Phantasm CONLANG
ToC
Phantasm Language Guide
Foreword
I have long maintained that languages are not merely tools, but signatures—standing waveforms in the dream that is our reality. Phantasm is one such signature: angular, spare, and honed to cut through pretence. To read it well is to touch the minds of those who forged it. If you seek comfort, turn back. If you seek clarity, proceed with discipline. A tongue born of voidward praxis does not “open” easily; it yields to patterning, patient study, and the humility to admit when the mind resists what is true. Attend to the seams—where vowels meet, where tones fall, where evidence is claimed. Attend also to what is unsaid. Let this guide be used responsibly. Record what you witness. Mark what you infer. Where your knowledge ends, say so without shame. In such honesty there is strength, and in strength, a light—however dark the horizon may seem. —Aelindra Starweaver, Last Scholar of the Hazrad Academy
Introduction
Phantasm is the language spoken by the beings known as Ravagers. It is characterised by sharp, angular phonotactics, strict clause-final verbs (SOV), and an agglutinative morphology that prizes clear, stackable marking. This guide collects the system as used in narrative, gameplay, and diegetic scholarship, balancing learnability with internal rigor.What this guide gives you
- Sound system & writing: a compact phoneme inventory, stress and intonation rules, and orthographic conventions (including practical use of ' for ʔ and readability variants).
- Core grammar: cases for primary roles, productive postpositions for nuance, regular tense–aspect–mood–evidential stacking, and consistent negation.
- Applied grammar tools: demonstratives and NP order, coordination particles, harmony policy, morphophonological “repairs,” and ready-to-use existential/possession templates.
- Usage & style: registers, idiom, set phrases, and cultural notes—enough to write in-character dialogue, inscriptions, or liturgy.
- Reference blocks: interlinear abbreviations (NOM, ACC, LOC, etc.), a quick aspect guide, and a growing dictionary.
How to read this document
Examples appear in three lines of interlinear format throughout the guide:Phantasm source line MORPH-BY-MORPH GLOSS (NOM/ACC etc.) Free translation in quotesMarkers like LOC (locative), DAT (dative), and ABL (ablative) are expanded in Glossary of Abbreviations below for quick reference.
Design principles
- Clarity first: one slot per category (Aspect–Tense–Root–Mood–Number–Evidential).
- Local regularity: harmony is root-internal; grammatical affixes are harmony-neutral and never change shape.
- Repair, don’t break: vowel hiatus takes ʔ; illegal clusters take epenthetic a; voicing assimilation applies last.
- Diegetic fit: the lexicon and idiom reflect voidward culture, ceremony, and cosmology without sacrificing linguistic usability.
Who this is for
Writers, GMs, players, and conlangers who want a functional, consistent system for dialogue, inscriptions, oaths, and scholarship. If you’re new, start with Phonology & Structure → Applied Grammar → Verb Morphology, then keep the Glossary of Abbreviations handy while you read examples.Phonology & Writing
Phoneme Inventory
Consonants
p, b, t, d, k, g, q, f, v, s, z, x, h, m, n, r, l, ʔ (glottal stop)Vowels
a, e, i, o, uApproximant
yPhonotactics
- Syllable structure: (C₁)(C₂)V(C₃), where C represents a consonant and V represents a vowel.
- C₁ can be any consonant.
- C₂ can only be 'r', 'l', or 'y' if C₁ is present.
- V is any vowel.
- C₃ can be any consonant except 'y'.
- The glottal stop (ʔ) can only appear as C₁ or C₃.
- Words are formed by combining one or more syllables.
- Consonant clusters are generally limited to two consonants in a row, except at syllable boundaries.
Phonological Processes
- Vowel Harmony (front/back): Within a morphological word, non-neutral vowels harmonize: {i, e} vs. {u, o}. A is neutral.
- Voicing Assimilation: A voiceless obstruent becomes voiced when immediately preceding a voiced obstruent across morpheme boundaries (not across word boundaries).
- Glottal Insertion: Insert ʔ between vowels at morpheme boundaries.
Stress
Primary stress is penultimate unless the final syllable is closed (CVC), in which case stress shifts to the final syllable. Loanwords keep native stress.Intonation
Statements use falling intonation; questions use rising intonation. In ritual or formal speech, a sing-song pattern is often employed, with alternating high and low tones on stressed syllables.Orthography
In narrative prose, writers may replace apostrophe ʔ with the letter q between vowels and drop it elsewhere when unambiguous (e.g., k'a → ka, z'vorn → zvqorn). The phonemic system remains unchanged; this is a readability convention.Phantasm Writing System
The script is angular and syllabic; diacritics mark tense and mood. Example (described): “K'a z'vorn-l ma-p'gath” uses four glyphs with a diacritic over the verb for present tense.Pronunciation Guide
Show spoiler
Consonants
- P, B, T, D, K, G, F, V, S, Z, M, N, R, L, H as in English.
- X = [x], a guttural “kh” (German “Bach”).
- Q = [q], a deep uvular stop produced further back than K.
- ʔ = glottal stop (the middle of “uh-oh”).
- Apostrophe (') in practical orthography represents ʔ; scholarly forms may use ʔ.
Vowels
- A [a], E [e], I [i], O [o], U [u]. Vowel length is not phonemic; “long” vowels are prosodic.
