Conlangers

Description

Broken Dice LLC is a small publishing company developing a science fantasy tabletop RPG game called The Nuadan Chronicles. In order to add depth and consistency to the fictional world where this game takes place, they require language experts to create two language sketches and accompanying orthographies:

• One of these languages is called Merathi, and is the common tongue of the world this RPG is set in. Most of the romanisation for this language has been determined already, and some words have been generated (these can work as placeholders if necessary). The purpose of the conlang sketch is to consolidate the work already done into a consistent whole that can be expanded upon in later stages. The language aesthetic is based upon the Gaelic and Korean languages, along with a bit of traditional fantasy flair. For the orthography, the employer would like it to resemble Korean script (or another East Asian language, although they want a script with a manageable number of characters, i.e. not a logographic script like kanji). The language sketch should include a minimum of 50 words, and the orthography should include a simple font.
• The other language is a language of magic. The words are based on an ancient proto-language and must be spoken clearly to bring forth their effect. There are seven circles of magic, each focusing on a particular set of words. Overall, there are 24 effect words (Fire, Heal, Scry, etc), 9 meta words (Enchant, Duration, etc) and 5 type words (Touch, Bolt, etc). These can be combined together in countless variations to produce different effects at varying degrees of strength (the word Influence can evoke, for instance, fear — the stronger the caster, the more complex the emotions they can manipulate). So it is important that the words flow together and can be altered for various shades of meaning. There’s a lot of room for creativity and interpretation with this language. The employer would also like a script to go with the language. Here again, the language sketch should include the necessary words and description of their alterations, and the orthography should include a simple font.

Both languages will be used in rule books, maps and other materials. Background culture and supporting documents will be provided for context.
The conlangers chosen for these two original projects may be contracted in the future to continue work on the aforementioned languages or create the other languages populating the undiscovered parts of the world (of which there are at least 11) depending on the success of the game.

Employer

Broken Dice LLC

Application Period

Open until filled

Term

The employer is looking to receive the conlang sketches and fonts before May 13.

Compensation

$450 for a conlang sketch and orthography for the Merathi language. Half will be paid upfront, the rest (including negotiable additional costs for extra words over the 50 word limit) will be paid upon completion.
$450 for a conlang sketch and orthography for the magic language. Half will be paid upfront, the rest (including negotiable additional costs for extra words over the 50 word limit) will be paid upon completion.
A standard contract will be drawn up once specifics are agreed upon.

To Apply

Email Brooke Junker at brooke “dot” junker “at” brokendice “dot” net to express your interest in the project. Examples of previous work are required, and familiarity with Google Drive and Docs is a plus. The employer would prefer to contract one conlanger per language project, so please indicate in your email which project you are interested in applying for. However, the employer is not against the idea of a single person handling both projects, as long as that person can provide evidence of their expertise. You may express interest for both projects, although the final choice will be at the discretion of the employer.

Note: Please assume that comments left on this post will not be read by the employer.

Alice went on, half to herself, as she swam lazily about in the pool, "and she sits purring so nicely by the fire, licking her paws and washing her face -- and she is such a nice soft thing..."

Alice went on, half to herself, as she swam lazily about in the pool, "and she sits purring so nicely by the fire, licking her paws and washing her face -- and she is such a nice soft thing..."

Well, well, well! We had some mighty fine entries this time around. I had a hard time deciding on who the winners would be. Nevertheless, decided I have, so announce them I shall!

I don’t have time for a big long post this time around, but I very much enjoyed reading all the entries, which you can find in the comments section here. A big thank you to Char, JLategan, Joel W., KuraiHeka, Smoya Targaryen, Tim, and Zhalio for submitting haiku this year.

A couple honorable mentions. Our very first haiku was by Zhalio, who had an amazingly topical haiku about my current bird feeder problems (which, by the way, have not been resolved. The birds won’t go anywhere near the damn bird feeder). It’s a High Valyrian haiku, and here it is:

Tīkorzo
havondo lentrot
umāzigon

Here’s the intended meaning:

May many a bird
at thy gen’rous feeding house
alight and tarry

Tickled me to death, this one. Unfortunately, there are a couple small issues. First, you were looking for tīkorto for the first word, not tīkorzo. The subject of a permissive imperative must be in the dative. [NOTE: As was pointed out in the comments below, Zhalio was looking for a simple third person command rather than a permissive, in which case the vocative is appropriate. My bad there!] Also, given that I just have the one small bird feeder, lentot would be more appropriate than lentrot. Clever solution for “feeding”, though! I like the idea of a little food hamlet.

Next, two honorable mentions for Dothraki. I will say, the Dothraki competition this year was the tightest. Three of the best Dothraki haiku I’ve had were done this year. One of them was Tim’s, listed below:

Zir zhokwa kazga
Ovetha oleth olti
She felde hafi

The intended meaning is below:

Large black bird
Flies over hill
On quiet wings

This is nearly perfect. Rather than she felde, though, I would do ki feldi. Tiny error, but, as I said, competition was stiff this year.

