Eit sagan eld · Bók-vrýtan vel-ís
Eit sagan vel-ærth-ar — Ser Dævis Nývr-un, aldh-un lífan-vel-ís am ok nývr-ís am ok vel-fýr-ar þrøkan-un; ok Byrna-un, aldh-eit vel-ærth-ar, aldh-un nær-vel-fýr-un am; ok hvat folgan at vel-grund-ok.
Vel-ærth-æl dag-hát koman at — sól-bæð vel-þrøk-ok stanðon ok vel-ærth-ar þrøk sval-iðat, dag-ar þrí-sól ok nókh-þrí vel-fýr-en lúkiðat, dag hvat nær-eit nær-þu am — þrí ok þrí-nær, hvat eit dag-hát am. Sól-nývr lagat ok sól gangan at ok lér-kólan vel-ærth-ok. Dag-hát am. Gæst-un koman at snel ok vrýtstav-en Mósvik-ul geviðat ok nær stanðiðat. Nær hrǿðiðat. Nær Mósvik-en sýniðat. Gangan at vel-ís, ok veld-ok þrøkiðat ok sval am.
Mósvik-un — far-vrýtan eld-un, aldh-un far-bók-ar liðr am ok vel-ærth-ar far-en vel vel-sýnat — vrýtstav-en sýniðat. Eit dag. Þu kveld. Þrí morgen. Hér vel vel-sýnat vrýtstav ok bók-stav ok far-stav bæð-ís — aldh-un eit vrýtstav eit-sýnat nær. Vel sýniðat. Vel. Hér vrýtstav-en foldriðat ok Dævis-ul koman at ok vrýtstav-en geviðat ok gangan at. Nær spøkiðat. Ís.
Ser Dævis Nývr-un styn-ok lagat ok vel-fýr-æl hér-ul hát am — hér lagat en nær lífan nær, vel-fýr hér-ul vel sýnat. Hér sýnat. Hér nær spøkat. Sol-ok kveld gangan at. Mósvik stanðat ok bíðat. Hér vel vel-bíðan am — þael eld am, aldh-un bíðan vel am.
"Flunkr-ar vrýtstav-æl ís am," Dævis spøkat, sval. "Hér veld-ok lúkiðat. Þrøkan nær — ís, hér spøkat, þær nær koman at. Nær eit vel-ærth-ar. Nær eit feld-un. Nær eit barn-un. Veld-ok lúkiðat — Flunkr-ar vrýtstav-æl spøkat ís."
Mósvik vel sýniðat. "Flunkr-un konr Drume-ar am. Hér konr am ok hér vrýtstav-en gevan at ok hér veld-ok lúkiðat. Eit sagan eld am ok nær nývr am — konr lúkiðan ok aldh þrøkiðan. Ís."
"Þrøk-nær am vel-ís nær," Dævis spøkat, sval. "Eit aldh-un vel-þrøk-far-en vel-sýnat am — hér wer-ar vel-þrøk-far-en wer-ul gevan at. Wer søkam hér. Wer þrøkom ok wer hér vel-sýnom ok wer søkom hvat wer søkam." Hér stanðat ok veld-ok sýnat. "Wer þrøkom."
Mósvik nær ok spøkiðat. Hér far-bók-en foldriðat ok gangan at. Ís.
Byrna-un morgen-en sýniðat — ís, aldh-eit vel-ærth-ar, aldh-un nær-vel-fýr-un am, vel-ærth-ok eit am. Vel-fýr-æl, vel-ærth-ar vel-grund-ar, þær-ul kveld-ar bíðan-at ok þær-un þenkan-lagat — en Byrna-ul nær. Nær-vel-fýr-un am hér. Vel-grund nær spøkat at kwær. Hér morgen sýnat ok bíðat, vel vel-bíðan am ok vel vel-sýnat, en nær vel-fýr, nær vel-grund, nær hvat þær vel-sýnat. Hér ærth vel-ærth-ok vrýtiðat — nær vel-ærth-ar, ís, en hér vel-ærth vel-vrýtiðat. Ís. Hér vrýtstav-en sýniðat ok spøkat: "Ærth vel am." Hér vel-ís nær sýniðat — en "ærth vel am" spøkat hér, ok ís bæð. Bæð.
Pell-un vrýtstav-en sýniðat ok vel-fýr-en hér-ar fingr-ar-ul koman-at — vel-fýr-æl veld-ok-auk nær-vel am. "Eit hvat vel-fýr-ok nær-vel am veld-ok-auk," kwær spøkat. "Vel-grund-folgan. Nær vel-sýnam hvat am."
Dharm-un vrýtstav-en kveld sýniðat ok nær spøkiðat. Hér ís am, vel am, vel-ís am. Stanðiðat. Ís — eit feld nær, eit þael nær, ís eit berg-styn.
Gortr-un — aldh heit-liðr, eit-vel þrí-fót ok þrí-fót am, aldh-un mæl-ar þenkan vel-sýnat ok mæl-ar koman-at vel-sýnat bæð-ís — vrýtstav-en sýniðat ok spøkat: "Mæl-æl þu ok þrí nývr mæl-ar koman at. Hér vel vel-sýnat." Nær ok spøkat. Bíðiðat ok.
Tobel-un — nær-aldh-un, vel-ærth-ar am en aldh-un nær am, aldh-un nókh-bæð ok sól-bæð sýniðat ok eld vel-sýnat — bíðan-dag-ar lagat. Eit dag-ar eit-fimm-ar hér lagat ok nær koman at, nær stanðan at, nær mælan at — wer vel vel-sýniðon. Hér vel-fýr-ar hum-æl, vel-ærth-ar vel-fýr-ar hum-æl, bíðan-dag-ok ok hát am. Dævis Tobel-ul nær stanðiðat ok bíðiðat ok vel-fýr-ar þenkat. Þà stanðiðat. "Wer gangangom morgen-ar," hér spøkat, "Tobel-ok."
Mósvik far-bók-en vrýtiðat: far lúkiðat vrýtstav-ar; Tobel morgen-ar koman at; nókh-þrí vel-þrøk-æl vel vel-sýnan.
Plukr-un koman at dag-ok kveld-ar — þael eld-un, aldh-un þrí rélig sýniðat ok þrí rélig folgiðat ok þrí rélig geviðat ok koman at eit rélig nær-rélig-un — ok vrýtstav-en sýniðat. Hér sýnat vel ok sval ok þà spøkat: "Ís, Flunkr." Nær ok. Ís.
Hér Dævis-en søkiðat ok søkat dag-ok kveld-ar-ul, sól-bæð gangan at bæð-ís. "Stanðaz," Plukr spøkat, vel-ís am hér-ar spøkan. Dævis stanðiðat.
