Torrnuq Syllabary (Turunakuma)

The Torrnuq syllabary was created by René M P for the fictional conworld of Wah'gai. It is the primary writing system of the various “beastblood” tribes of the Great Central Plain and the Fang Mountain Range. The script has undergone almost five and a half millennia's worth of evolution, and has incorporated several different writing systems, from classical Engarun, to descendants of the Tami Pictographs.

One can get an accurate picture of the script's history and evolution just by studying the ornate carvings on the tombs of the Turunakuma tribes, from where the script's popular name comes. These tribes were great conquerors, and were responsible for the Kamatiwa language and the script that assumed their name. This language, which is still in use, is one of the most confusing ever spoken on the two worlds, it being a bastardization of the 17 different tongues spoken by the tribes assimilated by the Turunakuma.

Notable features

Type of writing system: Syllabary
Direction of writing: Vertical up to down in columns from left to right
Used to write: Kamatiwa, Kashi, Do Katami, Moko Nakuna, Tema and their respective dialects Parent systems: Engarun, Tami Pictographs etc
Origins: Evolved from a western variant of Engarun, and over the succeeding several millennia absorbed numerous other writing styles and systems. Was popularised by the Turunakuma tribes, and went on to adopt their name.
Cultural impact: While literature is not as prolific as that that written in Wata'echi, Engarun or even Zani Vizhdense, there is a great body of poetry written in Turunakuma. Despite its inconsistency and its predatory nature, Turunakuma was quite a powerful unifying factor under its namesake's patronage, so much so that some historians believe that Chief Wata'echi of the Ti'Kami'Shewa was inspired to similarly create and adopt a written system to unify his people, and the success of his efforts show what might have been had the Turunakuma similarly promoted literacy.
Points of interest: Turunakuma has a complicated (and ridiculous) system of syllable-vowel combinations. For instance, the syllable [kʌ] followed by the vowel [ʌ] would result in a [k]. However, the same syllable followed by the vowel [ʊ] would give the syllable [kaı]. These syllable-vowel combinations are confusing to the uninitiated, and they vary from region to region and from dialect to dialect. In addition, this script is part of a group that uses a base 18 number system. That said, there are some much more exotic systems (such as Neo S'Deke's base 137 system).

Torrnuq Syllabary

Note: Several syllables may be represented in more than one way

Numerals

Torrnuq numerals

Sample text

This text is in Turunakuma script and the Kashi language.

Torrnuq Syllabary

IPA transcription

/tɒkʌ mʌsʊwʌhı hımʌkʊ nıʃʌ tɒkʌ mʌsʊwʌhı kʊrʊŋʌtʊ hırʌkʊ hʌkʊ hımʌkʊ wɔ:tʌ kʊrʊŋʌtʊ ʃıŋʌtʌ tɒʃʌmʌ nıʃʌ hʌkʊ hımʌkʊ wɔ:tʌ kʊrʊŋʌtʊ ʃıŋʌtʌ hʊɵʌgı. tɒkʌ hıkʌrʊ mʊhʌwʌgɒ nıʃʌ tɒkʌ hıkʌrʊ nıŋʌwʌ dʌʃɒgı kʊmʌ tɒkʌ gɒʃʊnʌ tɒkʌ hımʌ nʌdʌt gɒʃʊnʌ nʌdʌt./

Transliteration

Toka masuwahi himaku nisha toka masuwahi kurungatu hiruka haku himaku wota kurungatu shingata toshama nisha haku himaku wota kurungatu shingata huthagi. Toka hikaru muhawago nisha toka hikaru ningawa dashogi kuma toka goshuna toka hima nadat goshuna nadat.

Translation

All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood.
(Article 1 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights)

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