emeraldbeacon
Adventurer
I'm playing around with the naming conventions within War of the Burning Sky, and wondered if the three names for the elvish races came from root words in the language. I don't know if any of this was intended or not, but I've come up with four words so far...
Esti is, fundamentally, the Elvish word for their own people. It has many different translations in different contexts, and can mean anything from community or society, to the genetic elvish race/species.
Next is Shahal, a word that means radiant, glowing... or shining. It carries a connotation of beauty and grace with it, as a warm and nurturing light, not a harsh one. It is the word that high elves have long used to describe their people... the Shahal-Esti, or Shining Elves, and what Lord Shaaladel chose to name his relatively young nation..
Taran is a similar phrase, literally translated as "from the earth." It is a common descriptor of plants and trees, and anything else that grows from nature. In recent decades, the word has also taken on a somewhat derogatory sense in high elven culture, meaning "dirty" or "filthy," but historically, as a metaphor, it has long meant "grounded, stable, or hearty." This is, of course, where the Taran-Esti draw their name.
Lastly, Droal roughly translates as "untouched by light," and usually is used as a word to mean concealed or obscured. The Droal-Esti have long been marginalized by the Shining Lands, as they lack the ability to appreciate the sun as their Shahal and Taran brethren do, and as such, earned the elvish phrase for "darkness" as their name. The phrase has a much lesser-used meaning, however, of "sheltered/protected," as if to shield something from a danger. This archaic definition is often embraced by Droal-Esti scholars, as they have long sought to protect their own from the hostility of the outside world.
Have you done any exploration of the naming conventions within the game, and come up with any other lore that could maybe be offered to your players?
Esti is, fundamentally, the Elvish word for their own people. It has many different translations in different contexts, and can mean anything from community or society, to the genetic elvish race/species.
Next is Shahal, a word that means radiant, glowing... or shining. It carries a connotation of beauty and grace with it, as a warm and nurturing light, not a harsh one. It is the word that high elves have long used to describe their people... the Shahal-Esti, or Shining Elves, and what Lord Shaaladel chose to name his relatively young nation..
Taran is a similar phrase, literally translated as "from the earth." It is a common descriptor of plants and trees, and anything else that grows from nature. In recent decades, the word has also taken on a somewhat derogatory sense in high elven culture, meaning "dirty" or "filthy," but historically, as a metaphor, it has long meant "grounded, stable, or hearty." This is, of course, where the Taran-Esti draw their name.
Lastly, Droal roughly translates as "untouched by light," and usually is used as a word to mean concealed or obscured. The Droal-Esti have long been marginalized by the Shining Lands, as they lack the ability to appreciate the sun as their Shahal and Taran brethren do, and as such, earned the elvish phrase for "darkness" as their name. The phrase has a much lesser-used meaning, however, of "sheltered/protected," as if to shield something from a danger. This archaic definition is often embraced by Droal-Esti scholars, as they have long sought to protect their own from the hostility of the outside world.
Have you done any exploration of the naming conventions within the game, and come up with any other lore that could maybe be offered to your players?
