original one spoken by all. The few runes that were originally found inside these ruins were the ones to kick start the movement for Artificers to really show their own brand of magic.
The words themselves just written down hold a certain ephemeral magic to them, a magic described by Artificers as a Potential, or in further speculation a magic of possibility. By directing intent into these words can different effects be made. However, in the aftermath of Gjorn Fourth king of Dwarves teaching his Dwarves a much more omnipotent version of the language, their writing system became far and away superior to any other Artificed work.
Many coming to the conclusion that what he brought back is the actual written dialect that has been eroded away in the ruins. But a few examples and a few differences:
Some of the first words found were always found in sets of four, however it was found that these repeated four words are actually the names of rather ambiguous origin and their meaning is quite malleable. In clockwise reading starting at the 12 position, it reads in the simplest possible form as Night, Sound. Scales, Law. Sea, Calm. Then finally, Fire, and connection.
In keeping with a historical recounting, in many different places there have also been found this same set of four that hold the same base shape as these symbols. However, these have always been found in the context of a prayer. Or a private conversation, lending to the idea that depending how the runes are presented in their much more pictographic style is meant to be a deeper meaning. Or at the very least changes their meaning entirely.
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Imperial Scholars Thoughts
You'd find that these correspond to actual names. Names that ring out with a subtle yet powerful meaning that vibrates the very fabric of being around you. To sing their names is to give their names this power. Sing your words, create your song as they created theirs. From top to bottom:
Vilorlith,
Syn,
Kyln,
Alnya.
Though the cultures that are still present on The Great Tree are largely marginalized and not very well known, when these cultures speak to those of Humanity or Mhuzelti Kind, they speak the common tongue. Much described by those that hear this languages is more like listening to a flock of song birds. The actual vocal range and larynx structure of many of these people are very much different that those that can only speak the common tongue, thus multiple tones can be made at the same time while speaking.
Though the actual sound of each word tends to follow a few simple rules. The vast majority of words follow a two syllable word structure. Usually a Chirping Vowel-like mouth and tongue sound paired with a consonant-like whistle or click. This allows for the sentence to follow an almost beat-like motion. Typically this beat is followed with an internal rhythm that changes the meaning of the words.
As far as individual words are concerned, sounds are blended together in a rapid staccato that when heard does mimic bird song quite a bit. Though as more complex words are made, these sounds are blended on top of each other, due to their vocal chord structure, two to three words are actually spoken at the same time. Some rather specific sentences are actually spoken as a single word.
This speech is also somewhat generous in terms of being able to tell individual words apart due to the aforementioned beat structures sentences tend to take on. Each new word marking the start of a new beat, though depending on the timing of the beat this doesn't always hold true. A beat of 4;4 vs a beat of 3;4 in the 3;4 version of the same sentence words are typically mixed by the stacking of words to speed up the speech and some words can have different meanings as such.
Possessive adjective is backward, so "You hunt" reads like "hunt you". Most adjectives are spoken and read backwards, it's not "The tree is green", it's "green are trees". It's not "the sun is bright", it's "brightness is sunlight". For example "A being lost to this world, a life long forgotten." Grammatically will be spoken as "A being, world lost to this, long forgotten this life. 'Qrt cresi Ts'ihs voi, tythry'Iov." if literally translated.
Most connections and connectors are written as apostrophes, as well as many qualifiers will be written with an apostrophe connecting the word to what is being qualified. A, to, the are all written as " ' " but needing the context of the sentence to differentiate the meaning of it.
Qualifies such as What, where, when, how, are all directly connected to thier qualified word. Meaning the words "Tu" for "how" would be written as "Tu'" with the next word or concept. For example "How strange" Would be "Tu'shoi", occurring as a singular word as a combination of two separate words.
Elder Fae is to a few certain people a very potent, weighty speech.
A very musically inclined tongue, Bards and those of Hymn are particularly potent users of this magic.
by Thereasonwhy
That song, that one they tried to hide away. One needs to listen to hear the words, truly listen.
I'm very intrigued to see your work continue on this! I too am working on some conlangs for my world, a project which I am hoping doesn't derail my writing schedule to significantly.
I think my biggest issue is that the language is currently used in a lot of different magics in the world. Having artificers carving runes and their meanings has given me a lot of fodder to think about in terms of how to present it! I'm glad you it though, I wouldn't mind seeing some of what you are working on!
Ah, is it perhaps a language family, with Elder Fae being the root and original divine language, and all the modern magics and uses representing variations, dialects, and offshoots?
There is the speech that isn't "spoken" among the members of the Quartet, and the attempt to mimic it by their children. So Elder Fae is a root to the true divine language, but not the same thing. Very close, but not spoken with the same power. All the modern magics are offshoots of that language built off the drifting speech that are modern languages.