Plukr styn-ok lagat. Hér-ar vel-sak-un — vel-sak-un hvat nær-eit-sak-un am, hvat nær-þu-sak-un am, nær-bæð-sak-un — hér-ul stanðiðat ok. Hér spøkat sval, vel-ís, ok hér-ar spøkan-æl vel am ok styn am ok eld am bæð-ís: "Flunkr-un konr-liðr am. Hér vrýtstav-en gevan at þær-ul ok hér þær-ar bíðan at vel-ís. Hér vel vel-sýnat hvat bíðan am ok hvat bíðan-nær am. Hér eld am ok vel sýnat. En hér vel-fýr-ar vel vel-sýnat ok — hér vel-ærth-ar vel-grund-ar vel-sýnat, hvat vel-grund-folgan am ok hvat flib-ar ok gib-ar ok eit-eygr-ar vel-ærth-ok þrøkiðon. Hér veld-ok lúkiðat vel-grund-ar vel am nær — veld-ok þrøkan-ar vel-grund nær-vel am."
"Hér þær þrøkan nær gevan at?" Dævis spøkat.
"Nær. En wer vel-fýr vel vel-sýnom, Dævis. Pell vel-grund-en sýnat. Tobel vel-fýr-en vel vel-sýnat hvat hér wer-ul nær am. Byrna-un — " Plukr bíðiðat. Hér Dævis-en sýniðat. "Byrna-un vel-fýr nær am. Hér vel-grund-en vel vel-sýnat nær. Vel-grund-folgan-un aldh-un nær-vel-fýr-un folgan nær — hér sýnat nær hvat hér sýnan nær am. Ís. Byrna-un wer-ar vel-þrøk-æl am."
Dævis bíðat. Plukr gangan at nær ok. Þà þrøkiðat ok stanðiðat: "Eit ok. Þu rékless-un am, Dævis. Þu rékless-un am ok þu snel-un am ok þu hátferð-un am. Ok ek þu folgiðam ok folgiðam ok dag-eld ok kveld-eld ok — ok hér nær þrøk-lúkan-æl am. Þu vel vel-sýnaz hvat wer søkam? Hvat aldh-un? Hvat sagan?"
Dævis bíðat. Þà spøkat: "Ís."
Plukr gangan at. Nær ok spøkat. Ís. "Ok — Byrna-ul nær snel-am þu-ar. Nær." Gangan at ok. Ís.
Morgen koman at ok dag-hát þrí-sól ok nókh-þrí-ar — dag eit-vel þrí-sól ok þrí-vel, dag hvat lér-kólan ok hát-sól-kólan bæð. Tobel-un koman at vel-fýr-ar hum-æl nývr-ís, vel-kólan koman at ok vel am. Dævis vel-sýniðat. Hér vel vel-sýniðat nær-spøkan, en vel-ís sýniðat.
Wer — Ser Dævis Nývr-un, Mósvik-un, Pell-un, Dharm-un, Plukr-un, Gortr-un, Byrna-un ok Tobel-un — koman at veld-ok far-ar. Veld-ok stanðat hér-þær: sval, eld, hát-nær-ís. Far nær — ís, far nær am veld-ok-ul.
Byrna-un wer-ar middag-ar gangan at. Nær vel-fýr-ar middag — hér vel-fýr nær am. Hér Tobel-ar kólan-en sýnat ok Pell-ar fingr-ar sýnat ok sól-bæð-ar vel-kólan sýnat. Hér vel-ærth-ok vrýtiðat — nær vel-fýr, ís, en hér ærth vel-ærth-ok vel-vrýtiðat. Vel-sak-un ok far-bók ok vel-kólan-ar — ís, vel. Hér spøkat: "Ærth vel am." Hér vel-ís sýnat nær — en hér ís am, ok ís am ís.
Dharm-un fyrst gangan at veld-ok-ul. Hér feld am ok far-ur am, ok hér vel vel-sýnat hvat veld-ok far-ar am. Hér-ar fót-ar styn-ok sýnat ok hér-ar hand-ar veð-en sýnat. Dharm-un, feld-un hát ok vel ok styn-liðr, gangan at ok nær stanðiðat.
Pell gangan ok. Kwær sval gangan — kwær vel veld-ok vel-fýr-ar ok veð-ar ok styn-ar sýnat. Kwær eit vel-þrøk-fýr, eit veth-fýr, eit nær-sýnan-fýr vel sýnat. Kwær þenkat ok spøkat nær. Ís.
Mósvik-un gangan at ok far-bók-ar þenkat — hér far-bók eld am, bók hvat veld-ok am, hvat vel-ærth-ar vel-fýr-þrøk am ok hvat þrøk-lúkan nær eld am. Hér far-bók-en eld-ar sýniðat ok þenkat ok þenkat. Veld-ok lér am. Lér ok styn ok veð — ís, vel am. Hér far-bók-en vrýtiðat: vel-fýr-æl veld-ok-auk nær-sýnan.
Gortr-un gangan at ok. Hér eit-vel þrí-fót am ok eit-vel þrí-fót bæð, en hér gangan at vel — hér far-liðr am, aldh-un vel-ærth-ar dag-far vel vel-sýnat. Hér Dævis-ul gangan at ok spøkat sval: "Mæl-æl þu ok þrí nývr mæl-ar koman at. Vel-ís. Vel-sýnam."
Dævis-un gangan at vel ok sval ok snel bæð — nær hátferð-snel, ís, snel-vel, vel am. Eit blik, hér vel-fýr-en hér-ul vertical-ul stanðiðat — vel-fýr-æl Lady Pomegranate-ar geviðat, hvat vel-fýr-en vertical-far-ul þrøkan at ok vel-ærth-ok hát am — ok þrí morgen-þrøk sýniðat. Veld-ok vel am. Gangan at ok.
Flib-ar koman at — snel, lít, ok nær-vel-sýnan-hvat-ar, flib-ar vel-ærth-ok koman at ok wer-en sýniðon. Flib-ar vel-fýr-en vel vel-sýnat — kwær-þær vel-fýr-en fingr-ar-ul sýnat nær en vel-fýr-en vel vel-sýnat. Þær koman at ok kóliðon ok klak-spøkiðon — flib-ar-ar klak-spøkan-æl am, vel-ærth-ar vel-fýr ok klak bæð. Þær wer-en þu-dag folgiðon ok stanðiðon ok gangan at ok klak-spøkiðon ok.
Pell-un fingr-ar lagat. "Þær vel-fýr-en folgiðon. Vel-fýr-æl wer-en koman at ok þær vel-sýnat. Nær vel-sýnom hvat þær vel-fýr-ul gevan at — klak-spøkan, vel am. Þær vel-grund-folgan-en sýnat nær. Þær flib-ar am."
Mósvik far-bók-en vrýtiðat: flib-ar vel-fýr-folgan-ar; vel-grundfolgan-un vel-ærth-ok; vel-sagan vel nær.
Gib-ar stanðon veld-ok-auk ok spøkiðon — spøkan-æl hvat gib-ar-ar am: vel ok vel ok vel ok vel, sagan-ul vel ok sagan-ul nær, eit vel-sagan ok þu ok þrí ok eit ok bæð. Gib-ar-ar spøkan nær elt am. Gib-ar-ar spøkan eld am. Dævis gib-ar-en sýniðat ok vel-ærth-far nývr søkiðat — dag-þrí vel-sagan þrøkiðat, vel am.