Approximant
- Y = [j] (“yes” after a consonant it forms rising diphthongs (e.g., ky[a]).
Core Grammar
Morphology
Phantasm employs an agglutinative morphology, with affixes added to roots to indicate grammatical functions and relationships. Core sentence roles prefer cases; nuanced relations use postpositions.Case System
Cases are marked by suffixes:| Case | Suffix | Function | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nominative | -n | Subject of a sentence | nglath-n (Ravager as subject) |
| Accusative | -l | Direct object | z'vorn-l (void as object) |
| Genitive | -r | Possession/association | nglath-r (of the Ravager) |
| Dative | -th | Indirect object/recipient | nglath-th (to/for the Ravager) |
| Locative | -q | Location/position | z'vorn-q (in the void) |
| Instrumental | -f | Means/instrument | dra'gon-f (by means of power) |
| Ablative | -b | Movement from | z'vorn-b (from the void) |
| Essive | -m | State of being | nglath-m (as a Ravager) |
Nglath-n z'vorn-q k'lo ma-vroth. Ravager-NOM void-LOC by PRES-travel “The Ravager travels in the void, by (means of).”See “Glossary of Abbreviations” for gloss keys.
Syntax (SOV; NP shape; clause basics)
Phantasm follows a subject–object–verb (SOV) word order. Example:K'a z'vorn-l ma-vroth. I void-ACC PRES-travel “I travel to the void.”
Postpositions
Phantasm is SOV and uses postpositions (placed after the noun phrase). Core roles are usually handled by cases; postpositions add nuance. Postpositions normally govern case on their complement (most commonly LOC for place, DAT for goals/recipients, and ABL for sources). Using both the case and the postposition is expected (e.g., z’vorn-q q’re “in the void”). See also: Case System; Existential & Possession.
Show spoiler
Adverbial deixis: “here” = ti-q (LOC), “there” = ta-q, “yonder” = tu-q.
- q're = in / within
- s'ne = on / atop
- t'va = at / by
- d'ze = towards / to
- b'ra = from / out of
- k'lo = by / via
- p'hu = with (comitative)
K'a z'vorn[q're]-q ma-vroth. I void[LOC]-in PRES-travel “I travelthe void.”K'a nglath-th d'ze ma-vroth. I ravager-DAT to PRES-travel “I travel [to] the Ravager.”
Applied Grammar
Determiners & Deixis
Place demonstratives at the left edge of the NP.| Form | Gloss | Use |
|---|---|---|
| ti | this (proximal) | near speaker |
| ta | that (distal) | near addressee / within sight |
| tu | that yonder (remote) | far/legendary/ritual distance |
Show spoiler
Examples
ti nglath-n this ravager-NOM “this Ravager (as subject)”
ta z'vorn-l that void-ACC “that as object)”
K'a ti-q ma-vroth. I here-LOC PRES-travel “I travel here.”
NP Internal Order
Canonical noun phrase: [DEM] – [GEN possessor]-r – [NUM] – [ADJ] – N – [CASE]
Show spoiler
Adjectives do not agree; only the noun carries case/number. Numerals precede the noun; optional plural [-zhar] is used for emphasis or when no numeral is present.
Example
ti nglath-r d'ro g'nath nglath-l this ravager-GEN two dark ravager-ACC “this Ravager’s two dark Ravagers (as object)”
Coordination
Unmarked particles; harmony-neutral; used between like constituents or clauses.- na = and
- zo = or
- ra = but/however
Show spoiler
NP
z'vorn-l na g'nath-l void-ACC and darkness-ACC “the void and the darkness (OBJ)”Clause
K'a z'vorn-l ma-vroth, ra n'ra ne-ma-s'pher. I void-ACC PRES-travel but you NEG-PRES-find “I travel the void, but you do not find (it).”
Harmony Policy for Affixes
Root vowels obey front/back harmony. Grammatical affixes are harmony-neutral (fixed shape): tense/aspect prefixes (ma-, sa-, ga-, pe-, im-, in-, it-, ce-), case (-n, -l, -r, -th, -q, -f, -b, -m), mood (-Ø, -l, -x, -zi, -oi, -du), evidentials (-dor, -rul, -fex). Compounds reset harmony per root.Morphophonological Repairs
Apply in this order at morpheme seams:- V-V → insert ʔ (already defined): …a + e… → …aʔe…
- Illegal C-clusters → insert epenthetic a (neutral): …-th + -b → -th[a]b; …-r + -zh → -r[a]zh
- YY ban (no syllable-final [y] and no [y] as C₃): replace offending [y] with i in that position.
- Voicing assimilation applies last for obstruents across morpheme boundaries.
Existential & Possession Templates
Existential (“there is/are”): LOC-q NP-n ma-q're.
Show spoiler
Predicative possession (“X has Y”): Possessor-th Theme-n ma-q're.
z'vorn-q nglath-n ma-q're. void-LOC ravager-NOM PRES-be “There is a Ravager in the void.”
Show spoiler
k'a-th r'than-n ma-q're. I-DAT knowledge-NOM PRES-be “I have knowledge.”
k'a-th r'than-n ne-ma-q're. I-DAT knowledge-NOM NEG-PRES-be “I don’t have knowledge.”
