#silamir

On Rhimn, fire is primarily associated with Gardhe, god of the sun. It’s a pretty necessary part of life in Gadhi. It’s pretty chilly up north, and blacksmithing is considered to be as sacred an occupation as being a priest. In Ullua, where the sun is a relatively common source of death (drought, sunstroke, etc) water is considered far more sacred, and the word “vak” (roughly translates to “burn”) can be used as a rude oath.

Like Gardhe, Silamir is also a fire-associated goddess. The horned phoenix is one of her symbols, so cold flames and rebirth are two of her aspects. But, she’s been long-presumed dead, the symbolism that is specifically associated with her is either very forgotten or very recently revived.

There’s three main languages on Rhimn. There’s Gadhian, Ulluic (Ulluik in Ullua), and Gesture (known as Reteirik in Ullua). The first two are just the main spoken languages of Gadhi and Ullua respectively. The third is Ullua’s military handsign, which eventually got adopted by the deaf and hard of hearing. There’s also a variety of smaller languages spoken by more isolated feirie Courts in the deep woods of Gadhi, and different versions of Gesture that’ve been adopted by deaf or hard of hearing folks up north.

(With Vaerin’s help, Mepari develops his own version of Gesture before he later learns Ulluic and standard Gesture.)

You could count the “language of the gods” as a language too, but… well, it’s difficult to quantify how they speak as being language in the same way we experience it. Even when they’re speaking in mortal tongues, gods shatter the senses. When they talk to their Herald, the Herald experiences some decidedly non-auditory sensations, like tastes, smells, and temperature shifts.

How Vaerin experiences her goddess: “The silky feminine [voice], the one which sounded like clawed hands gripping her shoulders, the one that smelled of crushed bones and fermenting fruit.”

What Mepari experiences when his god speaks: “There was a reluctant murmuring in the back of his mind. Mepari listened closely, but he couldn’t make out the words, if it was composed of words at all. His tongue tasted bitter, as if he’d bitten down on an acorn.”

What Elaina hears from Gardhe: “The summons — uttered in a voice deep and commanding, barely human in form, a voice that tasted of smelting iron and heat — dragged Regent Elaina from the soft shadows of her sleep.”

Alluari speaking to her Herald: “Her voice sounded like the faint drum of rain off a rooftop, cold and clean, tinged with petrichor. Myshka always found it reassuring.”