Next is JLategan’s outstanding haiku below:

Charo! Chaf chafki
hola hoyale hafa
ha haqakea

With the intended meaning below:

Listen! Autumn’s wind
is blowing a quiet song
for those who are tired

Nothing at all wrong with this grammatically, but the winner was too good to pass up. All the same, I love this haiku. Wonderful imagery.

Now for the winners! First, winning the Dothraki haiku competition for the second year in a row, congratulations to Zhalio for this gorgeous haiku:

Az ahhaf yera.
Fin vahhafa athnithar
mra zhor anhoon?

A blade silenced thee.
Who shall now silence the pain
left inside my heart?

Athzheanazar! I absolutely love it. As the winner of the Dothraki haiku competition, Zhalio has earned the coveted Red Rabbit!

Now, for a first time winner, I’m pleased to announce that Joel W. has won the High Valyrian haiku competition with this excellent haiku cycle:

Sambrarra
mērī iōrtes
jorumbare

Pār pȳdza
arghussiarzy
va bantī

Se elēna
lāruno tolmiot
ahīghilis

In the mist
alone it had stood
still waiting

Then leapt
the prey
into the night

And the voices
of some distant crows
were screaming

Very well constructed! I’ll note that I would not use the form pȳdza (it should be pȳdas), and also might not use va bantī, but it certainly works. You were spot on with your use of the instrumental passive in ahīghilis, which I thought was inspired, and your construction for “prey” was likewise praiseworthy.

As the winner of the High Valyrian haiku competition, Joel W. has earned the Golden Owl:

Congratulations to the winners, and to all those who entered! We’ll do it again next year, and I’m sure things will go much more smoothly on my end (Meridian will be more than a year old! That’s easier than two months, right?). Geros ilas ma dothras chek!

Well, well, well! We had some mighty fine entries this time around. I had a hard time deciding on who the winners would be. Nevertheless, decided I have, so announce them I shall!

I don’t have time for a big long post this time around, but I very much enjoyed reading all the entries, which you can find in the comments section here. A big thank you to Char, JLategan, Joel W., KuraiHeka, Smoya Targaryen, Tim, and Zhalio for submitting haiku this year.

A couple honorable mentions. Our very first haiku was by Zhalio, who had an amazingly topical haiku about my current bird feeder problems (which, by the way, have not been resolved. The birds won’t go anywhere near the damn bird feeder). It’s a High Valyrian haiku, and here it is:

Tīkorzo

havondo lentrot

umāzigon

Here’s the intended meaning:

May many a bird

at thy gen’rous feeding house

alight and tarry

Tickled me to death, this one. Unfortunately, there are a couple small issues. First, you were looking for tīkorto for the first word, not tīkorzo. The subject of a permissive imperative must be in the dative. Also, given that I just have the one small bird feeder, lentot would be more appropriate than lentrot. Clever solution for “feeding”, though! I like the idea of a little food hamlet.

Next, two honorable mentions for Dothraki. I will say, the Dothraki competition this year was the tightest. Three of the best Dothraki haiku I’ve had were done this year. One of them was Tim’s, listed below:

Zir zhokwa kazga
Ovetha oleth olti
She felde hafi

The intended meaning is below:

Large black bird
Flies over hill
On quiet wings

This is nearly perfect. Rather than she felde, though, I would do ki feldi. Tiny error, but, as I said, competition was stiff this year.

Next is JLategan’s outstanding haiku below:

Charo! Chaf chafki
hola hoyale hafa
ha haqakea

With the intended meaning below:

Listen! Autumn’s wind
is blowing a quiet song
for those who are tired

Nothing at all wrong with this grammatically, but the winner was too good to pass up. All the same, I love this haiku. Wonderful imagery.

Now for the winners! First, winning the Dothraki haiku competition for the second year in a row, congratulations to Zhalio for this gorgeous haiku:

Az ahhaf yera.
Fin vahhafa athnithar
mra zhor anhoon?

A blade silenced thee.
Who shall now silence the pain
left inside my heart?

Athzheanazar! I absolutely love it. As the winner of the Dothraki haiku competition, Zhalio has earned the coveted Red Rabbit!

Now, for a first time winner, I’m pleased to announce that Joel W. has won the High Valyrian haiku competition with this excellent haiku cycle:

Sambrarra
mērī iōrtes
jorumbare

Pār pȳdza
arghussiarzy
va bantī

Se elēna
lāruno tolmiot
ahīghilis

In the mist
alone it had stood
still waiting

Then leapt
the prey
into the night

And the voices
of some distant crows
were screaming

Very well constructed! I’ll note that I would not use the form pȳdza (it should be pȳdas), and also might not use va bantī, but it certainly works. You were spot on with your use of the instrumental passive in ahīghilis, which I thought was inspired, and your construction for “prey” was likewise praiseworthy.

As the winner of the High Valyrian haiku competition, Joel W. has earned the Golden Owl:

Congratulations to the winners, and to all those who entered! We’ll do it again next year, and I’m sure things will go much more smoothly on my end (Meridian will be more than a year old! That’s easier than two months, right?). Geros ilas ma dothras chek!

Your conculture’s people have a very addictive personality. They use a sign language, because they are afraid if they use a spoken language, they would get hooked on phonics.