Logomancy

The language Hume brought is remembered only in fragments. It is not everyday magic but a sacred rite, passed secretly between trusted humans.
To others, this is myth — many don't believe it exists.

Oathbinding: Used in rare ceremonies to seal alliances, marriages, or compacts. A broken oath curses the breaker.
Unmaking Words: Ritual phrases that can end illusions, curses, or bindings — a last-resort power.
True Names: Rare, dangerous. To speak one is to hold power over the named.

Very few humans know the words — and they are forbidden to teach freely.
Using them drains life, since the words "burn" the speaker's spirit.
Misuse can destroy more than intended: an unmaking word might unravel part of a person's soul.

Among Humans: A tightly guarded tradition, often preserved by lineages or secret brotherhoods. Seen as the bones of their people's identity.
Among Others: Occasionally whispered about — a Verdanni prince might seek a human wordbinder to seal a pact; a Sektarri Pharaoh might demand oaths in this tongue.
Among Rebels: Word-magic could be a tool of resistance, giving humans leverage beyond their numbers.

Oath-Binding as Human Word-Magic¶

Humans openly claim that oath-binding is a stand-alone gift of their people.
They insist it cannot be taught outside their bloodline — a protective lie to keep others from seeking the deeper Language of Origin.
This makes humans the natural negotiators, contract-keepers, and intermediaries in disputes.

An oath must be spoken aloud, witnessed, and sealed by a human.
Once bound, the oath has weight: breaking it brings pain, sickness, or misfortune.
The stronger the vow, the harsher the consequence. Death oaths are rare, but legendary.

Empire: Uses humans to enforce tribute pacts and military treaties. A Sektarri Pharaoh may not trust a Verdanni prince — but an oath bound by a human cannot be ignored.
Qnassi & Kampanni: Respect oath-binding deeply, seeing it as a reflection of fire's truth and air's freedom turned into responsibility.
Fluvarri: Use it warily, preferring trickery over truth — but can't deny its usefulness.
Dazhdvog: Appreciate it but fear its abuse; they prefer natural trust over enforced magical bonds.
Verdanni: See it as a threat — they despise being magically bound, as it robs them of growth and choice.

Oath-binding is just the visible shard of a much larger word-magic tradition — a surviving echo of the Language of Origin.
Humans guard this secret fiercely, spreading the belief that oath-binding is the whole of it.