Field Research in the Land of Midnight

This is what happens when you get too deeply involved in a classic
computer wargame.

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The Langues of Midnight

All we know of the languages of this realm is attested in a few place
names,
some of which are held in common with the names of their rulers. Even
this
information is incomplete. While Lord Mitharg undoubtedly rules a land
known
locally as Mitharg, it can only be speculated what the native name for
the
Plains of Blood is, or indeed, what the native word for 'blood' is.

There are three distinct human cultural groups in the Land of Midnight.
The 'Free'
are in the south, and are known to have a heroic warrior code in the
style of
the early Anglo-Saxons. The 'Foul' live mostly in the north. Little is
known
of this group, and field research is dangerous. A Witch-King rules this
vast
empire, covering over a third of the habitable area.

The third group of humans are the 'Targ'. They are few in number, mostly
nomadic.
Their chief leader, and ruler of the only sizeable settlement, is known
only as
the Utarg of Utarg. Their language is known to be different, and the
title 'Utarg'
can be analysed. 'Targ' is their name for themselves as a tribe. 'U-' is
a prefix
indicating leadership or importance. As nouns do not inflect for number
in
this language, the title can be translated as 'the important person of
the important
people'. This people is nominally allied with the Free, and some of
their culture
is apparent in surrounding Free communities.

In addition, there are at least two groups of sentient non-human. The
'Fey' are
scattered in forests throughout the inhabitable world, and are nominally
allied
with the Free. Theirs is the only language of this world to have the /T/
and /D/
sounds. Our field researchers are convinced that they have their own
language,
but the Fey will not speak of it to them; our only knowledge so far is
in the
place names. Vowel harmony is suspected as a key feature in the
language,
demonstrated in teh personal name Corleth and the place name Thimrath.

The skulkrin are small humanoids with a cruel temper. Except for being
allied
with the Foul, little is known of them. They do not have any known
language
of their own, but use the Mannish tongue. Ice Trolls also inhabit
Midnight,
but they too have no language of their own; second hand reports from our
informants
tells us that they have, on occassion, demonstrated a very limited
Mannish
vocabulary. It is unknown if this represents a low intelligence, or if
they
have their own language.

Finally, Dragons inhabit Midnight, and are highly magical. They would
make
ideal informants, if only these proud creatures could be persuaded to
work.
Curiously, most of these (99%) are basically unintelligent fire
breathing
lizards, but a rare boon grants high intelligence to select individuals.
It
is not known how these individuals acquire language; certainly not from
their
parents, as there are no reports of intelligent dragons ever mating
(this may
be due to the danger involved in acquiring such reports). Perhaps
it is the nature of magic in Midnight that grants this skill.

More Later?

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Fabian
Rule One: Question the unquestionable,
ask the unaskable, eff the ineffable,
think the unthinkable, and screw the inscrutable.