Mini-Derivation (Optional)
Keep it light and productive:- Nominalizer -rin → “the act/thing of X”: p'gath-rin “eating; foodstuff (formal)”
- Causative ha- → “cause/make X”: ha-ma-q're “cause to be; establish”
- Benefactive Applicative lo- → “do X for/for the sake of”: stacks inside aspect/tense: im-lo-ma-s'pher “is finding (it) for (someone)”
Pronouns
Show spoiler
Example:
Example:
Personal Pronouns
| Phantasm | English |
|---|---|
| k'a | I |
| n'ra | you (singular) |
| g'lo | he |
| z'ya | she |
| s'vo | it |
| d'ru | we |
| l'xi | you (plural) |
| m'zu | they |
K'a n'ra-l pe-sa-s'pher. I you-ACC PFV-PAST-find[IND] “I had found you.”
Possessive Pronouns
| Phantasm | English |
|---|---|
| k'a-r | my, mine |
| n'ra-r | your, yours (singular) |
| g'lo-r | his |
| z'ya-r | her, hers |
| s'vo-r | its |
| d'ru-r | our, ours |
| l'xi-r | your, yours (plural) |
| m'zu-r | their, theirs |
K'a-r n'zath ma-q're k'a-l. my myth PRES-be I-ACC “My myth is within me.”
Verb Morphology
Phantasm uses layered but regular verbal morphology with a single locus for each category.Categories & Order
Aspect – Tense – Verb Root – Mood – Number – EvidentialityTense (prefixes)
ma- (present), sa- (past), ga- (future)Aspect (prefixes, nearer to the root than tense)
pe- (perfective), im- (imperfective/progressive), in- (inchoative), it- (iterative), ce- (cessative)Mood (suffixes)
-Ø (indicative), -l (imperative), -x (subjunctive), -zi (conditional), -oi (optative), -du (dubitative)Agreement (number)
-zh = plural subject agreement (optional; use it if the subject NP is not overtly plural or for emphasis)Evidentiality (final suffix)
-dor (direct), -rul (hearsay), -fex (inference)Examples
ma-p'gath PRES-eat “(s/he) eats.”
im-ma-p'gath IPFV-PRES-eat “(s/he) is eating.”
pe-sa-p'gath-x PFV-PAST-eat-SUBJ “(s/he) had eaten (counterfactual/if).”
in-ga-vroth-l INCH-FUT-travel-IMP “Begin to travel!”
it-ma-vroth-zi-zh ITER-PRES-travel-COND-PL “They would travel repeatedly.”
pe-sa-p'gath-zh-dor PFV-PAST-eat-PL-DIR “They had eaten (I witnessed it).”
Sentence Types
Declarative
Follow SOV with indicative mood (no mood suffix).Interrogative
Yes/No questions take sentence-final particle qu (optional in rapid speech where rising intonation suffices). Content questions use interrogatives in-situ and may still end with qu in formal registers.K'a z'vorn-l ma-vroth qu? I void-ACC PRES-travel Q “Do I travel to the void?”
Imperative
Use the imperative mood suffix -l; subject often omitted.Z'vorn-l ma-vroth-l! void-ACC PRES-travel-IMP “Travel to the void!”
Conditional
Use 't'bel' (if) for the condition clause and conditional mood -zi for the result clause.T'bel k'a z'vorn-l ma-s'pher, k'a ga-vroth-zi. if I void-ACC PRES-find I FUT-travel-COND “If I find the void, I would (will) travel.”
Negation
Negation is marked by the prefix ne- on the verb.K'a z'vorn-l ne-ma-vroth. I void-ACC NEG-PRES-travel “I do not travel to the void.”
Relative Clauses
Introduce with the relative pronoun j'tha, placed before the main clause.K'a nglath-l ma-s'pher j'tha z'vorn-l sa-p'gath. I ravager-ACC PRES-find REL void-ACC PAST-eat “I find the Ravager who ate the void.”
Subordinate Clauses
Show spoiler
Because: q'lor Although: r'faz Since: s'bin While: z'kro If: t'belExample:
K'a z'vorn-l ma-p'gath q'lor k'a ma-s'pher. I void-ACC PRES-eat because I PRES-find “I eat the void because I find it.”
Register & Politeness
Show spoiler
Formal: ceremonial/high-ranking; full particles and evidentials. Informal: peers/casual situations. Intimate: close relations; particles often dropped.Formal Example:
D'karn H'xoth, k'a l'yo-l pe-sa-s'pher n'ra-th d'ze ma-vroth. lord H’xoth I truth-ACC PFV-PAST-find you-DAT to PRES-travel “Lord H’xoth, I have found the truth to bring to you.”
Aspect (quick reference)
Show spoiler
- pe- = perfective (completed)
- im- = imperfective (ongoing/habitual)
- in- = inchoative (beginning)
- it- = iterative (repeated)
- ce- = cessative (ending)
K'a z'vorn-l pe-sa-p'gath. I void-ACC PFV-PAST-eat “I had eaten the void.”
K'a z'vorn-l im-ma-p'gath. I void-ACC IPFV-PRES-eat “I am eating the void.”
K'a z'vorn-l in-ga-p'gath. I void-ACC INCH-FUT-eat “I will begin to eat the void.”
