Reach chant in the Harrowstorms

ZunaRoath · June 2020

No spoilers about Greymoor in this post, but I'll speak about the Harrowstorms, so if you don't want to know about them, don't read.

I have noticed along with a friend that the Icereach witches make a chant in the Harrowstorms. This is very hard to see, as players immediately rush ahead and kill everything as soon as it spawns, so to hear it you've to be very lucky, and wait for a storm to spawn. When it spawns, three Icereach witches spawn, and plant the three pikes. Then they cast a spell which makes the pikes bigger, the ones we fight. Usually when this has happened, the Witches are already dead because everyone rushed, but if you're lucky enough you will see the following, unless someone interrupts it and goes to attack them:

The Witches turn around and walk to the centre of the Harrowstorm, then they begin chanting, and they stay by the middle, just like that keyart of Harrowstorm. Now what I want to ask with this, does anybody know what language is this chant? Could it be Reach language? I'd love to see a text version of it, the words, and translation. Anyone has any more info?

@ZOS_GinaBruno @ZOS_JessicaFolsom @ZOS_SarahHecker @ZOS_SoundMaster @ZOS_LeamonTuttle Sorry for the ping, but I'd really really love to know more about this, because it is absolutely amazing!

Here's a video I was able to catch of this happening. While it was not in the beginning of a Harrowstorm, it happened after a player had died, so it is mid storm. I spent HOURS literally trying to catch this lmao.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ax-qih9pUks

Foefaller · June 2020

I think it's Dragon Language.

First bit after the NPC starts talking sound like "Ron Kaal Lok Kaal Ruth!" Suspect there is another "Kaal" right before the Ron, because then it would translate to "Champion (of) Rain, Champion (of) Sky, Champion (of) Rage/Curses!" Which fits for a Harrowstorm summoning.

Here's the list of known words in the Dragon Language if anyone is interested in digging further.

Foefaller · June 2020

So what I'm hearing sounds like.

"(Kaal) Ron Kaal Lok Kaal Ruth! Lun Gaaf Wuld. *something with an R?* Kaal (Kaan?) UL!

"Lun Gaaf Wuld" would translate to "Leech Ghost Whirlwind" so I'm guessing it means more like "Spirit-Leeching/stealing Whirlwind"

Last part stumps me though. "UL" means eternity, so "something something (for) eternity!" Seems obvious, but nothing I can think of really matches with what I think I'm hearing. Closest would be "Vo Kaan" or "Opposite Kyne." Which could be meant as oppose/defy. With Kyne/Kynareth being the wind goddess, it's likely just a fancy way of saying "don't stop storming."

Haven't done all of Greymoor, so I'm probably missing some insight, but what I'm getting is something like:

"Champion of Rain, Champion of Sky, Champion of Rage! Spirit-Leeching Whirlwind, Defy Kyne for Eternity!"

Foefaller · June 2020

Okay, now that I'm at home and not trying to listen to this on my phone, found three things:

One, I should know better than to think I can hear it clearly on my phone's measly speakers.

Two, I was completely wrong about what they are saying.

Three, some parts still sound like they could be dragon language."Gron Nahl On Kaal(?) Ru." sounds like the first part (again, after the NPC finishes talking) Which is "Bind Living Spirits Champion Run" Kaal could also be Kah, which is Pride, so it might be translated as "Bind Living spirits (as their) champion/Prideful runs."

Everything else is kinda gibberish when I try to fit sounds together though.

ZunaRoath · June 2020

Foefaller wrote: »

Okay, now that I'm at home and not trying to listen to this on my phone, found three things:

One, I should know better than to think I can hear it clearly on my phone's measly speakers.

Two, I was completely wrong about what they are saying.

Three, some parts still sound like they could be dragon language."Gron Nahl On Kaal(?) Ru." sounds like the first part (again, after the NPC finishes talking) Which is "Bind Living Spirits Champion Run" Kaal could also be Kah, which is Pride, so it might be translated as "Bind Living spirits (as their) champion/Prideful runs."

