Maybe I'm barking up the wrong tree here, I don't know how many Ravenloft fans actually care much about the elves (so passé for fantasy!). Nah, I kid.
I've been very curious what the linguistic inspiration for Sithican is. Forgive me if it looks like I am doubting the authors' ability to create a con-lang, it's just that every other RL language has been based on a real world example. I figured Sithican would be based on another con-lang, maybe of Tolkien variety, if not a real world language. I've looked around but I can't find any similar words. Opinions?
Gazetteer IV wrote:English --- Sithican
the sun rises (common greeting) --- e'roess
the sun sets (common farewell) --- e'naess
yes --- s
no --- ust
help! --- aos!
go away! --- kelos!
darkness --- loth
stranger --- nelin
forest --- sereon
tyrant --- rothihir
Petroselinum, salvia, ros marinus, et thymus. Nuray Solak
Sithican is one of the elven languages from Krynn (Grey Elves speak it I think), so it probably is drawn from there, so I don't think it's really a Ravenloft language.
Hmm, I couldn't find anything in common with the lexicon I found, but it's true Dragonlance was the standard D&D setting at the time, yes? Also, I'm assuming Silvanesti=grey elves?
Petroselinum, salvia, ros marinus, et thymus. Nuray Solak
AFAIK it is either a) pure invention, or b) based on the general idea of Tolkein-esque elvish. I remember reading something to that effect in an earlier discussion of this topic, which I can no longer find (I'm not sure it was on the board here). So, y'know, not exactly ironclad sourcing, but I am fairly sure it will not lead you far astray.
Nerit wrote:Hmm, I couldn't find anything in common with the lexicon I found, but it's true Dragonlance was the standard D&D setting at the time, yes? Also, I'm assuming Silvanesti=grey elves?
Dragonlance was not the standard D&D setting at the time per se. But the domain Sithicus along with it's darklord Lord Soth was lifted from that world. Here's a link the Elvish Language article on the Dragonlance Nexus site. It differs considerably from what you listed above. I dimly remember a fansite with some sithican vocabulary on it. But i think it is canon that Sithican is at least derived from one or more Krynnish elven languages.
I would say Silvanesti are very much alike to Grey Elves but perhaps not exactly identical. Here's an article on the Krynnish elven subraces. The 2E Complete Guide to Elves contained an subracial family tree for the Elves of the World. The chapter on Dragonlance elves notes that "The Silvanesti are reminiscent of the grey elves in their attitude and outlook, for they are haughty and most concerned about racial purity.". I'm pretty sure they have their own racial stats and description in the Dragonlance setting.
Sithican is a pure invention, essentially reverse-engineered from the tiny smattering of Sithican words that existed at that point ("Sithicus," "Nedragaard"). My only guiding factors were that it should sound "Elven," specifically like the elven languages of Krynn (which also really only exist as a smattering of random vocab), but be conspicuously "off" for anyone actually familiar with those languages.
The thing that stood out to me was "loth" as "darkness", since that's an l away from "lolth". At the time I thought it was a kind of neat little reference, though I guess it was an accident.
DocBeard wrote:The thing that stood out to me was "loth" as "darkness", since that's an l away from "lolth". At the time I thought it was a kind of neat little reference, though I guess it was an accident.
Presumably so, since the elves of Krynn never even heard of her. Or drow, for that matter: Krynnish "dark elves" are just regular elves who've been outcast for their crimes.
"Who [u]cares[/u] what the Dark Powers are? They're [i]bastards![/i] That's all I need to know of them." -- Crow
Considering that Lloth was named Araushnee the Weaver (Arachne anyone?) before Correllon cast her out of the pantheon, banished her to the Abyss and named her tanar'ri, maybe her new name does mean darkness....