Evidentiality
Suffixes indicate source of information; they follow mood and number: -dor (direct), -rul (hearsay), -fex (inference). Examples:Z'vorn ma-q're g'nath-dor. void PRES-be darkness-DIR “The void is dark (I saw it).”
Z'vorn ma-q're g'nath-rul. void PRES-be darkness-HRSY “The void is dark (they say).”
Other Grammatical Features
Show spoiler
- Passive Voice: prefix "nu-"
- Comparatives: suffix "-vor"
- Superlatives: suffix "-vorn"
- Reflexive pronouns: suffix "-vex"
- Reciprocal pronouns: suffix "-zar"
Glossary of Abbreviations (Interlinear Glosses)
Cases
| Abbrev | Case | Core meaning | Marker |
|---|---|---|---|
| NOM | Nominative | subject | -n |
| ACC | Accusative | direct object | -l |
| GEN | Genitive | possession/association | -r |
| DAT | Dative | to/for, recipient/goal | -th |
| LOC | Locative | in/at/on (place) | -q |
| INS | Instrumental | by means of/with | -f |
| ABL | Ablative | from/out of (source) | -b |
| ESS | Essive | as/in the role of | -m |
Verbal Categories
| Abbrev | Category | Meaning | Phantasm Marker |
|---|---|---|---|
| PRES | Tense | present | ma- |
| PAST | Tense | past | sa- |
| FUT | Tense | future | ga- |
| PFV | Aspect | perfective (completed) | pe- |
| IPFV | Aspect | imperfective/progressive | im- |
| INCH | Aspect | inchoative (beginning) | in- |
| ITER | Aspect | iterative (repeated) | it- |
| CESS | Aspect | cessative (ending) | ce- |
| IND | Mood | indicative (statement) | -Ø |
| IMP | Mood | imperative (command) | -l |
| SUBJ | Mood | subjunctive (irrealis/if) | -x |
| COND | Mood | conditional (would) | -zi |
| OPT | Mood | optative (wish/hope) | -oi |
| DUB | Mood | dubitative (doubt) | -du |
| PL | Agreement | plural subject | -zh |
| DIR | Evidential | directly witnessed | -dor |
| HRSY | Evidential | hearsay/reported | -rul |
| INF | Evidential | inferred/concluded | -fex |
| NEG | Polarity | negation | ne- |
Reading Guide (one line)
In verbs, the template is: Aspect – Tense – Root – Mood – Number – Evidential (e.g., pe-sa-p'gath-zh-dor = PFV–PAST–eat–PL–DIR).Reference & Concepts
Temporal Reference
Merge of lexical “-qor” adverbs and cosmic “-kor” categories.- ma'qor now; sa'qor yesterday; ga'qor tomorrow; r'qor always; ne'qor never
- Vz'kor the eternal now (present Sh'kor the consumed past; Nx'kor the void-potential future
K'a ma'qor z'vorn-l ma-p'gath, k'a ga'qor ne-ga-p'gath. I now void-ACC PRES-eat I tomorrow NEG-FUT-eat “I eat the void now; tomorrow I will not eat.”
Numerical System
Phantasm is base-6, reflecting the Ravagers’ six-fingered hands. A full set/cycle is 36 (10₆ = 100₆). The lexicon below gives basic and composite forms.Basic Numerals (0–5)
| Numeral | Phantasm | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| 0 | z'vorn | /zʔvorn/ |
| 1 | v'ka | /vʔka/ |
| 2 | d'ro | /dʔro/ |
| 3 | t'li | /tʔli/ |
| 4 | q'nu | /qʔnu/ |
| 5 | p'sa | /pʔsa/ |
Higher Numbers
Base (6) is 'x'fe' /xʔfe/.| Base-10 | Base-6 | Phantasm | Literal |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 | 10 | x'fe | six |
| 7 | 11 | x'fe-v'ka | six-one |
| 8 | 12 | x'fe-d'ro | six-two |
| 11 | 15 | x'fe-p'sa | six-five |
| 12 | 20 | d'ro-x'fe | two-six |
| 36 | 100 | z'vorn-x'fe | void-six (full set) |
Forming Larger Numbers
v'ka-z'vorn-x'fe d'ro-x'fe one-thirty.six and twelve “42 (base-10) = 110 (base-6): one-thirty-six and twelve.”
q'nu-t'li-q'nu-q'nu-z'vorn-x'fe four-three-four-four-void-six “1,000 (base-10) = 4,344 (base-6).”
Fractional Numbers
Suffix '-th'lag' (part).v'ka-th'lag x'fe one-part six “1/6”
t'li-th'lag x'fe three-part six “1/2 (in base-6 terms).”
Cultural Significance
z'vorn-x'fe (36 base-10, 100 base-6) represents a full cycle. p'sa (5) is ominous (incomplete).Mathematical Operations
- Addition: g'lath
- Subtraction: r'koth
- Multiplication: v'thrax
- Division: z'klar
v'ka g'lath d'ro v'thrax t'li z'klar d'ro one add two multiply three divide two “(1 + 2) × 3 ÷ 2 = 4.5 (10) = 4;3 (6).”
