Saret

Phonology

Saret is a language used almost exclusively for the casting of spells. It makes use of 20 letters (15 consonants and 5 vowels).


Consonants

Letter(s)  IPA  Pronunciation
b [b] as b in bet
d [d] as d in dog
f [f] as f in fit
h [h] as h in hat
k [k] as k in kick
l [l] as l in line
m [m] as m in mat
n [n] as n in never
p [p] as p in pig
r [r] as r in rat
s [s] as s in see
sh [ʃ] as sh in worship
t [t] as t in top
w [w] as w in wet
' [ʔ] (glottal stop)

Vowels

Letter(s)  IPA  Pronunciation
a [ɑ] as a in ball
e [ɛ] as e in bet
é [eɪ] as ay in say
i [i] as ee in see
u [u] as oo in too

Saret is typically written from left to right. If written in any other direction, the orientation of the glyphs stays the same relative to each other.




Spell Structure


A typical spell has four main parts, a verb clause (V) followed by an object clause (O), a Location clause (L), and a Trigger clause (T). The order of components within these clauses is somewhat flexible, but the clauses themselves always appear in this order.


Verb (V)
The verb denotes what is being done in the spell.


Object (O)
The object of the spell is the thing that the spell is using or creating.


Location (L)
The location identifies what object or point the spell is to affect.


Trigger (T)
The trigger is the word to set everyint into action. This clause is always the single word, tsul.




Detection and Negation

The simplest spell consists only of a Location component and the Trigger. This has little effect other than allowing the spellcaster to identify if some other spell is affecting the target object.


Turu tsul.
[Location trigger.]


The next simplest spell consists of the verb Negate (nef), followed by a Location component and the Trigger.


Nef turu tsul.
[Negate location trigger.]


Detection and Negation are typically the first spells taught regardless of the field of magic. Neither Detection or Negation spells have an Object clause.




Sorcery

Sorcery spells use the verb Create (unak).

Each Sorcery spell must also have an object to indicate what the verb is to create. The possible objects are:


hed
Light

sedet
Heat

hes
Cold

seba
Electricity

kewé
Darkness

ahwé
Sound

An example of a simple Sorcery spell is:


Unak hed turu tsul.
[Create light location trigger.]


The above spell creats a point of light just in front of the spellcaster, but it flickers out of existence instantaneously. To make it last longer the modifier for Duration (rek) can be added to the object clause. That allows the light to continue to exist for as long as the spellcaster maintains concentration.


Unak hed rek turu tsul.
[Create light duration location trigger.]


The modifiers that change how Sorcery spells work are:


a'ai
Area Effect

rek
Duration

sheshem
Guidance

shem
Momentum

neb
Permanence

atué
Power



Illusion

Illusion spells are similar to Sorcery spells, except they use only the verb Deceive (neshek). The possible objects for illusion spells correspond to the five senses and are:


sedem
Hearing

ma'é
Sight

tepi
Smell

dep
Taste

tet
Touch
 


An example of a simple Illusion spell is:


Neshek ma'é turu tsul.
[Deceive sight location trigger.]


The above spell creats a sort visual echo of an object just in front of the spellcaster. As with Sorcery spells, various modifiers can be added to alter how the spell works. Also, multiple objects can be used within the same spell to add affected senses to the resulting illusion.


Neshek ma'é sedem rek turu tsul.
[Deceive sight hearing duration location trigger.]


The modifiers that change how Illusion spells work are:


a'ai
Area Effect

rek
Duration

sheshem
Guidance

shem
Momentum

neb
Permanence

atué
Power



Mentalism

Mentalism spells use the verbs Charm (khen), Empathize (dita), and Translate (wekha). The object clause of a Mentalism spell is often an emotion or concept, is not usually spoken aloud, and is often noted in another language.

An example of a simple Mentalism spell is:


Khen <torela> turu tsul.
[Charm <hunger> location trigger.]


