Languages of the Four Regions
English is the main language in the Dark Region. Since magical beings came from all over the world, the only reason English was chosen was because the first Champion was an English-speaker. There are still many carry-over languages from the human world, but they are mostly spoken in the home or in areas away from Capital. The English of the Dark Region is slightly influenced by French from their trade with those in the seas. There are some phrases that pull their syntax from French rather than English. Those who have been alive for longer than the Dark Region has existed do keep some traits of their previous language. For example, if one knew German or English before the creation of the Four Regions, they are more likely to use the vernacular and syntax that they grew up with.
In the Seas, French is the most common language. This is because many of the inhabitants of the shore are descended from those who arrived in the region speaking French-based Creole languages. Many still speak their native creole but use French to communicate with each other. There are also a few inhabitants from the African continent who continue to speak their native languages, but many have intermarried into the groups that came from the West Indies and have adopted their tongues and traditions, which still share some traits with their own. Inside the Seas themselves, some sirens do know French but they more commonly speak English. Sailors who navigate the Seas often speak Dutch, Spanish, Portuguese, or French depending on their captain and where they do most of their trade.
The Mountains has the most diverse linguistics, as each clan decides for itself what language to speak. Among the Dwarven clans, Neder is the most common trade language. Neder is a modified form of Dutch, which was a prominent trading language when the Four Regions separated from the human world. While Dwarves tend to use the Neder language the most, if they are to call you “neder,” it is a derogatory term for someone from the lowlands. Elvish clans each have their own version of the Elvish language, influenced by the regions in which their clans were living in the human world. Since Elves have the longest lifespans of all mortal beings and they typically place high value on knowledge, it is not uncommon for them to know multiple languages, especially those used frequently in other regions.
Nobody is quite sure what language they speak in the Light Region. Every visitor to the region reports that they heard inhabitants speaking the listener’s own language and they could be understood using their primary tongue. Even multi-lingual beings have been able to communicate in all of their languages and the individual with whom they were speaking switched the moment they did. The prevailing theory is that there is a comprehension spell cast on the entire region. If true, then not even the inhabitants of the region would know what languages are spoken there.