Honorifics & Titles
- D'karn: Lord/Lady
- S'phar: Master/Mistress
- V'loth: Elder
D'karn H'xoth, k'a n'ra-l pe-sa-s'pher. lord H’xoth I you-ACC PFV-PAST-find “Lord H’xoth, I had found you.”
Compound Words
Phantasm combines roots productively:- z'vorn + p'gath = z'vornp'gath (void-eater)
- g'nath + r'than = g'nathr'than (dark knowledge)
K'a z'vornp'gath ma-q're. I void.eat-NOMZ PRES-be “I am a void-eater.”
Poetic Form
Z'vorn ma-q're, g'nath ma-vroth R'than x'qu, k'a ma-s'pher H'qarn d'ze, nglath ma-p'gath R'shar v'fi, k'a ma-q'reLiteral translation:
Void PRES-be, darkness PRES-travel Knowledge beneath, I PRES-find Death to, Ravager PRES-eat Eternity over, I PRES-bePoetic translation:
In void we dwell, through darkness roam Beneath knowledge, I find my home To death we feast, Ravagers supreme Above eternity, I reign supreme
Eldritch Syntax Patterns
Paradox Template: [Concept] + ma-q're + [Paradoxical State]Z'vorn ma-q're ne-z'vorn. void PRES-be NEG-void “The void that is not void.”Cosmic “moods” in high style (lexicalized aspectal prefixes in poetry): om- (transcendent), en- (entropic), cy- (cyclic).
K'a z'vorn-l im-ma-s'pher, pe-ma-p'gath, it-ma-vroth. I void-ACC IPFV-PRES-find PFV-PRES-eat ITER-PRES-travel “I am finding the void, have eaten, and travel repeatedly.”
Onomatopoeia
- Ksh'thar: the sound of reality tearing
- Vz'zzur: the hum of void energy
- Ghl'rrk: the sound of consuming a soul
K'a ksh'thar-l ma-q'lor z'kro z'vorn-l ma-vroth. I tear.sound-ACC PRES-before while void-ACC PRES-travel “Before the rip, I travel the void.”
Color Terms
- V'lor: void-black
- Gh'nar: blood-red
- Z'lur: shadow-grey
- X'vor: eldritch-purple
K'a-r x'shan z'lur-vor ma-q're n'ra-r x'shan-l d'ze. my shadow grey-COMP PRES-be your shadow-ACC to “My shadow is greyer than your shadow.”
Gestures & Body Language
- Void-ward hand motion: future reference
- Claw near face: skepticism
- Slow blink with all eyes: deep respect/submission
Conceptual Metaphors
KNOWLEDGE IS CONSUMPTION — K'a r'than-l ma-p'gath. POWER IS DEPTH — K'a dra'gon x'qu ma-vroth. TIME IS VOID — R'shar z'vorn-l ma-q're.Euphemisms
- "Z'vorn-l ma-s'bin" — to die
- "G'nath-l ma-vroth" — to scheme/plot
- "X'shan-l ma-f'lar" — to deceive
Language Games
Players rapidly shift tense and mood:K'a z'vorn-l ma-p'gath. I void-ACC PRES-eat “I eat the void.”
K'a z'vorn-l sa-p'gath. I void-ACC PAST-eat “I ate the void.”
K'a z'vorn-l ga-p'gath-zi. I void-ACC FUT-eat-COND “I would eat the future conditional).”
Riddles
"K'a ne-ma-q're, t'bel n'ra k'a-l ma-s'pher. K'a ma-q're, t'bel n'ra k'a-l ne-ma-s'pher. J'nat k'a ma-q're?"Answer: X'shan (Shadow)
Curses
- Z'klar — compassionate fool
- Q'xan — hope-clinger
- L'thol — light-lover
N'ra z'klar ma-q're! you fool COMP PRES-be “You are such a fool!”
Idioms Related to The Wheel Cosmology
- "Iae-r fhtag-l ma-vroth" — to exist
- "Spire-l ma-vroth" — to ascend in power
- "Rim-l ma-s'pher" — to reach one’s limit
Terms for Psionics
- M'zoth: telepathy
- V'zath: telekinesis
- X'lorn: precognition
- K'drath: mind control
K'a m'zoth-l ma-dra'gon n'ra-r r'than-l ma-s'pher-d'ze. I telepathy-ACC PRES-power your-GEN knowledge-ACC PRES-find-to “I empower telepathy to find your knowledge.”
Cosmic Horror Descriptors
- N'ghrul — sanity-shattering
- V'xoth — reality-warping
- Z'kthul — mind-consuming
N'ghrul v'xoth z'kthul nglath ma-vroth. insane.wrath warp reality consume mind ravager PRES-travel “The ravager travels with sanity-shattering, reality-warping, mind-consuming force.”
Verbal Art
Ksh'thar-vz'zzur-ghl'rrk Z'vorn-g'nath-r'than X'shan-h'qarn-r'shar Nglath-dra'gon-fhtag
Dialectal Variations
- Void-Touched: more sibilants, elongated vowels
- Surface: harsher consonants, shorter syllables
- Abyssal: gutturals, complex clusters
Ritual and Magic
Example of a ritual chant:"Z'vorn q're, g'nath v'fi, r'than x'qu, h'qarn d'ze" void within darkness over knowledge beneath death to “Void within, darkness over, knowledge beneath, death to.”
