The High Speech

The speaker is able to communicate in the High Speech, and though this is a mark of great nobility, it has little virtue beyond its mark of station. Using it, one can speak with Elves, accept great Oaths, and speak in noble fashion to lords of this world and the other. Though the High Speech is built on the tongue of Orchalannon, its telepathic overtones allow anyone to take its meaning (though it does not afford understanding of other tongues). In this way, heralds of the Line of Eld are able to make declarations in any land. That they cannot understand the answer is rarely thought important. 

Ability: Squish any set up or down by 1. Width:height trades 1:2. 

A corrupted form of the High Speech used by dark practitioners who lack the blood of Eld. It is used to buttress their invocations of evil spirits, and to bestow curses on their enemies (though such curses generally affect them equally). The creatures thus summoned generally deign to obey, knowing that the bill comes due for such power in time. 

Ability: Ignore the prerequisites for any Sorcery. This will often anger spirits and cause them to misbehave. 

Most young lords who hear the tones of command in the High Speech are forcefully reminded of the times their fathers spoke to them in anger for some youthful lapse in judgment. Has been used to cow lesser foes, and to aid in the ordering of troops. 

Ability: Gain 2d bonus to Command to Inpsire or Intimidate. 

The most righteous and willful are able to use the High Speech as a scourge against the forces of the other world. When a highborn knight speaks "from the soul", it is in the voice of god - and evil quakes in fear to hear it. Demons and evil spirits may be cowed or banished in this way.

Spell-like Ability: Rolling Command + Intimidate (-1), a single spirit or demon within earshot (2) suffers Width in difficulty to all rolls for Width minutes (2). Does not stack.

Any nobleman's word is their bond, naturally. However, when assurances are needed, they may speak an oath in the High Speech such that it cannot be willingly and knowingly broken. It is said that Karna himself hears these oaths, and judges those who would break their word. It is never considered polite to demand such an oath from one of good repute, but they may choose to offer it when nothing else will do. 

Spell-like Ability: The swearing of a major promise that causes 1 Shock to each hit location upon swearing. If the promise is ever broken, causes an additional 1 Killing to each hit location. Adds a Duty to your character sheet (+5). It costs 10xp to renounce a Duty (see pg. 28 Reing Enchiridion). An Oath in Earnest that was made under duress remains valid so long as it was made to another Scion.