Lexicon
Kaletaria, the region of Goan that most of game takes place in, is inspired by many things. Linguistically though, it takes some inspiration from the following:
- American rural dialects/accents found in places such as the Ozarks and Appalachia.
- Media such as "Oh Brother Where Art Thou?", Disney's "Robin Hood".
- Elizabethan/Early Modern English, as it appears in "The Witch" and the King James Bible.
- Various words of Slavic and Germanic origin.
Below is an (ever growing) lexicon of words and phrases that would be used in general conversation in Kaletarian "Trade Speak", which is the common tongue used across the region.
| TERM/PHRASE | DEFINITION | EXAMPLE |
|---|---|---|
| Aint | Am not, is not, are not | "We aint going to through yon forest where monsters dwell." |
| Art | Are | "Ye art most welcome in Fort Gorham!" |
| Aught | Everything | "He knows aught about it!" |
| Bid/Bade | Told or commanded | "I brought him his pack as he bade me." |
| Bierock | A savory yeast roll filled with seasoned ground beef, onion, and cabbage | "Ye take these bierock for your travels." |
| Bewatchin | Guard | "Do not try nary funny business around the bewatchin, or the'll end up in the dungeon." |
| Cur | Mongrel, an insult | "Get back, ye cur!" |
| Daemon | Demon | "Stay away from Ol' Mag's Woods... There be the home of daemons!" |
| Dost | Do | "Dost ye wish to buy a sword?" |
| Drifter | Adventurer, wanderer, sellsword | "Going up against a manticore is a fool's errand! Better hire some drifters for it..." |
| Droog | Friend | "Ye reckon me droogs will be there?" |
| Feather Puppy | Slang for the feather covered raptor mounts that are common across Kaletarian and the Known World of Goan | "Ooo! Did ye see her new feather puppy?!" |
| Finer than a frog hair split four ways | Wonderful, no complaints | "I'm finer than a frog's hair split four ways, how art y'all?" |
| Goulash | A thick, hearty stew made from beef or pork, carrots, tomatoes, potatoes, and peppers seasoned heavily with paprika, garlic, carroway seeds, and other various spices, typically served with rice or egg noodles. | "Naught warms the gut like a bowl of goulash." |
| Granny/Babka | Grandmother | "Naught is better than Granny's/Babka's fresh kolaches." |
| Haberdasher | A business selling apparel and sewing/tailor tools/accessories | "Ye can buy a new pair of trousers at yon haberdasher." |
| Haint | Evil ghost, lingering spirit | "They say the woods art full of haints from a battle lost long ago." |
| Hanker'n | A wanting for something | "I've got a hanker'n for some cornbread." |
| Hark | Listen | "Hark I bid ye, and hear a tale of yon cave..." |
| Hath | Has/have | "Go south to the coast until ye hath found the cave." |
| Hear tell | To be told about or learn of | "I hear tell of a troll in yon holler." |
| Hither | To or toward this place | "I bade ye come hither." |
| Holler | Narrow valley or basin between hills or mountains | "Y'all come down to yon holler, that's where the best apples art found." |
| Hunker down | To get low, squat | "Quick, hunker down before the goblins see ye!" |
| Jarfly | Cicada, a large insect that appears during the lat summer months, known for its loud buzzing sound | "I hear naught but jarflies in yon trees." |
| Klobasnek | A savory pastry of yeasted dough wrapped around a sausage or ham and cheese. | "Aelf, warm the klobasneks by the fire." |
| Kolache | A pastry of yeasted dough with sweet filling of apricot, prune, poppy seed, or cream cheese. | "I traveled 6 hexes for a taste of Frau Gerdenna's Kolaches." |
| Lo | Hello, a greeting | "Lo, Gin. How hath ye been?" |
| Mama/Maminka | Mother | "Don't sass yer Ma/Maminka!" |
| Madder than a wet hen | Extremely angry or furious | "Ser Bateman is madder than a wet hen about the dents in his sword..." |
| Me | My | "I just ate me breakfast." |
| Middlin' | Tolerable | "His swordsmanship was middlin'..." |
| Mleko | Milk | "Cow in yon barn hath given nary any mleko." |
| Na zdravi | Cheers, expressing good wishes before having a drink | "Na zdravi y'all! Welcome to the holler!" |
| Nary | Not any, ever | "There was nary a time ye didn't wake up in time for vittles!" |
| Naught | Nothing | "I've found naught in yon chest." |
| Nosir/No ma'am | A polite way to say no | "Nosir, Ritter/No ma'am, Frau." |
| Oft | Often | "He oft dost try to visit." |
| Oo-de-lally | A cheerful, nonsensical phrase conveying joy and happiness | "Oo-de-lally! What a festival that was!" |
| Pa/Tata | Father | "Listen to yer Pa/Tata." |
| Papa/Papaw | Grandfather | "Go on and say lo to yer papa/papaw." |
| Poke | A sack | "I bid ye, go to yon mercantile and buy a poke of jerky." |
| Reckon | An estimated calculation or understanding | "Yon castle is about a mile away I reckon." |
| Ruinate/Ruination | To bring to a state of ruin | "They say haints now walk the halls of the ruinate Mordain Manor." |
| Sawbones | Slang for doctor/surgeon | "Ye look under the weather.. Perhaps ye should see the sawbones?" |
| Ser/Frau | Polite/formal reference to a Lord/Lady when not using their title | "Lo, ser/frau, how may I help ye?" |
| Smidge'n | A small amount | "Frau, could I hath a smidge'n of milk?" |
| Tan yer hide | Beat or flog someone | "Boy, that bear will tan yer hide!" |
| Thankey/Welkey | Thank you/you're welcome | "Thankey for the coin! Welkey!" |
| Varmint | Troublesome or mischevious wild animals, slang term for outlaws | "Damn varmints got slaughtered all the chickens!" |
| Vittles | Food | "Gin, where did ye pack the vittles?" |
| What ist' | What is it | "What ist' in yon room?" |
| Y'all | You all | "Y'all ready to head out?" |
| Ye | You | "Ye may wish to come inside out of the rain." |
| Yarbles | Testicles | "Oo-de-lally! Kern got the troll in the yarbles!!!" |
| Yer | Your | "That is yer sword, and this is mine!" |
| Yesir/Yessum | A polite way to say yes | "Yesir, Ritter/Yessum, Frau." |
| Yon | Yonder, over there | "Medford Cave? Yessum, that's over by yon river." |