Everything else is kinda gibberish when I try to fit sounds together though.

Woah, really amazing finds. The draconic part even makes sense on what you translated, since there's certain monsters that spawn in the harrowstorms as possible "champions". The only thing is that I don't understand why Reachmen would use draconic language, when (from some sources) it is said the Reachmen have a language of their own. (For source, see here: https://en.uesp.net/wiki/Lore:The_Legend_of_Red_Eagle "They named him Faolan, which means 'Red Eagle' in the tongue of the Reach").

I still really like your possible translation, since it does fit the way Harrowstorms work, and how it relates to Skyrim.

Someone in Twitter mentioned it could have roots in Old English, but I have no clue about this...

Really well done though, love your theory @Foefaller !

ZunaRoath · June 2020

Forgot to mention, I was able to record a new video, this one without Matron Jagiska speaking over the chant, and with no music:

https://twitter.com/ZunaSW/status/1271050392265273346

Foefaller · June 2020

*If* it is dragon language, it's likely so we can get nerd sniped into figuring it out and having a chance, rather than hoping for more on a language that as of yet doesn't actually exist beyond those words

Anyway, sounds like there are four lines, and a repetition on the first half of the first two. For the first three, I'm going to make aguess that they are saying:

"Gro Naal Nok, Maak On In.
Gro naal Nok, Kaalu!
Du Nahl Mun...

Which would be something like

"Bound by Lie, Eat-Spirit-Master.
"Bound by Lie, our champion!
Devour living Man...

"Mun" could also be "Mul" which is "strength."

Last line is hard though. I'm getting "Rah Kaal Ul" Which would be "Gods Champion Eternity" which 1. Makes no sense, and 2. isn't grammatically correct (If it's suppose to be Gods' Champion, is should be "Rah Kaalu" the -u being a plural possessive, and it sounds like it's three separate monosyllable words) there are a few other mondegreens I'm thinking of, but most that would seem "right" also practically assume the VAs don't know what consonants are suppose to sound like.

RaddlemanNumber7 · June 2020

I appreciate your efforts in trying to make sense of this chant, but I wonder if all you've done is catch the game builders using some previously-unused sounds they already had lying around.

The words of this chant could apply to Kaalgrontiid.

And, unless this year's super-secret-surprise boss turns out to be Alduin, I don't see why the Grey Host or Reach witches would be using Dragon language.

ZunaRoath · June 2020

Foefaller wrote: »

*If* it is dragon language, it's likely so we can get nerd sniped into figuring it out and having a chance, rather than hoping for more on a language that as of yet doesn't actually exist beyond those words

Anyway, sounds like there are four lines, and a repetition on the first half of the first two. For the first three, I'm going to make aguess that they are saying:

"Gro Naal Nok, Maak On In.
Gro naal Nok, Kaalu!
Du Nahl Mun...

Which would be something like

"Bound by Lie, Eat-Spirit-Master.
"Bound by Lie, our champion!
Devour living Man...

"Mun" could also be "Mul" which is "strength."

Last line is hard though. I'm getting "Rah Kaal Ul" Which would be "Gods Champion Eternity" which 1. Makes no sense, and 2. isn't grammatically correct (If it's suppose to be Gods' Champion, is should be "Rah Kaalu" the -u being a plural possessive, and it sounds like it's three separate monosyllable words) there are a few other mondegreens I'm thinking of, but most that would seem "right" also practically assume the VAs don't know what consonants are suppose to sound like.

Really nice theory! I'd love to get more info about this in the next DLC. Would be so amazing!

Foefaller · June 2020

RaddlemanNumber7 wrote: »

I appreciate your efforts in trying to make sense of this chant, but I wonder if all you've done is catch the game builders using some previously-unused sounds they already had lying around.

The words of this chant could apply to Kaalgrontiid.

And, unless this year's super-secret-surprise boss turns out to be Alduin, I don't see why the Grey Host or Reach witches would be using Dragon language.

Wouldn't have to be Alduin.

Could be someone Curse-Never-Dying...