Naming Conventions
Ravager names often combine concepts of darkness, void, and destruction. Examples:- Vor'nax (Void-bringer)
- Zith'gar (Shadow-eater)
- Kel'thorax (Eternity-ender)
Taboo Words
- L'var (light)
- S'phor (hope)
- M'zan (mercy)
Vocabulary & Expressions
Basic Vocabulary
Show spoiler
| Phantasm | English |
|---|---|
| z'vorn | void |
| g'nath | darkness |
| h'qarn | death |
| r'shar | eternity |
| nglath | Ravager |
| r'than | knowledge |
| dra'gon | power |
| h'nath | agony |
| t'zath | Canker |
| q'raak | madness |
Idiomatic Expressions
Show spoiler
- D'qath v'fi r'shar (The priest over eternity) – a wise/learned person
- X'shan s'ne z'vorn (Shadow on the void) – hidden danger
- H'xoth b'ra l'yo (Illusion from the depths) – deception
Everyday Idioms
Show spoiler
- K'a d'bal-l ma-p'gath. — “I eat with water.” = I’m keeping it simple/plain.
- N'ra r'vor-l ne-ma-s'pher. — “You don’t find your thought.” = You’re missing the point.
- Z'lur s'ne r'var. — “Grey on the air.” = Bad weather coming.
- K'a t'gor-l ne-pe-sa-p'gath. — “I hadn’t eaten my meal.” = I forgot an obligation.
- R'zath-l ma-vroth d'ze. — “The day travels to (it).” = Deadline is approaching.
Proverbs & Sayings
Show spoiler
- "G'nath ma-vroth, r'than ma-s'pher." (Travel in darkness, find knowledge.)
- "Z'vorn-l ne-ma-p'gath, z'vorn n'ra-l ga-p'gath." (If you don't eat the void, the void will eat you.)
Metaphors & Figurative Language
Show spoiler
- "To drink shadows": K'a x'shan-l ma-d'bal. (To gain power from darkness)
- "To weave void": K'a z'vorn-l ma-f'lar. (To create or manipulate emptiness)
Comprehensive Phantasm→Common Dictionary
Show spoiler
abhorrence: v'thul
abyss: y'zul
absorption: r'kul
abstract: z'phor
aeon: t'xol
afternoon: d'var
agony: h'nath
air: r'var
alliance: g'farn
ally: d'gath
altar: h'goth
always: a'kor
ambition: k'zor
ancient: g'lar
anger: z'thul
annihilation: t'qarn
anticipation: g'vor
apathy: n'qul
apocalypse: z'qarn
armor: n'karn
arrow: r'zhan
assimilation: k'rul
authority: v'qath
awaken: p'lath (infinitive form)
axe: n'loth
balance: l'karn
battle: n'thul, n'vath
become: v'lath (infinitive form)
bind: h'gath (infinitive form)
black hole: z'voth
blessing: g'kath
blood: s'karn
bloodlust: k'zath
bone: h'kul
bow: k'naal
break: s'krath (infinitive form)
calm: r'ath
Canker: t'zath
capture: d'lan (infinitive form)
casualty: n'gath
chains: r'tharn
champion: k'kath
chaos: t'zhan
chasm: y'gul
city: r'lyth
comet: k'zath
commander: r'qath
conquer: v'rath (infinitive form)
consume: p'gath (infinitive form)
contaminate: z'laan (infinitive form)
contemplation: r'vor
control: d'ath (infinitive form)
corrupt: x'laan (infinitive form)
cosmic: w'phar
crack: k'shal (infinitive form)
creation: g'phor
cruel: x'thul
cure: r'laan (infinitive form)
curse: n'kath
cycle: l'phor
dagger: s'goth
darkness: g'nath, z'quor
dawn: s'arn
day: r'zath
death: h'qarn
decay: t'laan
defeat: s'gath
deity: b'kaan
demon: x'kath
desert: f'roth
desire: r'garn
despair: d'qarn
destiny: k'hath
destruction: t'goth
devour: r'kul (infinitive form)
dimension: r'koth
disaster: z'kath
disease: s'vath
dominate: v'gath (infinitive form)
dread: kh'va
dream: fhtag (infinitive form)
dusk: n'arn
earth: p'kaan
eat: p'gath (infinitive form)
ecstasy: v'qarn
eldritch: y'vor
enemy: z'gath
enigma: f'vor
entropy: t'phar
essence: q'luth
eternity: r'shar
evening: z'nath
evolution: v'phor
existence: v'kaan
exterminate: z'fath (infinitive form)
fate: v'hath
fear: b'xol
feast: r'farn
fight: g'gath (infinitive form)
fire: s'nath
flesh: v'loth
foe: h'ath
follower: k'ath
food: t'gor
forest: n'kresh
forgotten: z'ulath
fortress: k'loth
fortune: r'hath
freedom: z'var
friend: r'ath
fury: z'nath
galaxy: w'lan
glory: k'vorn
gnosis: r'phos
god: g'kaan
gravitation: z'kra
guardian: v'kath
harmony: s'phar
hate: v'thul
heal: g'laan (infinitive form)
health: n'lan
hero: r'fath
hidden: q'vorn
horror: x'vul
hunger: h'gnar
hunter: l'thar
ice: n'var, r'var
illusion: h'xoth
immortality: r'qarn
infinity: n'roth
injured: d'zath
injury: s'vorn
insanity: q'raak