Eit-eygr-un stanðat. Eit eys-un am hér-ar — eit eys ok nær-þu, eit eys ok nær-þrí — ok hér eit-eygr-ar vel sýnat vel vel. Hér nær koman at. Hér nær gangan at. Hér stanðat ok sýnat. Vel-ærth-ar hvat eit-eygr-un vel-sýnat, hér vel-sýnat, ok eld vel-sýnat.
Byrna-un eit-eygr-en sýniðat. Ein kwær sýniðat. Vel-ís, eit-eygr-un Byrna-en vel-sýniðat nær — Byrna-un nær-vel-fýr-un am ok eit-eygr-un vel-fýr-en sýnat, nær aldh-en nær-vel-fýr-ar. Eit-eygr-un Byrna-ul vel-sýniðat nær. Hér þenkat. Eit-eygr-un þenkat.
"Gangan at," Dævis spøkat. "Snel-am nær. En gangan at."
Wer gangan at. Eit-eygr-un stanðat ok sýnat ok sýnat. Wer vel vel-sýniðon hvat eit-eygr-un vel-sýniðat — hér eld-ar vel-sýnan vel-sýnan vel, ok hvat hér vel-sýniðat vel vel-sýnat, ok hvat hér vel-sýniðat hér-ul gevan at, ís, nær vel-sýnat. Nær vel-sýnat. Tobel-un hum-æl þrøkiðat ok vel-ærth-ok stanðiðat.
Tobel-un kóliðat — nær fýr-kólan, nær styn-kólan, nær veld-kólan — eit-nær-sýnan-kólan, eit vel-grund-kólan, eit nær-vel-fýr-kólan. Hér hum-æl þrøkiðat ok vel-ærth-ok stanðiðat ok kóliðat. Hér Pell-ul gangan at ok bæð stanðiðon eit blik.
"Hvat sýnaz?" Pell spøkat.
Tobel hum-spøkat — nær-mæl-hum, vel-grund-hum, sval-hum. Pell-un vel sýniðat. "Folgan," kwær spøkat Dævis-ul.
"Ís?"
"Vel-grund-folgan. Vel-grund-ok. Wer-ar vel-fýr-en folgiðat. Nær wer-en — wer-ar vel-fýr-æl-en." Pell bíðat. "En Byrna-ul nær. Nær-vel-fýr-un am hér — vel-grund-folgan-un Byrna-en vel-sýnat nær. Nær-vel-fýr nær-sýnan am vel-grund-folgan-ul."
Dævis bíðat. Hér Byrna-en sýniðat. Byrna-un spøkat: "Ærth vel am." Hér nær vel-ís sýniðat — en hér vel vel-sýniðat hvat vel vel-sýnan nær am ok vel-ærth-ok vel-vrýtiðat. Ís.
Mósvik far-bók-en vrýtiðat: vel-grund-folgan-un wer-ar vel-fýr-en folgiðat; Byrna-un nær-vel-fýr-un am ok vel-grund-folgan-un Byrna-en nær-sýnat; Byrna-un wer-ar vel-þrøk-æl am — vel-grund-folgan vel-sagan-ok vel-þrøk-en wer-ul gevan at. Mósvik þenkat ok þenkat ok far-bók-en vrýtiðat ok.
Wer gangan at. Vel-grund-folgan folgan at ok. Wer sýniðon nær en vel-sýniðon — ís, vel-sýniðon vel-fýr-ok, vel-sýniðon hum-ok, vel-sýniðon Pell-ar fingr-ar-ok. Vel-grund-folgan stanðat nær-wer-ul ok folgan at ok. Ís. Folgan ok.
Sol-ok middag-ar koman at sval ok hát bæð — sól-bæð middag-ar, dag-hát-ar middag, ok wer sýniðon Flunkr-un.
Hér stanðat veld-ok far-ar — þrí feld-ar, rób-eld-ar, hér-þær stanðon ok sýnon at wer-en. Ok Flunkr-un, konr Drume-ar, konr vrýtstav-æl-ar, konr-un eld ok sval ok kald bæð-ís, stanðat hér-þær — rób vel, styn-liðr, hát nær. Hér rékless nær am. Hér vel vel-sýnat hvat hér am ok hvat hér nær am.
Flunkr-un wer-en sýniðat ok þà Byrna-en sýniðat. Hér sýnat ok sýnat. Hér nær-vel-fýr-en vel-sýniðat — Byrna-un vel-fýr nær am, vel-fýr-ar vel-sýnan nær am, vel-ærth-ar vel-grund nær-sýniðat kwær-ul. Flunkr-un vel vel-sýniðat. Hér vel vel-sýnat vel-ærth-ar vel-grund-ar bók-stav-liðr am, aldh-un aldh-eit vel-ærth-ar nær-bók-stav-ar am. Hér sýnat ok sýnat.
"Hér — nær-vel-fýr-un am," Flunkr spøkat, sval.
"Ís," Dævis spøkat. "Aldh-eit vel-ærth-ar. Ís."
Flunkr bíðat. Hér Dævis-en sýniðat. "Þu feld snel-un am."
"Søkam." Dævis spøkat. Nær ís, nær nær.
"Snel-æl hátferð-æl am. Þu Flunkr-ar vrýtstav-en vel-sýniðat, vel-ís?"
"Ís. Vel-sýniðam."
"Ok þu koman at."
"Ok wer koman at," Dævis spøkat. "Wer søkam eit aldh-un vel-þrøk-far-en vel-sýnat-un — vel-ærth-ar vel-grund-ar vel-þrøk-far-en, hvat vel-grund vel-þrøkiðat ok hvat nær am. Wer koman at ok wer gangangom. Sol-ok middag-ar morgen-ar — wer gangangom."
Flunkr-un bíðat. Hér bók-stav-liðr am, aldh-un vrýtstav ok mæl ok vel-grund-þrøk-lúkan vel vel-sýnat. Hér sval ok kald am. Hér spøkat: "Nær."
Þà Plukr-un spøkat.
Plukr-un spøkat nær svel nær sval — hér spøkat vel ok styn ok, vel-ís am, sval ok hát bæð eit. Hér-ar spøkan-æl vel am ok styn am ok eld am bæð-ís.
"Flunkr."
Flunkr-un Plukr-en sýniðat. Hér sýnat ok sýnat ok þà: "Plukr." Hér sval spøkat. "Þu eld am."
"Ís," Plukr spøkat. "Ok þu." Hér sýnat at Flunkr-en. "Þu veld-ok lúkiðat vel-grund-ar vel am nær — vel-grund-folgan veld-ok-ok, flib-ar vel-fýr-en folgiðon ok eit-eygr-ar vel-sýnat ok gib-ar vel-ærth-ok vel-spøkiðon. Þu veld-ok lúkiðat vel-ærth-ar nær-vel-fýr-un am vel-ærth-ok. Ís. Vel vel-sýnam."