The above spell allows the spellcaster to briefly implant a feeling of hunger into the mind of the target.

To receive and experience surface emotions of the target, the spellcaster could use a spell like the following:


Dita rek turu tsul.
[Empathize duration location trigger.]


By adding Translate (wekha) to the above spell, the spellcaster could send or recieve complex information.


Dita wekha rek turu tsul.
[Empathize translate duration location trigger.]


The modifiers that change how Mentalism spells work are:


rek
Duration

neb
Permanence

Mentalism spells have no object clause.




Enchantment

Enchantment spells involve the weaving, making, and breaking of magical connections between things. They use the following verbs:


bani
Attract

sep
Bind

saret
Divine

wetekh
Repulse

nekhet
Sympathize
 

Enchantment spells typically require two Location clauses, with the effect being between those locations. An example of a simple Enchantment spell is:


Nekhet rek turu turu tsul.
[Sympathize duration location location trigger.]


The above spell magically connects two objects so that whatever happens to one affects both.

In some cases it is desireable to have the spell affect only a portion of an object, such as in identifying a previously encountered poison. In such cases the modifier Isolation (khai) is added after the Location clause.


Saret turu khai tsul.
[Divine location isolation trigger.]


The modifiers that change how Enchantment spells work are:


rek
Duration

khai
Isolation

neb
Permanence

Enchantment spells have no object clause.




Portalcraft

Portalcraft spells involve the creation and control of connections between different dimensional realms. They use the verb Connect (sheni).

An example of a simple Portalcraft spell is:


Sheni sibué rek turu turu tsul.
[Connect adjustment duration location location trigger.]


The above spell creats a portal leading to a destination on an alternate plane of the spellcaster's choosing. The portal will remain open as long as the spellcaster maintains concentration.


The modifiers that change how Portalcraft spells work are:


sibué
Adjustment

rek
Duration

neb
Permanence

Portalcraft spells have no object clause.




Saved Locations

A location clause can be pre-cast and mentally linked to a mnemonic for use in a later spell. This is done using the prepositions Into (em) and From (sen). This might be done when the object to be located is currently present, but will not be close at hand when the spell will be cast. The mnemonic can be any word from another language.

For example, a location clause could be pre-cast as follows:


Em na turu tsul.
[Into "na" location trigger.]


Subsequently that location could be used in a second spell as follows:


Nekhet rek sen na turu tsul.
[Sympathize duration from "na" location trigger.]




Break Ponts

A spell can be paused in the middle of casting using the prepositions Into (em) and From (sen), combined with the Semi-trigger (tsesh)

For example, the majority of a spell could be pre-cast except for the last location clause as follows:


Em na sheni sibué rek turu tsesh.
[Into "na" connect adjustment duration location semi-trigger.]


Subsequently that spell could be continued as follows:


Sen na turu tsul.
[From "na" location trigger.]




Repetition

The modifiers Adjustment (sibué), Area Effect (a'ai), and Power (atué) can be repeated in order to increase their effect.

For example, the following spell would create a bolt of fire with a power level of 3:


Unak sedet shem atué atué atué turu tsul.
[Create heat momentum power power power location trigger.]





Verbs


bani
Attract

sep
Bind

khen
Charm

sheni
Connect

unak
Create

neshek
Deceive

saret
Divine

dita
Empathize

nef
Negate

wetekh
Repulse

nekhet
Sympathize

wekha
Translate



Objects


hed
Light

sedet
Heat

hes
Cold

seba
Electricity

kewé
Darkness

ahwé
Sound

ma'é
Sight

sedem
Hearing

tepi
Smell

dep
Taste

tet
Touch



Modifiers

Modifiers immediately follow the object or clause they modify.


sibué
Adjustment

a'ai
Area Effect

rek
Duration

sheshem
Guidance

khai
Isolation

shem
Momentum

neb
Permanence

atué
Power



Other Particles


em
Into

sen
From

tsul
Trigger

tsesh
Semi-trigger