How We Ken

As many of us know, Scarrae speech is not one specific thing. It is a living way of expressing ourselves. All language embodies how cultures think about themselves and the world. How much more so for we who live by Elemental perception. What follows is a compilation of notes offered to chronicle where it came from and how it is understood. I hope it helps you, habi.

What we know as Scarrae has its origin in the Riverside speech of the docks. After the Fall of the Great Lowland Civilization and the Wild Days, trade slowly expanded. By the late Regrowth period, the port had became a hub for commerce. People from all over the world needed to interact and their speech became a working pidgin to keep things moving. It is clipped, efficient, and rooted in task talk.

The Tales report that when the Glass Dog Andrath first found natural Glass amongst Sirs Mouse, Beck, Kid, and Ladies Selene, Amy, and our beloved Hanina, he called them by the name Scarrae and set them to the work which we continue to this day. Riverside was their mother tongue. As is the way with such things, it became the speech of the tribe simply by default.

When Meleth set them as Principles in Charge of the Quarter Redevelopment Corporation, the language took place as the identity of the Quarter. As our numbers grew, and the Tales took on such importance for us, those who still knew the Old Tongue of Tharmenae gifted their words. Tharmenae is soft on sensitive ears and flows from the mouth like the elements it describes. The sparse and functional Riverside pidgin easily absorbed where it complimented function and the creole we know as Scarrae was born with its simultaneous sharp vowels and flowing consonants, efficient wording underpinning soulful expression.

When the persecutions arose, it further cemented Scarrae as a marker of those who were trusted, much like our sigils, which also came into use during this time. This ingrained our speech as a part of our culture.

If you were not raised to the leid, it can be hard to grasp at first. There are no schools or textbooks. One key to understanding is that we are a people of Elements and layers. Our speech, like all we do, is intentional in every facet. Thus we keep words sparse and patterns broad to hold all the layers at once. To borrow from the Princess Alassindë, Scarrae is like peering through a glass of water, first is the surface reflection, then the water itself, then bottom of the glass and lastly what is visible beyond the glass below.” It is foremost a way to indicate our perception.

Secondly, it is a living speech with no native writing system. Thus it can be represented in various scripts. Spellings are less standard shapes than representations of the sound.

So, remember: listen first. If you’re trying to decode it, you are already listening wrong. If these words feel familiar before you understand them, you’re in the right place.