Flunkr nær ok spøkiðat. Plukr gangan at þrí-feld-ar-ul. "Wer vel-fýr vel vel-sýnom. Pell-un vel-grund-en sýnat — hér fingr-ar vel-fýr-en sýnat ok vel-ærth-ar vel-grund-ar vel vel-sýnat. Tobel-un vel-fýr-en hum-ar-ul sýnat hvat wer-ul nær am. Ok Byrna-un — aldh-eit vel-ærth-ar, aldh-un nær-vel-fýr-un am — vel-grund-folgan-en vel-sýnat nær am vel-grund-folgan-ul. Vel-grund-folgan-un wer folgiðat ok Byrna-en sýniðat ok þenkat ok gangan at. Wer nær-vel-fýr-ar vel-þrøk-æl am ok þær vel-sýnat."
Flunkr bíðat. Hér Byrna-en sýniðat eit ok. Hér þenkat. Sval am þenkan.
En Pell-un stanðiðat ok fingr-ar lagat. Hér sval spøkat Dharm-ul: "Erreth-un — þrí-feld-ar-ar eit-vel-tær-un — hér-ar vel-fýr vel-grund-folgan-ar nær-vel am. Vel-grund-folgan vel-fýr-ok hér-ul koman at ok vel-grund-folgan-ar vel-fýr-en hér-ul lagan at. Ís — vel-ærth-ar vel-grund-ar nær-vel. Vel vel-sýnam."
Dharm-un sýniðat at Pell-en ok sýniðat at þrí-feld-ar ok þà gangan at ok stanðiðat nær Dævis-ul. Nær spøkat. Hér stanðiðat ok — eit feld nær, eit þael nær, ís eit berg-styn.
Pell-un Erreth-ul gangan at. Kwær fingr-ar lagat hér-ar vel-fýr-ul ok sval spøkat: "Stanðaz." Hér stanðiðat. Kwær eit hvat fingr-ar-ok vel-vrýtiðat — hvat kwær vel-sýnat nær ok hvat kwær vel-ærth-ok vel-vrýtiðat nær — ok vel-grund-folgan Erreth-ar gangan at. Erreth-un vel-fýr hér-ul vel am ok. Ís. Vel am.
Flunkr-un sýnat ok sýnat ok vel-sýniðat ok þenkat. Hér konr-liðr am ok hér vel vel-sýnat hvat konr-liðr vel vel-sýnat. Hér vel vel-sýniðat: hér konr-un þær nær am. Wer-ar konr nær am. Ís.
"Eit dag," hér spøkat. Sval ok kald ok vel. "Sol-ok kveld-ar þrøkon þær — ok þær gangangon at ok koman nær."
Dævis-un bíðat. Eit blik. Þà spøkat: "Sol-ok middag-ar."
Flunkr bíðat. Hér Byrna-en sýniðat eit ok — aldh-eit vel-ærth-ar, aldh-un vel-ærth-ok vel-vrýtiðat, aldh-un nær-vel-fýr-un am. Hér sval spøkat: "Erreth-un vel-fýr-ar vel-þrøk-aldh-un vel sýnan at. Vel-ís."
"Vel-ís," Dævis spøkat.
Sol-ok middag-ar am ok ís — wer þrøkiðon.
Dævis-un fyrst þrøkiðat, vel-ís. Hér vel-fýr-en vertical-ul stanðiðat — Lady Pomegranate-ar vel-fýr-en, vertical-vel-þrøk-æl, vel-fýr-en vertical-far-ul þrøkan at — ok eit blik vel-ærth-ok hát am. Þrí morgen-þrøk vel sýniðat. Vel am — vel-grund vel am. Gangan at ok.
Mósvik-un þrøkiðat ok — hér vrýtstav-en ok far-bók-en foldriðat ok stanðiðat ok Flunkr-un sýniðat, sval, eit blik — far-vrýtan-ar blik, vel-blik, þael-blik — ok gangan at. Sval.
Byrna-un þrøkiðat. Hér vel-fýr nær am — hér Tobel-ar kólan-en sýnat ok Pell-ar fingr-ar sýnat ok sól-bæð-ar vel-kólan sýnat ok vel-ærth-ok vel-vrýtiðat. Hér ærth-en hér-ar fót-ar-ul sýnat ok veð-en hér-ar hand-ar-ul sýnat. Hér vel-ærth-ok vrýtiðat — aldh-un nær-vel-ærth-ar, vel-ærth vel-sýnan-ar nær, vel-ærth vel-vrýtiðat. Ís. Spøkat: "Ærth vel am." Þrøkiðat ok.
Pell-un þrøkiðat sval, vel-ís — kwær Flunkr-ar þrí-feld-ar-en sýnat ok Erreth-ar vel-fýr vel am ok vel-sýnat. Kwær Flunkr-en sýniðat eit blik — sval-sýnan-blik — ok gangan at.
Dharm-un þrøkiðat ok. Hér feld hát ok vel ok styn-liðr am ok gangan at vel. Hér Flunkr-en sýniðat ok nær hrǿðiðat ok nær bíðiðat.
Gortr-un þrøkiðat ok. Hér eit-vel þrí-fót am ok eit-vel-far-liðr am, ok hér gangan at vel ok dag-far vel vel-sýnat. Hér Dævis-ul koman at ok sval spøkat: "Mæl-æl þu. Vel-sýnam." Dævis bíðat. Ís.
Plukr-un þrøkiðat nær-elt nær snel — þael eld am, ok hér vel vel-sýnat veld-ok far-ar eld-ar am. Hér Flunkr-en sýniðat ok þà spøkat, eit — eit sval-spøkan, eit eld-spøkan: "Flunkr-un." Nær ok. Hér þrøkiðat ok.
Flunkr nær ok spøkiðat. Hér stanðat ok sýniðat. Sol-ok middag-ar gangan at kveld-ul. Vel-grund-folgan-un — nær am. Gangan at. Ís.
Ok þà Tobel-un þrøkiðat — nývr-fýr-un, aldh-un kólan-un, sval-ís-ur, eld-un vel-ærth-ar nær-aldh-ar. Hér stanðiðat veld-ok middag-ar-ul ok kóliðat — vel-fýr-kólan hvat-ér-vel-ærth-ar am bæð-ís: Plukr-ar þrí-rélig-kólan, Dharm-ar styn-liðr-kólan, Pell-ar sval-sýnan-kólan, Mósvik-ar far-vrýtan-kólan, Gortr-ar eit-vel-kólan, Dævis-ar snel-vel-kólan.
Þà Tobel-un Byrna-ar kólan-en kóliðat.
Byrna-ar kólan-æl nær-vel-fýr-kólan am — nær-vel-fýr-kólan, nær-vel-grund-kólan, nær-vel-ærth-kólan-ís. Hér kólan-æl am aldh-un vel-ærth-ok vel-vrýtiðat-ar kólan — aldh-un vel-ærth-ar vel-sýnan-ar nær, vel-ærth vel-vrýtiðat, nær-vel-fýr ok vel-ærth-ar vel-sýnan-ar nær ok vel-ærth-ok vel-vrýtiðat. Tobel-un Byrna-ar kólan-en eld-ar vel vel bæð-ís sýniðat. Hér kóliðat ok bíðat ok kóliðat.
