Iokharic was the name of a script used by the Draconic language,[3] as well as by the Auran, Ignan,[4] and some human languages.[3][5] It consisted of runic characters[6] equivalent to letters and numbers in human scripts.[1]
Alphabet and punctuation[]
To give emphasis to important concepts, Iokharic employed a special character consisting of five (or six[4]) lines radiating outwards, similar to a star or an asterisk (*), or the five heads of Tiamat. When this character was written, the word was spoken with both the first and last syllables stressed.[1]
History[]
Graffiti of Cult of the Dragon symbol and Iokharic writing.
Dragons believed Iokharic was created by the dragon god Asgorath so his creations could record their impressions of the world he hoped they would inherit.[1] Non-dragon scholars believed Iokharic was likely created long after its spoken form was standardized, as dragons had little need to write like other races. The script was believed to have been influenced by the dwarven runes, but dragons themselves dismissed such a connection.[4]
Elven scholars had the theory that kobolds, rather than dwarves, were the ones who actually created Iokharic, as it was widely believed that the earliest kobolds served dragons, learning dragon ways. The oldest historical records of kobold history began with paintings, then pictograms, and gradually developed into the Iokharic script.[6]
Circa 1479 DR, someone regularly graffitied a wall of a dilapidated building in the southern Blacklake District of Neverwinter with Iokharic writing (the language unrecognized) and a symbol. Locals believed the images were evil and worried of a devil-worshiping cult in the area. They were mistaken—it was a dragon-worshiping cult.[7]
Languages[]
The following languages commonly used Iokharic writing for their written forms:
- Auran[4]
- Chultan[5]
- Draconic[3]
- Halruaan[5]
- Ignan[4]
- Lantanese[5]
- Netherese[3]
- Nexalan[5]
- Shou[5]
- Yipyak[4]
Appendix[]
See Also[]
References[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 Bruce R. Cordell, et al. (November 2008). Draconomicon: Chromatic Dragons. Edited by Michele Carter, et al. (Wizards of the Coast), pp. 24–25. ISBN 978-0-7869-4980-9.
- ↑ Mike Mearls, Jeremy Crawford (2014). Player's Handbook 5th edition. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 123. ISBN 978-0-7869-6560-1.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 Rob Heinsoo, Logan Bonner, Robert J. Schwalb (September 2008). Forgotten Realms Player's Guide. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 156. ISBN 978-0-7869-4929-8.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 4.5 Gwendolyn F.M. Kestrel, Jennifer Clarke Wilkes, Kolja Raven Liquette (2006). Races of the Dragon. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 146. ISBN 0-7869-3913-3.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 5.5 Ed Greenwood, Sean K. Reynolds, Skip Williams, Rob Heinsoo (June 2001). Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting 3rd edition. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 85. ISBN 0-7869-1836-5.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 Gwendolyn F.M. Kestrel, Jennifer Clarke Wilkes, Kolja Raven Liquette (2006). Races of the Dragon. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 51. ISBN 0-7869-3913-3.
- ↑ Cryptic Studios (June 2013). Neverwinter. Perfect World Entertainment.