intellect: r'vor
kill: r'fath (infinitive form)
king: t'lor
knowledge: r'than
land: k'arn
leader: v'gath
legend: s'zath
lie: k'var
life: v'laan
light: d'arn
lost: d'fran
madness: q'raak
mage: g'qath
malevolence: x'thul
manipulate: k'laan (infinitive form)
metal: n'goth
midnight: r'gath
mind: r'vor
miracle: d'kath
misfortune: h'hath
moon: h'arn
morning: g'var
mortality: v'qarn
mountain: l'thag
mutate: z'lath (infinitive form)
myth: n'zath
nebula: w'vor
necromancy: h'vor
never: ne'kor
night: k'var
nightmare: s'voth
nihilism: z'vor
oblivion: u'qarn
obsession: k'vor
ocean: b'farn
omniscience: r'vorn
order: p'gol
pain: z'garn
paradox: f'phor
peace: k'gath
planet: r'ghol
pleasure: r'var
poison: k'qarn
portal: h'draal
power: dra'gon, n'vath
predator: n'kran
prey: s'gar
priest: d'qath
prison: s'var
prophecy: r'zath, s'kaan
protector: h'kath
purity: g'luth
quantum: f'lan
ravager: nglath
reality: g'phar, n'jor
realm: l'zath
rebirth: v'qorn
release: z'goth (infinitive form)
ritual: n'koth
rogue: z'qath
sacrifice: z'kron
scream: d'karn (infinitive form)
sea: v'lan
secret: f'thag
shadow: z'var
shield: g'var
silence: t'shul
singularity: z'vorn
sky: h'tarn
sleep: r'kesh (infinitive form)
soldier: s'ath
soul: k'phor
space: w'kan
spear: v'koth
spirit: r'naal
staff: g'draal
star: v'var
stone: s'loth
storm: h'vath, z'ghol
strength: r'kra
submission: g'lan
summon: p'greth (infinitive form)
summoner: r'kath
sun: r'nath
survive: k'thar (infinitive form)
sword: h'zath
telekinesis: v'zath
telepathy: m'zoth
temple: g'zhan
tentacle: y'thor
throne: v'kul
time: d'qor, v'loch
tomb: n'draal
tongue (language): sk'lo
torment: x'gul
tower: r'zor
transcendence: om'vor
trap: g'vath
truth: b'dal
twilight: h'zath
unbind: v'goth (infinitive form)
unknowable: m'phos
unnatural: k'loth
vengeance: d'zor
victim: z'kri
victory: r'lash
villain: s'kath
void: u'tharn, z'vorn
wait: mglw' (infinitive form)
war: v'zath
warrior: n'q
water: d'bal
weakness: s'far
weapon: s'goth
whisper: y'kresh (infinitive form)
wind: v'gul
wisdom: k'vor
wood: g'zor
wound: d'vath (infinitive form)
wounded: k'laan
xenomorph: i'loth
Abyssal prison: r'gar
Alien geometry: x'lan
Alien influence: z'lan
All-consuming darkness: w'rath
Ancient history: k'xath
Ancient origin: v'phar
Ancient ritual: v'karth
Beyond comprehension: m'phos
Beyond time: x'phar
Bleak destiny: n'phos
Chaotic force: g'phar
Collapsing stars: x'khar
Corrupted soul: p'zath
Cosmic alignment: w'phar
Cosmic betrayal: d'phar
Cosmic convergence: n'lan
Cosmic dread: x'vorn
Cosmic entity: d'kthul
Cosmic entropy: t'phar
Cosmic fear: b'xol
Cosmic indifference: j'zath
Cosmic intervention: n'xath
Crawling chaos: s'rath
Cryptic symbols: m'zath
Cursed bloodline: y'phos
Cursed relic: m'qros
Cyclopean architecture: o'phar
Dark prophecy: i'thos
Dark secret: u'gath
Devouring darkness: k'thran
Dissonant sound: w'lan
Disturbing dream: d'rath
Eerie atmosphere: y'zril
Eerie silence: p'qath
Elder beings: v'lorn
Eldritch abomination: y'lorn
Eldritch energy: z'vor
Eldritch tome: p'thag
Endless abyss: l'gath
Engulfing madness: b'rath
Eternal despair: y'gar
Ethereal plane: j'vath
Extradimensional creature: i'qath
Extradimensional portal: j'rath
Forbidden chant: z'qath
Forbidden knowledge: r'shath
Forbidden rite: t'zath
Forgotten past: m'gar
Formless horror: s'phar
Formless void: s'vor
Great Old One: g'lok m'gar
Grotesque transformation: d'gar
Haunting echo: g'lorn
Hidden influence: m'khar
Hidden terror: w'qul
Incomprehensible language: x'phos
Incomprehensible sight: p'gar
Indescribable dread: v'krul
Indescribable terror: p'rath
Inescapable fate: r'qath
Inexplicable phenomena: d'lorn
Infinite darkness: b'vorn
Insidious influence: d'xol
Interstellar terror: b'phar
Interstellar voyage: g'gar
Lost city: s'vorn
Lurking fear: o'vorn
Maddening truth: v'qath
Malevolent entities: j'qath
Malevolent spirit: s'gath
Malignant force: j'phos
Mind-numbing void: b'lorn
Mind-shattering revelation: t'qath
Mind-warping: o'zath
Monstrous hybrid: o'xol
Monstrous spawn: o'qath
Nameless cult: j'ghar
