Lahn

Origin

Lahn is the language spoken by the Sinnehliv, a blessing granted to the creatures by Vikret and Arvora. The two Goddesses had worked together to give the magical plant life further sentience, making them akin to the other mortals of the realm. With sentience came communication, a soft and often overlooked language carried from Sinnehliv to Sinnehliv among the whistles of the wind.

In order to give the Sinnehliv language, Arvora and Vikret tailored a unique means of speech that would be easy for Sinnehliv to reproduce, but difficult for other mortals. Arvora provided the physical channels through which Sinnehliv would learn to speak, and Vikret provided the knowledge and ability that would ultimately shape the language of Lahn into existence.

Lahn is a language meant to be spoken, and as a result it is scarcely written. Although Lahn has a written alphabet that can be learned and reproduced, it is not often one will find scriptures of a Sinnehliv.

Description

Lahn is a language that can best be described as the shifting and rustling of leaves in the wind. It is one of the most quiet and difficult to hear languages, making it nearly impossible to learn. When Sinnehliv speak Lahn they filter carbon dioxide into their bodies and expel oxygen through their mouths in such a way that sounds akin to quiet whispers can be heard.

If a non-Sinnehliv attempts to speak Lahn, the language is typically butchered to the point of obscurity unless extensive practice and effort is put into learning. When Lahn is spoken by non-Sinnehliv, it requires flattening of the tongue and a subtle pucker of the lips in order to produce the faint whistle-like sounds that provide body to the spoken language. Lahn is best described as a breathy language that is spoken while exhaling.

The written form of Lahn is elegant and curvaceous in nature. The Lahn alphabet is typically written very small with intricate detail and can be difficult to replicate as a result. Sinnehliv can write Lahn with ease being that their ‘wrists’ are more flexible and can simply follow along with the scripture, however a non-Sinnehliv who attempts to write in Lahn will tend to write slower and require more concentration.

Basic Phrases

• Laei! (Hello!)
• Hua layo. (You’re welcome.)
• Oya-hua. (Thank you.)
• E yu hua? (How are you?)
• Umeh. (Sorry.)

The World of Aethius • The Multiverse of Aethier