The Words of Creation were fragments of the precursor of the Celestial language.[1] This precursor language,[1] known as Supernal, was said to be the tongue of the gods themselves.[2] A very few celestials remembered even some of the Words of Creation, and even fewer mortals had access to so much as one or two.[1]
History[]
Bards claimed that the multiverse was spoken into existence and shaped by the words of the gods, which resounded throughout reality even eons later. By this interpretation, bardic music was an attempt to harness the echoes of the primordial Words of Creation and subtly weave them into magical powers.[4]
Words of Power[]
No mortal mind could comprehend more than three or four of these Words of Creation in their true form.[1] So exacting was their pronunciation that it was is impossible to make people speak them against their will. Just using the words required special training, and trying to use them without learning them properly could leave one feebleminded. Evil creatures were particularly negatively affected by the Words; unskilled attempts by them to use the words could leave them not just mentally injured but outright dead,[5] and even if they were capable of using them, they could not bear to speak or hear the Words.[1]
Dictionary[]
Ironically for a language, it was difficult to communicate solely using the Words of Creation. Though it had an astonishing level of subtlety in its terminology for concepts like beauty, mercy, and kindness, there were no words for those such as betrayal, misery, and hate.[1]
Script[]
The Words of Creation had no written form, and written transliterations lost not only all power but all meaning.[1]
Usages[]
Creation[]
When used in accordance to their original purpose, trained application of the Words of Creation had no adverse side-effects, even for mortal users. This greatly enhanced any process of creation, improving mundane attempts at craftsmanship and increasing the longevity of magical conjurations.[1]
Exalted Empowerment[]
Good-aligned magic was energized by the Words of Creation. Such spells with verbal components were more potent, as was the creation of good-aligned magic items. This usage of the words was also relatively safe; so long as spellcasters stuck to very basic spells, they would not be drained, and their use in enhancing items was measured out over such a long period of time that the user was not at risk.[1]
Bards[]
By weaving Words of Creation into a song, music could be created that surpassed all earthly melodies and echoed the grandeur of the heavens' music. Appropriately trained bards could, in an extremely draining usage of the words, enhance the potency of their bardic music. This made their music far more inspiring, compelling, and liberating than it otherwise would be.[1]
True Names[]
Perhaps the most dangerous use of the Words of Creation was in conjunction with true names. Every creature had a unique true name among the Words of Creation.[1]
Appendix[]
See Also[]
References[]
- ↑ 1.00 1.01 1.02 1.03 1.04 1.05 1.06 1.07 1.08 1.09 1.10 James Wyatt, Darrin Drader, Christopher Perkins (October 2003). Book of Exalted Deeds. (TSR, Inc), pp. 31–32. ISBN 0-7869-3136-1.
- ↑ James Wyatt (June 2008). Dungeon Master's Guide 4th edition. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 171. ISBN 978-0-7869-4880-2.
- ↑ Jeremy Crawford, Mike Mearls, Robert J. Schwalb, Adam Lee, Christopher Perkins, Matt Sernett (November 2017). Xanathar's Guide to Everything. Edited by Kim Mohan. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 12. ISBN 978-0-7869-6612-7.
- ↑ Mike Mearls, Jeremy Crawford (2014). Player's Handbook 5th edition. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 52. ISBN 978-0-7869-6560-1.
- ↑ James Wyatt, Darrin Drader, Christopher Perkins (October 2003). Book of Exalted Deeds. (TSR, Inc), p. 48. ISBN 0-7869-3136-1.