Elven

Lady Elyana Sadrastis, an elven ranger

Elven is also used as the adjectival form of elf. In that use it need not be capitalized.

Elven or Elvish is believed to be among the elder, if not the eldest of the languages mortals speak on Golarion. Scholars conjecture that it was formed when elven speakers of the Fey language tried to introduce grammatical rules and vocabulary from both Empyrean and Draconic. The Elven alphabet contains thirty-three letters (twenty-four consonants and nine vowels). It is a complex language, but sounds poetic in tone and cadence.

On Golarion

In the Inner Sea region, Elven is spoken in the elven nation of Kyonin, and in other major elven population centers such as the Mordant Spire. It is also spoken by nearly all aiuvarins, as well as the drow and driders of the Darklands.

In Tian Xia, Elven is naturally most commonly spoken in the elven nation of Jinin, although it is also common in Kaoling, Zi Ha, Songbai, and Linvarre.

Other Elven-speaking races

Elven is spoken as a secondary language by a large assortment of good-natured, fey, or forest-dwelling creatures:

• Ancient brine dragons
• Bronze dragons
• Brownies
• Ancient cloud dragons
• Ancient crystal dragons
• Centaurs
• Dryads
• Gold dragons
• Green dragons
• Leprechauns
• Ancient magma dragons
• Sylphs

Selected vocabulary and idioms

Elven word	English translation
iffdahsil	Monstrous fiend
nyl	Death/dying/dead
ilduliel	Nemesis; a feud