Unlock the Secrets of a Lost Language from the Mists of Time.
Delve into The Hollow Vale Official Dictionary: Wyrds, Verses, and the Veiled Tongue, an extensive dictionary reconstructing Tharionese, a fictional language born from the unique linguistic crossroads of 4th-5th century Romano-British Westcountry. Authored by Alexander Paul Burton, this meticulously crafted volume presents over 2100 entries, offering a portal into a world steeped in Celtic mysticism, fading Roman influence, and the echoes of Old English.
What is Tharionese? Presented as a "remnant tongue" rediscovered through fragments and dream-logic, Tharionese features a Common Brittonic core enriched by Latin, Old English, and even Greek terms reflecting the era's complex interactions. The language is deeply woven into the lore of The Hollow Vale, focusing on unique concepts like:
- Wyrd: Explained not merely as fate, but as the spiral resonance of memory connecting past, present, and future. Words like Wyrdaen (a chant-knot) and Wyrdstone (a stone holding echoes) illustrate its centrality.
- The Hollow: Detailed as an entropic force of forgetting that threatens to unravel names and meaning, giving rise to terms like Hollowcall (a forbidden incantation) and Hollowed Ones (memoryless beings).
- Hinclaeth: The "Mist's Threshold," described as a sacred crossing place where the veil between worlds thins, combining Hin (mist) and Claeth (threshold).
- Brial: The word for 'Bell, ' tied intrinsically to resonance, memory preservation, and ancient rituals like Bellbind.
Inside the Dictionary:
- Over 2100 Entries: Explore a vast lexicon covering mystical concepts, nature, ritual, daily life, and terms adapted from historical languages.
- Detailed Entries: Includes pronunciation guides, parts of speech, rich definitions explaining cultural context, and etymological notes (OE, L, Gk, Tharionese).
- Rich Context: Features introductory essays explaining the language's origins and reconstruction, a translator's preface setting the scene, an addendum exploring faith and linguistic evolution (including a Tharionese Lord's Prayer translation and analysis), and guides to common prefixes and suffixes.
- Atmospheric: Perfect for readers of historical fantasy, language enthusiasts, worldbuilders, tabletop roleplayers (TTRPGs), and anyone fascinated by the intersection of lore and linguistics.
This dictionary is presented as a "reliquary of memory" - a beautifully realized artifact from a fictional past. While focusing on the lexicon, it provides a deep, evocative foundation for the language of The Hollow Vale. Discover the words that shape the mist and echo through the Wyrd.