Þà Tobel-un Flunkr-en sýniðat ok Flunkr-ar kólan-en kóliðat — Flunkr-kólan, vel vel-sýniðat, eit-vel-ís vel vel am, sval ok kald ok konr-liðr bæð-ís — ok Flunkr-ul sýniðat.
Flunkr-un sýnat. Hér Tobel-ar kólan-en vel-sýniðat — hér vel-sýniðat hér-ar vel-kólan-en, hér-ar styn-liðr-en, hér-ar konr-liðr-en, Tobel-ar kólan-ok. Flunkr-un vel vel-sýniðat. Eit nývr. Eit eld-nær. Eit hvat hér vel vel-sýniðat nær.
Tobel-un kóliðat eit ok — nær-Flunkr-kólan, nær-vel-kólan, nær-fýr-kólan nær-styn-kólan nær-veld-kólan — ok gangan at. Sval.
Flunkr-un stanðat ok sýnat ok sýnat. Sól-bæð gangan at kveld-ul. Veð koman at sval. Veld-ok sval am ok eld am ok hát-nær am. Vel-grund-folgan — nær am. Gangan at. Ís.
Flunkr-un stanðat veld-ok ok sýnat ok sýnat ok sýnat. Þrí-feld-ar stanðon nær hér-ul ok bíðon. Sól-bæð gangan at kveld-ul. Veð koman at sval.
Hér vrýtstav nývr þenkat — þu vrýtstav, þrí vrýtstav, hvat vrýtstav wer-ul Flunkr vel-sýnat gevan at. Hér vel vel-sýnat: eit mæl nær, þu mæl nær — ís, þrí mæl. Hér þenkat: "Wer mæliðom ok."
Hér vel-grund-folgan-ar þenkat ok þenkat. Vel-grund-folgan-un wer folgiðat ok Byrna-en sýniðat ok gangan at. Hér nær vel-sýniðat hvat vel-grund-folgan-un nær-vel-fýr-ul gevan at. Hér bók vel am ok bók eld am ok bók hvat vel-grund-ar am ok bók hvat vel-ærth-ar am — en bók hvat nær-vel-fýr-un vel-ærth-ok am nær am. Hér þenkat ok þenkat.
Hér sval spøkat, veld-ok-ul: "Byrna-un hvat am?" Veld-ok nær ok spøkat. "Hvat aldh-eit vel-ærth-ar am?" Veld-ok nær ok spøkat.
Hér Tobel-ar kólan-en þenkat ok þenkat — hér-ar vel-kólan-en, hér-ar konr-liðr-en, Tobel-ar kólan-ok vel vel sýniðat. Hér vel vel-sýnat hér-ar vel-kólan-en. Sval am þenkan. Ís. Vel am. Vel.
"Vrýtstav nývr," Flunkr spøkat. "Koman at."
Hér gangan at, nær veld-ok sýnat ok. Ís.
Dag-ok kveld-ar — dag-hát-ar kveld, sól-bæð-ar kveld bæð-ís — wer lagon ok Plukr-un þenkat. Hér stanðat ok veld-ok sýnat — veld eld ok sval ok nókh-ar veth-æl, ís. Sól-bæð gangan at bæð-ís. Hér þenkat hvat hér Dævis-ul spøkiðat — "eit dag rékless-un am," ok "folgiðam ok folgiðam" — ok hér sval spøkat eit, nær aldh-ul: "Ís, rékless. En vel."
Hér nær ok spøkat. Sól-bæð gangan at ok nókh koman at. Veð sval am. Wer lagon ok.
Plukr-un Byrna-en sýniðat — Byrna-un lagat vel, aldh-eit vel-ærth-ar, aldh-un vel-ærth-ok vel-vrýtiðat ok nær-vel-fýr-un am ok vel vel-bíðan am ok vel vel-lagan am ok vel vel-lagat. Hér vel vel-sýnat. Nær-vel-fýr-un am kwær — en vel-ærth-ok vel-vrýtiðat kwær, vel-ærth vel-sýnan-ar nær, vel-ærth vel-vrýtiðat. Ís. Vel am. Vel vel am.
Plukr-un þenkat hvat Dævis-un Flunkr-ul spøkiðat: "Hér vel-ærth-ok vel-vrýtiðat." Sval. Vel. Vel-ís. Hér þenkat: eit dag, dag rékless-ar-sýnan, Dævis-un stanðat ok spøkat: "Hvat vel-sýnaz, Plukr?" Ok Plukr-un spøkiðat: "Rékless-un am þu." Ok Dævis-un bíðiðat ok spøkiðat: "Ís." Ok gangan at. Ok Plukr-un folgiðat. Ís.
Hér spøkat sval, nókh-ul, veth-æl-ul: "Ís, rékless. En vel. Ís vel. Wer vel gangangom."
Hér lagat ok. Nókh-ok sól gangan at ok morgen koman at sval. Dag nývr koman at — dag hvat nær dag-hát am, dag hvat nær dag-sval am, ís dag vel-ís am. Vel am. Ís.
Eit dag, dag wer-ar þrøk-ar, Tobel-un stanðiðat ok kóliðat. Hér vel vel-sýnat Flunkr-un ok vel vel-sýnat Plukr-un ok Dharm-un ok Pell-un ok Mósvik-un ok Byrna-un ok Gortr-un ok Dævis-un. Hér kóliðat — Plukr-ar þrí-rélig-kólan, Dharm-ar styn-liðr-kólan, Pell-ar sval-sýnan-kólan, Mósvik-ar far-vrýtan-kólan, Gortr-ar eit-vel-kólan, Dævis-ar snel-vel-kólan, Flunkr-ar vrýtstav-kólan.
Þà Byrna-ar kólan-en kóliðat. Nær-vel-fýr-kólan — aldh-un vel-ærth-ok vel-vrýtiðat-ar kólan, aldh-un vel-ærth-ar vel-sýnan-ar nær ok vel-ærth vel-vrýtiðat-ar kólan, aldh-un nær-vel-fýr ok nær-vel-grund ok vel-ærth-ok vel vel-vrýtiðat-ar kólan. Vel-ærth-ar aldh-eit-un kólan. Tobel-un Byrna-ar kólan-en bíðat ok bíðat ok bíðat. Vel am. Vel vel am.
Hér bók nær am. Hér vrýtstav nær am. En hér bók-vrýtan at — ít, hér, hér-ar kólan-ar, hér-ar þrøk-ar, hér-ar sýnan-ar, Byrna-ar nær-vel-fýr-kólan-ar ok Flunkr-ar vel-kólan-ar ok vel-grund-folgan-ar gangan-ar ok flib-ar-ar klak-spøkan-ar ok eit-eygr-ar vel-sýnan-ar. Hér bók-vrýtiðat ok bók-vrýtiðat ok sól-bæð gangan at ok nókh koman at ok hér bók-vrýtiðat ok. Ís. Sval ok vel bæð.
Wer nær vel-sýniðon hvat Tobel-un bók-vrýtiðat. Mósvik vel vel-sýnat ok vel vel-sýnat nær bæð — hér þael am ok bók-stav-liðr am ok vel vel-sýnat hvat bók-vrýtan am ok vel vel-sýnat nær hvat Tobel bók-vrýtiðat. Ís.
