Histories of Sarlhenia

The Nielthien: Tongue of the Ancients

The Nielthien was originally spoken by the Kartajans, Lords of the Deserts. After their banishment to the sea, their language was all but nearly forgotten. It was only after the second age that it began to establish itself again in the mortal world.

In the year 935 of the Third Age, King Ryol ordered the historians to form a written alphabet for the Nielthien. Their work is recognized as the base for many other written languages of Sarlhenia.

Despite the revival of this ancient tongue, it was once again lost for many years after a great fire swept through the libraries of Ilturon (c. 1134) during the Ciroune Wars (1129-1136). Since then, fragments of the few documents that survived the war were pieced together, until the restoration of the Lost Tongue was completed under the reign of Queen Viyen (1394).

Today, the Nielthien is taught to children in their homes or schools, but few can speak it fluently, let alone read it.

In the Unicorn’s Peace,
Bazjra, Historian of the Shentar,
Recorder of the Rivv
Year 687, Fourth Age