Worldbuilding Wednesday 6/5/19: A Land Fit for Heroes

Map by Ravi Shankar

I did not think too much of Richard K. Morgan’s fantasy novel The Cold Commands, but I do admire the care the author put into his naming systems for the trilogy. Each culture of his universe —  Kiriath, Yhelteth, League, Majak — has its own naming conventions, and all are distinct from each other and in turn from English.

The Naom language is spoken in The League, a loose confederation of city-states of the north who have banded together for trade interests, opposing the decadent, Byzantine Yhelteth Empire in the south. Naom sounds like  a stereotypical barbarian language — lots of ag, ush, ing, and grunting type syllables, like a language Conan and his ilk might speak. In fact,  I believe the author, the sly bugger, intended it that way to evoke a Robert E. Howard mystique, which was both paid homage to and deconstructed. Naom also recalls the Orcish tongue used in Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings, which the author references and criticizes here, but also pays homage to. (The above map also appears played off Middle Earth.)

If you’re looking to RPG in this world or write some fanfic, here’s a juicy list.

 

Random words of Naom (Land Fit for Heroes)

Ikrund

Kwarjell

Sheransha

Yashaud

Kelamgar

Moritnam

Derag

Olar

Yunsrund

Ringish

Sherinnash

Lisghal

Dakelan

Yermen

Ishayne

Fenghal

Yalahn

Gakvar

Ollushed

Anthil

Uralak

Kadrellis

Fenglak

Dwimbarin

Narandrish

Urvashgor

Dakalagris

Lodwash

Fiskandrish

Selnakadel

Grushman

Alkal

Ninnur

Ninrundil

Luchell

Sherlakatra

Vnashar

Shessatl

Angroin

Oshitak

Firon

Antherund

Tlanvash

Jemam

Jamirag

Kenjrund

Ajnash

Linchakis

Gyragren

Kurjgor

Arenund

Gyrellis

Kwarshion

Nulak

Morshed

Apcharin

Narkeeris

Sepkalbaan

Girim

Misham

 

1 ping

  1. […] time and space.  Richard K. Morgan drew on the feel of this imaginary language when he designed the languages for his A Land Fit for Heroes series, as well as adopting some of Moorcock’s writing […]

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published.