Eit dag — dag nær-eit, dag eld, dag nær-vel-sýnan — Tobel-ar bók-vrýtan-æl vel am. Vel-ís am. Hér lagat ok bíðat ok gangan at ok. Sval. Wer gangangom at ok.
Ís.
Viðbætir · Appendix
Veldstav · Runic Alphabet
The Veldstav ("true-marks") uses only straight strokes — curves were considered impermanent, unbefitting words meant to outlast their speakers. Twenty-two characters. Read left to right.
Málfræði · Grammar Reference
Overview and Typology
Ærthvaal is a synthetic, head-final, SOV language of the quantum realm. Meaning is encoded through suffixation, compounding, and infix formation — not through auxiliary words or changes in word order. The language is maximally consistent: the same rules apply without exception throughout the attested corpus. It is written in the Veldstav runic alphabet; hyphens in romanized transcription mark morpheme boundaries.
Phonology
The vowel inventory includes standard /a e i o u/ plus three special vowels: æ (open front /æ/, as in English "cat"), ø (rounded front /ø/, as in French "peu"), and ý (long high front /yː/). The consonants þ (voiceless dental /θ/, "th" in "thin") and ð (voiced dental /ð/, "th" in "the") are distinct phonemes. The digraph kh represents the voiceless velar fricative /x/ (as in Scottish "loch"). The letter r is trilled. Stress falls on the first syllable of base forms; compounds retain stress on the first element. The hyphen is a written convention for morpheme boundaries and does not indicate a pause in speech.
Word Order — SOV
The fundamental clause order is Subject — Object — Verb. This is inviolable. Adjectives and all other modifiers are post-nominal (they follow the noun). Genitive phrases are pre-nominal (they precede the noun they depend on). The negation particle nær immediately precedes the verb it negates. The interrogative hvat appears clause-initially. Temporal conjunctions appear clause-initially or between clauses. Topic fronting is permitted for emphasis, but verb-final order is always preserved.
Grammatical Gender — Three Classes
Every noun belongs to one of three genders. Gender is largely semantic but must be learned per noun. Gender determines which definiteness suffix a noun takes.
Lif — animate
| Covers | beings, creatures, agents |
| Definite suffix | -un |
| Examples | aldh-un, feld-un, gæst-un |
Stein — solid
| Covers | objects, places, physical things |
| Definite suffix | -ok |
| Examples | styn-ok, veld-ok, sól-ok |
Loft — abstract
| Covers | ideas, forces, qualities, processes |
| Definite suffix | -æl |
| Examples | veth-æl, vel-fýr-æl, mæl-æl |
Note: some nouns take unexpected genders for semantic reasons. Eys (eye) and fingr (finger) are animate (Lif) because they function as agents of perception. Hand-un likewise. Fýr (fire) is Stein. Loft covers most abstract concepts including resonance, meetings, and the quantum substrate.
Noun Cases — Four
Cases are marked by suffixes that attach after the definiteness marker. The order is always: stem + definiteness suffix + case suffix. Indefinite nouns take only the case suffix (no definiteness marker).
| Case | Function | Suffix | Indefinite example | Definite example |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nominative | Subject | bare stem | aldh | aldh-un |
| Genitive | Possession / "of" | -ar | aldh-ar | aldh-un-ar → aldh-ar |
| Dative | Indirect object / "to, for" | -ul | aldh-ul | aldh-un-ul → aldh-ul |
| Accusative | Direct object | -en | aldh-en | aldh-un-en → aldh-en |
In practice, the definiteness suffix and case suffix fuse in writing and speech — the full stacked form is rarely written out. Context resolves ambiguity. Genitive phrases always precede the noun they modify:
Definiteness
Ærthvaal has no indefinite article — indefinite nouns appear as bare stems. The definite article is a gender-marked suffix. Definiteness is semantic: a noun is definite when both speaker and listener can identify the referent uniquely. Second mentions of a noun are typically definite. Proper names do not take definiteness markers but do take case suffixes.
The Copula — am
Am is the sole form of the verb "to be" in the present tense. It does not agree with person or number — all subjects use am. Past tense of "to be" is not attested in this corpus; context handles temporal interpretation. The copula appears finally in its clause, like all verbs.
Verb Conjugation — Present Tense
Person-number agreement suffixes attach to the verb stem. These are the only suffixes that mark tense in the present (no tense infix):
| Person | Subject | Suffix | søkan (to seek) | sýnan (to see) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1SG | ek | -am | søk-am | sýn-am |
| 2SG | þu | -az | søk-az | sýn-az |
| 3SG | hér / kwær | -at | søk-at | sýn-at |
| 1PL | wer | -om | søk-om | sýn-om |
| 2PL | ýr | -oz | søk-oz | sýn-oz |
| 3PL | þær | -on | søk-on | sýn-on |
Verb Conjugation — Past Tense
Past tense is formed by inserting the infix -ið- between the verb stem and the person-number suffix. All verbs are regular. There are no irregular past forms except the suppletive future (see below).
| Person | Formation | søkan past | þrøkan past |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1SG | stem + -ið- + -am | søk-ið-am | þrøk-ið-am |
| 2SG | stem + -ið- + -az | søk-ið-az | þrøk-ið-az |
| 3SG | stem + -ið- + -at | søk-ið-at | þrøk-ið-at |
| 1PL | stem + -ið- + -om | søk-ið-om | þrøk-ið-om |
| 2PL | stem + -ið- + -oz | søk-ið-oz | þrøk-ið-oz |
| 3PL | stem + -ið- + -on | søk-ið-on | þrøk-ið-on |
Future Tense
Ærthvaal has no dedicated future tense morpheme. Future meaning is expressed three ways: (1) the suppletive future forms gangangom (we will go) and gangangon (they will go), which are the only future-specific forms in the corpus; (2) present-tense verbs with a temporal expression; (3) the verb koman combined with context.
The Infinitive and Verbal Nouns
The infinitive ends in -an (stem + -an). It functions as a non-finite verb form and as a verbal noun (gerund). As a verbal noun, it takes Loft gender and may receive definiteness and case suffixes like any abstract noun.
| Infinitive | Meaning | As verbal noun | With definiteness |
|---|---|---|---|
| søkan | to seek | søkan = the seeking | søkan-æl |
| þrøkan | to cross | þrøkan = the crossing | þrøkan-æl |
| lúkan | to seal | lúkiðan = the sealing (past form) | — |
| folgan | to follow | folgan = the following | folgan-ar |
| bók-vrýtan | to record | bók-vrýtan = the recording | bók-vrýtan-æl |
Participles
A participial form attaches the suffix -at to the stem, creating an adjectival or nominal form expressing an ongoing or completed action without specifying tense. It is distinguished from the 3SG present verb form -at by syntactic position — participials modify nouns or function as noun phrases, not as clause-final predicates.