Nightmare realm: i'khar
Nightmarish landscape: y'khar
Non-Euclidean space: r'lan
Non-human intelligence: z'khar
Occult knowledge: n'khar
Otherworldly being: f'xath
Otherworldly connection: z'vorn
Otherworldly presence: l'phos
Outer gods: l'xath
Parallel universe: i'vorn
Primal fear: g'qath
Primordial chaos: l'qath
Psychic intrusion: k'phos
Reality warp: i'lan
Sanity-shattering: w'khar
Serve: l'khar
Shadowy figure: l'zath
Shrouded in darkness: w'lorn
Sinister cults: r'vorn
Sinister influence: z'phos
Sinister intent: k'vorn
Soul-consuming: g'rath
Strange aeons: t'xol
Supernatural power: l'phar
Terrifying vision: t'lorn
Thirst: t'skar
Timeless void: g'xol
Twisted dimension: b'ghol
Twisted fate: p'lorn
Twisted reality: n'vor
Unhallowed ground: t'ghar
Unimaginable scale: y'phar
Unimaginable terror: o'phos
Unknowable future: s'khar
Unnatural birth: k'zath
Unnatural evolution: v'rath
Unspeakable deity: m'xath
Unspeakable horror: x'zoth
Unspeakable name: r'phos
Unstoppable force: i'rath
Void's whisper: n'phar
"G'nath ma-vroth, r'than ma-s'pher." (Travel in darkness, find knowledge.)
Meaning: Wisdom is often found in the most challenging experiences.
"Z'vorn-l ne-ma-p'gath, z'vorn n'ra-l ga-p'gath." (If you don't eat the void, the void will eat you.)
Meaning: Embrace the darkness, or it will consume you.
"R'shar-n k'a-l ma-vroth." (Eternity travels through me.)
Meaning: One who has transcended normal perception of time and space.
"V'laan-l z'vorn-q ma-q're." (Life exists in the void.)
Meaning: Opportunity can be found even in apparent emptiness.
"G'nath-r x'shan-l ma-d'bal." (To drink the shadow of darkness.)
Meaning: To gain power from terrifying experiences.
"K'vor-l r'kul, q'raak-l p'gath." (Devour wisdom, consume madness.)
Meaning: Knowledge comes at the cost of sanity.
"N'roth-r p'mal-q ma-vroth." (To walk on the edge of infinity.)
Meaning: To take great risks or to explore the unknown.
"T'zath-l ma-fhtag, nglath-l ma-p'lath." (The Canker dreams, the Ravager awakens.)
Meaning: As one threat fades, another emerges.
"R'than-vorn ne-ma-q're, m'phos-vorn ma-q're." (The greatest knowledge is not knowing.)
Meaning: True wisdom is understanding the limits of one's knowledge.
"Z'vorn-l ma-f'lar, r'shar-l ma-p'gath." (Weave the void, eat eternity.)
Meaning: Master the fundamentals to achieve the impossible.
"K'a-r dra'gon n'ra-r s'far ma-q're." (My power is your weakness.)
Meaning: One's strength is often another's vulnerability.
"G'nath-q ma-vroth, d'arn-l ma-s'pher." (Travel in darkness, find light.)
Meaning: Sometimes, one must embrace the opposite of what they seek to find it.
"X'zoth-l ma-p'gath, y'vor-m ma-q're." (Eat the unspeakable, become eldritch.)
Meaning: To truly understand something, one must fully immerse oneself in it.
"R'shar-n k'a-l ma-vroth, k'a r'shar-l ne-ma-s'pher." (Eternity travels through me, but I cannot find eternity.)
Meaning: The paradox of being part of something greater than oneself, yet unable to fully comprehend it.
"N'jor-l ma-p'gath, g'phar-l ma-z'goth." (Consume reality, release chaos.)
Meaning: Understanding often leads to a breakdown of previous beliefs.
"T'xol-r x'shan-q ma-vroth." (To travel in the shadow of aeons.)
Meaning: To be insignificant in the grand scheme of the universe.
"Z'vor-l ma-p'gath, r'vor-l ma-z'goth." (Consume energy, release thought.)
Meaning: True understanding comes from internalizing experiences.
"K'a-r n'zath n'ra-r r'than ma-q're." (My myth is your knowledge.)
Meaning: One being's fundamental truth may be merely academic to another.
"G'nath-r d'arn, d'arn-r g'nath." (Darkness of light, light of darkness.)
Meaning: All things contain their opposite; nothing is absolute.
"R'kul-l ma-vi-vroth, p'gath-l ne-ma-vi-d'lan." (Travel to devour, not to capture what you eat.)
Meaning: Experience and learn from life, don't try to possess or control it.
Wow. What a detailed and in depth article. You can really tell you have put a whole lot of work into this conlang. I hope you are proud of it. :)
Explore Etrea | WorldEmber 2025