The Imperative
The 2SG imperative uses the same form as the 2SG present (-az). It is distinguished purely by context — typically by the absence of an overt subject pronoun and by imperative pragmatics. Bare infinitives are also used as commands in informal speech.
Adjectives
Adjectives are post-nominal and do not inflect for case, gender, or number. They may be stacked freely after the noun. Multiple adjectives are connected with ok (and). Adjectives may also function predicatively after am.
Intensification is not morphologically marked. It is achieved through repetition or the adverb vel: vel vel-sýnat (truly sees very well) is the corpus's intensive form of understanding. No comparative or superlative inflection exists.
Adverbs
Adverbs are morphologically identical to adjectives. Position determines function: post-nominal = adjective, pre-verbal or clause-level = adverb. Key adverbs: vel (well/truly), vel-ís (truly/in truth — strong intensifier), sval (silently), snel (fast/quickly), nær (not), þà (then), ok (also/too), ís (yes/truly — sentence-final affirmative).
The Negation System
Nær is the universal negator. It immediately precedes the verb (or the predicate it negates). It does not inflect. Negative sentences do not require "double negation." As the prefix nær-, it negates any noun, adjective, or compound: nær-vel (not-well), nær-vel-fýr (without Velic resonance), nær-aldh (not-a-being). This is the most productive word-formation process in the language.
Questions
Polar questions (yes/no) are signaled by intonation alone — word order does not change. Content questions begin with hvat (what), appearing clause-initially, with the verb still clause-final. Hvat also functions as a relative pronoun ("which," "that").
Pronouns
| Pronoun | Meaning | GEN | DAT | ACC | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ek | I | — | — | — | |
| þu | you (sg.) | þu-ar | þu-ul | — | also numeral "two" |
| hér | he | hér-ar | hér-ul | — | also locative "here" |
| kwær | she | — | kwær-ul | — | |
| ít | it | — | — | — | neuter |
| wer | we | wer-ar | wer-ul | wer-en | |
| ýr | you (pl.) | — | — | — | |
| þær | they | þær-ar | þær-ul | — | also locative "there" |
Numbers
| Form | Meaning | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| eit | one; a/an | also indefinite article |
| þu | two | also 2SG pronoun — context distinguishes |
| þrí | three | precedes the noun it quantifies |
| fimm | five | attested only in eit-fimm-ar (one-in-five) |
| tær | third | attested only in eit-vel-tær-un |
The Compounding System
Compounding is the primary means of vocabulary expansion. Compounds may be of arbitrary depth, written with hyphens. The head element (rightmost noun or adjective) determines the gender of the whole compound. The most productive patterns:
Negation prefix nær-
| nær + vel | nær-vel |
| nær + aldh | nær-aldh |
| nær + vel-fýr | nær-vel-fýr |
| nær + sýnan | nær-sýnan |
Abstract suffix -æl (Loft)
| mæl + -æl | mæl-æl |
| vel-fýr + -æl | vel-fýr-æl |
| bók-vrýtan + -æl | bók-vrýtan-æl |
| spøkan + -æl | spøkan-æl |
Agent suffix -un (Lif)
| folgan + -un | folgan-un |
| kólan + -un | kólan-un |
| nær-vel-fýr + -un | nær-vel-fýr-un |
| nær-aldh + -un | nær-aldh-un |
Color compounds -kólan
| fýr + kólan | fýr-kólan |
| styn + kólan | styn-kólan |
| snel-vel + kólan | snel-vel-kólan |
| nær-vel-fýr + kólan | nær-vel-fýr-kólan |
Limb compounds -liðr
| styn + liðr | styn-liðr |
| far + liðr | far-liðr |
| bók-stav + liðr | bók-stav-liðr |
| heit + liðr | heit-liðr |
Genitive stacking
| vel-ærth-ar vel-grund-ar vel-þrøk-far-en | |
| "the resonance-road of the quantum substrate of the quantum realm" — three genitives stacked |
Special Construction: vel vel-sýnat
The doubled phrase vel vel-sýnat (truly truly-sees) is the intensive form of comprehension. Single vel-sýnat means "truly sees / understands." The double intensifier signals absolute or hard-won understanding. This is a pragmatic construction, not grammaticalized, but appears frequently as a marker of significant knowledge.
Particles and Conjunctions
Connective
| ok | and; also; too |
| en | but; and yet |
| þà | then (temporal) |
| bæð | both; together |
| bæð-ís | truly both |
Discourse
| ís | yes; truly; so it is |
| vel-ís | truly; in truth |
| nær | not; never |
| ein | only; alone |
| at | to; toward |
Orðabók · Complete Dictionary
Every word and inflected form appearing in the story. Alphabetical order. Abbreviations: GEN = genitive · DAT = dative · ACC = accusative · DEF = definite · ANIM = animate · SOLID = solid · ABS = abstract · SG = singular · PL = plural · PAST = past tense · PART = participle · INF = infinitive · 1/2/3 = person.
Vel-ærth · The Quantum Realm
The World
Vel-ærth — the true-earth; the quantum realmThe quantum realm is not a metaphor. It is a place — a planet inside a gravitational system that does not behave like most. Two suns orbit in competing cycles, and a third moon pulls against both. The result is that the planet's rotation is never fixed. Days stretch between twenty-four and thirty-nine hours depending on how the bodies align, and the light comes in at odd angles on the long ones, the color of clay and old amber. Beings who live here are born into this instability. They navigate by it. Their biology is tuned to the shifting substrate beneath the physical world — the vel-grund, the quantum layer that underlies everything, which they call Velic resonance. It is not magic. It is the science of the realm. Most beings carry it from birth, feel it the way you feel balance or temperature, and use it the way you use memory. The plain called the Velt — veld-ok — is an enormous open flatland at the center of the known passage-routes. Creatures of the quantum layer gather there. The substrate runs strange through it. Flunkr sealed it because something was wrong in the resonance. He was right to be concerned.
Velic Resonance
Vel-fýr — true-fire; the Velic resonanceEvery being born in the quantum realm carries Velic resonance — vel-fýr, literally "true-fire." It is the quantum substrate signal that each living being both receives and emits, as natural as a heartbeat. Beings navigate the Velt and its resonance-roads (vel-þrøk-far) by reading this substrate. It can cascade — build to an unstable frequency — which is what happened to Erreth, one of Flunkr's warriors, before Pell stabilized him. The substrate entity (vel-grund-folgan) is a thing that runs in the resonance layer itself, following the resonance signatures of travelers. It is not malevolent in any simple sense. It follows what it can feel. This is why Byrna — who carries no Velic resonance — is invisible to it. The Lady Pomegranate gave Davis a technique for directing his Velic resonance upward along a vertical axis rather than a horizontal one. From the outside it looks like flight. She would correct you on this. It gives him roughly ten usable minutes per day.
The Story
Sagan — the tale of the crossingThe decree of Flunkr sealed the Velt. No being may cross it — not one warrior, not one elder, not one child. Davis reads this and says: we cross. The group needs a being on the far side who knows the clean resonance-roads through the Velt, the paths where the substrate runs undisturbed. Without them, the crossing is blind. With them, it is merely dangerous. Davis, Mosswick, Pluck, Dharmus, Pell, Tobel, Gortr, and Byrna — the only human in the quantum realm — walk into the sealed plain at the long day's edge. The Flibbers follow them. The Spectoclops watches. Something runs in the resonance beneath them. At midday they meet Flunkr. Pluck speaks. Dharmus moves. Pell heals a man none of them came to heal. Tobel, last across, shows Flunkr his own face. The decree stands. They go anyway. This is what the story is about: a sealed thing, crossed. And what it costs. And what it does not cost. And Byrna saying "the earth is well" when it isn't, and meaning it anyway.
The Characters · In English
Ser Davis Jr.
Ser Dævis Nývr-un · snel-vel-kólan · vel-fýr-ar þrøkan-unDavis is forever young — not metaphorically, but as a fact he has decided and maintained. He moves at roughly one hundred kilometers per hour when his Velic resonance is running high, which it usually is. He can sustain this for about three hours before it costs him. The Lady Pomegranate gave him something additional: a technique for using Velic resonance on a vertical axis rather than a horizontal one. It looks like flight from the outside. She would correct you firmly if you called it that. He gets about ten usable minutes per day. It has saved his life three times and gotten him into trouble five. He is reckless — Pluck has told him this directly, more than once. He agrees without changing. The word the story gives him is søkam: I seek. Not yes, not no. Just seeking.
Bumblebee the Human
Byrna-un · nær-vel-fýr-un · aldh-eit vel-ærth-arShe is the only human in the quantum realm, and has been for as long as anyone can remember — including her. How she arrived is not a conversation she has anymore. The answer is she doesn't know, and she has said it enough times to consider the topic closed. She has no Velic resonance. The quantum substrate does not speak to her. She navigates the realm entirely through instruments she built herself: Tobel's color as a barometer, Pell's posture as a warning system, the angle of the light from both suns. She does everything the hard way because the easy way requires equipment she wasn't born with, and she has never once complained about this. The substrate entity that followed the group across the Velt could not track her — she was invisible to it. She says "the earth is well" in situations where it is not, and she means it both ways. Davis thinks she is the most interesting person he has ever met. He has not told her. She has probably figured it out.
Mosswick Fenn
Mósvik-un · far-vrýtan eld-un · far-vrýtan-kólanMosswick is a cartographer, or was, before his maps started disagreeing with the terrain. This is not entirely his fault — the planet's gravitational instability causes slow incremental shifts in geography that no single lifetime is long enough to fully document. His maps are therefore historical documents as much as navigational ones. He annotates the edges with notes like river moved, see revision 7 and this hill is now more of a suggestion. He carries his maps in a cylindrical case strapped to his back that is longer than he is tall, which causes him to tip slightly backward when walking uphill. He has never acknowledged this. Neither has anyone else, by now. He was the first being Davis ever outran — Davis was a child, Mosswick was surveying a road, and Mosswick sat down in the road and waited for him to come back. Davis came back, curious about the sitting. That was the beginning of something neither of them has ever formally named.
Reverend Pluck
Plukr-un · þael eld-un · þrí-rélig-kólan · nær-rélig-unPluck earned the title Reverend not through any organized religious authority but through the simpler and rarer method of outlasting three different faiths and emerging from each carrying some piece of their vocabulary. He is old — though how old is unclear, as he gives a different answer each time he is asked. He carries a satchel from which he has never, in anyone's memory, removed the same object twice. He speaks in a register somewhere between sermon and complaint. He takes an almost paternal interest in Davis, which Davis tolerates with varying degrees of grace. When Pluck says something, he has already thought it through completely and is simply issuing the conclusion. He followed Davis through all three of the religions. He is following him now through the one that is not a religion.
Dharmus
Dharm-un · styn-liðr · far-ur · styn-liðr-kólanDharmus is large in a way that makes spaces feel smaller, but he moves through them with a deliberate care that shows he is aware of this at all times. He is a warrior and road-born — shaped by travel from before anyone can remember. He has a history with Davis that predates Pluck and the Lady Pomegranate and most of the others, though neither of them discusses it openly. He laughs infrequently and completely. When it happens, people around him tend to stop what they are doing. He said nothing during the standoff with Flunkr. He simply moved to stand beside Davis. That was enough.
Pell
Pell-un · sval-sýnan-kólanPell is fourteen, or says she is, and she traveled with the group because she asked to and Davis said yes after approximately four minutes of deliberation. Most of the others had objections at the time. The objections lost. She has an ability that sits at the edges of what strand theory can explain: she can sense Velic resonance in others as a pressure in her fingertips, and on at least two occasions has stabilized Davis when his resonance began to cascade dangerously. She does not understand what she is doing when she does this. She is loud, opinionated, and frequently right about things she has no business being right about. She calls Pluck "Plucky," which he has never once objected to, which tells you something about both of them. She is looking for nothing in particular and treats this as an advantage.
Tobel
Tobel-un · nær-aldh-un · nývr-fýr-un · eld-un vel-ærth-ar nær-aldh-arTobel is not humanoid, though he has arranged himself to be as convenient as possible given the company he keeps. He is roughly the size of a large dog, built along lines that suggest something between a mammal and a geographic feature, and he communicates through a combination of posture, color change across his outer layer, and a low subsonic hum that most of his companions feel in their chests without quite hearing. Davis understands him better than anyone else does. Nobody can explain this, including Davis, who says it is obvious and struggles to elaborate. Tobel is the oldest member of the group by a significant margin. He is not especially wise — he is simply old, and has confused the two on occasion. He sleeps for approximately one full day out of every five and during this time cannot be moved, woken, or reasoned with. He recorded the entire crossing in color. What he recorded, no one can fully read — except perhaps Davis, who says it is obvious.
Gortr the Approximately
Gortr-un · eit-vel þrí-fót · eit-vel-kólanHis full name contains sounds that are difficult to reproduce without particular throat anatomy, so he has accepted Gortr, which is not what he is called at home but is close enough that he responds to it. The "Approximately" was added by Pluck and stuck in the way Pluck's additions tend to. Gortr is approximately seven feet tall. Approximately very strong. He was briefly a professional mediator for disputes between settlements — he was good at it, and he left because resolving disputes tends to produce two smaller disputes as byproduct, and he found this depressing in a way he couldn't fully articulate. He is much happier on the road. He and Davis share a running competition that neither of them has formally acknowledged as a competition. Gortr cannot match the speed, but he can cover ground over a full day in a way that consistently surprises people.
Flunkr
Flunkr-un · konr Drume-ar · bók-stav-liðr · vrýtstav-kólanFlunkr is the chieftain of Drume. He sealed the Velt because something was wrong in the quantum substrate — the Flibbers were drawn to it, the Spectoclops was tracking it, and the substrate entity was running through it and getting into beings' resonance. His decree was not unreasonable. He is cold and careful and believes, with some justification, that he sees more than most people. He is right that he does. He is wrong about what that means. When Tobel reflected his exact resonance-color back at him, Flunkr looked for a long time at something he had never before seen. He went home and began writing a new decree. He will be back.